Preparation - Script

After watching the animatic through a few times, we realised that some sections of the script weren't working so we redrafted some sections to flow more easily and to be more in line with what we felt the characters would actually say:

Random Student (1): Woah, have you seen this?

Random student 2: Mr. Burkenstein?!

Teacher: Who is this Anonymous X??

Shot of newspaper, and Mr. Luke blogging

Photographer and blogger meet up

Photographer:  I need to ask you a favour.

Luke: I’m all ears

Photographer: I’m in some bad stuff. They’ve taken Jess, find her(.)Please.

Luke: I’m in, but I have one condition.

News

Reporter: A main suspect has emerged in the case of missing school girl Jessica Pattinson. Photographer Joe McNeale is asked to come forward. If seen please contact police immediately.

*Michael shocked face*

Back to Luke and Michael talking

Photographer: Anything.

Luke: He goes by Manovich. He’s on the outside. A loner. But he’s the best we’ve got.

Walks into his room, sees Manovich

Luke: what are you doing?

James: Hacking into your computer

Luke: There’s no point. It’s encrypted.

James: Ha. Please…

Luke: Will you work with me?

James: no.

Laptop in bag. Walks away

Stranger: Hey! That’s him!

‘’’’: The murderer!

‘’’’: The bag! Take it!

Crazy kung fu fight scene like The Raid

James: I’m In. what do I need to do

Montage

Michael: So who are the suspects?

Luke: Jack Cahill, meth dealer; Mr O’Brien and his right hand man Joel Smith. And of course. Anonymous Y.

Download screen, James hacking under pressure

Police: Let us in!

Distorted phone call

Jess: Stop looking for me!

Preparation - Setting Up Blogs

As part of our preparation, we had to set up the Anonymnous X and Y blogs that we show on screen during our trailer. This involved taking the necessary photos and creating blog posts that get the message across in relatively few words so that not much reading time is needed. We also created opposite colour schemes for the two blogs as they are rivals and because they do not appear long on screen and so need to be easy to distinguish very quickly.

Anonymous X

These are general posts identifying suspects and the main plot points. It is unlikely that they will be read on screen, but if the film takes off and the promotioanl campaign works, it is the kind of thing that fans pause on and try to magnify for further clues, so we wanted to give information that could all be used as part of the tease without giving the actual plot away. This is an example of hyperdiegesis - creating a storyworld that exists beyond the boundaries of the film text.

 

 

This is a key post as it actually needs to be read in the trailer as is shows the beginning of the partnership between the journalist and the hacker, shown by the hacker accessing the journalist's secret blog and promising help.

Another post that needs to make a quick impact on screen - the audience need to see quickly that it shows a teacher character doing something suspicious. This shot will also be mirrored by an action shot in the trailer.

Anonymous Y

This is a post that shows that the Anonymous Y blog is trying to discredit our journalist / writer of Anonymous X by comparing his articles to totally ridiculous conspiracy theories. Although it appears very broefly in the trailer, we needed to Photoshop the main picture to get the point across very quickly that Anonymous Y is ridiculing Anonymous X.

 

Another post that needs to work quickly on screen as we need to see why Manovich has been beaten up in a previous shot. The photo works well for instant visual appeal - Manovich could look startled or dangerous depending on your interpretation. 

Preparation for Filming - Photos for Crime Board

Here are some surveillance style shots that we took to feature on our investigation / crime board. We also needed some shots of the main female character, as if she has been observed without being aware of this. The shots were taken in colour but we felt they had more of a surveillance feel when made black and white.

Animatic

This animatic consists of photos from our post-it storyboard uploaded to Final Cut Express and cut to approximate the length of the trailer. We have added a drum track and a keyboard sound effect to give a sense of the kind of trailer music we are going to create and have also added in key lines of dialogue to help with the timing of the shots. From creating this animatic we have learned that it is hard to keep shots trimmed to appropriate trailer length where there is dialogue, but we know that dialogue is important for conveying the complex narrative. We will therefore have to use a lot of L cuts, running the dialogue under at montage of action shots. Overall, we are pleased with the way this runs and think we have the makings of a good trailer.

Shot List - Filming Schedule

For filming days, we needed a shot list which arranges our proposed shots logistically by location, actor availability, business of location etc. Here is the list that we have produced to cover both of our main filming days:

Updated Storyboard Post Further Research

KEY CHANGES TO STORYBOARD BASED ON FURTHER RESEARCH

▪ A lot of shots added as not enough to carry narrative in first version
▪ Cutting between ‘running’ scenes and other scenes (Girl With Dragon Tattoo)
▪ More dialogue to be used under different shots to tie them together (Black Swan)
▪ Adding shots after what seems to be the final slide (Various)
▪ More shots included of shadowy background figures (men in coats) – (Tinker, Tailor)
▪ Use of news report to help convey plot (State of Play)
▪ More scenes of action / running / danger at end to up jeopardy and keep audience hooked (Various)
▪ Ideas for props and costumes
▪ Use of shots of files / notice boards to convey info (Girl With... / Tinker, Tailor)

Research into Magazine Cover Text - Michael

Empire Magazine 

·         “Massive Preview Special”

·         “Bloody hell, Harry comes out fighting”

·         “Oscar special!”

·         “First look at the Citizen Kane of super hero movies”

·         “Inside Michael Mann’s Gangster blockbuster”

·         “Inception, the Matrix meets 007, on steroids!”

·         “Essential 2011 preview”

·         “Inside, the bloodiest yet”

·         “Edgar Wright levels up with this one”

·         “The Epic returns”

The language used on a magazine usually consists of a masthead which tells you the name of the magazine and is located at the top of the magazine, a collection of teaser texts, which are attention-grabbing lines, located all around the front cover hinting at the different articles inside. Crossheads, normally a smaller headline which summaries the main article such as “Bloody hell, Harry comes out fighting” for a main feature about the last Harry Potter movie. Cover lines are smaller features about articles in the magazine. Also you can expect taglines such as “Number 1 movie mag in the UK “.  Further language includes offers such as “Free Poster” which are normally shown in the form of a Puff a small colourful shape with the information in it that reader’s attention is brought to immediately.

I also notice how much extreme language there is to make the reader feel special - exclusive, best, only, best ever etc