THE LEADING ACTOR

The leading character Benjamin will be playing the role of the male protagonist in the trailer.
He will be the main character in the trailer.

Images will also be taken of Benjamin in promotion for the magazine and film poster.

Appropriate high resolution images will be selected for the ancillary tasks, for an effective result.

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE

The trailer "Countdown", is located in Liverpool street.There were several delays on being able to film due to the availability of the cameras and poor weather conditions. Unfortunately, it began to snow as we were filming on the 16th of December. This had caused difficulties in filming with still focus and filming the panning shots due to the extreme poor weather conditions.There may have also been a loss of resolution due to the wind and snow.This had effected the quality of the images needed for the poster and magazine cover but it was overcome due to Photoshop editing.

The photograph shot below was ideally meant to be for the magazine poster, however the lense could not capture a high resolution image due to snow and wind.

Moreover, we did not film certain shots that were in the story board such as shots inside Liverpool street station due to legal reasons, as it was not allowed. An external phone booth outside the station was used instead. There were also various running shots involving areas such as a ramp, but the snow had caused it to be too dangerous. Alternately a running shot underneath a building was used.

Earlier shots of Mahfuza were filmed as a second character starring in the trailer. It had been decided that two characters can build more suspense by showing there is more than one person in danger.

COSTUME, PROPS AND MUSIC

The props for the phone call scenes:

- Mobile phone

The Lighting used
- Natural light
- The trailer will be filmed at night for darkness. The darkness can help create more mystery and suspense as action prevails.
- The small fade in shots of Mahfuza on his phone at day time foreshadows the climax of the trailer, where he will be running at the same time as Benjamin during the night.

The trailer does not necessarily contain many props other than the mobile phone. This is because it focuses on the surroundings of the city, the streets, cafe, phone booth and the people to elicit darkness and suspense to the city location.

Clothing theme: Dark Black clothing
Amongst my investigation of action trailers, there is a genre convention of the protagonist wearing black clothing such as a formal black suit for various purposes. They could be part of the F.B.I, coming back from work or are part of a secret gang/group. In the case of the countdown trailer, he is an average guy being seized under threat without expectancy. Therefore he will be wearing normal black clothing as a toned down, dark look so it will suit the theme of the night and darkness and be used as a symbolism of danger.

Sound
The voice over of an antagonist will be used, as the protagonist picks up the phone call. This will establish the plot line of the trailer.









Background music
The soundtrack from the police station scene in the film "The Terminator," which is a well known action thriller will be used through out the trailer. The theme track is appropriate as it suits the conventions of a trailer. It begins slow and mellow and then escalades into high tempo music which can parallel with the action shots during the climax of the trailer.

Below is the video clip of how the soudtrack was originally used in the film. It has helped me see the way they have built tension into action, with the construction of film shots, body language and light effects.



This is the instrumental soundtrack that will be used in the action/mystery genre trailer.

STORYBOARD

The storyboard explains the original idea where a male will find his brother unconscious on the floor. He will then receive an anonymous call where he is told that his brother will die if he doesn't get the injection to cure him. He is seized under threat and is required to come up with a sum of money in a certain amount of time. The storyboard involves a shot list of how the characters will be filmed, it also includes a clock counting down, during the film shots to impact on the short amount of time available. Lot's of panning shots of the city location are also included, to create a thrilling effect of a typical action/mystery thriller.


Currently,after taking the location shots we are more influenced by the city location and using the phone booth instead of a phone call at home. We believed it is not good to give too much of the plot line away as it can reveal too much of the story line. Alternately, we have now chosen to focus the trailer only in Liverpool street where filming shots, props, costume and music will be effectively constructed to build immense pressure in one location.

SHOT LIST

The opening scene will be located near liverpool street where a mid, point of view shot of the leading character at a restaurant will be shown, where the phone call will be received. This is a less busy location, in order for the viewer to focus on the dilemma of the character as he receives his call and to introduce the storyline, so we will expect the following scenes to be action shots.

A full point of view shot of the streets will be presented with cut editing alongside camera shots of the street names and traffic lights using direct cut editing to establish the outer setting of the liverpool street location. The camera clips will be short and quick to emphasize the busy working time of the setting.

A handheld full shot of the main character will be running towards the camera to convey the image that the character is rushing towards the screen to insinuate a long distance when the viewer knows that the time is limited.

Using cut editing and two way shots of the character running down the steps to make it appear that the camera is following the characters actions as the action shots are continued.

A panning shot is used, as the business man enters into the station with a full view shot of the inner setting. More panning and zoom shots will be used to confuse the viewer and perceive a confusing camera scene where the business man is running and an extreme close up shot of him to convey an expression of tension and stress.

Using continuity editing, he will be filmed in a full view shot as he approaches the pay phone where he will receive another phone call.

This shot will then cut into the shot of the station timetable to bring the viewer back to the theme of time, and for the viewer to emphasize for the limited time available for the business man.




Extreme close up shots of the character will be perceived to insinuate the pressure he has come against. With further location shots and close up shots of his face and surroundings, the trailer will come to a close with a narrator commentating the movie title "countdown" in a serious tone of voice, with the film name logo to end the teaser trailer.

LOCATION/TEST SHOTS

This is a cafe located near liverpool street, to be used as a flashback scene where the leading character will receive their phone call.

The opening scene will contain Street shots of the busy roads and can be used as an insight for the trailer to establish the setting.

Ramps, alleyways near the station and steps and escalators inside the station can elaborate the race against time, during the film trailer using the open space areas.

The pay phone, station timetable and shots of the busy atmosphere inside the station will emphasize the tension and short space of time, as the leading character receives another phone call. Numerous location shots inside and outside the station will be emphasized using editing techniques to depict an action thriller in a busy location.

SYNOPSIS

"Countdown" tells the introductory story of a time bound action and crime thriller in the working city of London and liverpool street station, one of the busiest stations in the united kingdom. With thousands of citizens using the trains, one man is targeted under an immense threat regarding his life at risk.

An average working business man is being plotted against an anonymous caller, who demands a sum of money within a short period of time or his life will be at risk. Pressure is built upon the business man to raise the sum of money within the short time.The area is siezed under threat for the business man as there is a spy watch looking out for him.

This man is battling for his life in this race against time crime thriller, as he moves rapidly around the station. The action is emphasised over psychological aspects; featuring a split screen technique and a ticking onscreen clock. Countdown follows the exploits of the leading character as he races to foil his threats.

With only 60 minutes to achieve his target and the clock is counting down, tension arises as his motives will question if he will achieve and meet with in his 60 minute target or will he fail his task and be confronted with horrific consequences?