SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

feedback

On Wednesday 3rd February, our class had a Screening, to gain feedback on our opening sequences, so that we can make changes if we agree with what is said on the feed back sheets, the sheets contained three tables, basically a tick list that each of the groups have to tick of and mark appropriately, for example of the tick list questions was asking whether the editing was appropriate to the sequence, tick if it is there, then mark in the next box M (minimum) up to E (excellence).
From the feedback that we gained, we felt that the opening sequence that we created, had got alot of good feedback, the only negative feedback that we received was a note saying that our opening sequence needs to make more sense, i feel this was inappropriate compared to their opening sequence, i feel ours holds the tension to make the audience want to watch more to gain more knowledge of what is happening.
Bradley: quite good.

Richie: its really gd.

V1pz0r: good stuff adam dude ;D ritualistic aura from an innocuous mellifluous tone and the younger female character, which is a post-gen stance of horror in a chinese horror aspect. the lothargic crux of the storyline is oblivious and bewildering! keep it up! :P

George : yeah its good, its a bit jolty between some cuts and the an was abit jumpy, bit blury on the Cu of the picture, not sure if you were going for it or not but yeah other than that its pretty good, i reli like your production company lol

ShareTheWorldWithMe: aw haha good job! i like the sound effects. 5/5 *'s

Production brief

Project name- Spirit Of Christmas

Length- Two minutes

Deadline- 22 January

Group Members and their roles- Jessica, Organizer, director, editor. Adam, camera man. Lawrence, the director. Latisha, director. (we all play mixed parts and work together)
Bried overview of content- typical family, with allot of history between the grandad and his daughter, she is a mum of two in which one died, and the grandad seeks revenge by haunting his daughter with her dead child, how does she come to a conclusion that her dad did this to her.

Target audience- 15 and over,

what comparable products have you researched? i have researched into different horror film opening sequences,

What is the rational behind this? to create a unique and interesting film that will be watched for its unique storyline, an emotional roller coaster.

How will you test whether the product is successful? question are to viewers.

How will you check that it accomplishes the intended effect?share production with the rest of the class.

What generic codes and conventions will be operating in your text? the lighting not only represents that it is night time, nightmares etc, but it suggest a dark and mysterious theme to the opening sequence.

what are the obvious messages incorporated in the text? someone setting up an object which about to enter such an innocent life, and destroy a strong family that has been through enough.

Are there any hidden messages incorporated in the text? the Shadow reflecting of the Christmas tree, casting a evil theme.

Identify any resource constraints (time, money, equipment, human resources) that might affect your production and your hopes for your product? both need to be at the same time, because of the lighting.

Evaluation

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Our opening sequence has challenged some codes and conventions and we have also followed codes and conventions. Our sequence has the order of credits in the right place meaning the director is the last name you see and so on. However the code that we did go against was we put the title of our film at the end of our opening, Some people would perceive our sequence as a trailer because of this but I believe me made the right decision because it

leaves the element of mystery till the last moments.

• How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Our sequence represents a difficult situation of family feuds were something may have happened in a family which could be something small right up to the major subject, This also has a lot to do with our film because it is of a family that no longer gets on because someone if accused of killing someone close to them. However this might not be the truth but because the person is hurting they just want to blame somebody.

• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Our distributor would be Universal Pictures because I believe our film is a very good idea and it can be even better if we had universal behind us and by looking at the reviews we have gotten from both fellow class mates and people on you tube I think our film could be successful.

• Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience for our media sequence would be aged 15 and upwards because our film isn’t gory or so heavy so that’s were it would be acceptable for the younger people but it also has a good story line so it also would appeal to the older generation, as well as people who love jumpy films.

• How did you attract/address your audience?

We attracted our audience but putting the film clip on you tube and addressing the link on facbook so everybody could go on to it and write comments and express their views on our film. We got 80 views on our clip when it was on you tube and very supporting comments one saying it was 5* film.

• What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

I have learnt many things while doing this film such as editing skills, camera skills, codes and conventions, many of these skills were due to teamwork and trying to perfect our film to make it the best of our abilities.

• Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Through out the whole course I have learnt many skills and I’ve learnt a lot about media theories, the distribution process and code and conventions. I’ve also learnt about working in a group and how to share the tasks of making a opening sequence.

We thought hard about the actors/actress, Props and locations.

The actors and actress's that we used were Jess's Dad to be the grandad and Jess's Cousin (Holly) to be the grandaughter, we thought that Holly would be good for our part because she was the right age and she was very small. She was really good and was distracted alot but she got the job done and we was all very glad with our choice to use her in our film.

The probs that we have used were Teddy's, Drawings, Barbies,

these are ther different classifications for films. our film will be a ratting of 15 because it will have disturbing images and might not be sutable for the younger children.

U,Uc- is a unrated classification that allows anyone to watch the film

PG- is a perental guidance that the film might need porental concent

12,12A- No one younger than 12 may rent or buy a 12 rated video unless ocompanied by an adult

15- No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a 15 rated video or dvd

18- no one younger than 18 may rent or buy a 18 video or dvd

R18- some films rated 18 may be restricted to some people.

Characters
We have 4 main characters in our film..Mum-who faces a rough life, just getting on with what she has left when her own dad sets her up, and makes the rest of her life a living nightmare. Dad./Grandad- jealous, psycho, and a man ready for revenge, doing what ever it takes to get his own back on his own daughter. Dead twin- hasnt even lived a life that any child/baby should live. died due to cot death, then her grandad being a psycho takes care of her, and persuades her that no one loves her, so he tells her to haunt her own family.Living Twin- living twin, with no understanding of why she hasnt got her twin sister, then gets haunted by her own sister, through jealousy and revenge.

Props
neckless.

Setting
girls bed room; the room when we first see it in the film is carm, and clean, and friendly looking; what i mean by this is that the room looks as if has been taken care of, which means the room is owned by someone who will grow to respect the world around her. front room/dinning room; this is where the old man chnages someone life forever, destroying it with their own love. this room is meant for socializing and just eating and watching tv, what ever it is known to be used for. but now the theme has changed, with a little help from how it is lit, with little light, and

Shot List

Shot 1- Long Shot - Girls bedroom - House
Shot 2- Mid Shot - Girls Bedroom - Girl looking outside window
Shot 3- Long Shot - Girls Bedroom - Girl gettinig of window seal
Shot 4- Extreme Close Up - Girls Bedroom - Girl picking up barbies
Shot 5- Long Shot - Girls Bedroom - Girl playing with Barbies
Shot 6- Close Up - Girls Bedrom - Barbie dropping
Shot 7- Long Shot - Girls Bedroom - Girl putting barbies on bed
Shot 8- Close Up - Girls Bedroom - girl walking towards teddy bear
Shot 9- Extreme Close Up - Zooms into teddy bear that the little girl picks up
Shot 10- Extreme Close Up - Zoom out of a christmas ball
Shot 11- Long Shot - Shot of christmas tree
Shot 12- Mid shot - Overlap of christmas tree and fireplace shelf
Shot 13- Over The Shoulder Shot- Grandad cutting up photo to put into locket
Shot 14- Over The Shoulder Shot- Grandad ripping up photo of his wife and daughter

We had a little problem when first filming the little girls scene and we decided to reshoot the whole scene again giving us a 2nd chance to iron out all the little mistakes we had made and to perfect the shots that we really liked, the little problems that did accure were things such as the timming on the alarm clock we wanted to be quarter to 6 but we forgot to change it. Also there were shots were you saw a tripod or someone's reflection in the mirror were the little girl was sitting.

After perfecting these shot we thought about different shots that we could add to the scene to make it look even better, so we had changes like having a low angle shot of the girl dropping the doll shes playing with and a shot behind the dolls were she pickes them off of the bed side table.

Another change we did was we took down certain pictures that were all ready in the room and we changed the playboy bed covers to somethign more simple as we thought this was inhapropriat for a little girl, we also added childish drawing that tisha drew for us .

THE FINAL STORY !

Mum has two twin girls on Christmas day, one of which dies due to cot death. The Grandad then came to the hospital to see his granddaughters, realising that one of which was dead. He took her spirit home and made her believe that her mum didn't love her and doesn't care that she was dead.

The Grandad had run away ten years ago, being accused of killing his wife, and mother-in law, police have been looking for him ever since...really he was innocent and he could predict things on what was going to happen to them(physic). And he was inconveniently out on the times of the deaths, the mum thought that he killed her mum and nan.

In the end the police found evidence that, he was innocent, so the Grandad and mum got back in contact, he was faking his stable relationship that they regained. Now her dad wants to get revenge on his daughter for making him the most hated man around! So he persuades the little girl spirit to haunt her family. The plan was to make the mum feel the hatred and the pain, he suffered for many years!(Getting his own back on her).

Five years after the death of the twin, on Christmas day, the Grandad gives the little girl,( the twin who is still alive) a music box, which inside has a locket which contains the spirit of the dead twin. The girl, wears the Locket around her neck, and really likes that particular present. However she is not aware on what lies ahead! The family at home now get teased and haunted. The Gran dad's plan works, now the family are living in torture!

The mum then realises that her dad betrayed her , by opening the locket and finding the images of her two little girls. So she then invites her father over and shares a pleading moment, saying how much she loves and misses her dead baby. This is what the spirit of the twin wanted to hear, so she then returns to where she belongs..to the light(heaven).

This is also in the opening and we really liked how the photo stands out when its being filmed and the candle also enthasizes on the ere scene.

the picture is of the grandfathers daugther her husband with the twins .

we was going to have the names pop up next to the photo .

This film still is of the scene that we filmed its a key scene in our opening sequence because it is of the grandad looking at photo's and tearing up one of his wife and daughter.

Filming Schedule

~Monday~
4th January- Grandad scene, Jess and Tisha both filmed the grandad scene were he is putting the photo into a locket and ripping up photos of his wife and daughter.

~Tuesday~
19th January-Little girl Scene, and Background sound, Me, Jess, Lawrence and Tisha all filmed the scene of the daughter in her bedroom playing with her toys. Sadly this filmshoot didnt go aswell as we hoped.

~Tuesday~
26th january-Blog work, Today we will be focusing on our blogs to keep them up to date

~Wednesday~
27th january- Filming the little girl scene, Me, Jess and Tisha, we really wanted to iron out all the minor mistakes that we made during the first film shoot of the little girl in her room. This filmshoot was successful and we got everything done

Production Logo

this is the second design of our production logo. were i have taken the first design and developed it so that it is animated which we as a group prefer

Production Logo

This is our production logo, when we came up with the name i immediately thought of a screw screwing into the name. This would look even better if it was animated but i think it would take too long and wouldn't get finished.