TKTKM Case Study Introduction

The Knife that Killed Me Case Study Introduction

Film genres: Thriller, Drama

Type of Production: Indie (independent feature film - low budget)

IMDb

Narrative: This film is about the struggles of an average teenage student who is torn between being friends with the school ‘freak’ Shane or the violent Roth. He gets sucked into rivalry and learns that there are social circles you belong to and ones you don’t. The narrative features peer pressure, bullying and the consequences that can occur. It involves strong themes of friendship, life and death, growing up and insecurities.

Marcus Romer's Blog
IMDb Pro
Wikipedia

Release Dates and Formats: 
Will be released around the 28^th October 2014 in the UK non-theatrically. Following the film’s multiplatform premiere, The Knife That Killed Me will be released in cinemas nationwide in selected venues in October. A major deal with Universal Pictures UK will see the film released on DVD and Video-On-Demand later.
There will be a screening at a Rome youth film festival, a Coventry literary screening (June 2014), and a charity event screening in Notting hill picture house (October 2014)

IMDb Pro
Kickstarter

Nationality: British

The film is made by Green Screen Productions (which is a company who produce their own films) in association with Pilot Theatre and Palace Pictures . It is distributed by Universal Pictures (UK) and Focus Features (US).

Gloucester Place and International Pictures provided subsidies.

The visual effects and post production was delivered by the University of York TFTV department. Students helped to edit the film.

The film was produced by Alan Latham and Thomas Mattinson (who were brought in to work with Green Screen Productions).

Everything was done with support and help from Universal Pictures.

Marcus Romer's Blog
Green Screen Productions

Production budget: £3 million
Film was also financed by Matador Pictures.

Wikipedia
Matador Pictures

It is based on the novel by Anthony McGowan, and was adapted and directed by Marcus Romer (Pilot Theatre) and Kit Monkman (KMA).

Stealth Media Group

Romer (actor, director and writer) is also known for This is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Rapper (2000) , Hillborough (1996), and Micky Love (1993). His production of ‘Lord of the Flies’ again for Pilot Theatre won several awards and ran between 1998 and 2008

Kit Monkman is a visual effects artist, director and writer. He has a reputation for working with indie films and is very experimental.

CAST INCLUDES Jack McMullen (who plays Paul Varderman the main protagonist), Reece Dinsdale, Jamie Shelton (who plays Roth), Oliver Lee (Shane), Haruka Abe (Serena)
The cast are mostly British and localised. They are not widely famous.


IMDb Pro

Core audience: British teenagers

Secondary audience: British adults, fans of the directors, fans of the franchise

Tertiary markets: Teachers, parents, fans of similar stylistic films such as Sin City and 300

Big Hero 6 Case Study

Big Hero 6 Case Study Introduction (PG)

Film genres: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy
Type of production: Disney, mainstream/blockbuster film. An event movie/high concept

IMDb

Film's narrative: Big Hero 6 is about the special bond that develops between plus-sized inflatable robot (built by Tadashi) and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes to solve the mystery behind the crime. Themes of friendship, growing up, a journey and good vs. evil present.

IMDb

Release dates and formats:

• First release is in Japan on October 23rd 2014 in the Tokyo International Film Festival.
• Then the film will have a staggered release which will be employed to increase positive word of mouth. However a staggered release may encourage piracy. Although the chance to see it in 3D will limit piracy as more people will want to see it theatrically (to enjoy a unique experience).
• Big Hero 6 will be released in the US in October in various film festivals.
• It will also be released in 2D and 3D theatrically in...

the US on November 7th 2014
JAPAN on December 20th 2014
the UK on January 30th 2015

IMDb Pro

Nationality: American, Walt Disney movie, Hollywood movie, all profits go to Disney.

Wikipedia

Institutions:
Producers - Walt Disney Studios Japan (A filmmaker-driven animation studio responsible for creating some of the most beloved films ever made, located in Burbank, Southern California), Walt Disney Pictures

Distributors - Walt Disney Studios Japan, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (in various countries), Forum Hungary

Several members of Marvel's creative team will be involved in the film's production including Joe Quesada, Marvel's chief creative officer. Marvel is a production company which has been bought out by Disney.
Disney is a vertically and horizontally integrated institution - they own all the distribution methods and production methods of their films.

Production Budget: N/A because film is still in post-production

Wikipedia
IMDb

Connections with other films: Big Hero 6 is from the creators of Frozen, Wreck It Ralph and Tangled (their animation styles are similar)

Official trailer (shown above)

Directors:
Don Hall - Writer, Animation Department, Actor (known for the Princess and the Frog and Tarzan)









Chris Williams - Writer, Animation Department, Director (known for the Emperor's New Groove, Bolt and Mulan)


IMDb Pro




Stars:
Ryan Potter (as Hiro Hamada)
Scott Adsit (as Baymax)
Jamie Chung (as Gogo Tomago) - is known for 'The Hangover' and 'Sucker Punch'

Not greatly famous cast.

Wikipedia

Core audience: Children, teenagers, fans of Disney
Secondary audience: Fans of Marvel, fans of Japanese culture, fans of the Big Hero 6 comic, fans of superhero films
Tertiary audience: Older siblings, parents, animation fans, fans of the music/bands (Fallout Boys song)

Kerrang Magazine Article

Continuity Sequence Evaluation

This is my group's own, original sequence in which we try to follow the continuity rules and create a successful narrative flow.

1. Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

I worked with (from left to right) Eddie, Thakshana and Mario.

We shared many tasks but divided others to specific individuals. We all planned the story line together, deciding to film a comedy styled sequence. We all contributed our ideas as to how we should film our shots including the framing, camera movements and most importantly what continuity techniques we needed to show off. During pre-production, Eddie drew up a rough storyboard while I wrote a shots list and any props we needed for the shoot. During the production, Eddie was the cameraman, Mario the actor, Thakshana the actress, and me the director. We edited the sequence in pairs. I worked with Thakshana and we both took turns in editing.


2. How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?








We planned our sequence by openly discussing and brainstorming ideas for our narrative and then Eddie drew up a rough storyboard so everyone could visualize and understand the sequence easier.

We also had a meeting during one lunchtime where we all decided what order our shots should be in which made our shoot on the actual day much more time efficient. For example we decided to shoot the whole sequence first as a master shot so that we can keep going back to it while editing. We also discussed our props which was just a black blazer for Mario.








Thakshana also made a final version of the script. Just to make absolute sure the shoot would go smoothly, Thakshana and Mario rehearsed their lines and Mario tried on his blazer. We tried to take into account 3 main continuity theories: match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

3. What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

We used a Canon HF G30 to film our sequence, a shot gun microphone (a fluffy grey one) to record our sound, headphones to listen to our sound to make sure it was fine and there was no background noise and a tripod for stability and height.

We used Adobe Premier to edit our sequence. Me and Thakshana watched all our video clips, selecting the final shots we wanted to use and put them all into one folder. Then we would go through each clip, marking the in and out points we wanted to use and dragged them onto the timeline below. We put the clips on alternating levels for ease of editing and in case we needed to overlap them. We used the razor tool to cut out part of the audio clip of one scene as it was too loud and distracted from the action. We had to decide when to cut each frame so all would adhere to the match on action rule.


4. What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

When planning, we had to decide which angle our master shot would be from. We also had to decide our location (a classroom), script, lighting, sound, framing, and props. When shooting we had to decide how to pan smoothly and when to start and stop panning. Although we had a shots list we changed the order in which we shot our scenes as the other group were using the media corridor while we needed it. We also had to avoid people walking in on our scenes as it was distracting from the action. While editing, we had to decide when to cut off each shot and how it would match with the next shot to create a fluid sequence so that when we edited the sequence there would be no jump cuts. While editing the conversation we had to follow the shot/reverse shot rules so that the frame switches to the person who is speaking from over the shoulder of the other person every time they open their mouth.


5. How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what could improved/do differently?

I think our sequence was very successful as we employed the match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180 degree rules (stated in the brief) successfully to achieve continuity. We also followed the narrative of the brief exactly while adding in our own comedic dialogue. We edited well to create a fluid, narrative flow. However, in hindsight, I feel that we should have shot a two shot to break up the conversation during editing.

It would have been nice to give the audience a break from all the over the shoulder shots and remind them where everything was taking place. We also could have drawn a better storyboard in order to properly visualise the narrative flow though it did not affect us much.

6. What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation, do you think?

I have learnt how to use a camera properly and how to shoot while keeping in mind and demonstrating the three main continuity rules - match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.
I think this information will be very useful if I'm ever filming a narrative sequence like a film opening in the future as I will need a combination of genre, narrative and continuity techniques to create a successful piece of coursework.
I have also learnt that shooting some extra shots such as the two-shot would be helpful as you never know if you will need them or not.

Art Of The Title Evaluation DYM

1. Summarise your film idea. Provide a brief synopsis and outline what happens in your film opening
Our film, called Teddy, is about a psychotic boy at school who believes something is constantly following him. Indeed, as the boy walks around school, an evil spirit in the form of a Teddy follows, getting closer and closer.

2. What kind of information has been included in your film opening?
Establishing shots - shots 1 3, 4, 5, and 6 are all establishing shots which lets the audience know clearly that it's a school setting. 
Abstract shots - shots 2, 4, 6 and 8 are our title shots in which you see the school setting but also a bit of the Teddy bear to create suspense.
Introductory character shots - in some shots we see the main protagonist, a boy with black his clothes and a constant cold, detached facial expression, giving the impression he may be psychotic. We see the evil teddy, getting close and closer like a stalker. It finally comes to perch on Alistair's shoulder, intending harm, whether psychologically or physically is up to the audience to decide.

3. How do the titles link the main film idea?
The titles' fonts give the audience a sense of the horror genre, which is what we intended. However we did run out of time and did not choose a suitable font. Ours looks slightly like it should belong in a comedy, similar to the well-known film 'Ted'.

4. Summarise the expected audience reaction. What should the audience be thinking by the end of your opening? Is your opening clear or ambiguous?
The audience should be disturbed by the teddy but also by the boy's slightly strange aura and depressed, cold facial expressions. They should be suspenseful of what would happen next. We created a dark atmosphere by creating a clear opening which shows the protagonist, antagonist and the storyline however the ending is ambiguous as we don't know what the teddy will do next...

5. Identify three things that you included in your grid that are important in the construction of an opening sequence and explain their role in understanding the film.
Establishing shots - to set the scene so the audience know where the rest of the action will mainly take place.
Character shots - are less important depending on what kind of genre the film is however if they are introduced, the main protagonist and antagonist should be shown.
Range of frames - to create variety, making it more interesting, but mainly to make the audience view characters in a certain way or to see certain things.
Titles - to provide important info and to establish genres as well

6. How effective is your project as a film opening? Explain your answer.
I think we have a good order and narrative flow as we introduce the Teddy slowly by eventually revealing all of its body and face in the last shot. However our film opening needs a more macabre font, ours looks like it belongs in a comedy film. This takes away from the horror atmosphere.

Accident Sequence Evaluation BLK

This is my group's video where we filmed an accident in six shots , attempting to follow the rules of continuity and use no editing to create a successful video.

Techniques we used to aid narrative flow (continuity):

We tried to use a variety of shots and frames to achieve continuity. Our first shot is a wide establishing shot which pans nicely across our setting, letting the audience know where everything is taking place. In shot 3 we employ a slight worm's eye view which allows the audience to focus on the cup and realise that something key will happen with it. Next the shot cuts away to Mario's face which is the logical order for the audience's focus to go and thus the narrative flows smoothly. The shot is a close up to show his facial expression as he sees and picks up the cup. Shot 5 is from a high angle and pans downwards to show Mario tripping up. We then cut away down to his eye level to show his frustration and disappointment at his accident. Overall we used a variation of frames and angles, cutaways, an establishing shot and a good sense of order and logic.

Things we could have done differently to aid narrative flow (continuity):

The narrative transition from shot 1 to 2 was bad. From establishing the main setting, we then jump cut to a completely different location to show the main character running in from the right. Although we knew shot 2's location was right beside shot 1's location, this jump breaks the continuity rules and narrative flow as it is too big for the audience to join together. I should have had Mario run into the frame. In shot 3 we break the match on action rule as Mario comes into the frame from nowhere. Again there is an illogical  gap making the narrative hard for the audience to understand. I should have had Mario coming in from the right instead of from behind the benches. Shot 4 does not transition well to shot 5 as it is not a matched cut. There is also disruptive laughter from the cameraman. From shot 5 to shot 6 we should have filmed it from a lower angle as a stronger difference is needed between the two frames. These are the changes I would make if I got the chance to film the accident again.

Film still analysis DYM

Lucy film still

GENRES
Action, Thriller
This is clear from the Asian men is black suits which suggests they are part of a gang/triad/mafia organisation and are involved with illegal activities. There is also a woman holding a silver case which is classically found in action films. It may contain weapons, money or substances such as drugs. The curtains in the room are closed suggesting things are going on which others should not see.

CHARACTER
The blonde woman is the main character as she is centred in the shot. She is a victim and, from her facial expression and tense sitting position, seems afraid, confused and anxious. She is the representation of the classic damsel in distress.

NARRATIVE
This woman is being interrogated or victimised in some way and may be killed. Her face is desperate and she looks like she is about to cry. She is unfortunately involved in some kind of criminal activity and this is clear from the Asian men in suits standing behind her which creates a trapped atmosphere. She cannot escape. She also looks like the only victim. She looks vulnerable in party gear, which suggests that she may be a party girl who likes to have a fun but more importantly that this situation was unexpected. She clings onto a briefcase which creates suspense and hooks the audience in. Perhaps she has some sort of control. Perhaps the faceless opponent she is looking at wants the briefcase.

Practical Still Image Reflections BLK

Still image of Serena

1. In this shot, a girl is lying on the floor, dead.

2. We twisted Serena's arm into a strange position to make it look broken, connoting some kind of struggle/violence before death. Death is connoted through her closed eyes and her pose (fallen on the floor) as this position is typically associated with death in films. She is also alone in a corner on a carpet which suggests that her death is not natural. The scene isn't that of a typical death setting such as a funeral. Instead her surroundings are slightly anonymous.

3. We shot this at Serena's eye level so that the audience would be able to see her facial features to know she has died. We positioned her centrally in the frame so that the audience focuses on her and knows she is a main character. We also had her wear black clothes as it is the colour linked with death. We also chose plain surroundings so as not to distract the audience's eyes from Serena.

4. The angle at which the light was coming from lit the photo nicely, showing her face more clearly. The focus of the shot was perfect, as it focuses on Serena more than the carpet which takes up a lot of the frame.

5. If we were to shoot this photo again I would change the exposure on the camera to darken the lighting and create a more macabre and horror-like atmosphere. There is too much light which doesn't leave much room for mystery and the feeling of the unknown which is typically present in horror films. I would also ask Serena to make a more disturbed face because she seems like she is sleeping peacefully rather than having just died.

Film opening analysis DYM

Easy A whole movie (just watch the opening)

Film: Easy A
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Setting: High School in California, summertime
Time scale: roughly 2 months

10 min opening sequence narrative: The films opens by showing the high school setting in one, continuous shot with Olive - the main character – narrating. She needs to tells us her side of the story on how everything went wrong.  

Do the events link to each other or are they distinct, unconnected events?

The events do link to each other well however there are cuts from the past, which shows her school life, to the future, where Olive is recording her side of the story on camera. As she narrates, the frame switches back to how it all started in the beginning.

Which characters are introduced and what are their roles in the film? How do we find this information out?

First we are introduced to Olive's best friend, Rhiannon who Olive has always felt inferior to because Rhiannon is not a virgin. We see them walking together and talking about boys as close friends typically do. From this the audience knows that the film is a typical high school drama chick flick. Mr Griffith is Olive’s favourite teacher however it is implied that Olive makes a lot of trouble later on creating doubt as to whether she is still his favourite student. This creates suspense and leaves the audience wanting to know more as Olive does not reveal everything yet. Maryann is a preppy, blonde, popular girl who is obsessed with God and religion and dislikes Olive because she overheard Olive telling her white lie of losing her virginity in the toilet. We know they don’t get along as Maryann calls Olive and Rhiannon 'whores' to their faces.

How much story information is revealed and how is it revealed to the audience?

Olive told a white lie of losing her virginity which spreads like wildfire around the school changing her image to that of a 'slut'. This is revealed by the fast forwarding effect of the camera frame to show everyone around school passing on gossip about Olive. It is filmed in one shot to not only create a narrative flow but also to create the feeling of the gossip traveling a long distance all over school.