Final Project - Rough Cut (50%)

Here is the rough cut of my project so far. Due to the numerous problems with filming mentioned in eariler posts and the redrafting of my trailer idea, it is sadly not fully complete with only about 50% being finished in terms of structure but less for actual footage. So for my rought cut, I have inserted extracts of my storyboards to show how missing scenes will go to give an idea of how it will look when actually filmed and blank screens with information to show that extra footage is needed for varied reasons of shooting, reshooting etc. Some features of typical trailers have been shown like the traditional credits not being at the start but after a few quick scenes as one trailer I researched did this as it allows and already dramatic scene to be shown and then the credits give it the pause it needs to change in tone, allow for a music change or not seem odd when the rest of trailer is shown afterwards. It mainly displays the "narrative" part of the trailer while the "action" shots will be played at the end to increase the suspense and pace of it, making it more memorable for the audience who view it.

Final Project - Teaser Posters Final Designs

These are the true final designs with little to no edits needed for them. Improvements from the last designs tended to be just touch ups and revamps. The tag lines where changed to suit the specific characters on the posters more and feel more like decent tag lines with also being connected like one wants to live forever while the other hates it. The main touch ups were just done to the actor photos to make them look more clear and like they belong on the poster in terms of quality by adding a little motion blur and refining the edge to remove the pixalation from being cut from other pictures. The titles got a little touch up and made more detailed before exported in so they looked clearer on the final poster.

Final Project - Monday 14th November Filming Logsheet

Final Project - Filming on Monday 14th November

Today I filmed some of the footage need for my trailer. It was the present day scene of Matt and Gabriel in the alleyway which acts as the "spine" for the trailer by acting as the narrative and allowing the other scenes to be played in between the present scenes. Overall, the filming went well with most of the scenes needed being shot and many different takes done to avoid any problems or mistakes with the footage. Me and Craig went out to the location and shot the footage ourselves with each alternating controlling the camera when the other was acting. The quality of the footage is decent and the sound is much clearer and of better quality then my other footage which is vital as the dialogue will actually be used in these particular scenes. I will be posting the raw footage soon along with the log sheet of the shots to document the filming done to show the full details of each shot and which will be used for the trailer with a description as well of why they are being used in the trailer.

Final Project Design - Final Teaser Poster Designs

These are the final teaser poster designs for my project "Blood Debt". From the look and design, they are based off the "Blade" poster I decontrusted in my research. The 3 colour scheme of red, black and white, the central character in the middle and the background of a motif that fits with the vampire genre. In the "Blade" poster, we see the constant use of red in the background which is obviously connoting the blood element which is most recognisable part of vampire films as it immediately identifies it as the vampire genre. The font for the title is also vital to this poster as itself connotes the blood element through the colour it uses and the still of font which slightly Gothic in nature, connoting the older vampire films which focused on horror but has a modern twist with the slightly faded/scratched lettering to show how its not alienating the potential audience by going down the old horror roots. The background I think though is the one of the most visually important parts as apart from the obvious connotations from the colour red, the imagery used is quite visually striking. The effect was originally a lens flare that was bright white and various different white circles but I wasn't happy with it gave so I started to experiment with the tint and burn tools. I tinted the background red and lowered the saturation to make it darker then burned around the circles from the lens flare. What it did was change the circles into almost like blood cells, floating around in the "bloody" background and adding immensely to this darker type of vampire film I want to achieve. The character in black and white though was a tough choice as whether to use them in full colour or the black and white scheme. I tried the colour first but they did not fit as they didn't look pale or have anything that would portray them as undead creatures and give a frightening presence so I tried the black and white next and it immediately fit. The stark black and white gave the connotations that the idea of being a vampire is both a gift and a curse as you can live forever but you are forced to become a pure embodiment of evil since they must feed on other's blood, their life source, to sustain their unnatural ones and for some, forced to watch as everyone you knew wither and die in around you, creating this sense of that the glamour of immortality eventually fades since they will live for so long and look human yet no matter what are forced to follow their nature and blood-lust, sustaining their life which only prolongs the anguish of watching the world change around them.

Final Project - New Storyboards

Here are the new storyboards for my revised idea for my project which is a contingency since my original idea did not go to plan due to multiple cancellations by various actors so with filming behind, the idea became too ambitious  so a new, simpler idea was needed that would create the feeling of a vampire film without being held down with the confusing plot and multiple characters that the old idea had. So in this new idea, its a lot more streamlined and less confusing. The storyboards below mainly show one particular scene that is spliced throughout the trailer, it is a present scene of the two main vampires talking about various events that have happened to them. This allows for the extra scenes similar to flashbacks to play, giving the much needed variety the last idea lacked. The street scene acts as a "spine" of sorts, holding the narrative together and allows the trialer to progress at a decent pace while breifly explaining the story and fitting in with the traditonal conventions of how trailers work.
Compared to my last idea, this feels a lot more like a trailer as it mixes the shots and sturctures it in a more organised fashion since my last idea, didnt really feel like a trailer as it was way too narrative in terms of shots and story. Trailers are more varied with different shots and action parts at the end to give it a sense of enigma from the peaks at the story so the audience want to know the rest but also excitement for the quicker paced shots of action scenes to help capture their attention.

Final Project - Current Poster Ideas

Here are the current designs for my posters for the project. The background and font are likely to be final as they fit in with the vampire style genre incredible well with the background resembling blood cells and fitting with the traditional colour scheme of black, red and white. The font as well is incredibly good as well with its slightly horror style font but not too much so that is looks cliché. It does however clash with the background so either one may need re-editing with colour or maybe brightness and contrasts tweaks to ensure its readable.

Final Project - New Idea Synopsis

For my new idea for the trailer, it revolves around two vampires. One was turned by the other after being tempted with immortality, resulting in his  first death as to become a vampire the person must drink the vampire's blood and then die (with his neck being snapped). So both characters start of as "evil" as we see scenes of them enjoying their immortality, feeding on countless victims unlike the first idea as the trailer focuses on their bond of being the same creature but retains the idea of the different views of being a vampire. Later in the trailer we see the fledging vampire meet a human whom he bonds with, something rare for vampires. He begins to spend time with her, reverting back to his more human ways while the other vampire begins to feel upset at the behaviour and also jealous for losing a "brother" so in an act of revenge, he kills the girl in an attempt to bring his "brother" back into what he is and should embrace. However, it only makes him angry resulting in a fight between them only the "good" one is easily subdued since he is a weaker vampire. The "evil" one promises to bring him back to his true nature while the other just promises to kill him one day. So we then see the "good" one spending his days looking for the "evil" vampire whilst trying to resist his vampiric nature, yet in pursuing revenge he is slowly becoming what he hates as his consumed with violence and blood-lust.

So in terms of the structure of the trailer, it will have a present day scene of the two vampires talking which acts as the "spine" of the trailer  to allow the other sequences to fit in. They will be like flashbacks as they show various scenes of their lives like feeding on countless people when both were evil then to parts where he meets the human and showing both spilt. It will end as we see a vairty of action sequences from when both fight, the "good" one goes through many different informants to try and track him down until it stops at the seen of him asking why he killed her and the "evil" one replies "to be honest... I was bored" and both lunge at each other. The title will display after this but then I will play a little clip to tease the audience further but I will not ruin that surprise just yet.

Final Project - Half Term Progress Reflection

Well the half term has passed and it didn't go to plan at all. I intended to film most of my required scenes over the holidays but naturally, there were problems. The biggest one being people cancelling on me when we had organised the days of filing in advance. It happened a lot with a certain actor where they said it would be fine that day and then only to cancel  the day before, then I would reorganise the day for another but they would cancel again. So now, I'm behind on my filming and now my idea seems really ambitious to try and finish it so I have made a tough decision.

I have decided to scrap my original plan and go for my contingency plan since I'm working on my own and rely on many other people who keep cancelling on me. It will be a lot simpler then my last plan by reducing the amount of actors to a small group instead that I know who will make the filming days. The scenes will also be much shorter which means they can fit into a trailer much easier and be a lot simpler to film as they will likely be less problems, adding more variety to the trailer that was missing in my original project idea. So while this will require a lot of work to catch up with (even though its the same genre film etc. just a different plot) as I will need to do a new synopsis for the new trailer, storyboards and any scripts for the short scenes if needed. My research on codes and conventions, trailer deconstructions still apply as I'm not changing anything but the plot and cast so it will be manageable.

I will be posting the ideas and new storyboards I have been working on shortly (when have access to a scanner) and I'll give a quick brief outline of my new trailer idea. Instead of the complex relationship between the 3 original characters, it will instead focus on two vampires instead by showing how they both used to revel in their immortality before one wrongs another, resulting in a divide between them and making one try to redeem himself for his greed of wanting to live forever as it cost him his human companion. So it still retains this idea of the different views of vampirism like as a gift or a curse but this trailer also adds another twist as he is consumed with revenge so while he intends to get revenge for her, he is actually becoming the thing he hates once again. So it adds this moral ambiguity to it more clearly then the last idea. This is jsut the basics and a fully detailed one will be uploaded shortly.