Opening Brief - LOOPED ➰

 

Looped | An Opening Brief - Short Film | Media Studies A-s Project

Creative Critical Reflection

Creative Critical Reflection (CCR)

Question 1:How does your product challenge or use convection and how does it represent social groups and issues?

Question 2:How does your product engage with audience and how would it be distributed as a real media text?

Question 3: How did your production skill developed through this project?

Question 4: How did you integrate technology, software, hardware and online form in this project?

Post -Production

 Post Production;

Editing Software's we used initially was Clip champ and overall we used Cap cut later on.

 

Initial Phases of Editing by Clip-Champ;

  

Initially, we edited the video in Clip-Champ, focusing on smooth transitions and realistic sound effects. 

For instance, the opening of the clip features a cross-fade with a sound effect of a door being opened, giving the scene an authentic diegetic feel. In between scene transitions, a fade-to-black was used together with sound effect of a closing door, which was where the background music had started. One memorable touch was a close-up of the protagonist's tapping fingers slowly moving into an extreme close-up of his eyes through a cross-blurring transition and a gentle pan.

Set into the sound design of the story is a stab for the scene where the protagonist tries to draw his knife, followed by another where he stabs a picture. A cross-fade transition executed with some naturalistic stabbing sound effects was used here before going into a fade-out. Following the stabbing, we shot a close-up of the knife in his hand, walking sound effects introduced as he approached the bound man in the background, again emphasizing the stabbing sound effect. The film fades away in another cross-fade, revealing the man trading places with someone else. Another throat-cut is cut to the title sequence and credits.

Reworked Phase of Editing by Capcut;

Despite everything, the very first edited video was rejected. According to our advisor, it was too short, lacking in extra scenes, and his expectations concerning the end credits and the background music (which was a snippet from Squid Game) were not met. Thus we had to re-edit the film again on Cap-Cut. 

The new version was to retain all the clips assembled before, only this time, some were removed from sound effects, original background music, and the end credits. Instead, there was a new background known as the 'Jaws'-the main theme (with extracts, not the whole song). Texts presenting the cast and crew were further added in a font called 'MODERN,' having a fade-in for entry and disappearing in a diluted animation. Next, another text unveiled the name of the film in a font called 'Caslon,' followed by a 'zoom out 2' animation. Then there were added some voice-over and other sound effects-a door opening sound. These sounds were faded in and out through keyframes, reducing volume gradually from 9 to 3 in order to ensure a precise separation between them and the other diegetic sounds, such as footsteps on concrete or sound of a door closing. The sound of fingers tapping and, in the middle of it, a voice (which was recorded at the volume of 234) fit right in; as I moved on with the scene, I adjusted the sound levels in the same way by increasing the volume from 3 up to 9 via keying, heightening the emotional gravity throughout the scene. Just after the knife sliding sound was added with a stab sound effect, the next keyframe handle moved the volume down from 9 to 2, which emphasized reinforcing background effects such as footsteps on concrete and thus adding layers to what the character does. In the scene-where-in-the-stabbing-occurred, a succession of sound effects elevated tension: stabbing sound-in-and-out heavy breathing-a heartbeat-a throat-cut sound-tinnitus effect. The sound volume ranged from 100 to 310. Text was also contrived to finish off the scene and tell the background story, and we used the "MODERN" font." This film had no color correction or color grading.

This re-editing process refined our storyline continuity and ensure that every detail-from the visual to the audio-was working together to produce an engaging cinematic experience.

Audios Used;

The main background music was used from the main theme music of the movie Jaws.

The rest of the sound effect and audios were taken from the website Pixabay.

Production

Production;

Making Of Our Short Film;

Our journey of filming, we commenced shooting at the CAMB (Center for Applied Molecular Biology) on November 9. While much of the story transpired there, we took a road trip and filmed some beautiful landscape shots in Arng Kel, Kashmir. We also filmed some comforting house scenes at my friend's house in Kasur. Sometimes you have to adapt, don't you? Our teacher Sir Faizan suggested including these extra locations in post, and actually, it kind of brought everything to life. Two days saw the final blow to CAMB and concentrated mainly on this intense murder sequence that kept looping in the head of the protagonist. Those scenes captured the brooding atmosphere that we were aiming for. But I must say, the last-minute changes in location put us on our toes, and we had to organize a few things somewhat differently.

The Acting Journey;

Almost from the beginning, auditions were held on campus, but we said to ourselves, "Why not do it ourselves?" Abdur Rehman was called upon to play the lead, and we began with him entering the storage space and that very intense stabbing picture. Then came the crazy murder scene of mine, Umar Ahsan. My first scene was quite intense while tied up in a chair. Each shot truly worked for us, especially those close-ups of utter pain and rage. Even the unconscious parts helped in tying the story together.

Director's Corner; 

Everything in the film had a meaning. The creaky door knob, the dark shots of the warehouse-those were all planned. We had some fun with the lighting too: we lit the evidence board-including all the pictures and news clippings of missing people-with a sunset lamp. Very cool! For the costume design, we decided on a black suit for our main character; it really paid tribute to his dedication and seriousness. Directing was a blast! Though there were a few times we had to think on our feet-directing is like that. When things weren't working during the shoot, we changed things on the fly. TV watching scene on the couch was out, along with one other bedroom sequence, but that proved to be a good thing instead-turned out we developed that door knob loop so much more.

Camera Work; 

Shooting an engaging thriller is not only about the storyline, but also about creating the story through the camera. Our dedicated crew member and friend Musa Alvie was key in putting that vision to execution. Scant though the equipment might have been, we made use of our iPhone 11 to shoot the maximum possible shots to have a visually engaging edit. 

From the very beginning, we focused on blocking angles and tension, and building on the immersion. We open the film with an establishing shot that introduces an abominable atmosphere of a warehouse, leading to very detailed close-ups of props that would create depth in our short. When the character reaches for the door, there is a simultaneous close-up shot of the doorknob as he opens it. The tension escalates with an extreme close-up of fingers cut into an even tighter close-up of his eye—dragging the audience into his psyche.

the storytelling descends into horror as a stabbing-murder of the picture comes into view. The jarring close-up of the knife, with blood trickling ominously down from its familiar gleam and now embedded within the picture, heightens the impact—this foreshadowing makes the elegant moment come into play: knife in hand, the silent spectator tied up in the background, subtly suggesting his doom.

Building tension arrests the action as the film cuts to a midshot of the protagonist awakening, but before he can come to grasp what is going on, everything goes black and the camera reveals a sword thrust across his throat. Just as the audience thinks this graphic moment is the end, the film jumps back into a déjà vu-mystery doorknob scenario. 

Sound Handling;

It was during editing that we found that the story did not connect strongly with the audience. We then introduced voice-overs for certain scenes, which were designed to provide a richer context and enhance the emotional gravity of those moments. These narrations clarify the mind of the protagonist, elevate the tension, and provide pathing for the audience through the unfolding events.

List of Voice Overs Used;

Preliminaries

Preliminaries;

In media studies "preliminary clips" refer to the preview, sneak peak footage or short video segments captured before the main film

Preliminary 1;

Title: The Grab

Script: The Grab

Establishing Shot:

The scene opens with an establishing shot of a dimly lit college campus at night, accompanied by eerie background sounds like faint wind or crickets.

Door Opening:

A close-up shows a door creaking open slowly. The protagonist steps in, and his echoing footsteps fill the silence.

Corridor Walk:

The protagonist walks cautiously through an empty corridor lit by flickering fluorescent lights. The camera alternates between tracking his back and close-ups of his nervous face and the flickering lights above.

The Grab:

Suddenly, a hand emerges from the shadows and grabs the protagonist’s shoulder. He gasps, turning sharply, and the screen cuts to black with a loud "thud," leaving only silence.

Preliminary 2:

Title: Crimson Reflection

Script: Crimson Reflection

Scene 1: Entering the Washroom
Wide shot of the washroom door opening. The protagonist walks in slowly, their footsteps echoing softly. The dim, moody lighting creates an unsettling atmosphere.

Scene 2: Washing Hands
Medium shot of the protagonist turning on the tap and beginning to wash their hands. Water flows as the sound of running water becomes prominent.

Scene 3: Looking into the Mirror
Over-the-shoulder (OTS) shot of the protagonist looking into the mirror. They seem slightly tense but try to compose themselves. After a moment, they close the tap and exhale deeply, leaning slightly toward the sink.

Scene 4: The Blood Reveal
Close-up of their hands, now covered in blood, as they pull them back from the sink. The protagonist stares at them in shock and fear.

Scene 5: Turning Back
Wide shot from behind the protagonist as they suddenly turn around sharply,

Editing;

For Editing I used the software Microsoft clip champ

Using transitions like fades and cross blur really synced the parts together

Sounds;

all the sounds used in my preliminaries were from the website (https://pixabay.com/)

Equipment's Used;

\

The preliminaries were shot from an iPhone 11 

and Edited and Processed on HP EliteBook 840 core i5

Locations:

The first preliminary was shot in Punjab university molecular department provided by a friend of mine Mohid Sheikh.

The second preliminary was shot in my own bedrooms washroom

Pre - Production [Cast& Crew/Rehearsal's]

Auditions;

Me and my team took auditions of a handful of people by a lengthy process. We held auditions in our college campus and even online by video calls/ video recordings. The experience all over was really healthy but the outcome wasn't according to our liking. Our panel/team didn't feel the proper connection between the roles and the attendees. So we decided to try on our own to act and surprisingly it came out great. Hence, we decided to act it our ourselves. Other than that many of the attendees weren't comfortable with us posting there audition clips aur images on our blogs. 

Cast& Crew;

So now we narrow down to our casting for our 2 minute short film, our crew brings life to the characters imagined. 

'A teenage boy (Abdul Rehman) who is playing the main role'

'The next victim (Umar Ahsan)' 

'Camera man (Musa Alvie)'

This is our crew and we will be working on our film project "LOOPED" Cameraman (Musa Alvie) with his excellent skills with camerawork, shots and angles. Main Lead (Abdul Rehman) will be portraying the key role in our film and also will be working on editing. While me myself (Umar Ahsan) worked on the story and scripting along with many other tasks, also will be playing the role of a victim in film

Rehearsals;

Pre - Production [Scheduling & Location]

Scheduling;

Is the process where all activities are planned out, tasks, dates etc. of our film. It includes the script, proof reading, rehearsals, photography, shooting, ending of film, post-production and release date. A schedule helps in keeping the team organized and ensure perfection and quality work before the final release

Location Recce;

LOCATION RECCE

Prepared by

M: Umar Ahsan

Date

11th-Nov-2024

 

Location Details: The Short film was shot at Punjab University

Scene/Purpose of filming: Filming for our Media As Project

 

Location#1

Location#2

 

Site Contact Name	N.A
Site Address	Lahore, Canal Road, Punjab University

 

Contact Telephone	N.A
Point of Access	Car/Bike
Permissions	Yes
Availability	Yes

 

Points of Interest	Suitability/Possible Shots
Old Vintaged theme, horror feel, aesthetics, greenery,	Establishing Shots, Wide Shots, Close Up Shots, Mid Shots

 

Safety Issues	None
Electricity Supply	Yes
Sunlight	Proper Outdoors, Limited In Doors
Windows	No
Noise	No

 

Pre -Production [Budgeting & Expenses]

Budgeting:

The budget concludes of our expenses, whilst the three phases of Pre-Production, Production and Post-Production. For example, the costings of the equipment used, travel expenditures, food necessities and even the cast and crew. 

Pre - Production [StoryBoarding]

Story Boarding:

A story board concludes of images and illustrations which represent your story unfolding shot by shot. Breaking down the action into individual windows/panels in a sequence. Story boarding can be done in many ways but two of the most used ones are the Traditional and Digital storyboards.

Traditional Story-Boards are hand drawn and a more classic approach to perfection. 

Digital Story-Boards are more detailed computer supported designs and easier to create.

Traditional Story-Board✏️

✍🏻(Hand Drawn by M.Umar Ahsan)

Digital Story-Board 🖥️

🖼️(Digitalized by Musa Alvie)

Pre - Production [One Liner & Script]

Pre-Production: 

Pre production is all the work that carries on before the main shoot and cameras start rolling in action.  Concepts are brainstormed, Leading to story boarding and the script of your film. (Note: Images used are AI generated from Adobe-Firefly)

One Liner:

A teenage boy strangled in a loop of violence forgets his deeds every night, but when he finally recalls. It leads to a moment of regret and a dire ending. Every day felt like a living nightmare as he woke up not knowing and not sure of what he has been doing. His mind was not ready to admit and accept his actions. At last the weight of his guilt exceeds and he takes a FINAL STEP

Script:

Title: "Looped"

Title: "Looped"

Scene 1: Forest

EXT. FOREST – DAY

Camera pans across dense trees, the sunlight streaming through the canopy. The sound of wind rustling and faint birds chirping fills the air.

Scene 2: House Exterior

EXT. HOUSE – DAY

A small, eerie house surrounded by overgrown bushes. The camera slowly zooms in toward the door, creaking noises in the background.

Scene 3: Door Opening

INT. HOUSE – DAY

Close-up of a door slowly opening. A shadow falls across the floor as Abdur Rehman steps inside.

Scene 4: The Table

INT. HOUSE – DAY

Wide shot of Abdur Rehman entering a dimly lit room. He places his hands on a wooden table, breathing heavily.

Scene 5: Investigation Wall

INT. HOUSE – DAY

OTS shot of an investigation wall, covered with photos, strings, and scribbled notes. Abdur Rehman stares at it intensely.

Scene 6: Grabbing the Knife

INT. HOUSE – DAY

Close-up of Abdur Rehman’s hand picking up a knife from the table. The blade gleams under a faint light.

Scene 7: Stabbing the Picture

INT. HOUSE – DAY

Medium shot as Abdur Rehman stabs a knife into one of the pictures on the wall. The photo is of Umar Ahsan, his face crossed out with ink.

Scene 8

INT. HOUSE – DAY

Cut to a wide shot of Umar Ahsan, tied to a chair, unconscious. The room is dark, with only a flickering bulb illuminating the scene.

Scene 9: Stabbing 

INT. HOUSE – DAY

Close-up of Abdur Rehman walking toward Umar with the knife in his hand. Suddenly, he stabs Umar in the chest.

Scene 10: Abdur Rehman’s Realization

INT. HOUSE – DAY

As Abdur Rehman stabs, the scene shifts. Abdur Rehman wakes up in Umar’s place, tied to the chair, gasping and terrified.

Scene 11: Umar Stabs Abdur Rehman

INT. HOUSE – DAY

The camera pans as Umar Ahsan now stands in front of Abdur Rehman, holding the knife. He stabs Abdur Rehman

Scene 12: Screen Goes Black

BLACK SCREEN

Heavy breathing fades into silence.

Scene 13: Door Unlocks

INT. HOUSE – NIGHT

A close-up of the door unlocking once again. The cycle begins anew.

END

THE END

Survey And Analysis

Surveys 📋📝

Formal: 

They are standardized questionnaires typically to be used for research purposes in my case media

Informal: 

They are more of casual and unstructured, used to gathers opinions and feedback

Development & Research

Key To An Oscar!🔑

Every great movie is a reflection of the films that came before it, which draw inspiration from them and create something newer and hence more entertaining. Maybe due to the technological advancements or other factors.

Research Work

Concludes of (Camera visuals, Angles and Shots, Sound, Effects, Acoustics and Miseenscene) 📷🔊🎶🎬 Note: All the clips used are taken from an open source YouTube

                              [American Psycho]                                                      

                                      

Chainsaw Scene from the movie American Psycho is knows for its intense and brutal visuals. Here the following scene shows that a girl who is running down the stairs with a sense of fear and heavy breathing can be heard which is synchronizing with the scene, Secondly the camera cuts to the antagonist and an (OTS) Over The Shoulder as well as an ariel shot is shown where the character drop the chainsaw and a dolly shot/tracking mode is used to capture the chainsaw falling, the digetic sound of the chainsaw is well matched with the scene. Nextly a low angle shot captures the character screaming evil to show his expressions midshot is used to indulge the audience. Also an ariel shot is shown along with zoom in on the other character to end the scene. The location and setting used in the clip well matches with the horror and gives psycho vibes, the scenes in stairs is iconic for the reason. the costume conveys the point of psycho touch in the movie. The lighting is used is natural and the colors used are dark which give off a horror feel

I will be using such shots and movements in my film to enhance the experience for the audience by engaging them with the expressions and emotions of each character and what he/she is going through, the audience will be in their shoes.

The clip above is also from the movie American Psycho where a close up shot is used to display the facial expressions of the following character, along with a voiceover effect being used to deliver the dialogues. Also shallow focus is used to indulge the audience with the characters feelings and expressions.

I will be using the voiceover effect and the shallow focusing to capture the expressions whilst listening to the dialogues in the background, making it more appealing.

                                     [The Guilty]

The scene above is from the movie The Guilty, in this clip the camera clearly just focuses on the character by using the extreme close up shot to capture him crying and tears breaking down to make the audience feel how the character is feeling at the moment, such scenes attach emotions with audience to connect with. Here the key light is used as the main focus is only the protagonist to focus on him crying. The colors used are dark and gloomy matches the theme. At last the sounds used are discordant but matches the scene.

This clip is another example of a close up shot showing the characters serious expressions whilst attending the call and reacting to it. Also there is complete silence in the background and only the digetic heavy sounds of the person on call speaking with breathing can be heard on the call to make the audience witness what the character is going through.

From the shots used in the clips above I will be able to deliver my psychological effect in the movie by revealing the nervousness and the mental state of my character by using such shots.

                                      [Get Out]

The clip above is from the movie Get Out, In this clip Firstly, the camera closes up on the character to reveal his terrific expressions, Then the Camera cuts to the character opposite to the first one using a mid shot to show her body language and how she is coming towards him and then the camera switches back to the first character. Suddenly the scene cuts to a zoomed out version of the second scene and then the protagonist is shown using a high angle shot to show him weak and powerless and in a sense of helplessness. Lastly an over the shoulder shot is used to show the character grabbing for help. Also the sounds in the background being used are well synchronized which deeply connects. Lighting used is gloomy and dark here and the dark colors really compliment the point they are trying to convey. The location and setting used is perfect

By using the given shots I will be able to describe my protagonist and antagonist in the movie and show who is vulnerable and who is eloquent. 

In the clip above Firstly, an over the shoulder shot is used and then a low angle shot is used to capture the stronger person knocking down the weaker one deliberately.

Overall these shots, visuals, sounds, and angles inspire me to be using them in a film of my own as each of them adds a new flavor to the specific scene.

Our Crew ✍🏻

FACES BEHIND THE UPCOMING PROJECT!

p.s looks can be deceiving🤫

CONTENT  WRITER 📝

Umar Ahsan, myself will be working on the story and scripting of our short film, I can guarantee an award winning script! Well lets not get off the point. 

I'm glad that I have an opportunity to work with an amazing team ✨    

Blog id: umarahsan.blogspot.com

DOP (Director Of Photography) 📸

Musa Alvie, a key member our of our team. His brilliant skills in visuals and cinematography will play a vital role in upbringing of our short film. He is responsible and trustworthy to work with. 

Skillful guy capable to achieve anything!✨

Blog id: wolfshowlofficial.blogspot.com

EDITOR & SOUND ARTIST

Abdul Rehman, the all in one entertaining and hardworking guy in our crew. He will be managing the significant cuts and shots to make our film appealing for our audience to enjoy!. He will also be selecting the music to sync with.

Great guy and a huge role he will be playing without him we are incomplete✨

Blog id: abduldirects.blogspot.com