EvaluationBy Jordan Howell

This helped me a lot, as I learnt these techniques and then could apply them to my main task.

Preliminary

180-Degree Rule

Shot/Reverse Shot

Match On Action

During the preliminary I used:

Main Task

Titles and opening of a new fiction film

Maximum of

Two Minutes

Here is my finished opening sequence.

Codes And Conventions

Genre - Thriller

Location - Woods

Lighting - Dark

Character - Villain

Character - Victim

Soundtrack – Suspense Music

Text – Squared Writing

I believe that I stuck to/used the

codes and conventions of

thrillers as I showed in my

research, I felt that I needed to as if it was too unique it

wouldn’t attract my target audience.

It is recognizable as a thriller, because of the things below.

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

Codes and Conventions 2

I used a Establishing Shot to give the audience the location of the scene.

I used a Point Of View Shot(Hand Held) to make the audience feel like their in his mind. In my research I found out that this would be effective so I applied it in my opening sequence.

I placed the character (victim) in a vulnerable place (the woods). I did this to make them seem defenseless, weak, an easy target etc

The Villain is in dark light so the audience don’t see their identity, I did this to keep some mystery to it and keep the audience guessing.

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

Codes and Conventions 3In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Challenges By:

No Weapons

No Jump Cuts

Rewind

I put no weapons or dangerous objects in the mise-en-scene, normally these would be used to alert the audience, but I didn’t want to do this because I didn’t want to give away any clues.

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I put no jump cuts in, although I wanted to create uncertainty, I didn’t think I deeded jumps to do this, as my idea I feel was strong enough without it.

I put a rewind in mine, where as the code and conventions for thrillers is to put a flashback or a flash forward in it. But a rewind lets the audience go back with the character, and this is a feeling I wanted to create.

Codes and Conventions 4In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

There is no dialogue

This challenges the codes and conventions as the films I

researched had dialogue in too add a certain impact to the audience.

I felt I could create that effect without the dialogue, in the way it is

shot and with non-diegetic sound I think that it went well, and I am happy with not putting dialogue in my

production.

Media Institution - DistributorWhat kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

How similar films are distributed

Available to a wide audience

DVDCinema

DownloadsWatch Online

Cheap and Easy to access

Distributed differently when the film has

been shown for a long

period

More Publicity

Money made form ticket

sales

High Budget FilmsSold to institutions

The film can be watched over and

over

Continually generates

money, even after the film is

popular

Television

Internet

Media Institution – Distributor 2What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I researched film distributors for thriller films and from my research I

discovered

When a Stranger Calls

TakenSilence Of The

Lambs

Touchstone Pictures

20th Century Fox Orion Pictures

Distributed on cinema and DVD formats

Media Institution – Distributor 3What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

I think my film would be distributed by

touchstone pictures.

This is because they distribute films in the same genre (when a

stranger calls.)

It would be distributed in cinemas and then

alter on to DVDs.

Universal might also distribute my film.

They distribute high quality films, and make a lot of money.They distribute a

variety of genres which include thrillers.

It would be also be distributed on cinemas and DVDs.

Media Institution – Distributor 3What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Opportunities Within the Industry

Franchising is a way of making huge profits, this is something I would be keen to do as I think it gets my product across to the audience in more ways.

Silence of the lambs

Merchandising is another way of distributing/getting more people to watch my film. It attracts people

and also makes money.I could also use promotional items that would generate more interest

in my product and the mass market would walk pass them and then

want to see the film.

Promo Posters

Legal downloads is a quick and easy

way I could distribute my film. However, illegal downloads would loose me money.

It could then become a viral which will generate

interest and its free.

Target AudienceWhat would be the audience for your media product?

Gender Age Personality

Although males and females will like my opening

sequence, I think that males will like the mature

themes/violence/action in my film more than females,

although looking at it, females might be more

likely to sympathies with the character.

I am targeting an audience aged between 15-30. This is because young audiences would not understand my

plot, and would be disturbed by the themes running

through out . This is also the case for elderly audiences, they may be offended and not interested in the film.

The 15 certificate I gave my film is for the

following reasons.

The film contains mature themes,

unsuitable for young audiences.

The plot may be difficult for people under the age of 15 to understand.

The film has violence and is

intended to frighten the audience.

Children will not enjoy my film.

Likes being scared but also taken on a journey through the film. If someone hates being scared/thrilled they will not

enjoy my film. Although most personality's will enjoy it. I think that people who like being scared will enjoy it

more. My research helped me understand who to market at.

Audience AttractionHow did you attract/address your audience?

Males watching my thriller film

may feel the need to protect the

vulnerable character, as if he was

a “mate” or “buddy”. This is due

to the angst and apprehension

they will be feeling because of the

situation the character is in.

I realised that when the audience feels the same emotions as the character, they then address the character on a personal level. So there for using point of view shots I can attract my audience. I felt that this worked well.

The camera shots I used are

quick cuts and add to the thrill

of my opening sequence, in

my view using this makes the

audience gain more feelings

during my opening sequence

and makes it less dull

therefore attracting them.

In my first couple of shots I straight

away place the audience into the

characters shoes with a point of view

shot running threw the woods, this

creates interaction with the

audience and the character and

gains there attention for then the

rest of my opening sequence to

hopefully hold there attention.

Audience Attraction 2How did you attract/address your audience?

Before releasing my product I would produce posters and trailers to gain their interest to watch it. To do this I would have to use unique/interesting shots on them giving hints to the opening sequence.

I attracted them by placing them in a location that they

don’t want to be (the woods) which has bad connotations.

This then starts to create the feeling of being scared to the

audience which is what I wanted to do.

I addressed my audience by making them part of the film which enhances there emotions and feeling about the

character in my opening sequence due to the added feeling of it could be them.

Which then ties in to the point before. By using point of view

shots in the woods, I am forcing them in to a place they don’t

want to be in. Enhancing the fear factor of my film.

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

Technologies

I used a Kodak Playsport (Zx3) to film my

production. This camera is very durable (waterproof, can be dropped, very compact) and this attracted

me to using it as being on set (in the woods) one slip and the camera could break ruining my production.

There for teaching me not to rely on technology solely, and to think before the production what could go wrong and put procedures in

place to stop it happening.

This produces 1080p quality video (full HD) which delayed me when transferring video from camera to Mac as the files where bigger than

other peoples, this taught me to add times like this in to my planned

editing time in my schedule.

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

Technologies 2

Hamastar 63 tripod

•Carry case – Easy to transport, meaning I could take it to more excluded areas (i.e.. The woods)

•Small-I realised that I should have got a taller tripod as I had to use my hand to film the high angled shots

•Rotated- I learnt I needed a rotating head, so I could use camera movement techniques. Therefore enhancing my video

Lithium Batteries•Long battery life- this meant that I could film more footage to take to editing (a full movie films 4 x the amount of footage they use). So I leant that I needed a good battery.

•1 battery- although it had good battery life I was filming 1080p (high quality) so I learnt that I should have two batteries next time, as it nearly run out during filming.

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

Technologies 3

32 GB SD Card

•Space- I learnt that I needed a lot of memory space to film on as I wanted to film ore than I needed so I had a better chance of getting the right shots

•Get it right- I got the wrong SD card first and t didn’t fit my camera which meant I had to delay my shooting day which was frustrating. So I learnt to always check, as technology don’t work well with some other products.

I learnt that by overloading my production with effects it made it look amateur so I cut down the amount of video effect to then enhance the natural sense of my production, thus making it more professional.

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

Technologies 4

Apple ImacI learnt how to use an Imac and Imovie before starting using them in my production which helped me gratefully, as I relaised that I should learnt to use technology before I start using it to then make my skills better with the specific technology. Also I learnt that newer is mostly better in technology sense as we used new Imac’s which were fast and had more features to use. Which made post-production quicker process in my time schedule

Apple ImovieI learnt that Imovie has a lot of great features, and without the training it would have been a much more complex task to edit my production. Although I also learnt that technologies can fail as Imovie/the Imac deleted my quarter edited video at the start of post production, which meant I had to re edit the start which took away valuable time, which again made me learn not to let technology do all the work, and that they can fail.

Apple Ilife Sound Effects

I learnt that technology have improved using this software as it had great sound effect to use, including the suspense music I put in my production. But also learnt that I still need to make my own, as I created heavy breathing instead of using the sound effect of here. As they cant get It all right, and this sound effect sounded fake so I re-recorded it.

Advantages Disadvantages

Enhance my production

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

Technologies 5

Expensive

Can make it quicker

Can make it more complicated

What advantages and disadvantages I have learnt.

Can make it easier to produce

Can make it better for the audience

Not always reliable

Can be overused

This helps me for future production’s where I can use

this knowledge.

Social GroupsHow does your media product represent particular social groups?

I purposively didn’t show the identity of the main characters in my opening sequence so more people could relate to the “unknown” character, and get scared that they could be that unknown character one day.

Social GroupsHow does your media product represent particular social groups?

But I also purposively clothed my character in a specific way which then gave hints to there social class. Working/Lower class

Black Hoody – follows the newspapers views of hooded youngsters

causing trouble. So although a victim

represents a darker side

Jogging Bottoms – which are

associated with “chavs”, and

upper class people wouldn’t wear

them.

I have represented the working class/lower class social group as they are stereotypically seen as the people that can get in these situations.

I have also represented them as in the woods, places where lower/working class people hang out. It isn't stereotypically seen as luxurious or pleasant to be there.

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

I showed a link to my preliminary in the first

couple of slidesI had to learn techniques in my preliminary which I then took forward to my main task like:

Shot/Reverse

shot

Match on action

180-Degree Rule

I used these techniques as a basis to then expand on in my main production

Preliminary 2Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I feel that the biggest thing I got from the preliminary is confidence.

This is because having experience using the equipment meant I didn’t have to worry about not knowing how to work them.

Camera

Imac

Imovie

Also the experience of using actors/ locations also helped me, as I felt more in control while creating my opening sequence than in the preliminary

The experience in knowing the stages of production helped me In my final production, as it could run quicker and smoother.

Preliminary 3Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I learnt the stages of the production, and that you need to plan a lot before starting the production which will then make it smoother.

Story board – I only produced a vague one for me preliminary which I felt made it harder as there was not a solid structure of my production.

During filming (preliminary) I learnt that storyboarding is a good way of testing out ideas before I got to the filming stage .

I researched more into the thriller genre after my preliminary so I knew what I need in my production.

What I learnt from the planning stage:

Preliminary 4Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

What I learnt from the production stage:

The camera work in the final production is much more developed then in the preliminary because I felt more confident using the camera.

The 180 degree rule for example was applied a lot smoother, and was more effective in my production than preliminary.

I also learnt that a variety of shots create a variety of atmospheres, for example short clips in succession can be disorientating. This meant I could apply the effect’s I wanted.

I also learnt a lot more about editing on Imovie which made it simpler to use in my final production.

Successful?General Evaluation

How successful is my final product:I think the final product is a success

This is backed up with the response from my questionnaire I handed

out at the screening

The brief was to plan

research and construct

a media product, which

I have done.

I feel I have used a lot of conventions from the thriller genre (discovered through

detailed research). As well as challenging such conventions.

People that watched the film said they liked the idea and the quality at which it was

made. An said they think they would enjoy the whole film.

I think that there are things I

could have improved. Like

smoother camera work.

But still think overall it was a success.

Audience FocusGeneral Evaluation

What my questionnaire told me

The feedback I received was very positive

“The ending left me wanting to see more”

“The soundtrack created suspense”

“The titles were very effective”

“A bit confusing”

“Thrilling Stuff”

Average ratings were

very high, ranging

from 7 to 10

Overall I found my questionnaire very helpful it helping me to evaluate my production

QuestionnaireGeneral Evaluation

My questionnaire also showed me that I did attract the

audience to my opening sequence

Due to comments like“Made me feel

involved in the movie”

Giving me proof of success in this section

of my production.

Can Work On

There is a footsteps audio effect that sounds very amateur, I would take this out If I did it again as I don’t feel it adds anything to my

production.

There is also a heartbeat audio effect which I

don’t like as it feels like it doesn’t have to be

there. I think silence would be much better in its

place as the audience can be thinking during it.

But still overall I think it went really well.

No Dialogue

I put no dialogue in my opening sequence as I

didn’t think It needed it. I felt I could create the

intended feelings to the audience without using

dialogue.Although a hard thing to do, I felt that it was

very successful and I am glad I took that risk.

Dialogue might give something away in my

production so it keeps them guessing.

Point Of View

By using point of view shot’s it get the audience

involved in the film which I feel works very well

They can then feel like they are in the situation

and overall in thrillers/horrors this is what I

think you should do

The involving the audience should enhance their feelings as it makes it more personal as it could be them and if it was them they are seeing what it would be like.