Science Boys Scenario

Me and Kirsty had a good idea of what we wanted to do for our Science Boy's idea. From our continuity project, we wanted to use the idea of making a film about British teenagers which revolves around a group of friends who are 'science nerds'. The whole film will be about how these four friends get into comical situations such as ending up in detention for a science experiment gone wrong.


However, for the opening sequence we are going to create it is just going to consist of the four friends walking through some school corridors early on a morning to reach the science room and during this journey the audience will have a chance to get to know the characters. 


Scenario Breakdown:

1. One clumsy character drops sheets and textbooks on school yard
2. The clumsy character scoops up some textbooks and runs after friends who walk into the school
3. Goes back to the dropped sheets spread across school yard and these are used to do the opening credits
4. Cuts back into the school and follows the friends walking down the school corridors while a voice-over is used to explain each character by one of the characters in the future
5. Dolly-shot used to follow the characters and freeze-frames and superimposed character names used to show each character to the audience
6. The group of friends approach the door of a science room and walk in

Distributor & Production

After looking at a selection of films to help inspire mine and Kirsty's Science Boy's idea we also looked carefully at the distributor's of these films. The one seemed to be the most common was Optimum Releasing which distributes British, Irish and American independent films which attracted me to use it for our opening sequence as Science Boys seems like an idea that would be an independent film. 


Optimum Releasing (Distributor)  
In 2011, Optimum Releasing was renamed Studio Canal UK - which you may also have heard of. As a distributor, they release over 200 films a year which are independent films and this makes them the most prominent distributor of independent British movie's. It was founded in 1999 which does make it a fairly new distributor as it is only 13 years old. Also, their work is split into three categories:

1. Optimum Releasing - this goes to cinema's
2. Optimum Home Entertainment - this is on DVD's
3. Optimum Classics - re-releases of films
4. Optimum World - this is world cinema

 Big Talk Productions
This was another name which came up during our research and was involved in films such as Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead and Attack the Block. One interesting point is it works closely with Edgar Wright the director & producer we researched. Big Talk was founded by Nira Park, a successful woman, in 1995 which also makes it a fairly new production company like Optimum. Nira Park was named in 2005 'Top Ten Producers to Watch' in Variety Magazine (weekly entertainment magazine in America.) Big talk productions is 75% independently owned. Me and Kirsty will probably use Big Talk in our opening credits.

Hot Fuzz: Opening Sequence

General Information

• Directed by: Edgar Wright
• Genre: action dark comedy / for geeks
• Box office takings: $80,573,774
• Distributed: Universal Pictures
• Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent 

Watch the opening sequence here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVcOVgf_x4M&feature=related

Analysis 

The clip begins with a long shot and then a slow zoom in towards a characters silhouette walking into a modern building which has a lot of light coming into it. As the character gets closer to the camera, you get a close-up on his face and then on his police badge which displays his name "Nicholas Angel" which has immediate connotations with the audience that he is a good police officer. 

A voice-over then begins which matches with what the audience watches explaining about Nicholas Angel and his police life which is an effective way to get character information across very quickly and clearly. Fast editing and fast-paced music is also used which adds to a humorous feel and doesn't pair with the monotone narrative voice which makes the film more interesting to watch straight away as the audience will wonder how these two elements pair. Also, the quick editing matches with the quick and short pieces of action being shown about Nicholas Angel. A range of camera angles are used to show different things from low-angle shots on bike wheels, to plenty of close-ups showing Nicholas Angel's facial expressions which adds humour to tracking shots of him walking down a corridor which pairs well with the fast editing and keeps the audience constantly gripped and stops them losing interest in the film. After the montage of Nicholas's life, it goes to a conversation between him and another superior officer where shot reverse shot is used and again quick editing between the two characters to gain both their reactions which adds to the humour. 

Credit Sequence

1. Distributor
2. In association with
3. Movie title

Influence on Science Boys

I like the use of a montage of different sequence which show something about a character and as I have said before, me and Kirsty would like to use a voice-over in our Science Boys opening sequence. I also really like the use of the quick editing which keeps the pace of the film up and makes it much more interesting to watch and immediately shows the audience the film will be comical. Also, watching this opening sequence I know that we must shoot a lot of different camera angle's because this will add interest and if we want to do the faster editing it will make it look better.  

Scott Pilgrim VS the World

General Information:

• Genre: comedy
• Director: Edgar Wright
• Distributor: Universal Pictures
• Box Office Takings: $47,664,559
• Starring: Michael Cera, Chris Evans, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Analysis

The opening sequence begins with the protagonist character, Scott Pilgrim, playing in a band with superimposed lightning bolts coming from the band which add to the comic book vibe - as Scott Pilgrim was taken from a comic book origin. There is then a reverse zoom back which is fast and gives the film instant pace. Also, the opening is straight away unique as I've never seen an opening like that and it keeps the audience intrigued. As the reverse zoom happens, opening credits begin to appear which have also been superimposed onto the action until you can see the back of the heads of people sat on a sofa watching the band. Because the people on the sofa are so far away from the band playing and the room is abnormally long, this adds to the element of non-reality which is used in the film and instantly shows the viewers this. 

The music the band is playing is used throughout the opening sequence and the credits which come on with a background of bright and vibrant colours with moving animation lines which move to the sound of the music. Animated images and symbols are also used and the editing between each image and background is very quick which keeps to the pace of the music and also suggests the film will be fast paced too. The rock/indie music is current with younger audiences which the film is trying to attract and works well with the pace of the editing. As the opening credits end, it goes back to the band as they finish their song and you can see the room they were actually in wasn't that long it was exaggerated for impact and the opening sequence ends on a comical close-up of a girl on the sofa saying the band was "amazing."

Credit Sequence

1. Distributor
2. Production
3. Film Title
4. Starring
5. Casting
6. Music Composer
7. Music supervisor
8. Co-Producers
9. Costume Designer
10. Visual Effects
11. Editors
12. Production Designer
13. Director of Photography
14. Executive Producer 
15. Produced by
16. Based on
17. Screenplay by
18. Directed by

Influence on Science Boys

I really like the superimposed lightning bolts used and the comic book feel to Scott Pilgrim which could be good for Science Boys if we do the idea of freeze frames of each character (inspired by Trainspotting.) I also like how Scott Pilgrim uses very current music which will appeal to a younger audience which the film is designed for and I think when me and Kirsty are making 'Science Boys' we need to keep our audience in mind at all times. Also, the fast paced editing used in Scott Pilgrim would be good for 'Science Boys' as this keeps the film up-beat and also makes and also makes any comedy work better. Scott Pilgrim was based on a comic book and that is why it is very quirky, I don't think 'Science Boys' will be as 'out there' as Scott Pilgrim but I like the idea of superimposed cartoon images. 

Edgar Wright : Director Research

Two of the films I am about to analyse (Scott Pilgrim VS the World & Hot Fuzz) have been directed by Edgar Wright, so both me and Kirsty thought we should research this director; he also directed Shaun of the Dead which also stars Simon Pegg. Edgar Wright is a British director and amazingly he is only 37 years old even though he has worked on many successful films. In Scott Pilgrim VS the World, Edgar wrote, directed and produced the film showing that the task me and Kirsty have to do is manageable and can still produce good results. In Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright also multi-tasked by directing, writing and starring in the film. He specialises in independent, low-budget British films that is why a lot of his projects are very quirky and individual; also, they mainly appeal to a younger audience like how we want our 'Science Boys' too. Also, Wright's brother Oscar is a comic book artist who helps contribute to storyboards and promotional material (for example, he designed comic book interpretations of the characters in Shaun of the Dead, ideal for freeze frame ideas we have had for 'Science Boys')

Science Boys : Outtakes from Previous Project

Here is the outakes we made from the previous project on 'Science Boys'. Hopefully, the humour and setting used here will help inspire our final movie - although we hope it will be slicker!

Trainspotting : Opening Sequence

Trainspotting is a film made based on a book also called Trainspotting about a group of drug addicts in Edinburgh and is narrated by the main character Renton played by Ewan McGregor. It showed another side to drug addicts which was never shown before and tackled an issue in society most films tried to avoid that is why I'm looking at it for my final project.

General Information
Directed by: Danny Boyle
Distributer: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Box Office takings: $72,000,000
Genre: drama/satire
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Johnny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd

Watch the openeing sequence here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Naf_WiEb9Qs

Anaylsis

The clip begins with two of the characters running down a street being chased wiht comtempary music playing non-diegetically in the background and the narration over the top. A dolly shot it used to follow the characters running so the audience feels part of the sinario instantly which  I like. Also, the camera is quite close up so the characters expressions are easy to see straight away. The narration over the top of the action pairs up with what the audience can see and sometimes is quite ironic becasue of what you are visually being presented with.

What I really like about the opening sequence of this film is the freeze frames on each character which their character names appearing underneath to tell the audience who they are. Also, where the camera freezes shows you something about the character in that one still so it doesn't take long for the audience to feel connected and know what is happening.

The film also gets into what it is about instantly so audiences know from the beginning it is about some drug addicts. It is cleverly edited between the characters using drugs and doing thing which we see as normal for men of their age to do i.e playing football which shows that the film is not going to stick to the stereotypes of drug users and is going to show a different view.

Influence on 'Science Boys'
Trainspottings use of a dolly shot at the beginning is what me and kirsty were hoping to use throughout our opening sequence as we follow our characters along a school corridor. I love the idea of freeze frames on each individul character to show who they are and I think this will help bring in the genre of a teen-comedy-drama and make it slightly indie. Also, the music used in Trainspotting is contemporary (for when the film was made) and I want to use a modern song in 'Science Boys' to help attract and interact with the teenage audience we are hoping to pitch the film to.