The Final Product

AS Level Media Studies Film Opening: The Red Herring

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Creative Critical Reflection: Part IV

 How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware, online - in this project?

With the proliferation of technology in recent years, the software needed to create a low-budget film has become quite accessible. Accordingly, below is a presentation of the various software and hardware that I used when creating my film opening. I have also included a short video with examples of how I used this technology throughout the process of making my sequence.

Creative Critical Reflection: Part III

How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

Embedded below is a Prezi presentation detailing how my production skills have improved throughout the process of making my film opening.

Creative Critical Reflection: Part II

How does your product engage with the audience and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

Below is a Prezi on the research that I conducted in regard to how my product is likely to be received by audiences and how I would distribute my product.

Creative Critical Reflection: Part I

How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues? 

Included in the Prezi Presentation below is a depiction of the codes and conventions that I followed and challenged within my opening as well as how it represents an under-represented social group in a unique manner.

Creating a Production Logo

 For the start of my film, I wanted to include a fake production company logo to add to its authenticity. I decided on using the name Araliya Productions because the Araliya is a well-known flower in Sri Lanka which would help to indicate the setting of where this film is located, as well as because Araliya is a very nice sounding name.

I used a combination of software to create the animated logo; Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop. Firstly, I created a png version of the logo on Adobe Photoshop using a free downloaded image of a flower silhouette and some shapes, text and adjustment layers.

Once I had created the logos I  used masking in Premiere Pro to animate the logo. This type of masking had to be done keyframe by keyframe and it took quite some time to finish the logo but I was very happy with the results.

When adding the logo to the start of the sequence I included a copyright-free sound effect to mimic a production company theme sound.

Editing the Credits

 The Credits

I used an Adobe Premiere Pro template for the credits but altered it slightly so that instead of flashing with a blue light which I felt looked odd, it remained all white. I liked this particular template because while it is completely visible and animated it does not detract too much attention from what is happening in the sequence.

Given below is the credit structure that I used:

Araliya Productions Presents

THE RED HERRING

Starring

Dayadi Seneviratne

And Indeevari De Silva

Music Credits

Director of Photography, Yeshiah Peries

Produced by, Yeshiah Peries

Written by, Yeshiah Peries

Directed by, Yeshiah Peries

Editing the Title

 After doing some research online and watching a few productions by various media studies students I decided to use Masking to display the title in the opening. I felt that this was an interesting and creative way of displaying the title, starting off and ending with a fade-to-black transition and using masking so that the letters display a blood spatter design which fits with the general theme of the movie and directly references the first scene. I created the blood spatter background using Adobe Photoshop.

Designing the Title

 Brainstorming

After a long time of deliberating over what to name the film I had to choose between two options:

1. The Crimson Clue
2. The Red Herring

Although I liked the alliteration in the first option, it felt a bit generic and obvious, considering the nature of the first scene. Therefore, I decided on the title 'The Red Herring'. This was because, in the plot that I envisioned for the film, the word 'RED' written in blood would turn out to, in fact, be a red herring, which accidentally points to the wrong killer. This would fit in with the usual practice of misdirection in mystery movies. I also liked that the word Red from the title was therefore incorporated in the movie in two ways, in the literal usage of the phrase 'Red Herring' and secondly in the fact that the clue left behind by the victim is written in blood red.

Picking the Font

I used an online site called Fontspace to search for footage that would fit the theme of murder. Initially, I used a thick angular font to create a professional and sombre look for the film, but I was not completely satisfied that it fits the genre of the film.

 Therefore, I tried a few different fonts before finally deciding on one called The Macabre, which I really like as it looked very much like words written in blood which acted like a different reference to the start of the film. I also knew that I wanted a deep red colour for the title.

Adding the Soundtrack and Editing the Sound

Choosing the Music

 Now that the footage was ready I searched online for some music that I could use for the opening. I had already decided on using a song that I had heard from an episode of Castle which I felt would really fit the murder scene. 

Thus I added the song 'No Envy, No Fear' by Joshua Radlin for the murder scene and kept looking for audio for the scenes of the detective. Typically in moves when a protagonist is getting dressed in the morning, cheerful and upbeat music plays in the background. Here, however, the sequence is quite dark; we've just witnessed a murder. I wanted a more serious type of non-diegetic sound which would not sound too cheerful.

Ultimately I settled for a song that I found whilst searching on YouTube for serious music called 'It's All Downhill From Here' by Amy Kuney ft. Tim Myers. I felt that it struck the right balance between upbeat and sober. The music itself has a slightly cheerful tone but the lyrics and vocals stop it from being too happy. The turn that the movie is about to take is indicated by the song title itself, things are indeed, going to go downhill for the detective as she starts investigating the crime.

Editing the Sound

I kept most of the non-diegetic background music at a constant volume of -16db, using the audio gain feature to do so. However, the non-diegetic music in the murder scene is somewhat loud since there was no dialogue or important ambient noise that was used as well in this scene.

The diegetic ambient noises were usually kept at a volume of around -18db and the dialogue sounds were not changed but kept as they were so they would be clearly audible. I also used an Exponential Fade audio transition to transition from the soundtrack music to the phone ringing and a Constant Gain transition to return to the soundtrack music once the phone call was done so that there would be no other noise during the important dialogue bit.

Altering the Opening

 Before adding in the sound I saved the first version of my opening and sent it to a few people in order to receive some feedback and make any necessary alterations before progressing further.

A comment that I received were that the transition between the making of the tea and her sitting down at the desk was a bit too long so that was changed.

Editing the Opening

 After uploading all the footage to my laptop I started a new sequence on Adobe Premiere Pro. I then started editing the scenes together according to the script and storyboard.

For the most part, the editing was quite simple. I especially made use of the razor tool and the Adobe Premiere Pro built-in video and audio transitions such as exponential fade and cross dissolve.

(using the dip-to-black transition)

Another technique that came in handy was the Lumetri Color Preset which allowed me to lighten some clips so that they would match the lighting of the previous clips. For example in the shot seen below the original footage was somewhat dark but I was able to fix this using Lumetri Colorbrighten Presets to slightly increase the exposure and temperature. 

In some parts of the sequence, I also reduced or increased the speed of the footage, such as when I slowed the clip of her holding the picture frame so that the moment would be emphasized and feel nostalgic.

Final Shoot: Day 2

 On the second day of shooting, I shot all the indoor and outdoor scenes of the detective. The takes didn't take too long and were quite simple to film. We set the tripod up in the different locations of the house, starting with the kitchen, followed by the dining table and finally the dresser table scenes.

We began filming early in the day to make use of the natural ambient sounds of the morning, as well as the natural lighting from the sunlight coming in. The curtains were kept open at all times for this.

There was a slight issue when the neighbours started to mow their lawn, which slightly interrupted the sound, particularly during the phone call scene. However, the noise soon stopped and we were able to resume filming quickly. 

Filming the phone call part was a little tricky but I had my mother standing in the corner out of the frame and once Dayadi had started scrolling through the news she was instructed to call her phone. She also spoke the other person's line "We've got another one" herself into the phone during the call but this created an echo in the footage because my mother was also in the room so she could see when to call. However, this was an issue which I could and did fix during editing, replacing that audio with pre-recorded audio of the line which I manipulated to sound like a speakerphone voice.

For the parts where the car was being driven, Dayadi would only do the take where the detective was getting into the car and for the rest of this scene when the car was actually being driven this was also done by my mother since nobody else had a driver's license or knew how to drive. She wore the blazer that Dayadi's character wore and drove the car up the lane a few times so that I could get the perfect take. The lane was very quite as it was a weekday and a residential area so there wasn't an issue with cars driving by to disrupt filming.

In between filming the shots I also took footage just for all diagetic and non-diagetic sounds. For example, I took a separate clip of just the kettle boiling without the detective walking in to turn it off just so I had a lot of audio that I could use in editing.

Behind the Scene Photos:

Final Shoot: Day 1

 Finally, it was time to conduct the final shoot. I invited both of my actors to my house to stay overnight for the sake of convenience since there were both nighttime and daytime shots to film.

For the whole filming process, I used my usual Canon EOS 750D camera and a tripod that I borrowed from my father.

During the mock shoot, I had an issue due to the camera continuously autofocusing during filming and therefore leading to blurry takes. To solve this issue I played around with some of the settings ad managed to turn off the autofocusing feature, which was a big help.

Since Dayadi and Indeevari came to my house for dinner, we started off by shooting the night scene with the murder victim. For this, we artistically set the candle and wine up on the stool and splattered the fake blood on the floor to create a blood spatter. A larger pool was made for the victim's neck area to make it look like she'd been stabbed there.

For the lighting, a porch light outside the window was lit and the curtains were kept open, additionally, a small digital lamp was strung up on the windowsill at the side of the room so that there would be additional light streaming in.

I had to retake the shot quite a few times and every time I did so the letter Indeevari was drawing had to be continuously erased, so this scene took some time to film. Furthermore, I shot this scene from multiple angles so that I would have a variety of choices for the final edit. 

Behind the Scene Photos:

Costumes

 Character: Kiara De Saram

I created a mood board on Canva to get a clear idea of the type of clothing that female plain clothes detectives typically wear in film:

Using this as a reference point, I used clothing that I had at home to create a costume for my main character. I borrow a blazer and top from my mother's work clothes and my boots and pants were used as well.

 Character: The Murder Victim

The murder victim is portrayed in such a way that she appears to have been spending a quiet night on the couch ebfore she was attacked. Accordingly, Indeevari wore a casual pair of black shorts and a black t-shirt. We also chose black so that her clothes wouldn't stain from the fake blood used.

How I Collected My Props

 

Alternative Access to Video

Additional Props

• The Fake Blood

When dressing the set and filming the murder scene I made fake blood using water, red food colouring and flour. I mixed these ingredients together until I reached a satisfactory consistency which looked like blood and could be used to write  with on the floor.

• A Fake News Site

As an additional detail, for the take where Detective De Saram is scrolling through the news in the morning, I created my own fake news article of a murder that had taken place. I used a site called worldgreynews. This article was meant to act as an indication of her profession, she is reading up on murders because she is a homicide detective by profession.

Instead of taking a picture off of the internet I decided to stage another murder and include a picture of that in my own original article. My mother acted as the victim:

Casting

 The Cast

• DETECTIVE KIARA DE SARAM played by - 

➢ Name - Dayadi Seneviratne
➢ Age - 20
➢ Appearance:

• THE MURDER VICTIM played by - 

➢ Name - Indeevari De Silva
➢ Age - 20
➢ Appearance:

For the 2 film characters acting in the sequence, I approached two good friends of mine that I used to be on my school debating team with. They have both acted in school plays in the past and were very willing to help out and act in the sequence for free on their own time. I chose to use people older than me so that they would better represent their characters who are both adults. I also chose them because they have left school and do not have full-time jobs yet and therefore were likely to be available at convenient times for shooting. Dayadi in particular also really fit the idea that I had of my detective character, as evidenced by my previously posted character profile.

Recce Report

 Prior to filming the final shoot I also filled in a recce report, to anticipate any issues that might crop up during final shoots and in order to further scout the location.

(Report Template)

Final Storyboard

 

Final Script

 Taking the feedback from my mock shoot in to consideration, I made a few alterations to improve on it for the final shoot and product.

Mock Shoot Feedback

 

Based on the feedback received from my teacher I would have to change a few things for my final film opening sequence:

• The framing of the shots - particularly the scene with the detective getting dressed should have been shot as an over-the-shoulder/POV shot 
• There should have been a cutaway close-up shot of her reaching out to the picture frame in order to draw the audience's attention to the picture
• The phone call about the case should come in earlier so that the audience can draw the links as to why we are being introduced to this character right after witnessing a murder victim dying on screen
• The 180-degree rule should have been better observed (ex - in the scene with the murder victim shot from different angles)
• The ending could be considered too abrupt so a new idea had to be created. I decided to try and replace the current ending with the detective getting into a car and driving off to solve the crime

Mock Shoot

 

Behind the Scenes Images:

First Story Board

 

Above is my first attempt at creating a storyboard for my opening sequence. I used a template from this site - https://boords.com/storyboard-template#pdf-storyboard-templates and used Adobe Photoshop software to draw the scenes. My lack of drawing skills was a bit of an obstacle however the storyboard does accurately represent the plan for each shot.

Camera Script Attempt

 Below is a rough camera script for my latest script.

Each of these shots were decided upon for specific reasons, for example, it was an intentional choice to shoot the murder victim's scene from a high angle in order to show the victim's powerlessness in that situation. The detective was to be shot in an over-the-shoulder shot in order to create a connection between her character and the audience. There would be close-ups of the objects on her dresser table to draw attention to the photograph of her and her father. 

Second Script Attempt

After researching the genres of Crime Mystery,  Drama and Police Procedurals I felt better equipped to create my own film opening, taking into account the codes and conventions typically associate with those types of media.

Below is my second overall attempt at creating a script.

In this script, I felt that the knowledge and skills of filmmaking that I have learnt were far better showcased. There is a daytime scene and a nighttime scene showing a progression of time. The addition of the news program playing as background audio whilst the character is getting dressed would also add an element of time indication. The character's back story was also touched upon, giving it more depth. 

Additionally, this sequence still creates a level of suspense, starting off with a cryptic murder scene, which the audience will want to know more about by continuing to watch the film. They would also be intrigued by the female detective and her past, due to the slight lingering over the photo of her and her father.

This script also allows for more techniques to be utilised when it comes to mise-en-scene elements such as the lighting in the dark nighttime scenes and the usage of props to establish the character's profession such as the police badge and gun.

Creating a Character Profile

 Based off my previous research into female detectives portrayed in films and tv shows, I created my own character profile for my film's main character.

(made using - storyplanner)

Character Research

 For my main character, I wanted to use a female police detective who would solve a murder mystery. This is because I wanted to portray a female protagonist in a strong and unconventional position, particularly for a film set in South Asia, where female police officers are quite rare. 

I did a little research into some famous female detective characters from films and TV shows so I could create a profile of my character.

1. Detective Kate Beckett from Castle

Detective Kate Beckett is a main character in the ABC TV show 'Castle'. She is a homicide detective who solves murders with the assistance of a writer named Richard Castle. Kate's character is very methodical and analytical. She has a strong moral compass and often uses her intuition as well as her reasoning to solve crimes. She is portrayed as a strong female character in a male-dominated field. She dresses professionally and stylishly and in one episode we even see a discussion she has with another female detective about how she wears high heels to convey her authority in her workplace. This not only indicates that she is conscious of the fact that she has to work against gender stereotypes but also the fact that she is very intentional in what she does. From the first season onwards she climbs the ranks in her profession steadily, showing that she has ambition and focus. 

Another important thing to note about Kate is her backstory. This becomes a focal point in the show, and it is the main reason why Beckett is a cop in the first place. Her mother was murdered and the killer was never found, which explains why an intelligent and relatively wealthy woman would choose to go into an initially low-paying and tedious job. This is a convention often scene in Crime Dramas and Police Procedurals, where detectives are often motivated to solve crimes due to traumatic incidents in their past.

2. Teresa Lisbon from The Mentalist

    Detective Teresa Lisbon is another strong female detective lead. She solves crimes for the CBI, with the assistance of Patrick Jane, a former psychic. Teresa is often described as a 'straight arrow'. In one episode, Patrick describes her high school self to her as "Driven to succeed to the point of developing an ulcer, no tolerance for superiors less sharp than yourself, shutting out girls that wanted to hang out with you, blowing off boys that want to get close. All the while, at every turn, wondering 'what is it I really want?'" 

As such, she is a very strong-minded woman. Similar to Kate, she did not have the best childhood. Her mother died in an accident when she was young and her father then turned to drink and would sometimes even become violent. Teresa had to step up and raise her younger brothers by herself and this is likely to be what moulded her into the determined and independent person she is. Her father died by committing suicide, and it is possible that Teresa chooses to become a detective because she wants to help others in a way that she wasn't able to help her own family.

3. Amy Santiago from Brooklyn 99

Detective Amy Santiago is often perceived as somewhat of a goody two shoes as she is a stickler for the rules and often does her best to gain the favour of her superiors. She is somewhat socially awkward and can sometimes find it hard to interact with her co-workers, however, there is definite character development in this regard as the show progresses. 

Amy is very competitive and there are many examples of this such as in the Halloween Heist episodes where she doesn't hesitate to betray her friends and colleagues in order to win the game. Her competitiveness is likely because she grew up in a household with 7 older brothers who all became police officers as well. She became her family's first female police officer and is motivated to prove her success in relation to that of her siblings by working very hard and climbing the ranks of her profession as quickly as possible. She lives alone in a New York apartment that is very clean and organized. She values her work above all else and is willing to sacrifice other aspects of her own personal life for her job which may be one reason why she does not have many romantic interests in the show.

4. Olivia Benson from Law and Order

Captain Olivia Benson is the commanding officer of the Manhattan Special Victims Unit in the show Law and Order. Similar to the previous detectives, Olivia's upbringing provides a definite linkage to the reason why she works for the Special Victims Unit. She grew up in a single-parent household in Manhattan with an alcoholic mother who emotionally abused her. Olivia's birth was a result of her mother's rape and since the Special Victims Unit also focuses on rape victims it is possible that this is why Olivia works in this unit.

She is portrayed as courageous and a great leader who will always support her colleagues and friends. She is level-headed under pressure and completely dedicated to her job. Her relationship status is usually single as she focuses a lot on her job.

Researching Codes and Conventions of a Murder Mystery

 Having analyzed the opening of a Crime film, I did a little more research into the codes and conventions that typically appear in Murder Mystery films:

Getting Inspiration

Following my teacher's feedback on my first script concept for my opening sequence, I decided to take a different approach and was inspired to write an entirely new script.

I decided to explore the genre of crime for my film's opening sequence. This could be because I've always enjoyed crime and mystery films and TV shows like Castle, The Mentalist, and Sherlock. I also thought it would be a good idea to have an opening sequence with a mystery theme to keep the viewer guessing and persuade them to keep watching the movie because they are now invested in the story and want to find out "whodunnit."

So, in order to research and learn more about this genre, I decided to write an analysis of the opening sequence of Se7en, a well-known crime thriller film. The plot follows retiring police Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) as he takes on a final case with the help of newly transferred David Mills (Brad Pitt), and they discover a number of elaborate and grisly murders. They quickly realize they are dealing with a serial killer (Kevin Spacey) who is hunting down people who he believes represent one of the seven deadly sins. (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/seven)

I chose to analyze the film's first two minutes because the opening scene is roughly that long. The film begins with Detective William Somerset getting ready for his work day in a medium shot. The opening scene is very dark and ominous, as is typical of crime films. The set design hints at a meticulous and orderly personality. The chess set represents his strategic prowess; he enjoys keeping his mind sharp. Everything is neatly lined up and in its place when he begins to pick up his accessories.

The scene is edited to concentrate the audience's attention on the detective. POV and over-the-shoulder shots are employed to manipulate the audience's level of identification with the character. All evidence points to him living alone and living a simple life centered on his work as a detective. A lot of effort has gone into introducing this character to the audience in depth; in just a few seconds, we have a general idea of the detective's personality.

The body receives little attention and is only shown for a few seconds from a high angle, implying the victim's lack of power. There is no background music in this scene; the only sound is the diegetic background effects of Somerset's urban environment. There are people shouting, dogs barking, and traffic noises. These are noises that are typically heard in the morning, so there is also a rough indication of the time of day.

By watching this film, I learned a lot about the genre and was inspired to create a new version of my sequence.

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