PRELIMINARY - EVALUATION

How effective is the combination of your main product and your film poster?

I think that the combination between my main product and my poster, work well together. As the product does well in portraying a character and their background in depth in a short space of time, and the poster reflects this well. The character is very kept within her self, and doesn't give too much away, just like the poster it doesn't give too much away, which contrasts with the simplicity as, the simplicity makes it much more complex, inevitably making the product and poster compliment each other well. 

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

What I learnt from my audience feedback was that the product was very shocking to people, they found it quite disturbing as I touched on quite a sensitive subject. Although this was quite a negative feedback, I was told is was also very powerful piece of art, that my creative direction was lovely how I contrasted a beautiful build up in such a disturbing subject. I learnt through feedback, that what my style of work was as a director, I was told from primary sources, who vision differently to yourself. I learnt that my work has is emotive and that it can make the audience feel something, whether it be negative or positive. 

What have you learned during the course of this project and what targets for improvement do you need to set for the main task?

During this task, I learnt a few things, technically and mentally. I learnt how to manage a project like this independently, as I filmed and edited by my self. As in previous task we worked within a group, which made it more easier. I found that I like to work by myself, as some times working within a team ideas can collide and arguments occur. So I think I will like to work alone for my main task. I took on a more artistic license which I learnt was my forte, as I used more artistic shots like intricate close ups, and how it was wrote. I also learnt that I have good camera skills, as I showed some good panning shots in my product, which makes me want to start doing more camera work within projects. 

Improvements for the main task would most likely be creating a less disturbing product, as some people didn't react well to my preliminary. Also I would like to use a HD camera for my main task, as the poor quality resolution on my preliminary ruins some of the shots. 

INDIVIDUALITY - POSTER

PRELIMINARY

PRE-PRODUCTION - MUSIC

I was thinking about what music to use in my production, something that would convey emotion to the audience and feel for Enya. At the beginning I was going to have Enya turn on the music and it start playing then, so I would have had to choose something that she would play, which wouldn't be the type of music to convey the emotion I wanted, so I took that out. I wanted a 1980/90s esque feel to the production so I wanted to use that an era of music that could represent this. So I chose the follow two which I thought I could use:

Imagine - John Lennon

Mad World - Gary Jules

PRE-PRODUCTION - PRODUCTION AND SHOOTING SCHEDULE

Production Schedule

Contact Details:
       -     Owen Mooney: 07846897749
         -     Ruth Cooper:    07752840332    
         -     Charly Bowen:  07972868892

         -     Enya Mooney:  07817289096
Filming Locations:

-       Bathroom

Technical Requirements:
        -      Camera

        -      Tripod
        -      SD card

        -      Lighting kit

        -      Sound kit

Scene Breakdown:
        -      Bath room: 1
     

Shooting Schedule

Production Name: Individuality

Recording Date:        -       27^th September 2011

Cast and Crew Call Times:
        -      10:00 47 Fen Lane, Walton, Peterborough

Set up:        -      Start:   10:00
        -      Finish: 10:15

Shooting:

Bathroom

       -      Start setup: 10:00

       -      Start shooting: 10:15
       -      Finish: 14:00

Property Requirements:

       -     Candles and match: to light the candles in the scene
       -     iPod and docking station: which is used as Enya turns it on

       -     Pills: which are Enya lines up along the bath
       -     Lipstick: which Enya uses
       -     Mascara: which Enya uses
       -     Dress: which Enya puts on 

PRE-PRODUCTION - TASK 8 (REPRESENTATION OF SCRIPT)

My character is representing depression, as through the monologue we hear the things she is saying, about not being happy with her life anymore, trying to make things better, which never work. Through the script we know that she is commiting suicide, which shows how far depression has taken her. This is represented through the descriptive text about how she is preparing herself for the suicide, by apply make-up and lighting candles to lighten the mood, and allow her to die peacefully, which was something she has never felt. It is also represented by her monologue, as she talks about suicide and indicates some reasons why. The genre that this production would come under, would be something like a thirller or drama, as the conventions that I use of death, meet the ones used in those particular genres. This is represented to be true, as the world deals with actual suicides, which meant I had to do a little research into 'suicide notes' and how people kill themselves to get a feel of what to write and describe my character. There is a significant absense of why exactly she has chose to kill herself, she vaguely explains what her parents are like, but we don't know what has pushed her to the edge and to finally making her commiting suicide. This represents how she is very mysterious, there are things in the script we don't know why she is doing it, for example applying make-up and lining the pills up. The absence of why she is doing it, leaves the audience with an open mind, allowing them decide them selves why she did it, and allows them to remember my production well. The represntation is targeted at maybe teenagers, who could be suffering the same depression, but the script also could target at parents, to make sure their child is happy. This is because a teenager could relate themselves to the character, see why she is comitting suicide. I think it is easily making sense, we get an idea of why she is killing herself, through some of the monologue, but the audience could still be unsure. It is obvious she is committing suicide through the description, as she takes pills and drowns, but she also explains about suicide in the monologue, so it is quite self explanatory.

PRE-PRODUCTION - STORYBOARD

Here I have created a story board from my production, which I think will help me consider shots for when I film, and also help me make a body to my production allowing me to see it come to life more, as a product not as an idea or written document.

PRE-PRODUCTION - TASK 8 (SCRIPT)

FADE IN. 


1. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
Begins with a series of close ups of ENYA turning on the tap, lighting candle which are lines around the bath and turning on music. 

ENYA
(VO)

They say drowning is peaceful,
almost pleasurable. I hope they
aren't lying, because I've never
felt pleasure

(BEAT)
or peace. I never wanted to die
alone, but I don't have anyone
else
(BEAT)
well no one that loves me. My
mother will eventually drink
herself to death. And as for my
father
(BEAT)
I hope he's dead.

2. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

ENYA places pills on the side of the bath in a line.

ENYA
(VO)
I've put this off for far too long
now, but I know when I start
(BEAT)
there's no going back, and if this
becomes a failed suicide, then
life will be worse.

3. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

Close up of ENYA's lips and eyes as she applies lipstick and mascara, from behind she takes off her dressing gown and it drops to the floor. 

ENYA
(VO)

I mean I don't know why I'm
feeling like this, things just
keep getting worse for me. I used
to just let things go over my
head, because I understood that
bad things come before the good.
(BEAT)
The good never came. Suicide is a
sin in the eyes of God and I know

what I'm doing is "morally
incorrect", but I'm fed up of
pretending to be happy, pretending
to
(BEAT)
pretend.

4. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

ENYA steps into the bath and lays there for a while. She then dry swallows the pills one by one.
She then begins to close her eyes and slows sinks into the water.

ENYA
(VO)
When I was younger, I had
ambitions for my life, but the
future to me now is just old age,
illness and pain.

5. INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

ENYA's head goes under the water and she slowly dies.

ENYA
(VO)
It's not the length of life,
(BEAT)
it's the depth. 

FADE OUT.

BLOG TASK 7 - CHARACTER THEORY

There are four different theories of types of characters in thrillers:
Goffman
Propp
Campbell, Fletcher & Greenhill
Bishop

I think that Enya best fits into Propps theory:

1. Villain
2. Donor
3. Helper
4. Princess
5. Father
6. The dispatcher
7. Her/Victim

I think my character Enya comes under Propps theory, as the 'Victim', as in the plot you don't really know much about her except that she wants to die. I think that she is a victim of depression, which led her to suicide. She was a victim of child abuse, as her father would beat her regularly. We know she is the victim as an audience as we become sympathetic towards her, as she speaks while preparing her suicide.

Enya is in a bathroom, this is conveyed from the first shot which will be her turning on a bath tap. She is there to commit suicide, the audience only find this out till she says so in the monologue (voice over). She is feeling depressed and unloved, as she explains in her monologue, she doesn't know exactly why she's feeling like this, but she has has suicide in mind for a while. The props she has are pills, candles, lipstick and mascara.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS - TASK 6 (CHARACTER BIOGRAPHY)

Name: Enya Patricia
DOB: 17/04/1992
Weight: 9st
Height: 5ft 9
Hair colour: Brunette
Eye colour: Blue
Ethnicity: White British
Occupation: Unemployed

Enya is a beautiful young girl, with light brown hair and fare skin. She has a nice defined bone structure to her face, which would have been perfect for her to pursue a dream career of being a model. She tends to wear very plain things, which reflects on her personality, as she likes to keep her self to her self. Which explains why she doesn't have any friends, as she spends most of the time in her room reading books, her favourites being by Virginia Andrews as she writes a lot about happy family's and the life Enya would want.
Its only her and Audrey (her mother) who live at home, as (Seth) her father left them when Enya was 6 after regularly beating them both. Enya and Audrey don't have a close bond any more as Audrey turned to alcohol while dealing with the loss of [her] mother and  Seth. At school Enya was an intelligent student, and was quite popular with friends and the teachers, but after everything went downhill at home, she shied away from her social life and decided to spend her last year of school getting the things you go for, an education.
After being brought up by a father who beat her, Enya has a fear and hatred towards men, finding it difficult to find a relationship through school. Now Enya has been subscribed anti-depressants, as she had been thinking about suicide, but her morals are to not take away a life that has potential, but she doesn't see potential in her life no more, and wants to end it.   

SIMILAR PRODUCTS - TASK 5 (MISERY CHARACTERS)

Misery is a film directed by Rob Reiner and is based on the novel written by Stephen King. It revolves around two main characters Paul Sheldon (famous writer) and Annie Wilkes ( nurse), as she "rescues" him from a car accident and takes him in to her own care and is revealed to be his number one fan who is a headcase.

Annie Wilkes is a nurse and is introduced into the film as a mysterious hero, as we don't see her face, using enigma as we don't know who this person is, if they are male or female. Later on we see her giving Paul a bed in her isolated farm house, treating him well with care as she gives him food and medicine. Her appearance is very bland, overweight, wearing dull coloured jumpers and trousers. Our perception on Annie is a warm-hearted and caring woman, as we see her giving Paul everything he needs, however later on we indicate that she not only is a nurse, but a big fan of Paul's book Misery and reads that one of her favourite characters in his latest book are killed off. This is the first sign we see of her physiological disorder and evil side as she flips out at him and demands he burns his script and writes a new one.

The audience now know that she is not just a fan of his work, but is obsessed with it, which is becoming an illness and threat to Paul. Her obsession with the book becomes so bad that she begins giving Paul pills that actually sleeping tablets, and remains on top of his new script making sure that she is satisfied with the ending. We notice some signs that she is very clever and possibly has OCD, as she picks up on the fact a penguin ornament has been turned around, and finds out that Paul has attempted to escape when she goes to fetch him more paper. Her psychopathic side is revealed more as she eventually breaks Paul's legs, in order to keep him disabled and remaining in the house to finish the novel. We find out that she also was an ex-baby serial killer at the hospital she used to nurse at, which is shown from a scrap book full of newspaper articles. This is a massive shock to the audience, which through out the film their view on her has turned to hatred, as she is a very deceiving character. As the audience found out about her past, this made them much happier and not sympathetic when Paul kills her.

Paul Sheldon is an author, we know this as the opening scene he is writing a manuscript for a new novel, as he finished his series of books called 'Misery'. This small detail of description from the opening scene of Paul instantly gives the audience an idea of who this character is, he must be intelligent and creative. This gives a clear perception on Paul as a character as the audience take an instant like to him, and sympathise with him when he is under care of Annie. This shows his morals and ethics that he is a dedicated man, as he commits his time to writing best selling novels, he likes to be by himself and spending time on things he enjoys. He just finished his other manuscript, and decided to take a break to Colorado, and is caught in a blizzard where he is involved in a car accident, we then see Annie rescue him and take him into her care as he broke his leg and dislocated his shoulder.We see him as a very down to earth man, as he is grateful to be rescued by Annie.

Through out the film as we learn what Annie is really like, Paul cleverly has learnt to keep control of Annie when she gets angry, showing he knows how to play the game to make it through the day safe. We also learn that Paul is a determind and strong man, as he attempts to escape as he sent Annie down the shop to get some paper. He does this with a broken leg, as his addrelline pushes him further while he drags his body to the door. This shows when in danger is he calm and tatical, not usual for a person to react when in situations like this. He notices that the pills Annie has been giving him are in fact sleeping pills, and cleverly he stores them under his bed rather than taking them, indicating he has a plan which he has thought over. This could be a skill he picked up when writing books, as he takes a cunning plan into tricking and drugging Annie. He does this over dinner, wooing her into thinking he likes her, when actually he slipped the pills into her drink,  which fails as she spills her drink. Paul doesn't flip out, where this isn't his last resort, as later on he kills Annie but he would only turn to violence when he has too.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS - TASK 4 (PROTAGONIST VS ANTAGONIST)

The dictionary defines Protagonist and Antagonist basically as the main characters in a film being the 'good guy' and 'bad guy'. The antagonist is the main character in a text where the plot usually revolves around them, and the audience are usually on their side. The protagonist is the total opposite of the antagonist, they are usually the enemy of the antagonist, who bring disruptions to the antagonist to dodge throughout the narrative. The protagonist is usually the hero or heroine and the plot revolves around them, forming mystery and twists throughout the storyline. In some cases we view the protagonist as the good guy, but in a thriller this can be turned completely around with a twist, and we see the protagonist unveil to the audience to actually being the villain. The antagonist is always found juxtaposed of a protagonist, as the narrative need disruptions to make the storyline more entertaining, which is what the antagonist does as he/she creates situations the protagonist must overcome, which are usually dangerous. Throughout the film, the protagonist and antagonist are always in battle with each other, as they are each others enemy.

An example of a protagonist would be Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) in Taken, as the storyline is based around him trying to find his daughter in Europe. He is a lonely character as he fights for a great bond with his daughter which his ex wife refuses, as he doesn't win his daughters trust as she lies to him about going Europe instead of France. We see early on in the film that Bryan is a hero as he serves his duty of a security guard and rescues a singer from being attacked at her concert. We also find out that he once worked with the FBI, showing he is a strong and educated character in criminal minds. Later on his daughter is kidnapped in France, and Bryan dedicates his time to find her, fighting his way through prostitute companies and bad guys. He eventually finds her and saves her, proving his a a hero and the ultimate protagonist as he meets the requirements of the typical protagonist but he goes on his mission by himself, as usually the good guy would have a team behind him with a 'sidekick'.

An example of a antagonist would be The Joker (Heath Ledger), as he is the primary antagonist in Bat Man. He is the complete opposite of the protagonist Bat Man, even in physical features as we see Bat Man as this strong muscular hero where we see The Joker with a frame of an average man. Also there is a twist as we see the protagonist Bat Man wearing dark colours which indicate the dark and bad side, and we see the Joker wearing bright colourful  with a clowns face, contradicting the usual conventions of a good and bad guy. While  Bat Man prefers to lurk in the shadows, the Joker stays in the spotlight, playing with his sick and twisted games and is often confronted by the authorities. He is viewed as the most evil and psychotic killer in all the comic books, as he kills for a sport and does this according to his own sick ways, as he does not desire for money, which most thriller antagonists thrive for.  

So overall, protagonists and antagonists are used in thrillers to help the storyline roll, as it is usually based around them. They are conveyed through typical conventions of a bad and good guy, but sometimes they are challenged to create even darker and mysterious characters to give more entertainment. For every thriller there is always a protagonist and for every protagonist there is an antagonist.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS - TASK 3 (CHARACTER ANALYSIS)

I chose Robert Neville from 'I am Legend'.

Robert Neville is the main character in I am Legend and some can argue that he is the only character in the film. But this portrays the storyline well as he is the last human being standing after a infection wiping out the population by the pandemic of bacteria, which are similar to vampirism. He spends every day doing the same specific thing, repairing his house, boarding up windows, and gathering supplies for hunting and killing. This in some way can be represented in a obsessive complosive way, which is similar to my character as he suffers from the disorder and could relate to the same ethnics and morals of Neville. What Neville does is excellently portray the loneliness and keeps the sanity of it, by becoming insepreable with his dog Sam and having the company of a unusual group of mannequins. From what we see he is a doctor, and spends a lot of his time in his research laboratory, where he is trying to find a cure for this disease. This is where we can see that he is still a determined person even when things are going wrong.  

We can see that overtime in the film that his loneliness causes him to lose all social abilities. Though being the last man on earth gives him the determination to bring back the human race, as he sees hope. He gets inspiration from his dog and listening to music, specifically Bob Marley, which takes him away from reality for a while as the song tells him "don't worry, be happy". We are shown flash backs of his memories as the disease had just broke out and he is with his wife and young daughter, as he is trying to get them off New York island to safety. The flash backs are shown in stages throughout, leaving the audience questioning in an enigma of where his family are. Later on in a flash back we see his family are killed in a helicopter crash and he is left with his dog as a puppy in his arms, so this tells us that his is not only battling against this virus but also getting over the loss of his family.

Later on Neville comes along a trap that the 'vampires' made during the night, where he is lifted upside down, and his dog Sam stays with him all day as he dangles, showing his companionship and the loyalty his dog has for him. Shortly after his dog gets bit by a infected dog, and Neville has to kill Sam in order to not get bitten, which shows that he would risk his last friend to eventually save the world, which was a selfless thing to do. And he goes to carry on with his day to day life and routines to find a cure for the disease, listening to Bob Marley in his car next to his empty passenger seat. He conveys emotion well through his loneliness, making the audience feel sympathetic. To follow on two other characters are introduced [Anna and Ethan], they are to look similar to his original family, as he questions seeing them alive again. Neville doesn't respond well to these people as he becomes aggressive and pushes his food to the edge.

In the last scene, the 'vampires' break into Neville's house trapping him, Anna and Ethan in his laboratory, and this is where his morals are physically shown, as he takes his own life to save them. Taking Anna's blood which contained the cure, sending them into a safe where they will survive. As the vampires are nearing to killing him, he looks at a picture of his wife and daughter and then pulls a grenade, showing the audience he doesn't have anyone left, so soon he will be with them and took his life to save the world and bring back the human race. Robert Neville is a true hero in this thriller, as he fought through the entirety of the film, battling deaths and vampires, to then taking his own life to save and regain the human race. 

SIMILAR PRODUCTS - TASK 2 (HANNA)

HANNA Thriller Analysis

Hanna is the story of a young girl who is mysteriously unaware of her origins (played by Saoirse Ronan), raised by her father in an utterly secluded cabin in Finland. Her father gives her intelligence agent training, while simultaneously keeping her from all modern luxuries. Hanna is thus a trained hunter and assassin. From the beginning as she's introduced hunting reindeer, we see her as a fierce adolescence. 

Marissa wears a red wig, speaks in an accent that resembles a Southern drawl and works for a spy agency that suggests the CIA; "rogue asset" Erik vanished from that outfit's radar about 15 years earlier, and has stayed off the grid since. His departure had something to do with Hanna, then a baby, and her late mother, but whatever it is that links Hanna, Erik and Marissa must be an off the books operation, since the American spook enlists such freelancers as the affected but brutal Isaacs to track her prey.

The basic scenario is a bit Run Hanna Run, complete with hammering techno score, this time by Chemical Brothers, and darned if the three main characters don't end up in Berlin. But first Hanna is transported to a black-ops interrogation center that turns out to be underneath the Moroccan desert (although it looks like it belongs in New York). Even more willful than the average teenager, Hanna breaks loose from the complex using such commando skills as handgun-firing, throat-slitting and neck-breaking; once free, though, she encounters a few gaps in her education: She's never heard music, seen an electric light, or had a friend her own age.

Hanna attaches herself to a vacationing family of hippies from the England, especially to chatty teen Sophie, and the holidaymakers transport Hanna — not always knowingly — toward her rendezvous with Erik at an abandoned German amusement park.

Specifically, Hanna and Erik are supposed to meet in a house dedicated to the Brothers Grimm. Fairy tales, you see, are amongHanna's motifs: Although she's somehow learned at least a half-dozen languages, Hanna grew up with no computer and only a few books, including her mother's edition of the Grimms' stories; the girl's code word for Marissa is "the witch"; and in one scene a villain emerges from a tunnel entrance designed to look like a wolf's mouth.

As if the contrast between children's fables and Hanna's military-style training weren't vivid enough, Wright sets Hanna in a Europe devoid of Old World charm. In addition to that decrepit kiddie park, the principal locations include a grimy cargo port and a Berlin that's been specially scuzzed-up for the occasion.

Lithe and wide-eyed, Ronan persuasively combines combat reflexes with the first glimmers of empathy. Blanchett is less effective as the movie's fantasy of perfect ruthlessness; Hollander's campy performance helps a little, but the evil side of this duel lacks sizzle. It doesn't help that the secret Marissa battles to suppress, when finally revealed, proves humdrum. Although its camera moves are fluid and its art direction elegant, Hanna doesn't travel anyplace unusual. The point of all its battling is just to battle.