Bit more planning

What a musical includes-
Songs(catchy)
Dance
Showstopper
Performance
A problem/twist in the plot
Romance


Ideas for our character-

• happy ending
• bubbly
• searching for the spotlight
• talented
• acts,sings and dances
• different from the rest of the cast
• carries a story

Storyline for our film-

• Talented teenage girl goes for an audition
• very bad auditionees
• put on a show
• love interest
• Girls competiveness almost costs her future

Distribution

Parodies:

Scary Movies-Miramax Films
Date Movie- 20th Century Fox
Epic Movie-20th Century Fox
Scary Movie 4-Buena Vista International
Spaceballs-Metro-Goldwyn Mayer
Austin Powers- Pathe Distribution(UK), New Line Cinema(USA)


Musicals:
Fame(1980) -United Artists
Fame(2009)- Entertainment film Distributors
White Christmas- Paramount Pictures
Footloose- Paramount Pictures
Grease- Paramount Pictures
Billy Elliot- Universal Focus
The Wizard of Oz- Metro- Goldwyn Mayer


Overall we found out that these two genres do not normally have to same distributors. However we found one match between Spaceballs and The Wizard of Oz and their distributor was Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. Therefore we have decided to go with Metro-Goldwyn Mayer because this is the link we were looking for. Even though Paramount pictures was the most common distributor between the musicals and 20th Century Fox was the most common between the parodies they are single minded to their genres.

Genre Research:

Parodies:
-Scary Movies 1(2000),2(2001),3(2003),4(2006)
-Austin Powers(1997)
-Date Movie(2006)
-Superhero Movie(2008)
-Epic Movie(2007)
-Spaceballs(1987)
-Airplane(1980)

Musicals:
Fame(2009)
Fame(1980)
Footloose(1984)
Sound of music(1965)
Grease(1978)
Billy Elliot(2000)
White Christmas(1954)

Genre Research



Parodies:

-Scary Movie 1,2,3,4

-Date Movie

-Austin Powers(1997)

-Spaceballs(1987)

-Airplane(1980)

Script for Voiceover


Katie: It's fine i can do this i have been performing since i was three years old its just one audition what does it mean!?...... OH SHIT! it means everything, this one audition could change my life and finally make me a star! (Breaths out through mouth) oh.............

Pre production survey

Female Male

My Age 6-12 13-18 19-29 30-50 51+

My favourite Genre:

Rom com Horror
Action Thriller
Musical Animation
Parody Childrens
Comedy Adventure
Sci-Fi Fantasy
Chick-flick Other

What would you expect from your favourite genre?

In a week how many times would you watch films?

In a month how many times would you visit the cinema?
Never
Once a month
Three times
Four times
More

Where/how do you watch films?
DVD/Videos
Downloads
Cinema
TV (eg. channel 4)

What are your top three films in your genre?



How do you first find out about movies?
Social Website Internet
Posters Cinema adverts
TV advert Other


How long does it take you to settle into film?

What rating would you expect a musical parody involving a romantic scene to have?
U 12A
PG 15
12 18

What would you expect from a musical parody?
Stereotypical character e.g. popular,geek
Romance
Songs
Dance
Murder
Gangsters
Showstoppers

What musicals have you seen?

What did you like about them?

Which of these titles do you think suits a musical parody?
Make me famous
Stardom
This is not it
One shot
Other

Post production survey

Age:

Gender:

Did you enjoy the opening of our film?

Do you think the title of the film is suitable?

What is it that you liked about the film, list 3 things:

What would you change about the opening?

Did the music link in with the opening?

Do you think the film would be the suited to the cinema?

What is it that you didnt like about the opening, list 3 things:

Do you think the opening suits its genre, musical parody?

Script

scene 1-
Katie is asleep in her bed and has realised she has overslept and is late for an audition.
Katie's dog Joey jumps onto the bed.

Katie: Good Morning Joey. Looks at the time on her clock OH NO!!!
Tries to get out of her bed and falls to the floor
Oh shit!!!

scene 2-
Katie runs down the stairs, out of the door, down the street and comes across a passer-by with a bike.

Katie: Can i borrow this?
Passer-by: Yeah sure.
Katie rides off

scene 3-
Katie runs into the chool and looks around.
Katie: Where is everyone? Notices someone sititng down Hi, sorry do you know where the auditions are?
The other person sighs and points to the right way
Katie: Thank you. Skips off up the stairs but then falls back down them. Woah!!!

Prop list and Location Shots

Props-

• bed
• clock
• pillows
• duvet
• dog
• bag
• bike

Location Shots-

• Sixth form centre
• New road
• Pepys Terrace
• Hania's Hall/stairs
• Hania's Bedroom

Shooting Schedule

Shooting Schedule:

Scenes at Hania's house and street- Friday 9th April 2010
Scenes on New Road- Monday 12th April 2010
Scenes in Impington Sixth form- Monday 12th April 2010

Diary

Friday 26th March 2010

We discussed our target audience for our Pre- Production surveys and who we estimated to believe the most common fan of Musicals and who would be for Parodies. We decided females aged between 15and 24 would be the biggest buyers of Musicals and males aged 15 and 24 would be the target audience for Parodies such as Scary Movie. Therefore we decided our target audience would be females aged between 15 and 24. The reason we didn't choose males as our target audience is because, males generally think musicals to believe to be a 'girly' type of film.

Friday 5th March

We discussed our Pre- Production Survey results in class and decided that our target audience as predicted was correct and we are sticking with it.The survey included questions that will help us with our film such as 'How long does it take you to settle in to a film?'. This will help because, we will know what we need to do to get an audience gripped onto our film. We also have asked them to help us choose a title with the choices of: This is not it, Stardom, Make me famous, One shot and asked them to give any other suggestions.

Friday 12th March 2010

We finished our storyboard so we know which camera shots we believe to be best used in our opening sequence. We noticed that in films such as Fame, Grease and High School Musical that low angle shots are very commonly used when actors are performing and we want to bring a couple of low angle shots into represent this. We also noticed that in these films low and and high angle shots are used alot to give characters there status. So we decided to have a stranger in the hall way with a high angle shot on her so that she has low status as she is not good enough to attend to audition. We have also decided on our dates and times for filming.

Friday 19th March 2010

This week we decided to re-watch our preliminary task so we could dissect the parts that we liked and disliked and the reasons for this and how we can prevent/ create this in our opening sequence.

Friday 26th March 2010

This week we have been making sure that we are up to date with all the theory work that backs up our piratical and making sure all corrections are made. We have also decided to assign each other one piece of theory to do over the holidays before we come back and to make sure it is ready in time. We now need to write letters to each actor to ask permission from them to take part in our film, we also need to ask permission from Hania's parents to film in their bedroom and house.

Friday 2nd April 2010

Due to exams being on this week filming for us has become impossible and therefore we decided to do it during the Easter holidays when we can spend two days filming and another editing. Instead we carried on with some more theory work and making sure all our work is drafted on our blog, not published just in case we need to change things. We decided being ready for our presentation is vital so we are going to begin to create slides during the holidays.

Friday 9th April 2010

Today we began to film at Hania's house after receiving permission from her parents. Also Jessica Theobald our main Actor agreed to attend to these filming hours Friday 9th April 10am to 3pm and then Monday 10am to 3pm. After 3 o'clock we decided to put on what we did for that day on th Mac computers at college so it is sfe on there.

Friday 16th April 2010

We have now completely finished filming and have almost finished our editing because, we have all been busy and we decided to finish in the first week back. Overall our filming has been successful apart from not all the camera shots were possible and we had to re-create the storyboard with the new changes.

Synopsis

A talented teenage girl, Katie awakes in her bed she soon realizies that she is late for an audition that could change her life forever. At the auditions she witnesses some of the worst performers she have ever seen and begins to wonder if this is the audition she has been waiting for all her life. She auditions and gets in. We then skip to a month later to see all the auditionees receiving their letters to find out if they are in or not. All the people that made it through meet for the first time and begin to rehearse. As the rehearsal process goes on the Katie sees this guy and begins to fall in love however Katie begins to wonder if doing this show is going to ruin her reputation and soon realizes the only thing keeping her there is Jack. We begin to witness the competitiveness and Katie begins to ruin every aspect of the show to stop it from happening and save herself from performing. The show takes an unfortunate fall when the director has a heart attack and cannot carry on with the show. Katie feels responsible for it and tells the truth, Jack is horrified and stops the relationship from going any further. Rehearsals begin again with Jack directing and they begin to have some success with their first night a sell out the first night. Unfortunately the pressure begins to mount and the cast begin to panic and perform terribly. Jack doesn't understand why and threatens to leave however Katie returns and begins to sympathize with him and they put on an amazing show bringing in lots of money and success for everyone even the lovers who open their own school for young people and decide to direct. This film is full of fun,show stoppers, comedy and romance.

First five mins:

Grease (1978)- The film opens with a shot of waves and the sea crashing against the rocks which automatically tells the audience that the beginning scene is set on a beach, the non-diegetic music to go alongside the first few shots suggests a romantic genre as the lyrics include the word 'love', and the music is also quite uptempo and joyful. The camera shots then fade into each other creating a sequence of images of the characters Danny and Sandy which are pictured as a couple as they are shown to be holding hands etc. The edited shots fade slowly and at some points you can still see the faints outlines of existing shots which add effect of a memorable and lasting image. The camera shots also range from long to medium and even some close ups which show expressions and what is going on in the enviroment around the characters. Whilst the charcaters are talking before the opening credits start the shots are shown to be slightly over the shoulder to create the effect of a conversation. The music continues to play whilst they are speaking and at one point when there is a passionate/slightly tense moment the music increases tempo and pitch.

The opening song and credits then start quickly with another upbeat song that is fast paced which could signify the type of lifestyle the characters are shown to have in the film. The credits are alongside a short animation of each charcters morning routine which is predictable to see in a film of this genre. The editing for the animation is fairly simple just including straight and fading cuts, aswell as just medium, close up and zoom in camera shots.

To end the first five minutes the animation agian fades into a shot of the school where the basic plot is mainly set around, therefore, setting the scene once more for the audience. The costumes are particularly styled to indicate the time era (1950s) alongside the props such as the cars and the style of music.

First five mins:

Hairspray (2007)- The film opens with a birds eye view shot slowly zooming into the streets of Baltimore whilst Non-Diegetic uptempo music plays alongside the camera panning through the streets. Usual everyday sounds are used such as car horns, general chit chat and the sound of animals, which indicates the story will be centered around this city. At one point the camera zooms right ontop of a newspaper that shows the date in which the film is set and automatically give the audience a sense of what time era it is set in,aswell as an indication from the props and costumes.

After a minute the camera zooms into the character Tracy Turnblad's bedroom, and provides us with a close up of her eyes as she is waking up, to show her first facial expression, the camera then quickly cuts to the alarm clock which is ringing, again setting the scene and showing the audience that the film starts first thing in the morning.

The camera shots vary from close up shots to birds eye views alongside the fast tempo cuts and music which signify that the film has a lot to include. The cuts from each scene to the next are quite simple apart from one where the hairspray is sprayed towards to camera and as the haispray fades a new shot is shown. Which links in with the title of the film for added effect.

The lighting is considerably bright throughout the opening which suggests that the film is cheerful and positive. As the opening is mainly music and song it would also suggest the same attitude however it could be interpreted by some audiences as 'cheesy'.

The character Tracy walks through the street singing which once again gives chance for the audience to be reminded of the setting with medium camera shots panning down the streets, but also shows her everyday situation which some audience members could perhaps relate to.

First five mins:

Fame (2009)- The opening sets the scene with a caption stating "Audition Day" alongside a a birds eye view shot of a fast moving train, which could indicate the film is set around a normal hetic working day. Later, we also find out that one of the characters is boarding the train.

The film which is set around New York introduces us to each character at the start of the film, showing them travelling from where they live to the school which could be hard for the audience to keep up with every character. These short shots are edited and cut quickly with just simple straight cuts.

The camera shots throughout the first five minutes consist of long, medium and close up shots but also include a few extreme close ups and high angle shots. When the audience is shown the auditions the shots mainly start long or medium then zoom in to show the character facial expressions, conversations of their actions, for example we are shown one characters hands whilst playing a piano.

The opening contains many sounds in both forms of Diegetic and Non-diegetic sound, such as charcters playing their musical instruments and talking over the non-diegetic sound which is very upbeat with fast tempo which could suggest that the film is fast paced and there is lots going on.

The clothes, props and enviroment are all related to performing which could attract this certain type audience but also the opening shows different everyday circumstances for each character which anyone could relate to.