In order to make our trailer the best it could possibly be, we had to understand how to work a camera. Luckily enough, I have previous experience with using DSLR's as photography is one of my hobbies, so the first lesson which was configuring the ISO and white balance (lighting adjustments) was common to me. The second lesson we were introduced to different filming equipment and how to set them up, such as the tracking dolly, steadicam and the handheld rig. The cameras we used were the Canon 600D and the Canon 7D; during the actual filming, I will be using my own camera, the Nikon D5300.
Canon 600D18 megapixel CMOS sensor
Full-HD EOS Movie 3.7 FPS continuous shooting Wide-area (9 focal points) 7.7cm screen |
Canon 7D18 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
High ISO (6400) 8 FPS continuous shooting Full-HD movie Wide-area (19 focal points) Intelligent viewfinder Dual DIGIC 4 processors |
Nikon D530024.2 megapixel CMOS sensor
High ISO (12.8k extendable to 25.6k) 39 focal points 5 FPS continuous shooting Full HD 1080p movie High-quality audio EXPEED 4 |
ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speeds
Shutter Speed:The shutter speed controls how quick or slow the shutter of the camera closes. This is important as it determines how clear the image is, if you're shooting sport photography, then the shutter speeds must be high in order to capture the motion of the player without it being blurry. For cityscape or landscape photography, sometimes it is better to use a slower shutter speed so you can get light trails or flat water images.
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Camera Workshop Sessions
Day 1
The first day of the camera workshop consisted of us making our introductions and testing out the basic camera shots and angles like bird's eye view, two shot and high and low angles.
Day 2
Here, we practiced using the different camera equipment that we plan on using in our trailer. It proved more difficult than it seemed, especially using the steadicam.
Day 3
The third day, we practiced the shots we wanted to use in our trailer, so we had to use the equipment in order to get them, an example of one of the shots I wanted to use was a close up, over the shoulder, eye-line panning shot.
Camera Equipment
A small tracking dolly is usually used for low angle tracking shots and in places where a large tracking dolly wouldn't fit allowing for more creative shots.
A large tracking dolly allows for more possibilities than its smaller version. It is used in larger spaces and can be fitted with a crane to do a rising shot while moving.
A camera crane (or jib) allows for high angle shots or rising shots typically over landscapes.
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A handheld rig allows for a POV shot. It keeps the camera somewhat steady so the footage isn't completely shaky or jumpy.
A tripod is the most common piece of equipment used in photography and film. It allows for complete stabilisation and is adaptable to different types of terrain as the legs are adjustable.
The steadicam allows for stable camera footage while on the move. The stand sits on the arm connected to the chestpiece which has weights in order to counterbalance the camera that sits on top so it remains stable.
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Real Media Text Inspirations
Shots and Locations
My Bloody Valentine is an inspiration for the type of shots we will be using for our trailer. The movie takes place in an underground mineshaft, the mineshaft itself acts as a type of maze, and the scenes that take place outside of the mineshaft can be a brief exposition of the background story. The trailer in this also features a lot of fade ins/outs to black and quick flashes to scare the audience or hide away the antagonist's actions.
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The Purge 2 "Anarchy" was the basis of our film animatic and storyboard. It also presented a variety of different shots such as close-up, POV and match on action. We also liked the concept of the movie, how the government allows for a day, once a year, for all crime to be legal, it allows for creativity and a unique twist on the slasher/hunter sub-genre of horror, where there is no distinct villain.
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The Colony is a horror/sci-fi movie that takes place on Earth after the world has collapsed into an ice age. It is a similar concept to our film as the food source has become limited so the humans turned ravenous and began eating each other. The setting again is similar to 'My Bloody Valentine', so they are mainly placed in underground labyrinths full of dark and narrow corners.
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Creating the antagonist(s)
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The Crazies inspired us for the characters turning against each other, even their friends and family. So we used this concept and incorporated it into our film so the hunger causes the characters to resort to cannibalism and kill their friends who got put in the maze with them.
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This movie inspired me personally because of its story. The protagonists are not given any clue or idea how to defeat or escape the antagonist. This concept is applied to our trailer as our protagonists are lost in the maze and it is unclear if it can be finished while they have an antagonist chasing them throughout.
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Cabin in the Woods was chosen mainly for the concept of the film where the victims unconsciously chose how they die. So in our trailer, they won't know whether their friends will kill them for food, or whether the antagonist will get to them first.
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