1. Adapted from P. Fraser’s original
making film openings
Adapted from P. Fraser’s original

2. Step 1: take stock what’s the task? what’s the assessment?
what’s the timeframe?
what’s the equipment?
Write a blog about this. Title it: Taking Stock

3. task and assessment Titles and opening of a new fiction film
up to 2 minutes
20 marks Research and Planning
60 marks Construction
20 marks Evaluation
You could comment on these. See previous slide.

4. timeframe and equipment
build your skills
build up your research
build up your planning
give yourselves time to shoot and edit
keep evidence throughout the whole process
The above are tips/suggestions/things you should do/things you have done.

5. step 2: set up a blog and keep evidence of everything you do!
Look at the next slide. There is a top mark blog there. Notice how it is visually appealing, uses a range of different media, shows progression and is well managed. Time management is key.

6. good blog examples

7. Step 3: investigate what do film openings actually look like?
what does other student work look like?
what do you need to know about titles?
how are you going to do something that stands out?
You have started this. Develop it by making graphs, doing focus groups, researching real thriller openings, conducting surveys. Title your blog: Thriller Research and Investigation

8. search for student films on youtube

10. It’s a worthwhile idea to do the next task. Go to the art of the
Titles exercise
It’s a worthwhile idea to do the next task. Go to the art of the
title.com and do a titles exercise. Reflect on what you did/
learned.; how will it impact your idea???
Title Blog: Titles Research

11. titles analysis

12. Step 4: brainstorm ideas
possible scenarios for pitches/treatments
25 word pitch
moodboard treatment
peer and teacher feedback
realistic expectations- keep it simple
know the film but make the opening
Do the above. Title the blog: Our Thriller Idea

13. Avoid these Cliche Openings: Six most common student film openings
Saw: victim tied up in shed
Scream: hooded stalker follows female victim
Waking up: clean teeth, brush hair, leave house
Se7en: killer sticks knife in polaroid photos
Lock, Stock: gangsters play cards
Flashback or Flash forward

14. possible pitch scenarios
low budget UK film with young teen protagonist, set on housing estate
supernatural thriller aimed at a female audience; co-production with europe
a character returns to town after years away

15. Example of Mood Board

16. Step 5: Planning experimenting with camera and editing
recce shots of locations
examples of shots, costumes, props, etc onto blog
post-it storyboard, animatic, moodboard
logistics planning- including risk assessment
Do the above. Title this blog: Planning

17. step 6: the shoot people, places, props, costumes rehearsing
equipment, jobs on the day
keeping a record of the process
Title this blog: Shooting Experience

18. Step 7: edit all having a voice/hand in it screengrabs of process
importance of audio and titles
foley - not just music
rough cut deadline and peer feedback
Post your rough cut on your blog
Do the above. Leave plenty of time to edit and refine your coursework. Look at the marking scheme--the examiner will. Title Blog: Editing and Rough Cut.

19. big picture before fine detail
titles could be laid down first

20. step 8: final cut post teacher and peer feedback on blog
reshoot if needed
post editing process on blog
submit on burned disc and post on blog

21. most common problems--review your thriller to make sure you don’t have any of these problems
looks more like a trailer or a short film
insufficient titles
poor sound, poor lighting
confusing for the viewer
uses one of the six common openings

22. ways to make your blog posts creative/engaging
prezi’s, scribd
edit shots
scanned images of your notes, diary, texts, s
‘test’ video/focus group videos/videos that inspire your idea
images of your group working/images that inspire you
Soundcloud, Flipsnap, Slideshare
Writing
and many many more
Examiners want to see you engage in many types of media