Drafting and Planning - Further Poster Ideas

After the feedback from my classmates, I decided to expand on the spy hole idea.

I found this image of a spy hole. I liked this image as it gives the appearance of someone looking through the spy hole invading their privacy.

I then added the image to Paint.Net and added the title of the film and the names of the actresses.
After experimenting with the spy hole image I came to the conclusion that I preferred my original image of an eye. I think the spy hole idea is good as it relates to my film being set in a flat. However, I do not think it creates a scary enough feel.

Drafting and Planning - Ancillary Product Feedback

In lesson we carried out peer assessment on the drafts of our ancillary products. The feedback I received will enable me to produce the most effective poster and magazine.

Poster Feedback:

http://chloeoneill1996.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/blog-post.html

This is the draft of my poster which I showed to the class. The majority of my class liked the poster and thought the image was very effective. They thought the plain, black font was also effective as it produced a professional feel.
However, to improve, they said to change the date to just 'February 2014' as posters are distributed worldwide so theatre dates vary. Also, one of my classmates suggested using another image such as a spy hole. I liked this idea and I may incorporate it in my work as it creates a synergy with the name - 'Flat 6.'

Magazine Feedback:

http://chloeoneill1996.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/drafting-and-planning-magazine-first.html

This is the draft of my magazine which I showed to the class. They all liked the layout of my magazine and that it is clearly 'horror-themed.' They said my black, white and red colour theme looks professional whilst it also relates to the genre of my film.
On the other hand, to improve they said to get a better quality main image which I had intentions of doing. They also said to add a main cover line which shows the name of the film. They also said to add 'we' to 'go behind the scenes' to create a link between the magazine and the audience.

Organisation - Dress Rehearsal

I gathered my actresses together and organised them into their different costumes.

This is the 'baddy' character. I got Vanessa to wear all black as it has connotations to mystery and the unknown. As black is a dark colour it will allow Vanessa to creep around the flat without being noticed. The darkness also draws more attention to Vanessa's eyes and pale complexion which creates an eerie feel. I applied black make up around both of her eyes to give the impression that she is dead. This with her messy, dark her also has connotations to typical Horror film villains such as the Grudge and the Ring.

This is the character who is moving far away from home to University. I made Ailis wear a collared playsuit which could represent innocence and purity. Her pale complexion and long ringlets also creates an impression of vulnerability which is effective in presenting her as a victim.

This is one of the characters who already attended the University. I made Katie wear clothes which gave the impression of a typical University student who is used to going out and fits in with her environment. This is effective as it makes Ailis look more vulnerable as Katie is familiar with her surroundings.
However, Katie is still a victim of the 'baddy' and her blonde hair represents her as a typical, vulnerable female.

This is the second character who is also already attending the University. Again, like Katie, Charlotte is dressed up as if she is used to going out so fits in with her surroundings. Like Katie she is less vulnerable than Ailis but still is a victim of the 'baddy.'

Drafting and Planning - Titles for Teaser Trailer

I began to think about the structure of my trailer and how I was going to break up the different recordings. I then came up with the following:

Title - From first time film director

Director's Name - Chloe O'Neill

Film Title - Flat 6

Tagline - 'The Girl That Never Left'

Release Date - February 2014

Drafting and Planning - Further Edited Photos

I then took the same image but with the flash. 

Again, I added the image to 'Whitagram' and changed the contrast and brightness to make the image darker. 

I then used different filters from my iPhone to see if these effects gave me a more effective image.

I like 'Noir' as the black and white effect matches my colour scheme and makes the eye make up look darker but the pupil whiter providing a distinct contrast. 

I think the 'Fade' filter is effective as and it creates an old/ ancient look. This could reflect that my evil person has been dead/ haunting Flat 6 for a while.

I like the filter 'Mono' but I think it would be too much for my poster. I think my image needs to be quite simple like the sample I made. 

Drafting and Planning - Original Images For Poster

This is an image of the girl's eye I will possibly use for my final poster. Like 'The Eye' and the draft of the poster I created, I wanted my image to be an extreme close up of an eye. I put black make up around the girl's eye to make it look even darker and therefore create fear within the audience. 

I then inserted the image into 'Whitagram' - a photo editing app - and increased the contrast and sharpness of the photo. I also blurred out some of the skin surrounding the eye to draw more attention to the pupil. 

I then used the app 'Instagram' to edit my image even further and try out different effects. 

I like the effect 'Nashville' as I think it makes the skin around the eye look very dark and therefore mysterious. 

I then used the effect 'Brannan.' I like this effect as like the previous one it makes the eye appear very dark. 

I like the effect 'Sutro' as it makes the eye look dark but also makes the skin look red. This is effective as it matches the colour scheme of my magazine. 

I like the effect 'Sierra' as it puts more focus on the pupil. However, I don't think it creates a scary enough effect.

Drafting and Planning - Trial Recording 9

In this recording, I shot the train going under a tunnel and arriving at an empty station. I think this is effective as from the window the girl can only see darkness which has connotations to evil and emptiness which creates an eerie feel.

When the train goes under the tunnel, a reflection of the inside of the train is shown. In this recording, what is shown is the reflection of  the woman sitting in front of the girl. In my final recordings, I had the idea to place my evil character on that chair so when the train goes under the tunnel the girl can see my evil character but will not recognise her yet.

This is effective as it gives a sense that the evil character is stalking the girl which is typical of horror films.

Overall, I will use this shot in my final trailer but have my evil character in it also. This shot is also too long for my trailer so I will shorten it making it more effective.

Drafting and Planning - Trial Recording 8

In this recording, I used another panning shot to show the empty/isolated train the girl is travelling on. This is effective as, again, the girl is shown as alone and helpless which means she is vulnerable.

I also had the idea to do a shot of the newspaper highlighting the 'Missing Girl' - my evil character - on the train. I thought I could do a panning shot of the isolated train and then move into a close up of the newspaper which will have an image of my evil character on.

Overall, I like this shot and will use it in my final trailer but will add the newspaper prop.

Drafting and Planning - Trial Recording 7

In this recording I, again, shot some of the train's journey to initiate to the audience that the girl is far away from home. I prefer this recording to the previous one as I shot just as the train was approaching the station so the pace slowed down creating a eerie feel.

Again, the weather was very grey and dismal so went well with the slow pace of the train and the genre of the trailer I am trying to create.

Overall, I like this recording and think I will use this to show the girl arriving at her station and getting off the train.

Drafting and Planning - Trial Recording 6

In this recording, I shot some of the train journey to express to the audience that the girl is travelling a long way. The weather when I was shooting was grey and dismal which was effective as it could forebode the evil which is to come.

Overall, this simple shot is effective as it provides information to the audience.

Drafting and Planning - Trial Recording 5

In this recording, I used a close up shot of my characters hands. I made my actor fidget with her hands to show her nerves as she is travelling to a new place on her own.

I think this is effective as it presents her as weak and vulnerable because she is not used to the place she is going, so when disaster strikes and the evil character appears she will not be able to escape to safety with ease.

Overall, I like this shot as it presents the character I want to create well. However, the costume of this character needs to be altered to present her as inferior and weak.

Drafting and Planning - Trial Recording 4

In this recording, I stood inside the lift as if shooting from the character's perspective. As the lift opens, and the character thinks they have escaped and are safe, the evil character appears at the lifts entrance.

I think this shot is effective as it creates a false hope for the audience which is typical for horror films. Also, it shows the evil character as more powerful than the other characters and that there is no escape.

Overall, I like the idea of this recording and will use it in my final trailer. However, the evil character will appear more scary-looking.