Unit 4B: Carry Out Pre-production Portfolio

Planning for pre-production

Script writing notes 

There are 5 key things that may help in creating an effective opening scene:
Introduce the protagonist as soon as possible 
Most effective through action, reaction or failing this, through dialogue 
The audience doesn’t have to see every part of the character but provide some semblance of who they are 
Make sure you establish the genre
It’s important to include some references to horror early on
E.g. brief mentions of props or visual signifiers or genre that can establish setting and expectation for an audience 
Create conflict immediately 

Utilising conflict near the beginning of the script can be an effective way of establishing pace, tone and narrative and is widely used in modern filmmaking 
Send your protagonist on a journey 
Establishing some form of journey for the protagonist early on allows an audience to engage with a quest, making things interesting and creating a ‘stake’ for people to be interested in 
This journey does not need to be large or especially important and could just be a small emotional or physical journey 
The journey should allow the audience to appreciate how the protagonist approaches the journey it will be effective 
Make it visual 
Establish the strong visual nature of the script and do so at the beginning of the script to help create style and tone for the rest of the script

Notes:
Scene heading 
Denote the time and place where a scene takes place 
The first part states whether its inside ‘INT.’ or outside ‘EXT.’  or ‘INT./EXT.’ if both inside and outside
The second part refers to the setting, e.g. a house, plane, farm etc. and has to be capitalized
Third part specifies the time of day in relation to the prevailing lighting conditions that are envisioned, for example ‘DAY’ ‘NIGHT’ ‘AFTERNOON’ ‘DUSK’ etc
Example- INT. COCKPIT)- DAY or EXT. MILITARY BASE – FRONT GATE- DUSK 
To be more specific with shots use phrases like ‘ANGLE ON’ or ‘CLOSE ON’ to preface the subject of the shot- avoid using too many articles
Action
Describes everything that is happening within a scene outside of dialogue 

The three things that should always be capitalized are the initial appearance of a character with dialogue, sound effects and plus objects producing the sound if present and camera directions 

If the dialogue spoken my a character is off-screen it must be specified by ‘JOHN (O.S.)

If a character is not on screen but the source of their dialogue is then the voiceover must be specified e.g. ‘HENRY (V.O.)’ 

Parentheticals 

Parenthetical direction is inserted into dialogue to describe what a character is doing while they speak

Shouldn’t include punctuation or be capitalized 

If describing multiple actions they should be linked together 

Never end a piece of dialog with a parenthetical 

Transitions 
Describe how each scene leads into the next e.g. ‘FADE IN’ or ‘FADE OUT’
Includes cuts and specifies the type of cut e.g. ‘CUT TO BLACK ‘SMASH CUT’ TIME 

Extract number	Techniques used	Overall effect on the audience
1.Beasts of the Southern Wild	It starts by introducing what is assumed to be the main character which creates an effective opening scene  There seems to be some conflict between the two characters that have been introduced, Hushpuppy and Wink  There mise en scene described seems as though it’s a fantasy or an adventure film, although the hints aren’t enough to be certain of the genre	This script gives a mysterious feel as its an unusual setting and the dialogue
2.Blade Runner	This script is very descriptive which I find very effective in revealing the genre, for example the ‘metallic surface’ suggests that the film is sci-fi Conflict is created immediately between the two characters that have been introduced as the dialogue seems tense and unexplained	The audience gets a sense of the genre of the film straight away which I think is effective  I also like how information is revealed slowly and not everything is explained in the opening scene, which leaves it a mystery to the audience about what everything means
3.Whiplash	The protagonist is introduced almost straight away, and conflict is again created between the two characters, the protagonist being sent on an emotional journey as we follow his confusion
4.Rear Window	There is a lot of initial description of the scene which is useful as it helps visualise the scene and makes it easier to film The camerawork is more thoroughly explained in this script opposed to others, which again is a useful technique to help visualise scenes

	Example 1- Viscous	Example 2- 3:36	Example 3- The Jigsaw
Narrative structure	This narrative structure is linear as it shows events as they happen, however in Lydia’s dream she has a flashback of when her sister was alive. I don’t think it follows Todorov’s narrative theory as there isn’t equilibrium from the start, as she comes home and the door is already unlocked, however this could be seen as the disruption of the equilibrium, which she recognise as she notices the door. It could be said that she attempts to repair the damage by trying to find the intruder, but there isn’t a new equilibrium as it ends abruptly.	This narrative structure is non-linear as the woman has several flashbacks of events featuring what’s assumed to be her husband, although it’s not stated. The film also doesn’t seem to happen in order, as if it’s not a story, just the main character looking back on past events. The film could be seen to follow Todorov’s narrative theory as the new equilibrium could be the woman being at peace after her life ends. The attempt to repair the damage would be when the woman and the man are holding hands trying to be together, but this doesn’t work as they are separated by the broken glass. The woman recognises the disruption as she realises how she dies, and relives this. However I don’t think that there was equilibrium at the start of the film.	This narrative structure is linear as events happen in chronological order from start to finish. I believe it follows Todorov’s narrative structure as it starts with the man going about his normal life, the equilibrium, the disruption when he buys the jigsaw, the recognition when he finishes the jigsaw and the new equilibrium would be his death. It also follows the three act narrative structure with the rising incident being him again buying the jigsaw, the rising action being him completing it and the climax when the man appears behind the main character.
Character types	Two main characters are included in this short film: Lydia, the woman shown at the start, and her sister, who appears to be dead, as Lydia looks at a photo of them together with a note that says ‘with sympathy’. The story follows Lydia as she grieves the loss of her sister, and it seems she experiences the same thing she did before she died.  Lydia is the protagonist, which is a common character in horror, as she is the centre of the story. It is common in horror films for this to be a woman.	The main character is the woman whose name is not stated, and the film focuses on her. It is suggested that she died in an accident, which is why she’s alone, and experiences flashbacks of her assumed to be husband, who is the other character. The film is made through her perspective and the audience experience events as she does. The only  other character is her partner, who at first seems evil, scaring the woman by banging on the glass, but it is later revealed that he was doing this in hope that she is alive.	There are two characters in this short film: the man who sells the jigsaw and the one who buys it. The man selling the jigsaw seems creepy from the start, telling the man not to buy it yet convincing him to anyway. From this it is suggested he is the villain of the film. The man who buys the jigsaw is the protagonist who is the main character and the centre of the story, however. He appears fearless and wise as he buys the jigsaw, contrasting the end of the film, emphasising the effect of the jigsaw.

Horror conventions	This short film plays on the convention of the  fear of the unknown, which is a common fear that many people will relate to and therefore making the it more scary for the audience The film uses the genre trope of a young woman home alone at night, which is apparent in many other films such as Scream. This makes the woman seem more vulnerable to the thing that’s in the house with her that d=she doesn’t know about. Being set in a house is another horror convention homes are supposed to be a comfortable, safe place however the horror genre changes this so the characters feel unsafe, which emphasises how scary the villain is.	Horror conventions used in this short film include the theme of death. Although not stated, it is assumed that the main character passed away. It’s almost like a psychological horror seeing as the audience see through the main characters perspective. Uses the horror convention of being set in a house, although it’s more bare and uncomfortable which sets the tone of the film from the start.	The main horror convention used is the main prop which is the jigsaw. In the horror genre, the prop is usually an ordinary item that’s twisted and made scary, such as children’s toys, or in this case a jigsaw. The man is told not to buy it, hinting that something is unnatural about it.  The main setting is the old man’s house, a setting that is commonly used in horror films as it is supposed to be a safe space for characters, but this is changed into an uncomfortable setting.
Camera+ editing	At the beginning, there is a pov shot of the thing in Lydia’s house before she’s there, which gives the audience a hint of what the film is about. It also sets the tone of the short film, creating an eerie setting that makes the audience seem uneasy, since they know something the character doesn’t. There are several pov shots from both the ‘monster’ and Lydia, which are used to make the film more frightening. Mid- long shots are frequently used where the character is placed in the middle or at the front, which makes the audience on edge to see if there’s anything behind her, for example when Lydia is in the hallway. Close ups are also commonly used in this short film which restrict the audience from seeing everything that’s happening, and making the scene more frightening as the audience does not know what’s happening outside of the shot. Regarding editing, there are scenes where there are long cuts followed by short cuts, such as the end scene, which builds anticipation and scares the audience as it is unexpected, this is very successful in this short film. The shot lengths are also short in the more frantic scenes when the main character is running which relates the audience to how she feels in this scene.	The editing in this short horror is used very successfully. Throughout the film the audience see through the main characters perspective, experiencing the same confusion as she does, for example there are very short cuts, almost like a glitch, which represent the flashbacks the character has. Cuts are shorter when the character is panicked, again giving the audience an intake of how she feels. Long shots are used when she holds hands with her partner, which could suggest how she is letting go of him as she dies. It could be what she’s experiencing when she’s dying in the car, while her partner is banging on the glass, which the audience is brought back to with short cuts in between long cuts. Mainly close ups and mid shots are used, signifying the importance of the main character. They emphasise the emotion felt by the main character as she leaves her life behind, and tries to gain peace from what happened before she dies.  The last scene includes a long shot of the woman walking away, which could represent how she is leaving life and enters after life, whatever that may be.	There are many shots which fade into each other in this film, suggesting that time has passed. An example is when the weather changes and it starts to rain heavily, implying that something unpleasant is going to happen. There are many close ups in the scene when the man arrives home, which restricts the audience from seeing the whole scene, making it a mystery of what else is there. While the man is completing the jigsaw, there is a tracking in shot behind the man, which could be the point of view from someone else, who the audience doesn’t yet know about. There is a birds eye view of the jigsaw when the man has almost completed it, which rotates round as the camera zooms out. This could signify the confusion and dizziness he feels. The focus pull in the last shot is used so the audience can see how the puzzle is complete. The man knows there is someone behind him from the puzzle yet doesn’t look around. This is successful as the ending is unexpected.
Sound	Sound is used very successfully in this short film. There are scenes with almost complete silence which make any minor sound seem loud, such as placing a knife down, which is used to shock the audience and intensify the effect of the action. There are also scenes where there is loud non-diegetic sound which consists of both high and low pitched sounds together which are disturbing and uncomfortable, which reflect the tone of the scene. The main diegetic sound is the scream by the ghost of Lydia’s sister which is the last shot. This is successful as the looks and the sound are used to scare the audience as it is sudden and loud.	There is no dialogue used in this short film, which signifies the woman’s loneliness as she leaves her life behind. It helps the audience sympathise with her, as she wants to reach out and talk to her partner but she can’t. Mostly non-diegetic sound is used in this short film. One main aspect of this is white noise. This emphasises the confusion the character feels at the start and puts the audience in her mind so they experience what she does. The sound of the baby crying could suggests how she was pregnant at the time of her death, so as she experiences stomach pains the baby cries, as the baby would’ve died with her. There is also an ambulance like sound that occurs, but its more slower and deeper from which a sense of horror is created.	The sound in this short film are very well chosen. For example, the main character choses to listen to the song ‘We’ll meet again’ which links to what the man in the shop said before he bought the jigsaw. The sound of the clock then distracts the man and this is where the piercing  non-diegetic sound starts. This scene is very intense and emphasises how frantic the character feels. The non- diegetic sound consists of deep instruments overlapped by high pitched noises which suggest panic which the old man experiences. The dialogue between the two men in the shop is unsettling, as the shop owner suggests that the main character shouldn’t buy it, yet convinces him to.
Mise-en-scene	The colours used in this film are dull, it’s almost completely black and white in some scenes, which could reflect the theme of death. The colours change to more warm colours such as yellow when Lydia is in a dream, which could signify how she felt when her sister was still alive. Otherwise the colours consist of cold, blue tones which make scenes have an uneasy tone. The scenes are mostly dimly lit, as halfway through the film Lydia has no control over the lights. This could suggest how she is not in control of her life after her sister passed away, and is still mourning her loss. The dull lighting makes it difficult to see what is lurking I the background, making the audience more on edge of what the main character is scared of. Props used are the knife which Lydia uses to defend herself, emphasising her vulnerability, however she later puts it down and it disappears. She also uses her phone as a torch and she receives a call from her dead sister, which suggests that what’s in the house links with her. The main character changes into pyjamas shortly into the film which represent comfortability, however this contrasts with the tone of the film.	The main use of colour in this film occurs at the same time as the ambulance siren, suggesting it’s also the flash of an ambulance light, however it is more dark, implying that she can’t see all of what’s happening; as if she’s not fully there. The lighting is mainly dark, which is typical of a horror as it connotes fear or mystery, which is relevant in this short film as it represents what the woman is experiencing at the start. This contrasts the end where there is more colour and the scene is bright, implying that she is now at peace and no longer in fear. The broken glass I commonly used in this film. It could be seen as a barrier between the woman and real life, as she tries to remain with her partner, but the glass prevents her from being with him. Another prop used is the alarm clock which stays at 3:36 from start to finish, which suggests that time no longer exists after life. It could also be used to represent the time she died, and she is constantly reminded of this.	The change in lighting from the bright outside world to the dark, unsettling shop suggests that there is something evil hidden. The tone of the shop hints the audience that something bad is going to happen. It also starts to rain as the man drives home with the jigsaw, emphasising that something is going to occur that he is not yet aware of. The main prop in this film is the jigsaw, which is what the film is based off of. It appears old, with nothing on it, unlike the other boxes in the shop. This implies that there is something different and mysterious about it from the start.

Example 1- Viscous 
Best parts
Personally I think the best scene in this short horror film is the last scene, as it plays on a typical horror idea that the monster is behind the victim, so she checks behind her, but it ends up in front of her- I think this is something that I could use in my work
I also like how throughout the film the colours are dull and cold, which creates a more uncomfortable tone which I could also use in my film
The sound in this short film was very effective, in some parts it was almost silent, which exaggerated small sounds such as putting the knife down, whereas other parts were 

I also think the plot to this short film was good, as always kept the audience on edge 
Worst parts 
I think that seeing the ghost of her sister at the end wasn’t needed- it would’ve been better to leave it to the audiences imagination what she looked like, and the film could’ve ended with what happens to Lydia
I also think that the film makers could’ve added more detail to the sisters character and hint at what happened before she died
The worst scene in my opinion is when Lydia is in her bed and she is frightened by the pile of clothes- this is very cliché and wasn’t very scary for the audience in my experience 
Inspiration for my film
The main thing I am going to use for inspiration from this film is the camera work and the mise-en-scene, as I think both were very effective in setting the tone of the film. I will try and use mid shots, placing the character either in the middle or the side of the frame, so it creates mystery of what else is there. I will also use different lighting and colours, making the scenes look dull and cold which is unsettling for the viewer.
Example 2- 3:36
Best parts
I really like how this short film was planned out, specifically how the audience experiences everything through the woman’s perspective and they are encouraged to feel what she does
My favourite scene is where the ambulance lights are flashing along with the sirens, as I think it is successful in helping the audience experience what the character did. It puts life into a different perspective as the woman was dying in that scene, which is hard to experience
The last scene is also effective as it completely contrasts the tone of the entire film, which signifies how the character is now at peace, and she doesn’t have to deal with the pain that she did before. I think the mise-en-scene specifically is used effectively in that scene.
Another aspect of this film that I particularly liked was how the man seemed like the evil character at the start, however as the film progressed it was evident that he actually cared about the woman and was trying to help her.
Worst parts
Although stated to be a horror I think that its more psychological than scary- the plot is interesting but it doesn’t frighten the audience
Also the scene where blood runs out of the tap was a bit random and in my opinion didn’t fit in with what was happening in that part of the film, although I like the idea of it.
There wasn’t much explanation to what happened to the baby, as its assumed that the woman was pregnant yet there were sounds of a baby crying, so it didn’t really make sense
Inspiration for my film
I really liked the storyline of this film and how it was planned out to be more psychological than scary. I think that I can use this when creating my film, as often when trying to make a low budget horror, it is hard to scare the audience, so making more of a psychological horror will be more effective and frightening without using jump scares.
Example 3- The Jigsaw
Best parts
The storyline is the best part of this short film, as the plot twist was unexpected and shocked the audience 
The last scene is definitely my favourite as the sound, editing, camerawork and mise-en-scene were all effective, especially the last shot where there is a focus pull on the man in the background
I also like how the first few shots are of the man’s normal life and the tone of the film completely changes when he enters the shop, as it immediately signifies that something is disturbing about it 
Worst parts
In my opinion the scene where the man drove home was too long, and had little significance other than the weather changing- I think that something else could’ve happened in this scene 
I also think that the mise-en-scene could make the man’s house slightly more uncomfortable maybe using more cold colours instead of warm colours, and making the house more dim
Inspiration for my film 
In my film I would like to have a plot twist similar to this one that scares the audience. Doing this I can scare the audience without using jump scares, as suggested before. I also think that using a specific prop to base the film on is a good idea, and I could use this in what I create.

Task 3
Yesterday is tomorrow- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScXjTGF5KH4
The film starts with the quote ‘ in-between life and death every soul must understand and repent their earthly sins’ with the sound of a heart rate monitor. This immediately catches the audiences attention. It then cuts to a woman waking up with a voiceover about dreams she has. This introduces the main character, and suggests that her is something that isn’t quite right about her from the start. One of the first few shots is a close up of the characters face which are commonly used in the horror genre as they can make the audience uncomfortable. The shot is also quite dark, and her duvet cover is a dark red colour, connoting blood or death that is typical of horror films and could hint the audience at what happens in the film.
The first shot of the film introduces a character, implying that she is the main character and the plot is focused around her. As suggested previously, from the introduction of this character, it is suggested that there is something wrong with her, as the first thing she says is ‘I’m afraid to close my eyes’. It seems as though she’s talking to a therapist, further suggesting she has a mental illness of some kind. All of the shots in the beginning are of the woman on her own, suggesting she’s lonely, or that she’s in her own world due to her mental illness. She also appears to have a daughter, but at first she only appears in her dreams. Through this the audience see the story from the woman’s perspective, as it is later revealed that she killed her daughter, and the same thing happened with her husband. The tone of the scenes of the woman’s everyday life versus her dreams contrast each other; her everyday life looks dull and dark whereas her dreams are bright and colourful, suggesting that it is more of a fantasy, even though she thinks it’s a nightmare. The only dialogue is between the woman and her therapist, emphasising her loneliness. It also seems as though she talks to herself where voiceovers are used.
The narrative of this short film is non-linear, as at first the audience experience what the woman does, and the narrative follows what seems like her everyday life, however, at the end the truth is revealed about her life and the narrative makes sense. This is effective because the woman seems like the victim from the start and the audience sympathise with her, but at the end this switches when its shown that she killed her husband and daughter. This could be seen as a realistic narrative because it could happen in real life, as many people could experience mental illness to this effect, even though it is exaggerated to make it a horror film. Horror comes through this narrative as there’s a gory plot twist at the end which explains the entire film and why the woman experiences those dreams. The narrative is reinforced through mise-en-scene as the setting is constantly dark and gloomy when the woman is alone, suggesting how she is suffering. There are often scenes with red as the main colour which suggests how she’s in pain, but could also represent how she is reminded of her daughter’s death.
The film ends with the woman’s death, as she understands what she has done. There is a sense of completion because throughout the film she is confused as to why she has this reoccurring dream, but at the end she learns that she killed her family and then dies herself. This is different to other short horror films as they are usually left without a sense of completion to scare the audience, however this is a psychological horror that focuses on the mind of one character so completion is needed. The ending left the audience sympathising with the woman because she admits what she did and it’s also evident that she has a mental illness. I found it difficult to identify the message of this film, it could be to raise awareness as the woman is clearly delusional and has little perception of reality. Overall I think that the ending shows the woman finally understanding herself and being at peace with what she’s done as she finally accepts the truth.

Twin flames 
Synopsis 
Eden, a typical English teenager is woken up by her alarm. As she goes about her
everyday life she remembers the weirdly specific yet somewhat terrifying dream she
had of a girl being kidnapped and held hostage. Thinking nothing of it, she carries on her
day, but as she goes to eat breakfast she overhears the news on TV, a report of a missing

girl is headlining. Assuming that it’s just a coincidence, she proceeds to go to school. She
drowning everything out.
The unusual school day comes to an end and she returns home and starts to feel dizzy,
then deciding to get a glass of water. She looks in the mirror above the sink and at first
finds herself distracted in lessons, often unable to hear anything due to the white noise

sees her own reflection, then she starts to hear the piercing white noise again. An image
of the helpless hostage in her nightmare appears in the mirror almost like a glitch, and
both Eden and the girl are staring at each other through the mirror. Eden instantly
recognises the girl from the photo on the news and begins to feel the pain from the girl’s
tied up wrists and bruises on her face. She splashes her face with water and returns to

what seems like reality.
By this time it’s night, however Eden continues to have visions of the girl and almost
feels what she feels, like a psychic connection. The pain becomes more intense, so much
so that she feels the cuts and bruises the girl has yet there are no marks. She scavenges
her cupboards for pain relief pills but nothing seems to work, because she feels the pain
but it doesn’t exist.
Still convinced she’s being delirious, Eden decides to go to sleep to distract her from the
suffering she’s going through. In her sleep she visions the girl again, this time trying to
escape. Eden copies the movements of the girl as she tries to untie herself. She wakes
up at around 6am barely feeling the pain she felt before. Not being able to go back to

sleep she goes for a walk, feeling free for the first time. Eden and the girl are both seen
running, celebrating the freedom they regained.
The girl that was held hostage was running through the woods, away from the place she
was held captive. Not too far away from her another girl is forced into the boot of a car.
Amelia, an average English teenager, wakes up.

One paragraph synopsis
Eden has a dream of a girl being kidnapped. She tries to forget but instead begins to
experience the girl’s pain, however there are no scratches or bruises on her skin. Is there
a connection between the hostage and the average teenager?

Log-line

Eden’s nightmares turn into reality as she can’t escape the girl she dreamt being kidnapped.

Shot list:

Script 

recce shots

location 1- woods

The first scenes will be shot in local woods that are easily accessible. It is public property, so there isn't any issues in gaining access and filming in this area. It is quite secluded and eerie, which is the tone I want for the shots, and filming later in the evening when it's darker will also make the shots more mysterious and fit the horror genre more. 

location 2- Eden's bedroom

Later scenes are to be filmed in Eden's bedroom. The tones will be quite cold as if she feels uncomfortable in her own home. This will be created through editing so no extra money is spent buying items such as cold coloured lights. The scene will also be bright, in some parts of the location, almost appearing dreamy, and this can also be achieved through editing. 

location 3- Kitchen/dining room

The scenes shot in the kitchen and dining room will appear more dull and darker than those of the bedroom as Eden wakes up and realises the loneliness she faces and creating a more eerie tone for upcoming shots. 

location 4

living room/dining room 

similar atmosphere to the kitchen as the scenes follow on.

location 5 

bathroom 

quite dull, dark setting that will be achieved through editing. 

Costume 

The kidnapper and the mysterious figure in the later scenes will be wearing dark clothing, such as black baggy jeans a hoodie and a leather jacket. This helps signify the character as being mysterious and evil, giving the film a more sinister atmosphere.

Eden's costume will be typical of a teenage girl in today's society, wearing baggy jeans or joggers and an oversized jumper. Her overall appearance will be quite messy and not put together, hinting at her confusion of the situation she is in.