Evaluation - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Looking back at the preliminary task, I think I have learnt to be more creative with the shots to use when filming. For example in the final opening sequence a variety of shots were used in comparison to the few used in the preliminary task.

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Preliminary task shots

1.  This shot shows a close up we shot in the preliminary task.

This shows a mid- shot we filmed of two characters speaking during the preliminary task.

These two shots show an action match we shot in the preliminary task. It shows a girl running and then running out of a gate at the other end.

This shows a point of view shot from the female character looking down at her feet. This is used when the character has been running and has now stopped and is out of breath.

  

This is an establishing shot that we used in the preliminary task to show where the female character is. This shot shows that she is in the middle of no where. 

The final opening sequence shots

This is a close up of one of the boy characters playing with the football the shot them zooms out as shown below

                                           

We also used a number of point of view shots throughout the final opening sequence. These point of view shots were all from the male character. We used these shots to create tension for the audience, and make them feel as if they were seeing things from the male's point of view.

This shows a tilt that was used at the start of the opening sequence to show that the man had sat down and is watching the boys play football.

This long shot shows the two boys playing football together, however it also shows the male character in the background walking towards the swings. This allows the audience to see what all three characters are doing. 

Throughout the final opening sequence a number of action matches were used, however they may not be a clear as the two shown in the video due to the fact that they are separated up by the point of view shots of the male character walking like in Action match 2. 

when filming the preliminary task we had to change a few things so it would work, therefore because of this, it taught me to be prepared to change things last minute to make it work better. 

First edit of the opening sequence and the total re-shoot for the final edit.

When filming the first edit of the opening sequence we thought we have a strong idea for the storyline. However even though the idea was a good idea we did not tie up any loose ends. Resulting in a storyline which was confusing for audiences, the shots we took were also hard to edit together to ensure that it was realistic and there were no jump cuts making the post production stage very difficult to improve on what shots we had. This resulted in a poor first edit. Therefore as a group we thought it would be best to re-shoot the whole of the opening sequence. This included coming up with a totally new idea. However learning from the mistakes we made during the first edit, we put together a more detailed and thought through storyboard and brainstorm. When filming we also ensured we filmed clips more than once and from different angles which meant when it came to post production we would have a number of clips to choose from, so we could pick the one that would work best within the sequence. From the first edit of the opening sequence, we also realised the quality of sound wasn't clear. Therefore this resulted in Chloe and I recording sound separately from the videos For example we recorded heavy breathing by blowing down an empty bottle as this amplified the breath making it seem deeper, louder and heavier than when recorded with the action. We also recorded the conversation with the boy character and his mother separately as this is an important part of the sequence, as the audience are made aware that the boy is leaving the park. This ensures they are not left confused like in the first edit of the opening sequence. Over all I feel it was a better idea to do a total re-shoot for our final opening sequence, as we ended up with a sequence which was of a better quality not only due to the storyline, but also because of the post-production stages and the amount of thought and planning that went into the final opening sequence.

 From this I learnt it is best to go into a lot of detail when planning to make sure the ideas I do come up with are going to work well, and not going to be confusing for the audience like the first draft was. All the things I learnt throughout the process of making and developing the opening sequence have helped me ensure that I have helped me contribute to the group as much as possible. As well as putting together a final opening sequence that has been planned and thought out, that is creative yet fits the thriller genre and is appealing to the target audience. 

Evaluation - Audience Feedback

The audience for 'Snatched' is between the ages of 15 and 30 and the working class of both genders. However, other people may be interested in the film. Therefore to gain a reliable and accurate feedback, I interviewed 10 working class people between the ages of 15 and 30. To ensure the feedback was reliable and accurate I ensured the questions were kept the same and the interviews were carried out individually.

Interview template:

1. What genre of films do you usually watch?
2. What did you like about the opening sequence and why?
3. What do you not like about the opening sequence and why?
4. Any additional comments about the opening sequence? 

Neneh Fletcher:
Gender: Female
Age: 16

1. I watch any type of films really, i'm not really that fussy but if I had to pick one type of film it would be horror. 
2. I like the way tension is built through the music as it was gripping music. The fact that you can't see all of the mans face. I also like how in the background you can always hear the boys playing football, it makes the film more realistic. The way I felt as if I was the man watching the boys play football was good, it made the film more suspicious. The actors stayed in character throughout the film and were very realistic.
3. The shot where the man is sat on the swing and is watching the boys is a bit jumpy. There isn't a lot of speaking in the film which might make it boring for other people. When the boy is talking on the phone he is loud but then when he hangs up and speaks to his friend it goes quiet again. The bit where the boy gets kidnapped looks like it should be in a comedy film rather than a thriller. But the idea was good. 
4. I really enjoyed the film, it created a lot of tension and it is a film that i would like to see all the way through, as the opening was left on a cliffhanger and made me want to see what happened next. The titles fitted well with the genre of the film. However throughout the filming the camera could of been held better as some shots were shaky. 

Megan Frost:
Gender: Female
Age: 15

1. I like the twilight saga and the Harry Potter films, so i suppose my favourite type of film are fantasy. But I do watch other type of films as long as they are interesting and have a good story line. 
2. I liked the way how the music built tension, it kept me gripped to watching what would happen text. The way the shots cut between the man walking and the boys playing football was good as well, that built tension for the audience as well. I liked the way that you knew something was going to happen but you didn't know what or when it was going to happen. 
3. A few of the shots were a bit jumpy, like the first shot where the boy has the ball under his foot was jumpy, and it could of started with the main boy with ball, because he is the main character, it was a bit confusing starting with the other boy. 
4. The opening was really good, the music and the titles went well with the genre of the film, and it was good how the park was empty to make it look more realistic, because a kidnapping wouldn't take place in a park full of people. 

Ben Martin:
Gender: Male
Age: 17
1. My favourite type of films are probably horror. But I will watch majority of films no matter what the genre as long as the films are appealing to me
2. The tension was created really well through the use of music and the shots where it felt as if the audience were the man stalking the young boy. I really liked the shots of the ground as the stalker character was walking as well.
3. The opening started with the main boy's friend which was a little confusing as the story wasn't really about him. There were a few parts that went on for too long, like the walking to the swing bit. That took a lot longer than it would do in reality.
4. Overall the opening was out together really well and was very gripping. It is definitely a film I would go to watch in the cinema.  
Jessica Edwards:
Gender: Female
Age: 22

1. My favourite type of films are either comedies for Romantic Comedy's. I love all the Chick Flick type of films. 
2. The tension that was created throughout the opening was done really well through the different type of shots and the music. The sound was really clear throughout the film, and the actors were really realistic through most of the film.
3. When the boy is being dragged over the bush it seems more of a comedy moment because you can see the boy starting to laugh. Also there wasn't much dialogue. A few shots weren't as steady as they should of been. But other than that it was a good opening.
4. The opening was really good, and the titles and music suited the genre really well. But I don't think I would watch it again, because I didn't feel as if the film was gripping enough to be a thriller. It was tense, but not as gripping as it could of been. 

Julie Hedger: 
Gender: Female
Age: 30

1. I like all types of films really, before I watch a film I usually look up the reviews, if the reviews are good i'll watch it, but if they're not so great I won't bother. I hate sitting through films at at the end thinking, what was the point in that.
2. The fact you could hear the boys laughing and kicking the football throughout the opening made it more realistic. Also I loved the shots where it cut between the boys playing football and the man walking towards the swings that was great. A great variety of shots were used throughout the opening I thought, which were really effective, like the shot of the empty swing, that created a lot of tension. The shots where the audience saw things through the mans eyes were also really good in creating tension as well.  
3. A few shots were unsteady, I know that they can be used to create tension and suspense, but i felt as if they were used too much through the opening. There could of been more dialogue between the two boys playing football, as it would of made it even more realistic because when boys do play football they are constantly talking and having a laugh.  
4. The story line for the opening is great, it creates a lot of tension and when watching I didn't know what to expect. Straight away I knew something exciting was going to happen just from seeing the titles and hearing the eerie music. The opening was great in building tension through the different shots and the music throughout. The opening fits the thriller genre really well.

Josh Hill: 
Gender: Male
Age: 19

1. I mainly watch action films, but I will watch any type of film if it looks interesting.
2. I really like how at the start you can tell someone is walking somewhere and you can hear the boys in the background but you don't  know who is walking and what they are doing.The music as well as the heavy breathing in the background create a lot of tension. Also the audience never see all of the man's face but they do see parts of it which is good, because then if the film was to continue they would be able to know who he was. 
3. I didn't not like any of the opening, but there were bits that could be improved. For example there are a few shots where the camera zooms in and they are a bit jumpy, where they should be smooth. When the phone rings the boy puts his phone on the outside of his jumper which is weird, he also speaks loud down the phone but when he hangs up and speaks to his friend it isn't as clear as it was when he was on the phone. 
4. I really liked the opening. It was gripping and tense like a thriller should be. 

Kelly White:
Gender: Female
Age: 28

1. I'm into most films really,but I hate history films that are 100s of years ago. I find them boring.
2. The opening started off no as well as it could of with shaky camera work, but it improved as it went along. The shots of the footsteps were really good. I loved the shot of the boy on the bike going past the bush as if it was from the eyes of the man. Throughout the opening lots of different shots were used.The long takes really create tension and suspense. But the short takes when cutting between the man walking and the boys playing football also create tension. You can tell a lot of thought went into what shots would work best at certain parts of the opening. 
3. There were shots that were unsteady throughout the opening, also the zoom from the swing to the boys playing football was unsteady. 
4. Apart from the odd unsteady shot I thought the opening was good.

Nick Densley:
Gender: Male
Age:26

1. Action and thriller films are the films I watch the most. 
2. The opening has a really good plot. You never know when something is going to happen. To music really helps make it tense and exciting. The heavy breathing worked really well with the footsteps as well. I liked that it kept cutting between the boys playing football and the man on the park. It really made it tense when watching it. 
3. The titles could have come in to the shot in a more exciting, thrilling way to match the genre. The music at the end when the titles were playing made it sound like the film was ending. 
4. The titles could of been on screen through all of the opening rather than just at the end. With them just at the end it felt like it was the end of a film. 

Julie Frost 
Gender: Female
Age:30
1. I'm not a massive film fan really, I rarely go to the cinema, so I usually only watch films when they are on TV. But I mainly watch comedy films
2.  The opening is good, I like the way the storyline is developed and how tension is built through the shots that make the audience feel as if they are the male character.
3. The camerawork seems too shakey for a film which makes the film unrealistic
4. I wouldn't go out of my way to see this film. However because of the well put together storyline I do think it would be gripping so I would view it on TV, then if I enjoyed go out to buy the DVD.

Mitchell Bowler
Gender: Male
Age:15

Filming of the final opening sequence

Roles:

• Filming - Equally shared between all group members
• produced - Equally shared between all group members
• Directing - Chloe Burrows
• Script writer - Nikki Brown
• Casting  director- Laura-Jo Bowler
• Props - Nikki Brown
• Sound recording - Laura-Jo Bowler
• Costume - Nikki Brown
• Makeup - Nikki Brown
• Editing - Equally shared between all group members
• Titles - Chloe Burrows

This is Chloe filming an establishing shot.

This shows me filming the shot where the boy rides his bike from the football cage and pass the bush. This is the point of view shot used towards the end of the sequence, just before the boy gets pulled over the bush.







The filming for the opening sequence went well. The weather conditions allowed us to follow the narrative and keep to the plan. Also as a group we decided to film sound separately. We came to this decision because from the first draft of the opening sequence we discovered that the sound wasn't as clear as we hoped. Therefore from filming the sound separately the opening sequence now has clearer sound than in the first draft.    

Titles for the final edit of the opening sequence

Titles

This title is of the name of the film. The title fades in so the audience see the title saying 'Snatched' in an eerie, spooky font that matches the narrative of the opening sequence. The title then smashes like glass off screen. After the smash the opening sequence begins. As soon as the titles appear on screen, the eerie music begins.

The titles start at the end of the sequence once the boy has been dragged over the hedge. The titles enter the screen through the use of a wipe that we edited in. The titles are in a white font and appear on a black background. The use of these contrasting colours make the titles stand out. If the titles were in bright colours on a colourful it would not fit the thriller genre, for that reason we decided on using black and white.

This shows how the first title appear on screen. The titles start from the first word and the last word and roll in to meet in the middle. Once on screen the letters look as if they are pulsating. When the title leaves the shot it spirals off in a wave like motion to the right of the screen.

 This title enters the shot in a wave like motion, the letters also spin as they enter the shot. When on screen the letters look as if they are pulsating. This creates a quite disorientated image for the audience which matches the thriller genre.

The titles then leave in a similar way to what they entered the shot. However they leave to the right of the shot rather than the left. Then words get smaller as they leave the shot.








To ensure the titles matched the thriller genre we wanted to create a disturbed and disorientated feel. From the way the titles enter and exit the shot we feel as if that feel was met.

Editing the final openiong sequence

Editing

The pictures below show all of us contributing to the editing stages. It shows me (Left) looking for suitable music for the opening sequence. It shows Nikki (middle) on the editing program editing various shots together.

This shows the timeline of our opening sequence. From the timeline it shows the order in which shots appear, as well as what music we used. It also shows how we recorded sound separately and placed it on top of the shots, by doing this it made the sound a lot clearer and more emphasised in places it needed to be. From the timeline you can see how we layered sounds. During some parts of the sequence there is sound from the film as well as the music and recorded sound. The timeline also shows the various titles we used within the opening sequence.



Throughout the editing stages we used cross dissolving to blend a few of the shots. By using cross dissolving it allowed us to make the cutting as smooth as possible without looking to obvious and to ensure continuity was maintained throughout.

The final edit of thriller opening sequence

Snatched

Planning towards final opening sequence

After evaluating our first draft, we began to plan the final edit. However, when arranging to re-film parts of the first draft it became clear that we would not be able to get the same characters together again for re-filming due to the young children being on holiday. Therefore as a group we decided it would be better for us to re shoot the whole of the opening sequence. Also by re-shooting the whole opening sequence it allowed us to create a new narrative which would be easier for audiences to follow. 

First of all, we made a mind map of possible ideas. 

• This mind map shows:
•  Possible narratives
•  Locations, sounds
• Camera
• Costumes
• Props
• Edits
• Characters 

Like before, as a group we decided on a narrative, from the ideas we had down on the mind map. From the idea we had came up with we came up with a mind map showing the different shots that would be included within the opening sequence.

Storyboard:

The narrative for the final opening sequence, is similar in ways to the first draft. For example, both are set on a park with two children playing. However this time, the children are elder than in the first draft. The narrative for the final opening sequence is also more explained. For example the narrative is that a boy gets kidnapped on his way home from playing football with his friend. One boy is focused on more than the other, this is shown through numerous point of view shots of the kidnapper to show that someone is watching the young boys. Also a number of cross cuts show the young boys playing football, and footsteps of the kidnapper. By doing this it will make it clear to the audience that boys are being watched. Also the fact that the kidnappers face isn't shown fully throughout the sequence will create suspense and tension for the audience.