Location scouting

When looking for a location to film, we wanted objects in the scene to create the atmosphere. We wanted a large field, with very few of trees and bushes. The first scene of the film consists of a dead tree. Luckily we are in autumn so all the trees will have no leaves, therefore creating the effect of trees looking dead.

We walked around local farmers’ fields to look for our required location, taking photos of different places that maybe suitable. We avoided taking photos that included power lines, housing and roads. We chose to do this to make the location seem if it was a wasteland, a deserted location where people had not been to discover.

We want it to be set at night. Consequently, we discovered we had too many health and safety issues when filming at night, in the middle of nowhere. So we have decided to film during the day and use editing techniques to make it appear that the scene is set at night. We will be using the compositing software, After Effects, to turn day to night. This will save us from filming on a cold January night.

We need three locations. Firstly, a location that includes a tree with a wasteland background, the tree has to be creating the effect of being dead (autumn can help). The second location has to be a wasteland with bushes scattered around the field. To create the wasteland effect, we will use a farmers’ field that is large, empty and clear of the crops being grown. The third location will be a wasteland that is very large and clear of crops. We have knowledge of different locations where we could film, however, to get a location that does not include man-made objects (power lines, roads and housing) will be very hard.

We found possible locations to film and have narrowed it down to six areas, which may be suitable for the first scene (waking up). For the second scene (running across field) we found two possible locations for the scene and two possible locations for the last scene of the film. After discussion, we narrowed the list down until we chose our final locations for our film. We may find other locations that are better suited to our description; however, we are both confident that the chosen locations that we have at the moment are fine.

Possible Locations for Film

First scene

Man sitting up

This is located in a field in Broomfield that is situated behind the local Church. This can be accessed by walking through the church towards Goulton Road. The location can also be accessed by going down Goulton Road. The first scene of the film contained a large wasteland with a dead tree. We found a location that did not include a tree but had a very eerie feel to the place. The long grass makes it seem that no one has been their, no man – made objects can be seen, making it appear that there is desolate.

Second location

Looking around

This is located near to the first location (20 meters away). We chose this location because of the atmosphere and the objects around. We loved the twisted metal girders that give the feeling that something was there but that now it has become a deserted wasteland. When looking at the photo, we can see the colours are very dramatic. There are bright shades of green, backed onto the dark grey background. In the tree, we can see very dark shadows making the shot seem scary and eerie.

The second photo of the second location is a photo showing the wide-angle view of the location. The tree looks very supernatural, the size making it seem unnatural. However, the small trunks on the tree make it seem weak and dead. This gives the illusion that the tree cannot even survive the barren environment around it. When filming we will avoid capturing the concrete road next to the tree in our shots.

Third location

Running away /seeing bodies

This location is located between the first and second set. This is a large empty field that is ideal for our ‘running’ scene. The emptiness of the field is crucial to show that the protagonist has no way of escaping. When looking at this location we can see that there are no man-made objects placed around the area, making it a perfect location for our film.