Even More Film Openings

Recently, I have been attempting to finish my film opening called 'Black Sands'. After having looked at the film opening from 'The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials' I decided to take a look at other film openings which I like and have compared 'Black Sands' to.

Firstly, I looked at the 'Kingsman' film opening. I like how in it the credits role off with the rubble of the building under fire. I also like how the camera continues to surge forwards past the film company title as if the audience are part of what is happening. Although this is nothing like my film opening it is interesting to contrast two different action films together to emphasise just how different they are.

I then compared it to 'Guardians of the Galaxy'. A similarity in both my 'Black Sands' opening and 'Guardians of the Galaxy' is that both use dull tones such as grey, blue and pale brown however the use of the bright credits introduces the comic element of the film as well as the accompanied song 'Come and get your Love'.

After that, I looked at 'Dark Shadows'. Immediately I noticed the same dull colours that are used in film openings such as 'Guardians of The Galaxy' and 'The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials', as well as my own film opening: 'Black Sands'. 'Dark Shadows' and 'Black Sands' also use simple pale titles which I think is effective as it does not attract the direct attention of the audience yet the viewer is aware of the credits being there which I think is very clever. 

Now, before I explain the similarities between 'Rush' and 'Black Sands' I would like to point out that I am not a fan of F1. When my family wanted to watch it I decided to give it a shot and was actually very impressed with the filming and the overall film in general. Again, it uses a cold tone filter but I think that is very effective and sets the scene - which is what I hope it will do for 'Black Sands'. The distant voiceover of the different radio and television presenters is effective for this film however I do not believe that it would be suitable for my film due to it's storyline. However, I am still debating whether or not to add the original voiceover I had planned at the start of my coursework or the newest one.

Now it is back to my editing software to continue with 'Black Sands'...

Further Studies Of Film Openings

If you follow my blog you will know that I am a big fan of the Maze Runner series. Recently the opening scene of the second movie, The Scorch Trials was put on YouTube (and can be seen above). 

I love the use of the mainly black and blue filter that this sequence from the film was put through. I noticed that there are a lot of horror conventions at the start of the opening. For instance the close up of the dog barking or the use of the chain fence which is brought in front of the camera making the audience feel boxed in or trapped. I also love the use of the muffled diegetic sound yet the use of the clear non-diegetic soundtrack is also very effective. 

Overall, I think this a interesting take on a film opening. It follows the traditional flashback convention however it also coexists within dream and reality. I also like the idea of the introduction to a key character (the blonde woman) so early in film because it emphasises that she will return or that she has a key part to play later in the film. I would like to think that an introduction such as this would be like the one I have planned for the character of Ruth.

Further Analysis Of Title Sequences

Recently I have been looked at film openings having now almost finished my two minute film opening 'Black Sands' and am now in the editing process. I decided to take a look at some further films which I have seen or I have heard were good and observe what opening credits they use.

Firstly I looked at the opening sequence of the film 'Crave'. I have not watched this film but whilst looking briefly at the film openings and the nine frame analysis early on in the course I watched the opening. I liked how everything seemed clockwork and animated but I am not taking any inspiration from that. I looked at the credits that were used: screenplay by, story by, produced by, director of photography, edited by and casting by...

This was interesting because my research beforehand with 'The 100' had only showed: starring, guest starring, produced by and executive producers. This therefore gave me some new options as to what I could use in my credits.

The film 'Crimson Peak' similarly had the director first before the film editor, further listing who the music was by, who did the special effects, introducing the cast and then showing the production company before the main title. I could see that this had links with 'Crave' as it seemed to portray the director early on before making its way down slowly to the cast. However, it did show the production company unlike 'Crave' and 'The 100'.

Next, I went on to look at the 2009 interpretation of the English classic 'Sherlock Holmes'. Having watched this film, I know that the credits are fast paced and I find the writing slightly hard to read even though it can be identifiable. From this I decided to use a font that would be easy to read for my target audience. 'Sherlock Holmes' uses the credits: screenplay by, executive producers, co-producer, title, cast, music produced by, music by, visual effects by and production company. In this, I liked the idea of having the screenplay and executive producers before the main title before having the cast follow after the title along with the music and other titles before finishing with the film production company.

I finally took a look at a film which I have had inspiration from for my project since the beginning: 'Moon'. In this example, the actor to portray the protagonist is shown first in the credits before the title of the film. This is then followed by the remaining cast before showing other positions such as: make-up and hair designer, editor, co-producer and director. I like these film credits because they seem simple and are easy to read.

Now it's back to my editing software to continue editing 'Black Sands'.

Pictures from the website Art of the Title

Filters and Colouring (The 100 Season 3)

As anyone who follows this blog knows, I am a massive fan of the television series 'The 100'. The trailer for Season 3 was released last month (December 2015) and, having now almost finished filming my film opening, I decided to have a look at how they have filtered the shots within the trailer.

One thing that I picked up was that the clips seem to be filtered into a dull tone with common colours such as blue, dusty gold and grey. These add a serious atmosphere and makes it also seem cold and harsh. This has inspired me to experiment with my clips to try and capture the same sort of tones in my film opening. 

Title Sequence Timeline

Having now filmed my two minute film opening 'Black Sands', I thought that I should now start looking at title sequences of some of the films that have really influenced me throughout the creative process of 'Black Sands'.

One of the biggest dystopian films and television programs that has really influenced me is 'The 100'. I'm a big fan - and have been since I saw the advert on E4 which I originally found very annoying - and something that I love about the first episode in the first season is the part when one of the main characters called Clarke Griffin breaks out of her prison cell and starts monologuing. The idea of having a monologue at the beginning is an idea that I have taken and decided to use in 'Black Sands'.

The opening starts with the introduction of Clarke in her cell drawing on the floor. It then goes on to set the scene and the monologue explains the situation of the characters. 

However, after looking at this scene, I noticed that the credits are not seen even though the clip is just over two minutes long. I therefore went on and looked at the scene straight after this one and found the credits. 

00:12	The first credits appear: ‘Starring Eliza Taylor’
00:16	‘Paige Turco’
00:20	‘Thomas McDonell’
00:24	Instead of following the pattern of a credit every four seconds, the sequence is paused to focus on Clarke asking Wells why he is on the drophsip
00:26	Another credit is shown: ’Eli Goree’
00:40	Between 00:26 and 00:40 there are no credits, making the audience focus on the 100 prisoners inside the dropship and the ship itself entering the Earth’s atmosphere
00:41	The credits restart: ‘Marie Avgeropoulos’
00:43	The credit pattern decreases to every two seconds: ‘Bob Morley’
00:45	The audience is made to focus on the Chancellor’s speech as the credits halt again
00:49	Credits return: ‘Kelly Hu’
01:00	During the eleven second gap between the credits, the audience is again meant to focus on the Chancellor’s speech and the reaction of the 100 prisoners
01:03	‘Devon Bostick’
01:06	‘With Isaiah Washington’
01:22	During the nineteen second pause of credits, the audience is supposed to focus on the people’s reaction on the Ark and take in the new perspective on the 100 prisoners being launched towards the Earth
01:35	‘Guest Starring Terry Chen’
01:44	‘Richard Harmon, Sachin Sahel, Alessandro Juliani’
01:51	Producer is credited: ’Produced by Jae Marchant’
01:54	Executive producers are credited: ‘Executive Producers Leslie Morgenstein & Gina Girolamo’
02:03	‘Executive Producer Dharat Nalluri’
02:08	‘Executive Producer Jason Rothenberg’

Dystopian Films And Film Idents

01. Maze Runner: Scorch Trials
After having escaped the Maze, the Gladers now face a new set of challenges on the open roads of a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles.

- Gotham Hill
- Temple Hill Entertainment
- 20th Century Fox


02. Mad Max: Fury Road
A woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in post apocalyptic Australia in search for homeland with the help of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper, and a drifter named Max.

- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Village Roadshow Pictures


03. Tomorrowland: A World Beyond
Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former-boy genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory

- Walt Disney Pictures


04. Interstellar
A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival

- Legendary Pictures
- Paramount Pictures
- Warner Bros. Pictures

05. V for Vendetta
In a future British tyranny, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of 'V', plots to overthrow it with the help of a young woman

- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Virtual Studios
- Silver Pictures
- VERTIGO DC Comics
- Anarchos Productions


06. The Lobster
 In a dystopian future, single people, according to laws of the City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.

- Film4


07. The Maze Runner
Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow 'runners' for a shot at escape.

- Gotham Group
- Temple Hill Entertainment
- TSG Entertainment
- 20th Century Fox


08. The Hunger Games
Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the Hunger Games, a televised competition in which two teenagers from one of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death

- Color Force
- Lionsgate


09. Watchmen
In an alternate 1985 where former superheroes exist, the murder of a colleague sends active vigilante Rorschach into his own sprawling investigation, uncovering something that could completely change the course of history as we know it.

- Legendary Pictures
- DC Comics
- Lawrence Gordon Productions
- Warner Bros Productions
- Paramount Pictures


10. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
Katniss Everdeen is District 13 after she shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta and a nation moved by courage

- Color Force
- Lionsgate

Click here for the IMDb page

'Black Sands' Script

So I finally finished my script for my film opening, 'Black Sands'.

It's taken about a month to write because I have been working slowly on my storyboard to figure out what my characters are saying. 

Here it is:

ROWENA:

I feel the grass beneath my feet, the emerald leaves quiver and the scent of summer blooms wisp across the breeze. The chattering laugh of children playing in the cool stream is close by, the sunlight catching in their hair and daisy chains hanging round their wrists and necks. 

[PAUSE]

If only.

My name is Rowena Hemlock, I’m seventeen years old and I killed my mother. She died at my hands, and I’ll never forget that. It’s been twenty-three years since the apocalypse, leaving the world in awe of a new ice age. Seventeen years of eternal winter and, throughout my life, I have never seen daylight with my own eyes. 

You wouldn’t recognise the world we live in now. It’s a ruined wasteland, plagued by disease. Plagued by the Broken, a maddening race that will one day consume the world. They were once humans…no more. Now we’re the only hope of mankind and I haven’t seen another clan in six years…

ALYS:

Where’s my brother? 

[TURNS TO ROWENA]

Where’s Nimrod?

ROWENA:

He’s gone to Black Sands…

Film Company Idents

Film idents are a way of identifying the channel or film production company whilst you are watching a film or television programme. Some examples can be seen below:

1. Twentieth Century Fox

2. Warner Bros

3. 2 | Entertain

4. Dreamworks

5. Walden Media

6. Bad Hat Harry

To look at these in more detail I would recommend that you visit this playlist.

After looking at these film idents I have started thinking about my own film company ident. I always use a particular name when I make videos for the school but I don't know if I'll keep that or not.

I noticed that the film idents above are effective but simple. This showed me that you don't want your film ident to be too complicated - or too long for that matter. You also don't want to chuck every single effect you have on your computer into it as it would look awful and be way too complicated for the viewers. Something that also occurred to me is that you mustn't have too weird a noise in the background. When I was younger I used to be terrified of the THX sound - hiding behind the sofa. So, even though this film opening is going to be rated 15 (just to be safe) I don't want some creepy film ident that would freak anyone out.

Background Info

• The night is the only time when the world is safe anymore. 
• People are too scared to go outside due to the infected who roam the ruined world and the people fear that they will also be turned. 
• Most children have never seen daylight 
• Day is cold and the Night is warm 
• People have fled the main cities due to the disease 
• The first symptom is temperature and fiery itch that leads to a maddening temper and self-harm 
• People have given up on hope 
• The world has become barren due to the temperature and only winter plants have survived 
• The infected are known as ‘the broken’ as their minds are broken 
• Even though the night is safety, people are afraid to fall asleep - especially around twilight - as that is the time when ‘the broken’ come to shelter and can attack (fear is safety) 
• The world has been ruined after the apocalypse and caused an eternal winter 
• Along with it, a biological weapon was released during the tremors and destruction of the apocalypse therefore releasing a disease which drove people mad and slowly killed them. These people were known as the Broken 
• Black Sands is a nickname for the last surviving, uninfected city which it was given by the outside people due to how it continues to pollute the world and the bank of the river where it is turned black

My Film Synopsis And Planning

Recently, I have been looking at different film synopsis' and taking inspiration for my own. Now I have come up with my full synopsis and logline for my opening film sequence. 

LOGLINE

The apocalypse was only the beginning and now the Broken roam the planet. Night is day and day is night. Rowena has never seen daylight but once Skadi is infected, Rowena and Lays have to fend for themselves in a world that hasn't seen the day since 2056.

SYNOPSIS

The film is set after an apocalypse which left Earth fixed in an eternal winter. The world is ruined and all the major cities have been abandoned. Now pockets of surviving humans are hiding in the wilderness outside 'Black Sands', the last city that has remaining power and supplies but most importantly it is uninfected. The small group of friends must survive the barren world that they call home and work together to survive when 'Black Sands' decides to close it's doors. 

Typical Dystopian Synopsis

WARNING: This post contains spoilers

Whilst writing my film synopsis I decided to analyse four of my favourite dystopian films and TV shows.

The Scorch Trials

The Gladers escaped the Maze, now Thomas, Teresa, Newt, Minho and the other Gladers face a deadly disease called the Flare and their so called rescuers aren't who they made out to be. With fellow teens being taken to the 'Safe Haven' each day Thomas and his friend, Aris must figure out everyone's fate. The Gladers' journey takes them into the Scorch, the wasteland which was once our world. After teaming up with the resistance they challenge WCKD itself, resulting in a worse fate than they had already been. 

The 100 - Season 1

Set 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse that wiped out most of humanity, the surviving human race live in space in a large space station formed by many called 'the Ark', where about 2,400 people live. Due to having been in space for so long, resources are scarce and all crimes are punishable by death unless you are under 18. 

When the Ark's support systems begin to fail, one hundred juvenile prisoners are declared expendable and are sent down to Earth. On arrival, the teens find the Earth as the beautiful planet they always dreamt it was but struggle to form a close community. However, they discover that there were other survivors and are quickly called 'grounders' by the teens who quickly realise that they are not welcome to the 'grounders' and must group together to survive. 

Moon

Sam Bell has a 3 year contract to work for Lunar Industries. For the contract's entire duration, he is the sole employee based on the lunar station. His primary job is to harvest and periodically rocket back to Earth supplies of helium-3, the current clean and abundant fuel on Earth. There is no direct communication link available between the lunar station and Earth and therefore the only interaction he gets is with GERTY who is an intelligent computer that tends to his every day needs. With little human contact he believes that three years is too long to be in complete isolation and begins to hallucinate near the end of the contract. All he wants is to return to Earth to be with his wife, Tess and their infant daughter, Eve who was born shortly before he left for the lunar station. Two weeks before he goes home he has an accident at one of the mechanical harvesters. Injured, he awakens back at the station in the infirmary, he assumes assisted by GERTY. GERTY tells him that a rescue team called Eliza will come to help after the accident. After recovering he goes back to broken harvester and finds an unbelievable discovery causing him to doubt his sanity and then his own identity. GERTY's willingness to what is best for Sam tips him over the edge and the only thing he cares about is getting back to Earth on his own. 

V for Vendetta

In the not too distant future, Britain is filled with torture cells, unfair punishments and prejudice against minorities. However in the midst of the chaos, one man by the name of V dares to stand up to the government and is labeled as a terrorist. One night V rescues an innocent woman called Evey Hammond and an unlikely bond is formed between the two which results with Evey becoming V's ally. But though V may be charismatic and have a passion for justice he is also bitter and has his own personal hatred against the government after what they did to him in the past. As November 5 approaches V and his followers decide to stand up to the government. Meanwhile, Detective Finch becomes more and more determined to uncover the truth about V, leading him to question if he's on the right side or not - especially after the truth about the St Mary's virus begins to surface.

Throughout all of these I noticed the main things that these films had in common are that they are aimed at a young adult audience, contain a plot line with an incurable or dangerous disease in it, main characters are struggling to fit in or are in some way excluded by society and things are never as they seem to be. 

I have considered these things for the synopsis of my own 2 minute film opening. 

Iconic Sounds

[Image from 'The Day the Earth Stood Still]

1. Instrumental genius
Because science-fiction and dystopian films were supposed to be something used to horrify and scare the film audiences at the beginning, the use of creepy sound effects are very common throughout science-fiction dystopian films to this day. One of the most unusual around the time the first film of 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (in 1951) was the sound of the theremin which is now closely linked to otherworldly beings and aliens due to it's eerie high pitched sound.

[Image from 'Terminator 2']

2. All found at your local pet store
In the dystopian film 'Terminator 2' during the prison break and unusual sound was made when T-100 was morphing through the prison bars. This was a slurpy metallic sound - which is a weird noise for a dystopian film.The sound designer, Gary Rydstrom revealed that this sound was achieved slowly sucking dog food out of a can!

3. Apparently pistachio nuts sound like skulls?
This is also from the film 'Terminator' where a terminator operative crushes a skull under his foot. Actually that was someone crushing a pistachio nut with metal plating.

[Image from 'Jurassic Park']

4. Anyone own a zoo?
In the dystopian film 'Jurassic Park' a iconic sound is the T-Rex's terrifying roar. This was achieved by combing the sound of a baby elephant, an alligator growling and a tiger snarling and slowing it all right down before mashing it up to make a scary growl out of some very normal noises!

[Image from 'Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings']

5. Cement and Balrogs...an interesting combination
When the fellowship enter the Mines of Moria in the film 'Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' they enter a dystopia of their own. In that they meet the Balrog, a demon like creature. Want to know how it's noise was made? It's just a cement block being dragged across a wooden floor. Who knew Balrogs guarded building sites!

I would use some of these noises because I intend to make the Broken have an unearthly noise that would detach them from the rest of humanity. I intend for them to loose all links to humanity and the power of speech is one of the most common features.

Certificate Ratings

As we have started to plan for our opening sequence I wanted to look at different film certificate ratings, so that I can rate my own opening sequence. I looked at the British Board of Film Classification and this is what I found:

U - Universal

If a film is rated as a 'U' it means that all ages can watch it. In a 'U' rated film there is almost nothing unsuitable for children aged 4 and over.

PG - Parental Guidance

If a film is rated as a 'U' it means it is suitable for all ages, however some scenes can be unsuitable for young children. It should not disturb any children over the age of 8 years old. It is also allowed to contain mild language or sex/drug references. They may also contain mild violence as long as it matches the context such a fantasy violence which the children will know is not real. 

12 and 12A

Films under the category '12' and '12A' are considered unsuitable for young children under the age of 12. However, a film under the rating of a '12A' means that as long as a child under 12 years can view the film as long they are accompanied by an adult. These sought of films can contain mild mature themes, discrimination, soft drug use, infrequent strong language, moderate violence, sex references and nudity. 

15 - Only suitable for 15 years or older

Films that are rated as a '15' are only suitable for people who are 15 years or older. These films can contain adult themes, hard drugs, regular use of foul language and limited use of strong language, strong violence and sex references and mild nudity.

18 - Only suitable for 18 years or older

A film rated as an '18' means that it is only suitable for adults. This means that there are almost no limitations for the content in the film and can contain things such as strong violence, sex references, strong language etc.

After looking at these ratings, I think I would rate my film opening sequence I am going to produce as a 15. This is because I believe that it may contain moderate or strong violence during some of the scenes. It may also be a bit scary for children who are 12 years old.

Nine Frame Analysis

Hello to my readers. I haven't blogged for a while - I'll admit that - but we've started planning for our 2 minute film opening! Yay! For inspiration, I have been looking at some opening sequences but I have been looking at their nine frames and I analysed these clips using the website:

 www.artofthetitle.com/

I first took a look at the film that I have already posted on my blog called 'Moon' which was directed by Duncan Jones. I have also a included the opening from 'Moon'. 

Throughout this, every time I have seen this opening I always like how the opening introduces us not only to the world that the character lives in but to how the character lives in that world. I like this idea and have already got an idea of introducing the world my characters live in during the opening sequence. 

I then took a look at another nine frame sequence and analysed it from 'The Walking Dead'. I have never seen this TV show and took the advice of someone to look at it after I told them I was doing a dystopian film opening and my ideas that I had at that point. 

Throughout this opening sequence two things were brought to my attention: a) don't use music that overpowers the action and b) do not focus too much on the world the sequence is set in. This also made me realise that I wanted to know more about the characters and was given no information.

The opening to 'The Walking Dead' is below:

Overall I like the opening sequence to 'Moon' the most and have taken some ideas for my own opening sequence from it. 

For precise information on these two opening sequences click on this for 'Moon' or that for 'The Walking Dead'

Top 10 Camera Shots in Dystopian Films

Mid Shot

A shot that shows a character - or characters - from the waist upwards. An example of this is  in the film 'V for Vendetta' where the character of V is introduced to the audience.

Close Up

A shot that uses the face of a character to fill the frame. An example of this is in the TV show 'Humans' with a shot of Niska in the back of a taxi cab.

Long Shot

A shot that shows a character - or characters - from head to toe. An example of this can be seen in the shot above from 'The Scorch Trials' of the characters on a sand dune. 

Point of View (POV) Shot

A shot where the camera shows the point of a view of a character. An example of this is seen from a shot in the film 'The Scorch Trials' from Thomas's perspective. 

Over-The-Shoulder Shot

A shot positioned over another character's shoulder. This can be seen in the shot above from the 'Hunger Games' where Katniss stands waiting to see who the candidates will be for the Hunger Games.

Panning Shot

A shot where the camera follows the character/s from right to left or left to right. This can be seen in the shot above from 'The 100' where the 100 prisoners leave their camp to flee the attacking grounders.

Establishing Shot

A shot that establishes a scene, showing the location. An example of this is in the film 'The Maze Runner' where the shot introduces the audience to the Glade.

Tracking Shot

A shot that follows the character/s from behind or alongside. This can be seen in the film '12 Monkeys' where you see Jeffrey and James at the psychiatric hospital. 

Handheld Shot

A shot that is filmed by holding the camera instead of using a crane or tripod. This can be seen from 'The 100' when the shot shows Jasper being dragged away unconscious. 

Panning Shot

A shot where the camera follows the character/s from right to left or left to right. This can be seen from the photo 'The Maze Runner' when it shows the Gladers are shown escaping the ruined council hut to witness the destruction of the Glade.

For more camera shots visit this website!

Opening Scenes from 'The 100'

WARNING: This blog post contains major spoilers

If you're one of my constant readers then you'll know I'm a big fan of the TV show 'The 100'. For my short film opening I decided to have a look at some of the opening scenes from the series that I could find online.

'I feel the sun on my face; I see trees all around me, the scent of wild flowers on the breeze. It's so beautiful. In this moment, I'm not stranded in space. It's been 97 years since a nuclear apocalypse killed everyone on Earth, leaving the planet simmering in radiation. Fortunately, there were survivors. Twelve nations had operation space stations at the time of the bombs. There is now only the Ark, one station formed from the many. We're told the Earth needs another hundred years to become survivable again. Four more space locked generations and man can crawl home, back to the ground. The ground, that's the dream. This is reality. Reality sucks'

'On the Ark, every crime no matter how small is punishable by death, unless you're under 18. Juvenile offenders get put here: Lock-Up. We call it the Sky-Box'

I took this opening scene from the first episode of the first season of 'The 100'. I think Clarke's monologue at the beginning is very effective as it sets the scene. I also like how throughout the monologue Clarke is still being the central character and that it is focused on where she is now instead of the past (which is the typical 'monologue flash-back' cliche).  Also, I like how there is action in between her monologue. An example of this is when she pauses between 'reality sucks' and 'on the Ark...' where she is disturbed in her cell by two guard officers.

Although I wouldn't use anything as dramatic as this. The use of the title at the beginning is something that I have taken note of. I also like throughout the credits there are important shots of places such as Camp Jaha or the main camp in the first season. 

The use of the characters trapped in a small army-like room is effective because it immediately identifies the main character/s. Also, the use of immediate action captures the viewers attention 49 seconds into the opening scene by the guards bursting into the room - making the characters the main point of the scene.

Lastly, is another clip from season 2. The use of action whilst the credits are still playing is something that I have kept in mind. I also like the sense of mystery in this, for instance Finn's ghost playing tricks on Clarke's mind. If someone was watching this series for the first time it would still explain a lot about what is going on and this all within one minute and fifty-four seconds! It also sets the scene for the main theme of this episode: the treaty between grounders and the hundred.

Dystopian Character Experimentation (no one was harmed in this procedure)

At the moment I'm focusing on the mise-en-scene of my film opening. This means setting, character design and props. 

As part of this, I did an experiment with the research I have gathered on dystopian effects such as make-up dirt, bruising etc. I decided not to post any pictures of myself onto the blog because I don't really want my picture on the internet (especially when I look like this).

Firstly I experimented with the make-up itself. Getting a dirty effect is harder than you might think. You have to think about where the dirt will go as it can get overcrowded if you're whole face is dirty and more importantly you've got to figure out what shades of brown you need to use. 

The look I chose was based off the look on the video I posted earlier on my blog about fake dirt and scarring. I placed dirt all over my face but especially in places where you are likely to place your dirt covered hands such as your hairline, forehead and cheeks. I also placed dirt down my neck, arms and hands.

Putting dirt on your hands looks very effective, especially if you can manage to get the fake dirt around your nails and up your fingers. It looks very realistic and all I used was the correct colour of eyeshadow!

I then took a look at dystopian hairstyles. Unlike most hairstyles that are worn today, dystopian hair is to be worn practical and keep out of their face. 

I started with a simple long plait that came across the shoulder. It took the hair out of the characters face and was simple enough to do. I then took another hairstyle which was again simple and kept the hair out of the character's face. I took up the side of my hair and pulled them to the back, before tying it at the top. I didn't brush my hair for this one so it looked very messy and as if I didn't care about my appearance - which was the look I was after in the character/s. After this I went for a high ponytail and side plaits. Both of these hairstyles gave the character an innocent look and I decided these would look better on a younger character but not for the character/s I had in mind. I also let my hair loose and just let it be messy. This was effective but it did cover a lot of the fake dirt which is an aspect I must consider with character design.

I also experimented with something I haven't yet mentioned which is war paint. Typical tribes would have worn war paint and I had a go with my basic eyeshadow pallet - it was quite an experience! Overall I attempted to do something alike to what the character Lexa wears in 'the 100' and it had the desired effect but I decided it didn't have the same feel that I was after so at the moment I have removed that idea. 

Hopefully I'll be posting more on my character design stuff. Until then I'll leave you with a hint to what my opening sequence will be about...

[Picture above from the film '12 Monkeys']

Dystopian Settings

After looking at the short films and other extracts from films, I decided to research the setting for dystopian films varying from the Glade in 'The Maze Runner' to the Earth in 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'. I decided that I wanted to make the world in my dystopia look ruined and abandoned (I already have a location in mind) and wanted to look at ruined sets. I took photos off the internet from films I had heard of or had watched over the years:

Cloud Atlas | The Day the Earth Stood Still | The Maze Runner
The Road | The Scorch Trials | The 100

This first image from the film 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'. Here you can see a lot of grey and dusty colours which effect the theme of ruin and despair. This can also be seen in the picture below from the film 'The Road' which has clear themes of blues, grey and black emphasizing despair and solitude.

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This image is of the Glade in 'The Maze Runner'. Here, unlike in the images above there is a theme of peace and contentment. There are light themes such as the light greens, creating a warm feeling and sense of safety. This is juxtaposed by the image below from the sequel to 'The Maze Runner' called 'The Scorch Trials'. Here the world has turned from calm and peaceful to ruined, dusty and full of wrecked items. 

As you can probably tell 'The Maze Runner' trilogy is a huge part of my inspiration

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I then started to look at the TV show 'The 100'. The image above had a themes of yellow and green and I love how it has been set in a forest. This is effective because forests are often seen as calm places of peace and safety. This is contradicted by the image of the grounders with Clarke. 

After that I looked at these two images (above and below). The one above shows a vague industrial theme and has a lot of blues, browns and dusty colours - again suggesting a theme of ruin, solitude but also power due to the vague hints of black. Below this we have a picture of a grounder village with Clarke and Lexa. In this I like how the tent to the right has red scraps of fabric suggesting danger. Also the village looks unkempt or barren due to the lack of vegetation apart from the long grass on the dirt path.

Alike to 'The Maze Runner' trilogy, 'The 100' has been a huge source 
of inspiration for me
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In these pictures there are examples of the futuristic world in 'Cloud Atlas'. In the picture above the idea of a forest based home is repeated and it gives a sense of rogue independence because the world is not industrial anymore. The image below has themes of ruin but in a different way to the rest. Here the ivy and moss have almost completely concealed a bridge and I really like the idea of the base or first set being overgrown.

Short Dystopian Films

Due to my film opening coming from a short film I decided that I should have a look at some short films on youtube, finding three that I liked. 

RUIN

I know I've already talked about 'RUIN' but it is an amazing short film by one of my absolute favourite directors: Wes Ball. He also did an adorable short film called 'A Work In Progress' which can be found here - it is by far one of the cutest short films I've seen. 

In 'RUIN' I like how there is a sense of mystery at the beginning. We are only introduced to the main character who is obviously in danger or somewhere that he shouldn't be - therefore capturing the audiences full attention. I like how the music at the start is very calm but has a sense of mystery behind it. The first few shots are examples of the world that the main character is in. Then the audience's attention is immediately captured by the loud noises of a metal container being pushed from a skyscraper cutting straight to a mysterious, rugged figure standing of the container. By 1:55 the action is already taking place and the main character is seen running, with the sound of his footsteps enhanced so that the audience's attention is focused on the necessity of his escape.

Dead Zone

The story behind this was very deep. It told the story of man who's mother had left him the only survivor in camp after she died. The only company he had was his dog who eventually ran away, leaving him on his own. However the story gets deeper when 'the crows' find him and he crosses the 'Dead Zone' to get to safety but finds a different world on the other side. 

In this film the electronic music is very effective and the loud boom gives effect on focusing on the actual world. I like how it again focuses on the main characters surroundings instead of him at the beginning. The monologue afterwards is also very effective with the light music in the background. However by 2 minutes the action has not started and I find that after a while the monologue is too long and you begin to loose interest. 

Breakdown

Although this was in German - and let's face it, my German is not very good (thank goodness for subtitles) - I thought this was very well done. 

In this film the science-fiction humming is very effective and the writing at the beginning really sets the scene. The action although not very much starts immediately between the two main characters: Lisa and Dan. I like the link to the past which is the time we, the audience, are living in now. It's very effective as they are calling our world a time of peace whilst the future that they are in is full of anarchy and chaos.