A2 Coursework Checklist – Film (There should be a least one blog post about each stage) 1. Choose who you are going to work with and name your production company, design a logo for your production company. 2. Create your blog on either www.blogger.com, www.wordpress.com or www.tumblr.com. 3. Send the URL of your blog to Mrs B, so she can put it on www.mrsblacksmedia2.wordpress.com. 4. Choose the genre of film you want to make a trailer for, research films from this genre and come up with a list of identifying traits of the genre – things you need to include. 5. Research similar trailers to the one you want to create. Each member of the group should do a full textual analysis of at least 2 trailers (cinematography, editing, sound and mise-en-scene). 6. Pick another trailer from the genre and choose the 9 key screen shots from it (see www.artofthetitle.com for inspiration). Annotate the 9 shots describing why they are the key shots and what you can take from them as inspiration. 7. Create a mood board, scan or photograph it and upload it to your blog, write a short entry on why you have used what you have on the board. 8. Look at narrative theory (Propp and Todorov etc.) and try and work out whether trailers conform in the same way to narrative theories. Produce a prezi or a mindmap on your findings. 9. Audience research – research why people choose the films they do, whether trailers make a difference, what attracts people to trailers and what puts them off. Blog your findings. 10. Go to http://www.uktribes.com and http://www.findyourtribe.co.uk and use them to define your perfect audience member. (Have some fun and find out what tribe you are too). Create a complete picture of your audience member, from clothes to the food they eat, music they listen too. You can get a friend to dress up in the appropriate costume and take photos. 11. As secondary research go to the ‘Pearl and Dean’ website. Go to the business section and have a look at their breakdown of audiences. Can you apply this to your own trailer? 12. Research the institutions that might produce, distribute and exhibit your film. 13. Define the key elements you must include in your trailer to conform to the expectations of the genre you have chosen, the audience you have chosen and what is expected of a trailer. Make a check list. 14. Create a story arc for the whole of your film; write a brief synopsis. Remember most films have 5 ‘acts’, and most conform to normal story patterns.
15. Plan 5 sections from your film that you need to create a trailer. Create a storyboard (either drawn or photo-strip) for each. 16. Create an animatic of your trailer, with sound. 17. Create a shot list and shooting script. You need to write the script of your voiceover (if you are having one) and show where specific shots appear next to it (cut up your storyboard)! 18. Plan locations and take location shots. Blog your reasons for choosing these locations. Seek permission if needed. 19. Cast your film and take casting shots. Blog your reasons for casting. 20. Plan and collect all props and costumes. 21. Produce a risk assessment. 22. Shoot your film 23. Make a rough edit and check that you have all the shots you need. 24. Do any re-shoots and pick ups needed. 25. Complete finished edit.