After the pitches I decided to work with Amy on her original idea of a fantasy genre film, however my influence will be inputted as we develop ideas together.
I chose to work with Amy because we have worked together in the past and we work together well. Amy ads good attributes to the group, she is currently doing a level music, this is extremely helpful because she is composing for music and can use the piece of music specifically for this and inspired by this. She is also great at artistic direction and knowing what looks good and works well. Amy is also helpful because she can edit well.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Below is the first draft written by Amy copied from the previous blog post, however the one below I will change as we develop more ideas. Updates put across all posts will be in Green.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
15/12/16 We updated the name of the film to be Anidone the characters name instead of kingdom, many other fantasy films also use the type of character or the characters name for the title.
A fantasy film opening. Set on Lord of the Rings inspired scenery, ideal to re-create on moorland.
Whilst indents play the sound of a storm would play. The sound of thunder will accompany each new indent when it comes on screen.
The opening shot is a close-up shot looking down on a characters face in a storm (this could be achieved on a rainy day, at low light, and thunder like effects added in editing).
The characters face would be creaturesce and the character dressed in an elaborate costume. The character can be partly covered by moss/shrubbery to emphasise time (props available on moor). This protagonist will be a female character called an anidone, played by me (Sophie).
Titles will grow from the undergrowth within shots; this will be digitally created. For example a branches and vines could move to form a title. Each title accompanied by a sound, representative of the growth of a plant.
A violin solo starts the soundtrack in a minor key, hence a sombre atmosphere is created.
After watching similar openings to films from the same genre. We decided that along side the soundtrack a mystical/deep voice performs a few lines of script to give context to the opening.
The camera zooms out from above, showing the character in by lying unmoving in the dirt. The camera stops moving and she starts shuffling as if wakening. New camera at medium shot goes from looking down on her to looking up as she clumsily stands (as if dizzy).
Weather starts to resolve as a handheld medium-long shot shows the protagonist stumble/walk. Sturdiness of walk increase and rain has stopped, light is increased and music is in a major key. The camera is handheld and clumsy at the start of the following shot, however becomes more steady as the characters walk does.
Her costume becomes cleaner, they walk grandly as the soundtrack supports the sense of power and authority. Leaves follow her as she walks -added on digitally afterwards.
A medium-long shot follows a character walking, whilst other elaborately decorated faces* appear from out of shrubs and bushes. Update 25/1/16 - After scouting the moor scenery we have decided on a different way t introduce "Zosil" into the scene. A medium close-up shot shows a face erupts from a near stream, gasping for air. This creature then clambers out of the stream, shrugging of the water like a dog. This character proceeds to walk alongside the protagnist. As the piece of music develops, and more characters join the frame, more instruments join, hence it gains in volume, until it sounds full. As the screen becomes full - the sound is also full.
The camera zooms out to a long shot, whilst which characters join the protagonist to form a straight line of walking creatures. The growing amount of instruments corresponds with the amount of characters now walking - hence the more characters there are, the more powerful the music becomes. The protagonist is centre and leading the other characters.
The camera cranes up to show the group of characters stood overlooking a valley, the music is triumphant and ends with the shot.
*Creaturesce faces can be achieved with face paint
Difficulties;
- The creation of moving titles may prove difficult
- At least 5 actors required
- Filming in the rain, and at low light
Strengths;
- No speaking, so 'acting' should not be a problem
- Filming outside so light in most shots will be sufficient
- Set is readily available
_________________________________________________________________________
I believe that the idea is generic to fantasy films as it has to be to follow the genre however I believe we have done well in avoiding it being too generic. This is because we have used a female as the protagonist which is very rarely seen in fantasy films, this female is also portrayed as being powerful and grand which contrasts many representations of women in films being feeble and a secondary character. However we are still using a strong looking man for the warrior character, and possibly a boy for the 'uglier' golem inspired character (this is representative of gender in films as female characters almost always have to look pretty or attractive).
_________________________________________________________________________
Writing the score
06/01/17
The film score can only be concluded after the footage has being but together, however knowing the characters and how we wish the filming to go, the writing of the score can begin before hand.
As outlined in the plot above, each character will have a motif (a phrase/ group of notes the repeats and develops in the piece). these will appear in the score as the character appears in the film opening.
Today I wrote the first draft of this motif. As the "Phex" this is a pixie like character the motif is meant to sound mischievous, but harmless. This phrase should compliment the jittery character that cautiously emerges from behind a rock.
