3. Stage Four: Evaluation/Task Ten: Production Process.

One of the aspects of my film that I like is the variety of shots that I had. For example, the shots that I had of Ashleigh and Will walking through the trees showed first person points of view and third person points of view, implying that someone is watching these people, however these people are unaware. Also, the shots themselves, such as the two close ups at the end and the shot where Ashleigh stands over Will are exactly what I wanted, so I am pleased. I am also pleased with my actors' work, as the filming process itself took no longer than two hours! I also had the shots that I wanted - plus an additional two or so clips. There are many things that looking back on my film and production process, I could have done better. For example:

1. The length of the shots. My film as a whole are very short, and I could have expanded on selected pieces of footage, such as when Ashleigh and Kristyan look into the camera, and when Ashleigh is scared and looking around.

2. Sound effects. I wish I had filmed them on the day.

3. A higher quality camera. That way the actors can be focused on with more clarity.

4. Writing up a production log so I could have more to evaluate.

5. Managing my time wisely, as in in the editing process, I should have gotten more organised.

-For the 'length of shots' problem, I should have looked at my footage in a critical way afterwards and then have organised another production day. I was hesitant to do so as I did not want the actors to feel fustrated and not want to give up their free time again. In the future, I would get over this feeling and pluck up the courage to ask the actors - for all I know, they may have been very happy to do so!

-For the 'sound effects' problem, I should have made a list of what I wanted to achieve on my filming day. As well as my story board, I could have written down sound effects, shots I wanted duplicates of, a recording device. Etc.

-For the 'higher quality camera' problem, I could have sought after my footage before my parents went away - therefore I would have high quality clips, aswell as a tripod.

-For the 'production log' problem, again this was to do with my organisation skills.

-For the 'managing time wisely' problem, I should have constructed a plan of when I would like everything done.

Also, the editing programme Adobe Premiere Pro, was absolutely hopeless. I had so many problems that I had difficulty keeping up to date. One day Adobe Premiere Pro would shut down and take at least 10 minutes to do so, and then if I switched computers to open up the same file, Adobe would encounter the same problem. Also, the footage would expire regularly, and I would have to begin my movie again as Adobe would no longer accept my file type. Very fustrating to day the least.

If I had made these changes, my film would have a better chance of achieving higher. I do like my film, and I like the way it was put together, however my film is lacking qualities which could score my film opening a higher grade. In the future, I would get more organised and make sure I have enough room on my H Drive! (The clips had difficulty uploading onto the school computers, which wasted countless periods).

3. Stage Four: Evaluation/Task Eleven: Technology Standard.

The camera which I used to film my movie opening was a digital camera. Unfortunately, the camera which I had planned to use I couldn't as my parents took it with them on their holiday. Therfore, I had to make do with what I had. The camera itself was straightforward to use, however holding the camera steady so I could get sufficient footage proved difficult. In the very first clip, for example, took more time than expected to film as the panning was very difficult to perfect - infact in the end I still felt I could have filmed this piece of footage, along with others, better. While I was filming, it did not occur to me to use sound effects, and trying to include them while editing my film did not work. I am disappointed with this. If I had included sound effects, such as the knife penetrating Will and the blood dropping from the knife, I felt these sounds would add up to the overall effect - giving the audience  a more ghastly feel. Dialogue was easy to film as I only had two lines of dialogue, and since I was close to the actors, the lines were easy to hear. Importing videos into the editing software (Adobe Premiere Pro CS5) was an easy process - although sometimes it had to be repeated, which was a right pain. For example, I would open the file which I saved my movie to, only to find that the footage had expired. So, not only did I need to re-import these videos, I also had to import them one by one - which was a tedious task. Finding music to suit my film was one of the biggest problems I had. I wanted a piece of music which was joyful and comforting - however having an element of surprise every now and then. I could not find music which suited my specific criteria, so I had to find music with an entirely different tone. In the end I chose the pieces: The Grand Duel (by Luis Bacalov) and Fortuna (by Carl Orff). One piece really suited the atmosphere, for example having a low whistle which suited the forest environment. The other had such a dramatic feel that I wanted to convey to the audience that this event was extremelt dramatic. The sound effects did not even work in this editing programme, so I had to go without. Using an infamiliar editing programme was really, really hard. I had to figure out how to make a clip show in slow motion, how to shorten it, how to add transitions, how to rotate the clips themselves, how to increase the qualty etc. etc. So trying to find out how to perform these tasks put me behind in the editing process. Trying to find out how to make a piece of music slowly fade out to silence was challenging and fustrating. I looked up instructions on the internet on how to do so, however the instructions were not detailed enough for me to follow. In the end, through trial and error, I found my way.

3. Stage One: Pre Production/Task Eight: Test Shots.

I did not try out test shots per say, however on the actual filming day, I played around with my camera (for the opening clip where we zoom on on tree branches, from a low angle, and pan towards the walking path) to practice smoothness and the speed in which I wanted to reveal the path. Also, when selecting a path, I filmed one scene on the different paths to see where the lighting was best.

3. Stage One: Pre Production/Task Seven: Locations, Permissions.

For my media movie, I used only one location. This location was the Ilam Gardens by the University of Canterbury. As it was a public place, I did not need to ask for permission to use it. I filmed at this location on the 31st of July.

3. Stage One: Pre Production/Task Six: Art Department.

Props Required:

• Tomato Sauce - I will provide this prop.
• A Kitchen Knife - I will provide this prop.
• A Water Bottle - I will provide this prop.
• A Water Dispenser - I will provide this prop.

Costumes Required:

I told Ashleigh Hamilton (The Woman) and Kristyan Evans (The Murderer) that they could wear whatever they desired, as my film is set in the present day and I wanted my characters to wear casual clothing. Also, Ashleigh Hamilton is out on a relaxed outing, so I wanted her clothing to reflect this idea. I told William Thomsom (The Man) to wear an item of clothing that was old, so I could create the effect that I desired - the ripped shirt and the 'blood' pouring from the wound.

3. Stage One: Pre Production/Task Four: Crew & Talent.

The Cast:
Ashleigh Hamilton - The Woman.
Kristyan Evans - The Murderer.
William Thomsom - The Man.

3. Stage One: Pre Production/Peer Review

My friend Siani Wyatt read through my concept and treatment, and then gave me positive feedback, constructive criticism and asked me questions about ideas that she was uncertain about.

Positive Feedback:

Siani liked the idea of a romantic/horror as my genre breaks the typical stereotype/gnere. She said my storyline seemed like a good one - not too difficult to film and it "ropes in the viewers". She could also picture my opening already, "it sounds great".

Constructive Criticism:

Siani had no constructive criticism for my film opening.

Questions:

- How are you going to show the man dying?

- Are you still going to have the "passionate kiss"?

3. Stage One: Pre Production/Task Three: Design/Treatment.

A man and a woman are walking hand in hand in an isolated forest. They are smiling and looking at their surroundings, and at each other. The man gently pulls the woman towards him and says with a smile:

"I love you."

The woman beams with delight and whispers in response:

"I love you too."

They lock lips, their passion for each other evident in the kiss. All of a sudden, the man breaks apart from the woman, collapsing to the ground while grasping his stomach. He dies immediately, the blood rapidly escaping his abdomen. The woman stares at her lover, making a desperate attempt to scream, however noise escapes her. She then looks to where the man was standing - when she sees the silhoutte of the murderer. He is holding a long blade by his side, looking directly at her. The woman is speechless. She merely stands still. The murderer emerges from the shadows and comes into view, revealing a beautiful blank face, his eyes hinting a smile. The woman is mesmerized. She wants to attack him, to scream into his ear; however his allure is too strong for her to react. Only a metre apart, the woman looks admiringly into the stranger's eyes, and with a smile, he looks right back.

3. Stage One: Pre Production/Task One: Concept.

For my production, I am going to create a horror/romantic film opening. The ideas which I wish to explore is the possibility of falling in love with a monster - who is misunderstood and often possessing a common stereotype - and I wish to break that. The feelings I wish to evoke are empathy and shock. I would like the audience to expand their way of thinking, to become more excepting of a strange situation. The basic concept will be a man and a woman being seen together, the man will be killed, and then the woman comes face to face with the murderer, who has a special aura about him - which the woman is drawn to. The trailer will be terrifying and alluring and strange, which will be created by a combination of camera angles and shots.

2. Horror Film Study, Task Three: Analyse.

The impact that this convention has had on the future of horror films has been very significant and successful. Many films following these classic slasher films - such as Scream and Saw, have taken the convention of the knife and used it in the modern-day slasher films for inspiration. The knife is a brutal and common household object which most households nower days possess. Therefore, this weapon that is in some ways a neccessity, is a likely weapon for a murderer to use, and this is a scary thought. As an audience, you tend to be left with the thought: "That could happen to me.", so the knife is actually a very terrifying weapon - and being stabbed to death is not only an unbearable thought - but it is also a probable situation - one that we as spectators could easily find ourselves in. These films were generally well-recieved by critics and audiences world-wide. The films were credited by the use of music, shadows, use of camera angles and camera shots, and lighting. Both had "bus" moments, where the anticipation and suspense would build up - leaving the audience to expect something substantial to happen, but then it is a flase alarm. These were extremely well done - especially in Psycho when the police officer was in a car chase following Marion Crane; however nothing happened, and then we are left with uncertainty. Could he reappear? Could he be the killer? The effect that this convention has had on audiences in my opinion have been very powerful. In previous films in this genre, such as Frankenstein and Rosemary's Baby, the scary and creepy creatures were monsters - things that we had never thought to be real. However, Pyscho and Halloween had killers that were human. This was such a freighting concept. Who could we trust? Who should we trust? This concept is one that plays with our minds and in result has a larger affect on us as this scenario is more likely than a spooky monster. The knife was, and still is, a scary and popular murder weapon in recent horror films - and for good reason. It is terrifying, incrediable painful and very likely. This convention was very successful and is still used in modern day slasher films - the knife will always be thought of as a classic horror film convention.

2. Horror Film Study, Task Two: Explain.

The convention of a knife being used as a murder weapon in the films Pyscho and Halloween was effective because these two horror films are known as slashers; a film where typically a young female or teenager is attacked with knifes and razors. The knife was used as a phallic symbol and a deadly weapon in these two films to create a horrorific and alarming mood for the movies. For example, let us imagine that in Pyscho - Marion Crane was shot to the same capacity that she was stabbed. Yes, being shot would still have been shocking; however having a knife being thrusted into you so passionately, with such force, is so much more disturbing and creepy - hence creating a rather black atmosphere to the film. Marion Crane was a sexy woman, in touch with her sensual side. In comparison to her sister Lila Carne, Marion wore tight clothing and used attractive eye make-up to bring attention to her eyes - which her sister, a representation of what women in that time should have been presented as, did not do. So, the long, sharp knife was not only the ideal weapon to cause scares for the audience and to create the "slasher" genre which is now so well renowned, but the knife also has a deeper meaning - a message to the spectators. Norman Bates, the killer who has split personalities: one of which is the persona of his mother, killed Marion Crane because his mother (his alternate personality) was telling him that she was too sexy, and that he should stay away from her (because Norman was sexually attracted to her). The knife is a representation of pentration, in a way being punished, physically killed, with a sexual-like action; because having sex like Marion Crane did was unacceptable. In Halloween, the concept of the knife being a sexual symbol and a vicious murder weapon remains the same. Three young women, each sharing sexual relationships with their boyfriends, are killed - with a knife, by the unknown masked killer. These two films share a common hidden meaning - that typically young women who engage in sexual intercourse are susceptible to being murdered - because it is thought to be wrong - and this message is portrayed by the director Alfred Hitchcock. Pyscho was a huge box office hit, thought to be the mother of slasher films. Halloween was received postively aswell - being classed as the modern-day father of all slasher fims. Both movies were excellently made - even on their low budgets. Audiences, no doubt expected the cliche of a monster, not a human, being the killer. However, in the films Pyscho and Halloween, the killers are both pyschologically disturbed; Michael Myers (Halloween) being described as "pure evil", not having any human features that we would expect - such as emotions and physical pain, which Michael does not endure, and Norman Mates (Pyscho) murdering his mother in envy of the lack of attention, and then taking on a second persona of her - in result sends him to a mental institute (after being charged for three murders).

2. Horror Film Study, Task One: Describe A Convention.

The repetition of a knife being the murder weapon is shown in the two films Psycho (1960) and Halloween (1978). Marion Crane, the protagonist in Psycho, is brutally stabbed with a knife while she is in the shower, which can be interpreted as a phallic symbol of penetration; Marion being targeted due to her sexual relationship outside of wedlock. When Marion is being murdered, the perspective is from the murderer, Norman Bates, who the cameramen flick back to to focus on the mysterious silhoutte holding the knife threateningly in mid-air. Approximately 73 camera angles were used in the filming of the the shower scene, 73 ways to view Marion being killed. The main character in Halloween Laurie Strode is an innocent, educated young woman who is considered lucky to survive as she was targeted by Mike Myers the psychopath. Mike Myers targeted teenage girls, two of which broke the rules of horror films: One had sex and the other drank alcohol. Laurie babysat children, so she was the well-bahaved lady of her friends. It is debateable whether it was a miracle that Laurie survived, or whether her morals and values guilted the masked murderer to let her live. The knife was used for almost every death that happened in Halloween. In the beginning scene, we see the victim through the eyes (a mask-outline is placed on the camera lens) of the mysterious masked killer. We see the knife go through Mike Myer's sister's stomach more than once, and we also view her agony through the brother's eyes, which shows us that this boy is disturbed. Another moment with a knife in this film is when the boyfriend of the sexual young girl Linda is brutally stabbed. The memorable freeze frame was of Bob being pinned against the wardrobe door with the long knife in his chest, and the masked stalker standing infront of Bob, merely staring at his work.

1. c) Film Terminology - Shot Size/Angle + Camera Movement

'Close-Up' and 'Extreme Close-Up' are two examples of shot sizes, which are frequently used to emphasize the director's intention to the audience - the similarity of these women and the insignificance of their roles in comparison to Andy Sachs, the main character of the film. Close-Up shots are commonly used to zoom in on the womens' actions, such as putting on their underwear, emphasizing their synchrinized movement, which in turn implies an underlying meaning of the women being connected in a special way. This shot was chosen because these people are minor roles, so the Close Up shot does not reveal the whole person, infact seldom focusing on the person's face, let alone for a decent amount of time, which in result leaves us with the impression that these characters are merely being shown to help contribute to the opening of the film. Extreme Close Up shots are used in a similar fashion, focusing on the ladie's eyes alone, showing the audience the resemblance between these women, both physically and how they present themselves. Since the director is zooming in so closely, we are not able to view the person entirely, therefore there is a sense of the unknown, giving the viewers the idea that this Extreme Close Up shot was used purposefully to enable the viewers to draw this conclusion.

1. c) Film Terminology - Transistions + Length Of Takes

The length of takes and the swiftness of transitions is, in my opinion, what makes the opening to The Devil Wears Prada so interesting and memorable. Footage such as when women are putting on earings, quickly changing the focus from one woman picking up an earing to a different woman placing another kind of earing into her ear, is so quick and effortless that the contrast between these women preparing for another day of work and Andrea's morning routine are a wonderful balance, especially considering how the director tends to spend more time focusing on the protagonist doing one thing than all of the other women doing the same task combined. Another example of the speedy way in which the director progresses from one woman to the next is when the other women are sliding on their underwear. The first shot is one women stepping into her underwear, followed by another woman sliding her underwear upwards, and then this movement is repeated two more times. This series of short shots compiled together has a time frame of less than five seconds, and already we have a small idea of what these women may be like. The quickness of the transition reinforced the idea of the business of women's lives and, as the audience discovers later, the many ways women alter their appearance, whereas the viewers get the impression that Andrea is not as concerned about her image, whipping on a chapstick rather than applying a carefully-chosen lipstick. An interesting idea that the director rises is the idea that a number of working women are fairly similar, whether they share the same attitude or they appear similar physically. In this particular scene, these women are either smiling slightly or they have a professional feel to them, taking the time to pick out the most appropriate outfit, whereas Andy chooses one outfit and that is the final one. Women these days take their jobs very seriously, keeping their appearances up-to-scratch and constantly competing with one another, wheares in this particular film, Andy has a different approach - being consistently kind to her somewhat nasty work college and trying her best to help others, which makes her an admirable and likeable character.

1. c) Film Terminology - Sounds

Sounds, both diegetic and non-diegetic, are very effective in this particular movie opening, as the sounds alone contribute significantly to creating the mood and the setting of the film. For example, the repetition of diegetic sounds, such as the cars honking their horns and the screaching of car tyres reinforces the frantic and busy city life of New York, which is widely known as the city which never sleeps. Since the film is set in this city, the audience is not only given a sense of familiarity, but they also now have a clear understanding of what sort of setting this film has - a hectic and fast-paced place, which fits in perfectly with the tempo of this movie. Additionally, the non-diegetic sound, a song called Suddenly I See by K.T.Tunstall, is constantly playing throughout the first title sequence, which allows the audience to focus all of their attenion on the visual information, as the music complements these shots while being played in the background. The compostion creates an upbeat and pleasant aura, as the woman's soft and high-pitched voice contrasts beautifully with the low tone of the guitar, producing anticipation and excitement. The lyrics of this song brought to my attention an issue which many women of this modern time are facing - feeling overly selfconscious with their bodies. Andy Saches is not a size zero, she is not considered modle material and she dresses in clothes which others consider 'horrid'. Lyrics such as: "Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see) / This is what I wanna be / Suddenly I see (Suddenly I see) / Why the hell it means so much to me." convey to me that many women aspire to be beautiful and physically attractive, however countless numbers of women cannot understand why it is so important. Body image is taken into account more so than any era in the past, whether you are meeting someone for the first time or if you are applying for a job, like the main character of this film. It seems to me that the director's intention is to convey to the audience that physical beauty is not everything, and that we should all feel self confident like Andy.

1. b) Genre / Atmosphere

The opening of The Devil Wears Prada, directed by David Frankel, creates a composed tone and a light-hearted mood by using techniques such as music, the use of transitions and angle shots.

One example of an effective technique is music. Throughout the entireity of the opening, the only song that plays is Suddenly I See by K. T. Tunstall. The pace is medium, suiting Andrea's movement and attitude. This song was a great choice for the opening because it creates a comforting and cheerful mood, and the audience are able to really focus on what is going on, rather than trying to absorb dialogue.

The use of transisitions is used in such a clever way that it allows the shots to flow with ease. One example of a seemless transition is when the women are putting on their high heels. The first shot is a close up of a woman slipping her feet into her shoe, followed swiftly by another woman tying up her laces on one of her shoes. In a matter of seconds, the focus of the foot in one shot then turns to the focus of hands in action in the other, which makes the transition seem flawless. The use of transitions in the opening is highly effective as transtions help the scene to progress quickly, therefore holding the audience's attention and allowing more time to focus on the main character. Also, these women are insignificant in the film, so these characters do not require much attention.

Angle shots appear often in the opening scene, which are notably useful in this film opening as they promote the feeling which the main character is experiencing - the feeling of nervousness and anxiousness. For instance, before Andrea enters the building in which she will be interviewed, the camera focuses on the height of the building from a low angle, which in result gives the viewers an impression that this place is intimidating and scary, as the angle makes the building appear so much taller than it really is. Also, the main character, small in size in comparison, most likely has a view very similar to this. However, when the camera shot switches back to Andy, she simply inhales, smiles and comforts herself, lifting the mood back to a bright and cheerful mood.

1. a) Reason For Selection

I am going to study the opening to "The Devil Wears Prada". The opening focuses on different women getting ready for work, in comparison to the protagonist of the movie, who is in the process of preparing herself for an interview with the world's leading fashion magazine - Runway. Andy does not possess the typical image of a pretty, stylish girl - which is what the magazine primary looks for.

The opening fits into the movie because the main theme of this story is overcoming other people's expectations, and feeling beautiful and comfortable just the way you are. Andy is a size six, and she wears clothes that are ideal and comfortable. The other women that the opening shows wear flattering, colour co-ordinated outfits and shoes with six inch-high heels.

This movie opening appeals to me because I thought that the opening set a nice tone for the movie, and the director conveyed their idea very effectively and easily. I also enjoy the concept of the movie.

I've Been Thinking...

I have been thinking about possible openings I could use for the upcoming task, but I have not chosen one yet. I will be doing so tonight :). For my opening, I would like to choose one which will not only will be meaningful, but I also want to enjoy the movie, so the opening will be much more fun to analyse. Also, if I have a clear understanding of what the movie is about, which sometimes I don't, then this task will be much easier for me to do.