Foundation Portfolio: Eye for an Eye (FINAL CUT)

Foundation Portfolio: My roles in the production

As there were only four of us in our team, we all had to take on many roles. I contributed to our team in the following areas:

Pre-production:
Co-created and wrote up the concept.
Wrote all versions of the script, using Celtx.
Created both iterations of the props and costumes list, with explanations as to why certain characters are wearing what items.

Production:
Cameraman for all of the shoots; set up, white balanced, prepared recordings and filmed the action.
Used audio equipment infrequently on longer shoots, including boom microphone operation and sound mixing.
Set up lighting equipment alongside Ben on our main shoot.

Post-production:
Created opening titles, using font sourced from the internet.
Sourced all music and sound effects from royalty-free websites, and edited music to fit the timing and style of the video.
Shared editing with Ben, Andrew and Anna-Marie.

Foundation Portfolio Creative Critical Reflection: Question Four How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

Foundation Portfolio Creative Critical Reflection: Question Three How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

Foundation Portfolio Creative Critical Reflection: Question Two How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

Foundation Portfolio Creative Critical Reflection: Question One How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?

Foundation Portfolio: Planning

Timeline:

Concept
The original concept was simply written on the Monumental Pictures blog, with little explanation (or personal flair), while we fleshed out the story and themes of our video. As we developed our project, it became clear that the concept had to be developed too.

Original Concept:

Working Title: To be confirmed

Conventions: 

Dark lighting, night time 

Possibly rainy (winter season)

Young characters, relate-able to audience

Confined spaces

Threatening antagonists

Regular, casual clothes

Plot:

The film begins with equilibrium, two brothers, Jamie and Lucas at home alone, their parents out late. They are relaxed and casual with each other. The shots change to outside of the house, as two masked figures approach the house. The watch through the windows at the two brothers and observe them. One of the dark-clothed characters seems reluctant to enter the building, while the other is more confident. They enter the house and work their way through the hallways. The brothers are unaware of the invaders. 

However, one of the brothers notices something out of the ordinary and they realise they are not alone, and they attempt to get help.

Characters:

Lucas and Jamie, teenage brothers

Two "Perps": One is confident, and the other is slightly nervous and reluctant

Practicalities of filming:

Easy to source home (Ben's house)

Easy to find actors (two teenagers and anyone can wear a mask regardless of age)

Night-time shoot, possibly difficult lighting

Easy to costume (casual clothes, masks can be sourced from local stores)  

New Concept:

Props and Costumes
The props and costume list also required revision, as well as needing expansion on the reasons why we chose certain items of clothing, especially Eagle's and Wolf's mask.

Old Props and Costumes list:

AS Media Foundation Portfolio: Props list

Casual dark clothing: represents the invader's internal conflicts, and the use of fear and uncertainty as their weapons. (Dark hoodies).

Casual home clothing: For the two brothers, relaxed and "home-like", representing their lack of knowledge of the outside "predators"

Weapons: Knife. Potentially rope or ties.

Masks: For the invaders: Either ski or sports masks, or animal/scary masks.

Popcorn, pizza, movie: For the brothers to be preparing during equilibrium equilibrium.

New Props and Costumes list:

The Script
The script went through two main revisions, following the same basic story, especially towards the first half of the video. The main change occurs in the positioning of the two brothers, suggesting more of a "hierarchy" between the two brothers, in who does what task. In the original script, it is Lucas (the younger, more timid brother) in the kitchen, associating the younger and less confident character a role deemed more feminine. 

In the newer script, Jamie is in the kitchen, which we believe is an expression of Jamie's inherent responsibility as an older brother, leaving Lucas the less complicated and strenuous task of picking a film to watch. 

There are some discrepancies between the script and our final edit, namely the reduced amount of conversation between the two brothers, such as when Eagle (Perp 1) is hiding from Lucas outside, and just after Lucas shuts the front door to go back to his task. This was mostly to cut down on time, and make our project within the two minutes allotted, and to reduce the amount of awkward or unnecessary dialogue.

Old Script:

New Script: