Pictures from Sandbay

Props and Costumes

Props

• Fake Blood - This is for Evelyn at the end of the sequence, although we won't show violence in the actual sequence, the fake blood will help to create the idea that her death was horrific, violent and gruesome
• Logs/Blankets - We'll use either logs or blankets for the group to sit around the fire
• Fake Knife/Weapon - This is for the killer to use on the shot where they walk up to Evelyn as she crawls away
• Cans/Plastic Cups - For the group to use in order to create the effects of a typical teenage party
• Cameras (x3) - These will be used by the group 
• Guitar - Evelyn uses this at the beginning of the sequence, but later gives this to an unnamed character in the background of a shot, so it doesn't seem obvious that she's walked away from the group
• Speakers - To play music in the background of the party, like the plastic cups and cans this creates the idea of a typical teenage party

On the day we'll also have to bring something in order to make the fire, although these things won't be shown in the actual sequence

Costumes

The main characters and the extras in the background will all be wearing casual, everyday clothing such as T-shirts, jeans, shorts, etc. These costumes have the connotations that the group are just typical teenagers, and by wearing similar types of clothing each it makes sure that none of them stand out to a degree that they no longer look like they belong as part of the group. By making them look average, it makes the plot more realistic, creating the impression that their situation could happen to anyone, including the average audience member.

Title Sequence

As mentioned in my analysis of the title sequence of Cirque du Freak, the point of a title sequence is to introduce elements of the plot, show the genre and to tell the audience the above the line and below the line talent in the film. It also sets the mood, tone and pace for the rest of the film, as does the opening sequence. A good title sequence needs to be relevant to the film, and visually engaging enough that the audience want to watch the film.

For our title sequence we wanted to create the idea of a police investigation into the death of the character 'Evelyn' in the opening sequence. We decided that our title sequence would play separately at the end of the opening sequence, creating an graphic match of the last shot in the opening sequence of a dead body on the floor of the woods, fading into the same picture of the body on the backing of a police investigation file. We then decided the rest of the cast and characters would be shown as suspects, their pictures showing up as though they were in a line up with their names appearing underneath. This relates to the film as throughout the characters are trying to find out who the killer is, and the idea of a police investigation matches this. 

By using http://www.dafont.com to find a wider variety of fonts, I looked for one that would be best suited for our film that I could use in our title sequence. As our film is a thriller, and we wanted the idea of an investigation I looked at font that looked fairly blotchy and like it was from a typewriter as I felt that it matched the theme of our sequence, matching the idea of the police case files and at the same time looked official.

The Script

EXT. SANDBAY. PRESENT DAY. EVENING.

Group of 10 17-year-old college students are on the beach filming for a project. Casual clothing.

All sitting round the campfire with Evelyn playing guitar. Rest of the group drinking, chatting and messing around with cameras.

Amber gets up and stumbles into the woods. Looks drunk and annoyed/upset. In background Evelyn subtle hands over guitar to person next to her.

EXT. WOODS. PRESENT DAY. EVENING

Amber stops in the woods. Looking paranoid that someone's following her. Looks around scared. Rustling leaves. Amber turns around and Evelyn is standing behind. Amber rolls her eyes and sighs, turning back round. The camera is in Evelyn's hand but they don't realise it's recording.

Evelyn:

What are you doing?

Amber:

Fuck off.

Evelyn:

Are you drunk?

Amber:

(shouts) I swear to drunk I'm not god!

Evelyn:

Come on, we're going back

Looks around. Birds flying away. Takes Amber's arm and starts walking back in the direction of the campfire

Screams and pulls away. Evelyn falls over.

Amber:

No! I can go myself.

Amber leaves. Evelyn stands up and brushes herself off. Leaves rustling and wind noises.

Evelyn:

(Screams) AMBER!

Hand reaches out and grabs Evelyn's shoulder. Camera falls from her grip.

Shot back to the campfire like before. Then shot back to woods with Evelyn being strangled. Shot back to the campfire. Shot back to woods and Evelyn elbows the killer, falls, then tries to crawls away, whimpering. Killer pulls out knife and walks towards Eve. Shot back to the campfire and amber rejoins the group. Shot back to woods. Body is on the with blood in mouth. Camera on the floor, killer walking towards it. Pulls it up and films the body.

ENTER TITLE SEQUENCE.

Opening Sequence Outline

The beginning of our opening sequence starts with the four idents of each of the group appear in the close up of the flames of a burning fire, which is then followed by the a shot of one of our main characters Amber staring into the flames from a distance, looking upset but also giving signs that she is fairly drunk. Then there are various shots of a group of teenagers sat and stood around a campfire on a beach, several of them messing around with cameras and one character, Evelyn is sat playing a guitar. Amber then gets up and walks into the nearby woods, and in the background Evelyn subtly passes the guitar to the person next to her and picks up one of the cameras. While walking deeper into the woods Amber starts to panic as she hears the rustling of leaves only to be surprised as Evelyn appears, arguing with Amber and trying to get her to go back to the group. After trying to grab her Evelyn drops the camera is pushed to the floor by Amber, who stumbles away to the group. There are then shots and music to create unease and paranoia as Evelyn is suddenly grabbed from behind. The shots then jump back to the group continuing with the party, giving the impression that no one can hear the struggle. The shot then goes back to the woods where Evelyn elbows the killer, whose arm is wrapped around her before letting go. Evelyn then falls to the ground and crawls away as the killer pulls out a knife and walks towards Evelyn. The shot then goes back to the beach where Amber rejoins the group before going to the final part where the killer picks up the camera on the floor and films Evelyn's body, which is lying face up on the ground with blood around her mouth, implying a horrific and gruesome death. This shot of her body then leads into the title sequence, where there is a picture of the body on a board to create the effect of a police investigation, while the title 'Vendetta' appears on the screen.

The Structure of our Film

Looking at the plot of our film and other films of the thriller genre, we can apply the three act structure to help make our idea clear and concise.

ACT ONE

Act One introduces a group of friends and the modern day setting. Sat on a beach by a campfire in the evening, the teenagers are filming for a college project week. One of the friends leaves the group, wandering off into the woods and soon followed by another friend. After an argument the first friend leaves, leaving the second friend alone. The second friend is then brutally murdered and attacked, showing the significant event that leads the film into Act Two.

ACT TWO

In Act Two, the first friend is initially blamed for the murder, but gradually as they go about their daily lives each of the friends begin to be picked off one by one, facing brutal and gruesome deaths similar to the first, the first friend is believed to be innocent. It's then that the remaining friends go on a search for the killer before they are all killed. Looking at the clues and evidence, they blame an loner they once excluded from their group and with only two of the friends remaining, they search the house for the camera the killer stole, looking at the footage of their friends deaths. Before they can leave, the killer returns.

ACT THREE

After a struggle one of the friends is killed and the loner severely injured and bitter of the betrayal of the group for excluding them and leaving them alone. The first friend grabs the camera and runs to the police, but as the police return they find the loner has committed suicide, leaving a bloodied note on the wall 'I'll find you in the afterlife'.

The first friend leaves the house and police, realising they are the last one standing.

The Structure of a Film

THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE

Most films have a specific structure that they follow which helps to form the way the story is told. Films can be structured into three different 'Acts'.

Act One introduces the characters and sets up the story/plot of the film. Something significant needs to happen at the end of Act One in order to change the course of the story.

Act Two is the main body of the story. It explores the significant event at the end of Act One and shows how the characters are affected by this event and the possible outcomes they face. At the end of this act another significant event should occur in order to resolve the plot of the film.

Act Three resolves the story and tells us the outcome, ensuring that the audience is left with an understanding of what the film is about, tying up the loose ends of the plot into one conclusion.

ZOMBIELAND

Zombieland - IMDb

Zombieland is a comedy/horror/thriller about a student trying to reach his family in Ohio whilst surviving the Zombie apocalypse. On his way he meets a tough guy and a pair of sisters and forms an alliance in order to survive. 

In Act One of Zombieland we are introduced to the main character, Columbus. We are also given background knowledge on the cause of the Zombie Apocalypse, a mutated disease that spread to the human population. He then meets Tallahassee, a seemingly tough guy with a weird obsession to find the last Twinkie. The pair are then introduce to two sisters and together they form an unlikely alliance. 

Upon finding out that Ohio has been destroyed and his family are most likely dead, Columbus reluctantly decides to join the others on their journey to California. This is the significant event that brings the film into Act Two, as the group now have a specific task to achieve.

Act Two follows the journey of the group on their way to California, where the sisters are travelling to find an amusement park, an area that is supposedly free from zombies. After a series of events the eldest sister, Wichita, becomes attracted to Columbus and leaves with her sister in fear of attachment. 

The sisters reach the amusement park, turning on all the lights and attracting nearby zombies. At the same time Columbus convinces Tallahassee to go after the girls and save them. 

Act Three shows Columbus and Tallahassee luring the zombies away from the sister, who are trapped on a ride. Successfully killing the zombies and saving the girls Wichita (Who is revealed to actually be called Krista) kisses Columbus and the youngest sister, Little Rock, hands Tallahassee a Twinkie. The group then leaves together.

THE OTHERS

The Others - IMDb

The Others is a drama/horror/mystery/thriller about a woman who lives in an old house with her two children who become convinced that their family home is haunted.

In Act One we are introduced to Grace and her two photosensitive children Anne and Nicholas, who live together in the country in the immediate aftermath of World War 2. After their previous servants leave without a trace she employs three new servants, teaching them the strict rules that must be followed to ensure her children's safety.

Act Two shows a series of odd events, such as a door slamming and the piano being played in an empty locked room which makes Grace fear that they are not alone. Anne, believing the intruders are a family of ghosts, is scolded by her mother for scaring her brother and is punished. Grace finds a 'book of the dead' which shows mourning portraits from the 19th century, and convinced something unholy is in the house she ventures out in the fog to find the local vicar to bless the house. Outside she discovers her husband Charles, who she believed had died in the war and takes him back to the house.
Grace later attacks Anne, believing she has been possessed. Anne then tells her father, who after an argument with Grace leaves the house.

In Act Three Nicholas and Anne leave the house in search of their father, and stumble across the hidden graves of the three servants who follow them back to the house. At the same time Grace finds the book of the dead, finding the servants inside she runs to protect her children, threatening the servants with a shotgun.

Running upstairs they find the elderly woman frequently seen by Anne who is acting as a medium in a seance. The woman declares that Anne and Nicholas were killed by their mother and that they are in fact the ghosts. Grace breaks down, remembering her outburst of psychosis, smothering her children after going insane, then out of guilt killing herself.

Making peace with the servants, Grace and her family look onwards as the family living in the house leave, before declaring that the house is theres.