Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Learning the basics:

To ensure I was able to successfully complete the project, I was required to perform a preliminary task in order to learn the basic rules of creating a media production, having never before involved myself with something such as this. I was taught the concept of the 180 degree rule which I found to be relatively easy to understand and put into effect. I also learnt the match on action and shot reverse shot continuity rules successfully. During this preliminary task I managed to gain a valuable amount of insight and knowledge on how to use the editing software and cameras, making it marginally easier when it came to producing my final coursework piece.

Shot types:

The research stages and the preliminary task allowed me to gage an insight into the many different shot types and camera angles used in the film industry and more specifically so, which were most frequently used in the thriller genre. I was also able to learn which camera angles and shot types created which effect and used these to my advantage; close ups create a sense of tension, tilt shots generate a feeling of confusion and distortion and low angles give status and power whereas high angles suggest vulnerability and weakness. In my opinion, the most effective shot type used in our production was the bird's eye view, tilt shot of the staircase, a generic location and camera angle.

Planning:

When planning our thriller we were able to refer back to the process and methods learnt during the planning stages of our preliminary task; storyboarding, creating character profiles, shot listing and gathering screenshots from other existing productions that inspired us. Being a visual and creative person, I feel that the gathering of images and storyboard methods of planning were most influential and profitable for me.

Teamwork:

Considering I had no previous relationship with any of the members in my group before the project, we managed to work successfully as a group, dividing responsibilities and giving valuable and honest feedback to each contribution made. Each member in our group was considerate of each other and played equal roles in the planning, shooting and editing stages of our production and all contributed equally; we decided not to delegate specific roles within the group, but to work together and share findings. During the planning and research stages we all shared ideas, information and possible references which allowed us each to produce multiple planning and research pieces that proved extremely helpful in the shooting of our footage. We decided to split the group and edit in pairs as this would allow each person to have a more active role which I believe worked very effectively.

Deviating from our original plan:

As it can be seen, our planning shows a very different story line and characters compared to that of our final production; this is due to the fact that our first set of footage was not performed to the high standard we desired. We decided, thus, to rethink our shot listing and alter the original plan made in order to produce a higher quality production.

Most interesting skill learnt:

The most influential part of this project for me was the editing stage; I found this very insightful and was able to learn various new skills such as effectively using the various transitions and, after reviewing the feedback from our questionnaire, I discovered how to alter and adapt the colour grade of a clip. This new skill, I feel, will be extremely helpful in future projects as it largely helps to create a certain, desired effect once the correct balance has been made; I am sure to use and develop this knowledge for next year’s project.

From the feedback received from our questionnaire I think I can confidently say that the new skills learnt have been successfully developed and used throughout the project, especially considering the lack of experience I had before the beginning of the preliminary project.

Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Question 2.pptx by elldavis_

Question 1: In what ways does you media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media productions?

Question 6: What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this project?

Blogging:
A wide range of different technologies were used throughout the planning, researching, filming and editing stages in the making of my thriller. The first newly-introduced technology for me to become coherent with was the media blog; having no previous experience with blogs such as this, I had to learn the controls and gain an understanding of how to construct and publish posts. These posts could be done in a variety of different media that each required yet more technological programs I was inexperienced in using. These alternative posts come in the form of a presentation, using Microsoft Power Point Presentation, a Prezi document, using www.prezi.com, or even a video diary. I was also required to learn how to import and upload photos, upload video clips and include links to other websites and resources. This modern method of blogging coursework enabled me to access my work from any computer and meant that there was no need to carry large, heavy folders around; this method is more flexible and appropriate to the subject.

The internet:

During the planning and researching stages of production the internet was used regularly in gathering images and information relating to our thriller and similar productions. Websites such as IMDB and YouTube and search engines such as Google proved very helpful for these stages. Many of the photos and images gathered were printed off and annotated on sugar paper. These pages could then be scanned onto the computer and uploaded onto my blog using the scanner; I was unaware of the controls of this machine at first but it proved to be a simple process that I picked up promptly. The internet was a technology I relied on very heavily during the research process as much information can be found through websites such as Google or, more specifically for this project, IMDB. I also used the internet when attempting to find a suitable soundtrack for our film and was able to upload this onto the website Soundcloud in order to embed it onto my blog. This form of technology is very efficient, resourceful and is flexible in that you can access the information from any computer or portable device connected to the internet.

Shooting and cameras:

To shoot our footage for the project we used a digital camera Canon Legria. Having a basic knowledge of digital cameras, both video recording and stills cameras, the operation of this device was not too complicated or difficult to understand. During the first few shots we filmed, more specifically the tracking and panning shots, I found that it was more challenging to maintain a steady hand than first perceived. However, after a handful of initial practise shots, there was a noticeable improvement which was developed further throughout the project. Using a digital camera of this type benefitted us greatly as we were able to play back previous recordings to ensure the clip achieved the effect we required/wished and retake if necessary, also using the zoom application to create tension at 01:10. However, instead of using a stills camera to capture the images required for the possible locations page of my planning, I decided to use the digital camera on my Iphone as I regarded the picture quality to be sufficient and also enabled me to change the colour grade so that the images appeared more gritty and bleak.

Editing software:

In order to triumphantly edit and organise our footage we used the editing program Adobe Premiere Pro. Before involving myself in this project I had not experienced using any type of video editing software, apart from the preliminary task, but I had previously used various still-image editing programs so I was aware of the basic controls and directions. 
However, due to this lack of experience I was able to learn various new skills; I learnt to use the transition tools such as fade to black and dissolve between clips and also developed my knowledge of how to effectively insert a title slide and credits without causing too large a break in the narrative. 
An additional tool I learnt to use was the clip duration alternator; many of the clips within our production were lengthened and reduced to a slower speed to create tension and made the actions within the sequence appear more foreboding.

My education on using editing software is continually developing throughout the project as, even now our final productions have been submitted, I have been taught how to effectively alter the colour grade which will be useful in future productions.

Narrative sequence:

Regarding the narrative structure of my production, Premiere Pro allowed us to be creative in sequencing our shots; we were able to flawlessly switch between the shots of Katt and fellow protagonist, Jen, using shot reverse shot. This technique was aided by my new-found knowledge of using the dissolve transitions.

Sound editing:

Another aspect of Premiere Pro I was unaware of was the editing and altering of sound; both diagetic and non-diagetic sound could be altered using this program. After finding a suitable soundtrack I was required to upload the track onto Souncloud.com so that it could then be saved into my files and embedded to Premiere Pro in a compatible form. The diagetic sound heard at 00:39 (the siren) and the sound of the footsteps throughout had to be elevated in order to be eligible above the noise of the soundtrack which was, in turn, lessened. This proved to be a simple process that was rapidly understood. Apart from the soundtrack, no other non-diagetic sounds were embedded.

Connecting with the film industry:

Technologies such as these enable young people to experiment and interact with the film industry; cameras are easily obtainable and operated by most and basic editing software can be purchased and determined without excessive difficulty. Projects such as these can give students valuable knowledge and understanding of the film industry and the requirements needed to create an effective production.

Question 5: How did you attract/address your audience?

Envy and jealousy is a common issue for young females and is an emotion that audiences can engage with. The relationship between the two lead female characters is fractured by envy; our film takes the end result of envy to its extremes.This concept is similar to one used in the popular TV drama series, Skins, which also aims to attract an audience of a correspondent age, in which a female character, Katie, becomes violent towards a fellow female protagonist, Effy, in a jealous rage over the affections of a male. The fabricated enigma and cliff hanger end to our opening aims to entice and encourage the audience to continue watching to discover the motive and reasoning behind the killing of the victim.

Question 5 Aid

Questionnaire: 

To ensure our film was suitable and effective in gripping the interest of the target audience, we composed a questionnaire to obtain feedback on aspects such as soundtrack, mise-en-scene, atmosphere and narrative. We asked people of a similar age to those within our target audience to rate various aspects of the narrative, camera work and editing and also inquired as to whether the storyline was easy to comprehend and follow. This questionnaire proved very helpful in understanding the preferences and opinions of our target group and widened our knowledge of these.

Feedback Analysis:

One aspect of our film that was commented on was the colour grade; 3 of the 4 people asked suggested that the colour tone could have been adjusted to create a colder, more bleak and unforgiving atmosphere and to reflect the events and issues raised within our production. This could have been done using the editing software by enhancing the blue and green tones to make the appearance grittier and therefore enforcing the urban feel. An excellent example of this colour grading can be seen in the 2000 film Essex Boys.

00:51 identified as a favourite shot.

The camera work was highlighted to be one of the most impressive aspects of our film; the shot of the feet starting at 00:50 was specifically complimented as it successfully uses the ambient lighting and the generic use of shadows, acting upon the audiences own fear of the dark and unknown. 

00:42 bird's eye view, tilt shot of generic location

As well as this, the bird's eye view shot of the staircase at 00:42 was also identified as one of the most successful shots; declared to be a 'perfect example of generic locations within the thriller genre' that has been emphasised by the acute tilt shot to enforce the feeling of distortion of reality and alarm.

Another aspect that was recognised for its suitability was the soundtrack; it was said that ‘it helps to build tension and suspense’ which is the effect we were trying to enforce therefore our aim was achieved by this. It was suggested by one, however, that this soundtrack was dangerously teetering on the borderline between the thriller genre and the horror genre. Although, in saying this, the seperation between these different genres is diminutive and we are therefore not severely worried about this as it may come down to a difference of opinion.

An interesting point made in our feedback was the use of diagetic sound; in the shot of Katt at 00:39 the diagetic sound of a police siren can be heard. This effective sound was purely down to luck and timing of the shoot but heavily influenced our choice of using this clip. Police sirens are often connoted with crime and dangerous activity and will therefore lead the audience to associate this character with corruption and misconduct.

Shot starting at 00:39

We asked each person who responded to our questionnaire to rate the overall quality of our production on a scale of 1 to 10. The average score rating totalled to 8, a score I consider to be sufficient in proving that our thriller is appealing and interesting to an audience of our specified demographic.

Question 4: Who would be the audience of your media project?

My media production, Envy, is aimed at a demographic audience of young adults aged 16-19. To gain a clear understanding and idea of the type of films our target audience would consume we studied various films and TV productions such as This Is England, Essex Boys, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Skins. We found these films to feature protagonists and supporting stars in a similar age bracket to that of their target audiences’. This is to ensure the audience can sympathise and relate to the characters within the film; the audience is therefore engaged and feel more involved which builds tension and fear.

Target audience in regards to gender:

This applies also with target audience gender and ethnicity; during my research into the genre I discovered that most thriller films and productions had a gender-specific target audience of males, however as the two protagonists in our film are females, I suspect it will attract a wider female audience rather than male. This female audience challenges the generic, typical target audience for thriller productions.

Target audience in regards to ethnicity:

Regarding ethnicity, our film would appeal more to a white British audience as the two main characters featured are of this ethnic group; again, this is due to the way in which the audience is able to relate and place themselves in the position of the character and therefore sympathise with the anxiety and apprehension felt by those characters.

In order to fully understand and engage the audience of 16-19 year old females, we took inspiration from the character of Effy from the TV series, Skins. This popular program explores various social issues that arise with young, troubled, urban teenagers and shares a similar target audience to that of Envy. We decided to create our character, Katt, with a coinciding image and attitude to this protagonist as she is seen to be an unruly, deviant character and is regularly seen smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs and putting herself in potentially dangerous and vulnerable situations. We included a shot of our character Katt smoking to emphasise and mirror the rebellious image created by Effy and to juxtapose the stereotypical image of women, therefore generate a sense of the ‘femme fatale’.




Audience Profile:

Age: 16-19

Gender: Female dominance

Ethnicity: British

Occupation: Student (due to age group)

Question 3: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

If I were to choose an existing company to distribute my film I would be likely to approach a company similar to Warp Films; our thriller is a ‘pioneering film’ due to the exploration of the theme of deviant/criminal women and the challenging of stereotypical genders. Alike most of the films distributed by Warp Films, such as This Is England, our thriller does not featured established or famous actors; Warp Films declare that the celebration and promotion of undiscovered talent is prime in their aims of developing and experimenting with the film production industry. The 2006 production This Is England could be seen as similar to our thriller in that we did not cast established actors to feature in our film, either as main characters or otherwise. The target audience of our thriller is also similar to that of This Is England, as well as being comparable in style; both productions have an urban, gritty style and address underlying social issues such as gangs and violence within the lower social classes, found in the less developed urban slums. Another reason to approach Warp Films would be that this distribution company supports lower-budget productions, made by independent, art-house companies, such as ours is.

This shot of Lol from This Is England is similar to the shot of Katt in our production (shown below).

Screenshot from our production, Envy.

Our thriller would have a limited distribution due to the low budget set, however, I am inclined to believe that our production would be exhibited in an establishment such as Cinema City; cinemas such as this support lower-budget films and independent producers, allowing less expensive exhibitions for non-mainstream productions. An example of a production similar to that of my own would be North by Northwest which was also exhibited by Cinema City and shares a similar style.

New technologies enable audiences to consume film through alternative services and devices such as the websites LoveFilm and YouTube. Distribution can be aided by advertisements on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Proliferation of portable devices and technological convergence also aids distribution; websites and companies such as Film 4 and LoveFilm can be downloaded as applications onto games consoles and similar devices. If publicising our production we should consider making the film available to the various different methods mentioned to increase accessibility and audience. Distribution methods such as these online digital services would be more beneficial in today’s market compared to the classical methods of hardware materials such as DVDs; sales and consumption of film through DVD has decreased dramatically due to the proliferation and availability of film on the internet.

Being a student film-maker, distribution of our production could be increased by entering into competitions and organisations for aspiring directors/producers. There are many schemes available today, such as the British Film Institute (BFI), to encourage and develop the young talent around today and provide an introduction to the film-making industry. These schemes can also offer opportunities to young, inexperienced students to involve themselves in the professional industry and publically showcase their original productions.