WELCOME EXAMINER

MAX GREEN
CANDIDATE NUMBER 1629
CLAREMONT FAN COURT SCHOOL

Welcome to my blog!

I worked with LUCY SPALDING 1666, YUE CHUNG CHAN 0972 and SARAH MILLARD 1648

Our brief was to make film trailers for a fictional thriller film. The title of our film is III Days.

All my RESEARCH and PLANNING follow below on the main blog roll, in reverse order, starting with the latest first. To present my research and planning, I have used a wide variety of platforms and tools. These include; Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Adobe after effects, Scoopit!, Piktochart, Final cut pro, Slideshare, Canva, Prezi and Visme.

EDITING

I have contributed into the overall editing process of our production. However, the main focus of my editing contribution can be seen within the voice overs and suspenseful, fast paced editing- leading to a climax within our trailer. The editing includes fades in and out of audio and fast paced hard cuts, showing an elliptical method of narrative. To edit this I used Final Cut pro.

DIRECTING

We all took responsibilities in the directing of our film opening  working together as a team to direct specific scenes. In particular I lead the directing in the scene where Jack Masters is being interviewed by the police. I told the actors how to say their lines with what tone, speed and volume to speak with along with the facial expressions. This all accumulated to help create the tension we were aiming for.

CAMERA WORK

When it comes to camera work, I excelled in the the shots for the clue board. I decided the angles and movement of Camera work which involved close ups, extreme close ups and tracking shots. This gave us time to incorporate the credits we needed along with giving smaller pieces of a wider event that is revealed at the end of the scene. Similarly, I helped angle certain mirrored or reflection shots which were essential in creating the idea of an invasion of privacy.

CONSTRUCTION: MY FILM TRAILERS

CONSTRUCTION: FILMING

From my research, I discovered that the theme which was most intriguing to me was the trailers that focused on an invasion of someone's life or privacy. We tried to convey this concern within our film through the plot, and more specifically, through the camera work. 
The issues that the trailer opens up involve society’s sense of insecurity about our personal safety in an age of surveillance and internet cybercrime. Jack’s home, a warm haven with soft lighting, locked doors and a comfortable buffer of wealth, is disturbed by unexplained threats and intrusions. He is plunged into a state of uncertainty and vulnerability in the very place where he should be safe. This is suggested by visual codes like reflective surfaces (the mirror, the silver globe bowl) which imply that someone else is spying on him, that there is a voyeur in the house.

CONSTRUCTION: INVESTIGATION BOARD

In order to film a montage of extreme close up shots which lead up to the climax of the trailer, we needed to have a detailed prop of an investigation board. We cut up newspaper, used sticky notes and red string to construct the board. We decided on the red string as it was sinister and is a striking colour, captivating our audiences.

CONSTRUCTION: SOCIAL MEDIAS

I discovered from my research into film posters and website that each production has a strong social media presence- predominately on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We created our own, dividing up each social media between us:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

CONSTRUCTION: PROPS

NEWSPAPERS

For the scene where Jack Masters discovers the death of the woman from the first letter we were sure we wanted the information to be found from a newspaper article. In the construction phase of this prop, I used Photoshop to curate an A3 realistic newspaper article. 

I began by choosing an article from the internet:

Although we were aware this article had no relevance to our trailer, we really liked the layout of the article. Within Photoshop Yue Chung replaced the image with a photograph that had been previously taken of Jenny Mann (Olivia Blake) which I sugguested edited into black and white in order to make the article more realistic. We then inserted a black box over the text discussing the election and replaced it with the text 'Olivia Blake, mother of two, gone missing.'. In order to further make the newspaper article more believable, we copied an element of text and pasted it over the election figures seen on the left hand side along with the bar code.

My production team and I found that after printing it did not look very realistic due to the harsh white the paper presented. In order to make it look a little more like a newspaper article Lucy and Sarah used tea bags to tint the paper and then stuck it onto a newspaper which had already existed in order to make the thickness realistic as well. Overall, I am very pleased with this prop.

LETTERS

CONSTRUCTION: BBFC CERTIFICATE

We first consulted the BBFC site to decide the age rating for our film 'III Days'. I based my decision that it is suitable for 15 years or older on the criteria below.

I then make our own BBFC certificate through photoshop, where I find a similar font to make it look more realistic.

CONSTRUCTION: IDENT

Our group used After Effects for this years idents. Our Production Company, "Blacklight Productions", is in its second year of collaboration. We mentioned this on our 2020 trailer in order to lend a sense of authority and credibility: 'From the makers of SURPLUS'. 

However, as our film trailer, III Days, is a different genre to our opening sequence Surplus, we decided to create a new, fresh ident, but one which would have a similar character and tone. As my team are working in the thriller genre, but with a new production, we decided to make a eye-catching ident but one with a sense of retro.

The effect that we aimed to realise combines sophistication and drama. We intentionally worked in monochrome, with subtle touches of red, in order  to deliver the brand values of 'Blacklight Productions'. The theatrical lighting that shines from one side and picks out the letters of the title evokes the mystery and drama of the genre that we specialise in producing. The connotations of 'black light' also represent some of the magic of cinema.

CONSTRUCTION: FILM POSTER

I began with taking the original image and taking the board in the background, and making it centre frame, as the original was off to the left. This involved me using the cut tool to remove it and then paste it in so I could reposition it.

I selected Jack (myself) only and tinted myself with a 75% hue drawing more attention to myself than the other characters as i wanted the audience focus to be on me- being the protagonist. I chose to change the hue to a black and white tone in order to fit the genre and create a more sinister image.

I then monochromed the whole image but layered Jack on top meaning the effect wasn't applied to him. I also added the credits at the bottom of the photo in the empty space underneath Jacks hands, using the conventional slim writing.


After establishing the base of my poster, I added two awards to give it authenticity along with followed the convention of putting the actors names at the top, over the right character they played. I used the same colour for the font as i did with the blood which was a sticker that I trimmed and resized to put coming down the wall. I believe this furthered the sinister tone and was a visual clue to the audience addressing the thriller genre along with a hint to the plot of murder- intriguing them to watch the film.

PLANNING: STORY BOARD

PLANNING: HOT SEATING

For my character in my film trailer entitled III Days,  we decided to interview our protagonist in order to develop his character further.
We were inspired by an article written by Charlie Sierra about building the back story to film characters in which he quoted from Riding the Alligator, a book written by Pen Densham, an Academy Award nominated filmmaker.
In one of the chapters in the book, he provides a check list of questions every writer and director should ask of themselves when they are developing their characters. The purpose of this is to outline a deep understanding of your characters for both the actors and director, and for motivating a character’s choices or actions.

My Character Interview

As my film trailer focuses on the story of a teenage boy caught in a muder investigation, we decided to have him being interviewed by a anonymous interviewer, as if in a police station. This is a creative way to introduce the character while showing his stance on the murder cases. Moreover this format matches the seriousness of the trailer and adds to the thriller genre.

Script:

Max: I told you… I don’t know what’s going on. I’m trying to figure this out myself!

Interviewer: What connection do you have to the victims.

Max: What? No I didn’t know them. I feel like I’m going crazy why is no one listening to me. I don’t know why these letters are coming to me. I don’t know why this is happening. I don’t know anything.

Interviewer: Hmm… this is all sounding suspicious. Is there anyone you would like to call. Perhaps a lawyer?

Max: What? A lawyer? You can’t be serious… I’m innocent.

Second Hot Steating Exercise
For our other character of Olivia Blake, we wanted to delve deeper into her character in order to evoke maximum sympathy from the audience when they see her as a victim. We took inspiration from Stephanie Smothers from the film 'A Simple Favour', using the idea of a 'Mum Blog' adapting it for our characters hot seating.

PLANNING: PROPS LIST

For our film, we need to consider our props before we begin shooting. As we discussed what props may be needed we realised there are many. I have collated them into a list here with a collage of props we will use:

• Three letters of victims with names and faces
• Newspaper of Oliva Blake being 'Missing'
• Radio
• Handcufs

PLANNING: CALL SHEET

Call sheet for the scenes in which my character (Jack Masters) discovers letters as well as the deaths of the victims.

Shoot Date: Saturday 11^th January 2020, 4 pm.

Location: In Max Green's house 

Cast: Max Green (Jack Masters)

 Camera Equipment:

 - Canon camera EOS 750D

-  Manfortto Tripod

Lighting Equipment: N/A

Props: Car keys, 3 letters, radio, newspaper article.

Costumes: Casual clothing

Call sheet for the scenes in which the detectives are investigating Jack Masters' potential involvement in the two previous murders.

Shoot Date: Saturday 25th January 2020, 5 pm.

Location: At Lucy's house

Cast: Max Green (Jack Masters), James Spalding (Investigator 1), Stephen Green (Investigator 2)

 Camera Equipment:

 - Canon camera EOS 750D

-  Manfortto Tripod

Lighting Equipment: Harsh, white lighting

Props: N/A

Costumes: Casual clothing for Max Green (Jack Masters), formal attire for James Spalding and Stephen Green (the Investigators) 

Call sheet for the pin board final scene.

Shoot Date: Friday 17th January 2020, 1 pm.

Location: In the media suite within the school grounds 

Cast: Max Green (Jack Masters)

 Camera Equipment:

 - Canon camera EOS 750D

-  Manfortto Tripod

Lighting Equipment: N/A

Props: Newspaper articles, images of the victims and scenes, pins, pin board and string.

Costumes: Casual clothing

PLANNING: SHOT LIST

My production team and I created a shot list so that when it came to the construction

phase of our film opening we knew exactly what we wanted to include and what

we required for that particular scene. 

Scene       Music andd               sound FX               Vision           Actors            Props              Shot types                  1    Clock tick and gradual build up of music. Max Green (Jack Masters) walking towards house, through eye piece. Max Green (Jack Masters) Fish Eye Lens Long shot through Fish Eye Lens.              2    Clock tick and gradual build up of music. Max Green (Jack Masters) walking through the door after coming home and throwing keys. Max Green (Jack Masters) Keys Long shot               3    Clock tick and gradual build up of music. Max Green (Jack Masters) seeing first letter on the floor beneath him. Max Green (Jack Masters) First letter Long shot              4    Clock tick and gradual build up of music. Max Green (Jack Masters) crouching down to pick up first letter. Max Green (Jack Masters) First letter Low angle shot             5    Clock tick and gradual build up of music and voice-over discussing how he has been receiving letters. We see the letter from Max Green (Jack Masters') POV as he opens it. Max Green (Jack Masters) First letter POV shot           6    Clock tick and gradual build up of music and sound of radio discussing death of victim seen in first letter. Max Green (Jack Masters) sitting having breakfast with the radio beside him. Max Green (Jack Masters) Radio Mid shot of him having breakfast          7       Clock tick and gradual build up of music and sound of letter box being opened by Max Green (Jack Masters). Max Green (Jack Masters) opening letterbox to find second letter. Max Green (Jack Masters) Second letter Close up shots           8    Clock tick and gradual build up of music and sound of voice-over of Max Green (Jack Masters) discussing what the letter contains. Max Green (Jack Masters) opening second letter. Max Green (Jack Masters) Second letter Point of view shots              9    Clock tick and gradual build up of music. Max Green (Jack Masters) viewing newspaper article discussing death of second victim. Max Green (Jack Masters) Newspaper article Point of view shots          10   Clock tick and gradual build up of music and the detectives discussing his link with the previous murders. Max Green (Jack Masters) and the two detectives (Stephen Green) and (James Spalding) Max Green (Jack Masters), the detectives (Stephen Green) and (James Spalding). N/A Mid shot Three shot          11   Clock tick and gradual build up of music. Max Green (Jack Masters) finding third and final letter which contains his own photo and name. Max Green (Jack Masters) Third and final letter Close up shots POV shots Reaction shots         12      Clock tick and gradual build up of music to climatic ending and voice-over of Max Green (Jack Masters) stating he is next to the detectives.  Various shots of the pin board containing information from the previous victims and Max Green (Jack Masters) pinning the final image onto the board (being his own photograph). Max Green (Jack Masters) Pin board containing newspaper articles, letters and images of previous victims and himself. Elongated tracking shot over pin board, and various close up shots panning over board. Tracking shot of Max Green (Jack Masters') hand pinning final image onto board.

PLANNING: CHARACTER CASTING

Neon Yellow Gym Poster by Max Toye Green

PLANNING: TREATMENT

After creating a mind map, our production team up with our treatment/plot for our film, a first step towards creating trailers. I am really looking forward to creating it and making our ideas come to life.

TREATMENT 

A young teenage boy, Jack Masters, returns from school and informs his mum that he has returned home. He soon notices post which has been delivered through his mail box and is on his door step. This letter contains an image of a person, the name of that person and the words ‘III days'.  

At first, the boy is unsure what this means and ignores the message he has received, believing it was sent to the wrong house. Three days later, the teenage boy skims over the newspaper to see the news that the same person whose image has ben in the letter has been murdered.

However, believing it was just a coincidence, he continues to go about his everyday life until he receives another anonymous letter shortly after, containing an image of another person, name and the words repeated again ‘III days'. Suspicion begins to arise within him when he listens to radio news revealing the identity of a further murder victim:  it is the same person who was in the letter, murdered three days later. The teenage boy, although concerned and confused as to why he is receiving these, does not begin to take action until the third letter comes through the post.

Instead, it is not what he expected: he is shocked to see it is a letter containing his name and an image of himself. Since the previous letters had horrified him by resulting in the deaths of these people, he decides to try and find out himself how to save himself.

He sets about investigating and collating information. He works in a meticulous way, becoming obsessed: in his room, a pin board covered with the newspaper cuttings and reports tracks the previous two murders. The letters themselves feature prominently. The teenage boy has gathered everything that he thinks may contribute to understanding what is happening to him. 

However, the board is his undoing. The police believe he is a primary suspect for the two murders due to the board that he had created on the cases. They question why he would have this amount of detail unless he were involved. When the boy explains that he is next to be killed after having received the threatening letter, the police do not believe him. They think he has made it up to cover up his murders.

The trailer ends on a cliff hanger: can the teenage boy prove his innocence as well as prevent his own death which is quickly approaching him?


Topline 

'Three anonymous letters are mysteriously posted in a teenage boys letter box. The images contain people who are then murdered 'III days' after receiving the letters; the final letter of the three is him.'

Big question

'Will he be able to prove his innocence, will he beat the clock and prevent his own murder.'

PLANNING: ADVANCED PRODUCTION INITIAL DEVELOPMENT

For the genre of our film trailers, we discussed making it a thriller horror. When we compared the film 'Yesterday', a drama fantasy, to 'Joker', we all agreed that the thrill and excitement of 'Joker' was more appealing and offered a wider opportunity for skills to be employed in a trailer package. However, the more our research dove into that genre with myself looking at 'IT', 'American Psycho' and 'Us', we realised the horror element to the films wasn't as appealing as a drama thriller- removing the need to incorporate grotesque violence and gore. 
I suggested that the fast paced and intense nature of thriller film trailers provided more avenues to explore. Despite not liking the idea of gore and violence being incorporated into our productions we did agree that the premise of the supernatural is appealing and engaging.
 

The images below explain our brainstorm that lead towards our finalised concept for our film trailer. We discussed a brief plot summary, questions we would leave the audience with and the editorial structure  of what our trailer would look like.

RESEARCH: WHAT IS A TREATMENT

Writing a treatment

I have done some research into how to write a treatment, and what I found out was that:  

• Keep the treatment short 
• Remember the purpose of the treatment
• Don't include all the information
• Include the script's editing
• Make it readable and moving
• Show an active protagonist 
• Ensure your sentences flow, by using connectives
• if there is dialogue, bring the talk to life
• Include two or three exciting, vivid images

As part of of my research I have watched a FutureLearn video, which is presented by Frank Ash. Frank Ash has taught storytelling and creativity techniques to teams across the BBC and beyond.

The link for Frank Ash's video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0DjaV-Y-90 

 

• "So, if you’re aiming for your film to reach a large audience online, making sure it has universal appeal will be key”
• Think about your favourite book or film or any ‘good story’ you recently watched online, could you sum up its narrative into ‘one elegant sentence’ to provide its ‘topline’?
• What was its big story question, and how important was it to your appreciation of the text?"

I also researched into constructing my own Treatment using Charles Haris' '12 Essentials for Writiting a film or TV treatment'. These twelve rules summarised that Writing a treatment for a screen story is one of the most difficult forms of writing there is. Somehow you have to reduce your wonderful 99-120 pages of brilliance to a tiny fraction and still show all the glory that is in the screenplay. Charles adds that 'If you keep your head, keep disciplined and work hard, you might be able to succeed.'

He goes on lists the do's and don'ts of a film treatment:

1. KEEP IT SHORT

If I’ve asked you for a treatment of a specific length, that’s what you deliver. It’s tough, but this is where you show your professionalism. If no length has been specified, aim for no more than 2 pages, maximum, at normal font and page settings. Don’t try to be clever and use 4pt font, no margins or paragraph breaks! It just annoys people.

2. REMEMBER THE PURPOSE OF A TREATMENT

The purpose of a treatment is simple: to get someone to read the script. That’s all. You don’t have to include every joke, or any of the subplots, or anything that gets in the way of this one aim. Including making it too long!

3. MAKE IT REFLECT THE BALANCE OF THE SCRIPT

The treatment should roughly reflect the balance of the script itself – don’t spend a page on a half on the first Act, and half a page on the rest. You laugh? It’s easily done. Remember, you don’t have to include all the information that’s in the first 30 pages – you just have to get me to read the script. (In fact you probably need to cut much of that information from the script too, but that’s for another day).

4. INCLUDE THE SCRIPT’S ENDING

I know. You want to leave me on a cliff-hanger, wanting to know more. Or you’ve got a great twist you don’t want to reveal. Hard cheese. If you’re a professional, you include the ending. And if the reader is a professional, they’ll understand that the twist will come as a great surprise. Assuming it works, that is.

5. MAKE IT READABLE AND MOVING

A treatment is not a shopping list or an instruction manual. A good treatment reads easily, drawing you in and involving you in the emotions of the story. That also means that your style and tone should reflect those emotions and reflect the genre. If the script is a comedy, make me smile. If a horror, use words that will send a chill up my spine.

6. SHOW ME AN ACTIVE PROTAGONIST

Most treatments fail because the protagonist is passive or reactive. Make sure yours drives the story forwards through the actions she takes. If she is in a lousy job, grousing and doing nothing about it until a paragraph before the end, I’m not going to be drawn in. Give her a goal (to win saleswoman of the month, to become a successful puppeteer, to murder her line-manager…) and show how she fights to attain it.

7. AVOID AND THEN… AND THEN…

Plot is important, but it’s like a dish with no flavouring, and leads to the dreaded shopping list of actions and then… and then… To repeat, a treatment is not a shopping list, it’s the engrossing story of one or more characters struggling with their flaws. Make sure you alternate plot with character journey – almost every other sentence. Follow Gerry fights across the windswept mountain to save his partner with For once in his life, he has put someone else’s needs ahead of his own.

8 CUT NEGATIVES, AVOID IMPERSONALS AND MAKE

pASSIVES INTO ACTIVES

Toughen up your language. Negative statements just waste valuable space. Harriet can’t afford a car gives me no images. What about Harriet struggles to the office on a rusty old bike. Impersonals and passives are weak. Change It is important that Francisco speaks out to Francisco must speak out. And Ebo is kissed by Yolande to Yolande kisses Ebo. Shorter and more direct.

9. WHILE YOU MAKE YOUR SENTENCES LINK AND 

FLOW

Ensure your treatment flows naturally. Don’t start every sentence with the subject, but use linking words and phrases such as While… moreover… on the other side of the planet… unknown to Gawain… And always remember the sheer power of but and however for creating twists and suspense.

10. STEAL ACTIONING WORDS FROM ACTORS

If your treatment is full of he tells her and she explains to him you’ve got problems. Try to find more exciting action. And if the most exciting action involves talk, then do what actors and directors do, use “actioning” words that bring the talk to life. Actioning words invoke drama and conflict – so instead of he tells it becomes he implores, begs, cajoles, wheedles, persuades…

11. STAKE THE FARM

If there’s nothing much at stake, you’ll lose me. Make sure there’s a lot at stake, and that I know it. What will be so dreadful if Romeo and Juliet don’t get together? Why should I care if Thelma and Louise don’t escape? What awful consequences will ensue if Bill isn’t killed? Tell me.

12. PUT PICTURES ON THE SCREEN OF MY MIND

While you struggle to squeeze your plot onto a page or two, remember you’re selling a screenplay. Leave me with at least two or three vivid, exciting images – preferably more – help me picture the big showstopper car chase, the icebound winter forest locale, the revelation at the climax of the Chinese opera… Don’t go overboard, but paint enough for me that I get the reason you’ve written this for TV or cinema.

And when you’ve done all the above, there’s one more – like it or not, you absolutely have to get professional feedback. Trying to judge your own treatment is like trying to cut your own hair. It might not cost as much, but I wouldn’t expect to win an Oscar for it.