Thursday, 14 January 2010

The Hunt (Review of a short film)

At the beginning of this short film it shows the title of the film 'The Hunt', this is shown by a cloudy background as the cloud appears it highlights the title of the film this shows the film as being a bit mysterious. Music is added to the background of this title sequence at first quiet but then it builds up to the point when 'The Hunt' is shown on screen, this music is also quite mysterious and spooky.
As the title sequence fades away a voice is heard and it is un-known to who it is, the film then cuts to a medium shot of a car driving down a baron road the voice is then presumed to be a Female radio reporters who is talking about murders and missing people in the local area, this then tells us it's going to be a Horror/Drama film.
The camera then cuts to some feet walking, the feet are of a women’s. The camera then raises of the floor and we are shown into a car where a man is sat, he wears black and his face is slightly covered by shade, he wears a hat and we presume that he doesn’t want to be identified we also presume he is a bad person because of the dark clothes he wears.
The camera then cuts to the man’s hand and he switches the radio off muting the radio reporter. The mysterious music then plays again. The camera then cuts to a medium shot of the women walking, she wears a pale blue top, she seems like a normal everyday women, the environment behind her looks dull and boring and the lighting in this shot is dark and has a blue effect on the surroundings, this shows that something bad is going to happen. As the women walks towards the camera we see in the background a car door open.
The camera then cuts to the women’s feet again walking away from the camera, it then cuts to a medium shot of her walking around a corner, the man in black appears behind her and we realize he is pursuing her, he then runs away out of the shot.

The camera then again cuts to a shot of her feet walking away from the camera. It then cuts to a medium shot of the women’s face and she stops, and looks at something. The camera then cuts to a medium shot of the women's back, she turns to her right casually, we then see the man in black stood blocking her path, he then follows her. It cuts to a long shot of a dark, bland alleyway where the women is seen running looking behind her she looks worried and frantically tries to open a door before realizing it is locked, she then runs off and turns to her right.

The camera then cuts to a medium shot of her jogging, she now doesn’t seem scared. It cuts to a medium shot of her walking towards the camera and she slows to a stop. The camera then does a 360 degree spin revealing that she has come to a dead end, and that the man in black is behind her. It then cuts to a close up shot of the man’s right hand by his side and in it he holds a bladed weapon, we see the women in the background turn to him.

The camera then slows down as he walks towards her.
It then cuts to a medium shot of the women’s face.
It then cuts to a medium shot of the man and women to show what’s going to happen, the man lunges for her with his knife but she blocks it with her arm, the camera turns slowly to the right and the fighting is slowed down, and we see the man hit the women in the face.
It then cuts to a medium shot of her hitting a wall with her back. She then bounces of the wall and the camera cuts to a medium shot of the man and the camera runs towards him (This imitates the women running) he lunges but misses. The camera then cuts to a low-medium shot of the women of the women this shows us that she is gaining the upper hand and power. We then get a close up shot of her face and we see blood around her mouth. It then cuts to a close-up shot of the man’s weapon that has blood on it, the camera then moves up to the man’s neck in a close up shot, and we see puncture holes in his neck we then get a shot of his face as he looks at the blood on his hand, and he looks shocked showing us that he didn’t expect this!.
It then cuts to a medium shot of the man stood side ways he falls to his knees and we get a medium shot of the man’s back and we see her walking towards him, this is also set at a low angle shot showing she has more power and dominance over him.
It cuts to a shoulder shot of the women and we see the man on the floor, he reaches in his pocket and produces a gun, he aims at her but doesn’t shoot. It then cuts to a low angle floor shot and the women crawls on the man, she opens her mouth and it shows us she has fangs. This is the twist in the story. She crawls towards the man’s neck as if to bite him.
We then get a close up of the man’s hand and the butt of the gun, we then see his hand twitching, and the camera moves up towards his belt and we see a badge, we then hear his screams and we see blood splatter on it. The camera fades out at the end.

Even though this short film is only 3 minutes long I think it has everything it need a beginning, middle and an end. I like the story line as we seem to think that the women is an ordinary person who is been pursued by a mystery man because the woman is dressed in ordinary clothes nothing seems suspicious about her. When we see the fight sequence we discover that she isn’t a normal everyday woman this could be seen as the twist but then we see her become a vampire and kill the man, he drops a badge and we realize that he is the good guy throughout the film and she indeed is being hunted for killing people, I like the camera angles and the contrast of colours as it keeps us on the edge of our seat and it makes the film more interesting and mysterious.


Ending V2 plan

Shot list + script
Ext: Honeywell

Long Shot: Jasper + Abi walking down path (maybe holding hands)
Close shot: Jasper turns towards Abi “would you like to mine?”
Close up: Abi says “yes” (excitedly).
Medium shot: Both walk into shot.
Medium shot: Jasper falls against wall (in pain).
Close up: Abi looking worried at Jasper starts to approach Jasper “You okay?”
Medium shot: Abi walks up to him, put her hand on his shoulder, he doubles over in pain.
Close up: Jasper hastily says to Abi “Stay here and don’t follow me, I need to… do something, I’ll be right back!”
Close up: Abi confused “Ermm… okay”.
Jasper 1st person (off tri-pod) – (camera shaking, he approaches a door, shows his hand try handle frantically, but door doesn’t open, try’s other door, it opens and Jasper enters fade out.
Medium shot: Abi stood against wall looking around arms crossed, it shows her look at her watch and un-patiently she walks off camera.
Medium/ long shot: Shot of door and wall it shows Abi:
Come from around the corner and walk towards camera where she stands looking around and notices the door. She starts to walk towards it.

Int: Medium shot: Abi walks into building.
Close up: Abi face in shock, when enter building “Jasper you okay?”
Camera pans: to show us Jasper on floor doubled over.
High angle shot: Jasper face covered in blood (sinister) “I told you to stay away, I can’t control these urges inside me. I must feed. We here Abi “what are you?” Jasper stands and cracks his neck and faces Abi.
Medium shot: Abi looking worried, she runs out of door.

Ext- medium shot Abi runs out towards the camera, we see Jasper behind her, she stops and turns around.
Medium shot: (Abi) “I can help you, tell me what’s wrong!”
Medium/ close up shot: 9Jasper) I can’t stand this any longer, I cant lead a normal life. I need blood. I can’t be helped.
Medium shot: Jasper run towards Abi aggressively; we here Abi scream, she pushes Jasper away and he falls onto the door.
Medium shot: We see Abi produce a gun “I, can help you”.
Medium shot: Jasper falls into the doors, we see Abi walk into the shot, (Jasper) “You shot me, how? I can’t die! (Abi) “Now you can”.
Medium shot: Jasper dead, we see Abi come into the shot and place something on Jaspers head.
Low long shot: we see Abi walk off with the gun in her hand.
Extreme close up: cross on Jasper! Zoom out.

By Luke parker, typed up by Karl Swales.

Saturday, 2 January 2010

First few minutes review of UnderWorld

First few minutes review of
UnderWorld

At the beginning of this film there is some brief logos and start credits then it shows the title of the film 'Underworld', this is shown on a completely black background and the cloud is a dark sliver colour this makes a bit mysterious and gives it a dark mood but also seems a bit too simple compared to the title sequence on most other big films. There is no music but there is some sound effects added to the sequence this helps make the mysterious and dark feeling.
The title the cuts away at the same time as the sound of a lightening strike, it cuts to a shot of the celling of a build then it tilts to head hight. While this happens a non-diegetic voice is heard giving us a brief prologue to the film, While the voice is on there is a series of shots all mainly set around Selene who is perched on the ledge of a building in a rainy night and a few of another vampire taking picture of two Lycans who are walking on the busy street below in their human form.

After Selenes finished the prologue (the audience is expected to have worked out its her voice because of the shots of her when using the word I) she jumps from the ledge, as soon as her feet hit the street below the background music starts, again helping the dark mysterious mood.

Selene and the other 2 vampire death dealers follow the Lycans into a subway station. The Lycans follow one human on the way there are 6 closes ups of Selenes and the humans faces showing eye contact, this give a feeling that something else mysterious is going off. The Lycans carry on following the human (Michael Corvin) towards then end of the platform until they realise there being followed the Lycans then open fire with sub-machine guns, killing Rigel (One of the 3 Vampires) within moments. During this the music builds up then goes silent then the Lycans notice this build up suspense of the fight that's about to happen the music restarts again getting loud after the first bullets have been shot this makes the whole fight sequence more exciting.

After the Lycans retreat from Selene's barrage of machine pistol fire and the arrival of a third Vampire Death Dealer Nathaniel, Selene tracks them to their lair, as Nathaniel is slain by Raze while pursuing the Lycan and is ambushed. Raze overpowers Nathaniel by knocking his weapon away as he tries to reload and then goes to his full Lycan form, killing Nathaniel off screen. Upon reaching the Lycan lair, Selene kills the Lycan she was following using a lot of bullets showing how hard they are to kill while she's killing him there are bell sounds in the background which I found make the death seem more dark, powerful and gives a feeling that time is up. Selene takes the dead Lycans gun to find that the Lycans have developed a new high-tech bullet to kill the vampires, as seen with how Raze killed Rigel. Selene hears the last Lycan (Razer) that had transform into his full Lycan form, Razer jumps down into the Lycan lair where Selene throws 4 spinning throwing blades then runs off. The shot of the blades is 1st person in slow motion from the Lycans perspective which makes it more interesting a dramatic. To show Selene running there a series of close up tracking shots of her feet.

Even though this is only the first 10 minutes of the film I think it is interesting it tells a lot of the story for such a small part of the film and it has a lot of action and suspense and shock. I think the story line seems simple up to now but gets more depth as the film goes along, and although it doesn't tell us much about what is happening the music, sound effects (both diegetic and non-diegetic), title's and uses of dark tones/filters using a lot of blues, greys and blacks help us know its going to be something big, mysterious and sinister is going off and that its going to be action packet. Using these it also keeps up suspense to keep the audience guessing what's going to happen next, on the edge of there seat. The beginning also makes a lot of questions that will be answer later on in the story to keep the film interesting. On example of these questions is we have just been shown a fight scene where we are following a normal human this makes us think this is no ordinary man and something more.

(Link to first few minutes > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPH743Zd18Y

By Karl Swales.

Shot List and Script mix

L’AMOUR DU SANG Written by Thomas West, Co-written by Luke Parker, Corey Wilcock & Karl Swales.

SCENE 1. EXT URBAN AREA. EARLY EVENING.

JASPER is sat on a bench; he is staring at a woman across the street.

Shot 1: Medium of Jasper to introduce him.

Shot 2: Long pan shot over Jaspers shoulder following Abi crossing the road.

JASPER

Shot 3: 1st person from Jasper watching Abi.

It wasn’t always like this; I was normal like everyone else. I didn’t ask for it, I wouldn’t wish this upon anyone. Imagine living everyday hating yourself and who you are.

Look at her. She’s innocent, pure, human.


SCENE 2. EXT CHURCH. EVENING

Shot 1: Long shot following Jasper.

JASPER is exiting a church; he walks solemnly with his hands in his pockets, he walks towards the gate, but a mysterious figure is stood looking at him.

Shot 2: Medium of/from behind right side of Jasper and showing the “mysterious figure”.

JASPER starts walking the other way to the other exit, but another figure is stood there.

Shot 3: Medium shot as before but camera turn around 100 degrees to show the other figure but now from the left side of Jasper.

Shot 4: Close up on the “other figure” from shot 3 (shows us that they are vampires, show fangs and start hissing).

They advance on jasper.

Shot 5: Medium showing the 2 figures (now known to be vampires) both advancing towards Jasper.

Jasper rummages round to find his cross, he holds the cross in front of his face.

Shot 6: Close up of rummaging for cross and getting it out.

The brown Haired Vampire [MARQ] grabs the cross and throws it away the blond haired vampire [LOUIS] grabs JASPER and restrains him, while JASPER tries his hardest to escape.

Shot 7: Medium of Jasper holding up the cross then Marq throwing it and Louis in turn quickly restraining Jasper.

The Ginger Vampire [SOLOMON] Advances towards JASPER.

Shot 8: Medium of Solomon advancing.

And toys with him before biting his neck.

Shot 9: Close up of biting.

SCENE 3. EXT. URBAN AREA. EVENING.

The Young woman, Abi, walks across a road and looks at Jasper

(Following on from scene 1) Shot 1: Medium shot of Abi.

Shot 2: Close of Abi.

ABI

Do you have a light mate?

Shot 3: Close of Jasper

JASPER

(Shocked) Excuse me?

Shot 4: (semi) Close of Abi talking but not too close so we can still see the cigarette.

ABI

A light, for this (waves cigarette)

Shot 5: Close of Jasper.

JASPER

Sorry I don’t have one.

Shot 6: Medium following Abi.

ABI

Oh okay! (Sits down next to Jasper and starts rummaging through her bag)

ABI starts looking through her bag for a lighter

ABI

Got it…would you like one? (Offers cigarette to Jasper)

Shot 7: Close of Jasper.

JASPER

Sure

Shot 8: Medium of them both smoking.


SCENE 4. EXT. DARK URBAN AREA. NIGHT. HEAVY RAIN

Shot 1: Close up of Jasper.

He is laid on the ground on a dark rainy evening, his face is covered in blood, he has just been in a fight and has been abandoned we see the other vampires returning to him.

Shot 2: Close up of Marq.

MARQ

Have we made our point clear now!

Shot 3: Close of Louis.

LOUIS

Betray us again and you’ll wish you were never born!

Shot 4: Medium of Jasper also to show the vampires around him.

JASPER

You don’t understand! I don’t want to be like this any more!

Shot 5: Medium, Marqs line then Solomon stopping him then Solomon's line.

MARQ

Let me pummel the bastard!

SOLOMON

Wait…we give you the gift of immortality and this is how you repay us?

Shot 6: Medium panning shot following the fight.

LOUIS and MARQ start to beat us JASPER, They all put up the fight of their lives, blood splatters everywhere, and JASPER gets thrown to the floor again.

Shot 7: Close of Solomon and Jasper.

SOLOMON

Have you learnt your lesson yet?

JASPER

I will never be one of you!

Shot 8: Medium of Marq and Louis.

MARQ snarls and lunges forward but LOUIS restrains him.

Shot 9: Close of Solomon.

SOLOMON

Well you shall be destroyed!

Shot 10: Medium to show the vampire surrounding Jasper as the do there last lines.

LOUIS

Any last words?

JASPER

Bite me!

MARQ

(Chuckles) don’t worry we will.

LOUIS, MARQ & SOLOMON surround JASPER, he slumps into a ball and remains still.

(Note: Through out scene 4 all shots from Jasper will be low angle (looking up) and all shots of Jasper will high angle (looking down).)


SCENE 5 EXT URBAN AREA. EVENING

Shot 1: Tracking shot of front Jasper and Abi walking having finished smoking.

JASPER is looking down at his feet his cigarette burning away, ABI looks at him

ABI

I’m Abi by the way (she smiles)

JASPER

Jasper

ABI

I was wondering…would you like to go for a drink?

Jasper

I would like that.

Shot 2: Medium of Abi and Jasper main focusing on Jasper.

They walk past a dark alleyway, Jasper starts to twitch, he is visibly starting to change more ‘vampire’ like.

JASPER

Wait here; I’ll be rite back.

Shot 3: Close of Abi (confused).

ABI

Okay

Shot 4: Medium of Jasper scuttling away.

Jasper scuttles into the alleyway, his eyes start to get darker, his face goes pale and his fangs are more pronounced than before, in his head we see a montage of the other three vampires: LOUIS, MARQ & SOLOMON, laughing and taunting him, we also see all the events of the film so far and a few shots of JASPERS struggle.

Shot 5: Close of Jasper.

JASPER

Abi! I need your help a minute.

Shot 6: Long of Abi running up the alley.

ABI runs into the alleyway, she seems apprehensive.

Shot 7: Close of Abi.

ABI

What’s wrong? (She sees jasper) oh my god!

Shot 8: Close of Jasper.

JASPER

I’m so sorry, but I can’t take it anymore, I must have your blood.

Shot 9: Close of Abi.

ABI

I knew it, vampire, I can help you.

Shot 10: Medium of Jasper as he heads towards Abi and says line.

JASPER

Its too late, I'm so sorry

Shot 11: Medium shot following the fight.

JASPER attacks ABI, they fight, at one point JASPER has the upper hand and attempts to bite ABI, but she manages to break free, she then rummages through her bag and gets out a gun and a stake.

Shot 12: Close of Abi holding gun a stake.

ABI

I didn’t want to have to do this.

Shot 13: Medium of Abi shooting Jasper.

She shoots him several times in the stomach and blood splatters everywhere, he lies on the ground in pain and starts to panic.

Shot 14: Close up of Abi stabbing Jasper.

She then stabs the stake through his chest and he eventually dies. She sits next to him on the ground, and wipes the blood from his forehead. She puts the same cross that JASPER lost in an earlier scene around his neck. She kisses his forehead sobbing and gets up.

Shot 15: Close up of Jaspers head on the ground with Abis feet in the background walking away.

Cut to credits.

Shot List

L'amour Du Sang Shot List


Scene 1: EXT URBAN AREA. EARLY EVENING.

Shot 1: Medium of Jasper to introduce him.

Shot 2: Long pan shot over Jaspers shoulder following Abi crossing the road.

Shot 3: 1st person from Jasper watching Abi.


Scene 2. EXT CHURCH. EVENING

Shot 1: Long shot following Jasper.

Shot 2: Medium of/from behind right side of Jasper and showing the “mysterious figure”.

Shot 3: Medium shot as before but camera turn around 100 degrees to show the other figure but now from the left side of Jasper.

Shot 4: Close up on the “other figure” from shot 3 (shows us that they are vampires, show fangs and start hissing).

Shot 5: Medium showing the 2 figures (now known to be vampires) both advancing towards Jasper.

Shot 6: Close up of rummaging for cross and getting it out.

Shot 7: Medium of Jasper holding up the cross then Marq throwing it and Louis in turn quickly restraining Jasper.

Shot 8: Medium of Solomon advancing.

Shot 9: Close up of biting.


Scene 3. EXT. URBAN AREA. EVENING.

(Following on from scene 1)

Shot 1: Medium shot of Abi.

Shot 2: Close of Abi.

Shot 3: Close of Jasper

Shot 4: (semi) Close of Abi talking but not too close so we can still see the cigarette

Shot 5: Close of Jasper.

Shot 6: Medium following Abi.

Shot 7: Close of Jasper.

Shot 8: Medium of them both smoking.


Scene 4. EXT. DARK URBAN AREA. NIGHT. HEAVY RAIN

Shot 1: Close up of Jasper.

Shot 2: Close up of Marq.

Shot 3: Close of Louis.

Shot 4: Medium of Jasper also to show the vampires around him.


Shot 5: Medium, Marqs line then Solomon stopping him then Solomon's line.

Shot 6: Medium panning shot following the fight.

Shot 7: Close of Solomon and Jasper.

Shot 8: Medium of Marq and Louis.

Shot 9: Close of Solomon.

Shot 10: Medium to show the vampire surrounding Jasper as the do there last lines.

(Note: Through out scene 4 all shots from Jasper will be low angle (looking up) and all shots of Jasper will high angle (looking down).)


Scene 5 EXT URBAN AREA. EVENING

Shot 1: Tracking shot of front Jasper and Abi walking having finished smoking.

Shot 2: Medium of Abi and Jasper main focusing on Jasper.

Shot 3: Close of Abi (confused).

Shot 4: Medium of Jasper scuttling away.

Shot 5: Close of Jasper.

Shot 6: Long of Abi running up the alley.

Shot 7: Close of Abi.

Shot 8: Close of Jasper.

Shot 9: Close of Abi.

Shot 10: Medium of Jasper as he heads towards Abi and says line.

Shot 11: Medium shot following the fight.

Shot 12: Close of Abi holding gun a stake.

Shot 13: Medium of Abi shooting Jasper.

Shot 14: Close up of Abi stabbing Jasper.

Shot 15: Close up of Jaspers head on the ground with Abis feet in the background walking away.

Role Credits


Total Shots = 45.


By Karl Swales.