In terms of attracting our audience, we felt through the use of shots such as point of view shots that this would incorporate the viewer and make them feel as if they were the killer themselves. We didn't want to mislead the audience into thinking our film was a horror piece so instead of using vivid effects such as blood in the sink, we used very low key lighting and an outhouse sink to film this aspect of the montage. In terms of addressing an audience, we used younger characters around the target audience age, although hiding their identity in keeping with the enigma we wanted to create. Below are a few comments we received when the class watched our production piece.
As said in the voice over, we think that highly popular social networking websites such as Facebook and Myspace to distribute our film, aswell as Youtube, with its increasing number of teenage users, an audience which our film is directed at. Sites such as Youtube are so popular, we feel that it would be easier for people to access and watch/gain information about the film in a shorter amount of time, and as many times as they want. It is a quick and cheap way of gaining an audience and something that doesn't require alot of money, which we don't have. We also thought that pirate radio stations would be a good way of letting our key audience of knowing about the film, after researching films such as Shifty which too was distributed this way. Sometimes we think that if a film has a major distribtution budget then it will automatically popular but in terms of our film we would rely on word of mouth and adverts or online posters on the internet to generate a hype or interest in our production.
After a viewing of all the films in our class, in terms of feedback that we got it was overall positive. Classmates said that there was a good use of conventions for the thriller genre such as the mise-en-scene. The lurking point of view shot which we thought would add a sinister effect turned out well when the audience commented positively, as well as the build up of the montage sequence which they said created suspense, something which we were hoping for. They also agreed that the pace of shots worked well, in terms of the rapidity of the film. Another comment was that they liked the use of sound as it quickened as the plot progressed. A negative comment was that someone would have rather been able to see the faces of the characters in the film, however after considering this comment, this doesn't coincide with the effect of mystery and the enigma we wanted to create, hence the title Anonymity.
This is our final production piece for AS media. It is shorter than 2 minutes but we think it connotes the thriller genre well and in terms of conventions, we would like to think ours is traditional but with a more sinister and orginal twist.
We will later decide which name to choose and then using coral paint and photoshop, we will create a logo that will look realistic and suit the genre of the film.
This is a short clip of the filming that we have done so far. We decided to post this as a basis for primary use of an example of editing. However, we have done little editing to it so far and we want to use this so when we present our final film, we can look back and see what it started as. Obviously we won't have the ambient sounds that we have on there now, it will instead be non diegetic sound to build tension and anxiety. The shots will also be made darker to make the beginning look like it has been shot nearer night time.
After filming, me and Lewis edited what me and Hannah had filmed, choosing which shots we thought looked of best effect and deleting shots that didn't suit the film we wanted.
This means that by next lesson we will have alot to edit and focus on making it look effective.
On wednesday, we will be filming the rest of what we've planned to film, including the final shots.This means we can begin to edit the rest of the film next week and it will give us plenty of time to make it look good.
I like this font due to the fact that it looks like it could have been written on a typewriter, ideal considering this is featured numerous times within our storyboard. A font such as this would be suitable for production titles etc however i dont think it's bold enough for the film's title.
I particularly like this font as it appears as if it has been scratched or written nervously, and it also reminds me of the font used in the thriller Se7en.
This font is bold, although i dont think it would suit our thriller opening as it looks more suited to an action genre film, rather than a psychological thriller.
I really like this one as it again looks as it has been scratched or encarved into something, connoting that a sharp blade etc has been used to write it, giving the element of danger.
This font is probably best suited to the title for our film as it gives the impression a typewriter has been used, which creates a better aesthetic quality in our production. I prefer how some letters are bolder than others, giving a variety. 
I don't like this font particularly as it looks kind of technical and more suited to a sci-fi film, so this would not be used for our film.
The picture in the top left hand corner is the original, obviously taken in broad daylight and is a high angle shot.
Below it, i used a programme called coral photo paint to make the photo look a bit darker with more clouds.
The top right hand photo was made even darker so not all the buildings in the image could be seen, giving the illusion of nightfall, an effect we may use in filming.
And finally, below that, i made the city buildings a darker tone for it to contrast with the sky, along with a blurring effect just around the corners in a circle to make it look distorted.
This video is of experimentation with the use of camera angles and varying timed shots.
Lewis in our group filmed me and hannah walking numerous times out of various doors (filmed around countesthorpe college as an aid for practice of camera skills and use of equipment), recording our legs and feet in order to connote that the camera is focusing on these individuals who will play the two officer characters as they are significant and in our final production, will provide aspects of dialogue.
I think in terms of point of view shots, long shots will be most effective due to the sense of 'lurking' and convention of 'stalking' which makes the audience uncomfortable for the characters being watched.
This is our short video of our experiment using the green screen. As you can see, the effects didn't turn our very well, with group member hannah appearing to be almost transparent. We used a worn down landscape background of what appears to be a tunnel, just to see how it turned out. This background appeared particularly well and in parts was in colour, as was the daylight city landscape of New York, a city often used in crime thrillers due to the conventions of the built up areas. A background shot of leicester city centre was used, however it only appeared in the colour of the green screen, and not in full colour that it is meant to be in. As this was a practice, we just had hannah walking back and forth to see how effective the green screen was, however we don't think we'll be using it as it doesn't give a good aesthetic quality, and we feel our filming will look alot better if we use realistic shots for backgrounds.
Shot 3 : A medium shot of the two characters who will be police officers/detectives and of which we are hoping to include partial dialogue to represent that in their field of work there is an unsolved multiple muder case in which they are discussing certain aspects. This is to connote to the audience that a killer is on the loose, and point of view shot that it will be filmed with shows that the murderer is listening in on them, both characters unaware.
Shot 7 : the black screen fades to a back shot of the main male characters head, hiding his identity (this is why i think Anonymity is a good name due to the fact that we never actually get to see the killer or any other characters in order to create a sharper focus on the surroundings and other filmed aspects. This shot will shot the character at his desk in his office, again to prove he is the killer which no one suspects, and is a medium close up shot. The shot will be quite dark, suggesting it is nightfall, creating an almost eerie quality to it.
Shot 8 : Cuts to another black screen, providing as a device to begin the montage of shots in which parts of the killers motives will be revealed. This shot may include titles however i think it will be more effective if it is left just completely black as to connote that it is different to the other black screen which we have used. The music as this point will change to that of a sharper, quicker and non diegetic sound which was not previously heard, also to convey that the direction in which the film was heading has changed, invloving a series of flashbacks aswell as current aspects which will continue to disorientate the audience.
Shot 9 : The black screen then cuts rapidly to a close up shot of a smashed picture frame on a hard surface floor to show an act of violence has lead to the breaking of the frame. The picture it holds will be of a family; a man with his children, connoting the man in the photo may be the killer, and provides questions as to what has happened to the children and the happy time it holds. The non diegetic music continues.
Shot 10 : Will be the main character typewriting, or will show extreme close up of the typewriter letters in order for the auidence to work out that he is planning his next murder. Along with the non diegetic music, the ambient sound of the typewriter will be heard.
Shot 11 : Another extreme close up showing a cutting instrument, either scissors or a blade showing the faces have been cut out in a photograph of another family.
Shot 12 : A black and white shot of a canal at night will provide as a flashback from the main characters' mind where a shot of the character himself will be seen standing by the water, looking suspicious. The non diegetic music stops and the sound of the killers hearbeat/breathing will be used to convey a sense of urgency and danger.
Shot 13 : The picture used here will be the same used for shot 14, however when filming, a jump cut will be used from the main character standing by the canal to a shot of him standing over what appears to be a dead body, with the prop of a dry cleaning bag for the same look as a body bag.
(Shot 14 : This picture will be used twice in the storyboard, but in filming it will be of the main character standing over a dead body.) The jump cuts will show the man dragging the body.
Shot 16 : A close up of the water in the canal, connoting that the dead body has been placed in the water, in order for the killer to cover his tracks. After this shot, the sound of the killers hearbeat/breathing will cease and the non diegetic music of before will start again, we may decide to add the sound of a splash to convey the body being put into the water.
Shot 17 : Is a close up of a sink, the image will still be in black and white, and the audience will see what looks like blood pouring down the sink, another convention of thriller films that we find effective. The use of black and white shots will enable us to use an ink or food colouring in order for it to look like blood, something that, for me, was influenced from the film Psycho, with the infamous shower scene.
Shot 18 : For this close up shot, hannah used a post it pad as a prop for a police badge which we are intending on using. This will indicate once again that the murderer is in the police force, right under his collegues noses.
Shot 19 : Shows the man taking the picture out of the smashed frame. It will hopefully show that this photo means something to him and is of importance. The smashed glass will make it look more effective and as said in the risk assessment, it will be controlled in order to make sure no one is harmed. The hands of the character will be shaking and frantic to create anxiety.
Shot 20 : This overhead shot will show the typewriter again to build up tension, with the non diegetic music dying down for the sound of the typewriter to be gradually grwoing louder and louder. This will cause more tension.
Shot 22 : will be a black screen showing the film's title Anonymity in the font, i think, of the typewriter, to make it look more genuine and realistic. This will prove as the ending of the title sequence. The black screen however, isn't a fully black screen, it will be a pitch black room...
Shot 23 : The ultimate shot will bring the opening sequence to a close and is perhaps the most significant. In the pitch black room, the light from a flashlight will uncover a wall containing mis-mathced photographs of families, and the disturbing factor will be that the faces will all be cut out. All will be silent and the only sound will be the breathing of the main character.
All these things do pose risk to others however if done responibly and correctly then no harm or damage will be done to anyone or any other props or locations, and the overall eventuall film will look of better and higher quality.
To establish different environments, we will need varying props:
We know that it may not be possible due to safety reasons that we can't use certain props for filming however we could make alterations during shooting the film.
Instead of producing a survey or questionnaire, we decided on two film titles which we would want to use in our final product. As our target audience is 15 to 24 year olds, we thought it would be suitable to interview people of our own age group. We asked which name for a title of the film sounded better; Anonymous or Anon. as these two names are very similar, the latter one an abreviation, we decided they are suitable for the mood and plot of our production. Due to the responses we got, Anonymous was a clear choice, with Anon. proving to be too short a title.
I think the fewer locations we use will be more effective in terms of having enough time to shoot it, meaning we can spend more time editing which will need. I dont think limited locations will make our film look of less quality either.
In terms of planning for our short film, i think that it would be effective to get the views of cinema audiences and those who watch films of this genre often. I am planning to provide my results in the form of video, which will enable the viewer of my blog to see how people felt and responded to the questions i asked. This would be efficient than just using a questionnaire, and i think we could get some really interesting and useable feedback which we can apply to our own production. Obviously it is ideal that we interview and pose questions to people of 15 and above, due to the certificate we think is suitable for the film. 
In our group, we feel that a certificate of 15 would be suitable as our it includes our target audience of 15 - 24 year olds. A certificate of 15 means : 
Hannibal is a psychological horror/thriller film starring Anthony Hopkins as the cannibal, Mr Hannibal Lecter. The film is set ten years after the infamous thriller 'Silence of the Lambs'.
Our thriller film,we have decided, will be a certificate of 15, as we intend to aim it at teenagers and young adults between the ages of 15 and 24. In terms of a storyline, the two minute opening will give away certain aspects of the plot to set a basis for the audience, however as it is such a short production and only includes a title and opening sequence, a storyline is not essential, although for our main character, some background information will be provided from the initial setting of the film.
1. The film will be set in the 1970's, as a result of the intention to break away from stereotypical conventions in which thrillers of the modern day are often set.
2. The male main character will be the ideal serial killer due to his servitude in the police force as a detective, in which he will obviously not be the one to be suspected.
3. Although his face will not be shown, the audience can establish he is a man from various shots of his head, hands and attire, in which he will most likely wear a formal, professional suit.
4. The character is a family man, provided by the photographs of a wife and children, leading onto the psychologically disturbing pictures of various unidentified families, with each and every face cut out, leaving just the bodies.
5. The initial opening will be followed by a montage of clips, which are additioned by title and production names of multiple made-up companies that will link to the film appropriately.
6. Each shot will be of a rapid pace, in a style of flashbacks (relating to the element of film noir).
From the eventuallity of the montage and clips, an intention of what is to come is given to the audience.
This initial planning may however change for whatever reasons, whether it any of our ideas will be inconceivable with the time and resources we have.This planning acts as a basis for our later research.
Double IndemnityA film released in 1944 starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck, directed by Billy Wilder.
The title sequence contains the names of those who produced and worked on the movie, with the enigmatic shadow of what appears to be a man limping forward on crutches. This creates mystery towards the figure the audience see, and the shot of the character closing ever nearer becomes quite menacing. Strong non diegetic music plays over this sequence with what sounds like drums, getting louder in effect creating a climax. The sequence then cuts to a long shot of a cross roads at night, showing a car speeding and cutting off traffic, which then defies the stop sign, connoting a sense of rushing. The car comes to a halt, and the male character is shown with his back to the screen, once again supporting that of a mysterious person as the audience cannot identify with him. The male character has a costume of a hat and a long coat, suggesting already that he is professional and a business man, although his apparant limp and one word answers suggest he may be hiding something. The male character is seen in an office with the typical noir trait of venetian blinds in the low key lighting reflecting back onto, suggesting this character has committed a crime. The non-diegetic music continues, although less menacing than before, and it ceases when the man begins to talk, connoting focus on him and his 'confession' of murder. Another element that is typical of noir films is the flashback, narrated by the man confessing how he came to have murdered someone. The previous year is shown, with the bright ambient lighting from the sun contrasting with the dark current state in which the man is narrating from presently.
Overall i think that some of the film noir elements such as the flashbacks are quite effective is used appropriately, as in thriller films this proves to work in the re-telling of how events of crime or murder unravelled, and this would be something i would want to progress with when producing our 2 minute opening sequence.
