I have been away for a while and because of this I have missed some of the initial group work. In my absence the groups in which we will will be working with to create our opening title sequence we're chosen.
I have been put in a group with Ashton, Ro and Emily. I am happy with my group and feel confident we will work well together when I am back in school for the duration of the week.
(Ella)
Prop List
We shouldn't need to many props in our opening title sequence because most of the focus is on the location and characters. However there are definitely a few things we need. We have decided to use the water sports company at the lake to obtain most of the equipment we need for our shoot, because all though it will mean a cost it will allow us to deal with the safety aspect as we will have an instructor with us on the day and make obtaining the proper equipment (e.g. paddle boards) cheaper and easier.
Paddle Boards (along with paddle):
The paddle boards are essential to the plot of our scene as it the reason the pair are at the lake and it will be the focus of the boys disappearance at the end. We are hoping to secure these when at the lake from the instructor we are working with.
Rucksack
The pair should have at least one rucksack with them to highlight their adventurous personalities and the fact they are exploring in a remote place. It should be easy to get a rucksack from one of our group and fill it with items, probably with a water bottle.
Costume
Wet suits:
As they are going paddle boarding in the middle of winter the pair will be wearing wet suites under their clothes. They will pull of their top layers half way through the scene and reveal the wet suits. We are hoping to also get these from the instructor and water sports company.
Hoodies/ casual clothes:
Over the wet suites they are going to be wearing casual sporty trousers and hoodies that will be easy to pull off. The actors should be able to bring these with them from their own wardrobes.
In these scenes we can see the protagonist out exploring the deserted wilderness all on his own. the cinematographers have chosen to use lots of extremely wide shots in order to show how small he is in the wilderness and how far he is away from civilization. A long slow 360 degrees panning shot around the environment also helps them to show this solitude. I think wide shots would work really well with our Idea and a panning shot across the lake would look really cool.
Teen/early 20s young women, blonde/brunette, full of life but equally invested in her phone. the outdoors type who has an ever growing collection of festival and friendship bracelets.
Teen/20s, young man(of the same age as the women), short haired, posted pubescent 'soft boy' teased for being so invested in his girlfriend (and having a matching love braclet). He is down to have fun but is in touch with his emotional side.
possible actors
girl: alabama
boy: albie
You Should Have Left, disappearance
This scene from 2020 movie 'You Should Have Left' is an example of the unexpected horror of the disappearance desired in our own title sequence. At roughly 1:28 the camera uses a fast moving pan, from right to left, as the girl runs through the door.
Then a brick wall blocks the shot and on the other side of door, she has vanished. This moment is complemented by building unsettling music and the still suspenseful frame of the empty doorway afterwards. I believe the use of movement here masks the transition making the disappearance a shock factor for the audience, however the increase and decrease of the typical thriller score keeps the anticipation of something bad coming. I would like to incorporate the same unforeseen disappearance like in this scene.
Stranger Things, disappearance
Although this video is long, fast forwarding to the last minute where he enters the shack, the Netflix series 'Stranger Things' opening episode her presents a mesmerising disappearance. They successfully build the tension with the music beginning with only background diegetic noises, however the repeated close up shot of the door here creates tension, as we except something to come through the door. The director then cleverly depicts the true threat, out of focus in the background before building the intensity with the monsters snarl, the harsh lighting and the score before completely stripping everything back to a silent wide shot of the now empty shed. This creates an enticing and eerie moment. I think we could recreate this with the repeated use of a close up shot of the characters feet and the paddle board as the water washes over the camera, suggesting that something sinister is about to occur, like this scene does. Also we could use focus pulling as a means of heightening uncertainty and suspense for the audience.
. Fade into wide, aerial shot of road. a beat of silence except for the natural sounds before a car moves across the shot from left to right blasting music.
· mid shot from the cars windshield of the two characters (one male one female) listening to music and 'jamming out'.
· Shot reverse shot from the back seat of dialogue between the characters.
· Shot reverse shot of low angle mid shot from characters lap framing other character.
· Wide shot of the car pulling up next to the lake. the characters get out and start taking paddle boards out of the boot, leaning them up against the car. one of them get.
· close up of wheel as we see through focus pull characters walking towards the lake taking off clothes.
· hand held shot of boy walking toward lake looking at girl dragging paddle board
· hand held shot of girl walking towards lake taking of top revealing wetsuit
· wide shot framing car, girl staring at lake, boy getting ready and the lake (possibly level with the water at the other side of the lake)
· Mid shot, of back of their heads begins with lake out of focus. girl gets stuck taking of jumper boy helps her and during this action camera focuses on the lake.
· still wide shot just above the water after a pause sees the paddle board hit the water moving across the frame, left to right
· wide shot from other side of the lake, we hear boy shout "are you coming in then?"
· Wide shot the boy takes his board and runs out into the lake.
· close up of girl a little on edge but giggles and turns back to the car.
· this shot moves into a handheld tracking shot in front of her as she walks towards the car. eerie music picks up and a little anxious she turns her head back to the lake revealing the guy still on the paddle board.
· cut from this angle to a close up behind his legs with her in the background as he say "come on then!"
· close up shot of car wheel sees her holding her head (internally what's wring with me), she then walks to back of the car and from below the car a tracking shot follows her feat to the boot of the car where we see a paddle board hit the floor.
· close up handheld of her with paddle board closing boot, as she moves paddle board back to holding it she blocks the view of him and he is gone OR mid shot handheld leaving boot locking car as she walks towards lake and in rotating shot he vanishes
· close up shot of paddle board with no feet on it and girl in the background speechless
· camera submerges into the water, fade to black
