SHOT LIST

A shot list is a document that lists all the shots needed for the film in the most convenient order and not in the chronological order of the film narrative. I drafted the shot list needed for when I shoot on all 3 locations.

EQUIPMENT

For the shoot, I will not require a lot of equipment as the shots I'm thinking of are simple but also connote some form of meaning in order for me to maintain my project goal. The only problem I'm facing is what type of lights I should use. Lighting may also be an issue as I will be handling the camera and possibly the sound kit so I would need another person to help set up the lighting kit. All of the equipment are accessible through the college.

DSLR CAMERA W/ STANDARD LENS

This is the Canon 1200D. It is a starter camera that records at a reasonably good quality. (1080p) The lens is good but could be better if I want to get more of a cinematic shot. This camera does not work very well at low light situations which is a problem as 2 of my locations will have very low light.

The camera has interchangeable modes, but for this project, I will be using the video mode.

This camera is fitted with the standard 18-55mm lens which makes a content shot if used properly and effectively.

During the shoot, I will switch the lens to MF which means 'Manual Focus' so I can change focus at will when shooting a scene that needs dynamic change.

This is the settings menu for the video mode of the camera. I will be referring to this most of the time for the shoot to get the appropriate shots needed.

This is the white balance feature, which changes the camera's colour on the image. All of the shots I need are all indoors so I will refer to the Cloudy mode or the Indoors mode.

This is the frames per second menu. I prefer to use the 1920x1080_24fps_29:59 setting as it records in high quality and provides a cinematic shot.

The ISO setting provides the balance of brightness in the camera. I plan to go strictly only up to 1600 as the higher the ISO is raised, the more 'noisy' the image will be. The 'noise' is the random variation of brightness or colour information in the image which is unwanted.

TRIPOD

This can be obtained from the college and provides me with stable shots which are key for cinematic shots. I plan to book the tripod after the holiday right before filming.

PROP DESIGNS

PROPS

Iron Bar/Murder weapon

This is an actual rusted iron bar. This poses health and safety risks as it will be used for a particular scene where the killer repeatedly hits the victim's head. I have two options to make sure the actors won't get hurt. The first option is to make a replica out of foam and paint it with the similar colour. The second option is to rehearse with the actors and practice with them where the actor who plays the killer must hit the other actor just at the side of his head in order to avoid getting hit. This option is more riskier and requires a lot more effort.











Student's apparel and equipment

Every actor that plays as an extra should have a notebook open or closed along with pens. This prop preparation is specified for Isaac's character. I chose this to show his organisational skills and how tidy his desk is.

As for bags, it should look something similar to this to clearly suggest that they are students and are in college.

TEST FOOTAGE

I am doing these test footage as it will help me prepare with what I have to do for the actual shoot. Here, I can identify whether the shots from the storyboard can actually be done on the location and will help me think of more shots as well as avoid further complications and delays for the actual production shoot.

TEST 1

On this video, I am testing out the framing of the camera, lighting and movement. I have found that this shot (illustrated in the storyboard) does not seem to work with the lens I have as it is at an awkward position and doesn't seem to capture the action I want the killer to have. Furthermore, the framing is poor and the camera is too close to the door.

TEST 2

This is the second test of the same scene. For this one, I changed the framing of the camera to a wider and higher shot but also maintaining a claustrophobic feeling to the shot. I think this shot works better because the killer can be seen better but the mystery is still maintained. I also added a placeholder prop to check if the prop works in that shot and also see how the actor should behave with it.

TEST 3

For this shot, I turned the lights off for a more realistic Noir feel. Using low key light is also conventional for crime and thriller genres which is what I'm aiming for. Adding less light also makes it more mysterious and also uncomfortable as it makes the room very insecure and vulnerable. I am happy with the framing of the shot but not with the lighting composition. The camera does not perform very well in dark situations and needs to have more lighting for the audience to know what's going on.

TEST 4

This is the 4th test for the Murder Scene. On this test, I added a secondary light source at the left side of the screen which is the torch on my phone. The shot looks better already, however the light coming from my phone is too harsh against the wall and looks greenish, which is not the look I'm going for. I'm thinking of adding a different coloured material to change the colour of the light and also to diffuse the light to make it less harsh on the shot. I am also thinking of adding a tertiary light at the end of the room just beyond the door to show the silhouette of the killer and a bit of Pierson's face to add more emphasis and character in the shot as well as to highlight the victim and the killer. Lighting wise, I am thinking of blending white light and warm light to illustrate warmth and comfort which I can juxtapose once the killer arrives to unsettle the audience slightly. I also added some movement in the camera to make it look as if the camera is almost peeking into the room and that the audience are the witnesses.