P1

Unit 17 - Learning Objective 1 - P1

P1/M1

P1 Learners produce pre-production materials for a planned original audiovisual media product

M1 The pre-production materials produced are fit for purpose and generally of a good technical standard

Your production task for this unit is to make the opening sequence

from a Surveillance Thriller (3-5 minutes in length)

A)  Surveillance thriller conventions

Task 1 - WHAT ARE THE CONVENTIONS OF THE SURVEILLANCE THRILLER SUBGENRE?

Watch a scene from three different Surveillance Thriller films and pick out the codes and conventions.

Use the films in this folder to help you, as well as any other Surveillance Thrillers you can find.

Think about elements such as:

• Narratives
• Characters
• Props
• Costumes
• Mood / atmosphere
• Colour palette
• Settings

A) Mind Map

In your production groups of 3 or 4, create ideas for your own production on A3 Paper. You should generate a separate idea for each group member, and then discuss which one is the best to take forward to production.

For the Surveillance Thriller idea that your group will make, transfer your ideas onto a MIND MAP (using Word or PowerPoint) which contains these parts:

• Characters
• Props
• Costumes
• Mood / atmosphere
• Colour palette
• Settings
• Filming locations

B) Treatment / concept - create this using either Word or Powerpoint

Using your recent mind map ensure you make your treatment/concept using the 5 W's (Who, What, When, Where, Why)

You should include:

1) OVERVIEW
- Who your main character is

- What happens in your sequence (the 'plot')

- When your opening will occur (day, night, a mixture)

- Where your opening will be shot, what locations have you gone with and why

- Why the event happens and why your opening has your chosen narrative.

2) Synopsis
A detailed description of your horror films narrative. What happens? What's the plot?

3) Medium
What type of film is it (live action, 3D animation)

4) Estimated running time
How long will your production be? How long would the whole feature film be (if you were to make the whole film)?

5) Production title
What is your production team name as well as your film title?

6) Costume, props and character list
Who are your characters? How are they meant to be perceived? What are their characteristics?

What costumes and props would you need? Where specifically will you obtain these props and costumes from?

7) Locations
Where are your chosen filming locations?
Why have you chosen each of these locations?

C) Storyboards or script

Storyboards - 24 frames (minimum)

Create a scene by scene board narrating how your opening will be shot. This is an important part to the pre-production process and will map out your whole scene shot by shot with all the necessary elements explained and why.

OR

Script - 4-5 pages (minimum)

Use Celtx.com to create an original script containing dialogue, characteristation and clear narrative description.

Whether you create storyboards or a script, your group will need to express your ideas visually and start to think about aspects such as exact camera angles, lighting, and colour palettes.

D) Shot List

Produce a shot list after working out your storyboard or script. Explain the type, duration and direction for each shot. Remember: you will not necessarily film your shots in the order they appear in your film!

Shot list sheet example

E) Shooting Schedule

A shooting schedule is your plan - quite simply: the better your shooting schedule is, the easier your shoot will be, and therefore the better your film will be! 
Shooting schedule template

This document might help you with some initial scheduling within your group (you do not need to upload this to your blog though)