25 Word Pitch

"A girl is murdered and her stalker knows it was one of her friends and decides to torture them to find out which one"

Pitch Feedback

We did our pitch to our class and received feedback from them. It was said that we created a good sense of the plot and the idea was good, however music needs to be added to create more of an impact. This is something we need to consider very soon as if we struggle to find music now, it may be an issue when creating our trailer. We should also have included a clear target audience, because while it was hinted at it was not said clearly. 

Camera Workshop

We went to our local film festival during a media lesson and we went to a workshop on camera work. It was with Robert Foster, a BAFTA winning cameraman who specialises in lighting and we have learnt a lot about filming our products from him.

• Lighting is very important when filming to ensure a high quality filming and is essential in setting the mood for the scene
• Filming in the dark generally requires high budget lighting to make the scene look effective
• The lighting varies from inside to outside and both give different feeling to the shot, and this can be changed using filters
• Colour temperature is very important when creating a shot
• Lighting can be used to add and remove shadows for effect
• Camera angles are very important for setting the mood and tone of a film 
• Continuity of lighting is important and has to be the same throughout

Production Schedule

We have printed off our shooting script and rescheduled it into days and which shots will need to be shot together. We also wrote next to them what outfit the actors will be wearing. We will film the trailer over two weeks roughly, with further shots being redone after if necessary. We have not yet decided what the exact dates will be due to everyone's personal schedules.

Health and Safety

Week 1 – School

Slamming a locker – This could result in trapping someones hand in the locker, damaging school property, and it could also disrupt lessons as it is in school. We can avoid this happening by being careful when slamming the locker and if this results in the volume not being loud and effective enough, it can be turned up in necessary when editing. We will also have to turn it up during editing ad if it is too loud it will make a lot of noise which will disrupt the lessons around us. We can also avoid this by waiting until lessons are not taking place and use a locker that is as out of the way as possible, while ensuring the camera is not in the way of people who may want to pass.

Using the sixth form room – This again may disturb students who are working and the equipment could be in the way or damaged. We can stop this from happening by filming during tutor time when no lessons are on and ensuring that everyone in the room is aware we're filming and careful around the equipment.

Using a car in school car park – We will need permission to leave school and should ask a member of staff to sign paper so it is clear we are allowed to be there. In the shot we are going to slam the boot of the car, and therefore a hand could be trapped in the car boot and to stop this from happening we need to make sure the boot is shut carefully to ensure the person is not hurt and the car is not damaged. We will need permission to use the car and will make sure that the owner is present so we know they are happy with everything that is happening. Due to the shot taking place in  car park, we need to be aware of traffic around us and we will therefore have someone watching and make sure everyone is aware of the danger. There are two shots which will involve the car, one which the character is carrying books and we should make sure these are not heavy so they do not strain themselves, and the second shot features a person in the boot which is a huge health and safety issue, and the boot should be reopened as soon as possible and the person should be entirely comfortable. The weather is also an issue as the shot will be outside, as rain could damage equipment and the quality go the shot may be compromised. This can be avoided by checking the weather schedule, and also rescheduling if necessary. The person in the boot is also covered in fake blood, which they could be allergic too and will stain clothes, so we need to do a patch test and also ensure the person is okay with their clothes being used in this way.

Using a spade – The spade may be heavy so the person carrying it must be comfortable with the weight, and also aware of others around them as it will be shot in school. We will also need permission from the school as the spade could be seen as a weapon, and we should get written proof of this. We will also make sure people are aware it is for a media lesson and this will limit the people around the person filming in order to ensure other students safety.

Day 2 – Bedroom / Living Room / Cinema / Town Centre

Things on the floor in the bedroom – This may be a trip hazard so we will need to ensure everyone is aware of their surroundings and careful. We are also going to have the girls doing each others hair, and therefore hot appliances may be an issue. We can solve this by not actually turning them on and just pretending, as they could burn someone or even the things surrounding them. Laptops and phones will also be in the shot and we have to be careful about them overheating, which we can do by using them as little as possible. Pizza boxes will also be around the room to create the impression of a girly sleepover, and people may have allergies which we will have to check beforehand.

Outside bedroom – This is another shot outside and this present two large issues - neighbours and the weather. If it is raining we can use an umbrella to protect the equipment and we can check beforehand to minimise the chances of us being caught in the rain. If we choose to go ahead in the rain, we should have a dry set of clothes for the actors as they will be cold and wet. To avoid alarming neighbours, we will let them know we are filming for a media project and try to keep the noise to a minimum. 

Wine – This is also a large issue as our actors are seventeen. This will mean they are underage. To avoid breaking the law, we will not have them drink and we will also ensure they are all comfortable to be surrounded by alcohol. We could even not use real alcohol to ensure we haven't done anything illegal or to make people feel uncomfortable. Selling the wine if also an issue as it will stain, so we will stress that people should be careful. Again, there may also be noise which will disrupt the neighbours, so we will let them know beforehand.

Pushing someone – We do not want the person being pushed to actually fall and be out of control as they may be hurt, therefore we will make sure the push is staged and they both know how hard the pressure will be.

Hair pulling – Again this may hurt the actor, so we need to ensure that they are both aware how hard the hair pull will be and that they are both okay with this happening.

Knife – We are going to use a knife as a prop and this could be dangerous. We need to make sure everyone feels comfortable around this and we will ensure the person using it is responsible and will not use it as a real weapon. We can have a blunt knife to ensure safety in case the knife is dropped.

Cinema/ town centre – These shots will be outside so our first issue is the general public. We will put up signs letting people know we are filming and what we are filming for, as well as carrying smart cards as a form of ID in case we are approached. Another issue will be the brands and the businesses in the shots, and we will have to strategically set the scene in a way which doesn't include logos. We will also let businesses know we are filming beforehand to be polite and answer any questions. Another issue with filming outside is the weather which we will have to check beforehand, and there will again be food involved and we will have to make sure no one have any allergies.

Day 3 – Abandoned house

House – The house may not be stable and may have trip hazards within and therefore a check will have to take place before we take people into it. We will also have to check there is a way to get people and props into the house, and we will have to check that when ensuring it is safe. We will also need to get the owners permission and we should get this written down with any terms they want to add. As the house is abandoned, there may be no lighting so we need to make  sure we take enough lighting to make the shots effective. Other people may also approach the house as it is in the middle of no where, and therefore we need to have a responsible adult with us and tell our parents where we are. Most importantly, we need to make sure everyone is responsible within the house.

Tying people to chairs – The inability to use their hands may be a safety concern as the chair may tip and the rope may hurt their wrists and they also will not be able to use their hands for themselves. We can avoid this being an issue by making sure we have stable chairs and a flat floor and we will also untie their wrists between shots so it does not last for too long.

Rope around neck – This is also a major issue as the person could not be able to breathe, and the rope may burn them. We can do this by not actually tying the rope and be as gentle as possible. We will also make the shot as short as possible and make sure the actor is okay with this. If not, we can just show the stalker with the rope rather than the actual act.

Knife – We are going to use a knife as a prop and this could be dangerous. We need to make sure everyone feels comfortable around this and we will ensure the person using it is responsible and will not use it as a real weapon. We can have a blunt knife to ensure safety in case the knife is dropped.

Tipping over chair – The actor may be hurt or uncomfortable and the chairs could be damaged. The floor may also not be clean and this may make the actors uncomfortable. To avoid this we will film quickly and tie the actor once the chair is on the floor rather than tipping the chair back. We will also need to make sure the floor is clean to keep the shooting hygienic.

Forcing someone to drink – The person may choke during filming and therefore the person could not be too forceful and we should ensure actor is comfortable.

Stabbing someone with scissors = The person could be genuinely harmed and we therefore need to ensure the scissors are not sharp and the person using them is sensible. The shot will stop before the scissors are dangerously close.

Plier - The person could be genuinely harmed and therefore the stalker character must be sensible and the shot should be stopped before pliers are dangerously close.

Bat - The person could again be genuinely harmed so the stalker must be sensible and stop shot before the bat could actually harm the actor.

Fake blood – People in the film could be allergic to the ingredients in the blood and it could also be a slip hazard on the floor. We will need to do a patch test before putting it on people and ensure everyone is aware and sensible around the blood on the floor. The owner of the house may object to the blood on the floor and we will need to get the owners permission before putting it anywhere.

Running – The person may trip so we will need to make sure they are careful and while checking the house we will need to ensure floor is stable.

Name of my Film

We have started brainstorming ideas for the name of our film and we have decided we want it to be a girls name. We think this will be effective and it makes sense - the film is all based around a dead female. It also adds mystery as it was a girl who killed her best friend, and until you have watched the film you are unsure as to which girl is which, and who the name belongs too. 

• Amelia
• Lily - connotations of funeral flowers
• Victoria 
• Scarlett - connotations of blood and danger
• Ruby - connotations of blood and danger
• Rosie - innocent and victim sounding

Mood Board

Follow Becky's board Horror Film Mood Board on Pinterest.

Cinematography - Stanley Kubrick

First Look at Health and Safety

Problem 1: Bringing props into school

• Props may be too big to transport if you get the bus
• Some props may be against school rules
• Some things may be dangerous although not necessarily obviously dangerous (e.g. a glass bottle)
• Some things may upset or offend people around you

Problem 2: Filming in school

• Safeguarding - be careful who is in the shot
• Be sure not to disturb lessons
• Hard to control the environment e.g. noise or people in the background
• Need permission from senior team
• Reflections may be seen in the glass

Problem 3: Using children in the trailer

• Need written permission from guardian
• May need a child license if time is needed out of school
• Children may not take instructions as they are meant/ be uncooperative
• The content must be age appropriate both so the filming does not scare the child and because they may want to watch the completed product
• There are limits on how many hours they can film

Problem 4: Filming in an abandoned building

• Need to be sure who owns the building and have their permission
• Ensure it is safe to enter (structurally safe)
• Other people approaching the building while you are filming may be unsafe
• It may be illegal to enter the building
• It may not accessible for parents or emergency services if something goes wrong
• Not everyone involved may be sensible in the area

Problem 5: Filming in a town centre

• Must be careful what brands and labels are included in the shot
• Less control over the environment
• Should let owners of a company know before shooting and also people in the area

Problem 6: Travelling by bus

• Equipment is large and may be inconvenient to travel with
• Equipment may be stolen, lost or damaged

Problem 7: Atmospheric night shots

• Other people may harm you or steal the equipment
• Danger of darkness e.g. tripping, loosing items
• May disturb others or alarm others
• Shots may be compromised by the lack of lighting

Shooting Script