Contributions to the production process

Inside the lesson I;

• Helped the group to think of the correct shot-types and camera movement that would be effective for each part of our opening sequence.
• Played one of the main characters in our Children's opening sequence both as a child playing a pirate and as a real pirate.
• Did a little bit of filming: I filmed a close-up shot of one of the pirates getting out of a cupboard.

Outside the lesson I;

• Researched an effective fight-scene, which we then used as a basis for what our fight-scene would look like, This was a fight-scene out of Pirates of the Carribean
• Analysed the opening sequence to 'The Borrowers', a children's film and this helped me to think about what colours symbolise different themes and this will help for our opening titles.
• Put together a brilliant pirate costume and helped a certain disorganised member of the group to put together their pirate costume.

'Over the Hedge' Film opening analysis

The children’s film opening sequence I am going to analyse is ‘Over the Hedge’ which is BBFC rating U and the target audience is children. In analysing the opening sequence I will be able to look at how this children’s film opening is like and to look for ideas that could possible be incorporated into my own opening of a children’s film.

The film starts with an animals hand trying to reach for some crisps. This gives the audience a clue about what the film is about. The themes of this film is about the suburbs and human life. 

This film is a childrens film and starts with happy background music. Then as the title of the film comes in when the music changes and makes the audience really concentrate on the titles as the music changes and the audience wont expect it.

The films title has been incorporated into the film itself making the film interesting and so the audience can really associate the title with the rest of the film.

In the opening sequence the main character is introduced first. He is introduced first so the audience can tell that these characters are the most important characters in the film. In my childrens film opening sequence I will also introduce the main charaters first like they did in 'Over the Hedge'

The dialogue also gives clues to the rest of the film. The bear character says 'enough isn't enough' this links in with one of the themes of the film which is about the consumption of food in america. When the bear says this the audience are given clues about what the film is about.

This film is an animation so all the sound is non dietetic and all put on when the film when it is being edited. My opening sequence wont be animated but might have sound effects to put emphasis on certain parts of the sequence.

The target audience of the film is children so the comedy in the film is simple so that children understand it and it is funny to them to. In the opening sequence I will make I will also put in things that may be funny for children.

'Back to the Future' task

In this lesson I learnt how to do storyboarding and also to get an idea of what a opening sequence to a film is like and to get ideas for what the opening sequence of the children’s film opening I will be making.

Firstly we watched the opening sequence of ‘Back to the Future’ and how the film first captivates and tells the audience clues about the rest of the film. In the opening sequence to ‘Back to the Future’ it first had a title sequence so the audience know the title of the film and also gives the audience clues to what the film will be like. After the title there is panning and tracking camera movements round a set that has lots of clocks this connotes the theme of time and time travel in the film. The opening sequences is also suppose to be captivating the audience so they stay interested to watch further and start to ask questions like ‘What are all the clocks for?’ and hopefully wait for the answer later on in the film.

Next I had to start storyboarding the opening sequence I had just watched, this was to get some practise of storyboarding and how to do it. Then as a class we looked at everyone else storyboard to get ideas on how are own storyboard could be improved for when it is time to storyboard our own opening sequences. A storyboard is pictures of the camera shot types and notes about sound, camera movements and what the actors will be doing in the film.

BBFC Ratings

In this lesson I learned about film rating, I learned about the classifications U and PG.  U means ‘universal’ and the film is suitable for all. PG means ‘Parental guidance’ is when a child of any age can watch with guidance from there parents and should not harm any child eight or over.

We learned them in class because we are studying children’s films and all children’s films are classified as U or PG, this is so when we come to making our film opening sequences they are either a U or a PG.

In the lesson on classification we watched various parts of children’s films all of them were either a U or a PG and we had to guess what the classifications of these films were.  Such as the film ‘Up’ was a U because it had no horror, bad language or imitable behaviour. ‘Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone’ was a PG because it had mild horror and mild language. 

"BBFC" Class Session

• In our BBFC session, we researched film classifications and then guessed the classifications of some sequences from children's films.
• As we our making a children's film opening, the main classifications that we focused on were U and PG.
• U stands for Universal and PG stands for Parental Guidance.
• In a U film should be suitable for any child (or person) aged 4 years or over. There should be no references to drugs or discrimination unless clearly disapproved of. Any scary sequences should be mild, with a reassuring outcome and there should be no dangerous behaviour which children might copy. If bad language is used, it should be infrequent and mild, occasional natural nudity is permitted, as is mild sexual behaviour (e.g. kissing) and slight references (e.g. "making love"). Any violence shown or referenced should be mild.
• Children of any age may watch a PG film, as the scenes should not disturb a child aged eight or older, but parents are advised to consider whether some scenes may upset particular children. Discriminatory behaviour is rarely acceptable unless clearly disapproved of, or shown in an educational or historical context. References can be made to illegal drug use, but must carry a suitable anti-drugs message. Horror or frightening sequences must not be prolonged (although some exceptions may be made in a fantasy setting), and there must not be any behaviour which children could copy; weapons (especially those that are easily accessible) must not be glamourised. Mild bad language only, natural nudity permitted (with no sexual content) and sexual activity may be implied (through innuendo etc.) but must be infrequent. Serious issues (e.g. domestic violence) may be featured, but must be clearly disapproved of. Moderate violence may be featured in context (e.g historical, comedic or in a fantasy setting).
• Once we had researched the different classifications, we were shown four different sequences and asked to predict the classification given to each film.
• The first one we saw was a clip from Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. I guessed a PG rating for this film, as there was a scary sequence in the woods that I did not think would have featured in a U film. I was correct.
• The next film we saw was Up. I wasn't entirely sure what the rating for this film would be. There were a few references in it that made me lean towards a PG, but not enough references of explicit content to distinguish it from a U. In fact, Up has a rating of U.
• The next clip was from Watership Down. There were quite a few frightening scenes (including rabbits being savaged to death) so I thought that the rating must at least be a PG. I was therefore quite surprised when it was revealed that the rating was in fact a U. I think there were definitely some scenes in there which could scare small children if not under parental supervision.
• The least scene we watched was from Home Alone. I was confident that this was a PG, as there were some sexual and violent references that would definitely not appear in a U film. I was correct.
• We need to know about U and PG classifications as they are the standard classifications for a children's film. We also need to know about them so that we know what we can and cannot include in our own film openings.

"Back to the Future" Storyboarding Task

•         In this session we learnt about storyboarding and what it is.
•          A storyboard is a series of illustrations or images displayed in sequence, with the specific purpose of helping to pre-visualise a motion picture/ animation etc.
•          Most storyboards are often annotated in order to convey the exact meaning of the shot being depicted.
•          A storyboard will typically include shot types; whether it is an extreme close up, long shot or mid-shot.
•          It should also include details within the shot, e.g. movement or direction. For example, if a character is moving, it should be clearly shown where the character is going. The same applies for any moving objects.
•          Camera movement should also be noted – the direction, speed, a pan or a tilt.
•          Cuts between scenes should be indicated, when they happen, and shown where they are cutting to and from.
•          Sound also plays an important part – a soundtrack, dialogue, diegetic or non-diegetic, etc.
•          We then created our own storyboards to the opening sequence of “Back to the Future”. Essentially, this is doing things in reverse – normally the storyboard is created before the movie is made.
•          The storyboarding exercise was to help us with our own coursework; as we need to include a storyboard, the task helped us to learn how to plan out and annotate our own. We also learnt about what features we could use to improve it.
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           I have also included an image from some of my notes from the session.
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"Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" Analysis

• The film starts by showing a framed photograph on brightly coloured wallpaper, with chirpy music playing (Non-diagetic). This immediately sets a cheerful mood for the beginning of the film. It also slightly hints at being a children's film, as children's films generally involve bright colours and happy music.
• The use of plasticine to create the figures also hints that it might be aimed at a younger audience, as most animated and cartoon films are children's films.
• A comedy theme is also referenced through the actions displayed by the characters in the photos (e.g Gromit with his hand on his hips, Wallace with some cheese and hiding it in his mouth, Gromit with his hand over his face).
• This comedy theme is carried through into the photos where Wallace and Gromit fall out and make up; this also hints that it might be a children's film as it gives a positive mood.
• Suddenly,  the happy mood is shattered, as a shadow crosses the wall; the music becomes creepy and dramatic. This builds tension and changes the mood. The camera pans out of the window, showing the night sky and the moon. As the camera pans upwards, the music changes again, becoming more eerie and orchestral, building the tension.
• The title appears, and the font indicates that there will be a horror element to the film; this gives a clue as to the genre, and later events in the film. This is then reinforced by the title growing fur and ears; this hints to the reader as to what happens later. Also a possible subtle comedy undertone with the ears.
• The camera then fades into a puddle with a foot in it; this introduces the character of the policeman.
• The background of the night sky and the fact that he is walking down a street by himself adds to the eerie atmosphere.
• There is the sound of a glass window smashing; this helps create a tense, spooky atmosphere. The shadow flitting past the wall keeps the tension building and the viewer interested.
• The comedy theme is again referenced, subtly, by an advert on the wall of a building for "VEG B BIG".
• The canera then cuts to the creature's perspective (presumably the creature who smashed the window and to whom the shadow belongs), and there are snuffling noises, which keep building the tension.
• A gate is shown, and the latch moves. The gate swings open, but the viewer still cannot see the creature, which keeps the spooky atmosphere and the hint of the horror genre.

Details

Lighting

For the most part, natural lighting (as we are filming outdoors), for some scenes we may film indoors, therefore we will be using artificial lighting (not coloured).

Sound

Use of non-diagetic sound in the form of music; action scenes, swordfight.

Main sound will be dialogue.

Editing

Scenes will mostly cut from one to the other, however, some scenes may have a fade in or out to show passing of time, e.g dream sequence.

Special Effects

Use of film grain, final decision yet to be made when editing.

Captain jack Sparrow

I think that it would be really effective if when we are kids playing pirates Soma has no makeup on but the girls do because that will show the true reality of kids, girls generally play with their mums makeup and boys think it's strange. Then when Soma wakes up as a real pirate he should have guy liner on, as shown in the picture above to make him look like a more scary pirate with big eyes. Eyeliner makes your eyes look bigger.

Pirates of the Carribean -fight scene

I watched this fight scene and realised that this could really help us with our fight scene. This scene was filmed at a long-shot of the two men fighting and then zoomed into close-ups of the swords clashing and the faces of each character to show their facial expressions. I think that we should use the same shots in our fight scene as through using a mid-shot as well as seeing the fight, you will be able to see the playfullness of it whch will then contrast to the dream of a pirate life. Also, the close-ups of the swords and the facial expressions will also prove that this scne is not real life, just two kids who are concentrating hard in a play fight.

BBFC session

This lesson we researched on the BBFC website the guidelines to the two different children's ratings, which are; U, PG. Below you will see the guidelines for a U film which is what my group had to research;







We then watched the opening's to four different films rated a U or a PG, these were; Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone, Home Alone, Watership Down, Up and guessed the classification of each one. Below you will find my estimated classifications and why I guessed them and the films proper classifications;
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: I estimated it was rated a PG due to a minimal amount of horror and my estimate was correct.

Home Alone: I estimated it was rated a PG due to; a reference to nudity and use of violence in the form of weapons and my estimate was correct.

Watership Down: I estimated this a PG but though it should have been given a higher rating due to the fact that there is a lot of blood and violence and all rabbits die my estimate was correct. This would be re-classified nowadays as it is an old film and contains far too much violence for the innocent eye.

Up: I estimated this a U due to the fact that it was a completely clean film and my estimate was correct. 

'Back To the Future' storyboarding task

While completing the 'Back To the Future' storyboarding task I learnt how to set the scene in an effective way for a children's film by starting off focusing on an item or person which or who is key in the story and how to effectively introduce a main character effectively.

This helped with my coursework because for the opening my group then decided that we would start off with a bird's eye view of two children dressed as pirates, fighting in the garden. This will introduce the pirate theme for our film. We also include after the fight an extreme close-up of the two main characters sleeping which introduces the main characters (as the extreme close-up of the boys legs introduces him in 'Back To the Future'),while at the same time creating a feeling of audience empathy because you can see their facial expressions and every child has also experienced the relaxation of sleep.  

Children's Film Opening Sequence Analysis

The Borrowers

Analysis of Children's Sequence

School of Rock

Final plan

Final Plan 

Play fight in the garden, with tent in the background.

Catiya and Soma go into tent, camera shows them falling asleep in the tent. (Camera close up on Catiya's face) (camera cut between scenes - as the camera zooms in, she is in the tent, as it goes out she is on the boat)

Extreme close up on Catiya's face, camera goes out as a bucket of water is thrown over her ("Wake up, you scallywag! You're on scrubbing duty!") (Lois makes her debut as an evil pirate)

Camera shows Catiya looking confused, scared, worried. (Camera close up will help viewer to identify with the character)

Cut to a barrel.

Confused looking Soma raises the lid of the barrel, then climbs out. Looks around, close up on face to show confusion, fear, etc.

Soma attempts to sneak past Becca, who spots him. Soma draws sword, I laugh as it turns out to be fake.

Essentially, two children fall asleep after playing at being pirates, then wake up the next day as actual pirates, on a ship. They have no idea how they got there.

Children's Film Info

Ideas; 

• Pirate theme-Pan-pipes (music/soundtrack)
• Go from real world to fantasy/magic world
• Falls asleep, wakes up in a pirate world
• Falls asleep in a bed, wakes up on a deck
• Gets woken up by a pirate chucking a bucket of water over them
• Playing in the garden, goes to sleep, wake-up as animated pirates
• Characters; 2 children, mum, 3 pirates

Props;

• Pistols/guns
• Boxes
• cutlasses

Costume;

• White shirts
• Jeans/black trousers
• boots
• Hat/bandana
• Hoop earrings
• Black makeup

Storyboard 2

Prelim task