Overview Brief

Rough Copy

Company: NorthwoodUK

Client: Scott Wilding/Brian King

Type of Project?
Promotional, Educational

Requirements?

Purpose of Project?

Audience?

Distribution?
Posters, Advert?

Running Time?

Storyboard

Viral Ad Shot List

Shot List

1. Titles

2. Medium Shot of Jim looking shocked as he has just seen his brother kill someone.

3. Close up of Morgan looking worried and scared that his brother now knows his secret.

4. Titles

5. Long Shot of Morgan and a killer to show them fighting and Morgan being hit.

6. Medium Shot of Morgan turning and punching the killer in the face.

7. Titles

8. Tracking shot of Morgan on floor crying as the camera closes in on his face to show his emotion.

9. Medium Low Angle of Morgan throwing a knife towards someone but we don't see if he stabs anyone.

10. Titles

Viral Ad Treatment

Character Synopsis:

Actor: Shaun Wilding
Character: Morgan
Height: 5ft 8
Age: 20
Style: Normal

Actor: Rob Dunsden
Character: Jim
Height: 5ft 10
Age: 17
Style: Nerdy

Actor: Reggie Menzies
Character: Killer
Height: 5ft 10
Age: 19
Style: Gym

Viral Ad Synopsis:

The advert will begin dark with a rain sound effect with a voiceover from main character. Title text will appear on the screen as suspense music begins. A clip between Morgan and his brother with dialogue speaking of him being caught by his brother killing somone. A clip from the film of Morgan taking down a killer ends abruptly to another title text and a voice over. After this a shot of Morgan on the floor looking in shock the image looks blue and rain continues, this cuts to a quick shot of Morgan and his brother Jim in conversation, ending in him throwing a knife towards him ending the advert with the unknowing of if he stabbed his brother or not.

The footage that will be used for this advert will be in two different locations, these locations are used in the movie to create the right feel for the audience and i believe these locations and scenes are a good choice for the advert because it doesn't give away to much and tells enough to grab the audience.

I have set a budget of £20 this covers small props like clothing and leaves me money left over in case it is needed for certain soundtracks or anything else that might pop up for use in the advert.

I will be using a Cannon 600D for filming these scenes, this camera is easy to use and films in great quality therefore I feel is the right choice of camera for me, because their is some action scenes within the trailer having a small camera like this is useful for filming handheld. 

Viral Ad Proposal

I have decided to make my viral ad based on my final major project film, it is a  Dark thriller with a film noir look about it but these contrasts with the film, as many scenes are bright as well. The film is about a young man who sneaks away from his family to kill other serial killers. Until he finally is caught by his sibling and is left with a choice does he let him go and risk his future or does he kill the one person he never thought he would have to so he can carry on. The character’s thoughts will be heard throughout the film through voiceover so that the audience makes a unique connection with him. This will be done by using a sound recorder to get clear sound for the voiceover to then add in, in post-production.

The Viral ad will show short clips from the film to interest an audience, it will introduce some of the characters and will sell the film, a release date and some information on the film will appear on the screen to add suspense to the advert.

Filming will take around 3 weeks of filming giving me plenty of time to go back and change scenes if they need changing and any other scenes that I’m not happy with. After filming, as there aren’t any plans for visual effects on special effects the editing process will take a further week at most. On top of all this I will be filming a making-of video and behind the scenes, showing interviews and how things where done in some key scenes in the film. My budget will be around £50 to afford clothing and special effects equipment. 

Soundtrack Editing - Noise Reduction

To begin with get the audio clip from Final Cut Pro Right click the clip, then 'Send to' and send clip to soundtrack pro. Once you do this an option to save the audio clip will come up once saved this will automatically change the audio in the Final Cut Pro file.

Once in Soundtrack Pro find an area in the clip in which the noise you dont want and then highlight a small part of this area.

Once you highlight the area at the top of the screen select 'Process' and then 'Noise Reduction' and then 'Set Noise Print'

After this highlight the entire audio clip and again go to the 'Noise Reduction' option in 'Process' and select 'Reduce Noise' after this a small menu will appear with some options.

The small menu will allow you to play the clip and drag the bar down to reduce the noise to as much as you want until you are satisfied. After doing this, save the audio clip and it will automatically change the sound in Final Cut Pro.

The Character Tree

FEET:

What does this person look like?
21 year old male, Brown hair, to one side but not styled. Average height and average build.

Where do they live?
In a quite town in London

Where did they go to school?
St Peter's High School of London

Do they have tattoos?
Yes a full unfinished sleeve tattoo, representing climb in life.

Who is their best friend?
He doesn't have any best friends he keeps to himself, closest to a friend he has is his brother.

What is their occupation?
Currently unemployed.

GUTS & GROIN:

What does this person want?
People to kill.

How does their sexuality manifest itself?
Not important to him and does really take notice of it.

How do they feel about traditional sins?
Doesn't really take any notice of them.

HEART:

What does this person need?
He needs to get past the need to kill.

What would make them a more functional person?
Someone close to them in their life to help guide them.

Do they need more self-confidence?
Yes, he need the self-confidence to help him be better around people.

Do they need to find humility?
No.

Do they need to provide for their family?
No he doesn't need to provide for his family.

THROAT:

How does this person sound? How do they project themselves?
He talks out loud, but very bluntly.

How do they try to come off to other people?
He tries to come across as normal as he can to people.

How do they actually come off to other people?
He comes off as very closed and to himself.

LEFT CHEEK:

What is their intelligence?
He is very intelligent

How does this manifest itself?
He keeps it to himself about it so he doesnt attract unwanted attention.

How pratical are they? How do they solve problems?
He is very practical and is very good a problem solving and does it fast, when he may be caught or in trouble he acts quickly and gets himself out of it.

RIGHT CHEEK:

What is their artistic capability?
He isn't really an artistic character.

In what ways are they not practical?
He isn't practical in a way he doesn't feel the need to make friends or be close with anyone.

What is their spirituality? 
He believe that you live and die and that is all.

CROWN:

Do all the parts make a sensible whole?
He acts as a very normal person when he is really a killer. He has the confidence to talk to people but very bluntly, and doesn't have any unique relationships with anyone but his brother which he is very closed up to. so he doesn't really make a sensible whole


What are the character's defining memories?
Help saving his brothers life when he was attacked and stabbed, helping him make a choice to go after the people that kill.
The first time he killed someone.

How will this character overcome things to behave in a different way? 
He will have to decide right from wrong when killing his brother who catches him in the act, and must decide whether not to kill him or not.

Case Study: Elements of Motion Graphics

Alpha Channels

An alpha channel is a type of mask. The mask is called a Channel Mask, which changes the transparency of the edit.

Alpha channels define a selection in black, white, and varying shades of gray pixels. In other words, alpha channels store selections as 8-bit gray scale images.

You can create a mask by duplicating a colour channel and then editing the channel by using painting and editing tools and filters.

Examples:

57 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeXgxN24loc

1. At the end title of the trailer the text is alpha channelled.

2. The cows around the drinks would also be channel masked in.

3. The drinks would have been masked into the image.

Key Frames

A key frame is a single still image in a sequence that happens at an important point in that sequence; key frames are put throughout a sequence to create points of motion. 

Examples:

1. An animation of a person walking, having key frames every time the legs move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9y2tXnjP_E

at 4.36 key frames are used to make the legs walk.

2. Disney movies like Finding Nemo use key framing for their characters to move around. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ9nbv1VK0s

The fish swimming and the backgrounds moving is all key framed to make their movements happen.

3. An animation of an object changing its scale throughout the timeline is done through key framing. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd8qQrVLfik

In this scene the puffer fish blows up and the scale is enlarged, this is done through key framing the scale.

3D Layers

Creating the illusion of depth in an image. Depth is where you have the X, Y & Z axis in after effects. It appears when you press the cube.

Examples:

1. 3D text is used with 3D layers by creating a text layer and pressing the cube option.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0-Gxik20As

 Between 4-5 seconds 3D layers are used on the ministry of sound logo.

2. 3D compositions are done to make a background look as if its in the distance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hYGl8mw3zg

Between 1.45 and 1.47 3D compositions would have been done to make the background to create the illusion of depth in the image.

3. 3D animation also uses 3D layers to give depth in the image.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl9W9UBryKE

This video is an example of a short film with 3D animation to create depth.  

Layers

All compositions have layers so they can be edited easily.

There are different types of layers in a composition, which include, Video and audio layers that are based on footage items that you import, such as still images, movies, and audio tracks. These can be then broken down and edited easily singularly. 

Examples:

1. A layer can be used for Backgrounds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo

Between 6-7 seconds the layer of the Springfield sign is in the background making its layer below the others

2. A layer can be used for Foregrounds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo

Between 6-7 seconds the layer of the power plant is the main foreground making its layer above everything else

3. A layer can be used for People

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX1iplQQJTo

Between 8-9 seconds the two characters from the simpsons are on a statue their layer will have to be placed accordingly to make them on top of the statue at the front of it so they're not at the back.

Film Poster Promotion

Summary of Questionnaire

The questionnaire was handed out to 10 people 5 males and 5 females

1. Are you a Male or Female?
5 Males 5 Female

2. What age group are you?
15-20 (8)
21-26
27+    (2)


3. Which of these Genre's do you like best?
A. Drama  (2)
B Action   (5)
C Fantasy (0)
D Thriller  (3)

4. Do you prefer a Male or Female lead role?
 8 said Male, 2 said Female

5. Would you rather watch a 15 or 18?
 7 said 15, 3 said 18

6. Do you like gore?
5 said yes, 5 sais no

7. Do you get attached to characters?
9 said yes, 1 said no

8. Is a love intested important?
 8 said no 2 said yes

these results has helped me in my decisions of filming. I had debated on introducing a love interest to the film but given results its helped me decide not to. I was going to have a male lead and these results have helped me know that its a good decision. Due to the 50/50 on having gore and more people prefering a 15 rated film i've decided to not have masses of blood and close up killing and chose to keep it discreet when these scenes come about but make it known what is happening. The genre will be mainly Drama but i've decided to add some action scenes and on top of that bring in a thriller theme to it to make it dark.

Questionaire

1. Are you a Male or Female?

2. What age group are you?
15-20
21-26
27-32

3. Which of these Genre's do you like best?
A. Drama
B Action
C Fantasy
D Thriller

4. Do you prefer a Male or Female lead role?

5. Would you rather watch a 15 or 18?

6. Do you like gore?

7. Do you get attached to characters?

8. Is a love intested important?

Bibliography of Research

http://elisebakermediaas.weebly.com/codes-and-conventions-of-a-crimedrama.html

http://prezi.com/wxzhegzg4ikq/media-studies-what-are-conventions-of-tv-crime-drama/

http://www.imdb.com/

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

Codes And Conventions of Crime Drama

Codes and conventions

-Weapons
-Villain
-Hero
-Someone Vulnerable
-Drugs
-Murder
-Betrayal
-Someone's private life becoming public
-Police

How FMP will Conform or Depart

-Weapons
- In the short film the main character will only use a knife as a weapon being as its a quite way to kill espically over a gun.

Villain & Hero
- The main character is the film is seen as both a villain and a hero, a villain because he kills and a hero because he only kills other serial killers making him a hero.

Someone Vulnerable
- The main characters brother is seen as the vulnerable guy as hes skinny and nerdy and doesnt know of his brothers true self.

Drugs
 - Drugs are a small part in the film and not seen being used but seen being sold.

Murder
- Murder is a key part to the short film as murder is what makes our character known and what he thrives on.

Betrayal
- The idea of the main character killing is in itself like betrayal to his family. But at some point in the film he betrays his brothers trust.

Someone's private life becoming public
- Our main characters life doesnt become public but he does get found out, so I do believe this is a convention the film distances itself from.

Police
- Police are not seen at any point in the film, this is because he is not a suspect and doesnt work witht he police so they have no reason to be in or around the film. As the film isnt based on him being caught.

Mind Map & Idea Generation

Final Script

“Dark Passenger” By Shaun Alexander

FAde In:

scene one

INT – DARK ROOM – EVENING

A man sits on the floor by a table where a hand lays off the edge with blood dripping from it. The man on the floor looks to be in tears and in shock at what is in front of him. He’s got blood on his shirt and hands and his holding a knife so we presume he has stabbed the person in front of him.

SCENE two

Black Screen the writing Two Days earlier fade in over the scene.

EXT – PLAZA/STREET – EVENING

A young man leaves a gym, wearing tracksuit trousers and a tank top, holding a big bag. He walks over to a larger friend who is wearing shorts and a tank top. They look to be doing a drug deal. While this is happening we see close up of the mans eyes in a hidden area watching this happen. The man with the bag then walks in the opposite direction to the larger guy. The mans eyes then follow.

INT – CAR – EVENING

The young man gets into his car putting his bag on his passenger side and we see our character from earlier sitting in the back seat in the shade.

morgan (v.o)

Tonight’s the night. Gym enthusiast, Family man, drug dealer… killer. Aaron Anderson, you’re the next victim of my dark passenger.

INT – CAR - EVENING

The man in the front seat is about to start the car the man in the back jumps forward wrapping a wire around the drug dealers neck pulling him back strangling him.

morgan

Drive, I’ll point the way. Don’t try anything, stupid.

INT – DARK ROOM-EVENING

The drug dealer lies on a table wrapped in clean film. With him is Morgan waiting for him to wake up. When Aaron finally wakes he attempts to look round in a blind panic, he spots Morgan sitting in the corner and holds his stare.

morgan

I didn’t think you’d ever wake.

EXT – DARK ROOM – EVENING

Aaron is gagged by some sort of cloth so he just mumbles at Morgan.

morgan

Shhhh, you’ll have your say.

morgan (V.o)

Not that it will save you.

morgan

People like you don’t deserve to breathe! You infect the world with your poison but all I ask is why, and don’t lie to me, I know about the girls.

EXT – DARK ROOM – EVENING

Morgan pulls the cloth from Aarons mouth forcefully allowing him to have his final word.

aaron

I swear to you it was an accident! And the drugs I’ll stop I swear to you!

EXT – DARK ROOM – EVENING

Morgan quickly shoves the cloth back into Aaron’s mouth.

morgan

Enough, talking. You have to pay for what you’ve done.

EXT – DARK ROOM – EVENING

Morgan lifts a knife high above his head before thrusting it into Aaron’s heart, he flinches and dies instantly. Morgan has a grin of pleasure written across his face, proud of his kill.

EXT – STREET – EVENING

Morgan looks around curiously before dumping four black bags into a bin.

EXT – PARK – DAY

Morgan sits on a bench in a park smiling looking normal in contrast to what we saw earlier. He’s eating a plain looking roll, and in the distance we see he is watching the man we saw doing business with Aaron earlier.

Morgan (v.o)

It’s the quite I enjoy the most. Time away from my family more so my brother is needed, although I would never harm my brother, He has his moments where I could just, but I would never.

EXT – PARK – DAY

Morgan gets up and heads over to the young man, he’s wearing tracksuit trousers and a jumper and looks pretty pissed off. Morgan purposely goes over to him and bumps into him.

Drug Dealer

Watch where you’re going, freak.

morgan

Sorry, my mistake.

EXT – PARK – DAY

As Morgan walks off he pulls out of his hand a wallet and pulls out a driving license from the wallet holding information he needs.

morgan (v.o)

Alistair Smith, 32 Randall Way, looks like I’ll be dropping by tonight.

INT – HOUSE – DAY

Morgan arrives at his home and enters through the back sneakily and bumps into his brother. His brother is slightly taller than him but not as broad, he has ginger hair, and wears glasses.

jim

Is the front door broken?

morgan

I lost my key

morgan (v.o)

Should of known he wouldn’t be in his room.

jim

Where do you even go? Oh and I noticed you was gone… again last night.

morgan

Jim, stay out of my business.

INT – HOUSE – DAY

Morgan pushes past his brother who jokingly laughs and shakes his head as he winds his brother up and sits back down. Meanwhile Morgan heads to his room, opens his laptop and begins searching up about his new target.

INT – BEDROOM – DAY

Morgan prints off a map to the house where Alistair lives.

Morgan (v.o)

Tonight I visit Alistair to find the proof I need linking him to the same murders as Aaron.

mum

Morgan! Your dinner is ready!

morgan

Coming!

EXT – STREET – NIGHT

Morgan walks up to a small rundown house, he leans down looks around and unlocks the door entering the dark house.

INT – HOUSE – NIGHT

As Morgan looks for clues linking Aaron to murders, he finds a phone with texts about the murders and how he was involved, as this happens Morgan drops the phone and finds a place to hide as someone has entered the house. He leaves the house waiting in the street for Aaron.

EXT – FRONT OF HOUSE – NIGHT

Morgan waits by a wall for his victim, when Aaron decides to leave after picking up his phone, Morgan jumps him holding him in a head lock, the two have a scuffle ending in Morgan knocking Aaron unconscious and then shoving him in his boot.

INT – MORGANS HOME – NIGHT

Morgan (v.o)

With my parents and brother out for the weekend my home will be perfect for my kill.

Morgan wraps his victim across the table and waits for him to wake. When Aaron eventually wakes Morgan is up in excitement.

morgan

I’m not really in the mood for your talking and excuses, I heard all that from your… buddy. So I’m gonna make this quick and painful for you.

INT – MORGANS HOME – NIGHT

As Morgan stabs Aaron into the heart he looks up and notices his brother standing in front of him in shock. Morgan looks broken and afraid as he has no idea how to react to being caught.

jim

Morgan! What the fuck! Tell me that’s not real.

morgan

What, what are you doing here.

jim

Morgan this is fucked up, I gotta call the police

morgan

No! you can’t Jim, they’ll put me away.

Morgan darts towards his brother to convince him not to call the police.

jim

Get the hell away from me! What the hell are you doing!

morgan

He killed people Jim! I’m doing whats right.

jim

Killing isn’t right Morgan! What the hell! This is so wrong, I gotta call the police.

morgan

I’m begging you not to do this, please don’t make me do this!

Jim turns to grab the phone to call the police until Morgan smashes him over the head knocking him out.

INT – MORGANS HOME – NIGHT

Jim wakes up on the table, Aarons body is not to be seen cleared away by Morgan we expect. Morgan looks down at Aaron in fear.

morgan

I never wanted it to be like this. But I’m gonna make it as easy as possible for both of us.

Morgan injects his brother with something knocking him unconscious again. As this happens he pulls his knife out and hurtles it towards his brother. He collapses to the floor in tears still holding the bloody knife. He gets up holds his brothers head and walks out.

EXT – STREET – EARLY MORNING

Morgan walks across the street, holding a large hiking bag and dumps some black bags we assume to be Jim’s in a dumpster.

morgan (v.o)
Everything i had good in my life i have lost, so now its time for change. A new life, a new me. But not here. Everything here is now my past.

Credits

After Credits.

Morgan now has a beard and is watching someone closely, possibly his next victim when his phone rings, he looks down and smiles at the number which reads ‘Jim’

FAde Out:

The End