Based on your ideas so far

What ways would your target audience ideally be able to consume your film?

If this was to be made into a full length feature film, then my target audience would be able to watch it in the cinema and also on websites like Netflix. These would be the main ways my target audience would be able to access my film as most of my target audience (teens and young adults) still go to cinemas, meaning they would easily be able to watch my film. Most of the people that go to the cinema are teens and young adults and they are more likely to go see a film their than go and rent or buy the DVD. So by making my film available in the cinema, I am able to attract my target audience to go and see it.
Most young people now though do use websites as well like Netflix to watch films which is why I would also make my film accessible their too. Many people prefer websites like Netflix because they don't have to leave their house to watch a film and can pause and re-watch films in the comfort or their home, with the only charge coming from the subscription of owning Netflix. This gives my film the highest chance to be viewed by my target audience by having it accessible in the two places that my target audience are likely to view it.

Script first draft

1. AT HOME 

November 2016 teenage girl asleep in bed. Seven o'clock in the morning. Alarm goes off. 

TEENAGE GIRL

(Hand reaches out and shuts the alarm off. The girl opens her eyes before getting out of bed. The girl then goes and gets changed putting on a green jumper and jeans. Looking in a mirror she turns the taps on and washes her face. She goes downstairs and puts the kettle on and some bread in the toaster. She has breakfast. She then goes upstairs and brushes her hair and teeth. Downstairs she picks up her rucksack and skateboard before leave the house.)

2. IN THE STREET

Establishing shot of the street 

TEENAGE GIRL

(Skateboards down the street towards the bus stop. You see her waiting at the bus stop. A bus comes along and you see her getting on it.)

3. ON THE BUS 

You see the teen sitting on the bus. Headphones on

TEENAGE GIRL

(She is looking out the window constantly and checking her phone.)

4. IN THE CITY 

Establishing shot of the city

TEENAGE GIRL

(Skateboarding around the city going to various places. Pulling posters out from her bag she is taping missing posters to walls. She Skateboards away after putting them up.)

STALKER 
(Taking photos and filming the girl while she is in the city)

Final idea - Plot synopsis

My final idea for my film opening is for a teenager (Zoe) to be seen getting ready and then getting the bus into the city with her skateboard and bag. Once she arrives in town she starts skating about, which is when you see a guy following her in a car and filming her with an old camera. The girl continues to skate with no knowledge that she is being followed by a mysterious stalker. She is seen skating through an under passage, the stalker not far behind her when you see her putting a missing persons poster up before skating on. She is then seen skating on to another place in town where she stops again and puts another poster up before again skating away, which is when you see the stalker come up to the poster with his video camera to get a closer look at the poster.

If this was to be made into a full film then this opening would lead to the teen girl trying to track and find her missing sister due to the police closing the case off after a few months with no leads and assuming the girl was dead. As the teen got closer to finding her sister, the stalker would appear more, often when she comes close to figuring something out about what happened to her sister. Weeks would go by like this until suddenly the teen realises she is getting followed by someone. The teen would experience many flash backs to when her little sister wasn't missing which starts to give the audience an indication as to what happened. Various people would come and try and stop the teen from searching for her sister telling her she was dead and there was no point in trying but she wouldn't listen. The Stalker would keep getting closer and closer to the teen, taking more photos and filming her more when she discovered the objects that related to her sister. The teen would almost be giving up hope when she goes into her little sister’s room and looks around. She notices a book open on the bed and goes to put it on the shelf when she notices something odd about it. Old photos of their father as a child lay on the pages of the book, acting like bookmarks for the pages. She would flick through the book and discover many which she had never seen before when her father was around. She would get to the end of the collection of photos when she discovers one with her father in and also another young man. When she turns the photo over she see the name Niklaus Buchanan scribbled on the back. On further investigation she discovers that this man is her uncle and more photos and documents that suggest why she has never heard of this man before and why when her father lived with them, why he never mentioned him. She soon makes the link that the person following her is her uncle and finally discovers the truth of what happened to her father when he abandoned them. She also uncovers why her father left her, and with all the new information she discovers, goes out and begins to search for her sister again, only to find her dead at the hands of the person she trusted the most.

Ideas for my film opening

First idea
My first idea for a film opening is to have what appears to be a homeless girl wandering around an abandoned city/town where she goes into a secluded area and she sees some empty bottles on the floor. She walks over to them and picks one up. As she sees her reflection, you see a distorted image of an older man passed out with bottles around him and a young girl crying in the corner with a bruise emerging on her face. The teen girl then drops the bottle and you see it smash on the ground before you see the teen running away. 

This idea would be for a drama opening as you will understand that there is family issues going on with this girl whom you see portrayed through a flashback she experiences when she picks up the bottle and looks at it. Drama is one of the genres I am considering to use in my film opening as it is one I am more comfortable with and more familiar with compared with other genres.

For this film opening I would have about two characters overall in the whole two minutes. I would have the teenage girl who looks to be homeless and the drunken father. The main character that would be shown in this opening would be the teen girl and you'll only get a little glimpse of what her life was like when she was younger through the glass bottle.

For this opening I would be looking to use any location that has a rugged look with some debris about. I would think about using run down areas in Norwich to do most of the film, showing the teenager running and walking around the area to show she has run away from home. I would also consider using my home to show the scene where she is at home when her abusive father hits her. These locations would be the best to use for my filming due to their easy accessibility for both me and the people I will be filming.   

Second idea 

My second idea for a film opening was to have a group of children playing by a river splashing about and making paper boats to race. Some are seen pretending to fish by the side of the river with little sticks and laughter is heard as the children play. One of the young children suddenly stops playing to look at the water. She is seen staring at her reflection when a hand comes out of the water and drags her under. Screams are heard as the other children run away in fear and police sirens are heard in the distance.

This idea would be for a horror opening as you will see that there is obviously something lurking in the water which is not of human nature. I would include happy music at the beginning to show how calm and relaxed all the children are, but when the girl starts to wader towards the water the music will start to get more sinister and will build up anticipation for the audience that something is about to occur. Horror is another genre I am considering to use in my film opening as it is one I am more comfortable with and more familiar with compared with other genres.

For this film opening I would have about seven characters in it overall. Most of the children would just be background characters and they would be seen playing in and around the water. The main focus would be the girl that gets dragged under by the hand and she would be focused on a little before this scene playing about with the others. Another character that will also be in this opening would be the character whose hand reaches out after the young child. Although you never see any more of this character than their hand and arm in the opening they are one of the most important characters in this scene as it gives the audience an idea of where the film would be going and what kind of film it is.

For this opening I would consider filming by the river under the bridge near where I live or the river that leads up to the UEA. The river by the bridge has shallow water which would be great to film the children playing in the water and there are banks which would be suitable to set up the tripod and film from at various angles. This area is also close to where I live and so will be easy to access for everyone. The river by the UEA would be alright to film by but would not be my ideal choice. The water there is much deeper and so I wouldn't be able to film any characters splashing in it. I would also not be able to get very good shots of the character due to there being not many places for me to set up the camera. 

Third idea 

My third idea is a teenage boy is seen getting ready, dressed up in a shirt and brushing his hair back. You then see him heading to the door followed by many others dressed just as smartly. You then see him going over to the church for a funeral. You see the young boy looking solemnly at the program in his hands before he goes out of the church and places a single rose on a grave. 

This idea would be for a drama opening as you will understand from the opening that this young boy has obviously lost someone that was close to them and you see them getting ready for that persons funeral. Drama is one of the genres I am considering to use in my film opening as it is one I am more comfortable with and more familiar with compared with other genres.

For this film opening I would need between three and six characters. Again most of them will be background characters and will only be needed to help portray the fact that it is a funeral which these people are attending and they are all family or friends gathered there to mourn the death of a loved one. The main character who will be in this opening is the young boy who is getting ready for the funeral. He will be the main focus for this film opening and it will show the audience that he is a key character in the film.

For this opening I would need only two locations, the first being a home and the second being the grounds of a church. I was thinking of using one of my friends’ houses due to her having a very tidy house which also gives the homely feel. It is also very easy to get to with it only being in Wymondham. I was thinking of using the church in Intwood as it is a small church that has nice ground but I also have Wymondham abbey in mind due to it being in the same general area as the house I would be filming at. 

For my course work I have decided to work alone as it means I get creative control over everything and I don't have to rely on anyone else to do certain aspects of the work. This means everything thing is on me which could be quite stressful and overwhelming but I look forward to making all the decisions myself and getting the freedom to do what I want for this project.
 

For my coursework I am thinking of creating either a horror or drama film opening. I decided to pick from these two because they are the types of films I am most familiar with and the ones I enjoy the most to watch. I think it will be easier to create a film opening for either of these genres and they are also the ones I am most passionate about and will have a better time creating an opening for.

For all of my ideas so far I don't plan on using dialogue just because I think I can create a more emotional and interesting opening without it. I plan on possibly explaining the circumstances using narration rather than through dialogue because I feel it will be more clearly explained that way. I also plan on using a sound track which will help create the atmosphere I want for the opening and help create the tension and emotion I want to show in the opening. 

Breaking the fourth-wall is something I probably won’t use in my opening. It is a very interesting technique and looks good when executed well, but I don't think it would be easy to incorporate into any of my ideas. Some of the camera shots I would like to include in my opening are, long shots, close ups, low angles. These different shots will help to demonstrate the characters journey and help the audience understand key objects that will be important for later on in the film. These different shots will also help show the audience the surrounding and where the action is taking place. I will also use pans and tilts to help show the characters movement as well.

Attracting your target audience

Ways to attract my target audience to watch my film would be by;

Firstly, making the main character easily relatable to the target audience, for example through age helps to attract a certain audience. If I plan on making my target audience teenagers then I would need to make my main character a teenager so the audience will find them easier to connect with. 

The next thing I would do is consider carefully the props I would use in the opening. If I show lots of beer bottles and cups it would attract a much older audience, for example young adults and it would suggest to them that this was a house party. Having specific props can help illustrate to the audience what genre the film will be and will help attract a certain audience.

Showing the genre clearly also helps to attract a certain genre, for example if you were making a horror or action film then you know this would attract mainly a male audience between the ages of 15 and 25.

Location can influence target audience, the use of a school setting will attract teenagers compared to adults due to them being familiar with the setting and finding it more relatable then adults would. This again helps to give an indication of what the film will be like and bring in a certain audience based on that.

Finally how you advertise a film influences what type of audience will come and see it. If you show trailers for kid’s films on sites the wont see they then you won’t be attracting the right audience. Same goes for if you show advertisement for horror films on children's channels, the right target audience won’t see it. Advertising in public spaces for films with a wide target audience means there is ample opportunity for a variety of people to see it and go and see the film.

Target audience

A target audience is a select group of people at which a product is aimed at. In film different people are attracted to different films, for example younger children are attracted to more child friendly compared to teenage girls who often prefer romance films.

Comedy - the target audience for comedies is dependent on the content in the film and can vary quite a bit. The Jungle book is aimed at children while Ted is aimed at people over fifteenth. While both of these are comedies you can see that they are clearly aimed at different groups of people. Ted contains adult humour and strong language which wouldn't attract younger audiences while The Jungle Book contains funny scenes appropriate for younger viewers which they find entertaining.

Horror - the target audience for horror films tends to be people aged 15-25 due to young adults and teenagers enjoying the thrill of being scared by these types of films. They are also often aimed at young men as the can interact with the characters and enjoy the violence and gore shown in the film 

Action - these types of films tend to be aimed towards males due to the violence and car chaos which are stereo-typically aimed towards males. These types of films are also often aimed towards young males due to the thrills they experience and the violence which is shown in the films.

   

Drama - these types of films tend to be aimed at both young and older audiences of both genders. People tend to be attracted dramas due to the historical element that can be embedded in the film, for example War Horse which is aimed at most people.

Romance - these types of films tend to be aimed at teenage girls and young adults. Woman tend to find it easy to relate to the characters due to them being of similar age to them which is why romance films are often aimed at this age range.

I would probable try to aim my film opening towards teenagers as that would be the rough age of the people I would be casting for the opening at it would make the opening more relatable for teens. 

Character

Characters are a key aspect to a film and are the representation of the film. I think they are quite essential in the opening of a film but not always necessary. Seeing characters gives the audience something to connect with, especially through characters emotions as it gives a deep and meaningful connection. Seeing characters in the opening also help the audience to connect more with the story and feel like they are actually there. A characters emotions helps us as the audience begin to understand more about them and what they have been though, thus helping us connect more with both them and the story.

Captain Jack Sparrow-Pirates of the Caribbean 

From the powerful music in the opening scene you can tell immediately that this character is both important and powerful. The way he is presented in the first few seconds of the film you can tell that he will be a force to be reckoned with. From the camera angles he looks like the most powerful pirate out there, or at least he does for twenty seconds until you realise that he isn't commanding on a massive pirate ship but instead sailing solo on a sinking little sail boat. You see this not so powerful pirate scooping water from his boat, showing his determination for it not to sink when he pays his respects to his fallen comrades, showing his consideration and also his bravery to enter a place where he could be hanged for his title. Although you might think this pirate isn't much, he still looks powerful as he sails is boat up to port riding it by the mask before it completely submerges in the water. 

The thing that makes this character so unique is the fact that he is so unpredictable to both the other characters and also the audience. He always seems to have a plan even if it isn't always evident and even though it doesn't always seem like he's quite there, he is always thinking of a way out of precarious situation. 

Captain Jack Sparrow adds to the narrative of the film as he is the main character which we follow through his multiple journeys across the sea. He is the character we follow through the films and learn more about. As each film comes along we learn more and more about this pirate and the world in which he sales on. He also helps us to learn and understand about other character such as Will Turner who discoverer's he is a pirate and in another film discovers where his father is.

Loki-Thor  

From the opening you don't understand much about this character until the end of the scene. You can see that his father is telling him and his brother about a great war he fought against the frost giants. Both Loki and Thor seem keen to know more about what happened but you can see how Loki wants to know if the frost giants were still around will all Thor wanted to do was go and battle them. You can also see from appearance that Thor is of a much broader build and looks much like his father compared to Loki who has dark hair and a smaller build. You also hear their father say "only one of you can ascend to the throne, but both of you were born to be kings." You learn later on how this was foreshadowing the fact that Loki isn't actually an Asgardian and was actually meant to be king of the frost giants. This character is very interesting due to his cunning nature and ability to manipulate and trick people. His ability to create illusions helps to show his devious nature and makes it hard for the audience to know whether he is actually being helpful or devious to others.

What makes Loki iconic is the fact he can so easily manipulate character and the audience into feeling certain emotions. When him adoptive mother dies he creates an illusion in his prison cell to others that he is completely fine but when Thor comes to see him and tells him to show himself, the illusion is removed and you see a broken man sitting on the floor with the room smashed up. His ability to trick people so easily is what makes him a good villain. 

Loki adds to the narrative of the film as it shows the multiple directions the film could go. The main character in the film is Thor and the story is him going to learn how to be worthy through his banishment so he can learn to be a good king, but Loki helps give motive in the film. It’s his actions that help Thor understand what it is to be worthy and understand that peace is better than war.  Loki makes it easy for us to connect with him, due to him being jealous of his adoptive brother and feeling betrayed by his family. These emotions are ones often felt by siblings and Loki seeking revenge just seems more understandable due to him feeling neglected.     

Jake Sully-Avatar

At the beginning of the film you see that Jake Sully is a very determined character. You can see him getting into a fight with a much stronger guy even though he is restricted in a wheel chair. This shows him to be both a brave and strong willed character. You learn that he used to be a soldier and that is how he ended up in a wheel chair and all he wants is treatment so he can use his legs again. When he get recruited to do some work for a company his brother worked for after his death, Jake agrees to go on the bases he will get his legs back.

What makes Jake Sully iconic is the fact that when he first went to Pandora his aim was just to do the mission and get the money for his surgery, but you can see after he first experiences his avatar and is able to walk, it’s like he is a new person. He wants to go out and explore this new world and doesn't really care for the mission. You see this again when he interacts with the natives on Pandora; all he wants to do is learn their ways which eventually leads to him helping them fight against the scientists and organisation.

Jake sully adds to the narrative of the film by showing this whole other world to the audience that none of the other character had been able to accomplish before. He shows us their way of life but also shows us the life on the base. His character helps us as the audience understand both what is going on at the base and what is going on in Pandora which helps us to understand he story better.