Risk Assessment - Miss georgiou

Risk Assessments

Risk assessments are important in the film industry as the cast and film crew should feel safe while the film is being produced. A Risk Assessment is aprocess of evaluating the potential risk that may involve in a project or undertaking.

The reason why risk assessments are done is in order to identify,
 analyze and evaluate the risks associated with the production of the opening scene. Thanks to risk assessments, one can determine the appropriate ways to eliminate or improve the hazard.  A risk assessment is an inspection on the future or current filming scene in order to identify different situations orprocesses that can cause harm to the actors or filming crew. Providing that an identification of a hazard is made, one can evaluate the risk and then decide what measures should be taken in order to prevent or control the hazard.

Risk assessments are  also important as they provide a plan for a safe filming facility. Safety rules create awareness for the hazard and risks in the working place. They can identify who may be at risk and show the measures that the employee needs to take in order to prevent himself from becoming a hazard.
As you can see, I have made a chart with all of the risks I have found and how to 
prevent it.

Description of Hazard	Prevention of Hazard
Filming with cables attached to the camera	Duct tape the cables to the floor with the end cable attached to the camera is free so that the camera can move freely.
Weather conditions while outside	It may rain and effect the floor that the victim and the villain will be running on and the camera may get wet therefore an umbrella and a sturdy pair of trainers should be worn by the villain and victim.
Uneven ground	The tripod may not sit properly and may cause issues while filming and the tripod may fall with the camera on top and may damage the camera. Therefore we must find even ground that will not disrupt the scene and still be able to get a good shot from the ground.
Darkness outside	This can effect the lighting and the scene as you cannot see the characters and what is happening therefore you must try and use the scenery around and maybe torches or street lamps.
Using the camera while running	The person holding the camera may have to run along with the camera and may trip therefore the camera man must wear suitable running shoes and must look where he is going and that the area is clear and no obstructions i.e dog walkers or joggers.

We encountered another risk when filming, this was when we was making the shrine of the victim. We had to use a candle but rest it on a pile of leaves. The problem with this was that if it was to fall it could easily set fire to the leaves, so to prevent this from happening we cleared a small area from the leaves and dug it into the floor. We then surrounded it with leaves so it still looked like it was on the leaves.

Filming Schedule - Miss Georgiou

A filming schedule is useful when planning an opening sequence with your filming group because when you and your group are in sync, and know what you wish to get done on a particular day then it is easier for your group to be able to get the appropriate amount of filming done without stressing the group out. If you do all the filming in one day then you become stressed and may mess things up in the filming, and may miss out important scenes and small details. 

We followed the schedule on getting the first small clip done, but as we realised that we had a lot of time as we were ahead of schedule so we were able to finish the house/bedroom scene so therefore the last scene that we need to film is the scenes in the forest where most of the action will take place. 

Here is our film schedule:

Shot	Date & Time	Location	Content/Action	Shot type & Duration	Costume, Hair and make up	Iconography	Personnel	Equipment
1.	22/11/13 4:00pm	Barkingside Hobart Road	Suburban neighbourhood at night with trees and houses	Panning shot	N/A	N/A	Director, camera man, make up and hair artist.	Camera, Tri-pod
2.	22/11/13 4:30pm	Barkingside Hobart road	In the victims bedroom when she is sitting on the bed and receives a text message	Mid-shot and close up	PJ’s and no make up and natural hair style	Book and mobile phone	Victim, hair and make up artist, director and camera man.	Camera, tri-pod
3.	24/11/13 5:00pm	Barkingside Hobart Road	Looking over the victims shoulder	Over the shoulder shot	Villain wearing a black jumper, trousers and timberland boots.	Mobile phone	Victim, Villain, Camera man and director	Camera, tri-pod
4.	27/11/13	Claybury forest	Where the victim will be followed and kidnapped	Long shot, hand held shot	Villain wearing a black jumper, trousers and timberland boots and the victim wearing jeans, jumper and trainers with natural hair	N/A	Victim, villain, camera man, director	Camera, tri-pod
5.	27/11/13	Claybury forest	Victim is really alive	Close up	You only see the victim who is badly bruised	N/A	Victim, camera man, director	Camera, tri-pod

Group Narrative - Miss Miller

In this blog I shall be evaluating our group storyboard, including the content of the storyboard and the specific elements we have used from our individual storyboards. The purpose of the group storyboard task is so that we can incorporate all the ideas of each individual into one storyboard. The storyboard will allow us the organise the shots, editing, iconography, actors, sound and lighting  we will be using in each frame. This will allow us to keep organisation and structure when it comes to filming.

In our group storyboard we have included several elements from each of our own individual storyboards that we created. In frames 8 and 12, we incorporated my idea of a point of view shot from the victims position, this means the camera shot will be filmed as if we are looking out the window. This creates a relationship with the audience by using this shot because it will make the audience feel as though they are the person looking out to the killer in the garden, and will also create some suspense. This is conventional to a thriller because

We also incorporated Leandrah's idea of the close up shot on the phone when the victim receives a text from the killer. By doing this it shows emphasis on the phone, as the message comes through the camera angle will change instantly to the close up of the phone. This creates a relationship with the audience by using a close up on the phone because it will make it feel as though it is the audience that is looking directly at the phone. By using a close up shot it creates suspense and shows emphasis on the phone which is conventional to a thriller because when you would want tot create suspense you could use a close up.

Nathalias idea of showing the surroundings in the first scene was put into the storyboard, as we felt
that would give the audience an idea of the surroundings. It also shows how the killer may watch the victim, this then creates a relationship with the audience because it will get the audience thinking throughout the scene how will the killer follow through with his crime. This is conventional to a thriller by filming the surroundings because they are usually set at night and in spooky places so by showing the surroundings it instantly makes the scene or film more frightening.

We included the long shot feature of my storyboard, these long shots consist of the victim and the killer. The reason we included this feature in our group storyboard was because it creates the atmosphere of isolation as we can clearly see the empty background. This allows the audience to identify the fact that the victim is helpless and alone, thus therefore will create a relationship. We included this element of my storyboard as it generates the convention that this creates is a vulnerable female victim.

In using the group storyboard it enabled us to split our narrative into separate sections, this allowed us to see where we wanted low key lighting, diegetic sound, editing etc. This is helpful as when we are filming we can make sure that each element that we require for each shot is available. Using the group storyboard has also enabled us to not only note the key elements that we will be featuring in each frame but also conduct a sketch to make it easier for each member of our group to visualise our ideas.

I think our storyboard is very good and has been managed very well as it has broke our opening sequence down into separate segments making it easier to understand and also make it easier for filming. I found that the ideas each member of our group put forward were very helpful as we have built a very well structured storyboard. I thought it was a little bit tough incorporating all of our ideas into one storyboard as we had to leave some out. But overall I do believe that we have made the best possible storyboard with the ideas that we had.

Planning Cinematography - Miss Miller

Planning Cinematography - Miss Miller

The importance of cinematography in films is that it creates different emotions for the audience and the characters through camera angles. The different camera angles can suggest different scenarios within the film which helps create a relationship with the audience and build tension within the film. The cinematography is used to show different angles within a scene and can play an important part in the plot, giving the audience tension and suspense which is needed within a thriller.

Planning is required to produce excellent sequences because without planning it is easy for us to go off track and lose sense of what our plan actually is within out thriller. The plan for our cinematography is critical so that it makes our scenes more interesting and effective making and inspiration a reality.

the camera angles that me and the rest of the group thought would be the most effective to use are,
- Close Up
- High Angle
- Point Of View
- Long Shot
- Mid Shot

All of these camera angles have been use to add different effects to different scenes. We have included point of view camera angle as this shot makes the audience feel like they are the character themselves and see what they can see. We have used this in particular when the killer is outside and the girl is looking out the window at him. The shot makes the audience feel as if they are the victim as they can se what she sees which creates a relationship with the audience as they believe they are in the victims shoes adding suspense as they wonder what they are going to do next in the sequence. We hope this camera angle makes the victim seem inferior to everything that's happening and hope that it makes the audience connect with the victims emotions, and make them feel sympathy towards them. This would be conventional to a thriller as it would created suspense and tension for the audience which is always needed in a thriller.

We have also used High angle shots when the young girl is in her bedroom dancing to music. We have specifically used this here so that it looks like she is being recorded by the killer whilst he will be watching the footage outside the house which she obviously is oblivious too. We got this inspiration from Paranormal activity where everything is recorded, we thought this would be a good element to add as it's like somebody is watching the young girl. This camera angle will create a relationship with the audience as they will feel helpless and the suspense and tension will be create in a lot more depth. We want this angle to make sure the characters are portrayed as vulnerable so that the audience feel sympathy for them making them create a relationship with the characters themselves. This is conventional to a thriller as the angle makes the victims look vulnerable which in every thriller they are portrayed as.

Another camera angle we have included is close ups. We have included this as it will focus on the emotions of the characters when we are closed in on their face and not the background. We are using this in several scenes as we need to show the pain of the characters when they are in a lot of trouble with the killer,  and see the unawareness of what is going to happen. This angle is effective as you can really make the emotions from the characters create a relationship with the audience, from changing to sympathy and remorse, to suspense and fear of what is going to happen next, as the close up blocks out the background the audience can't see what else is around the character and only their faces. This cinematography element is conventional to a thriller as it makes us believe that the characters are real which gives it that sense of reality but then the suspense that they need in a thriller.


I think that the sequence will be more effective in terms of creating an emotional reaction through cinematography as the different angles and shots makes and conveys different emotions which will help make our thriller more exciting whilst it intensifies. It is conventional to the thriller genre as they make the audience more engaged within the film whilst creating different emotions such as shock suspense and tension. The planning has helped us with the preparation for the filming as it has broken down all of the elements we need to make out thriller more intensifying and scary, and has made sure we know what we are doing before we decide to go ahead with the filming.

Planning Character - Miss Georgiou

Planning Characters 

Character representation is essential to narratives as it is how someone is presented to the audience which gives an insight into how they might react according to their clothing, background and attitudes.


 We used the planning outline of:

• Name 
• Age 
• Gender 
• Race 
• Background
• Purpose to the narrative
• How will the character appeal to an audience?

Victim

Name: Chelsea

Age: 18 years old

Gender: Female

Race: English, British 

Background: Normal average girl

Purpose to the narrative: 

-This character will be a typical university student who is living alone and is forced to believe that she is being followed and that someone is watching her, the villain has an unhealthy obsession with the victim and plans to marry her. If he cannot have her then no one can. 

How will the character appeal to the audience: 

- The character will appeal to the audience because she will be like any normal girl, so other girls are able to relate because of the way that she looks, acts and portrays herself through her clothes and her make up. 

Villain

Name: Sylvester

Age: 24 years old 

Gender: Male 

Race: English, British

Background: British, Russian

Purpose to the narrative:

-The character is an ex-convict who has a strange obsession with the victim. The villain has a strange obsession with girls especially Chelsea as he has a picture of her and stalks her. He plans a scheme to capture Chelsea and potentially murder her. 

How will the character appeal to the audience: 

- The character will appeal to the audience as in the news you find that many ex-convicts have been let out of prison and some people have a strange obsession with people especially girls. Many girls in the news have been murdered because their ex-boyfriend or murder has a strange obsession with someone. 

Friend on the phone

Name: Harley

Age: 18 years old

Gender: Female

Race: English, British

Background: Typical British girl

Purpose to the narrative: 

-The character will be Chelsea's best friend in the opening sequence, who the victim will ring when she feels that someone is following her. 
How the character appeal to the audience: 
-The character doesn't have a very large part in the opening sequence as she is in the background over the phone you cannot see what she looks like. 

 

 

Why are Storybords used - Miss Miller

It is widely accepted that storyboards are a valuable tool in creating animations. However, if you're just getting started in the area, this part of the process may seem an unnecessary diversion when you want to get on with creating your animated works. Neglecting to spend time on storyboards can have a negative impact on an entire project. Storyboards are designed to create a more successful animation process and end product, in terms of quality and efficiency

Efficiency

 

Taking time to create and use storyboards will save you time in the long run. As Catherine Winder and Zahra Dowlatabadi noted on the Animation World Network website in 2001, if you jump straight in and start creating your animations, you are increasing the likelihood of wasting time on work that ends up not being used. Storyboards help to pin down exactly what it is you're trying to create, giving you a constant reference to check your work against as you go along. Skipping the storyboard stage is a false economy, and having a cost effective approach is vital with the labor-intensive process of animation.

 

Quality

 

Animations produced using storyboards generally tend to exhibit a higher level of quality than those that do not,  Having the storyboard as a reference point throughout the animation process results in something that is clearer and more faithful to the aim of a particular project. The best creative projects in any medium tend to be started with thorough preparation, a fact that has been borne out by success full projects again and again. Storyboarding increases the accuracy with which an animation represents its original brief, whatever that happens to be. 

 

Improved Development Process

 

The clarity provided by having a storyboard results in a smoother, more successful and ultimately satisfying animation development process,  Whether you're working on an animation project on your own or as part of a team, the activity of creating the animation will involve less stress, friction and potential conflict if you create a decent storyboard before the work begins. Starting any development process without adequate preparation can make the experience frustrating and tense, and this is particularly the case with animation, since the task at hand is so detailed and intense.

 

Refinement

 

The act of creating a storyboard helps to identify flaws and issues within the concept or story concerned. Ieas expressed in writing are just the beginning when it comes to any moving image medium. You only really get a sense of an animation when you start to see it represented in visual form. Still images bridge the gap between a written script or story, and the final moving images. A storyboard helps to explore an idea visually, giving you the opportunity to make changes and refinements before any animation work has begun.