Let's get Technical

As mentioned in several posts, and our storyboard, Ben and I plan to implement various techniques into our film opening that will allow us to accomplish our purpose of creating mystery. This post will attempt to explore a few of those techniques and discuss their importance.

 1. Lighting: Ben and I have decided that the use of low-key lighting will be essential to our film opening. In this blog post, Caleb Ward describes the ability of low key lighting to easily create drama and mystery. He states that by using low key lighting to create shadows and contrast, it can be extremely effective in creating an uneasy feeling among viewers. His blog also discusses how to set up and film with low key lighting, which is something Ben and I must consider before we even begin filming. Low key lighting will be especially important in the flashback scene we plan to implement as we want a shot where the faces of the two men are concealed and low key lighting will help us accomplish this.

 2. Sound: Sound is a major component of any film (besides the silent ones I suppose) as it is just important as visuals. While different shots, compositions, and editing techniques will visually create a mysterious tone, utilizing different sound techniques will allow us to do the same. During our credit sequence, where we establish the setting, we plan to also incorporate mysterious music. This article describes the importance of sounds, and explains how music can be used to create mood, for example, "Deep, sinister tones tell us that something scary is about to happen, or that a character who seems friendly is actually dangerous. High violin notes suggest tension, and discordant sounds make us feel uncomfortable." (Barrance). Ben and I are planning to find the right music that will complement our visuals and mood, and the examples above will definitely guide us. In addition, we plan to implement other sounds into our opening to make it more dynamic such as the diegetic sound of a loud bang on the garage door, and even a non diegetic sting, which we could implement as the character experiences his flashback.
Ward, Caleb. "How Low-Key Lighting Can Instantly Make Your Film Dramatic." The Beat: A Blog by PremiumBeat. Premium Beat, 06 July 2015. Web. 19 Mar. 2017. <https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/how-low-key-lighting-can-instantly-make-your-film-dramatic/>.


Barrance, Tom. "Using Sound in Your Film." Learn about Film. Tom Barrance, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2017. <http://learnaboutfilm.com/film-language/sound/>.

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