'Fixation' Opening Sequence

Here is our final product!

After having to make loads of further edits working with what we had over having to go back and reshoot some things, we have managed to make some changes to our film that we feel are very beneficial to the film as a whole. We have managed to use the shots we had to create a shot reverse shot between the Stalker and Mandy as she approaches the scene of the murder. We found this quite difficult as we had to edit perfectly to make the continuity of the film work and keep the belief of our film there. This was a major problem as it was very time consuming and we hadn't got the titles or sound onto the film yet therefore we were slightly starting to panic as we knew we were running out of time.

We had to spend an hour learning how to get the titles onto each clip by using tutorials on Youtube to help, one of which can be seen below:

We found this to be a good way to learn as it was something we had no idea about and due to the fact we didn't have it told to us exactly what it was we were meant to do, we had the freedom to play around a bit with the different texts and transitions of each. This too was time consuming but it was worth doing as it means we have learnt something new we can use in the future on Final Cut Express.

Lastly, due to copywright we had to make the music that can be heard on the opening. This took almost 3 hours which seemed forever for such a short clip and we had problems with getting it all put together in time to make the deadline however it all came together really well and we're really pleased with the end result.

Feedback from Peers

The feedback we recieved from our peers was helpful as it forced us to perhaps notice things that beforehand we may not have noticed. It was also a good experience to see what other people's opening sequences were like and how they could possibly help us to improve our own.

The positive comments we recieved is as follows:

1. Lighting very good
2. Shots very good
3. Daylight good - easy to see
4. Close up of eyes good
5. Good costume 
6. Good location 
7. Simple but effective
8. Good costumes/shots
9. Good mis-en-scene
10. Good acting and characters
11. Good quality 
12. Good range of shots 
13. Good cuts 
14. Close ups good
15. Narrative liked
16. Continuity good

However we did also recieve some more critical comments, most of which will be solved in the final edit before submitting our film:

1. Some bits jumpy - this is down to the fact that the editing is not yet compeleted. Once it has been it will be a lot clearer in my opinion.
2. Audio is confusing - the audio captured in the film shots is going to be muted completely hence why we aren't too bothered about it just yet.
3. Storyline a bit confusing - it was not explained how so we don't understand how it is confusing in order to modify it. 
4. Editing wasn't smooth - editing isn't finished.
5. Some shots out of focus - this was meant to happen as it creates a certain mysterious atmosphere around Anna.
6. Could be more suspensful (when Anna is following Lucy) - once again will be rectified in final editing. The shots are going to be made shorter, there will possibly be more shot reverse shots etc.
7. Sound could be used before Lucy is on the floor - is going to be added when we get to editing that last little bit; the kind of thing we had in mind was to do like a blackout when the title of the film appears, with a scream then you see the final shot with Lucy on the floor.
8. Add more shots whilst walking  - once again, a problem that will be solved during last edits.

Recieving Feedback

After having Ms Thrasher watch our film and give us feedback, we realised that in fact there was quite a lot we had left to do.
For examle, she said that some of the scenes of the Stalker following Mandy were too long and needed to be edited down and a shot reverse shot perhaps to be put in - immediately therefore, we began to cut those down and have already out a shot reverse shot into our sequence but that still needs some more work. Also, we were told that the paning shot from Mandy to the Stalker wasn't a good idea so we have now cut that out and made it into two shots.
Also, there is a scene in the kitchen with Ted and Mandy which we were told was quite confusing as he suddenly changes position (due to two shots being edited together) which we needed to somehow fix and have done by making the shot more specific. We simply shortened the first shot so that the viewer can tell what is going on before they enter the front room therefore it doesn't appear as though we were trying to match the two shots together but instead were more just shortening the narrative but not in such a way that would be confusing to the viewer.
Also we needed to fix the sound up but we decided to do that last as it could go wrong and we would need a lot of help. 

What we have left to do

1. Finish off editing on Final Cut Express - we need to add titles into the sequence and check that it all flows properly and is believable and doesn't confuse the audience in any way. We also need to add the music to our clip and mute all of the different images making it a silent piece. 
2. Create surveys for peer analysis - when we show our clip for the first time we need to have it analysed by people in our group to tell us whether they believe it and would want to see the rest of the movie; we need to think about what questions we are going to include in this questionaire.
3. Re-edit the film - after having the peer analysis questionaires back and looking at the criticisms we recieve the film will most probably need some tweaking. This will result in going back to Final Cut Express and changing different aspects of our opening sequence.

Editing our sequence.

To begin with, editing was really easy and didn't involve much work for me personally as I was just offering opinions to Anna and Lucy who were doing all the technical stuff. We got on really well as a group and didn't disagree at all on what we thought we needed to do and where different clips should go in order to make the film as good as we could. However, today I was the only one in and may have struggled a bit not only with the editing software but with not having other people's opinion on what I was doing as it isn't only my grade we're working for and I didn't want to let them down. Furthermore, I had never used Final Cut Express before and struggled a bit with all the different buttons and things that I had to use. I also somehow managed to put the first bit of text onto the sequence which was very difficult as I started off not having a clue with what to do even to move clips onto a timeline and so I felt very proud when I managed to add the text onto the end. Now all that is left to do is the final tweaks to the clips and putting titles on it - an aim I think very easily done when we come back from half term.

Filming of Our Sequence.

We filmed the sequence today, so it is now ready to be edited and put together to create the final thing before peer analysis.

The filming only took about an hour and a half and we got all the footage that we needed. However, whilst filming we encountered some problems:

1. House set up: because Anna was a stalker, we had to find a way to make sure she was seen by the audience but not obvious to the main characters, Teddy and Mandy. This was hard as there was no bushes around the window so Anna had to angle herself at the side of the window so that she could 'stalk' the couple in the front room. 
2. When filming the murder scene outside, we had a man come up to us and start yelling expletives and threatening to call the police on us. We handled this by walking away and leaving the situation, however when we walked back that way to leave home he followed us for a part of the way. However, no harm was done except for a man in New Malden hating us. 

Overall, the filming was very successful and as a group we are really proud of what we created. We also took some photographs of the filming in process!

<---Lucy and Catherine setting up the camera outside the house, preparing to film the establishing shot of the location.

<---Lucy and Catherine having problems with the camera by the looks of things!

 <---A photo of our friend Perry's house where we shot our opening sequence.

<---Anna in role playing 'the stalker' spying on Ted and Victim Mandy.

<---Preparing to shoot a scene with Mandy and Ted.

<---Perry and Lucy getting into role, ready to be filmed.

<---The cast, Perry Vazquez, Lucy Findlater and Anna Wylde, all friends in real life however this is certainly not the case in the film!

<---Catherine did the majority of filming the sequences.

Prop List and Costumes for Opening Sequence

Prop List/Costumes

1. An Axe: used for the murder of Mandy by the Stalker. 
2. Fake Blood/Ketchup: used to create the blood coming from Mandy's body after the murder has taken place.
3. 'Alcoholic' Beverages: drinks that appear to be alcohol (but actually aren't) to set the mood that they are a couple having a nice night in together.
4.  80s music: sets the era, creates the mood of what is happening within the frame. 
5. Stalkers costume: long black coat, black jeans, black Dr Martens and a black top so she is camoflaged when she is peering through the window. 
6. Mandy's costume: a polka dot dress, denim jacket, Dr Martens, bright make-up (lots of blusher, bright eye make-up, bright lipstick) Big hair and hair accesories, fingerless gloves. These will all give the 80's feel as these were worn in that era.
7. Teddy's costume: Hawiian shirt, shorts, boot, big hair. 
8. 80's music. Sussudio by Phil Collins.

Costumes and Makeup

As our thriller is going to be set in the 80's we have gathered some inspiration as to what makeup and clothing the characters should wear:

For Lucy's character (Mandy)she is going to dress in a bright red polka dot dress with Dr.Marten boots, lots of beaded necklaces and large hoop earings. Her eye makeup will be bright and colourful in order to capture the true 80's vibe.







Mandy's boyfriend (played by Perry Vasquez) will wear a bright coloured hawaiian shirt and his hair will be big and bouffant.

Opening Sequence Idea

To decide what to do for our opening sequence was a very difficult task as we found it hard to select what to do from our ideas of modern day, Victorian and the last century. However, we decided very quickly what genre we wanted to do and have stuck to that throughout the brainstorming of our ideas. Eventually we decided that we want to base our sequence in the 70s/80s and that it is going to be a thriller. We came to this decision through thinking of the practical elements of creating a different time and how much money each would cost to create. However we always wanted to be original and set it in a different time and through looking through our wardrobes and researching the time, we realised that this idea would be cost free and easy to do as we had asked a friend from outside of our group to help us by acting and letting us use his house.

We have 3 people acting in our sequence and one of the group filming it. We are going to use props of 70s/80s clothing and someone's house as our scene. The story is a couple (girlfriend and boyfriend) at his house watching a film together, getting very close. However, there is a girl, his stalker, watching from outside through the window who is infatuated with the boy. She is so obsessed with him that she takes it upon herself to get rid of his girlfriend altogether by attacking her as she makes her way home. The stalker is carrying an axe and as the girl leaves she begins to follow her down an alley. When they are definitely completely isolated, the stalker pulls out the axe, the screen goes black and you hear a scream. The next thing the audience will see is the axe and the girl on the floor and a smile from the stalker before she calmly walks away leaving the dramatic scene behind her including the murder weapon.

We are going to use a few different locations in order to reflect the girl's journey home as well as a lot of different camera shots including shot reverse shot, extreme close ups, long shots and establishing shots.