Research - Distributors

I have done some research on different distribution companies that may be willing to distribute my film - that is, if I wanted to make the full film and have it distributed to the public.

Screen Gems

This is an American based distribution company that is a subsidiary company of Sony Picture Entertainment's Tristar Motion Picture Group. This company mainly distributes films of the horror, thriller, action, comedy and urban genres, but sometimes takes on other projects. They distribute "films that fall between the wide-release films traditionally developed and distributed by Columbia Pictures and those released by Sony Pictures Classics." They originally formed in 1939 as an animation studio, but in 1948 were used to distribute a number of TV series - up until 1974, where it was re-named Columbia Pictures Television. Finally in 1999 the company name 'Screen Gems' was resurrected as another film producing arm of Sony's Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group and until now has distributed many films.

This distribution company may be interested in distributing my film because the distribute a number of films similar to mine - for example: the 'Resident Evil' film series. They focus on distributing films in the same sort of genre as my film and so my film may be of interest to them. However, they only distribute films that they produce, so I will have to get their interest in it and get them to produce it too.

Dimension Films

This company is a major American film distribution company. It was founded in 1992 by Bob Weinstein to primarily distribute horror films, but was soon expanded to release other genres. It's main focus is to distribute horror, comedy and action films to the public. It was formerly used as Bob Weinstein's label within Miramax Films, but in 1993 Walt Disney Studios fully purchased Miramax Films and so consequently became owners of Dimension Films. This caused Bob Weinstein and his brother to leave Dimension Films to set up their own film company. Dimension films distribute higher budget releases than its parent company.

Dimension films may be interested in my film because they distribute many films that are similar to my film idea. However, they usually only distribute films that have a much higher budget than mine, so I fear it may take a lot of persuasion to get them to distribute my film.

Breaking Glass Pictures

Breaking Glass Pictures are an independent film distributor. They distribute a wide range of films from many genres. They usually plan on distributing at least twelve titles every year and release them in the cinema, as well as online and on disc (DVD and Blu-Ray). Founded in 2009, they have had a number of successes and are still distributing a number of films today.

This would be a good company to distribute my film because they focus on independent films (like mine) and put them in cinemas as well as releasing them on disc and download. However, they are based in Philadelphia (in the USA) and so it may not be a good idea due to the fact that it will be awkward for me to distribute the film abroad and hard for them to distribute the film in the UK.

Axiom Films

Axiom Films is an independent film distributor based in the UK. It was established in 1997 and has built up a reputation of being a company that takes creative risks, works with new talent, while also working with original ideas. There have been many successes and even a few Oscar Nominations from this company. They also produce films as well as distribute them - this is due to the 'quality, not quantity' idea they have; they want to work with the most outstanding film-makers from all over the world, rather than just the ones that have a lot of money.

This distributor would be perfect for my film because they distribute films to a high standard, while also keeping the company based on independent releases. They also take on projects from all over the world, but are based in the UK, so should be easy to contact if I want to distribute my film.

Dazzle Films

Dazzle Films are "an independent short film label, handling the exclusive distribution, exhibition and sales rights for a selective catalogue of award-winning, critically acclaimed UK and international titles." They distribute a range of films and have no running time limits... As long as it is an original short film, they will be interested. They are based in London and Paris.

This company would be perfect for my film, because instead of creating a feature length film, I could always make it a short film - this would be much quicker and easier on a low budget. They are based in London and so are easy to get hold of, and they distribute films to a wide audience.

Of course, the course specifies that my project needs to be a trailer for a feature length film, so on these grounds, I will rule out this company as a possibility.

Planning - Pitch

9/12/2013

8/11/2013

Working title: In Seclusion, We Find Safety.

Genre: Horror.

Form: Teaser Trailer.

Location: In an abandoned garage.

Time: Present day/near future.

Plot outline: Two character's stumble into the garage after one is bitten by a zombie. These two people are partners (boyfriend and girlfriend). The girl has been bitten. After the boy frantically tries to stop her bleeding, she eventually dies. The realisation dawns on the boy that he will have to kill his own girlfriend. He takes his time, but eventually shoots her to stop her coming back as a zombie. There is a cut to the film's title as he does this, so we do not actually see it.

Characters: Jack (the boyfriend), Anna (the girlfriend).

Aim: To evoke a feeling of sadness and/or empathy from the audience. Also to make them want more and to watch the feature film that I would be advertising.

Target Audience: 15+ (due to blood/gore, violence and mature themes).

Audience Appeal: It is a horror film with a difference, its main focus isn't to fill the audience with fear. Instead, it will aim to make the audience care for the characters and their emotions in a stronger way than a horror film - more like a drama film. However it will be set after a zombie outbreak and so the full film will contain many different classic horror scenarios that make the audience members scared.

Unique Selling Point (USP): Many horror films focus on just scaring the audience (such as the 'Paranormal Activity' franchise) or making them feel 'squeamish' (such as the 'Saw' franchise). However, my film will play off many different emotions, such as happiness, sadness, fear, confidence, hope, doubt, etc.

Obviously, I won't actually be making the feature film... However, if I was, I would be filling it with these qualities.

Why the title?

Naughty Dog's latest video game 'The Last Of Us' features part of a sentence, as it's title. Most titles for films are one word/sentence, such as Uncharted, Children of Men, Isolation, Natural Born Killers, Predator, Alien... Shrek. So I liked their spin on the title - is there meant to be something before the title: "I hope we aren't the last of us"? Or maybe something afterwards: "The last of us are dying"? We will never know, but the title alone creates a number of enigmas. So I created the title "In Seclusion, We Find Safety" because I can imagine that (or something similar) being said after a long, meaningful, almost 'movie-style' speech. Maybe something being said by a newsreader, such as: "Secluded places are less affected, due to less people living there - in seclusion, we will find safety"?

My title also relates to the state of the world in my fictional universe - where less people live, there will be a decrease in the amount of zombies because there is less food. This means that secluded places are safer to stay in, rather than more inhabited places (such as cities).

Planning - Costume and Make-up

5/12/13

Costumes and make-up will be key to making this trailer. This is because we need to make the audience members believe that Jack and Anna are trying to survive in a 'post zombie-outbreak world'. The way we will do this is by dressing the actors in dirtier clothes and have (hopefully) good looking fake blood on their clothes and bodies.

Make-up

For the fake blood, I have found a useful video on YouTube - it explains a number of ways if making fake blood at home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLouVD0Otog

I have ordered the necessary materials from www.amazon.co.uk and they will be arriving in 3-5 days, so I can start experimenting to get the right kind of fake blood that I am looking for. After the experimenting, I will make a big batch on the day of filming.

In the garage that we will film in, there will be a lot of dirt and dust around, so we will cover the actors in this dirt, so it looks like they have been travelling for days. I may also ask the actors to skip a morning shower to make them look that bit more dirty.

Costume

Both characters will be dressed in casual clothes, but (as said above) they are meant to have been traveling for a number of days - so we will make these clothes dirtier on the day of the filming, as well as maybe ripping one or two holes in them. This will hopefully give the impression that they have been traveling for days and have been chased by zombies a lot of the time.

Note: both costumes and both actors will have many patches of dirt/dust all over them. This will be created on the day.

Costumes
Jack			Anna
Clothing	Notes		Clothing	Notes
T-Shirt	Ripped a little at the bottom.		Dress	Maybe a little ripped at the top/side.
Jeans	Ripped at one knee.		Tights	Lots of small and big holes.
Trainers	Covered in dust/dirt.		Plimsolls	Covered in dust/dirt.

Joel and Ellie from 'The Last of Us' (2013), I want to base the 'dirtiness' of the costumes on these characters. See how Joel has cuts all the way up his arm due to fighting the zombie-like creatures, how both of them look unkempt, and their clothes look so dirty.

Research - Typical Audience Member to View my Film

This is Daniel; he is 23 years old and is between jobs right now. He has just finished his Animation undergraduate degree at the University of Bedfordshire and so is living with a few friends in a flat in London (searching for work). He is in a relationship with Amanda - a woman who was on the same course as him. Daniel, Amanda and friends sometimes go out for drinks at local pubs and clubs, but due to the lack of money, this doesn't happen too often. On a normal day, Daniel dresses in smart-casual clothing (maybe a button shirt with jeans), but when he has job interviews, he will happily wear a suit.

Both Daniel and Amanda love to watch films together - they watch a wide range of films, but their favourite thing to do is to snuggle up in bed and watch a horror film when it is raining outside. This is because it is fairly miserable outside and they can feel safe together while they watch something scary. In the flat, Daniel has his PlayStation 3 hooked up to a HDTV in his bedroom - so this is perfect for the 'rainy-day-snuggle' that they like to do.

Daniel also watches a lot of films and TV shows with his friends - some of his favourites are 'The Walking Dead', 'Dexter', and 'The Dark Knight' trilogy. This is because they revolve around action and/or violence, but also have strong story-lines and characters to build on. This means they can all get 'sucked into' the fictional universe of these characters and care about what happens to them quite easily. Daniel uses Spotify for listening to music because he finds it cheaper and easier to pay a monthly subscription, than to pay for every album that he listens to and then put it on his computer. This is also because he listens to a wide variety of music - a bit of heavy metal, as well as the latest 'Take That' album... On occasion, he plays some video games with his friends (this is mainly Call of Duty), but if he is on his own, he will play something more intense - an example being 'The Last of Us'.

I think that my film would appeal to Daniel because both him and Amanda can snuggle up in bed while watching it. This is because they will be afraid of the zombies, but also be emotionally attached to the characters - hoping that they will be safe. It will also be a useful film for Daniel's friends to see for the same reasons: they can follow the character's story-lines and then discuss possible solutions to the problems as the film goes on.