Sunday 3 April 2011

Evaluation: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

When doing my preliminary I found the filming easy as I didn't really use many different shots to show the conversation other than the over the shoulder shots which I have used. When I Edited the preliminary I didn't really try to change what I had filmed as I filmed the main part of the preliminary and I didn't really split the clip. from doing the preliminary I was able to improve alot on the whole idea what I thought would be good to use to show how much the editing of the piece has gone on from the preliminary.

Before doing the final piece I storyboarded as I did with the preliminary, but when I did this I found that the best way would be to look at shots on there own to then fit them together I found I would be more adventurous in what type of shot I would use like the close ups and the POV's which I have included in the Chase sequence. when looking through my preliminary  compared to the opening I have produced I feel that I have definately improved in the way I have framed the shots but I have also improved on the way I have included the transitions to more effect than expected compared to the preliminary. When I done the preliminary I only had three clips and I found that I learnt from that because when I filmed my opening I found that I needed to film a sequence more than once this would allow me to have shots and footage to choose from this allowed me to have a larger amount of choice around the making of the piece. I found that I wanted to use techniques to link the footage together in very different ways like the Graphic match with the eye when i originally thought about this technique being used I looked at way I could use it in a way would allow the piece to flow well.   

Evaluation: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Technologies I have used:

  • Sony Vegas Movie Studios
  • Sony Handycam SX-33
  • Adobe After Effect CS5 (Titles)
  • Adobe Photoshop CS5
When completing the opening I used a number of  different types of technologies to start with I used the internet to get a questionnaire complete I have learnt that using google docs I was able to make a questionnaire to ask a number of people via social networks and email this allowed me to create a piece which would appeal to the audience after completing the research I was able to make props such as the police badge and for this I used Photoshop to construct the essential prop for the opening because it is used for the audience to understand who the character is. After completing the making of the props i was able to film the opening and using the camera allowed me to understand where to place the camera to make my shot the best it could be. when using the camera I have learnt the different settings of how to use the camera.



To edit my clips together I used Sony Vegas from this I was able to learn how to place the clips together and split them up and also remove the parts of the clip, i have learnt from using both the IMovie which is available at school and the Sony Vegas which I used to compile the clips to make a very different opening with a number of clips. I was also able to use a very easy to use the transitions and video effect which are included on the software and i have learnt that coupling the editing on the software with the sounds used also can be very effective. The soundtracks which I have used on my opening I have used the fade options on the software to make a very different soundtrack. I have also learnt that i can use royalty free music from websites such as Incompetech.com and freeplaymusic.com this has allowed my to make my piece unique with a set of soundtracks which can be easily found on the websites. Using the software feel that I have been creative with the shots I have used within the opening such as the Graphic match with the eyes and the matches on action I have completed in the opening to my film.


I also used Adobe After Effects CS5 this was to do the titles of the piece i mainly done this to make the opening have a different type opening with my own distribution company and my very own titles but not ones which over powered the story I have learnt from using this technology that the making of the products does take time because when making the company logo i had to wait for the program to render the title i will remember this when I do future work with the program that i will have to wait for rendering.
  
I have also learnt from actually making the blog by adding a number of different types of media which can be used on the blog itself i have tried to find many exciting ways to try and show my work.  

Evaluation: How did you attract/address your audience?

When I was looking to attract the audience I thought that the best way would be to use the narrative codes these would involve the audience with action codes not only to slowly bring them into the plot line and to give them an idea of who the characters were some examples of this were the drugs and the Police badge these show that the main character is a police man and that the other character is a drug lord because he his handling the drugs. I also used some of the shots of the main character to show how lonely he was and this would allow the audience how vulnerable he is when he gets the phone call from the drug lord. I also used enigma code like 'why are they running?' and 'why is he asleep at his desk?' I mainly used this to grip the audience to wondering why he is alone and that he is a workaholic that is why I have place him at his desk this allowed audiences which are older to understand that he maybe overworking himself.

I also used the music and the editing in the chase sequence because I wanted to bring the audience into the pacey and speed of the chase and by using an upbeat piece of music this allowed the audience to gripped and they then may want to understand what the characters are doing it for. The idea of using music in the piece to address the audience also is with my choice of using the music with the main character where he is getting ready because I wanted to have a piece of music which would show how lonely he is and how he doesn't have any people to help him as he is so much of a workaholic.

I posted my video on you tube and then sent the link out via facebook to get initial feedback from friends here are some of the comments



This allowed me to understand that the opening is liked and some of the things which attracted the audience were the use of the music in the background, the camera shots which I have used and they have said about the editing I have used. 

I also asked people with a small questionnaire to the target audience and this is what I found from this:
Do you like the opening of the film?
Yes5100%
No00%
Other00%
Do you have any comments on the opening to my film?
The filming was good and the editing was well thought outVery good, although the soundtrack is better suited to an emotionally sad film.I like the editing and the filming. The whole of the opening is very good because of the way you have used the storyline without revealing the plot line but giving some of the clues which would happen later in the film. and the music was very well picked. The actor playing mike denzey should be changed as his actions don't fit the feel of the film, and the camaera should be on a tripod as the camera shakes while zooming in on mike's faceCamera angles were ex...
Is there anything which could be improved in the opening of the film?
Perhaps used some music that's more intense music when the characters about to receive the call.see abovelighting, clearer storyline
Who do you think the audience is for the film?
i would say perhaps teenagers and adultsTeenagersTeens and young adults such as 15- 25 year olds teenagesYoung adults

These comments allow me to understand why people may want to watch the film and they have confirmed that I am targeting the right audience with my film opening and also some small things which I could do to improve the opening this shows that people have seen my opening and have been attracted by what I wanted     

Evaluation: Who would be the audience for your media product?

Looking at my opening and the plot line for the rest of the story I would say that the film would be best aimed at the mainly 15-30 year old's but I would say that the audience is a large range because of the genre which I have  chosen can be easily watched by a large audience base. I would mainly as that the film would be certified with a classification of 15 a mainly because the target age range. I would not say that the classification would not be any higher than the 15 mainly because of the other films I have looked at like Seven a crime film starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman.        

Evaluation: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

When think about who would be the distributor for my film I looked at major and independent labels. I would say that my film would be distributed by an independent company this is because the when researching distribution I found that labels such as MGM and Columbia picture do have big budgets but they are not very forgiving with the storyline as they don't take risks with unique films which is the type of film I am putting forward. The Independent company may not have the largest of audiences behind them but many recent films have be from independent companies. The distribution would be mainly releasing films which are in the crime genre this would allow my film to be for the audiences which would like films which are made by new talent and maybe not the very similar stories which are released by the the major companies every time because they know that audiences will want to see them but I think that the more different the film is the better it is for the audience so then they are engaged in the storyline which is offered to them. One example of a Independent label is Guerilla films because they aim their films at a more niche audience but this allows them to have a unique take on the whole of their catalogue. Having looked at these different types of distribution company has allowed me to have more idea of how my film worked together especially the opening. I have made my own distribution company as I feel this would allow my product to work best in its very own distribution company as they would be a company which would only release films from the crime genre.  

Evaluation: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

One of the main things I have represented people who are in the criminal underworld and there is also some representation used with the main character as i have used the characterisation with the idea of being divorced but this is not divulged in the opening but I have used the idea of him being lonely this is not really a social group. I have also look at the idea of having young people in the piece with the chase sequence because he is a young drug dealer I have not aimed to have a character which only really is in 19 seconds but the youth culture of today can be seen all around when every I see films I look for the way they are represented as a teenager I have notice most of them are shown in a bad light but I cant really say how I have represented him in the opening of my film.

Evaluation: In what way does your media product use,develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

After researching the crime genre I was able to come to conclusions on how the audience would see conventional parts for the genre itself. one of the main conventions of a crime film is the main lead character is male whether they are a criminal or a person of the law they always seem to be the main character of the piece so I have used this as the chosen lead character this is used in films such as catch me if you can with characters such as Frank Abagnale Jr. and Carl Hanratty and films like Hot Fuzz with Sgt. Nicholas Angel he is the lead part in the film and I feel this is the best the character is the main part to link the audience to the film.I also feel i have tried to develop the convention of the main male lead and i have done this by using a parallel editing by showing Mike Denzey the main lead and comparing him with the 'Bad Guy' with the parallel shots placing them together.

I feel the plot of my film is conventional of a good crime film as I have focused on the Police side of the crime film, I have tried to structure the film so that the audience understand the way the characters are linked whether it is a large link but I have tried to make sure the convention of having the story on the police side will give the understanding to the audience which may go on in the film. With the storyline i have tried to add action codes and enigma codes to make the storyline like in silence of the lambs using the action code like the hat worn by the member of the FBI and the Behavioural science sign this allows the audience to understand the full picture when they see these visual clues to give them the storyline slowly. The plot line which I have used is also to try and link to youth culture these days because many young people understand the pressure of drugs and peer pressure, this is the main reason why I have use a young character in the chase sequence.

I have also looked at how the location would work and the best way was to use places which would make the audience relate to the area which the story is set in this is what is used in films like Harry Brown where Michael Caine's character  lives on an estate in London this is placing the audience in the there world I have tried no to place the main character in a world which is completely different to the world which the audience I wanted to aim the film at because that would distance them from what is happening in the storyline and where the characters are. conventionally the location is like a  capital city or built up area and I feel I have use this to a good effect to the audience.