U1-34 : FILM OPENING PROJECT 2008/9

Title Picture

2009-03-10T07:20:00.001-07:00

this is the title picture showing all the titles

2009-03-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

2009-03-09T05:13:00.001-07:00

Character Profile

2009-03-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

This photo is to illustrate the uncanny similarities between our own Jordan Moran and Vinny Jones.

Final Opening

2009-03-09T04:50:00.000-07:00

Rough Cut Feedback

2009-03-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

We received a great number of criticisms for our "extremely" rough cut. Here are but a few listed.

The shots around the table were much too long.
The news paper shots were good, but there was no need for the zoom ins.
Also there were some continuity editing problems with the lock picking shots.
Without the voice over, the sequence makes no sense.

We have tried to rectify these errors in our final cut. With cleaner editing, shorter shots and the addition of a voice over.

Rough Cut

2009-03-02T02:57:00.000-08:00

This is our "very" rough cut. It lacks the voice over, proper editing and titles...

Voice Over

2009-02-09T04:06:00.001-08:00

What is the definition of a criminal? It is simply being guilty of crime or serious offense; "criminal in the sight of God and man". Some would call us “criminals” , I see the logic in this however their logic is misguided by the society we live in. I am a believer of God and talk to him everyday, he never condemns what we do, it must be acceptable to God therefore we cannot be described using this word. We are artist in our own right and each individual in our team presents his art in different ways.
Richard or Rich cracker to us artists is the best safe cracker in the business; he once cracked a CCF 20 in less than 5 minutes, and had his prize away before they even knew he was there.
Speedy Moran can drive any automobile with great control, his ability to get us out of any situation we face is admirable. Some say he showed the Stig how to drive.
Nicky Bullet our keen weapons expert can get any weapon or crazy concoction required for the job, from AK’s to RPG’s he will get anything the day after request, a great asset to our team.
And myself, leader of the team, I make sure everyone is doing what they should do and plan each job personally and am the front of each operation.

Titles

2009-01-29T07:35:00.001-08:00

The names bellow are what will be presented as they are introduced (in order shown):

Speeedy Moran
Rich Cracker
Nicky Bullet
Paulie

Below are the titles that will appear on the plans at the end.

Richard Balfour
Jordan Moran
Nick Hipwell
Paul Molloy
Director: George Matthews
Film Producer: James Fullborn Jnr
Title Producer: Shouhei Yoshida
Costume Designer: Jane Norman
Film Title: 24 Carat

Film Title Ideas

2009-01-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

Our titles will be shown in a couple of ways. The names of the characters will be shown next to the characters when they are introduced.

The other titles of the the "behind the scenes crew" will be shown on the plans on the table. When the camera cuts to the plans, filing the screen, the names will be shown, instead of the plans, which you think you are going to see. After a short amount of time, so 5 seconds maybe, it will be swiped off, and the next one will appear from underneath.

The final title, the film name "24 Carat" will be shown will be the last one, and is done once a hand slams down all the paper and then the title will be there...We are using a font, closest to match the font on real British Sterling Notes, as we think it looks the best, and is very suitable to the genre.

Prop List 2

2009-01-29T07:08:00.000-08:00

Our finalized prop list consists of:

Costumes - Suits
Blueprints/Plans
Safe
Gun cabinet - Guns, BB guns
Business style table
Car
Set of ladders
Posh jewelry box, to store the diamond.
Fake money

Animatic

2009-01-26T04:04:00.000-08:00

This is our Animatic of our story board.

We used the music were probably going to use in the actual film opening but we need to put some variation on it and make it longer. The shots are Roughly what we expect were going to get. The shot with the round table is wrong as we are having a rectangular table as in the later shots.

Mood Board

2009-01-26T03:55:00.000-08:00

This is our mood board, we have taken a lot of ideas form films like Oceans 11, Snatch, Lock Stock...

The pictures all show what we are going to try and shoot, in different shots though.

Props and Location

2009-01-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

Filming will take place in Gransden as Nick has all the required props we need:

Safe, for the Safe Cracker
Weapons Cupboard, for the Weapons Specialist
The big table, where the mobsters will be meeting
The required necessities for high shots
Money
Car, and space for the stunts
Stethoscope
Shades (Glasses)
Fake Blueprints
Diamond
BB guns

The Pitch

2009-01-20T05:15:00.000-08:00

Our Opening is going to include 4 people, the team. During the opening we will introduce all the characters.

This will be done by everyone is sitting around a table, like a meeting, with the camera in the middle panning around looking at each face. It'll freeze on a certain face and zoom in, for instance "Rich, the safe cracker". That name will appear next to him and then cut to a pre-meeting scene, showing what they do, so Rich breaking into a safe. We'll use a slightly different filter on the camera, so that it shows its a past memory. Then cut back and so on showing each character.

After all the characters have been introduced, the camera will cut outside of the gang, so you can see the gang, and from about shoulder height your able to see what is on the table, and what the crew is looking at. We will try to get some blue prints and lay them out on the table, planning the "job", we wont give anything anyway of the main job but entice the audience.

Then after talking and a range of shots, like fro the end of the table, close ups and over the shoulder shots, eventually they pack it in, and after holding the paper, its thrown down and the camera moves in on it, and the title is there...

Opening Ideas

2009-01-19T03:18:00.001-08:00

We have a couple of ideas that we could do:

The first idea is based on the film opening from "Snatch", this includes introducing each character in a way that shows who they are, and what they do/ like... All the different shots are moulded together by having certain flowing items throughout the shots.

Another idea is quite similar, but all the characters are sitting around a table, business style, and the camera is in the middle, spinning to each character/panning... It then cuts to the same as the other idea, showing their profile. However we need more than 4 people for an ensemble cast, so we may need to get more people.

Our third idea, is to show the gang actually performing a robbery, just for the opening. And during it, introducing each of the main characters.

The Italian Job

2009-01-18T03:48:00.000-08:00

This is the opening to the iconic movie The Italian Job.
The Camera work in the opening of this film is very well done. There are a wide vareity of conventional and more abrstract camera angles. Some of the most interesting ones are view of the side of the car and the zoom in of the gangster feet when one of them crushes the driver's sunglasses.

The mise en scene in this film is almost dream-like and definatly symbolises Italy without telling the audience that it is set there. The Italian hills and the winding roads are synonimous with this country. Also he is driving a Lamborghini Miura, an italian super car and a very big contrast to the Minis driven later in the film.

The music is 'On Days Like These' by Matt Monro. This music defiantly slows the scene down, even though the driver is driving very fast the music seems to make it feel alot slower to the veiwer.

Oceans 11: Opening Analysis

2009-01-15T14:45:00.000-08:00

To analyse the opening of Oceans Eleven, I have to look at many different features, and show how they represent the key elements of an opening sequence like the narrative, characters and genre.

Firstly the genre is obviously a Crime Caper, and that is shown by the description, but reinforced by the opening.
Just by the opening shot the idea that he is in a prison comes into main view, as he is in a prison jumpsuit as he comes into the shot. This is a good use of mise en scene, and already the viewer has the ideas of why he is in the prison going through their mind already, getting the narrative going right from the start.
The “parole officer” who is positioned behind the camera, so that he is looking almost directly at it, a good use of camera work, never actually states what the crime he has done, and use phrases to skirt around it, tantalising the viewer more.

The next shot, of Daniel Ocean, walking towards the exit of the prison, now dressed in his clothes, a dinner jacket, and his wedding ring in a parcel. The ring is a key prop in the narrative, as his wife leaving him, which he tells us during the meeting, was the reason for his behaviour. So this use of mise en scene, beefs up the narrative, and shows us further into what type of a character Ocean is, as his expression isn’t too dramatic as you would expect.
I think that the next shot is the most important shot of the short opening sequence. The shot of him, walking out of the prison, firstly a reverse shot and then front, it shows even in the suit, he looks withered and older, as he is unshaven, longish hair.
But then a time cut shot, of him appearing from up an escalator, a new man. He is now in a new suit, good mise en scene, cleanly shaven and new hair cut, he is now washed of the wrongs he did in prison, and a free man. An upbeat tune is playing in the background for these shots, as it is a time of joy for him, finally being out. All of this is good for the storyline.

But for a Crime Caper there needs to be antics going on. Not outrageously funny, but quite humorous. During the opening, there are a couple of witty lines, this is good, as it shows the film as a bit more light hearted than serious.

Snatch intro

2009-01-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

Snatch is a classic crime caper with many characters. most of them though are not in a group together just a lot of characters finding themselves on either the same or different sides of a crime. all trying to get hold of a large diamond. the intro has the conventional upbeat and quirky music and shows the diamond being stolen which starts off the conflict between the criminals. it also shows all the characters which have a big role doing what they do.

Conventions of a Crime Caper- Reservoir Dogs

2009-01-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

The intro to Reservoir Dogs breaks some intro conventions as it has some credits which seem similar the end film kind of credits. it has very clever editing in how the actors names are placed over a shot of the character they play. The music in crime caper intro's and throughout the movie as well is as well upbeat and quirky. the conventions of a crime caper are:

an array of characters usualy a group who are quite smart and daring
very witty and sometimes humorous
involves a crime or something illegal
involves an obstacle or a problem sometimes more than one than hinders them
usually has a very clever plot line
the main characters are always criminals but are also the good guys
sometimes a bad set of criminals like a rival group

Oceans 11: Conventions

2009-01-15T07:04:00.000-08:00

Oceans 11 is a classic crime caper. The main emphasis of the film is the crime itself, and along the way to them completing the crime, Casino Heist, they encounter problems along the way like obstacles they must overcome, and do humorous antics...
They often get away with the crime, like in Oceans 11, but in The Italian Job they don't. However it always makes you think whether they actually can get away with it or not.

U1-34 FILM OPENING PROJECT

2008-11-28T04:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome