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Annihilation 91-104 - Cambridge Short Film

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When starting the production of my film, I was very nervous that it wouldn't turn out how I envisioned it. There was scheduling that we needed to figure out, and our schedules didn't exactly align. So, we split the filming up. With how the script was structured, the use of parallel cutting help divide the work up. I had shot the military base scenes with Thomas and Luca, while Hannah shot the shots set in the home with her friend. Our own filming time was pretty short and I had to shoot in a way that I could piece it together strategically in editing. As Hannah shot, she followed the script closely and added her own direction into the shots which made them feel different from the quickly paced shots I had made. I was happy with how they turned out. In editing, a lot of changes were made. For example, we had filmed a shot of a hallway with an alarm when we filmed. However, the shot didn't turn out how I wanted. So, I constructed a digital recreation of a hallway with an alarm to replace it. As I laid the shots out in sequential order, I learned a LOT about pacing. In our rough cut, we had some pacing issues. The pacing of some scenes was given as feedback to us when we handed in our rough cuts. Not only the pacing, but one of our props didn't look all that convincing. Eventually though, I ironed those problems out and made something that was pieced together a lot better. I also had trimmed down parts that weren't convincing and replaced them with shots that explained the story more. The effects were a tricky part too. I had to learn how to use what I had and key certain elements of shots out and replace them. This project turned out as good as I could've hoped, and I had learned a lot about the importance of pacing, immersive sound, and editing as I worked through this short film.

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Independent Distribution and Film Marketing Plan - Annihilation 91-104

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Independent Distribution and Film Marketing Plan - Annihilation 91-104

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1. If you were to distribute your film independently, how would you do it?
If I were to distribute my film independently, I'd try to approach Warner Brothers for distribution. They're the biggest studios and distributors who have a great track record for putting out films that fit our genre. I'd definitely try to get a sales agent to try and grab their attention. If we couldn't obtain Warner Brothers attention, I think Syfy owned by the NBCUniversal network would be a good fit. They are a channel that broadcasts programs related to science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Our film is a big blockbuster and deserves a big screen to be seen on.

2. What is the title of your film? Do you think your title works?  Why or why not (short and sweet, pithy, reflective of genre, aimed at target audience, etc.)?  How could it be improved and why?  Do you have a new title now?
The title of our film is Annihilation 91-104. I think the title fits, it's short enough without being too generic. It gives a dystopian vibe and sets the mood just from reading it. You know you're gonna see a lot of destruction and there is some more specific reason for the numbers. It's pretty reflective of the genre and would peak people's interest. I think maybe it can be shortened a little bit though, if we do decide to do that. Films such as THX 1138 and 2001: A Space Odyssey have quirky titles like ours. They're a little more artsy but I think something different and interesting works in our case.

3.  Create a tag line for your poster.  Aim for familiar but fresh.  Remember your genre, and your target audience.
"When the sky falls, will you be ready?" I believe that this tagline is simple enough and creates a lot of questions. I think the "will you be ready" part can be used in marketing and posters.

4.  Create a paragraph sketch of your target audience member.  Think about who would be interested in your film and why?
The target audience for our genre is generally young adults or middle-aged people with more of a male lean. Though, there is an ALMOST equal split between genders nowadays. They may be high income or college educated based on some of the complex themes and underlying tones that sci-fi handles, though it's not limited to those kinds of people. Usually the viewers of these films want to be taken into a new world or reality that explores these different societies. The viewer may also value the creativity and imaginative quality seen in these films from the many people involved with it. Some of the younger audience members might have an interest in gaming experiences or other technology. I think that they would browse websites like Reddit to discuss those sci-fi topics. They'd probably stream their media through Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ or even have physical copies of the media they enjoy. A lot of sci-fi fans might attend specific conventions to share their enjoyment of the genre. Conventions such as Star Wars Celebration and Comic Con are examples.

5. Using your notes from number four above, think about how your could reach that target audience if you were self distributing your film on Youtube or Vimeo or a similar platform.
If I were to self distribute my film on Youtube, I'd use many different strategies to spread the word. I'd use a lot of social media such as Twitter, Reddit, and Instagram to share teasers and ads in those communities. I'd also use the Youtube ad feature to target people who already watch sci-fi related content so my ads can reach the people more interested in my film. I'd really go for people who are known for being fans of the genre, such as people who host podcasts or channels about sci-fi. Furthermore, I think reaching out to Film Festivals that are targeted towards more fantastical sci-fi themes would be a good move too. Conventions about sci-fi would also be a great bet for my film. We could host panels about the film and advertise there. I think another safe bet would probably trying to find theaters that will play independent films and trying to get my film submitted there. It'd be a small audience, but any eyes on my film from the people I want is good.

6. How would you ENGAGE your target audience online?
In order to engage my target audience online, I'd use many of the following strategies. First, I'd try to get an immersive sort of experience up. Movies like the 2014 Legendary-made Godzilla film did this. They had a physical LA location where you can experience the rampage of Godzilla. Not only that, but they had an immersive monster tracking website for fans to see upcoming teasers and almost be in that universe. Another tactic I would try to use is getting other people to spread the word. Influencers known for talking about sci-fi or pop culture I'd try to reach out to. Naturally, their audience are interested in those topics too. I think a virtual Q&A session or some sort of live premiere of a teaser or video would be a good idea too. It engages audiences by giving them an opportunity to interact with each other and the people behind the film. I think using exclusive merch or previews of the film would incentivize people to click or share our posts.

7. How would design your movie's poster?  How will you design it to be both familiar and fresh in regard to genre? What two or three main colors would you use? What is in the foreground and background? What iconography will be used? Type of fonts/typography?
For our movie's poster, I'd try to use many age-old tactics. For the typography, it'd be big and bold. It would be bold, but distinct. You could easily tell that the font is OUR font rather than a default bold text font. I wouldn't want to format our poster like other movies either. Having the "big heads" design that most posters have isn't something I am interested in. Posters are supposed to stand out and grab people's attention. It makes people want to see what it's about. I believe creating a real art piece would help us immensely. Just barely showing the threat of the film in our poster or having it sillouhetted would be very helpful. Using colors such as reds, oranges, and yellows to emphasize destruction would convey themes of danger and death. In the foreground you'd have rubble and building fragments, maybe some of the main characters looking back in fear. In the background, would be a burst of red and yellow light behind the spherical-silhouetted alien ship. I think many sci fi posters are known for their classic iconography. Whether it be serious complex films or cheesy 50s sci fi movie posters, we remember them. I'd really like to take a page from the original Godzilla posters though, such as the art of Noriyoshi Ohrai and his detailed, stylistic, and bright posters.

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Writing:

For my script, I wanted to consider the representation of the figures I was portraying. I wanted to portray the military personnel accurately and not make them a cartoon of themselves. So, when writing I looked into the real procedures that went into launching a nuclear missile. I roughly outlined what went through launching one and wrote that in my script. I wanted a serious tone to prevail throughout my intro, as many sci fi intros before have done.

Editing:

The piece will be edited much in the style of recent sci fi properties. Low-key lighting, silhouettes, dark colors, and quick editing. I researched into how different movies in the genre were edited. For example, in Shin Godzilla; the camera angles went from inconspicuous to handheld and fast depending on the scene. I wanted that level of controlled chaos. I wanted to ignore the more cheesy aspects of some sci-fi films and try to make this like a real event.

I think straight cuts will work best for each shot. Usually with wipes, fades, etc; they tend to take you out of the film. I don’t think there is enough time to spare for an elaborate transition. I think straight cutting is faster and more immediate for the fast action happening on screen.

For sounds, I mostly want to focus on adding them in later. However, with dialog we filmed all of it on set. We recorded audio on sight to capture how voices would actually sound in that soundscape. For music, I think a stock suspenseful track that is free to use would work very well. The added sounds of alarms, voices, etc. will distract from a heavy distinct soundtrack anyways.

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1.     A one or two sentence description of the first two minutes.  What happens?

A deep voiced narrator introduces Earth. It shows single celled life, then to a drop of water. No one would’ve guessed humanity would’ve progressed this far. It cuts to shots of modern day civilization. The narrator says that no one would believe that our world was being watched. As people concerned themselves with their own problems, something out there was watching us. Like how we would watch other organisms under a microscope. Vast, cool, and unsympathetic regarded our planet with envious eyes. They slowly drew their plans against us.

2.     What is the genre and who is the target audience for this film?

The genre of this film is a Sci-Fi/Action film. The target audience is men aged 18-35.

3.     Describe the opening credits and title sequences, including any company logos or idents.  When do they appear?  What color/font are they using? How does it "align" with the opening of the film?  Anything else you notice?

All the opening credits and company logos appear very silent. Only a droning eerie sound is played over them. They appear very slowly and drawn out. The colors then go very muted as it transitions into the main opening sequence.

4.     Describe it visually -- a shot  by shot breakdown that includes type of shot/movement, if any.

A shot of microscopic cellular life is shown as it keeps zooming out to different forms of life. It finally zooms out to a water droplet. The water droplet zooms out even more and transitions to a shot of Earth. As the Earth spins, it turns red and transitions into a red traffic light. Panning shots of cities shift to static shots of crowds. Drone shots overhead of large cities plays out. Many static shots of monuments and large crowds fade in and out. They all fade out to a shot of our planet as a light behind Earth slowly illuminates the screen. The movie title is shown from the light.

5.     Describe the sound -- another "sound by sound" of the entire two minutes.

The sound starts off as a low droning sound. Very eerie. As the opening begins, a deep voiced serious narrator introduces the footage. The music ramps up only a little bit as the opening plays out, getting more suspenseful. The narrator’s tone grows more and more serious and almost warning. The background music ramps up to it’s peak as it shows the title.

6.     Describe how you felt at the end of the two minutes.  Did you want to know more?  What was left hanging, if anything?  What questions do you still have?

I felt very on edge when I was watching the opening. The sound design certainly helped make me feel suspense. It felt like something was about to strike. I wanted to know more and wanted to know what out there was watching and about to strike Earth. I wondered what they looked like, why they wanted to hurt us, etc.

7.     How would you describe the editing style in this clip?  Any particular editing techniques you noticed, or length of shots?

The editing style is very transition/morph based. It’s almost like a montage of different scenes of cities. They’re in no particular setting or location; just a generalized location of humanity. The shot length was either long and slow pulls out or medium length shots of a city.

8.     How did these first two minutes adhere to conventions?

The first two minutes played to dramatic conventions really well. It had suspenseful and serious music, a serious situation, and had longer shots. The only sci-fi conventions it really played on was introducing life and humanity while introducing a other worldly threat.

9.     How did these first two minutes break with conventions?

The first two minutes broke conventions by presenting humanity very straight. It didn’t show any fictional visuals or introduce aliens or anything upfront. It played up to the idea of it, but never showed it. It was very serious in tone.

10. How did these first two minutes represent social groups or people or issues?

The first two minutes represented humanity as a whole as a social group. Instead of focusing on different groups of people, it chose to do all of humanity in contrast to the alien threat. It presented the issue of men busying themselves with their own problems while another form of life observed them. It almost represented humans as unknowing and basic creatures that are being observed under a microscope.

11. Why do you think this film was distributed on this particular site?

The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks. Paramount would handle theatrical and international release while Dreamworks would handle the international home distribution. This was clearly another blockbuster style film in the style of Independence Day. By Spielberg not showing the design of the aliens, it made people wanna go see the film to find out. And they did. The film earned $81 million worldwide and was the fourth highest grossing film of 2005.

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Throughout the last 2 months, we've learned a great deal about editing, sound, and screenplays. We learned editing concepts and studied different types of editing techniques. The documentary we watched, "The Cutting Edge", was a huge insight into how films are edited. After editing, we watched a documentary based on sound in films called "Making Waves". From there, we went into screenplays. We started out with reading the screenplay for "The Incredibles" which I personally really enjoyed. After reading a screenplay, we were taught how to format and write screenplays using Arc Studio. With our newfound knowledge we wrote a two minute horror opening. The prompt was someone having a nightmare; this was used as the basis for our midterm project.

For our midterm film, we had several requirements laid out. The film had to be one to two minutes long; a horror or horror hybrid; be an opening rather than a full film; minimal dialogue; no wall-to-wall music; no long takes; start in black with logo and title; minimum of three crosscuts between actor and the nightmare; editing/shot/uploaded by us; features accompanying blog post. Along with those, we had to include many different shots and camera movements. One close up; one dutch angle; one high or low angle; one low key light set up or one silhouette; one pan or tilt or track/push or spina round; one zoom or dolly zoom;  one subliminal cut or multitake or smash cut; one match cut; one  J cut or L cut; one use of slow or fast motion; one intentional use of color for story/emotion; one instance of intentional use of costume/hair/makeup; one instance of visual complexity in setting choice (color, texture, depth, lines, shapes, etc.); three sound effects; one piece of incidental music or one sound motif repeated three times.

A. In what ways did you adhere to horror conventions/codes/audience expectations and engagement?
When writing, filming, and editing my film, I thought about several conventions. One of which was atmosphere. A horror film will only be as good as the atmosphere it gives off. I used green and dark lighting to give off a dirty and dark mood. Another convention I used was the use of unsettling silence accompanied with eerie sounds. Horror movies don't usually have too much in your face music, but focus on subtle unsettling pieces of music to build tension. I added those elements to make the audience wonder what would happen next and be scared for the character.

B. In what ways did you break horror conventions/codes/audience expectations and engagement?
I believe I broke a few horror conventions in my film. One of the bigger ones I broke was not letting each shot rest. I used a lot of quick cuts and had to fit each scene into a tight time frame. This was hard to do, especially for a horror film. It's difficult to build suspense when you can't draw a scene out. I also think that I didn't give a clear sense on what the danger of the film was.

C. What ideas or people did you represent and what did you SAY about them?
I think I represented the idea of isolation and perhaps fear of being alone with your thoughts. The main character in my film is disheartened that his friend never responded to him, so he goes to sleep. His nightmare is of chasing a person he thinks he hears, but there is really no one there. Instead, there is a monster just behind him. That monster being his own bad thoughts eating away at him. Wondering if he did something wrong or not. I think that these ideas can resonate with a lot of people.

D. What was successful in your piece and why?  Reflect on key moments.
I think that the flow of my piece was successful. Each scene flowed very well into the next and felt like it made sense for the most part. The editing brought it all together as well; it felt professional and had it's own atmosphere to it.

E. What was less successful in your piece and why?  Reflect on key moments.
I think that the timing left something to be desired. I wish I could've held on certain shots for longer to build suspense. I also think that I should've explained the true danger a little bit more, so the audience had a reason to be afraid.

F. List all hardware and software (script, shooting, editing, sound, graphics, music) you used for the project.  Describe your learning curve -- did you learn something you didn't know before?
For the script, I used Arc Studio to write it. I was new to the software, but it offered a very easy way to put my ideas down in a neat and organized way. I didn't know how to properly write a screenplay before this project. After reading The Incredibles script and learning about script language; it became easier for me to understand. When shooting my project, I used what I had at hand which was my LG mobile phone at 1080p quality. To edit my project, I used Adobe Premiere Pro. I had experience with the program already and it was very easy to cut together my clips. For music and sound effects, I collected free sounds from royalty free websites to use in my film. Throughout this project, I think I learned how difficult making a film really is. When you are done writing the script; you aren't really done. My script changed as I shot and edited the film. I think realizing that there will be things changed on set and there will be unforeseen things is an important part of film.

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This film was titled Magic Powers. It was a film about a guy who obtains magic abilities through an unknown figure who grants him them. He then abuses his powers and begins to pick his peers off one by one. Eventually as he thirsts for more bloodshed, a bystander summons Jesus who comes to save the day. This film has Matthew Elvern as the main character/villain, Sean Kelly, Sean and Kevin McCarthy, Caden Coronel, Hudson Pawluk, and Carly as the victims/friends. This was shot by Sarah and Gianna. Gianna also stars as a bystander in this film. I, Wade Starace, play the person who grants Matthew’s character with magic powers. I also edited this film.

This film’s major issue was the sound. We couldn’t get a great sound quality in terms of dialog, though we did try. I think in the future we will use better microphones and think more about our sound considerations. The pacing of the film was also an issue since it was inconsistent and didn’t shed enough light on certain story elements. However, I think the editing was at least done pretty decently. The effects, while crude at times, served their purpose.