Evaluation Question 7

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

Looking back at my preliminary task I can see how we actually went wrong when filming. We touched up on major issues and made sure we did not make mistakes. We used a way of trial and error when we were filming. I know this because we took five takes of each scene. This helped in the editing suite as it was easy to find a perfect scene to use.

Making the film was a new experience and made us feel how a cameraman/director/editor is put to pressure in the real world

Our preliminary task was a standard 30-second footage, which took us an hour to film and edited in half hour. We were not too familiar with the software and we did not add any effects. As our knowledge grew in the studio, well me being the director, I was told about different kind of edit types and this was helpful as I gradually told the editor to test out everything available to them.

 From this as a Director I had to keep on about the 180-degree rule, which was vital. I also had to take risk assessment wherever we was filming.  I learnt many things to do with horror films and codes and conventions 

Evaluation Question Six

Question 6

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

In our project there were many technologies available to us. There was a range of cameras, editing software and help from experts. From the start the start if the year I used blogger to upload my planning and research. This is very efficient and convenient as it frees space on a computer/memory stick and also saves time as to carrying paperwork. All you need to do is log on and start blogging.

The next stage was to start our production and here we used firstly a  HDV Video Camera and in order to record we used a Battery and a DV Tape so our footage could be uploaded easily.

Secondly we used a tripod, so we didn’t not have any amateur handheld shots, only when we needed them. The Tripod was not used as much as we thought it would as to the fact it was not needed as much.                                           

After we shot our footage we used a Tape Deck to upload our footage to Final Cut Pro. This was easy to do as we had to log and capture the footage so we could start editing.

 We also used Motion, which is software were you can create a title. This was very easy to use.

Finally after our film was ready we used IDVD to burn our footage and make a menu.

To conclude my knowledge all the technologies available to me were used to there fullest and helped my crew and me in various ways.

Evaluation Question Five

Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

We attracted the audiences by using characters of the same age group. This shows that it is linked to their lifestyle and could happen even to them. 15-21 year olds generally watch horror films and enjoy them. The genre conventions such as death/injury show in the film which funnily enough attract the younger generation in a way where they are interested in the film automatically

Evaluation Question Four

Question 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The age group of my target audience is a specified 15+.

We have chose this age group as because of the scary scenes. Younger viewers may feel scared and have nightmares.

The gender of my audience is both male and female. Male because of the teacher and girls because it shows them how vulnerable they are. Especially the ones aged from 15-21 years old

The socio economic group we aiming at is from C2, D and E. This is because of the actor’s lifestyle, this links to the audience because of their social group.

Evaluation Question Three

Question 3

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

A production company who may work on my film ‘Secured’ is Ghost House Pictures.

Ghost House Pictures worked on films such as the grudge and the messengers.

When it comes to distribution I would look at Dimension Films who is now part of Miramax

They will be a good distributor as they have a collection of horror films and the work well. They worked on films such as “Beowolf” and Scary” Movie”

Evaluation Question Two

Question Two:

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The picture on the left is a screengrab from my opening sequence when she is getting stalked. The picture on the right is from a film called “When A Stranger Calls”

The clothes used in this part is a casual jacket and shows she is scared just like the woman in the other picture. They both look scared and are in the same situation. The picture on the right, the girl on the right is stalked in a house and the one on the left is stalked in a college on the way home. The reason I compared them is due to them both being similar.

The body language of them both is a scared feeling. They both seem to be trying to stay In their skin which shows the audience their fear.

Both these characters play the main role in the films. This is because they are both vulnerable girls and have no way to defend themselves.

There was some dialogue in the opening sequence and it was very short and quick. This was to keep the storyline hidden

Both characters are wearing makeup but not too  much as this is a horror film. The only props used in our film was a log which we found in the forest. From this we see she is a loner/quiet girl who has no mix with society.

Evaluation Question One

Question One:

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

During the planning and research, my crew and me knew we had to involve some forms and conventions of real media products.

The location of our film was a very unpredictable are where you would expect a horror film to be based. We used a college and a forest. This is mainly because the forest is derelict and suits the horror codes and conventions of being isolated and in fear of walking home late.

Film titles are a must. Whether there in the end of the opening sequence or the beginning they have to be included.  It is the same as the film crew, who the films directed by etc. in our film the title appears as the main character walks away and rumbles as if it is in shock. The director, cameraman and editor and also the production name are introduced in the first minute. Most horror films do this to break the suspense chain but also build it at the same time.

When it came to costumes and props we used a teacher dressed in casual clothes. The girl had nothing special about them but after when we get re introduced to them we see she has changed her hair and he has changed clothes to show he has actually changed his attire for a reason. This confuses the audience in why he actually did this. As this is only the opening sequence you would find out why later on.

When it came to camera shots and editing we ranged our shots from a point of view shot.

This is a shot through the killers eyes and shows he is following this girl.Another shot we used is a close up.

This is where we see a close up of the action in the frame. We can see that the girl looks scared and feels something is following her.Another shot used is a over the shoulder shot.

This is used to vary our camera shots  and expand the creativity in our film. It has to be showing some sort of dominantly male figure towering over a female.

As for our titles and font styles we used a font called Eurostile and size 32 up until the Main title. This was made in MOTION. We edited this so it shakes as the character walked away

The way our film opened, the audience would know straight away what would happen. The effects make it visible that the man Is the killer/kidnapper.  We tried not to make it complicated as it is only a opening sequence. When the soundtrack is introduced we notice that you become more interested in the film. This worked on the audience we showed our film to. it started off with the girl leaving college and the teacher slowly following. When you see the teacher actually call the the girl is when we see the girl run and at this point it aims to keep the audience on the edge of their seat.

The genre of the film is horror as we identify from the way the camera is used and the edits. The lighting is confusing as it is a late afternoon in daylight but a forest. Also it is shown as the girl is alone and she has nowhere to actually go.

 The characters are introduced in from the start as a normal teacher-student relationship. When the teacher is introduced the editing shows that he may be the antagonist as he is blurred and the frame is slowed down.

The special effects used were mainly a motion blur

This was done because we wanted to make the audience feel scared. We also used colour correction in our footage to make the audience think that it has gone to a grayscale view.

Our Final Film

Preliminary Task Evaluation

When we was given the task to do our preliminary footage, we struggled. This was due to us not knowing much about different shots and how the camera worked. We was in constraint when we filmed the footage. after this we was put into a editing suite were we was allowed to sort our footage on final cut. this worked. we need to make major improvements on the focus and how we filmed. This did change for us when we filmed our final film. By then everyone in the group gained knowledge in how to use the equipment

Shot List

Monday, 13 February 2012

Camera Shots

Program: Secured       

Director: Sam     

Date: 5/3/2012

Camera Person: Kyle

Location: Havering

Shot                               Angle Movement                          Notes
1.  Establishing shot	Dolly	Of the college to show the setting
2. Medium long shot	Downwards tilt	In the classroom shows location of characters
3. POV shot	Left to right pan	Of teacher and board, main characters POV
4. Long shot	No movement	Students leaving the class
5. Medium shot	Right to left pan	Teacher rushing
6. Mid shot/POV shot	Upwards tilt	Teacher watching student walking down the corridor
7.  Two shot	No movement	Character walking down corridor
8.  Long Shot	Right to left pan	Leaving college
9.  POV Close up	High angle shot	Characters POV watching surroundings
10. Medium shot	Tracking	Following character
11. Over the shoulder shot	Eye level	Character checking behind
12. Medium shot	Tracking	Watching girl
13. Close up shot	Tilt downwards	Stalker watching the girl
14. Extreme close up	Pan right to left	Enhance characters emotions, scared
15. Medium shot	Tilt	Stalkers POV
16. Extreme close up shot	High Angle	Girl on the floor

Production Logo

Audience Questionnaire

StoryBoard

Preliminary Task

Research in genric codes and conventions

A thriller uses suspense and tension as the main elements throughout to create a response from the audience.
The main character is usually the one who is being effected and tormented by what is happening and the storyline is based around there psychological journey. Sound is also important in create response and meaning as it is stereotypical and makes a scary intimidating atmosphere which is enhanced with darkness and shadows.

• Typical storyline - involves victims who get killed without anyone being able to catch the killer out, sometimes one character survives until the end to tell of the terror.
• Typical characters - they are usually people who are in a vulnerable position and isolated from others, therefore making them an easy target and also a predictable one for the audience.
• Typical iconography - costumes for the victims are usually casual and average which creates a more scary atmosphere as the audience feel it could be anyone who is targeted including themselves. Dark settings and shadows are also key in order to allow the audience to expect the killer/stalker to be hiding and creates suspense.
• Typical cinematography - close ups enhance the emotions of the characters and creates suspense and tension if they feel unsure. Long shots leave room for people/things to be hiding which also puts the audience on edge. Establishing shots illustrate how the character is isolated and makes them a good potential victim. POV shots from bushes and things around the victim put the audience in the killer/stalkers shoes and gives them extra knowledge than the victim which creates tension.
• Typical sound - loud but mysterious non-diegetic sound is used to indicate something bad happening but this is sharply cut into by loud intimidating sounds when the victim is closer or being harmed.

We are going to focus on the teenage girls and the terror they face whilst being followed instead of the teacher for our opening sequence. This will make it a thriller and enhance the effect of it onto the audience because the victims emotions and reactions will be centralised through extreme close ups whilst intimidating non-diegetic music is playing. The characters will be casually dressed to show they are normal and makes the audience feel endangered as it could be them. Camera shots from both the girls and the teacher will give the audience a heads up for all situations and make them feel more involved but also create more suspense as they know what may happen. This is used in Final Destination (2000) where the director (James Wong) focuses on the victims and there deaths are centralised throughout. This creates tension within the audience and puts them in suspense as they are waiting for something to do but not sure who, what, where or when it will happen.

Script

"SECURED"

FADE IN

Starts with classroom scene, of students and the teacher/stalker.

Grant Clarke

“Ok guys, your free to leave.”

“Enjoy your weekend”

 CUTS TO 

girls leaving the classroom.(Calming music is played here.)

CUTS TO

the girl leaving the college premises.

CUTS TO

 the girl nearing the college exit.

CUT TO

The next scene is the girl being grabbed by Grant (teacher)

Grant Clarke 

"Stop moving, or i'll kill you." 

CUT TO

The girl is then dragged to the pond, where she is killed.(Here is where high tempo, thriller music shall be installed.)

FADE TO

The last scene shows a newspaper with the missing girl onit. (slow dramatic music)  

CUT TO

film title "secured"

Equipment list

Software


final cut 7
Apple I movie
Adobi Photoshop
Blog accounts
search engines (e.g to make newpapers)

Hardware


Apple mac
Still digital camera
Hdv video camera
Dv tapes
Tape deck
Headphones
Tripod
Props - weapons.

Shot List

Below are an example of some of the camera shots we will be using in our opening sequence : Secured


Establishing shot.
An establishing shot shall be used to show the viewers the location and set the scene for the film.



Over the shoulder shots.
These shall be used to show the victim is being followed. As the viewer notices the impact of the stalker.


Point of view shots.
We shall be using (pov) shots to emphasis the emotion of the characters in the story.


Close ups.
A variety of close ups will be used in our opening sequence. These range from medium close ups – extreme close ups. The fear of the victims can easily be shown this way