Synopsis
The main purpose of our opening sequence was to highlight the inequality in society that people with disabilities and differences suffer. The initial idea was created by myself, from a short story I was writing at the time. It is about a group of very unique minorities who are captured and kept for entertainment, however one of these 'freaks' escapes his literal cage and is on the run from the immoral ringmaster who controls him. It was aimed at a young adult audience, for people who felt like they were minorities and were oppressed by others in society.
Areas of Success
One thing I liked about the opening sequence was the colour treatment on the clips that focused on the individual freaks. It was black and white and had a grainy/flickery effect to give it the atmosphere of a old and creepy film. A good example of the effect we added is seen in this clip of an 1896 silent film.
A second part that I felt was successful in the opening sequence was the use of match on action during the clips of our protagonist freak (Ben Morley) running away. We filmed him running, falling, and then getting up about six times using different shots and angles, before editing it all together to make a smooth, continuous sequence.
Thirdly, the costumes we used for our cast was something I was proud of. We drew examples of the types of costumes we wanted before looking online and in shops for similar clothing. By the day of filming we had all the right pieces of costume ready and in the right size. However, one part of this process that I wasn't happy with was an unwilling actor, who refused to wear certain parts of the costume and therefore had an impact on the continuity of the piece.
Areas for Improvement
A second part that I felt was successful in the opening sequence was the use of match on action during the clips of our protagonist freak (Ben Morley) running away. We filmed him running, falling, and then getting up about six times using different shots and angles, before editing it all together to make a smooth, continuous sequence.
Thirdly, the costumes we used for our cast was something I was proud of. We drew examples of the types of costumes we wanted before looking online and in shops for similar clothing. By the day of filming we had all the right pieces of costume ready and in the right size. However, one part of this process that I wasn't happy with was an unwilling actor, who refused to wear certain parts of the costume and therefore had an impact on the continuity of the piece.
Areas for Improvement
One significant thing about our opening sequence that could've been improved was our soundtrack. In general the atmosphere the music created was good, however the downfall was that we could not edit out the demo message. This had a big impact on our sequence as it broke the atmosphere twice during our opening sequence.
A second thing that needed improving was our organisation. We didn't make a clear enough plan on what to film on what days early on, so we panicked when the dates neared. Another thing that needed more organisation was in casting. Our ideal ringmaster agreed to be in our opening sequence but never told us dates that he would be free on. This resulted in casting an unprepared person who had no experience in acting last minute. This meant the sadisticness of the ringmaster wasn't fully put across to the audience, and therefore didn't create enough of an unsettling atmosphere.
A second thing that needed improving was our organisation. We didn't make a clear enough plan on what to film on what days early on, so we panicked when the dates neared. Another thing that needed more organisation was in casting. Our ideal ringmaster agreed to be in our opening sequence but never told us dates that he would be free on. This resulted in casting an unprepared person who had no experience in acting last minute. This meant the sadisticness of the ringmaster wasn't fully put across to the audience, and therefore didn't create enough of an unsettling atmosphere.
Audience Feedback
-WIP-
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