Issues with Footage

As we have started the editing process we have found issues with some of the footage that we have recorded. This means that we are currently arranging times to re-film.

The footage from Filming Session #1 is unusable because the mise-en-scene is not perfected. We knew that we were going to have to go back to film more of the chase scene as when we went originally we were short for time and had more ideas and shots to film than what we had completed.

When looking back at our footage we found that Nick, the actor playing the kidnapper, was wearing smart black school shoes. These do not fit his character and as we have some low angle shots where they are key to the frame we need to re-film with him in more casual footwear.

We will soon arrange a date and time for re-filming, so using his Dad Mick as an actor was helpful as he has a relatively flexible schedule.

Filming Session #4 - 25th January

Filming Session #4 - Plan

Our fourth filming session is our biggest, and we have a lot to fit in. It is our first filming session with the Mum, Annie, and our only booked session with every character. To ensure it is a smooth as possible, we have set out a basic plan for the day. 

11.00-11.20: Arrive at the location and get set up
                         Ensure camera's are charged
                         Check locations are set up how we want them
                         Discuss our plans for the day
11.20-12.00: Shots with Esther on her own - Filmed with Go-Pro
                         Sounds of Esther being taken 
                         The beginning shots with Esther's hands 
                         Shots of her around the house 
                                      Playing on trampoline
                                      Reading 
                                      Doing crafts that are in her room
12.00-12.20: Annie Arrives 
                          Greet Annie and explain the plans for the day 
                          Take photos of the family, and individual actors for the blog 
12.20-13.00: The shots of the whole family 
                          Esther playing as the parents look happy 
                          The parents arguing without Esther 
                          Record sound of parents arguing
13.00-13.30: Contingency Time 
                          Re-film anything we don't like
                          Catch up on time
                          Esther can leave
                          Group break
13.30-14.00: Shots of Mum
                          Filming from behind her, typing and working
                          Take photo's of location for Blog
14.00-15.00: Shots of Parents 
                          Scene with Hot Drink, Step-Dad taking it into Mum, shaking and nervous
15.00-15.30: Final shot of parents
                           Walking into the bedroom of the child
                           Tracking shot
15.30-16.00: Contingency Time 


                                               

Filming Session #3 - 19th January

For our third filming session we re-did the shots from the our first tester session. 

This is a really important part of our trailer as it explains the first point of view shots. In the beginning the audience doesn't know who is being taken as they don't see their face. But this final ransom video tells the audience that she is the person being taken, which in turns explains her parents sadness. 

We used four cameras in our filming. Two were used for profile shots, high and low angle, we used a high-tech camera to film through and then an old style camcorder as the ransom camera. 

Filming Session #2 - 18th January

Our second filming session was just with our group in the child's bedroom. We were filming the pan shots of different elements of the room.

We used the go-pro to replicate the wide angle that represents shots from the child's point of view. 

We took numerous shots from around the room that we set up (as you can see in this blog post). These will be filtered in throughout the trailer to show the hole that the child being taken leaves in the parents' lives. 

Location Hunting #2 - Child's Room

We are using group member Nick's house for the home of the child. They have a room decorated in blue that we have used as the child's room. 

You can see that in the Storyboard Animatic we have left space for the camera to pan around the child's room. We want these shots to tell the audience more about the character, meaning they are more emotionally attached to her. 

We have kept with the theme of blue and dressed the room so it looks more like a lived in child's room. 

You can see an analysis of the props we added, and some further photo's of the rooms set up, below. 

Red Colour Motif

   Red Colour Motif | Create infographics

Filming Session #1 - 16th January

Risk Assessment

When filming we needed to create a Risk Assessment to ensure we are being as safe as possible. 
We have listed the 4 most prominent risks from each location, and explained the preventative measures we have put in place. 

The Colour Blue

THe colour blue |Create infographics

Radio Broadcast

For one of the shots in our trailer the parents are in their car and a radio-broadcast announcing their child's disappearance comes on the radio. We used the actress playing the Mum to read out our script as she has done voice-work and has a clear 'radio voice'.


When creating the script we used our knowledge of radio announcements and gave out the basic information; that she had gone missing and that it is suspicious.


The announcement states -

News just in a 10 year old girl has gone missing from her home in the South of England. Officers responded to a call from her mother yesterday, and are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. A spokesperson for the police said that the case was being treated as suspicious.

Character Profile #4 - Step-Dad

Character Profile #3 - Mum

Character Profile #2 - Child

Character Profile #1 - Kidnapper

Storyboard Animatic First Draft

Ransom Scripting

We have already filmed some tester shots for the closing scene of our trailer (as shown in this blog post), however we wanted to decide on exactly what the child is going to say. 

When filming we recorded what Esther said in a sound clip, as you can hear below. 



 

'Mum, It's me,

Don't worry, It's fine,

I'm okay.

I've been taken by these men,

Please help, help me.'

Although I think that the dialogue works with the shot to provoke emotion in the audience, as they will feel sympathy for the child, the passage is slightly contradictory. Even if at the beginning we present her as trying to be strong and help her Mum by saying 'Don't worry I'm fine' it the speech quickly changes direction by showing the child begging for help. 

We have altered the script to this - 

Mum, It's me,

Please help, I've been taken. 

I'm scared,

They want your money,

Please help, help me.

This works more with our altered idea for the first shot as we are not revealing that she is tied up like our original plan. 

Plan for filming

Our deadline for the editing been done is on the 27th February 2015, meaning that we need to get filming! We have struggled getting all the actors that we want together at once, but think we have finally arranged a schedule. 

16th January - We want to complete all of the shots of the Step-Dad on his own and with the kidnappers. This includes the ones where he is running through the ally way, being chased by the kidnappers, and the one where he is driving. 

18th January - We are going as a group to the location being used as the family's house. We want the child's bedroom to be a key aspect of the trailer so are spending some time setting it up with props that we want to use. We will also film all of the shots panning around the room 

19th January - We are filming at school with Esther (the child). This is for the final shot, the ransom video, as we like using the black background as it looks clinical and organised, like the crime they are committing. We will also take the photo for the final shot 

25th January - This is our final day where we are filming everything with both parents and the child at the house. This includes the beginning shot, the shots with the parents arguing at the house, the mum working, when the step-dad brings the drink to the mum, and the shot where the parents are opening the door to the room. 

We have the first week of February for contingency, but will edit as we go to ensure we get everything completed. 

Location Hunting #1 - Chase Location

As it is a trailer with lots of different shots and scenes we need to find a few locations. Namely a house for all of the scenes with the family, a dark room for the ransom video and an outside location for the chase scenes. 

For the outside location we are looking for a bridge and stairs for the Step-Dad and kidnappers to chase him along. 

This was our first option for location as it looks deserted and has stairs either side. However one of the problems for this shot was the graffiti on the walls. We loved it as it gave it an urban vibe, however it would prove a struggle for contingency. We would have to ensure all of the graffiti lined up shot-shot which would be very tricky.  

Our second option, and the one we ended up using is this green and glass bridge. It is longer meaning we have more space and it has less 'defining features' that we need to match up for contingency. 

It has stairs so we can have shots with Mick, the step-dad, running up and down them, and eventually getting shot at the end. 

Tester Shots #2

We also completed some test shots for the opening of our trailer where the child gets taken. We wanted a point of view shot of her drawing and then looking towards the door as she hears someone come in. Then by the time she comes back round there is someone standing in front of her. 

We marked out the action as a group so that we didn't need to organise further filming with our child actress. In our storyboard we planned for Esther to be playing will dolls, however we didn't have them when testing. This has not affected our ability to assess whether the shot works as it is not the most important part, the camera work is. 

We used a go-pro to film this as the fish eye effect reflects her innocence, and is a signifier that it is from her point of view. This was very affective, and will also add interest and variety to the trailer. 

This shot will open the trailer as it is not completely clear and doesn't give to much away, as to who she is for example. Following this shot a bag will be put over the camera and you will hear her struggle which will add tension for the audience. 

We are going to use this as the opening to our film as we think it serves it's purpose as being shocking.