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I uploaded a few photographs from my storyboard onto my Tumblr and got some feedback from my friend that I screenshot below.

Production Company

Film 4
Film4 is Channel 4 Television’s feature film division. Film4 develops and co-finances films and is known for working with the most distinctive and innovative talent in the UK, whether new or established.

Under the Skin
A mysterious woman seduces lonely men in the evening hours in Scotland. Events lead her to begin a process of self-discovery.

Ex_Machina
Ex_Machina is a psychological thriller, played out in a love triangle between two men and a  robot girl. It explores big ideas about the nature of consciousness, emotion, sexuality, truth and lies.


Both these films, a product of Film 4, have their similarities by having this utopian, futuristic theme by new film makers with new ideas. The cinematography of the films are also something different, a new way of viewing. The perception of these narratives is something unique in a contemporary art form. The films are more of a work of art rather than the 'old Hollywood' style of making money through film in big stars, familiar narratives and sexualising women. Instead, there is more of putting a point across about society. These are the qualities in Sugarcoated and a reason why Film 4 would be a participant to our film. Sugarcoated has a contemporary way in the perception, cinematography and casting. The film isn't laid back and wouldn't be an appropriate blockbuster due to a difficulty in many people understanding the idea. There are many thoughts left for the audiences interpretation which may not be so popular and can be intimidating and personal. However, through research of Film 4's many Oscar nominations and critically acclaimed films, Sugarcoated would be a possible film to pass.

Screenplay

Sugarcoated

INT.CUPBOARD - DAY

The cupboard door is shut, SCORE BEGINS PLAYING, the LIGHTING IS FLORESCENT PINKS AND BLUES IN THE COLOUR REPRESENTATION OF SWEETS. The door begins to open gently revealing a DARK LIGHTING INSIDE THE CUPBOARD but the door is not quite fully open when the next shot begins.

INT.DINING ROOM - DAY

The atmosphere is cold surrounding a dining room table with four chairs and four people, 1, 2, 3 with a chandelier lingering over the top. The room is filled with REDS, WHITE AND FLORESCENT BLUES. Vintage furniture, paintings and sculptured statues(representing humanity) surround them juxtaposing to their utopia inhumane personalities. 
The characters are placed on the four chairs around the table covered creation of candy. They are all wearing white.

1: She has a leading personality, brainwashed 

she has all evil in her. Her eyes never blink as if immortal. Her eyes are darker than the others, she is the dominant character.

2: The total opposite, we see a weaker victim. The innocence is seen through slow movement and sadness in her eyes.

3: Anonymous her eyes are constantly shut with googly eyes on top.

1, 2, 3 begin to attend to their meal with appreciation. All four begin to pick their teacups filled with brightly coloured glitter pouring in their mouths. The atmosphere begins to become unsophisticated as they want more. They begin to drown in glitter and paint representing candy.

  INT.CELLAR - NIGHT

The cellar is empty. The ONLY SOURCE OF LIGHT FROM AN UPSIDE DOWN LAMPSHADE ON THE CEILING IS FLICKERING. 1 then appears as a shadow following with 2 and 3 one by one appearing as silhouettes to then reveal 3s glowing white eyes in the darkness. The cellar is now BLACK AND WHITE loosing its FLORESCENT tone. The key is now turning, locking by an unknown source.

INT.DINING ROOM - NIGHT

The COLOUR IS BACK BUT WITH A GOTHIC TONE.

2: Covering her face with black paint. 

1: Licks her lips and fingers.

3: Opens her eyes

INT. DINING ROOM/CELLAR/ - REVERSE OF NIGHT

Everything is reversed back to the cellar.

INT. CUPBOARD - DAY

The cupboard door is wide open with BLACK LIGHTING INSIDE BUT FLORESCENT BLUE LIGHTING ON THE OUTSIDE. The SCORE ENDS WITH SILENCE DURING THE SCENE. 

Screenplay

Screenplay

1. Interior or exterior, day or night, scene setting, upper case
2. Further described in detail, lighting, any sound is written in upper case
3. Character placement, character introduction in upper case
4. Character description, costume, props, action
5. Description of action in detail
6. All dialogue lower case and centred next to character name in upper case

Search for screenplay within the genre, upload extract on blog

Make own screenplay of opening

Sound

Pere Ubu - Road To Utah from fire records on Vimeo.


This is a video I found on Vimeo that is from a film. The scene consists of music that I thought works really well with the theme of the opening. Its called 'Carnival of Souls' which is the same idea of how the characters are represented, children surrounded by a carnival Sugarland. The scene itself has similarities as the woman in the car enters Utah, seen on the sign 'Welcome to Utah', she suddenly experiences strange presents from an odd looking man causing her danger as she crashes. This is similar to the storyline of our film as the characters enter a dystopia.





I found this music on YouTube and links well with the idea of the music box layered on top of the dark uncomfortable deeper sounds that gets louder syncing in with the change into dystopia of the opening. The idea of slender man is the uncomfortable presence of danger which is just a feeling especially in the music as it changes volume and further deeper instruments. 

Targets

Opening Blog Targets
Enigmatic (pose a question) mystery, suspense.
Hook the audience
Introduce the key subjects or characters - trait goals
Reflect on the process of filmmaking
3 opening sequences that are analysed
Storyboard
Draft photographs, props, location
Analysis of credits and how you might be inspired
Analysing sound and copyright free sites

Annotate draft videos and share with team
Annotate the best photographs and say why
Composition of sweets
Credits design
Planned the shoot together, available times with crew, location.


Due Friday 20th

 

Reflect on the process of film making/photography
3 opening sequences that have been analysed - on the same genre as yours
Draft photos of locations, actors, props - share them on INSTAGRAM and post on blog
Analysis of credit sequences that are timed and how you might be inspired.
Start analysing sound

Research into production/distribution companies - what type of product do they normally make ? Would you use them or make your own name?

Experiment with your title fonr

Audience research into your genre - what do audiences expect in your genre in terms of storyline/characters - feedback could be via fbook

Opening Title Storyboard Videos

 Cellar

These are my own videos

 from Natalie Brooks on Vimeo.

I took some shots in the cellar experimenting with lighting, effects and colour. I used the app 8mm to edit with the video clips. I played around with the lighting in the cellar as well as the light on my camera which made both an exceptional success to what my intentions are.

Smoke from Natalie Brooks on Vimeo.

These are a few experimental clips with smoke including a reverse effect. I had taken these clips on my iPhone.

Media Film Experiments from Natalie Brooks on Vimeo.

This is a mini storyboard that took 5 minutes of experimental moving pictures with the themed effects. I just wanted to play around with the camera movement to further see how I envisioned the opening. I think the little montage became to look like a surrealist film, edited on my iPhone.
These are a few examples of how the visuals link to surrealistic cinema.

Opening Title Storyboard

Order of Opening Title

1. Cupboard
2. Dining Room 
3. Sweets
4. Characters
5. Cellar
6. Sweets + Dining Room + characters (mixed order)
7. Reverse
8. Cupboard

Cupboard

These are my own photograghs

I want this first scene fluorescent; candy inspired consisting of blues, purples and pinks. It links to the story line of a utopia candy world but still involving a slight cold sensation that holds within the atmosphere. The shot will move forward from a long medium shot into a medium shot of the entire door which will take 4 seconds whilst the door of the cupboard slightly opens with blackness inside. The lighting will be normal room lighting from above. The angle should be straight forward towards the centre inside the cupboard. The music will begin quietly in a delicate tone like a children's music box.

Dining Room

These are my own photographs

The dining room will begin from a high angle on the side looking downwards swirling round the table of candy with the characters sat round it; it will take around 12 seconds. The third shot will be looking straight at the table downwards zooming upwards into the chandelier (backwards) which will take 3 seconds. The fourth shot will be a long shot of the whole table of all four characters zooming into a medium shot from the side taking 3 seconds. The music stays the same.

Sweets

These are my own photographs

        

The shot will begin as a close up of the candy land creation on the table zooming outwards slowly with then a sudden medium shot on the other side of the table revealing the entire table top in 3 seconds. The table will be filled with a mountain of bright colours with sweets covered in paint and glitter. I want the sweets to be in baby colours like candy floss. The glitter on the characters also represent the sweets so there will be around 3 medium shots of the glitter pouring in their mouths from the cans of soda pop as well as 2 close up shots of their eyes that will be 2 seconds each. The music will be louder keeping that children's music box tone.

These are a few experimental photographs I took myself with glitter, I edited around with different fluorescent colour lighting to brighten the glitter up so it can be scene specifically on the face.

Characters

These are my own photographs

The characters are going to be around three or four people. They will have similar themed makeup looks but not exactly the same; they will have different colours each of glitter around their eyes and coming out of their eyes. Their lips will also be covered in light bright colours that match the sweets with glitter coming out which connects to the scene with the sweets. While they are sat around they will be representing the utopia world of expressing the colours and mainly glitter on the whole table taking it all in like an addiction.

Cellar

These are my own photographs

             The cellar is an important scene that links to the cupboard showing the darkness that’s really inside that you cannot see in the first scene. I want the shots to all be in black and white that are in the cellar apart from 2 flickers of fluorescent colour to represent the link to candy land and the cupboard, the scene will start in the fluorescent colour of blue for about 2-3 seconds, the second flicker will be in the middle of around 1 second. The reason I want the cellar to mainly be in black and white is to represent the dystopia side. This is when the music gets a sudden twist that sounds almost uncomfortable to the ear. The first shot of the black and white will be centered zooming outwards of around 3 seconds. The second shot will be from the side of the cellar seeming like a CCTV camera in the corner of both sides, the shots will be jump shots being around 5 seconds of them. This is where a flicker of colour is included into the jump shots where the room is empty. This is where the music gets suddenly louder synced with the shots. The third shot will show sudden darkness filling the whole cellar like black smoke for 2 flashing seconds. The fourth shot will be of the key in the door turning (locking itself) taking 3 seconds. The music is throughout the key turning silent with just one off high pitched tone.

Sweets (mixed order)

The sweets will be represented in the characters mouths coming out as black thick ink. The black thick paint will also be coming out of some of their eyes. The sweets are then represented as intoxicating being part of the dystopia world. All the shots will be close ups of their faces. There will be around 5-6 different shots muddled in taking only around 2 seconds each. This is where the music begins to go chaotic with all the muddles shots. These will all be in black and white.

Characters (mixed order)

These are my own photographs

The characters will have a sudden change of behavior acting as if they have suddenly gone mad linking with the sudden change of black and white dystopia darkness and being locked in. They will be doing as they wish around the table such as crawling all over the place, scuffing their mouth with sweets showing the insides, throwing things around, different facial expressions etc. Most of the shots will be in either medium shots of close ups.

Dining Room (mixed order)

These are my own photographs

This one scene will have around 3 shots within the muddle of the camera being in one still image of a 2 second reveal of a hyper lapse of the characters going crazy around the table, this will also be in black and white.

Reverse

These are my own photographs

Everything will then be reversed of the whole dystopia side but only slowing down on the key unlocking then still reversing ending the reverse at the beginning of the cellar.

Cupboard (ending)

These are my own photographs

The whole opening will then end with the cupboard wide open with darkness inside as if you are coming out of the cellar then out of the cupboard revealing the reality of the candy land.

The music will then stop with total silence, the title of ‘Sugarcoated ‘ will then pop out from the darkness only fitting into the darkness. The music will then suddenly become load again as the title comes up. This whole shot and scene will last around 6 seconds. The title will come up for the last 3 seconds.