Research & Planning: Final Cut Pro X Research

Final Cut Pro X

Video Editing Programme

I decided that it would be a good idea to do some research into Final Cut Pro X as it is the editing programme that I will be using when editing my film trailer. I have used it before, though there are some aspects of the programme that I haven't quite got to grips with. Here are some of the features that I will be using:

Trimming

Trimming is the method of cropping a clip down to it's intended length. You can also use this tool to split a clip, which is good for inserting graphics etc.

Titles

The titles feature on Final Cut Pro X is very handy as you can easily include production/distribution company logos, release dates and credits.

Video Effects

Final Cut Pro X has a nifty feature that lets you add effects to video clips. One that may be useful for my trailer is contrast and brightness highlighter, which makes the clip brighter and appear more 'romance-y'.

Audio Effects

A great feature of Final Cut Pro X is it's built-in audio enhancement tools. With these tools I can improve the quality of the dialogue in my trailer. It features tools such as background noise removal and frequency hum removal. Very handy!

Research & Planning: Social Media Feedback

Research & Planning: Filming Problem

Unfortunately, one of our main actors had a last-minute family emergency yesterday (17/12/2013) so we were unable to proceed with filming. We were also unable to film any outside scenes as the weather was too cold. We plan to re-schedule the shoot to the 10th January (a Friday). This has put us behind where we would have hoped to be this stage, though I am confident we will make up the time. Between now and the revised shooting date, I will produce my poster and film magazine and take the photographs on the day of shooting (to save time).

Research & Planning: Meeting Post 4

Our meeting:

• One of our actors was unable to attend filming because of a family emergency. We will re-schedule for a later date - I will do a separate post on this issue.
• We have realised that we will need to purchase food for the dinner scenes. We plan on using ready-meals as this will be cost-effective and save us time when shooting. The money will come out of our contingency budget.
• We have also realised that we will have to shoot a track scene of the car driving on the way to the protagonists parents' house. We have discussed locations in previous posts, and we have decided on Werneth Low. We will have to shoot the scene during daytime as it gets quite dark early, which would be hazardous.

Action plan:

1. Create a post on the revised schedule for shooting.
2. Purchase food for the dinner scenes.
3. Update shooting schedule/location recce's to include the new location (Werneth Low).

Research & Planning: Photographs of Location 1

Living Room:

Guest Bedroom:

Bathroom:

Dorm Room:

Dining Room:

Kitchen:

Living Room 2:

Research & Planning: Makeup Research

I decided that it would be a good idea to look up the various items of makeup that I may need for my actors when it comes to filming/photographing them. I want all of my characters too look quite natural and to achieve this I think it best not to use too much make up. However, I feel like the actor playing the 'current girlfriend' should wear slightly more than the ex girlfriend, and a lot more than the male protagonist. I think this because we are trying to portray the current girlfriend in a negative light, and we can play on the audiences dislike of 'fake' people by putting lots of makeup on her, though not too much as to cause the audience to question why the male character is with her in the first place. For the male character, he will mainly wear just foundation and perhaps some eye liner to emphasise his eyes, though I will post an update when I have done make up tests with the actual actors.

1) Foundation

2) Eyeliner

3) Mascara (current girlfriend/ex girlfriend only)

4) Eyebrow Pencil (current girlfriend/ex girlfriend only)

5) Bronzer (current girlfriend only)

6) Blush  (current girlfriend/ex girlfriend only)

7) Lipstick (current girlfriend only)

8) Lipgloss (ex girlfriend only)

Research & Planning: Magazine Shot List

Research & Planning: Magazine Risk Assessment

Research & Planning: Magazine Location Recce

Research & Planning: Magazine Shooting Schedule

Research & Planning: Magazine Draft 2

This is my second movie magazine draft. Again, I have used the name 'Showcase', though I have styled it slightly different. Unlike my first draft, I have tried positioning the publication line, web link and issue date beneath the masthead. This is similar to 'Elle' magazine, which I like because of it's simplicity and clean layout (though this may not be completely appropriate for my magazine's genre). I have broken some of the conventions of magazines by positioning the barcode and magazine price in the lower left corner of the page, and I have opted for an oblong barcode instead of the more traditional rectangular one, again I think this adds to the simplicity of the layout. The main cover line is directly beneath the masthead in a large font, which immediately grabs the readers attention and tells them that it is the main feature of the magazine. Another feature is located in the bottom section of the page, where multicoloured boxes and circles will highlight another *exclusive* story (possibly a behind the scenes spread?). The positioning of my actors/characters on the page is an effort to represent the themes of our trailer. The male protagonist and his ex girlfriend are happily placed towards the top of the page (which represents them in a positive light), whilst the male protagonist's current girlfriend is located towards the bottom of the page, and is being pushed down (which portrays her in a negative light). This positioning also hints at the chemistry between the characters and suggests at the possibility of a romance between the male protagonist and his ex girlfriend. As well as this main feature, I have also included several secondary cover lines to break up the page.

Research & Planning: Magazine Draft 1

This is my first draft of a movie poster. As mentioned in a previous post, I have decided upon the name 'Showcase' for my movie magazine's masthead, though I have yet to decide upon the design of my masthead. This draft draws inspiration from the two research posts I did into movie magazines (here and here). Like 'Empire', I have positioned my magazine's publication line above the masthead. I have also included a web link and an issue number beneath it. The price, date and barcode are located in the bottom right hand corner, as this is typical for magazines of this genre. I have positioned the main cover line in the center of the page, as this will draw the readers attention. The positioning of my actors/characters in the photo mimics a scene within our trailer. The male protagonist and his ex girlfriend are stood (happily) next to each other, whilst his current girlfriend stands angrily in the back between the two characters. This hints at the romance between the male protagonist and his ex girlfriend, as well as the possibility of friction between the three characters. As well as the main cover line, I have also included some secondary ones; some with a few thumbnails.

Research & Planning: Chosen Movie Magazine Name

I have chosen the name 'Showcase' for my movie magazine as I think it describes it's purpose and magazine genre quite clearly. The definition of 'Showcase' means to literally show something off, which is what my magazine would be doing by promoting new films. As mentioned earlier in a previous post, my magazine will feature the latest movie blockbusters and give one film a main feature in each issue. For the cover I will be making, my film (trailer) will be the featured film. I will do another post looking into different masthead designs.

Research & Planning: Movie Magazine Name Ideas

Research & Planning: Film Poster Risk Assessment

Research & Planning: Film Poster Location Recce

Research & Planning: Film Poster Shooting Schedule

Research & Planning: Shot List for Film Poster

Research & Planning: Filming Risk Assessment

Research & Planning: Shot List

Research & Planning: Shooting Schedule

Research & Planning: Location Recce 2

Research & Planning: Location Recce 1

Research & Planning: Budget

Our Budget - £20

I have discussed our budget with my partner and we have concluded that we do not have any immediate outgoings, and for this reason we have no need for a budget. However, we both agree that it is sensible for us to plan in the event of a contingency, so we have set aside £10 each for the production of our movie trailer. This could cover items such as make up and any props/costumes, should we require them.