More Music!!!

The song I'd like to use from this album is 'The Broken' (click to go to their site; then click next on the media player in the top-right corner, it should change from 'Here we are Juggernaut' to 'The Broken'. I'd like to use this song because it conveys the emotion of being alone and having '' no one to fix us'', which could be used to generate mood and atmosphere.

Script! The Abridged Version

Points if you can guess what the title parodies.
[Opening pan of background]

Narrator: I am here to tell you a story. A story that will torture your thoughts by day and poison your dreams by night. And though I will do my best, there are no words that can be written nor brush strokes laid on canvas that can describe the stark and utter horror of the night that Annabel died. The emptiness will haunt you.

[stuff happens]
Charlie: Why are you doing this?!
[Fade to black]

Music Choices

This is Alesana's album cover for "The Emptiness", which is due to be released on the 26th January all over the world, they have released two tracks to the public: "The Thespian" and "To Be Scared by an Owl" (Shortened to: To Be Scared).
I could also use Heavy Hangs the Albatross (album has been released now. Shortened to: Heavy Hangs)

The album is available to listen to on their myspace page. I have chosen to use this album for possible tracks to accompany my film opening because some of the tracks have a relevance to the story of my film, i.e: at the end of To Be Scared, the lyrics "you killed her, murderer!!" are repeated which could be played when the killer drops the knife at the end of the opening. Also the chorus of The Thespian is "Tell me I'm forgiven. Say you'll always be mine. Say that everything is over, tell me I'm fine." which could be played when the killer sees the victim. I could use Heavy Hangs because it is a rather sombre song, which the girl could be listening to when she is walking through the woods.

Some horror films that I've seen, most notably the Saw franchise, use the same genre of music (heavy metal//screamo) as I intend to use, this is probably because the 'tone' of the songs is relevant to the scenes that they are in, for example 'Ghost in the Mirror' by Memphis May Fire is used in Saw VI because it creates a sinister mood as the song could reflect how "The Jigsaw Killer" is everywhere and how his games force people to make rash decisions, it could also be about how people are scared of various things, mainly death. Hence why it is used in a horror film. If you listen to the songs I have in mind, but this will probably change when it comes around to editing the film, you will notice that they have an incredibly sinister tone//feel to them. This is what makes them relevant for use in my film.


This is Consider the Thief's final album, Signs and Wonders. I wish to use the track Via Dolorosa because it is a serene song. This creates mood and atmosphere because it could be considered quite an eerie song whilst being used in my film because I have seen that horror movies use serene music to create a false sense of security with the audience which allows them to scare the audience more, it also creates atmosphere because it slows the pace down.

This is Coheed and Cambria's third album, Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star: Volume One: Through Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. The album follows the story of a writer, who is plagued by horrific dreams about the story he is writing. Eventually he finds out that he is being "stalked" by his possessed ten-speed bicycle. The story ends up with him being 'transported' into his writing and he causes multiple characters deaths, the result of this is that he is wracked with guilt and he takes his own life. I wish to use some songs from this album because the songs convey a rather dark message, which would be ideal for a horror movie.

This is Underoath's fifth album, Define the Great Line, released in 2006. I would like to use some of the tracks from this album, mainly Salmarnir because it is a serene, and slightly eerie song. I intend to use it for the same reasons I intend to use Via Dolorosa for.

Digital Storyboard

Another 13-01-10 Update

I've decided that as an alternate idea I'd like to do a movie opening based on the song 'Welcome Home' (click to listen on last.fm) by Coheed and Cambria. This is because the song has various connotations of evil etc. It is about a man who's relationship with his partner broke down because of various different reasons that are explored in the song. There is also part of a graphic novel based on the song as well. Here are the relevant pages:

These pages convey how "The Writer" feels about Miss Erica Court (the woman), I'd like to do something like this because I believe that this scene is 'dark' enough to use a horror movie opening, because it conveys suspense as the reader wants to know what will happen next. and it is quite tense throughout. This could also be used as an example storyboard because it gives an overview of all the relevant scenes.

(These pages are property of Evil Ink comics and Claudio Sanchez, not me. The graphic novel is based on the album Good Apollo IV: Volume One: Through Fear from the Eyes of Madness which is owned by Coheed and Cambria and Sony BMG <-- That was the legal bit to make sure I don't get sued etc.)

13-01-10 Update

I have decided to e-mail Tooth and Nail, Equal Vision Records/Sony BMG/Columbia, Fearless and Consider the Thief and Spotlight Management

E-mail to Underoath's management (Tooth and Nail//Red light management)

Dear Mr Nichols,
I would like to inquire about using Underoath's music in my A level Media coursework. I do not intend to use my coursework for profit and they will get all of the credit for the compostions.
Yours Sincerely,
Nick Lange

Reply from redlight management

"As long as its only used in school and not used in any public manner"

E-mail to Fearless records

Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to inquire aabout using some of your artists music for my A level media studies coursework. The work will not be shown for profit and the involved artists will get all of the credit.
Yours Sincerely,
Nick Lange

Response from Fearless

Hey Nick,

This shouldn't be an issue if you are just using it for coursework and
not to be broadcast etc anywhere.

Just let me know what tracks you were looking to use and where and I
will send an email approval.

Jenny

PS I am originally from Taunton in Somerset, so i am always willing to
help out a local! :)

E-mail to Consider the Thief

Dear Sirs,
I would like to inquire about using some of your artists music for my A level media studies coursework. The work will not be shown for profit and you will get all of the credit.
Yours Faithfully,
Nick Lange

Response from Consider the Thief

of course, use whatever you need to. Thanks.

--
Sean O'Sullivan
Consider the Thief
phone: (916) 662-2404
considerthethief@gmail.com
http://www.myspace.com/considerthethief

E-mail to Sony Music

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to inquire about using some of Coheed and Cambria's music for my A level media studies coursework. This will only be shown in school and not for profit

Yours Faithfully,

Nick Lange

Response from Sony Music

Hello,

Thank you so much for asking us if it is ok for you to use one of our artist’s work. As long as the project will be in no way for profit, you are good to go. If you have any further questions please contact our licensing department: http://sonymusic.com/licensing/contact/

Thanks!

Sony Music

E-mail to Spotlight Management

Dear Sir/Madam

I was wondering if I could use some of Paramore's music for my A-level Media Coursework. The coursework will not be shown for profit and Paramore will be credited for the composition.

Yours sincerely,

Nick Lange

Planning...

Right, so myself and Sandie decided we wanted to do a horror film, simply because we haven't done one before; and it looked like good fun to make and research because anyone can list at least 10 horror films. Then we decided on a story line; which would allow us to do what we wanted as I'd already explained the opening pan present in 'The Book of Eli' trailer. Next we sort of drew a crude story board. It was basically some words linked with arrows. Kinda looked like this:

But after much deliberation, we decided on the idea below, mainly because the above plan required a huuuge cast and filming at night. Not a good idea.:

We decided that this seemed like a more plausible alternative; and it would allow us to play with multiple stereotypes, which would increase our target audience. It also meant we didn't have to film at night, which is always a plus.

05-01-10 Planning

So today, during our double without Mr Dignan, myself and Sandie thought of a genre of film we'd like to do and we watched some trailers and movie openings. We decided we wanted to do a horror film, although this may change in the near future, and the opening would play on the beginning to 'The Book of Eli' trailer where the camera pans through the woods, setting a rather tense mood. You can watch the aforementioned trailer in the post below.

I am also attempting to find some music to accompany the opening. I intend to e-mail various record labels and bands to ask their permission to use some of their music in the movie opening.

I forgot to post earlier about my group; it consists of myself, Sandie Davies and Charlie Lane

Movie Openings

So, after some serious deliberation on my part, I still do not know what type of film I'm doing. Below I will add Youtube links and download links to movie openings I think are effective. This may help with my decision of what type of film opening to do.

Punch-Drunk Love (Comedy//Drama//Romance)
Youtube (Click to view) (Opening is until the piano arrives on the street corner)
Download (right click, 'save link/target as' to download as a .mp4 file)

I love this opening, it just confuses the hell out of you, seriously. I mean, who expects a cab to suddenly roll in the middle of the street and then a cab to drop off a piano on what seems like an empty street. I know I don't.

The Matrix (Action//Science Fiction//Thriller)
Youtube (Opening is until Trinity picks up the phone, also around 120mb file)
Download

I adore science fiction films, and this has to be my favourite one of all time (I don't count James Cameron's Avatar as sci-fi because in my opinion it's more a fantasy epic), anyway, this film is great. The opening is full of tension; who is the woman in the black suit, why are cops after her, who is the person she's watching, why are the MiB after her? and who is 'Neo'?. It forces the audience to ask loads of questions, which is good because it allows the film to answer those question throughout in an interesting manner.

V for Vendetta (Action//Science Fiction//Thriller)
Youtube (until 'a man that made me remember the 5th of November')
Download

This opening is incredible, it effectively summarizes the whole film in just over 2 minutes by starting at the end (Evey is talking in the past tense), this technique is called denouement. This is effective because it makes the audience wonder what has happened to lead up to this point, and it generates questions about the characters and why Guy Fawkes is involved. Also, the narration during the beginning is effective because it gives us an insight into Evey's mind (the woman who is narrating), which causes more questions to arise.

Book of Eli Trailer (Action//Drama//Western)
Youtube
Download

This film was released on the 15th of January in the U.S, but hasn't been released in the UK yet, or at least to my knowledge it hasn't; so when it is I will go and see it and make note of the opening scene to analyze it-- the same goes for Daybreakers.

Daybreakers Trailer (Action//Drama//Horror)
Youtube
Download
Unfortunately no opening on youtube as it is a fairly recent film.

I just watched the opening to this and I have to say that it was incredibly underwhelming. I was expecting lots of action because that's what it was hyped up to be.
Although there are some clips that were effective; for example there are "pencil light" close ups of various phrases on a note. These add some tension to the film because the audience assumes that the girl is writing a suicide note. Also there are some very effective establishing shots of her house, and the sun rising over a wood. Overall I enjoyed this opening because it created lots of tension and I'd like to know what happens next in the film.

Dogma (Adventure//Comedy//Fantasy)
Youtube (Trailer as film hasn't been uploaded)
Download (Won't add download link, abridged movie parodies the opening) --black screen, definitions of important words)

I like the opening to this film simply because it makes you laugh, because the definitions of the words shown on screen are quite irreverent and satirical compared to their actual meanings. I also like films that have Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith in (Jay and Silent Bob respectively).

YuGiOh: The Abridged Movie (Comedy)
Youtube
Download (.wmv file: Open in Windows Media Player) <-- huuuuge file (more than 200mb) This is here because it parodies Dogma's opening and I like the abridged series, I'd recommend watching it if you watched yugioh or have any idea about the manga.
All genres are taken from IMDb.com

In addition to above, I thought I'd recommend going to see Avatar, the film by James Cameron, as it is definitely his best film so far and dare I say it? The best film of 2009 by a considerable amount. Although I've been told that Sherlock Holmes is very good as well.

Anyway, that's about all we've got time for at the moment folks. So I better end this post.