Film Opening Synopsis

1. The opening begins with a black screen as the girls words whisper "I dont want to die", this then switches into the extreme close up shot of the teenager character's eye's opening as he awoken due to the sound of an alarm.
2. The camera again switches to the close up shot of the watch on the wrist which is switched off by a shaking hand
3. Next there is a medium shot of the character arising from the wall cautiously from a slumped postion in what appears to be a bus stop
4. The following medium shot is of the character exiting the bus stop at a steady pace
5. Slow beat music begins, emphasising isolation
6. The character gradually makes his way down the pathway, with a wary expression on his face as the slow beat music continues
7. Low diagonal shot of the character walking past, as the audience focuses on his footsteps
8. We then see the character walking past another bus stop where the newspaper headline "The Dead Continue to Rise" acts as a subliminal message which helps convey the Zombie Apocalypse genre.
9. Long shot of the teenager clambering the gate and jumping off the gate, as he begins to walk down the public footpath through the fields
10. Three separate shots are shown of the character fading further and further away from the camera
11. The camera is postioned behind the body as we see the teenager run towards in the dead body in curiosity
12. An over the shoulder shot is taken from behind the character as the slow music stops as he whispers "shit".
13. He hears a loud screech in the distance and turns around abruptly
14. Next an extreme close up shot is shown of the characters shock and horror as he begins to run for his life, this is where the fast upbeat music enters to help higlight the intensity of the chase
15. Then a long shot of the zombies is shown as a group of zombies are running towards the camera at fast pace
16. These shots are shown intricately switching between the character and the group of zombies weaving in and out to emphasise the zombies sharp ridgid movements, which also highlights the intensity of the chase
17. A low shot is then taken with the character tripping, resulting into the victim being captured as one of the zombies takes him to the ground
18. An extreme close up shot is shown of his hand clutching a patch of grass as the character gradually slides down the bank, this leaves the opening sequence as a cliffhanger and keeps the audience engaged
19. The screen fades black and ends.

Storyboard

Now Josh and I have established our filming locations, we can now focus on the storyboard, which will involve a chase. The plot of the opening sequence starts off with a brisk walk from the bus stop which gradually leads towards the abandoned pub (only a short distance away).Hopefully a variation of shots can make the opening more visually exciting. We then move onto a development of shots taken of the main character, Dan (me) crossing over the bridge. After this several detailed shots will be taken of the isolated character jumping over a gate, and slowly fading into the distance, walking slowly down the narrow pathway in the field. The character eventually reaches the vandalised wall where he discovers the dead body. In shock and frustration Dan reacts due to his shock, anger and disbelief. We then see various shots of Dan in shock as he sees the zombies appear. This is where the chase scene begins with a series of fast shots of the chase taken in quick succession establishing the chase, where Dan is eventually captured.

Here is the storyboard, illustrated by Josh Thorpe.

Film Locations

Before Josh and I could plan a storyboard we had to explore our surroundings to find a suitable location for filming. Our group needed to be within distance of each other so that it would be possible to arrange filming times when necessary. We thought that the village of Glinton located near our school would be the reasonable place to assemble our opening sequence. We found several locations that would be suitable for the opening such as the bus shelter and the old abandoned pub which creates a mysterious and desolate atmosphere for our setting. Despite there being nearby traffic, we have to focus the shots being filmed on a certain side to avoid the camera catching glimpses of traffic. I would particularly like to film at night, but proffessional lighting would be required due to the lack of daylight and as we have a limited budget this would not be possible, so filming around afternoon/evening time looks like the only option. As we explored further we came across an isolated field, with a public footpath, with intricate touches such as small brick bridges and wasteland with a vandalised wall. Amongst the harsh conditions of the snow, Josh and I could see the potential for this as we finally found an excellent spot for filming 'the chase'. Again as we walked further down the field, you can identify the traffic in the distant background, again a minor problem that we can easily solve.

Here are a few shots of our location chosen locations:

Here are a range of shots taken from google maps, the RED markings indicate possible shots which can be constructed in these areas:

Zombie Apocalypse

The zombie apocalypse is focused on a particular scenario based around the horror/science fiction genre. This usually has a plot involving a widespread rise of zombies that are unfamiliar to human life which vent a violent assult on civilisation. In some cases victims may endure being bitten by zombies which releases the 'zombie plague' therefore multiplying the numbers of zombies immensely. This rapidly grows out of control as they are precieved as mindless and disorientated. The response of this matter by authorities is slower than the rate of growth therefore resulting into ultimate chaos giving the zombie plague to expand further. As zombies are left in control it means there are pockets of humans that must fight for their survival, which are caught in a sudden crisis. Recent films have recreated the zombie apocalypse by using fast rapid figures, prefered to the sluggish mindless beings. Zombieland (2009) and 28 Weeks Later (2007) demonstrate a fantastic example of this.

Here are a few shots from the opening of '28 Weeks Later' which have caught my eye and given me inspiration:

Here we can see a very dynamic shot of the victim running away from the zombies. As they are entering from the side it alternates from the traditional approach of running towards the victim from behind. Also the figures are blurred which emphasises their presence in numbers.

This shot also captures the fast paced movement emphasised by the zombies body postions which appear ridgid, their extended fingers demonstrates their violent nature and destruction.

This fantastic establishing shot shows us how isolated this character is as he appears to be making an escape towards potential safety. This shot also emphasises how victimised and intimidated the character is. As you can see the potential terrain alternates from land to water as the constant shots of the chase on land may appear visually boring.

This is one of my favourite shots as it visually looks effective and again captures their sharp movements as well as their gormless appearance as they wander through the water aimlessly.

I believe that this opening sequence represents the zombie apocalypse perfectly as the characterisation and setting has been established clearly through variety of short, sharp effective shots combined with fast pace and movement to create suspense and tension. The use of props and make-up are quite simplistic which makes our opening sequence achievable.

I would quite like our sequence to be filmed in an open landscape such as a field as it creates tension and the unexpected that something will inevitably occur. I am hoping to find a location that suits my wants and needs which I aim to find around my local village.

Horror Genre

My partner Josh and I have decided to focus on the horror genre as we want a fast upbeat opening with pace and short technical shots that look effective and we thought that the horror genre will fit in perfectly with our plans.

The horror genre intends to cause emotional, psychological or physical distress during viewing of disturbing or traumatic moments. This causes individuals to react in fear due to either elements of shock or pure violence. Various techniques are used to create this affect on the viewing audience whether its using unrealistic characters and figures (zombies or phantoms etc) or by using more realistic issues such as; murder,kidnap and so on. It is these freakishly scary aspects of the horror genre that contribute towards the tension and panic. The main purpose of the horror genre is the unexpected events that occur within certain sections in the film, this makes the viewer anticipate what will happen, which takes place when the audience least expects it. The horror genre is usually built up upon these anxieties and fears. There are many sub genres that originate from the horror genre such as: slasher, paranormal, creature features, comedy and survival.

Horror films that appeal to me and may be inspirational in my opening sequence include the following:

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)- Texas Chainsaw Massacre revolutionised the slasher genre and became one of the most horrific films of all time. This film was inspired by Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein. The film's opening claims the storyline is factual which adds to the emotional and psychological stress which makes it more horrifying. Psychopathic characters such as 'leatherface' engage in activities such as murder and cannibalism which makes the film appear very barbaric and sadistic, using chainsaws and sledgehammers as weapons. I particularly like the chase scene where leatherface is running after one of the victims with a chainsaw, which emphasises furthermore the brutality and destruction of his chaotic mind. The use of the wide range shots that are used to show her isolation as she is being intimidated within natures surroundings, I would particularly like our film opening to have an isolated character as it creates a focus as well as adding suspense and tension.

Halloween (1978)- Halloween is an American independent horror film directed by John Carpenter. The film is set in the fictional suburban Midwestern town of Haddonfield, Illinois which focuses around a young boy (Mike Myers) who murders his 17 year old sister at 6 years of age. After escaping from a psychiatric hospital he commits murder on numerous teenagers, whilst Dr Sam Loomis tries to prevent him. The main character played by Mike Myers wears a simplistic mask quite similar to a face of Frankenstein, this makes him appear menacing and daunting accompanied with a a selection of knives which presents him as psychopathic. In certain scenes the victims appear to be isolated and trapped which reinforces his presence and his destructive mind.

Friday the 13th (1980-present)- Friday the 13th is an American franchise, which consists of 12 slasher films, mainly centred around fictional character Jason Voorhees who apparently drowned at Camp Crystal Lake due the the negligence of camp staff. Decades later the lake is rumoured to be cursed which again is set in an open area prone to vulnerability and murder. An open or abandoned setting would be perfect for our potential opening scene. Jason is in all of the films which makes him a vital character to the sequels either as a killer, or a motivated murderer. I particularly like the fact that the horror film is set around a natural quiet environment which evidently proves that anything can occur. Jasons hockey mask has become one of the most recognisable images in popular culture, which emphasises how successful this franchise has become.

I think I would like an isolated character rather than a individual killer, but i particularly like the isolation that is created within these settings to reinforce the idea of dominance and menace they possess. I will be focusing on the 'Zombie Apocalypse' as this is the ultimate isolation of character/s being trapped within their surrounding environment.