Preparing to Film

 Ready, Set...

Welcome back, followers! Today, I have spent some time preparing for our film, reviewing different features of mise en scene and logistics, weighing the easy aspects and the more complicated ones.

Actors

ALL four of our group members will be starring in the film, each taking on separate roles. This isn't the hardest part of the planning, but it isn't the simplest either. This is because we may have to swap roles depending on various factors such as costume sizes or even just the projection of voice. As of now, we have Edison set as the vlogger exploring the woods, Rayyan starring as the mysterious shadowy figure, Eugene playing the role of vlogger's friend and explorer, and me, Ahmad, who will play the role of "reinforcement", where Eugene will seek my assistance.

Costumes

This one is a greater challenge because the costume is massively significant in characterization. Given that we only have 2 minutes, we need to rely on costumes to develop our protagonists and antagonists. Now, for the costumes. The vlogger (most likely Edison) will be wearing a casual T-shirt and jeans, signifying his ignorance of entering an unexplored area unprepared. Likewise, Eugene and I will also wear similar outfits as Edison, a more casual look, making us appear weak in the presence of danger. As for the antagonist, Rayyan will be wearing a Grim Reaper costume to play the role of shadowy figure. This is excellent because it is a commonly associated with death so seeing a similar outfit will be familiar to our audience in a short movie sequence.

Props

Our props was quite easy to decide on given our movie theme and setting. Since it is a dark forest, we know we need our characters to use light. So, the explorers will be using lanterns to light their way in the forest. Also, a torn up shirt will be present and hung in the forest. Upon seeing and interacting with it, the explorers and audience will gain fear alike. The vlogger will also be using a camera to record his experience, something like a GoPro Camera. 

Locations

Our project will mostly take place in the secluded woods area between our school, Everglades High, and its neighboring school, Glades Middle. This was a fairly easy location to choose given its convenience in proximity and its distraction-free nature. Also, it’s fully natural landscape makes it the perfect place to set an unexplored, eerie forest in. We also intend to use a home, perhaps one shot inside of a room or just the exterior, to signify calling for help. We have not decided who's house we will be using for this due to accessible limitations, but it is very probable that Eugene's home features in our film.

Dates and Times

We intend to record our project the week of Christmas, in particular December 26. This is because we are all off of school for winter break, and are all available to record this week as some group members will be gone the following week on vacation. As for the time, we need a nighttime setting, so we aim to meet up at around 6:30 P.M., so we have enough time to set up and film before it gets too late. Being completely honest, I would say this was the most complicated component in film preparation because my group found is extremely difficult to find a day AND time that works for all. For this same reason, we also do not guarantee that this day will work as last-second occurrences are more than possible.

Film Equipment

We do not want to get too complex as it may have an adverse effect on our project. So, we will limit our equipment, using a professional camera, a drone for aerial footage, lavalier mics to capture audio better, and we may even use some lights to make our characters visible in the night setting. However, we can’t overdo this or else we will lose our low-key lighting style. Along with finding a date/time, this is probably the hardest part of setting up our film logistically because some of these equipment are pricey, may be burdensome to purchase/use, and we may even be forced to use some alternatives if we can’t acquire them.

Initial Storyboard

Final Project Storyboard 

Welcome back, everyone. Today, my group and I have finalized our storyboard for our movie opener, Forgotten Trails. The storyboard provides an in-depth view of how we want our movie to look, and though it may not be the best of drawings, we are confident that the panels reflect the suspenseful mood, camera angles, and overall flow of the movie. Now, lets get into how we put this storyboard together!

Before diving into any storyboarding, we finalized our movie brainstorming. Following, we split up the responsibilities of the storyboarding process to meet the strengths of all group members. Eugene and I were the brain of the storyboard, carefully planning out the different camera shots, angles, movements, and other logistics of the shots. Edison was the artist who mainly focused on illustrating the scenes in each panel. (If you were to view all of our previous blogs, you may notice that Edison's artistic talent outshines all of ours!) Finally, Rayyan created the descriptions for each panel, such as the music, dialogues, and thoughts of the characters in each panel, and he even assisted Edison with drawing in some areas!

Now getting into the flow of our storyboard...

The first scene contains Edison setting up his vlog materials in the woods. We plan on using a wide shot to capture the forest setting behind him. We also want to incorporate some natural sounds like a light tree rustle and cricket chirps to make the environment seem more realistic. The next shot portrays Edison interacting with some equipment in his car as he narrates the folktale of the woods behind him. A dolly shot will then be used to follow Edison has he tells the vlog viewers his master plan in the woods. Throughout this scene, we want some suspenseful music to play, creating this feeling of danger. Further tension erupts as the dolly shot proceeds into the forest with Edison. Sounds like sticks cracking are done to inflict stress into viewers. Then, a rapid insert shot reveals some torn up clothing, and the music increases in suspense. The following scene uses a whip pan to show a mysterious, shadowy, black figure (played by Rayyan), to be holding the unconscious Edison in its grasp. A new focal point is Eugene in the next scene, showing him running off to my home. We will use jump shots or montages to create a heightened sense of drama and action. We intend to use some over-the shoulder shots to really focus in on the fright of Eugene as well. After meeting up with me, our storyboard (and film) will conclude with Eugene and I standing in front of the forest, preparing to enter. At this moment, eerie music will play as the title, Forgotten Trails, is printed on the screen. 

While our storyboard does a great job with presenting our initial ideas, my group and I acknowledge that we may encounter issues that will force us to tweak some ideas, therefore creating a variation between this storyboard and our final project. For example, we may find a certain camera angle to be difficult to film with proper lighting, or we may decide that a certain sound effect should take preference over the score in a particular scene. Still, we believe that this storyboard will be the main guide to our movie and have full trust in it!

 Final Project Mood Board

Welcome back! Today, my group and I finished constructing our final project mood board! We've done this to help collect our thoughts for our film and create the intended emotional appeal and response. It will also help guide us throughout our film setup, as we know what types of props, costumes, scenery, etc. to look for in order to get the most out of our idea! I have included our mood board below. Let me know what you guys think!

General Aesthetics

The general mood and aesthetics we wanted to capture are those of suspense, fear, and some anticipation. This was mainly composed of the dark theme of our film. We know that the dark is generally perceived to be dangerous and scary according to social beliefs. So, we implemented many things, like our setting, antagonist costumes, and underlighting, to convey this dark nature. A dark color palette helps create an environment where the audience gets anxiety from the lack of knowledge—ideal for the horror genre!

Main Character

The protagonist of our film is a fairly young man whose hobby is vlogging. It's hard to characterize his personality in two minutes, so we understand costumes and props are absolutely essential to designing him. We wanted to create this character as an ordinary man, so we opted for a more casual outfit for him to wear—a flannel shirt and jeans. This was done to allude to his rather ignorant mind, unaware of the dangers he is getting himself into. However, we also wanted to make him a reputable vlogger. So, we gave him some essential props, like a large backpack with gear and cameras to tell the audience his readiness for vlogging. Combined, these features illustrate that the protagonist is a prominent vlogger, but he disregards any cautionaries that apply when entering a potentially hostile environment.

Setting

We want our movie to be scary, and what better setting than a dark, unexplored forest? We included an image of a dark, foggy, dense forest to capture this eerie environment. We also included a cloudy sky with a full moon. This is not only to indicate nighttime, but full moons are a common practice in the horror genre. With this setting alone, we know that the audience will already feel uncomfortable, anticipating something bad to happen to the protagonist in an isolated area.

Costume

The costumes, as mentioned earlier, were purposely made quite simple for the protagonist. We wanted to express him as an ordinary guy who is out doing one of his hobbies. A typical shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes are all we need. Despite the casual clothing, he does have a vest on, but that is more for a dramatic touch to the vlogger's audience than actual protection, implying that the protagonist has poor judgement in the face of adversity. On the other hand, we did pick out a unique costume for the mysterious figure(s). They will wear large, midnight-black baggy robes, almost resembling the Grim Reaper. This allows them to blend in with the dark setting to promote their hostility to the protagonist.

Lighting

Lighting is a unique, extremely important element for the success of our film. Rather, the lack of lighting. We want to create a frightening setting, so we want the absence of light to reflect this, causing viewers to focus on the minimal light they see. Obviously, we intend to create moonlight, although we may have to do this artificially depending on the weather. Other than that, the only other lighting we intend to have are the flashlights, camera lights, and lanterns that will further reiterate the suspenseful feeling. We would like these to appear very similar to those on the mood board, as those pictures create a camping-like vibe. The only thing the viewers see is what the protagonist sees with the lights he brought with him. All together, the lighting will be absolutely key to evoking fear and anxiety in our audience, so we intend to focus heavily on this feature.

Props

Like costume, props will be major in characterization. Some props included on the board are an EMF detector, a bright flashlight, a golden lantern, and a GoPro strap. These props will all be used with the protagonist to emphasize his vlogging. Similar to lighting, the props will be directly involved with what the audience sees. In addition to creating an explorer-like appearance in the main character, his flashlights and lanterns will be used to illuminate the things he is looking at, forcing the audience to also look at these same locations. Finally, a scythe will be the last major prop. Associated with the Grim Reaper, we intend to have our shadowy figures hold this to create a more intimidating experience. Overall, the props used will be one of the most, if not the most, essential part of our film, as they characterize the protagonist, identify the antagonist as dangerous, and produce almost all the lighting in the frame.

Our Final Project Idea Is....

 Final Project Idea!

Welcome back, everyone! I am so excited to share with you guys the news you've all been waiting for: our final project idea!!! Not too long ago, I shared with you guys the film ideas I brainstormed with my group members. Well, the wait ends today! After careful evaluation, weighing the pros and cons of each idea, we have unanimously agreed that our horror idea with a vlogger in a forest will be our official project.

What exactly is our project?

Well, its about time to give you the details! Our project idea is about a vlogger who opts to explore a haunted forest to make content for his channel. In the beginning, he is only interested in vlogging a particular story, but as he treads deeper in the forest, things become abnormal and suspicious. The clueless character will then begin seeing supernatural figures around him and hear hostile sounds. As he begins regretting his decisions of entering this area alone, some disappearances occur, followed by an all-suspenseful ending to conclude the movie opener.

What's up with the genre?

The genre for our film project is horror, as this is something that interests all our group members. This genre seemed to be the perfect fit, especially for a movie opener. It allows us to grab the attention of the audience in a suspenseful sequence, and it allows us as creators to be as diverse as we want. Horror's offer an endless spectrum of potential; we just need to make sure our shots evoke the intended emotional response! 

Our project will fit the conventions of the horror genre exquisitely! Most notably, the setting being a scary forest is a commonly used one for depicting horror. It allows us to create a feeling of isolation and loneliness, one where the characters in trouble cannot get help from the outside world. This creates a feeling of intense hopelessness, which generates an anxious response from the audience. Further, we intend to create a spooky atmosphere through the use of score, sound effects, and costumes. These can be suspenseful melodies, random loud bangs, and dark shadow-covered figures, respectively. Obviously, these features work together perfectly to produce a frightening mood, fulfilling the horror genre. Finally, we plan to utilize camera shots, angles, and movements to get the most fear out of our audience. This can range from low angles, handheld shots, and more that appear to seamlessly create a horror piece!

Despite this, our project will also divert from typical horror genre standards, adopting a unique touch by us! For instance, our project will bring viewers into the film directly, a change from the usual distant audience. This will be done through the use of a running vlog during the film. We will merge this seemingly "unprofessional" teenage-like vlog video with a cinematic video to create the ultimate horror experience! Another difference, especially when it comes to modern-day horror, is that we will minimize the use of gore. Instead, we opt for a psychological approach, utilizing character thoughts and paranoia to invoke the fearful, anxious response in the audience. Our approach will force the audience to think and anticipate what may come next rather than just present them with disgusting content to make them scared.

 Title Sequence Research

Hi! Today, I will be looking at three different title sequences, reviewing and analyzing the message and mood behind them. In title sequences, films typically tend to present the studio that created the film, the production company, individual directors/contributors, prominent actors, and the movie title name. While typically done in this order, it may vary based on the movie, and elements that are not included in the title sequence are usually complimented in the end credits instead. Now that you know a brief overview of title sequences, let's see some examples of them in action!

Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda is a movie that has resonated with me throughout my childhood. While it is not anything like our ideas for our final project, I figured I would start reviewing a title sequence that has had a personal impact on me. The sequence starts off with a new, dynamic clip of the DreamWorks logo, which fades into the movie title. The sequence then begins a voiceover narration of Po, describing his heroic, exaggerated story of when he defeated an entire army. In just a few seconds, the audience already gains proper information about the protagonist's personality: an optimistic, determined panda who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. The scene, shot in a cartoon with a 2D appearance, is done on purpose to create this dream-like stance in an animated film while also being able to exaggerate color hues and scale to amplify his distorted fantasy. Overall, this sequence sets the "good vs. evil" theme while portraying the protagonist as a character who is dedicated to becoming a hero like his idols.

Good Burger

Good Burger is a comedic classic, and its hilarious nature is hinted at from the very beginning! Following the Paramount Mountain opening, the sequence introduces the studio, production company, and title using a mustard-like font as the scene portrays a burger being made with numerous faces and designs. This immediately gives off a "goofy vibe," as typical fast food chains would not create these comical effects in their menus. The protagonist visualizes burgers with googly eyes speaking to him, and then he wakes up in his burger-themed bedroom. With these two shots alone, we get to see the protagonist's (an adult) silly, quite childish personality, and this is only reiterated by his interactions/accidents with people on the way to work. As an audience, we already know so much about the protagonist and the overall genre of the movie, and we are barely a few minutes in! These sequences alone already set the upbeat, funny mood that intrigues the target audience, as the credits are continuously attributed.

The Shining

A film more relevant to the genre of my group's project ideas, The Shining's title sequence creates unbearable suspense from the opening seconds! Immediately playing a scary, nervous, sharp melody, the music works excellently with the scenery. Picturing a large lake encompassed by vast mountain ranges and plenty of forest, the setting is quickly established. The camera follows a vehicle on a single-lane road for a few minutes, utilizing a crane/boom to get the most out of these extreme wide shots. The distance between the camera and the car adds to the suspense as it forces the audience to notice how isolated the vehicle is in an area full of nature and lack of life. This lengthy, almost repetitive shot also creates drama as it builds anticipation and suspense for where this car is headed. All-the-while, the production company, director credits, and starring are all mentioned in bold blue letters that seem out of place with the scene, and these credentials are mentioned for the entire 2-3 minute sequence of following the vehicle. It develops a nerve-racking experience for the viewers to be thrilled by from the very beginning of this fantastic horror film.