PRE-PRODUCTION
ONLINE: Blogger, Art of the Title and Snapchat
The use of many online technologies was vital to the process of pre-production. Using Blogger, I documented all the research and planning that I did online on Blogger. Each time I wanted to create a new post I would press the new post button which can be found in the top left corner and this would take me to a blank white page where it could be written. When I was done, I would press publish in the top right corner. This included documenting all my knowledge from the camera and editing research, research into titles and genres so that we could ensure we included all the symbolic, technical and narrative conventions of a thriller sequence. To begin understanding what makes each genre distinctive, we researched genres using the internet. I then displayed my research into opening sequences of the thriller, horror, drama, war, action, sci-fi and western genres onto my blog. This helped me to gain an awareness that I wanted to make a thriller genre movie and that there were particular conventions that needed to be followed in order to do this. Furthermore, part of the research process also involved researching the use of titles which we did using the website Art of the Title. For example, by analysing the way in which American Horror Story and Greece use titles in their opening sequence. On Art of the Title, we were able to search up the opening sequence from any film. Additionally, the website also allowed you the ability to search up information about different title artists. The link to my research on Saul and Elaine Bass can be found here: https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin/signinchooser?service=blogger&hl=en-GB&passive=true&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogin.g%3FblogspotURL%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Flilaa1media.blogspot.com%2F2022%2F03%2Fsaul-and-elaine-bass- ,
for which Art of the Tile was a useful source.
Additionally, using Snapchat to communicate was integral to the success of our project as we used both of these online services to communicate in the lead up to the shoot day. We created group chats on both of these and used them to allocate tasks to complete to make certain that we were as prepared as we could be for the shoot day and that there would be no last minute worries. Additonally, whilst I was off with Covid using snapchat was key to making sure I was able to communicate and put my ideas forward to contribute to the group pitch.
HARDWARE: Canon EOS M50 camera and iPhone 12 Mini
After presenting our idea for our opening to the class and having it approved, we did a test shoot. For this we used a Canon EOS M50 and an iPhone 12 mini to take pictures to upload to Blogger to illustrate the experience. I did this by using the camera app and then transferred the photos I took from the photo library onto my laptop. To set up Meadow’s camera you take off the lens cover, twist push out the lens. Turn on the on switch and press record. We then then began filming. We could see what we were filming through the viewfinder.
SOFTWARE: iMovie
We then used iMovie to edit this. We cut down clips to the length that we wanted and then lined them up on the timeline so that they played on after the other. We then embedded the soundtrack that we initially wanted to use, which was Kurt Kobain's sappy demo. Our test shoot can be found here: