Planning: Considering Mise-en-Scene - costume and props

Mise-en-scene is a french term which refers to everything that is put into the scene or frame. These elements are:

-set

-props

-actors

-lighting

-space

-costume

What is put into a scene or taken out of one can have a huge impact on the signals received by the audience about what kind of film it is, and how they feel at that moment in time.

Here is a video which tells us about mise-en-scene

I based Alissa's character on Regine Dandridge from the horror movie 'Fright Night ' (1985). Her character wears a long sleeved red dress and has black hair, this is what I wanted Alissa to look like

Props I will use are:

-fake blood

-large black bag

-hair band

- a bible

Alissa will be wearing polished black shoes. This is because I want the audience to know that before she changed she was quite nerdy and posh and it will be a huge shock when she is possessed.

Before Alissa transformation she will be wearing a long black skirt. This suggests to the audience that she is young and good as she shows minimal skin.

Before Alissa is possessed by the devil, she is a sweet innocent girl. This will be show in mise-en-scene as she will be wearing a white blouse which symbolises innocence and vulnerability.

The main character Alissa will wear a red dress, it will be a massive contradiction to her previous costume but this will represent how the devil is taking over her as before she was a sweet innocent girl. It is like she is becoming a new person. She will also be wearing red lipstick; this shows how previously she was a good girl, she did not wear any makeup.

Alissa will wear red high heels, Red symbolises many things, Love, danger, but in this instance it will express blood and the devil taking over an innocent girl.

Darcie will wear a basic black top

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Planning: Casting

The main character Alissa is of an Italian origin and therefore I decided my Italian friend Anais would suit the role perfectly.

I wanted Alissa to look innocent but also have the ability to look very dark and I think Anais will be able to style both looks.

Her character will be wearing an all red dress. Anais tried on two red dresses to see how she would look and she looked just as I imagined Alissa to look like.

We also had an all black option but we decided to go with the red long sleeved dress as it symbolises blood, death and also the devil. I wanted Alissa's character to look like Regine Dandridge from 'Fright Night' (1985)

Another character who will be in my movie opening is Lauren. She will be playing the character of Darcie; a relentless bully who has victimised Alissa her whole life. She will be in the opening when Alissa is dragging Darcie's massacred corpse to the church to deliver it to 'God'.

I think Lauren will play Darcie well as she loves to experiment with makeup and I think that this will work perfectly for her when we are filming. 

Planning: Location planning

The location of the film opening is very important as it gives off a first impression to the audience. My opening is going to be set in a local church, the reason I have chosen this specific church is because it is kind of creepy looking, and this is the look I wanted from my location.

This is the church where my horror movie opening will be set. 

This is the inside:













It is very important that film makers consider location planning to be very serious as it is is important where the film is set. There are many things to consider when looking for a location and one main factor is space. I think the setting I have chosen provides enough space for me to create the opening of my horror movie. I am going to be using the pathway outside the church, the inside of the church and the field next to it. Another thing that must be considered is the style; my movie idea is set today so I do not have to worry about changing scenery to match different periods in time. Sound is important and I will make sure I choose an appropriate day to film my opening based on the weather and that the camera will be able to pick up sounds, if I am unable to do this then I can put pre recorded sounds into the opening when editing. Finally lighting, I have been able to evaluate which angles are good and which are bad by looking at my setting on Google earth. However the sun may be facing a different direction on the day but I am sure I will be able to get the balance correct.

Here is a video about location planning:

Planning: Producing a Story Board

After writing my treatment it was much easier for me to visualise what my horror movie opening was going to look like;this is my storyboard
The first shot will be an establishing shot of the church
The camera will pan outwards and CARMEN CAVANAGH PRODUCTIONS will appear on the screen
A high angle close up tracking shot will be used to track the characters shoes and walking towards the church
The camera will pan outwards again reveal the character dragging a black blag into the church

She takes out the dead corpse and leaves it on the church doorstep

She then lights a cigarette and walks away

-flashback-

Alissa the character is reading the bible in church, and is upset. She then thinks she see's god, and drops her bible but however she is unaware it is the devil. 'God' asks her to send all the people who have wronged her to heaven.

Alissas eyes change colour to red for a couple of seconds and then back to normal, she agrees to the plan, takes her hair down and says "this is my vendetta"

Planning: Writing a Treatment

Treatment for the opening 2 minutes (including titles) of 'La Vendetta' by 'Carmen Cavanagh'

The film starts with an establishing shot of a place of worship; a church.
The camera pans outwards and 'CARMEN CAVANAGH PRODUCTIONS' appears in red and fades slowly.

diegetic sound of high heels walking is then heard along with the sound of something being dragged along the concrete floor

A high angle tracking shot is used to watch a female in red high heels walking

The angle rises and becomes a low angle shot of the character Alissa dragging a large black bag into the church grounds and then she pulls a massacred female body out of the bag and lights a cigarette

'La Vendetta' appears, also in red.
There is a flash black when the screen goes black

We hear soft piano music start to gradually get louder.
A more innocent looking version of Alissa is sitting reading a bible in church.
The beat of the music dramatically drops and more sinister sounding music arises.
She suddenly drops the bible and stares dead into the camera and we see her eye colour change from blue to red.
A point of view shot of the devil looking at Alissa and her agreeing with what the audience cannot hear.
She takes her hair down and says this is my vendetta and walks off. 

Planning: Target Audience Feedback

I created a survey for my target audience which was very useful as it gave me a better idea of what the audience wants to see. I used www.surveymonkey.com and was able to email my questionnaire to my target audience.