Feedback From First Draft

After a showing of the first draft, we received both positive and negative feedback, to help us improve the opening further. 


Positive feedback we received:

- In the opening there is a good range of camera shots and angles which make it interesting and relate to the characters well.

- The storyline and genre is made clear, which helped really helped by the codes and conventions that we have put in place

- The titles we have used are clear and smart, and fit in well with the opening and don't look out of place.


The negative feedback we received will now help us to improve the film. From the feedback we now know we need to sort the following:

- The diegetic audio is uneven in place, so we need to level out the audio, by increasing/ decreasing audio gain on each clip so all clips match each other. Also music underneath speech needs to be made quieter to make the dialogue really clear. 

- The establishing shot is slightly shaky, so this needs to be stabilised in premiere pro.

- The fire effect needs to track the hand movement better as it looks to unrealistic at the moment.

- Some shots of Jess and Zoe need to be shortened slightly to make sure we keep the audience's attention throughout.

- Music needs to be re -written in places to make it less repetative, as it makes the opening too boring otherwise.

Editing Decisions

Music Creation

As we are not permitted to use copyrighted music on our project, I decided to to create the music on an iPod app, called Garageband, as much of copyrighted music either would not fit with our opening scene, or it would not be good enough quality.

To create the music, in the app, I used a variety of music to create a full piece of music, for example below I recorded a variety of string intruments for the main part of the piece, as strings are quite often at the front of super hero scores and we want to keep to the codes/ convetions of the superhero genre.

I also added in a variety of other instuments such as keyboard and synth sounds, drum kits and pads and bass guitars, untill a full soundtrack sounded right. Other effects such as reverb and repeat were added for extra effect.

Pieces were made for both the title cards and for under the opening it's self.

Title Card: Editing

From the very beggining of our opening, we want to convey the conventions/ codes of the super hero genre. For this, as detailed earlier we have made a title card which is very simmilar to Marvel's title card.

This will make the audience recognise what genre the film is going to be straight away. For this I made the title in photoshop, which was a simple collection of font put together.

After this I exported each layer separatley as a photoshop file, this way I can animate the title in Premiere pro.

After this I imported the files into premiere pro, and combined it with pictures and music. By putting movement in the background and forground separetely, I was able to create something simmilar to the marvel title card.

Below is a copy of the title card finished with music and a copy of the distribution company's logo (Momentum Pictures)

Production Company Title Card

For our production company title card, we plan to create something simmilar to the marvel title card, seen above but replacing it with our name 'Super Nova'. We do not want to copy the exact same style but have something which is similar.


This is because the title card of the production company will be either the first or second thing that appears on the screen during the two minute opening, so this will enforce the codes and conventions of the genre, as the audience will see and recognise a similar styled title card and will link it to the superhero / comic book genre straight away.

The logo will look like this:

Classification

What classification would your film be and why?

We think our film will be rated a '12' by the British Board of Film Classification. There are a few justification points behind this decision.




1. The '12' Certificate is awarded if it meets the following criteria:







Discrimination

Discriminatory language or behaviour must not be endorsed by the work as a whole. Aggressive discriminatory language or behaviour is unlikely to be acceptable unless clearly condemned. 

In Our film there is unlikely going to be any 'Discriminatory' language or behaviour, although we are looking at three different classes of people - they are not going to be looked at in a 'bad' way or in a way that would offend people who are in a similar class.

Drugs

Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give instructional detail

There is going to be no drug used in our film.

Horror

Moderate physical and psychological threat may be permitted, provided disturbing sequences are not frequent or sustained.

There may be some horror used in our film, but it will not be frequent or sustained.

Imitable behaviour

Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied, or appear pain or harm free.  Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

In our movie there will not be any suicide or self harm. And any 'powers' used in the movie as weapons - will be prominently fantasy.

Language

Moderate language is allowed. The use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’) must be infrequent.

There will be moderate language in our film, however no strong language will not be used.

Nudity,Sex &Theme

Mature themes are acceptable

Nudity, sex and theme will rarely if not at all, be used in our film. Mature themes will likely be used, but nothing too extreme.

Violence

Moderate violence is allowed but should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated, and must have a strong contextual justification.

Any violence in our film will not be to gory or dwell on detail, there may be fights with their 'powers' but this will all be 'fantasy' and will not be too realistic to be to strong.

2. Many other films from the same 'superhero' genre generally have the same BBFC rating.


For example:


Iron Man Films: 12
X-Men Trilogy: 12
Hulk: 12
Batman Films: 12
Spider man 2&3: 12


If we are using similar codes and conventions in our movie, the likelihood that our movie will be rated a simmilar age rating is very likely.

Story Ideas

Naratives

Often in the narrartives in the openings of superhero movies we find out about the origin story or how the superhero gains their powers. This is obviously a pivotal point for a superhero movie, as the whole film is likely to revolving around them as the hero. This will be interesting for both a fan of the movie and will also create understanding for somone who is new to the series.


For this reason quite a lot of the narratives of these films are quite charecterer based. For example, where Peter Parker gains his powers is revolved around him as a charecter, in his 'normal' everyday life. We see him and what he does in his normal life, as a photographer,


I think that this is something that we should definately focus on in the opening, as it is something that will be able to achieve well.

Logos/Colours

Logos and colours are fundamental to identifying a superhero and are a main part of these kind of movies, for example Iron Man obviously has an Iron tinted logo and armour, as they all link together.

This is seen by the pictures above, the logo takes on a similar set of colours to his suit and also link to the name 'IRON Man' 

Another example of this is The Green Lantern, who's logo, suit and name all link together. This seems to be a trend throughout most superhero movies. So  this is something we must carefully consider when creating our logo/identity for our opening.

Characters/ Costumes

Costume is obviously a big part of the movie when it comes to superheroes, however most superheroes also have an 'alter ego', for example Batman is also Bruce Wayne in the comics and movies.

As it is unlikely for us to be able to create the amazing costumes that they have in super hero movies nowadays, I think it may be more appropriate to look at 'the hidden' life or the alter life the the heroes live.

This is Peter Parker from the spiderman movies, this is the kind of dress wear that he has on when he is out taking photos and being spiderman. 

As you can see, as most superheroes like to blend in, he is wearing just normal everyday clothes. However, he is still wearing fairly smart clothes, but nothing too flashy. He looks nothing like a super hero guy would, he almost looks 'geeky' especially with the hair and the glasses.

This shows that we can still use everyday clothes in a superhero movie, especially if we stick to their 'secret' side of the story.

This is shown again through alter egos, for example Bruce Wayne who is Batman, Tony Stark who is Iron Man for example, they often wear suits but sometimes they do dress down, especially when they are not 'in their super hero status'. This is somthing we should definitely consider when creating our opening scenes.

Zathura Opening: Conventions

http://media.prologuefilms.com/movies/zathura_web_finaltheatrical_with_audio.mp4


Zathura is a 2005 super hero movie. This opening uses live action shots and mixes them with 'animated' shots, giving it a comic book feel. It feels like quite an older film with the old drawing being seen in the shots.

This opening is slightly different to most super hero intros, in the way that it is switching between live action and the use of animation. This gives it a very 'retro' feel, back to when drawn comic books we're very popular. It also sets the theme and the time for the beginning of the movie.

A lot of effects have been added to the titles, so they appear to be part of the film shots them self. For example, letters of text will appear to be knocked out of the way by mechanics in the shot, also lettering is super imposed to make it look as if it is written on the pinball machine used. The font used looks very dramatic and looks like something you would see in an old comic or TV show. This looks appropriate and fits in well. 

 We also see a lot of shots of the planets, spaceships and stars, these are all something that we relate to a sci - fi movie, which re - enforces it as a super hero/ sci fi movie. As they are normally set in a distant planet or universe.

Scenes, like in this title card, reflect the genre with the bright colours, the font and colours used for the title and how the people have been positioned and how they are standing, for example, the stance that the spacemen are standing, is only how a super hero would stand.

This is effective becuase it immediately lets the audience know what the genre is. It is also quick and fast moving, so will keep the audience intriged, especialy with the use of a lot of close ups, so they can't see what else is going on around them.

Ironman Opening: Conventions

This is  a short clip from the film Iron Man two, which is a well known comic book which has been converted into TV shows, animated films and more recently these live action movies. This a clip from near the beginning of the movie, where it really starts out, this is the first time we see Iron man, in the second movie. This uses a lot of the common conventions of superhero/action movies, which I will outline below. The nine frames below are the shot I think are the most important in this two minute clip.

Analysis

This is the first shot that we see. The lighting and colour is fairly low key, the colour is also dark. This creates a fairly mysterious start with the audience intrigued already, especially as the camera has been placed behind and we cannot see his face. The camera is fairly close up and Iron Man has been placed in the left hand 
side off center in the frame, this lets the audience easily recognise the character and they are satisfied to see him, as well as him being positioned which is also a common code used in the rule of thirds, this will keep them feeling in control. However as it is from behind they will want to see the front, to see if there has been any changes since the first movie, as this is the sequel. The framing is fairly tight, not letting the audience know what is happening apart from what they can see.

This is soon after the first shot, where the camera follows Iron Man by jumping out of the plane with him, this shows how we are going to be following the action closely in this movie, as Iron Man shoots close past the camera, fireworks and city lights are in the background which help to compose the shot and help the lighting, however it is mainly the hero which is light up, by the lights on his suit and the rocket propulsion that he is using, this makes him stand out in the scene and immediately identifies him as the character with 'the power'. This is one continuous shot which switches between both close and long shots, as he flies around. This gives it a lot of pace, which keeps the action going. 

This long shot of IM and the city landscape really gives the sense of how high up you are, this adds to the 'thrill of the shot' and also the tension of being so high up. This has been created not only by the height, but by the wide long shot, and how IM has been placed so far away, which adds to how small he appears against the city. However he still stays well light, so that he is the center of what the audience is focusing on. This could connote how brave and daring he is as a superhero.

This shot is straight after where IM whips back around to the camera, which kicks back into the action once again. The shot is very close and we get to see the vibrant colours and blur as he passes the camera. This adds to the danger and the tension, but as the camera was not hit, this adds to IM's skill and abilities.

This shot is the first shot we see inside the expo complex, this is where we realise where he is really going. The long shot has been placed in the crowd to show how popular the character is and also makes the stage background look much more vibrant, with the contrast. The lighting from the fireworks and the on stage lights really create a vibrant and glossy feel to this shot, showing the wealth and popularity that this hero has. This is a common code used in superhero films, so the audience will look up to the character because of these traits.

The use of the 'fans' and the women being put in the frame clearly. This has been used straight away, to connote that the super hero has all the attention of the women and all the fans. This has been done, by positioning the camera in a medium/long shot, so that you can see a lot of people, but not everyone, so you know that there are more people outside of the frame. Not everything is seen.

This shot places IM in the middle of the frame, and shows the American flag behind him, this implies how patriotic the hero is and how he is devoted to protecting his country. He has also been placed and positioned in the frame, to make it look like he is balancing the power he has, but he is obviously using it for good. The light from the scene is well light, from the screen behind him and also from his eyes and chest, which give a cool effect to the frame's composition.

This extreme close up of the armour on IM's foot, really give a sense of how intricate his creation is. This implies how smart and creative he is as a person, behind the superhero and the face of the amour. You can also see how glossy and shiny the amour is by the lighting and close up, showing how expensive the equipment must be, but also the scratches and scars from the battles he must have been through are also apparent.

Wall-E Opening Scene Analysis

 




Wall-E Opening Scene


Shot list:

• Long/wide shot | Of stars/space
• Long/Wide shot | Of Galaxy
• Long/Wide shot | Of Planets/star
• Long/Wide shot | Of galaxy
• Long/Wide shot | Of Nebula
• Long/Wide shot | Of Sun
• Pans down | To shot of rubbish covered earth
• Camera moves /zooms | Into planet
• Series of Long/ flying shots | Of rubbish covered earth
• Series of Bird's eye view shots | Of earth, above a city
• 
  

Characters:
There are no characters which are shown in the opening scene of Wall-E, however, there is actually also no speech in the first 30 minutes of this movie, this could be because the the images of the devastation on earth are enough without any 'intense' dialogue needed. This also connotes how empty and deserted the planet is, by not showing the character of Wall-E.


Location:
The location is made very apparent during this opening sequence of this movie, nearly all of the the shots are establishing shot, for example the 'typical' shots of the galaxy, stars etc. that you normally see in a sci - fi movie, this re-enforces the genre of the movie in the first few seconds of the movie. You can also see the huge size of the location through the bird's eye shots near the end, where you are looking down from on high.


How is this reflect the genre?
Both of these aspects reflect the genre of sci - fi in a way, however they move away from the 'stereo typical' sci - fi. For example the shots that we see of the planets, the stars and the galaxies are all something that we relate to a sci - fi movie, as they are normally set in a distant planet or universe or where the people of earth are visiting far planets.


However you normally expect to see a 'clean' and 'cold' feel to a sci fi movie, with cold blue and white colours. You will also be able to see everything and feel as if you, as the viewer are 'in control' and know what is going on. Nevertheless, in this opening scene a lot of brown colours and it is quite misty and dirty, so you cannot quite see what is going on, it feels quite mysterious.


How is it appropriate?
It is appropriate because the makers of the movie have made it so that the viewer will be able to relate the movie to the genre easily, however they have put a different twist on what you see in a stereo typical sci fi, by using a different feel to the shots, in certain places. They have also done this by NOT using action/thriller sci fi music, which you normally hear in this kind of movie, but a song from a 1960's Rom com has been used instead, this could be to echo how the earth used to be. It also shows a contrast between the ruined earth, and all the hope that comes through the lyrics of the song.


How have titles been used?
Not many titles have been used during the opening sequence, only two appear, firstly'Walt Disney Pictures Presents' appears on the screen, followed by 'A PIXAR Animation Studios film'.


How is this effective?
Not using a lot of titles works really effectively, as it shows very few but effective titles. The fact that it shows who the film has been made and produced by, Disney and Pixar. Will let the audience know quickly that is is very likely to be a well produced movie, because of the brilliant reputation that the two companies both have.