Planning: Auditions for Visions

Above is the auditions video, which has short clips produced and recorded by the participants themselves to act in my teaser trailer. This helped me and my group to further understand the participants better and to be able to select and make a choice wisely on whom will be the best fit for our teaser trailer. Initially, we had planned to run the auditions in the drama hall, but me and my group faced a couple of problems due to the availability of the room as well as the participants. So, we decided to give the volunteers a short scrip to film in their own time and send it to us. This was helpful as it allowed them all to film in their own time and at the same time we were able to have most people auditioned in a short span of time.

Planning: Release forms

This is the personal release form that we came up with as a group. The release form notifies the actors about their legal rights and informs them of the options they have if they don't feel comfortable being filmed. The release form gives them all the information about us and allows them to have a better idea of what they are getting themselves in to. The release form is way to ensure their security and take their permission to use their footage in our trailer. The release form acts as a proof for us and the actors that they have given consent to us for being a part of our film. This also helps us to make sure the health safety of the actors. The release forms will be distributed to all the actors in our film and will be received from them before we start filming to make sure their consent is taken.

Planning: Contingency Plan

Contingency plan is a plan designed to take account of any possible events or circumstances. During the filming process there can be a few issues that can occur but we have a contingency plan if the situations happen.

During the filming of the teaser trailer someone might fall ill. If this happens we will have to change the dates for our filming and do it according to the actors health. However, if this is the case we will have to speed up the filming process to catch up on the time that we didn't film and to avoid rushing the filming because of less time. Speeding the filming process will help us catch up soon.

Another problem that we might come across can be the availability of the settings we are filming in. For example, we are filming in a house and there can be a day when its not free or the person who owns it is not home so we will have to make sure that we provide them with dates of when we are filming to avoid any clashes. Also, as part of research we have to do location recces and call sheets which help us to get the dates right and provide a copy of those to the location heads and the actors to avoid any last moment cancellations while filming.

It is also possible that important equipment might be forgotten on the day of the filming. To avoid that we will have to have substitutes which can be used in place of the equipment. This will help save time and the filming process will not be delayed.

One of the main problems that can occur is during the editing process, when the clips cannot be found on the system. a way we can avoid this is by naming every clip according to when it has to be added while editing to make it convenient and easy to find the clip. Also, the clips can be double checked at the time they are filmed to make sure its safe and sound and is there. Arranging the files by date and time will also help looking for the clip easier.

Contingency Plan

Problem	How is it a problem	How will we fix this?
Filming in a graveyard	Although we have already gotten permission to film there, it is still a public area which means anyone can still come in. This could ruin the continuity of our piece. Moreover, those that may visit may find it offensive that we are filming.	We will film at certain at off peak times to limit the amount of people that will be in the background. If they have an issue with us filming, we will explain our purpose and show them we have gotten permission.
British weather	The weather is unpredictable which is an issue when we are filming in the graveyard. If it rains, we need it to continue raining throughout otherwise it will ruin the continuity.	We will check the forecast beforehand so we know what to expect. If it does not follow the forecast, then it may be possible to have to do a reshoot.
Make up/ contacts	Make up may contain chemicals that could be sensitive to our actor’s skin. This could damage their body. The contacts could also damage their eyes if put in incorrectly.	A bathroom will always be close by for the actors as well as a first aid kit that will always be on set. Our group members can assist the actors with anything. If there’s anything we cannot handle, a phone will always be nearby to contact help.
Fake blood	The fake blood can be irritant to the skin as mentioned in the row above. However, it is a liquid which may be a hazard. Someone could slip and hurt themselves.	After we finish shooting the scenes with blood on the floor, we will immediately clear the fake blood out of everyone’s way.
Uneven floor	The flooring, the graveyard in particular, will be uneven. This could cause actors or even crew members to fall down.	We will warn everyone about the flooring beforehand so that they are aware. If something does happen, a first aid kit is always nearby.
Dehydration/ hunger	During shooting, actors and crew members may feel dehydrated or peckish making them feel agitated.	To avoid this, we will provide snacks and bottled water for everyone.
Books flying	At one point, we plan to have a book flying across the room. However, we cannot control its motion. This could hit someone in the process, injuring them.	We will have everyone on one side of the room so that the book cannot reach them.
Fire	We will be using candles in our piece which will be lit. This could catch alight on anything flammable.	A fire extinguisher will be nearby as well as water. If it gets out of control, our phones will be nearby to contact the fire station.

Planning: Storyboard Evaluation

Our media text is called ‘Visions’, a supernatural themed horror film trailer. It revolves around a teenager, called Jenna, who has a reserved personality. Her family for generations have had the ability to glimpse into the future however Rachel, Jenna’s mother, thought she could protect her daughter by not mentioning their family’s power. Jenna, being an antisocial character herself, never revealed her abilities to her mother too. During one ordinary evening, she has another vision, a vision she did not expect to see for a long time. Her mother is murdered by an entity that seeks her family’s power. Before her last moments, she confronts Jenna through the vision, warning her that she is not safe. The panic-stricken Jenna makes this a personal battle between her and the spirit. Jenna can either fight or die trying. 

A storyboard is a visual aid for a story line communicating what is aimed to be shown in each shot. In our storyboard, we have constituted our story line through a range of shots. Most of the shots used is in the perspective of the spirit. Through doing so, we intend to conform to Freud’s theory of sadistic voyeurism to suggest that Jenna is never safe. The audience become anxious as they know Jenna is in danger yet they are unsure when the spirit plans to attack. This result generates suspense. For the character Rachel, we have used high angles to show she is weaker compared to the spirit. On the other hand, we have used medium leveled shots for Jenna. This is to show she is equivalent to the spirit meaning either party has equal chances to win. Only one point of view shot has been used to show that Jenna’s visions are real. We have subverted from the convention of constantly using point of view shots as we want to reinforce that Jenna is a reserved character. By not allowing the audience to see through her eyes, we are generating fear as they are unable to predict what she plans to do as well. Rachel does not wear provocative clothing yet still dies subverting from Clover’s final girl theory. This also applies for Jenna who constantly wears dull clothing to demonstrate her attitude towards life. The spirit is never actually shown, only shadows and the surroundings behaving unusual represent the spirits presence. Overall, we see Rachel is weak whereas Jenna and the spirit are on equal standing. 

To make it scary, we have conformed with the common convention of dim lighting. This is because it limits what can be seen and therefore leaves it to the audience’s imagination to predict what is happening. Our film setting is modernised. Usually older horror movies would take place in an isolated area such as a field to communicate the atmosphere of loneliness. Our setting is more urban suggesting that the spirit can attack at any time. The fact that the story takes place in the home conflicts with the idea that the home is meant to be a relaxing place. This suggests that Jenna's whole life is imbalanced. We have used blood in our trailer, associating with pain and violence. 

 The audience it is aimed at is 15 and over. Our text does not include profanity or nudity which will alarm audiences. However the theme of death is constituted through our product which may be concerning for younger audiences. There will be moderate violence included which is what develops the film from a 12 to 15. Moreover, as we use the theme of the supernatural, younger audiences may find some of the film content frightening. In compliance to the BBFC, we have decided the safer option is to age rate our film as a 15. 

An independent institution would fund the production of this film such as Blumhouse productions. Blumhouse Productions is an American film and television production company, founded by Jason Blum. Blumhouse produces low-budget horror movies which is effectively what our film is. Similar films such as Insidious was funded by this institution. This suggests they are a company that would fund this film. 

Planning: Animatic Storyboard

Planning- Storyboard

Below is the storyboard for my trailer, which has drawn shots that are going to be in the teaser trailer. This is important as the storyboard helps get idea of which shots are to be filmed and what angle. This storyboard would be used to follow up the shooting as it will allow me to know which shots are done from what angle. All the shots are recorded in the sheet which helps understanding the trailer and shots better.

Planning- Treatment

Target Audience- The target audience for our horror teaser trailer is above 15. After looking at the IMDb's age ratings we decided this as our trailer consists of some disturbing images which might not be suitable for children under that age. Also, our film might appeal to older audience because of the genre of it. It will also appeal to the people who are thrill seekers. The film is solely based on a teenage girl who tries to fight the evil and in order to do that she has to take help from her mother. The concept of our teaser trailer will attract female teenagers as it would be a different thing for them to watch. The film doesn’t have the same old concept of a male protagonist saving the day. During the research of our teaser we came across the concept of ‘the final girl’ which suggests that there is always a female character surviving and the last and only one to survive. Keeping that in mind we designed our narrative and based our story-line around a female protagonist.

Narrative/Idea- The film revolves around our protagonist Jenna, a teenager with the gift of being able to perceive events the future. She is an antisocial girl who is constantly secretive, even towards her own family. However, what she does not know is that her family were also hiding secrets from her. Jenna’s whole family has the ability to see the future. This resulted in an evil spirit becoming attached to her family tree; aiming to take each family members life. In the trailer, Jenna will be staring out the window, unintentionally activating her power. She will see the inevitable murdering of her mother, who will leave a message with the remaining life she has within her, knowing Jenna will see it through a vision. This will emotionally destroy Jenna as she understands the concept of not being able to alter time. Before the trailer ends, she will have one more vision which is going to be a montage of a race between her and the spirit. Will Jenna find a way to banish the spirit once and for all or will the spirit succeed in the destruction of her family? The last image left with the audience will be Jenna looking directly at the audience. This will leave the trailer on an ambiguous note, generating fear and curiosity.  

Purpose- The purpose of the teaser trailer is to promote the full trailer and the film that will release later on. A teaser trailer is one way of marketing the film to the audience and creates awareness about the film and keeps the audience hooked to the story making them eager to wait for the full film. It will also establish the genre of the film and help the audience understand what the film will ideally be about. The codes and conventions of the film will help illustrate the genre of the film to the audience and help them find out if they will be interested to watch the film. Alternatively, our teaser trailer revolves around a female protagonist who tries to fight to protect her loved ones. This would attract the female teenage audience to watch the film.  

Characters- There will be three main characters of the teaser trailer. The first will be Jenna, the antisocial teenager the story is based on. She will wear dull colours reflecting her depressing personality. Her clothing is simplistic to show she is a reserved character in contrast to other characters her age. Jenna’s mother is the second character. She is called Rachel and behaves as an ordinary mother. Her clothing is modernised and she is constantly caring for Jenna’s well-being. Her tranquil behaviour and appearance is what will deceive the audience of her secretive traits. In order to try and protect Jenna, she does not reveal their families to her. The last character is the spirit. It will never be physically seen, but will appear at times creating havoc for Jenna and her family. Shadows may appear to show the spirit is around creating a gloomy atmosphere and generating mystery over the spirits appearance.