Film task

Preliminary exercise: • Continuity task involving filming and editing a

character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule. – Notes on 3 shot types.– Brainstorm to show ideas for film– Storyboard for film– Script for the dialogue to film– Edited film– Evaluation/analysis of preliminary production (Keep it

brief – must say what was learnt and how the preliminary task will help you in your main project.

• Examples from previous years

http://jakehayesmediacoursework.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/preliminary-task.html

http://kelseyduffyasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/preliminary-task.html

http://maxcanningasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/scream-cover-analysis.html

http://kelseyduffyasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/final-preliminary-task.html

Main task• the titles and opening of a new

fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes.

 • All video and audio material must

be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source.

Research• Camera shot types • Conventions of horror films • Conventions of film openings in general (look at content, style,

features)• Different genres of films (list films linked to the genre) • Questions on ‘What is suspense’ • Institution research (2 companies)• Notes on at least 8 film openings • Conventions of openings of films from horror films (such as regular

features, specific techniques, ways narrative is explained)• Detailed analysis of AT LEAST 4 existing film openings (at least 2

must be horror) • 9 frame storyboard for films • Opening timelines• Audience profile for horror genre • Horror location shot types

Research• Camera shot types • Conventions of horror films • Conventions of film openings in general (look at content, style,

features)• Different genres of films (list films linked to the genre) • Questions on ‘What is suspense’ • Institution research (2 companies)• Notes on at least 8 film openings • Conventions of openings of films from horror films (such as regular

features, specific techniques, ways narrative is explained)• Detailed analysis of AT LEAST 4 existing film openings (at least 2

must be horror) • 9 frame storyboard for films • Opening timelines• Audience profile for horror genre • Horror location shot types

Planning• Brainstorm/plan ideas for your film (to include narrative, ideas for opening

sequence, styles, colours, styles of copy, inspiration)• Brainstorm names for your film/state why you chose a particular name for your

film. • Suitable institution to produce your film. And why.• Survey of your target audience to find out what hooks them onto a film from

this genre.• Audience profile for your film.• Storyboard ideas for the opening, with annotations to show development of

ideas.• Script for film • Animatic storyboard• Locations photographs with comments on suitability and when they could be

used.• Costume plans• Prop list• A range of photographs for the storyboard/opening – blocking out your film.• Explanation of your film’s concept in 25 words or less.• A production schedule/shooting schedule.• A final draft version – with annotations/commentary on good and bad aspects of

the production.• Survey/feedback of the target audience again to get their opinions on your

production and any changes.

Planning• Brainstorm/plan ideas for your film (to include narrative, ideas for opening

sequence, styles, colours, styles of copy, inspiration)• Brainstorm names for your film/state why you chose a particular name for your

film. • Suitable institution to produce your film. And why.• Survey of your target audience to find out what hooks them onto a film from

this genre.• Audience profile for your film.• Storyboard ideas for the opening, with annotations to show development of

ideas.• Script for film • Animatic storyboard• Locations photographs with comments on suitability and when they could be

used.• Costume plans• Prop list• A range of photographs for the storyboard/opening – blocking out your film.• Explanation of your film’s concept in 25 words or less.• A production schedule/shooting schedule.• A final draft version – with annotations/commentary on good and bad aspects of

the production.• Survey/feedback of the target audience again to get their opinions on your

production and any changes.

Underline = easy to do digitally

• RESEARCH + PLANNING = 20 marks (1/5 of total but SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO important.

Construction• Final opening and titles to your film – lasting no more than 2 minutes – upload final version to your blog as well as recording

onto a DVD.

• 60 MARKS!!! 3/5 of total project

• Marks gained (and lost) for– camera work,– shot choice (distance, angle, movement)– lighting,– editing, – soundtrack, – conventions,– Prop choice– Mise en scene

Evaluation • Of whole project (MUST answer ALL of the set questions and NOT

just as an essay)

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?  

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?  3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product

and why?  4. Who would be the audience for your media product? 5. How did you attract/address your audience? 6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of

constructing this product?  7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have

learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

• 20 Marks (1/5 of project)• Digitally – BE CREATIVE. Do not ‘write’ your answers.• Be analytical. Don’t just describe.

Finally•All this is to be included on your BLOG. Keep uploading work to your blog regularly.

•The evaluation MUST go on to the end of your blog.

•You must present your work using creative and digital media forms where possible – avoid ‘essay’/text based answers as much as you can.

•Make clear the roles each person plays in all aspects of the filming and editing process.

•Remember to check http://ktsasmedia2012-13.blogspot.co.uk/ regularly for guidance, resources, and tasks, as well as comments from teachers on work done.

•The unit is marked out of a total of 100 marks:

o 20 marks for the presentation of the planning and research;

o 60 marks for the construction;

o 20 marks for the evaluation.

Dave Brailsford

Also, it’s important to understand the ‘aggregation of marginal gains’. Put simply….how small improvements in a number of different aspects of what we do can have a huge impact to the overall performance of the team.”

Lots of small things add up to get you better marks

9 steps to a better mark

1) Take time to understand the task.

• what’s the task?• what’s the assessment and criteria?• what’s the timeframe?• what’s the equipment?

2) Blog – detailed, technologically sound and evidence of all work.

3) Develop skills:camerawork, sound,editing

4) Investigate

• what do film openings actually look like?

• what does other student work look like?

• what do you need to know about titles?

• how are you going to do something that stands out?

5) Brainstorm ideas

• possible scenarios for pitches/treatments

• 25 word pitch• moodboard treatment• peer and teacher feedback• realistic expectations- keep it simple

6) Planning

• experimenting with camera and editing

• recce shots of locations• examples of shots, costumes, props,

etc onto blog• post-it storyboard, animatic,

moodboard• logistics planning- including risk

assessment

7) The shoot

• people, places, props, costumes• rehearsing, directing• equipment, jobs on the day• keeping a record of the process

8) Edit

• all having a voice/hand in it• screengrabs of process• importance of audio and titles• foley - not just music• rough cut deadline and peer

feedback

9) Evaluation

• Seven guiding questions• 20 of the 100 marks• need to be creative in execution• digital depth• act on teacher advice!

Six most common student film openings

• Saw: victim tied up in shed• Scream: hooded stalker follows female

victim• Se7en: killer sticks knife in polaroid

photos• Lock, Stock: gangsters play cards and kill

each other• Waking up: clean teeth, brush hair, leave

house• Flashback or Flash forward: “2 weeks

later...”

Six most common problems

• looks more like a trailer or a short film

• insufficient titles• poor sound, poor lighting• poorly directed actors, not

costumed• confusing for the viewer• uses one of the six common

openings(badly)

Key features

• Genre• Narrative (enigma)• Character • Atmosphere• Setting

Blogs

• Bad (level 1)• http://www.chrisadamschrisadams.blogspot.

co.uk/

• Good (level 4-I think)• http://thrillerblog2011.blogspot.co.uk/

• Almost top mark video (58) and a poor vide (25)

• http://ocrmediastudies.weebly.com/coursework-with-levels.html