The Shooting Schedule

The Shooting Schedule should be a working document that shows how you are preparing to film your trailer. It should include at least this information;

1. The dates and times of the shoot.

2. The place to meet or location of the shoot.

3. The people needed - any clothes they need to wear and any props that will be needed. (Umbrella/phone/bag etc)

4. The scenes that will be being filmed.

This can be in the form of a table if that makes it clear.

You may need to add to your shooting schedule as time goes on if there are problems with the light, the weather or one of your characters is unable to be there at the last minute.

Story Board and Recce Templates

Here is a copy of the storyboard page for you to down load or print. If you scroll further down you can find a sheet to help you with your "Recce".

Remember your "recce" involves you going to the places both inside and outside where you intend to film. Whilst there, think about the issues you will face when filming. 

Is it too noisy? 

Will random people come into the shots? Is that ok? 

Will the weather affect the shoot? 

Do you need to go at a certain time of day in order to get the lighting you require?

Remember that the clocks change in November and so there is less daylight time.

Is it a place where your actors will be able to get to easily?

Is it a safe place to film - make sure that there are safe places to film from if you are by roads for example.

Lego Men! Camera angles and types of shot.

The following Lego men shots will help you when you are doing your Story Board. think carefully bout the shots you want for your trailer. Make sure to vary the types of shot to create interest for the viewer.

The Script

Remember that when you write a script it should be in 12 point Courier font.

This is the Industry standard way of producing a script.











Notice that the descriptions are in the present tense.

The (VO) means that there is a voice over for that section.

Pre Production Tasks

Pre production

What else is there to do?

1. You need to complete a proposal - a short summary of the film that you are going to create.
2. Now do some audience research and see what other people think about your idea - remember they need to be people in your target audience. You need to respond to your audience feedback by either amending your story or stating how popular the idea was.
3. Now you need to do 4 pieces of pre-production

• the recce
• the script
• the storyboard
• shooting schedule

A recce - where you go to all of your locations,take a photo and write down the problems you might encounter there - noise,traffic, people etc and then write down how you could get around these problems.

The script - includes the dialogue and the voice over as well as information about who comes in and exits etc

The story board is a picture version of your trailer with the sort of camera shots that you intend to take.

The shooting schedule is simply the times, dates, places, actors and costumes that you organise to take the different parts of the trailer.

More information and blank forms can be found at Public/Media Studies/Y13/Unit 3

Magazine Front Covers  - Codes and Conventions

 The title or Mast Head is always across the top of the magazine. It is often partially covered by the main picture and in particular by the main actor or actors.
As in this edition, the colour scheme of the fonts is directly linked to the photo from the film.
Above the masthead there is usually a leading line that introduces either the film or a special feature of that magazine.
Notice the use of what looks like a sticker on the right hand side. Again this matches the overall colour scheme but it often advertises something else in the magazine - in this case another film.
The bar code always features somewhere but it is moved around each week or month to suit the editor.
Empire magazine always tuck the date and price into the M of Empire.

Notice how many similarities there are between the 2 issues of Empire. Although the features are moved about, it contains the same elements.
There are similarities as well between different magazines - have a look at the front of Total Film here.

Like the Empire front cover, the title of the magazine is obscured by the actors. Again there is a leading tag line across the top of the magazine and some information about the featured film. Notice how this magazine has much more information about the overall contents of the issue.
The date and price are tucked neatly into the M of FILM.
Total film also uses a film strip approach to advertising other films across the top of the magazine. This feature is used by Empire on occasions too.
The circle of stars is like a sticker - again advertising another feature inside the mag.
Notice that, as with Empire, the colour scheme of the fonts is well controlled with a limited number of colours. The steel colour of course to match the title of the featured film.
The following image gives us an insight into how the magazine would be edited together. This might help you as you approach a similar task later.

Codes and Conventions of Film Trailers

• The film trailer starts with a green screen that tells you that it has passed the age related tests. There are websites to verify the authenticity of this.
• There are often quick displays of the film company logos.

• Somewhere in the trailer you get the film title, a tag line, the unique selling points USP - such as the director, the actors, other films that have been linked to these actors/directors. You sometimes get all of these but other times just some of them.

• The montage is usually quite fast paced with the editing cut to flash from one scene to another quickly.
• There is sometimes a voice over, or there are lines taken from the film itself.
• The music is used to add to the tension or the feel of the film. Sometimes a song is used, sometimes it is specially composed music.
• The order of the clips is not necessarily in the order in which they appear in the film.
• The transitions between clips are slick. 
• The actors in the film are seen in the clips and sometimes their names are put up on screen as well.
• The release date is shown or at least it says"Coming Soon". 
• There is some blurb at the end that is similar to the blurb on the posters.
• There are sometimes some more FilmCompany logos at the end.
• More modern trailers often include a Facebook or Twitter or WWW. link so that you can do some more research into the film and the actors. 
• Trailers are designed to be watched on the Internet as well as in cinemas.

A Level Media Students 2014

Current Students' blogs 2013/14
Chikomborero Makondo
Ulera Longwe
Lucy Hicken
Joanna Wong
Misbaah Maahjabeen
Saad Khan
Nafeesah Sharif
Ammar Chaudhry

Codes and Conventions of Film Posters

Codes and Conventions of Movie Posters

1.     Title of the film

2.     Names of actors

3.     Tag line

4.     The blurb – always includes similar info – Give some detail – do a close up

5.     The “Coming Soon” or release date

6.     The links to Facebook or a WWW or Twitter – usually takes you to somewhere to see the trailer

7.     The photo is usually face front and of the main character or characters

8.     The colour scheme of the whole thing works together – integration between text and image

9.     Sometimes there is the use of “From the makers of..” or “From the Director of….” Unique Selling Point or USP

10.   Accolades if the film has won a film competition/ Oscar

11.    Restriction notices – if film is a 15 or 18 for example

The tag line

The actors

The director

The title

The blurb

The release date