Release date

Potentially the release date would be around late november/early december as it is a christmas film, this is because it would be out of character to release the film any other time as it is applicable to this particular season. Some people may find producing a seasonal film as a downfall as it would not get any show time throughout the rest of the year, however we believe that by releasing the film around christmas it would gain a larger hype as people begin to get ready for the christmas festivities a month beforehand, and therefore are drawn into watching christmas related programmes and films.

For example every year there are a number of films which are shown on television relating to christmas that are played through the holiday period, some of these are as follows:

• Black Christmas
• A nightmare Before Christmas
• A miracle on 34th street
• The grinch
• Santa Claus
• Elf 

Even though these were seasonal films, they still done particularly well with viewings. 

Filming and Camera Equipment

Tripod

The Hama Traveller Compact Pro

Tripods are used in photography to stabilise the camera in order to maximise sharpness and detail whilst eliminating camera shaking that can otherwise cause blurring. Tripods can be an integral part of any photographer?s photography equipment no matter what your level of skill, creating stunning, high-quality, professional looking images providing that the right one is chosen. The Traveller Pro from Hama will ensure excellent still shots, (self-) portraits or horizontal tilts and vertical pans with its 3D ball tilt head and rotating central column for macro photography.Even mounting or changing cameras on the go is made super easy thanks to the quick-release plate with safety catch and ?click function?. The Traveler Pro from Hama is a must for any keen photographer.

Key features

• 4-section tripod legs (3x extendible)
• Light aluminium construction
• 3D ball head for professional use
• Quick release plate with safety catch and "click function"
• Rotating centre column for macro photography (retro setting)
• "Column brake" for locking the centre column into position
• Tripod legs can be expanded, for optimum proximity to the ground
• Rubber feet and retracting steel spikes for absolutely secure positioning
• Handy quick-action leg locks to fix the leg length
• Non-slip foam grip at the tripod legs against cold and for a secure grip
• Incl. weighting hook
• Incl. spirit level
• Profile thickness: 23mm

Specifications

• Use: Photo/Video (3D)
• Max. Loading: 10000 g
• Model: Tripod
• Thread/Connection: 1/4" (6,4 mm)
• Tripod Head: 3D Ball Tilt
• Material: Aluminium
• Tripod Leg: 4 pieces (3-extendable)
• Max. Profile thickness: 23 mm
• Incl. Tripod Case: Yes
• Colour: Black/Grey
• Max. Height: 163 cm
• Min. Height: 52 cm
• Weight: 1370 g

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-hama-traveller-compact-pro-tripod/p1527329

We have chosen to use a tripod whilst shooting in order to enable us to get a sharp and clear picture whilst filming, particularly in the darkroom, the tripod will also help us to stop camera shake which you would normally see appear when hand- holding a camera.

Filming and Camera Equipment

Canon XL-2 Camera

With 3x 1/3” 800k progressive scan CCDs and full manual control over all image settings, the XL2 represents the last word in flexible, broadcast quality miniDV.

Features

3x 1/3” 800.000 pixel CCDs 50i & 25p frame rate Total manual image control Pro Quality 16:9 XL interchangeable lens system 20x zoom lens Optical Image Stabilizer 4 channel audio, XLR in, BNC out SMPTE time code IEEE1394 PC connect

Broadcast quality with total creative control

Professional’s choice With 3x 1/3” 800k progressive scan CCDs, the broadcast quality XL2 is the flagship of the Canon range, setting the standard in versatile, light-weight professional digital video. Revolutionising its class, the XL2 provides full manual control over a myriad of variables, allowing all the fine adjustments necessary to satisfy even the most demanding professional videographer. Both 16:9 (960 x 576 effective pixels) and 4:3 (720 x 576 effective pixels) formats are supported. A 3rd generation signal processing LSI delivers outstanding Signal/Noise ratio performance, with high sensibility and low smear. Cine feel Film-like texture, tone and expression are now routine, with 25p recording and a special Cine Look mode. Gamma curve controls include Knee adjustments to tame white clipping and Black controls bring out or suppress detail in the low brightness areas. Colour matrix is selectable from Video and Cinema, while V Detail allows flexible resolution in the vertical direction. Skin Detail allows control over phase and chroma for softer, warmer skin tones. Manual control is provided over Master RGB, Setup level, Master Pedestal, Gain, Coring, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, Colour Gain and Hue. Control Two custom keys instantly recall any chosen manual setting within the 8 main menu functions. Favourite settings can be saved to three custom presets. Independent control is provided over R Gain, G Gain and B Gain. White balance can be set to true white or adjusted manually. Lens Fluorite and aspheric elements in the 20x zoom lens eliminate both chromatic and spherical aberrations. A circular iris provides beautiful background blur and built-in neutral density (ND) filters allow the iris to open fully in harsh light conditions. The XL mount system is compatible with all XL video lenses, and over 60 Canon EF lenses via an optional adapter. Go steady Optical image stabilization (OIS) eliminates unwanted camera shake before the image reaches the sensor. SuperRange OIS extends IS by examining the image after it is received by the sensor and suppressing low frequency movements. In sync Both Rec Run and Free Run SMPTE time code is supported. 2 built-in phantom powered XLR jacks and a BNC jack for monitor output is provided. An IEEE1394 connection allows direct hard disk recording. http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Camcorders/professional/XL2/

Rough Shooting Schedule

20/12/11-  Shooting for the 'loving family' scene and the 'bed room scene' and a few shots of joely walking around
This shall be shot in josh's house in the christmas holidays, this will help us as decorations will already be set up, and therefore it will save us time and money regarding props. 

04/01/12- Shooting the 'darkroom' scene and the 'corridor' scene
As Paige and I are photography students, we have access to the photography darkroom, it was after realizing this we decided that it would be a good idea to shoot in these conditions, as the red lights create an extremely eery feel to the surroundings, we shall be shooting Joely developing images of a young boy which has been shot behind bushes, as though he is stalking him, this therefore, adds to the creepy effect which we are trying to achieve in our film.
06/01/12- Shooting the 'high street' scene
This is where we shall be shooting a section from our trailer where joely chirstmas is walking down a run down, dingy alley way with a sack. The sack shall be dripping blood in order to give the audience the impression that something bad has taken place. We have created our own blood using:

• Red food colouring
• Golden Syrup
• Water

We have carried out several tests in order to create a liquid with the perfect consistency of blood in order to make sure that it looks as realistic as possible.

Plot - You Better Watch Out

http://apjmedia.blogspot.com/2011/12/plot-of-entire-film.html
Above is a link to our plot outline.

We shall be using this plot outline as almost a 'teaser' although it has been written with some detail, we have made sure that, particularly the ending, has been left vague in order to not give away the whole storyline, however after we have produced our trailer, we shall upload an updated plot outline in order to make the story behind the trailer clearer.

Genre/Target Audience

Below is the link to our pre production blog and what we have decided to rate our film.
http://apjmedia.blogspot.com/2011/12/genretarget-audience.html

We wanted our film to be accessible to a wide audience, however as we wanted to stay strictly within our genre of horror this made things difficult. We took into account the kind of audience that would be draw to our film, and refined our idea in order for it to have a stronger attraction, this way we would be able to ensure a fan base with the film. By ensuring a fan base, by word of mouth (alongside advertisements) we would be able to create an intriguing atmosphere around our film, in turn attracting a wider audience.

Our film will be rated a 15, this is because there are many younger people aged 15 and upwards that enjoy watching horror films, and therefore we would be broadening our audience as compared to having the film rated at an 18. However, after researching amongst many young people, if a film that was meant to be of the horror genre was rated at a 12, they would be put off of seeing it as it was made for a younger audience and may not have the maturity in which they were looking for.