Our film, entitled Freedom is an action film. The action genre is one of the most popular types of films and it is certainly the most popular genre of film for men. Over the years there has been many classic action films such as the James Bond series, The Dark Knight (2008), Saving Private Ryan (1998) and many more.
The film has elements from many other classic action films which will make Freedom a sure hit. It has a mafia element and also a robotic part to it and both of these subjects have already had proven box office success in the past. The film also has unique elements to it by coupling the surreal with the everyday, by giving a robot arm to an everyday human being. There are many main themes running throughout the film like: friendship, hatred, jealousy, anger, violence and retribution.
The film starts with the main character being attacked by something/someone jumping out at him from the trees. When he wakes up he realises that an organisation have cut off his arm and replaced it with a robotic arm. He doesn’t know why this has happened but later finds out that the arm possesses incredible abilities of strength and the ability to change into many different things. He then finds out that the army were the ones who transformed his arm and seeks to find out why. The reason he gets is that they wanted to use him as some kind of super weapon to combat America’s enemies. After finding out that the arm cannot be changed he is desperate to get back home to see his wife and kids.
He knows that the army have restricted his movements so he can’t escape so he decides to drown his sorrows in a bar. He meets a man, called Hector, who says he can help our main character A. In the meantime the mafia had found out about A’s arm and wanted to harness its power for their personal use. The mafia discover A in the bar and wait for him outside where they shoot at him but his arm changes into a shield and A emerges unhurt. He is captured eventually by the mafia and speaks to the mafia boss Don Devici. Devici and A agree on a trade whereby A gives the Don his arm and the mafia help him escape to his family. This plan doesn’t come to fruition as A never goes back to see the mafia and instead calls at Hectors house to see if Hector can help him like he said he could. Hector offers him a room for the night but when he wakes up A finds the house surrounded by the army and the mafia. A three-way battle ensues between Don Devici, A and Lt Kenneth (a representative from the army). The fight is spectacular and during the fight Kenneth reveals the reason they chose A is because from an early age he has had the ability to harness nano technology. Kenneth then brutally kills Don Devici leaving him free to get A. However just as Kenneth makes his move A is recued by Hector who has stole a boat from the lake. They escape together and disappear into the distance leaving Lt Kenneth stranded by the side of the lake.
This ending leaves the film available for a sequel and would make the audience quite excited about what is to come in the future. If any director could be chosen to direct this film it would be Ridley Scott. The reason I chose him is based on his previous work. The film Gladiator (2000) has many awe inspiring fight scenes which would defiantly benefit Freedom. Another Ridley Scott film that I think would help Freedom is American Gangster (2007). The mafia scenes in this film are excellent and if this could be incorporated into ‘Freedom’ it would defiantly improve the film. Due to the broadness of the action genre I don’t feel a specific release date is required for this film as I think it will be a hit all year round.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Shooting Schedule
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This are our shooting schedule. Before we went out to film each day we would look at our shooting schedule so we knew what we were supposed to be filming that day and where we would need to go to film it. Without this schedule we would not have had an idea of what we needed to do before we went out to film so they have saved us huge amounts of time which we spent filming and generally improving our trailer. Shooting schedules are used by production companies so they know what resources are needed at a certain time in a certain place. They can also be used to plan finances as making a film is a very expensive process so they can't afford to waste money and by having a shooting schedule they will have a better idea of where their resources are.
This are our shooting schedule. Before we went out to film each day we would look at our shooting schedule so we knew what we were supposed to be filming that day and where we would need to go to film it. Without this schedule we would not have had an idea of what we needed to do before we went out to film so they have saved us huge amounts of time which we spent filming and generally improving our trailer. Shooting schedules are used by production companies so they know what resources are needed at a certain time in a certain place. They can also be used to plan finances as making a film is a very expensive process so they can't afford to waste money and by having a shooting schedule they will have a better idea of where their resources are.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Technical Limitations and how we overcame them.
We came across many technical limitations during the filming and editing process but we still produced high quality footage. Firstly we had to make sure that the camera has sound because in the past we have filmed things and came to upload them to the computer and the clips have no sound. To combat this we just filmed a few seconds of action and then listened back to it to ensure it had sound present before going out to film. On most of the shots we wanted to make sure the camera was steady so we used a tripod, however sometimes the tripod wasn't level so once again we made sure the tripod was level before filming. Special effects are used in almost every action blockbuster but we didn't have the capability to use such technology. Instead we decided to physically make the arm see like a bionic arm. We did this by buying a part to a costume from a supermarket which when attached to A's arm looked like a metal arm. This prop fitted the bill aesthetically but we still had to make sure that when we were filming that no flesh could be seen as the audience will expect the arm to look like a bionic arm. In combination with the plastic arm we purchased, we experimented on the Adobe Photoshop computer program and printed off a piece of paper that was of flesh colour in the background but had metal strands towards the end which was to signify the metal arm meeting the original arm. That was wrapped around A's arm and the plastic arm was placed on top of the paper. Overall I think that the props were successful and the audience wouldn't be disappointed with the arms appearance.
Detailed Treatment
Our film trailer begins with a mid shot of the main character A running down a forest trail towards the camera. The next shot is a close up of his feet as he runs past the camera. This shot is intended to emphasise the fact that there is some kind of chase element involved as by showing solely the feet makes people think that A is being followed and creates an air of tension to the scene. At this point the audience will be expecting something to happen to the person running due to the build up in tension. We then cut to a shot in the original camera position and we see someone jump out from behind a tree and grab A. As soon as the man from behind the tree makes contact with A the non diegetic music starts in the background, at first the music is contrapuntal as the music is loud and heavy but the action is slow. The music starts, as our production cards appear on screen for a few seconds. We then experience a shot from within a car looking out the front window. During this shot there is a voice over describing his life while he was still a police officer which will make the audience like this character as he is clearly a normal policeman. It is filmed while the car is moving and tree tops can be seen out of the window signifying that minor events have passed by, almost in a stream of consciousness showing the audience a change in scene and time has occurred. This will be effective hear as the next shot is A kissing his wife in a corridor set while he was still a police officer. The shot is a mid shot and it shows him walking away signifying him leaving his family life behind, although he does not know it at the time. It then fades to another shot looking out of the car window with a second voice over which says "But one day that all changed". That gives the audience and idea that life will not be the same for our main character but it doesn't give too much away about the films plot.
Then a short fade leads into an establishing shot with a brief pan of a building and in terms of mise-en-scene, there is an air of mystery because of the high fence that surrounds the building as if it has something to hide. This shot serves the purpose of introducing a new scene and it also has a non diegetic voice over in which a gruff sounding American accent says "Keep him alive!" which straight away leaves the audience wondering, who do they want to keep alive? which, once again should make the audience want to watch the film. They should also notice that the voice is not the same voice as was in the car earlier raising more suspicions. The same voice says another sentence to further enhance the audiences desire to watch more.
The next shot is a close up of what clearly is an arm, but it's metal. This straight away is meant to inform the audience of what the last voice over may have been about. It also confirms to the audience that this is an action film because technology applied to humans is a trait in many action films in the past such as Robocop (1987) and Ironman (2008). The fact that in the shot the character is pulling a sleeve over the arm indicates that he is trying to cover it up suggesting that it wasn't his idea to have the arm or it wasn't done with his permission making the plot seem secretive.
A long fade into the next shot signifies a change in time so we know the next shot has moved on in time from the last one. The shot we see is an over the shoulder shot looking at Don Devici sat at a desk. The purpose of that shot is to show that Don and A are in a meeting but at that point the audience don't know what the meeting is about. The viewer will see the blue hooded top of the character in the foreground and might make the connection between that and the sleeve being pulled down over the metal arm as that was blue also. This serves the purpose of being able to move the plot on without having to explain to the audience that the man in blue sat at the table is the man with the metal arm. The non diegetic music quietens while the conversation takes place so we can hear what's being said. Don sat at the desk is seen wearing a suit which connotes power and being in control. Don also appears bigger than A which shows dominance and being in a position of power. The diegetic speech from Don is "Your freedom for your arm". This suggests that A is being held captive by the man in the suit which reaffirms his position of power. It is our final clue that the man in blue is the man who has the metal arm and it also shows that the arm is in demand from a number of sources. It leaves the audience wondering why so many people want the arm making them believe that the arm must have some powers or the ability to do something different. We then fade to another over the shoulder shot looking at our main character and for the first time we see the man in the hood's face and at that moment the audience will realise that the man in the hood is the man we saw kissing his girlfriend earlier in the trailer. It also confirms that the voice over in the car at the start was indeed the same person with the metal arm when A says "Deal". It also raises question that if our main character is agreeing to help the mafia then maybe he isn't your typical action hero as normal heros don't usual agree with the 'bad guys'.
The next shot is a mid shot of Don sat in the same place as in the last shot showing that he hasn't moved. We also presume that A has left, as, during the last scene he was just walking away from the meeting. The music goes silent to show the importance of what is about to be said. Don then says "you know what I want boys". This shows that he has some men who he controls and can tell them what to do showing further his high status. Then it cuts to a close up of Don's mouth saying "I want him dead". This shot puts the emphasis on what Don is saying so the audience know it it something important.
Then rock music starts in the background which contrapuntally coincides with the start of a few fighting scenes. The first of the fight scenes begins with a high angle shot looking down a staircase at A fighting with Lt Kenneth. The Lt is dressed in an army uniform which connotes power and authority. The fact that A is fighting with him show further that he is rebelling against all signs of authority. We know it's A fighting as he is wearing his distinguishing blue hooded jacket. The next shot is a long shot of A running into a fight with two people in military dress before fleeing the scene. The fact that A ran into the fight suggests that they are chasing him and he has had to fight with them to get past them to escape, also with him running off it shows that there will be more fights and more people trying to kill him. Then there is a mid shot of Hector talking to A. Hector sounds like he is pleading with A to listen to him and A respond by saying "I guess I have no choice". By saying this it shows that our hero has no choice as he has run out of options. These shots are connected by fast cuts to complement the action which is a convention of action films. Hector is a character that would be described as a 'helper' if you apply Propp's theory.
The next scene starts enters with a fast cut to tie in with the action. The shot is a long shot of A and Lt Kenneth fighting again halfway through the fight shot we cut to a shot of the same fight but from a high angle position. This is to show that in the entirety of the film this is only a small incident giving the audience a clue that the film will contain a lot of action.
A slow cut then moves to a slow pan in id shot where the arm becomes an extreme close up to show how important the arm is in the film. The next scene is a long shot of A stood in the same position as the last shot but this time a laser beam is shot out from the arm. As the laser beam comes out the arm a non diegetic sound eminates in the background. This sound has become a universal sound for lasers in the action film genre. The fact that we show in the trailer that the arm has powers such as shooting lasers will appeal to a large number of the action genre's fans.
Then a short fade leads into an establishing shot with a brief pan of a building and in terms of mise-en-scene, there is an air of mystery because of the high fence that surrounds the building as if it has something to hide. This shot serves the purpose of introducing a new scene and it also has a non diegetic voice over in which a gruff sounding American accent says "Keep him alive!" which straight away leaves the audience wondering, who do they want to keep alive? which, once again should make the audience want to watch the film. They should also notice that the voice is not the same voice as was in the car earlier raising more suspicions. The same voice says another sentence to further enhance the audiences desire to watch more.
The next shot is a close up of what clearly is an arm, but it's metal. This straight away is meant to inform the audience of what the last voice over may have been about. It also confirms to the audience that this is an action film because technology applied to humans is a trait in many action films in the past such as Robocop (1987) and Ironman (2008). The fact that in the shot the character is pulling a sleeve over the arm indicates that he is trying to cover it up suggesting that it wasn't his idea to have the arm or it wasn't done with his permission making the plot seem secretive.
A long fade into the next shot signifies a change in time so we know the next shot has moved on in time from the last one. The shot we see is an over the shoulder shot looking at Don Devici sat at a desk. The purpose of that shot is to show that Don and A are in a meeting but at that point the audience don't know what the meeting is about. The viewer will see the blue hooded top of the character in the foreground and might make the connection between that and the sleeve being pulled down over the metal arm as that was blue also. This serves the purpose of being able to move the plot on without having to explain to the audience that the man in blue sat at the table is the man with the metal arm. The non diegetic music quietens while the conversation takes place so we can hear what's being said. Don sat at the desk is seen wearing a suit which connotes power and being in control. Don also appears bigger than A which shows dominance and being in a position of power. The diegetic speech from Don is "Your freedom for your arm". This suggests that A is being held captive by the man in the suit which reaffirms his position of power. It is our final clue that the man in blue is the man who has the metal arm and it also shows that the arm is in demand from a number of sources. It leaves the audience wondering why so many people want the arm making them believe that the arm must have some powers or the ability to do something different. We then fade to another over the shoulder shot looking at our main character and for the first time we see the man in the hood's face and at that moment the audience will realise that the man in the hood is the man we saw kissing his girlfriend earlier in the trailer. It also confirms that the voice over in the car at the start was indeed the same person with the metal arm when A says "Deal". It also raises question that if our main character is agreeing to help the mafia then maybe he isn't your typical action hero as normal heros don't usual agree with the 'bad guys'.
The next shot is a mid shot of Don sat in the same place as in the last shot showing that he hasn't moved. We also presume that A has left, as, during the last scene he was just walking away from the meeting. The music goes silent to show the importance of what is about to be said. Don then says "you know what I want boys". This shows that he has some men who he controls and can tell them what to do showing further his high status. Then it cuts to a close up of Don's mouth saying "I want him dead". This shot puts the emphasis on what Don is saying so the audience know it it something important.
Then rock music starts in the background which contrapuntally coincides with the start of a few fighting scenes. The first of the fight scenes begins with a high angle shot looking down a staircase at A fighting with Lt Kenneth. The Lt is dressed in an army uniform which connotes power and authority. The fact that A is fighting with him show further that he is rebelling against all signs of authority. We know it's A fighting as he is wearing his distinguishing blue hooded jacket. The next shot is a long shot of A running into a fight with two people in military dress before fleeing the scene. The fact that A ran into the fight suggests that they are chasing him and he has had to fight with them to get past them to escape, also with him running off it shows that there will be more fights and more people trying to kill him. Then there is a mid shot of Hector talking to A. Hector sounds like he is pleading with A to listen to him and A respond by saying "I guess I have no choice". By saying this it shows that our hero has no choice as he has run out of options. These shots are connected by fast cuts to complement the action which is a convention of action films. Hector is a character that would be described as a 'helper' if you apply Propp's theory.
The next scene starts enters with a fast cut to tie in with the action. The shot is a long shot of A and Lt Kenneth fighting again halfway through the fight shot we cut to a shot of the same fight but from a high angle position. This is to show that in the entirety of the film this is only a small incident giving the audience a clue that the film will contain a lot of action.
A slow cut then moves to a slow pan in id shot where the arm becomes an extreme close up to show how important the arm is in the film. The next scene is a long shot of A stood in the same position as the last shot but this time a laser beam is shot out from the arm. As the laser beam comes out the arm a non diegetic sound eminates in the background. This sound has become a universal sound for lasers in the action film genre. The fact that we show in the trailer that the arm has powers such as shooting lasers will appeal to a large number of the action genre's fans.
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