Props and Costumes - James, Jackson Doudney, Jackson Veal
The Boss' Costume
Pocket Watch - Jaeden
We included the use of the pocket watch as to add a superior attitude to the boss and the theme of time. As it is in one of the starting and the closing scenes we wanted it to be a symbol that would be related to the boss, because of this we decided to use a black pocket watch with gold insides. This makes us feel as if he is wealthy as he is shrouded by darkness like the watch so he must have this gold that is present in the watch to. The ending is also symbolic as the closing of the watch symbolises the other characters time ending.
Sun Glasses - James
we decided to include this character wearing glasses as it makes him seem colder an harsh. This is done from the lack of eye contact which people use to see how other people feel. the fact that they are mirrored also help this as we get the feeling that we are constricted to that small space and are helpless to do anything.
Woollen Jacket - Teacher Marcus
We decided to use a coat on the boss to continue the feeling of darkness and mystery around him giving him foreboding atmosphere. It also strengthens the ideal of him being wealthy as it continues to give him the feeling the pocket watch gave. A sense of coldness and roughness is also created from the jacket as it is associated with these in common movies and books.
Fedora - Teacher Marcus
While the multicoloured side of it wasn't originally intended to provide an effect it does give the character a more elegant and sophisticated side to him. This was the reason a fedora was chosen to be worn as it not only hid him but it matched the idea of the pocket watch. This kept him in theme and added to his character.
Black Jeans and Shoes - Teacher Marcus
We chose these coloured jeans and shoes as they are going to be semi hidden by the table. As we didn't want to take away the attention of viewers by having exuberant jeans and shoes this colour choice worked best. It won't grab attention and will blend into the background adding this sense of mystery.
Extras
The only other notice in relation to this character is his black top ( though briefcase is talked about later). In order to give our actor more comfort as he is wearing hot clothes in a hot room we wanted them to wear undergarments that would help keep them cool.
Walter's Costume
La Kings Jacket - James
While the team had nothing to do with the choice of it, the main reason it was used was for its colour scheme. As it is almost fully black with only a little grey on it it gives the character a sense of simpleness with a slight edge of sophistication. It also gives him a sense of fear as he seems to hide in it and let it conceal him. This is symbolic of how he tries to hide yet can't and he ultimately pays the price for it.
Black Boots - Joseph
As the boots are part of the first shot we wanted to have ones that stood out yet also fitted in with the theme. These army like boots were perfect as they seemed to give him a sense of toughness and danger, yet they didn't match the movement he made which showed fear. This gave the quality of his character as well as the look he was supposed to have.
School Pants - Joseph
These pants were chosen to continue the theme of the jacket. It is basically used for the same reason as the jeans and the shoes in the bosses costume
Extras
Same as before, undergarments to help keep the actor comfortable.
Props
Briefcase - Jacko
It is symbolic of mystery and importance as it is constantly shown and is highlighted by the shots used on it. A black one was chosen to continue the hidden wealth idea from the pocket watch and to give it that professional, crisp look which matches the bosses feel.
Gun - Jacko
We decided a black gun would allow it to realistically be hidden and unnoticed by Walter when he walked in and is symbolic of death. (Spray painted black by Jackson Doudney ).
Swivel Chair and chair - teacher Caroline
Walter was given a swivel chair as it allows him to act afraid easier and symbolises Walter as he is shaky and unfaithful. A sturdy chair was given to the boss to symbolise his sting and hard side which contrasts strongly to Walters.
Table - library
A simple table was decided to be used as it wouldn't draw attention away from the basic plot and story.
Storyboard - James, Jackson Doudney, Jackson Veal
Jackson Doudney was the main contributor to the storyboard though I did help with some of the drawings and both me and Jackson Veal did help come up with ideas .
The Big 6 include 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Universal Pictures & Walt Disney Pictures. Altogether the Big 6 make up approximately 80-85% of Canadian and US Box Office revenue.
Warner Bros. Pictures:
This franchise stands at the forefront of entertainment industry, with movies like The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises and Wonder Women all grossing over $390,000,000 from theatres alone. Created on the forth of April 1924, it joined the Big 6 in 1990-1995 after already having been part of the Big 5 during Holly woods Golden Years prior to the creation of the Big 6.
20th Century Fox:
Another large entertainment Franchise, 20th Century Fox has produced a wide range of loved movies such as Avatar, Ice Age, X-Men, Die Hard, Planet of the Apes, Night at the Museum and Fantastic Four. Though some of these were released on movie streaming sites it still managed to gross 1 billion mark gross revenue in 2014 securing itself a massive turn around from its previous years.
Paramount Pictures:
As the longest running major studio in Hollywood it has a century of experience in the film industry, from the story to post production. It has created a wide range films like the Star Trek series, Jack Reacher, Ben-Hur and Monster Trucks and has proven itself to be a movie studio that can continuously keep up with modern times. In 2014 it was the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all its film it digital format only.
In film making and video production, pre-production formally begins once a project has been green lit. At this stage, finalising preparations for production go into effect. Financing will generally be confirmed and many of the key elements such as principal cast members, director and cinematographer are set. By the end of pre-production, the screenplay is usually finalised and satisfactory to all the financiers and other stakeholders.
During pre-production, the script is broken down into individual scenes storyboards and all the locations, props, cast members, costumes, special effects and visual effects are identified. An extremely detailed schedule is produced and arrangements are made for the necessary elements to be available to the film-makers at the appropriate times. Sets are constructed, the crew is hired, financial arrangements are put in place and a start date for the beginning of principal photography is set. At some point in pre-production there will be a read-through of the script which is usually attended by all cast members with speaking parts, the director, all heads of departments, financiers, producers, and publicists.
Even though the writer may still be working on it, the screenplay is generally page-locked and scene-numbered at the beginning of pre-production to avoid confusion. This means that even though additions and deletions may still be made, any particular scene will always fall on the same page and have the same scene number.
Production is a process of combining various material inputs and immaterial inputs (plans, know-how) in order to make something for consumption (the output). It is the act of creating output, a good or service which has value and contributes to the utility of individuals.
Unsurprisingly the founder of this company was Walt Disney, who is now famous for the character Mickey Mouse, and the Disney princesses he created. To match these achievements he had the company logo made to match these themes.
The most famous of these logos was the "Magic Castle" logo designed in 1985 which was based off the Cinderella castle from the movie "Cinderella". The main intention for this logo was to evoke a sense of fantasy and imagination to the audience from the idyllic looking castle which would conjure up dreams of excitement and romance and is an irresistible draw to children all over the world. The light blue backing and simplistic quality of the logo is very appealing and represented the technological advancements of the time.
In more recent times this wasn't an accurate reflection of the companies abilities and the castle was starting to lose its dream sense that had been so inspiring in previous years. This leads to the creation of "A stunning Castle" in 2006 which kept the previous castles concept while still modernising it to fit into modern times. While the tower and the arching line (which I believe is meant to display the magic that surrounds Disney) were the only distinguishing features of the previous logo this logo included balconies,windows and even a moat. This gives it a more eye-catching style and showcases the technological advancements of the company with its computer generated castle and the panning back swoop the camera does. Their is also the beautiful music that plays in the background of both logos which is the instrumental version of the "When You Wish Upon a Star". This song came from one of Walt Disney's original films "Pinocchio" which is a compelling story of hope. This same sense of hope is created in the song which is performed by Leigh Hareline and Ned Washington, and grabs the attention of those that aren't even watching the TV.
There was also one other logo which was used after the company was first founded in 1923 which was known as the "Revolving Mickey". This is the least known logo and was simply a revolving Mickey outline that changed colour. There were two main reasons for this logo which were very powerful tools when it first came out. The first was to advertise Mickey mouse which was his most famous creation and attracted attention from everyone. The second was to show the technological leaps and bounds that the company was making for the time.
Another interesting idea that they played with was using different variations of the logo to reflect the upcoming movie. The first use of this was in "Toy Story", and afterwards they kept on making variation after variation. Below I have included a clip that shows these variations.
I believe that it is because Disney did these variations and continually updated its log to fit a movie, like the dog kennel theme in "Shaggy Dog", that the Disney logo was able to stay so memorable. It is this quality and the fact that it looks good both online and offline that will play a key part in shaping our logo.
DreamWorks Animation:
This company is a lot younger then Disney, being founded in 1994, but has still made many films that are memorable to kids and adults alike. The co-founders of the company were Steven Spielberg (director), Jeffery Katzenberg (Disney Studio chairman), and David Geffen (record producer) and it is their initials that make up the "SKG" on the bottom of all of the companies logos.
Steven Spielberg had the most control over the design of the logo with him wanting it to be a reminiscent of Hollywood's golden age. He originally intended for it to be a computer-generated image of a man on the moon fishing, but thanks to the advice of Dennis Muren (Visual Effects Supervisor) they got Robert Hunt to paint it. With the desired logo Hunt also sent over another painting with a boy sitting on the moon fishing, and Spielberg loved it. This lead to the logo that we are all familiar with today, with Hunt's son being the model for the much loved kid on the moon.
The first logo was this simple logo that include the boy on the moon fishing with nothing else. Though I couldn't find why he choose this design I believe that it is because it appeals to the inner child that is present in everyone, and takes people back to days when they were happily playing.
The second log was very similar to the first with the only major change to the background.Though this is a darker version of the logo it still attracts the attention of the inner child with the cloud cover behind simply adding a further sense of freedom to the overall look that would appeal to most viewers.
The latest logo is identical to the previous with the only changes being that it has a lighter background that is more appealing and the font. My belief for the choosing of this font is that it seems more inviting and seems to strengthen the message of freedom that the company focuses on.
This message of freedom is achieved through the kid-like colouring of the words as it recreates the work of young kids and gives the impression that one did so, possibly the one on the moon. It also links viewers back to their childhoods giving them a sense of freedom from their busy lives and allows them to relax and be prepared for the movie.
The logos that are seen on movies are made at ILM from Hunt's paintings in collaboration with Kaleidoscope films (designers of original storyboards), Dave Carson (Director),and Clint Goldman (producer) at ILM. This allowed the effect of the painting to come onto the screen and accompanies the background music nicely. The background music is a soft and gentle piece composed by John Williams that slightly builds to drop again that honours Hollywood's golden age, while still sounding inviting for viewers.
Here is another video that includes the different variations that DreamWorks Animation created for its logos.
This company demonstrates the importance in creating a title that matches what the audience expects to see as well as giving them a similar quality that matches the movie they are watching. This themed matching is a great concept that we should bring along to our logo in order to make it powerful and meaningful.
Warner Bros.
This companies history is the most complex on out of the three I choose, and deeply exploring all of their logos would take way to long. Due to this I will Simply list all of them and focus mainly on those that are either vastly different or have the most meaning. Founded by the Warner brothers (not their actual name) around 1923 they have had over 10 different types of logos with the only main similarity being the letters "WB" and the shield. Though I couldn't find out the reason why they choose the shield I believe that they did so in order to show the strength and power of their company, despite them only having just been created. It could also demonstrate their focus on action films which have been one of their most successful genres.
All of their logos:
In their first logo they have a picture of their studio showing in the shield with the letters "WB" squished at the bottom. As the "WB" got bigger and bigger in every new logo (excluding 6 and 9) we are shown how they became more confident in themselves for their success rather then were it was created which is why I believe they had the studio as the bigger part of the shield in their first logo.
In the 3rd logo we get the first example of the logo that everyone is familiar with today with the only difference being that the shield is zooms towards the camera. I believe this reflects the growing success that the company was now experiencing and shows how they are more obvious.
We then have the 6th logo which is the first one not to include the letters "WB" and shows only the "W" which turns into a 7. They did this in order to showcase the new advancement in technology they had taken with using seven arts. They also choose a white or yellow scheme to use with this which made it very plain. This seemed to make the company feel more open and inviting but didn't come across as powerful as the previous shields.
The 9th logo is the only logo that doesn't include any use of a shield and was designed by Saul Bass, who was legendary in changing the way opening sequences were done. They most likely hired him as they believed that he would be able to make their company logo better and he did give them a new title that is very appealing. The stylish "W" is very impressive and was a huge success at the time but wasn't able to keep up with the continually changing audience with is formality being a hindered to it. This however did give the concept of neatness and perfection that the company had wanted to portray as a reflection of their movie.
Their 11th logo is the most familiar to modern audiences and is loved by all. With its blue and gold colours giving the sense of wealth and order that Saul bass's one had given, while still showing themselves as making powerful movies with the shield predominating the screen. The clouds in the background also gives the scene a freeing feeling that makes viewers relax and seems welcoming.
It is hard to talk about the backing track for this logo as it varies depending on what movie your watching as they like it to flow with the movie. They do usually choose pieces that involve an orchestra as it gives the logo a majestic feel that matches the shield. Like the previous two companies they also make slight variations of the logo so that it fits the theme and below is a clip that shows these as well as the progression of the logo.
From this company we are shown that it is powerful to have the music match the scene as well as being open to let the logo 'evolve' as time goes in order to achieve the best effect that showcases our movies.
One strong idea that we plan to use from all of these companies is the flexibility in the adaption of the logo and making it fit the theme. We have already decided to use drawings for the logos and credits which will be devolped further on another post.
Alfred Hitchcock cleverly used the traditional convention of music to convey tension and suspense to the audience. He used a constant minor and falling music throughout the opening title sequence that raises suspense as it engages the audience with the excitement of danger occurring. As it is also heard before anything is seen it as shown as playing a key part in creating tension and draws the audiences attention without them missing any minor detail that might be important in the film.
As well as creating this sense of tension it also gives the audience the idea of imbalance. This sense is a major plot of the story as the main character suffers from Vertigo,hence the title. By doing this we as the audience get an early insight as to this fear and it starts the connection between us and him as we all now have this sense of imbalance.
Shadow/Low key lighting:
Throughout the sequence the woman is in shadow and low key lighting with the whole background immersed in shadow as well. this makes her features stand out and makes her stand out though appears to be being swallowed by the darkness making the audience hang in suspense as to what will happen to her. Montage shots: During one part of the sequence there is a sudden montage of colorful and complex pictures that are all spiraling , This give a sense of confusion to the audience and feels hypnotic which is a constant theme throughout the film. By doing this the audience is given a sense of anticipation as they are drawn in to the imagery created by them. Tint:
In two parts of the sequence we are shown the woman's eye covered in a red tint, By using this convention the audience is drawn in as people relate this color to blood and excitement which raises the suspense of the audience with the idea of life threatening danger and the anticipation for the plot to unfold.
Rear Window:
Tension music:
Just like ,"Vertigo","Rear Window", used music in orider to draw the attention of viewers and to create an atmosphere of suspense. Though this time it has more of an upbeat jazz swing to it that turns into a more orchestral sounding that continually changes in sound. This resulted in the tension building in the audience's anticipation as to what is going to happen in the movie, and ithe also gives the idea of sudden changes and twists that could occur in the plot making it act like a foreshadowing of what is to come.
Low key lighting:
The whole time the shot is covered by this dim lighting making the scene appear more dark and ominous raising the suspense of the audience. This darkness remains until the end of the opening in which it fades to a lighter colour at the same time as the music fades. This was most likely used to symbolise the progressive uncovering of what the main character is aiming to find. It could also symbolise that there will be a brighter future for the character at the end of the movie.
Urban setting:
By using an urban setting during the sequence the audience is given a claustrophobic feeling which raises the suspense of the audience. This also reflects the constrictions that are imposed on the main character which is a clever way to combine conventions and symbolism. It also let's the audience now the main location of the film as this is the sole area we are shown, a contrasting effect to the multiple location shots Hitchcock used in his North by Northwest movie.
Camera Shot:
Throughout the opening sequence we have a static shot of the window looking out with the blinds slowly being drawn. Apart from the graphic overlay of credits the main focus is on the blinds being drawn which gives the impression of something being revealed. This is most likely a theme of the movie as the main character uncovers that truthe and will end up getting a clearer perspective of what is happening. The slow zoom at the end is also most likely intended to reflect how the main character will look closely to find this truth and is willing to get involved.
Tintin:
Montage shots and Quick cuts:
Steven Spielberg cleverly combined these techniques in order order to make the fast pace action scenes that unfolds in the opening sequence. By doing this the level of suspense and tensionot is raised enticing the audience in anticipation or what will happen.
Shadows:
As they made the title sequence fully graphic they were able to manipulate the shadows to be fully black. This raised the tension as it appears to takeover the whole screen at certain areas capturing the audiences attention. It also gives the audience a heightened sense of danger as we are unable to see what's going on in the background. As well as this giving the audience a constricting feeling we are also made to experience the film the way the character Tintin would.
Urban setting:
It achieves the same effect as,"Rear Window," though it also gives a sense of freedom as the shots are of multiple different areas . This adds confusion to the audience as this restricted freedom is thrust upon them and they are drawn into this fantasy world. They are also very symbolic locations as this movie was an adaptation from the book series. While showing the locations there are many easter eggs the director included, some of which are obvious like the red rocket, others though are more discreat like the bad guys lair nearing the end of the film which is from, "The Lake of Sharks". This would help to engage the audience as they try to spot every one.
Protagonist in the mercy of the antagonist:
This is shown continuously done throughout the opening sequence and raises the anticipation of viewers as they question if he will live during the opening sequence! This rais especially tension as to the expectation of the danger that will oppose Tintin during the movie.
Gun and Knives:
Both weapons are immediately associated with danger and raise the tension of the audience as they give the idea of death to the audience. This entices the anticipation of the audience as the sense of danger is feed again with the worry of what will happen in the movie.
e.g Die Hard, Kill Bill Vol. 1, The Bourne Identity.
The protagonist has a "mission" they have to complete that threatens their life or a loved ones.
physical action-creates a sense of suspense
continuous motion and action-CUs + extreme CUs,with a mix of still and moving shots (they contribute to the overall sense of danger that the protagonist is facing)
there is often physical stunts, chases,fights,battles and races
Crime Thriller
e.g The Usual Suspects, Jagged Edge,The Fugitive.
The protagonist has to fight/stop a criminal and the criminals plot - these movies focus on both the hero and the criminal
criminal is usually a serial killer,murderer,robber or is being man hunted
uses action and physiological aspects to build tension and suspense
uses non-diagetic sound
- either the music is very simple with a repeating tune (e.g theme music off jaws) alerting you that something bad is going to happen
- or it follows diagetic sounds in the movie to make them more dramatic (e.gin Nancy Drew her footsteps are followed by a high pitched tone after each small creak made to raise suspense from the fear that the criminals will hear)
Film-Noir
e.g Sunset Boulevard, Sweet Smell of Success, The Maltese Falcon,
N.B- it is a style of crime thriller popular in the 1940s and 1950s
the protagonist is a cynical hero fighting a criminal to save his/her life and/or to stop the criminals plot
it is characterised by black and white style with stark lighting effects - colours aren't present so they don't distract the audience causing them to focus solely on the characters and the strong shadows present which creates tension as they make sharp contrasts
it relies heavily on narrative voice and various flashbacks to explain the intricate plot - allows the audience to share the thoughts and ideas of the specific character and the memories that are determining how the respond to a given situation ( we feel at one with the character causing us to feel tension as we feel like we are there)
Science Fiction Thriller
e.g Inception, Aliens,District 9.
The protagonist is usually part of a team that to deal with the invasion and/or the relationship between aliens
contains heros, villans, unexplored locations, fantastical quests and advanced technology - often the continuous floodingof new information "overwhelms"the audience, leaving them in suspense as they can't "keep up" yet are sucked into the plot
is a "future-gone-bad" situation - even though it it is futuristic it feels realistic as it follows realistic situations that could occur to us "tommorow"-lures us into suspense as we want to know how we would end up in that situation
Religious Thriller
e.g The Devil’s Advocate, The Ninth Gate, The Da Vinci Code.
The main characters are having to explore or hide the problems seemingly caused by their belief in an attempt to find the "truth" they seek
the movies sticks to the objects and other religious factors that would be present in that religion - this allows the audience to see a realistic view into that religion making them relate to the expectations of the characters making us feel what they are feeling
supernatural phenomenons are used, e.g demons and them possessing people,visual exorcisms, that religions "end" of the world occurring - this causes the audience to question the possibility of it being true and that they might not meet the requirements needed to be "saved" making tension as they want to know what happens to the character they are starting to see themselves as
Disaster Thriller
e.g 2012, The 5 Wave, Titanic
The protagonist is either having to start a new life after a disaster, has to stop a disaster from occurring, or is shown facing the disaster and pushing through it - focuses on character facing the disaster
wide shorts are used - show the scene and the dramatic change/problem caused or that will be caused by the disaster - suspense is created as we feel the pain from the dramatic change caused from the disaster
CUs are used on the characters - makes us relate to the character more and feel as if we are the character, causing us to experience the tension the character is facing
made realistic in terms of scenarios - mentality of it could happen to us and we feel held by suspense as it could happen to us
Pocket Watch - Jaeden
Fedora - Teacher Marcus
Briefcase - Jacko
Gun - Jacko
