Recce shots

These are the recce shots that we took of each location to work out whether that particular place is suitable and to think about how it might look in the film. Photographs one and two are off the wood in Wem that we are thinking of using. Photos 3,4 and 5 are of the HighStreet we are thinking of using outside of the police station. 6 and 7 are to show the entrance to the police station though a side door used in the scene. 8 and 19 is of the room used for the police office when the police are discussing the murder case. 16, 17 and 18 are of the room used for where the criminals hack into the computer using the wires. 

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Locations for filming of thriller opening

After careful consideration and much discussing, we have decided that we will film in the following locations;

The outside of Wem Police Station showing 'police station sign' on New Street in Wem will be used to locate the audiences mind to a police station

I will use the room in college as the office in police station, used by the two police officers discussing the murder case.   

I will use the woods in Wem for the forest scene when the girl is attacked.

For the scene in the high street out side of the police station I will use the high street in Wem on a Thursday as this is market day when it is at its busiest. 

For the scene with the hackers hacking into the computer I will use the cupboard off the media room in Wem Town Hall.

I has chosen these locations as they are all easy to get to only being, at max, ten minutes walk from my base in Wem Town Hall. I also think they will provide the necessary needs that I need for the filming.  

Cast List

DCI Smith - Mr Daniels

DCI Jones - Mr Telford
Victim - Becci

Hacker 1 - Will Storey 

Hacker 2 - Tom Hackney

Thriller Opening Sequence Treatment

Treatment for our film called 'Hacking the Woods’'.

The film starts with an establishing shot of a dead body of a woman in a forest with sounds of deer and squirrels coming from behind the trees. The scene cuts to a room which comes clear it is off a police station where there is two police officers talking about a brutal murder that they are in charge of investigating. As the camera pans around the office the talking is getting clearer and the audience can hear what is being said.

"I know who did it, I just need the evidence to prove it"

"Everyone knows the man who did it, I know him personally for gods sake'

"Well if only our job was made a little easier'

"If only'

Then the camera zooms out showing the whole room. The talking is getting dimmer and suddenly stops. The camera will then cut to a busy shopping street where people are talking, walking and generally going about their daily lives. The camera will pan down the street then eventually go inside a building to show two men, laughing who are hacking into a computer system and it shows their red masked faces. The camera cuts back to the police investigation room where the policemen are still talking and discussing the case. The camera zooms into a mid shot of them and shows there angry and shocked faces as if they know something bad is going to happen to them. The camera zooms out so to show both of the talking

'That is it then'

'You need to get more evidence, we need get this killer locked up for a long time'.

The two men finish the chat and get up to leave as they do so the lights go out. The door is locked and they suddenly get very cold. The camera shows a tiny bit of light coming from one small window this is when the police realise that this is linked to the murder.The camera shoots back to the men hacking into the computer, they are laughing even louder then before a mad evil laugh. Both of these men then suddenly stop and look towards the door of the police station and they see the handle of the door twitching.

‘Shhhhh, don't say a word’ says one hacker to the other

The camera then does a flash back to the scene of the girl walking in the forest, before she was murdered. As she is walking through the forest she can hear leaves rustling  and twigs snapping. The girl thinks nothing of this and carries on walking and the camera zooms in to her texting her boyfriend saying ‘be there in 10’

The scene then cuts to a still shot of the path where the girl was walking. The camera goes back and you hear the very loud scream of the girl. The Camera cuts to a shot of the girl lying face down on the floor with her phone on next to her. The camera cuts to a close up to the phone and it shows an unfinished text saying ‘This woods is creepy, I don't like it, please com.................’

The opening credits then plays with the title 'Hacking The Woods' fading in from black to bright white.

Throughout the opening sequence there is a dark eerie soundtrack playing underneath the visuals, This will build up suspense throughout the opening sequence until the opening credits start to roll when the music became louder and also becomes more cheery.

The theme that this opening sequence portrays is quite a dark sense but when the music becomes more happy and cheery you can tell that it is going to tell the story from before the girl was killed and why. This film will be very reliant on the audience being able to follow the story even though there is a lot of backtracking and flashbacks showing the past and present.

This will be a fairly steadily paced edit because this will tell enough of the story for it to be understood but short enough to build suspense.

The colours in the opening sequence will be fairly subdued because it is fairly dark and gloomy as it shows the crime. After the opening sequence the colours will change and be quite happy and bright as this shows before the crime happens and it’s a sort of back story. When the main story reaches back to the crime then the colours will slowly change back the the subdued colours as it reaches the crime being solved and the killers/hackers get caught and arrested

Target audience

The film is a crime thriller which we think will appeal mostly to older teenagers and younger adult audience of around 16-25 year olds. It is fast pace and includes themes and a storyline we think this audience will enjoy. The film overall will have a 12 rating because some people below this age will not be able to follow the film and get its full effect and the violence and language that this film contains will be too much for them to see. Over 25s are likely to also enjoy this film but it may be a little too fast paced and youthful for their liking.

Minutes for meeting 2

Minutes for meeting on the 1/2/13
Present - Will Storey and Tom Jarvis

Items discussed -

Today we finished the starting ideas for the opening scene idea and went about writing a treatment for our film we have decided to call 'Hacking the Wood'.

 We had to think clearly about what was going to happen and what would be said and how the whole opening would hang together as well as we could possibly make it.

Actors and actress agreed to play the role so all names in meeting 1 on board.

 While working on the storyboard is giving us an idea about how each scene would look in the opening and how it would all hang together.

Props - Phone -  We had a think about the objects and things that we would need in the film and made sure these are all accessible for when we wish to film.

So far the planning is going well there have been a few hiccups and some members feel they are doing more work then the others however everyone has agreed to do a fairer amount and not leave it all to one person. We feel we are working towards the final deadline well and feel we should hopefully have done all the planning beforehand when we can start the filming. 

Meeting 1

Meeting to discuss brief from client - Thriller opening
Date of Meeting - 8 January 2013
Attended by - Will Storey and Tom Jarvis
Deadline for completion of planning - 28 Jan 13
Deadline for completion - 25 March 13
Today we met to discuss our various ideas for a thriller opening

Agenda 1 - Initial ideas
Agenda 2 - Treatment
Agenda 3 - Identification of production roles
Agenda 4 - Storyboard
Agenda 5 - Recce shots
Agenda 6 - Animatic
Agenda 7 - Risk Assessment
Agenda 8 - Soundtrack experiment
Agenda 9 - Video experiments
Agenda 10 - Shooting schedule
Agenda 11 - Call Sheet

The above items on the agenda to be discussed and allocation of roles be finalised. Realistic dates for deadlines to be discussed and agreed on.

 We talked about several different ideas that we both had and talked about each one in detail. Some of the ideas would have been quite fun but on our low budget and time constraints we had to dismiss most of them.

Ideas

1. Hacking the Wood - body found lying in woods, police investigate, hackers try to hinder the investigation
2.Car Smash - Loud crash, body seen by pedestrian but car not seen (Is it the car)
3.The Darkness - Person held to ransom but no one to rescue him

Hacking the Wood - this is our final choice as we feel that it can be achieved with the budget and time that we have. The story is something that we can work on and gives us scope to create real mystery and enigma.

Roles identified  -                     Will - Ideas    
                                                  Tom - Storyboard
                                                  Will and Tom - Filming
                                                  Will and Tom - Directors
                                                  Tom - Editing
                                                  Foley Artist - Will Storey
                                                  Recce Shots - Will and Tom
                                                  Treatment - Will and Tom
                                                  Risk Assessment - Will
                                                 Video and Sound experiments - Will and Tom
                                                 Animatic and Shooting Schedule - Will and Tom
                                                 Call Sheet - Will and Tom

Discussion regarding cast - Actors to be approached for the roles - Mr M Telford, Mr J Daniels, Tom Hackney, Will Storey, Rebecca Malone

Shooting Schedule/Call Sheet

Shooting will began once will have finished the planning of all of it will take place throughout late Feb and March and hopefully be completed by the 8th March.

4 March starting with the forest scene of the girl walking in the wood there have some people jumping out on her them. this will take a few cuts for we will allow around an hour and a half. We will also get the shots of her texting and the phone.
Will need the victim for 1/2 an hour, Hacker 1/2 an hour

Then we will shot the bit with her lying dead in the forest, This will take around 10 minutes to get the few shots of her
Will Need Victim

8 March shot the scene in the police station (in a quiet room in the town hall).
Will Need 2 DCI's for this shot

12th scene with hacker hacking into a computer (use iMac/Macbook in room town hall)

By the 20th will should have done all the filming and be able to start editing it.

Identification of production roles

Ideas- Will
Storyboard- Tom
Filming- Will and Tom
Directing- Will and Tom
Editing- Tom
Sound- Will

Risk Assessment

As the appointed health and safety manager for this project I am carrying out a risk assessment as follows.

Tripping and slipping: Medium Risk - There is a risk of tripping whilst filming in the woods due to the following; twigs, exposed tree roots, boulders, stones, wires and cabling from the filming equipment, dolly tracking, slipping on muddy, icy, wet and uneven surfaces. Tripping may also occur in the studio when filming inside, editing and meetings etc. 
Plans to reduce risk - Locate a reasonably clear and easily accessible path in the woods. Clear away debris or obstacles that may pose a risk to the actors and filming crew. Check weather forecast to establish the chance of hazardous weather. To reduce the risk of tripping/slipping during filming and all indoor locations, I will ensure that all flooring is free from obstacles and moisture. Cables from computers and equipment will be secured and not left hanging or dragging across paths. Signs will be put out to warn cast and crew of any hazards.

Theft of equipment: Low risk -  All equipment will be signed for and signed back in to a locked location. Equipment will not be left unsupervised when not in use.

Accident or illness to cast and crew - Low to medium risk - Little can be done to prevent accident/ illness,  however there are people on standby who are willing to stand-in if called.

Weather conditions - Medium Risk - Again, nothing can be done about the weather, however dates for further filming have been penciled in, in the event of bad weather.

Equipment failure - Low risk - All equipment will be checked thoroughly by experts prior to filming,editing etc and back ups on standby in worse case scenario.