Research - Analysis Three (Sunset Blvd) (moved after making typing corrections)

• First title to come up is over the image of a paving slab with the title of the film written on in (sunset blvd), The title to come up however is very unconventional reading "announcing, the most unusual motion picture in many years". This entices the viewer to stay and watch the film straight away, as you want to know just why its so unusual. Note, the camera tilts down and views the slab from a high angle shot. 
• Right from the fade into the picture there is a loud orchestral schoor of quite random music which helps engage the audience. 
• The camera then zooms out and tracks the ground, at the same time all the title credits appear. 
• This goes on for quite sometime due to the amount of people in the production.
• After this a voice over begins giving the plot of the film of a man found dead in a swimming pool (common theme).
• During the tracking of the police cars there are many cuts between shots and fast pans to emphasis the speed of the reaction of the police to the murder. 

Reasearch - Analysing clips of Film Noir from YouTube (moved after making typing corrections)

We decided to more closely at the beginnings of the Film Noirs because of the task set to produce the opening two minuets. To find conventions and similarities that work I will watch five different examples picking out key points of props, Mise en scene, plot lines (if established in opening), music, voice overs, character names and voice accents.

Before however I came across a YouTube clip of a film makers guide to producing a realisiticly produced film Noir.

Production - Test shots (stills)

Pre production - Wrecky before shoot

Production - Shooting

We are shooting our film tonight from 5pm onwards, we have the props we need, however we had to go to plan 'B' on the typewritter issue. To have obtained the type writer we would have had to help another group with lighting, but since im the only one with a lighting certificate i would have had to have done it. However i already had somthing planned for the night already. Besides, obtaining the typewritter wouldnt have been available untill the wednesday, 2 days after our shoot.

Production - Shot list

Fade In

Shot 1:

Opening shot of MICHAEL walking into the room shutting the door behind him self with a whisky glass in hand. MICHAEL switches on the light. He takes off his coat hooks it onto the back of the chair in which he is about to sit. (The shot is a slight low angle situated on the table, at the edge of the camera is the edge of a whisky bottle)

Shot 2:

Shot of MICHEAL putting down his whisky, the glass slides a little across the table (medium close up of glass)

Shot 3:

MICHAEL then peers down at the work in front of him; he picks up the glass once again, drinking the remainder. (As he analyses his work he drums his fingers on the table).

The shot is a low angle looking up at the darkly lit face of MICHAEL.

Shot 4:

Michael then circles some of the points in his notes with the fountain pen. He then clenches his fist and ponders for a moment before he starts writing. As he starts writing the (VO) begins.

This sequence goes from a medium close up of the sheets of paper then tilts slowly up and focuses on the type writer (when he lightly tilts his head up to observe the blank page)

Shot 5:

After the first few words are written there is a reverse shot (extreme close-up) of MICHAEL’S eyes. You see his eyes following the words. He squints.

Shot 6:

As he squints he curls his hand into a fist (previous shot cuts to his hand (close up))

He then relaxes, takes a breath and carries on.

Shot 7: the last line of the text is written is a close up of his face

Shot 8: cut to a low angled shot of him looking at the near empty bottle of whisky. He picks both the glass and bottle up, ponders putting it in the glass, but then drops the glass and finishes it from the bottle.

Shot 9: Slam of both bottle and glass on table. (medium shot) he also stands up and grabs the phone on his desk)

Shot 10: Close up of him diling a number

Shot 11: dialogue on phone (close up of Michael speaking)

Shot 12: Slow downwards tilt revealing a dead man (medium shot) a black silhouette of a man crosses camera

Fade to black

Production - Update

Myself  and Chris have managed to retrieve the props we need for our production, the shooting schedule, health and safety form and script have all been completed, Chris is just finishing off a story board to go along with out production.