I feel my final media product was successful, although towards the end of the project many problems arose which caused difficulties. The shots I used worked well at causing the audience to get an understanding of the underlying emotions in the story. I feel my casting was good as the two characters in my opening worked well together and were very co-operative throughout the filming process, as well as portraying the desired qualities I was looking for in my characters. The locations I used for my film opening worked well in creating the atmosphere I aimed for. For example the use of the graveyard when Rosie was mourning made the scenes realistic, and the new-looking headstone meant that it was believable for it to have been recently put there. A common media convention is to use titles at the beginning/end of a film, which is one of the things I chose to add to my media product. I created the titles on media, using a simple font in red. Red is frequently used as a signifier of violence, danger, horror, however in my media product I used the colour red in the titles to signify romance and love. I made the titles for my media product using iMovie, adding a simple fading transition as I felt it wasn't appropriate to having anything overcomplicated or exciting.
-In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
My media product uses some of the common codes and conventions of existing film openings, such as an introduction of the central protagonist immediately in the first frame. This allows the audience to automatically form an attachment with this character, and therefore experience the emotions used throughout the film. However this opening challenges common conventions because often in the first two minutes of a romance, a happy or uplifting atmosphere is created to represent the general feeling of the film. Instead of this, I included a death which opposed the audience expectancy and caused the audience to feel shocked and therefore want to carry on watching the rest of the media product.
-How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My media product represents teens in a mature way, showing that not all teens follow the stereotype, which is often thought of as badly behaved, immature (particularly about sexual issues) and irresponsible. My media product shows that the teenage characters involved are mature and can take on responsibility, by things such as the fact they are in a long term relationship and attend formal events together, and mature gifts are seen to be given to Rosie, such as a necklace and roses.
-What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
A distribution company which mainly focuses on females of a similar target audience to which my media product is aimed at.
-Who would be the audience for your media product?
The audience for my media product would be mostly females (however, the film could be enjoyed by couples) who are aged 12-19. The BBFC rating for this film would be a 12. This is because the themes of the film may not be appropriate for children under 12, however there is no involvement of sexual activity/violence/nudity/swearing which means the film can be made accessible to an audience under 15. The fact that my media product is a romance rather than a romcom means that the audience is narrowed because romance has quite a niche audience.
-What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have learnt that in order to create a successful media product you must incorporate many different types of media, for example to make mine I used iMovie, iTunes, Sibelius, Audicity, Scribd and Microsoft Word. To make something work you cannot rely on only one piece of software or one programme as they do not have the ability to do all the functions needed.
-Looking back at your preliminary task, what have you learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
The preliminary task made me realise that smaller groups work better as there are less contrasting ideas which makes it difficult to settle on an idea, also in a large group it's more difficult to allow each person to use the filming equipment equally. I have also learnt that planning is key when it comes to actually filming, as if you are trying to make up the shots as you go it is sometimes less successful than it would have been if each shot have been decided previous to shooting. Having a finalised storyboard is crucial, as this can be easily followed to make filming more straightforward; especially if framing is chosen first as it makes cinematography much easier on the day of filming.
Improvements
If I was to start from scratch, there are many things I would do differently in order to improve my final product. Firstly, I would spend much longer defining an original idea, as I have realised my film is similar to some existing films, such as P.S. I Love You (Richard LaGravenese, 2008). I would also have a more detailed storyboard which gives more precise detail of what each shot should be like, as this would have made filming a much easier process and meant I didn't have to spend as long setting up each shot to get the framing right.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Software.
The software I used was mostly iMovie 06. I feel I gained a vase knowledge of this programme from doing the prelim task, but massively expanded this knowledge when doing the editing of my film opening. I used the guide book for iMovie 06 to help me to work out how to do different things using the programme. This was helpful because while reading the book I also found simple ways of editing the footage to make it effective.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Feedback.
I have shown my finished media product to various people and asked them what they thought of it. The majority of people who gave feedback were in my target group (12-19) and mostly female. This gives me a good idea of whether or not my media product would be successful with my chosen target audience.
Sophie, 17
'An effective opening. The use of black + white for the flashbacks helped the understanding of the opening two minutes. Some shots towards the end dragged on a bit, however overall it was enjoyable to watch. I would like to watch the rest of the film.'
Sam, 17
'The music and voiceover were successful. Some good shots used which created a good atmosphere. There was some ambient sound from the camera but as there was nothing that could be done about it it isn't too much of a downfall.'
Tom, 17
'I thought it was very emotional and the feeling were well portrayed. There was a good use of music which added to the atmosphere and the letter used and read out was effective. The zooming into the letter was really good, and the close up of Rosie as it was nice to see her emotion and see she was so happy to get a letter from Adam. The only negative thing was some of the lighting wasn't quite right.'
Joel, 19
'It's a bit too girly for me, I usually only watch action films. If it included some comedy it might be better. I'm impressed at the quality of it though and how it's all come together.'
Jeni, 17
'Overall really good! The voiceover was awesome and really made the film more believable and emotional. The flashbacks worked well, especially 'cause they were in black + white. It actually brought a tear to my eye, and made me say 'aww' out loud twice. Very impressed. The only think I think would have made it better is if there has been more flashbacks and less time spent looking through the box.'
Jodie, 17
'Wow, well done! I love the flashbacks, and the guy reading out the letter is really cute. The graveyard bit is really sad, and I feel it's effective because it really made me feel sad. In general it was good to watch. Might have been even better if there were a few more characters involved. I'd also have liked to see the couple doing more together.'
Chris, 19
'I don't usually like stuff like this cause it's a bit too cheesy for me, but this opening was actually really good. I started to feel really sorry for Rosie and wanted to find out what was going to happen to her. Thought the bit where they took a photo of themselves was a bit boring, but nice that she was looking at that particular picture.'
To ensure that the target audience I have chosen was close to the age range who would actually enjoy the film, I have also screened the film opening to an audience of different ages.
Vicki, 25
'over all I think it was credible and engaging. I felt empathy with the characters, particularly Rosie. The death of Adam was upsetting and stirred emotion, and the music was also a great touch. My favourite bit was the titanic scene as i thought it was cute despite beng a little cheesy. I'd probably have preferred a proper song with vocals rather than plain music'
Elaine (Mum)
'I would probably want to watch this film actually! The characters are a bit young but if there were a few older characters in it too, parents maybe, it would be more appealing. I'm surprised at all the different techniques used, it all works very well and made me a bit sad when Adam died.'
Christina, 10
'It was very sad. Didn't really know where the boy was going, but I thought they were a nice couple. I was just wondering what Rosie was going to do afterwards.'
The above feedback suggests that maybe the target audience should be a little wider. I originally thought that the only people who would be interested in the film would be people of a very close age range to the majority of the cast. I feel that if I included some older characters in the film too then it would widen the possible target audience.
Some of the main things I got out of the feedback was that the sound was good (voiceover and music) but that some of the shots of Rosie looking through the box were too long, and would have been better with more flashbacks.
Sophie, 17
'An effective opening. The use of black + white for the flashbacks helped the understanding of the opening two minutes. Some shots towards the end dragged on a bit, however overall it was enjoyable to watch. I would like to watch the rest of the film.'
Sam, 17
'The music and voiceover were successful. Some good shots used which created a good atmosphere. There was some ambient sound from the camera but as there was nothing that could be done about it it isn't too much of a downfall.'
Tom, 17
'I thought it was very emotional and the feeling were well portrayed. There was a good use of music which added to the atmosphere and the letter used and read out was effective. The zooming into the letter was really good, and the close up of Rosie as it was nice to see her emotion and see she was so happy to get a letter from Adam. The only negative thing was some of the lighting wasn't quite right.'
Joel, 19
'It's a bit too girly for me, I usually only watch action films. If it included some comedy it might be better. I'm impressed at the quality of it though and how it's all come together.'
Jeni, 17
'Overall really good! The voiceover was awesome and really made the film more believable and emotional. The flashbacks worked well, especially 'cause they were in black + white. It actually brought a tear to my eye, and made me say 'aww' out loud twice. Very impressed. The only think I think would have made it better is if there has been more flashbacks and less time spent looking through the box.'
Jodie, 17
'Wow, well done! I love the flashbacks, and the guy reading out the letter is really cute. The graveyard bit is really sad, and I feel it's effective because it really made me feel sad. In general it was good to watch. Might have been even better if there were a few more characters involved. I'd also have liked to see the couple doing more together.'
Chris, 19
'I don't usually like stuff like this cause it's a bit too cheesy for me, but this opening was actually really good. I started to feel really sorry for Rosie and wanted to find out what was going to happen to her. Thought the bit where they took a photo of themselves was a bit boring, but nice that she was looking at that particular picture.'
To ensure that the target audience I have chosen was close to the age range who would actually enjoy the film, I have also screened the film opening to an audience of different ages.
Vicki, 25
'over all I think it was credible and engaging. I felt empathy with the characters, particularly Rosie. The death of Adam was upsetting and stirred emotion, and the music was also a great touch. My favourite bit was the titanic scene as i thought it was cute despite beng a little cheesy. I'd probably have preferred a proper song with vocals rather than plain music'
Elaine (Mum)
'I would probably want to watch this film actually! The characters are a bit young but if there were a few older characters in it too, parents maybe, it would be more appealing. I'm surprised at all the different techniques used, it all works very well and made me a bit sad when Adam died.'
Christina, 10
'It was very sad. Didn't really know where the boy was going, but I thought they were a nice couple. I was just wondering what Rosie was going to do afterwards.'
The above feedback suggests that maybe the target audience should be a little wider. I originally thought that the only people who would be interested in the film would be people of a very close age range to the majority of the cast. I feel that if I included some older characters in the film too then it would widen the possible target audience.
Some of the main things I got out of the feedback was that the sound was good (voiceover and music) but that some of the shots of Rosie looking through the box were too long, and would have been better with more flashbacks.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Final cut.
The above is a version of my final cut, but before the music has been added. It contains the footage which has been edited to have smooth continuity, sound effects and the opening titles.
I have now uploaded the final version of my film, including music, which can be seen below.
Sound and Music.
In order to create the right sound effects for the scenes in my film opening, I did an internet search to find websites which enabled me to download sound effects which i could then add to the footage on iMovie. The website i used for the doorbell sound at the beginning was www.soundjay.com which allowed me to download the sound effect as an mp3 file onto iTunes, which I could then transfer to iMovie.
To create the music, I requested the help of the Head of Music from school. I then had to change the format of my movie and take it to him, at which point he then used Sibelius to pruduce music with effectively ran alongside the footage. This was then saved as an audie file which could be put on iTunes, and then added from iTunes to iMovie.
The voiceover was recorded using the same video camera as the filming. I then imported the footage from the camera to the computer, where I was then able to extract the sound to use as an audio clip.
Problems Encountered
The audio was a major problem when trying to compress my movie to put it onto a disc and onto the web. Once the voiceover had been put alongside the video footage, it didn't quite fit into the places it was supposed to, so I had to replicate the voiceover and then use both to create the correct voiceover. I did this by turning the volume up on the bits I wanted to be audible, and down on the bits I wanted to be silent. This then meant that I had 3 separate sudio clips, and therefore when I came to compress the movie to different formats, the audio became out of sync and wouldn't play correctly. With the help of an IT teacher at school, I tried out various ways of trying to make the audio work. We tried saving the section of the film which included the voiceover separately to add back in, however this left the same problems. Eventually, we ended up making it work by playing the film at a high volume, and recording the entire audio using the programme Audacity. I then had to save this file in a different format which i then put onto iTunes, and then onto my film as a single audio clip.
To create the music, I requested the help of the Head of Music from school. I then had to change the format of my movie and take it to him, at which point he then used Sibelius to pruduce music with effectively ran alongside the footage. This was then saved as an audie file which could be put on iTunes, and then added from iTunes to iMovie.
The voiceover was recorded using the same video camera as the filming. I then imported the footage from the camera to the computer, where I was then able to extract the sound to use as an audio clip.
Problems Encountered
The audio was a major problem when trying to compress my movie to put it onto a disc and onto the web. Once the voiceover had been put alongside the video footage, it didn't quite fit into the places it was supposed to, so I had to replicate the voiceover and then use both to create the correct voiceover. I did this by turning the volume up on the bits I wanted to be audible, and down on the bits I wanted to be silent. This then meant that I had 3 separate sudio clips, and therefore when I came to compress the movie to different formats, the audio became out of sync and wouldn't play correctly. With the help of an IT teacher at school, I tried out various ways of trying to make the audio work. We tried saving the section of the film which included the voiceover separately to add back in, however this left the same problems. Eventually, we ended up making it work by playing the film at a high volume, and recording the entire audio using the programme Audacity. I then had to save this file in a different format which i then put onto iTunes, and then onto my film as a single audio clip.
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Rough Cuts and Editing.
After shooting the rough cuts for my film opening, I found various problems with the footage. First of all, I didn't make enough use of the tripod which caused many of the shots to be shaky and unsuccessful. I also didn't correctly set the white balance on the camera which meant that in some shots the colours were off, particularly in the sky. After watching this footage, I decided to re-shoot it and created an improved and updated storyboard.
This is the second lot of footage i shot. Some of the clips used in the final cut came from the first rough cut, however most were from the second batch of footage. Not all of the footage was needed in the final cut, so much of it has been edited out.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Target Audience and BBFC.
I have researched into the required restrictions for 12 and 15 BBFC Ratings to help me to choose the rating which would be appropriate for my film, using www.bbfc.co.uk/classification. BBFC ratings are essential for giving an audience/parents the necessary information about how approprite a film is in order to ensure that particular films are only viewed by people whom it will not offend. There is also a separate parental BBFC website which is especially for helping parents to decide what films they do/don't want their children to watch.
A 12 rating includes:
Theme
Mature themes are acceptable, but their treatment must be suitable for young teenagers.
Language
The use of strong language (eg 'fuck') must be infrequent. Racist abuse is also of particular concern.
Nudity
Nudity is allowed, but in a sexual context must be brief and discreet.
Sex
Sexual activity may be implied. Sex references may reflect what is likely to be familiar to most adolescents but should not go beyond what is suitable for them.
Violence
Violence must not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood. Sexual violence may only be implied or briefly and discreetly indicated.
Imitable Techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail or appear pain or harm free. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
Horror
Sustained moderate threat and menace are permitted. Occasional gory moments only.
Drugs
Any misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or instructional.
A 15 rating includes:
Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate to 15 year olds.
Language
There may be frequent use of strong language (eg 'fuck'). But the strongest terms (eg 'cunt') will be acceptable only where justified by the context. Continued aggressive use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
Nudity
Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.
Sex
Sexual activity may be portrayed but without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour.
Violence
Violence may be strong but may not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. Scenes of sexual violence must be discreet and brief.
Imitable techniques
Dangerous techniques (eg combat, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on imitable detail. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.
Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable.
Drugs
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse.
After researching the different requirements of the 12 and 15 ratings, I have decided that a 12 rating would be adequate for my film. I feel this rating is right for my film because it is of a reasonably mature theme but one which can be understood and enjoyed by an audience of 12+, there is no nudity or strong language throughout the film. Violence and drugs have no involvement whatsoever in the film, and sexual activity would be implied in the film towards the end, but not beyond an appropriate level.
Target Audience
Now that I have decided that the BBFC rating would be a 12 rating, I have also considered the type of people who the film would appeal to. I believe the film would generally appeal to a female audience due to the romantic nature of the film, but I think the the Male Gaze Theory would also apply and possibly widen the audience to males, due to the lead female character being attractive. I think that the most likely audience would be young females, between 12 and 15, but with a small amount of interest from a slightly older audience also. This film is unlikely to be enjoyed by an audience who enjoy horror/slasher/action/sci-fi type films because in comparison it is very slow-paced and predictable. However if it is watched by an audience who frequently enjoy romance/romcom type films, it is likely to be successful due to it's stereotypical 'happy ending' romantic themes.
Sound Research.
In order to have music and sound to add to the footage, i have researched the different methods available.
Sound effects websites:
www.pacdv.com/sounds/index.html
www.soundjay.com/
Copyright free music/Unsigned Arstists:
www.copyleft-music.com/
www.pacdv.com/sounds/index.html
www.freeplaymusic.com
www.akmmusic.co.uk
www.soundzabound.com
www.freeplaymusic.com
www.audiojungle.net
www.musicmediatracks.com
www.trackline.com
www.akmmusic.co.uk
Music can also be created specifically for the media product, using Garage Band on iMovie 06. This allows you to produce music which flows smoothly alongside the footage and is appropriate for the particular media product.
Alternatively, Sibelius can be used to create music, although a keyboard is also necessary for this.
Sound effects websites:
www.pacdv.com/sounds/index.html
www.soundjay.com/
Copyright free music/Unsigned Arstists:
www.copyleft-music.com/
www.pacdv.com/sounds/index.html
www.freeplaymusic.com
www.akmmusic.co.uk
www.soundzabound.com
www.freeplaymusic.com
www.audiojungle.net
www.musicmediatracks.com
www.trackline.com
www.akmmusic.co.uk
Music can also be created specifically for the media product, using Garage Band on iMovie 06. This allows you to produce music which flows smoothly alongside the footage and is appropriate for the particular media product.
Alternatively, Sibelius can be used to create music, although a keyboard is also necessary for this.
Genre Research and Intertextual Links.
In order to plan and make a film opening, I had to watch various other films of the same genre that I was planning to work with - Romance. This would allow me to see how other film-makers choose to create the opening in a way that successfully captures the audience. It also meant that I could find common codes and conventions of romance films. I watched romance films which were targeted at a variety of age groups so that I could make a comparison of what each involved, and make a judgement of what my own film should be like to appeal to my chosen target audience.
Notting Hill
-While credits are showing there is a voiceover used - sounds like a commentary and makes it clear to the audience that someone famous is being spoken of.
-From voiceover to music which is a love song to automatically signify to the audience that the film is a romance.
-Images/clips of protagonist - high key lighting/flashes are used to create a sense of glamour. I also gives a paparazzi effect to show she is high class.
-Narrative Enigma - who is she?
-Changing looks/hair etc to suggest long period of time covered.
-Many photographers shown - exposition of themes.
-From main female (Julia Roberts) to who is likely to be the main male (Hugh Grant) as he is the next character seen.
-Clips which are paused and made into still frames, used as front cover pictures on magazines. Exposition of character's lifestyle.
-When Hugh Grant comes into the frame, the music becomes slow tempo and the singing stops to allow focus on Hugh Grant's voiceover - internal monologue/character narrative - talking about Julia Roberts' character.
-BINARY OPPOSITION - shots which emphasise the lifestyle of Grant's character - market stalls, little glamour. Contrasting lifestyle to female protagonist - he is working class.
-Grant talking about his community in voiceover - exposition of location.
-Finally talks about himself which is an introduction of himself to the audience.
-Break in narrative where Grant actually speaks 'Mike' as dialogue - this brings to audience to the present which sets the time frame.
-Costume - 3rd character introduced wearing a funny shirt to suggest he is a funny character and shows the audience immediately what his character is like.
-Costume - Grant in very stereotypically 'normal' clothes which gives little exposition of his personality.
-EVENT -> blurring of character through door to create tension (narrative enigma) and intrigue audience.
-Grant's face is in focus but audience's eye is still drawn to the blurred character who triggers mystery, and is also on the left of the screen.
-Quiet music to create a curious, calm mood.
-Grant works in a travel bookshop, with little success/achievement. This is juxtaposed with Roberts' job (famous actress).
-Props - drinking from polystyrene cups to suggest they are working class.
Matchmaker
-Initial shot (high angle) of location - USA + anchorage by use of text - 'Boston, Massachusetts.'
-Busy city scene + dull weather. Creates a stressful/miserable atmosphere - countertype of romance films.
-Into busy office scene, phone ringing (synchronous sound), papers everywhere. USA flag very obviously in the background to give exposition of location.
-Sound of newsreader in background suggests low morale/not a nice place to live/unhappiness.
-Main character - female, brown haired, clothing style suggests she is a respectable woman - black (dull) clothes.
-Woman clearly stressed - use of close ups of her face to expose her emotion - no time for break, phone calls etc. Causes audience sympathy.
-Change of location with clear signifiers - green colours at airport, 'aer lingus' plane - Ireland.
-Introduction of stereotypical irish character - bold irish accent.
-Male character helps protagonist - don't see his face straight away to add mystery, suggests possible romance?
-Irish people driving bus - singing to show jolly stereotype. They are singing the song 'Danny Boy' which is a well-known Irish-American song.
-Bus of people singing - american woman looks uncomfortable to show she is not in her natural environment. Close ups of her expression cause the audience to feel the way the woman is feeling.
-Miserable woman - irish man trying to cheer her up suggests potential for romance in Ireland.
-Small bus in countryside setting.
-Irish mannerisms which protagonist isn't used to. Clear facial expressions of discomfort.
Notting Hill
-While credits are showing there is a voiceover used - sounds like a commentary and makes it clear to the audience that someone famous is being spoken of.
-From voiceover to music which is a love song to automatically signify to the audience that the film is a romance.
-Images/clips of protagonist - high key lighting/flashes are used to create a sense of glamour. I also gives a paparazzi effect to show she is high class.
-Narrative Enigma - who is she?
-Changing looks/hair etc to suggest long period of time covered.
-Many photographers shown - exposition of themes.
-From main female (Julia Roberts) to who is likely to be the main male (Hugh Grant) as he is the next character seen.
-Clips which are paused and made into still frames, used as front cover pictures on magazines. Exposition of character's lifestyle.
-When Hugh Grant comes into the frame, the music becomes slow tempo and the singing stops to allow focus on Hugh Grant's voiceover - internal monologue/character narrative - talking about Julia Roberts' character.
-BINARY OPPOSITION - shots which emphasise the lifestyle of Grant's character - market stalls, little glamour. Contrasting lifestyle to female protagonist - he is working class.
-Grant talking about his community in voiceover - exposition of location.
-Finally talks about himself which is an introduction of himself to the audience.
-Break in narrative where Grant actually speaks 'Mike' as dialogue - this brings to audience to the present which sets the time frame.
-Costume - 3rd character introduced wearing a funny shirt to suggest he is a funny character and shows the audience immediately what his character is like.
-Costume - Grant in very stereotypically 'normal' clothes which gives little exposition of his personality.
-EVENT -> blurring of character through door to create tension (narrative enigma) and intrigue audience.
-Grant's face is in focus but audience's eye is still drawn to the blurred character who triggers mystery, and is also on the left of the screen.
-Quiet music to create a curious, calm mood.
-Grant works in a travel bookshop, with little success/achievement. This is juxtaposed with Roberts' job (famous actress).
-Props - drinking from polystyrene cups to suggest they are working class.
Matchmaker
-Initial shot (high angle) of location - USA + anchorage by use of text - 'Boston, Massachusetts.'
-Busy city scene + dull weather. Creates a stressful/miserable atmosphere - countertype of romance films.
-Into busy office scene, phone ringing (synchronous sound), papers everywhere. USA flag very obviously in the background to give exposition of location.
-Sound of newsreader in background suggests low morale/not a nice place to live/unhappiness.
-Main character - female, brown haired, clothing style suggests she is a respectable woman - black (dull) clothes.
-Woman clearly stressed - use of close ups of her face to expose her emotion - no time for break, phone calls etc. Causes audience sympathy.
-Change of location with clear signifiers - green colours at airport, 'aer lingus' plane - Ireland.
-Introduction of stereotypical irish character - bold irish accent.
-Male character helps protagonist - don't see his face straight away to add mystery, suggests possible romance?
-Irish people driving bus - singing to show jolly stereotype. They are singing the song 'Danny Boy' which is a well-known Irish-American song.
-Bus of people singing - american woman looks uncomfortable to show she is not in her natural environment. Close ups of her expression cause the audience to feel the way the woman is feeling.
-Miserable woman - irish man trying to cheer her up suggests potential for romance in Ireland.
-Small bus in countryside setting.
-Irish mannerisms which protagonist isn't used to. Clear facial expressions of discomfort.
Microdrama and Narrative Theory.
Before we started our coursework task, we created our own Microdramas in small groups. For this, we had to come up with an idea, which we developed, storyboarded and finally filmed. For this microdrama we had to reseacrh into Narrative Theory, which we can now carry forward into our Coursework Task.
Unfortunately, for technical reasons my group's microdrama cannot be uploaded onto our blogs.
Narrative Theory
Todorov's 5-part narrative formula consists of:
-Situation
-Conflict
-Resolution
This is suggesting that the narrative starts out at equilibrium, which is then disrupted, and reformed again at the end. The 5 stages are as follows:
1. A state of equlibrium at the outset;
2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action;
3. A recognition that there has been a disruption;
4. An attempt to repair the disruption;
5. A reinstatement of the equlibrium.
The above is taken from www.watershed.co.uk/east/content/narrative
Thurlow's 'Active Question'
The Active Question is when a media text contains mystery which causes the audience to ask questions such as: Will they escape? Will they fall in love? Will the girl survive?
This keeps the audience interested and makes them want to watch on to find the answere to their questions.
'In order to grip the audience, the characters must be seen to go through a range of emotions: fear, self-doubt, sorrow, elation. the screenwriter achieves this through conflict (you will never marry that man; ...you'll never be good enough to run in the olympics)'
Thurlow, Clifford (2008) Making Short Films: The Complete Guide From Script to Screen. 2nd Edition. oxford & New York: Berg, pg.34.
Propp's Character Archetypes
1. The Villain - struggles against the hero.
2. The donor - prepares the hero or gives the hero a magical object.
3. The (magical) helper - helps the hero in the quest.
4. The princess and her father - gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functinoally, the princess and the father cannot be clearly distinguished.
5. The dispatcher - character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
6. The hero or victim/seeker hero - reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
7. False-hero/anti-hero/usurper - takes credit for the hero's actions or tries to marry the princess.
The above represent the various different character types that Propp believed there to be. These can be mixed between the characters, for example a father could send his son on a quest and give him a sword, therefore he is acting as the dispatcher and the donor.
Unfortunately, for technical reasons my group's microdrama cannot be uploaded onto our blogs.
Narrative Theory
Todorov's 5-part narrative formula consists of:
-Situation
-Conflict
-Resolution
This is suggesting that the narrative starts out at equilibrium, which is then disrupted, and reformed again at the end. The 5 stages are as follows:
1. A state of equlibrium at the outset;
2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action;
3. A recognition that there has been a disruption;
4. An attempt to repair the disruption;
5. A reinstatement of the equlibrium.
The above is taken from www.watershed.co.uk/east/content/narrative
Thurlow's 'Active Question'
The Active Question is when a media text contains mystery which causes the audience to ask questions such as: Will they escape? Will they fall in love? Will the girl survive?
This keeps the audience interested and makes them want to watch on to find the answere to their questions.
'In order to grip the audience, the characters must be seen to go through a range of emotions: fear, self-doubt, sorrow, elation. the screenwriter achieves this through conflict (you will never marry that man; ...you'll never be good enough to run in the olympics)'
Thurlow, Clifford (2008) Making Short Films: The Complete Guide From Script to Screen. 2nd Edition. oxford & New York: Berg, pg.34.
Propp's Character Archetypes
1. The Villain - struggles against the hero.
2. The donor - prepares the hero or gives the hero a magical object.
3. The (magical) helper - helps the hero in the quest.
4. The princess and her father - gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functinoally, the princess and the father cannot be clearly distinguished.
5. The dispatcher - character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
6. The hero or victim/seeker hero - reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
7. False-hero/anti-hero/usurper - takes credit for the hero's actions or tries to marry the princess.
The above represent the various different character types that Propp believed there to be. These can be mixed between the characters, for example a father could send his son on a quest and give him a sword, therefore he is acting as the dispatcher and the donor.
Monday, 2 March 2009
Equipment, Mise-en-scene, Costume and Props.
Equipment:
The equipment I used for this project included a DV Camcorder. To enable me to create smooth and effective shots with this camera, I also used a tripod. This allowed for use of the camera on awkward terrain as the legs can be adjusted to various heights.
Props:
The props needed for the opening include:
-Roses
These were used for the accident scene in which Adam was on his way to meet Rosie after coming back from a holiday. He is seen holding the roses when lying on the floor by the car before the ambulance arrives. Roses also feature in the scene in which Rosie is mourning by Adam's grave.
-Food
Crisps, bread, a drink carton, biscuits etc were used to create a picnic scene by the river.
-Blanket
This was also used to create the picnic scene.
-Shoebox
This was used for the character 'Rosie' to place her memoris of Adam in whie she's grieving in her room. The items below are the items which Rosie has in the memory box in her bedroom, and is seen to be taking them out of the box and looking through them all, with flashbacks of the time the item is relevant to.
-Photograpghs
-Necklace
-Bracelets
-Christmas/Birthday cards
-Teddy Bear
-Letter in envelope
-Lamp
Costume:
I chose to have both characters in casual/trendy clothes to portray them as stereotypically 'normal' teenagers. I used a variety of outfits, some with coats/warmer clothing and some just t-shirts etc, this was to show a variety of seasons/weather to portray the long relationship. I also wanted to use casual not particularly extrovert costuming to reflect genre norms - romance films tend to have a wide variety of character types, not always following strict stereotypes. Whereas in horror movies, there is usually a busty blonde female character to ends up dead, known as the scream queen. Romance doesn't have as many codes and conventions as other genres, however in most romance films the male and female protagonists are usually attractive to the audience.
I also used a smart costume for one of the scenes including the character Rosie in a prom dress and Adam in a smart shirt and trousers. This costume was used to show that they the couple are in a serious relationship and are attending a formal gathering together, at which point Adam also gives Rosie a necklace as a gift.
As part of the costuming, I had the character Rosie wearing 'comfy' clothes to show she's not concerned with the way she looks when she is grieving as all she can think about is Adam. I also used make up to give the effect that she had been crying. This can be seen below.
Mise-en-scene:
I used a natural location, as many of the clips were filmed outside in Addingham, which I felt this was appropriate for a romance film.
For the scenes where Rosie is at Adam's grave mourning his death, I used a grave yard at a church (also in Addingham), and filmed Rosie at a new-looking headstone to make it appear to be a new grave.
I also made use of my actress Jennifer Austin's house. I filmed in her hallway as I felt the lighting was appropriate for the scene. I also used her bedroom, as I felt it was realistic rather than over the top, as it is a 'normal' bedroom for a teenage girl.
The equipment I used for this project included a DV Camcorder. To enable me to create smooth and effective shots with this camera, I also used a tripod. This allowed for use of the camera on awkward terrain as the legs can be adjusted to various heights.
Props:
The props needed for the opening include:
-Roses
These were used for the accident scene in which Adam was on his way to meet Rosie after coming back from a holiday. He is seen holding the roses when lying on the floor by the car before the ambulance arrives. Roses also feature in the scene in which Rosie is mourning by Adam's grave.
-Food
Crisps, bread, a drink carton, biscuits etc were used to create a picnic scene by the river.
-Blanket
This was also used to create the picnic scene.
-Shoebox
This was used for the character 'Rosie' to place her memoris of Adam in whie she's grieving in her room. The items below are the items which Rosie has in the memory box in her bedroom, and is seen to be taking them out of the box and looking through them all, with flashbacks of the time the item is relevant to.
-Photograpghs
-Necklace
-Bracelets
-Christmas/Birthday cards
-Teddy Bear
-Letter in envelope
-Lamp
Costume:
I chose to have both characters in casual/trendy clothes to portray them as stereotypically 'normal' teenagers. I used a variety of outfits, some with coats/warmer clothing and some just t-shirts etc, this was to show a variety of seasons/weather to portray the long relationship. I also wanted to use casual not particularly extrovert costuming to reflect genre norms - romance films tend to have a wide variety of character types, not always following strict stereotypes. Whereas in horror movies, there is usually a busty blonde female character to ends up dead, known as the scream queen. Romance doesn't have as many codes and conventions as other genres, however in most romance films the male and female protagonists are usually attractive to the audience.
I also used a smart costume for one of the scenes including the character Rosie in a prom dress and Adam in a smart shirt and trousers. This costume was used to show that they the couple are in a serious relationship and are attending a formal gathering together, at which point Adam also gives Rosie a necklace as a gift.
As part of the costuming, I had the character Rosie wearing 'comfy' clothes to show she's not concerned with the way she looks when she is grieving as all she can think about is Adam. I also used make up to give the effect that she had been crying. This can be seen below.
Mise-en-scene:
I used a natural location, as many of the clips were filmed outside in Addingham, which I felt this was appropriate for a romance film.
For the scenes where Rosie is at Adam's grave mourning his death, I used a grave yard at a church (also in Addingham), and filmed Rosie at a new-looking headstone to make it appear to be a new grave.
I also made use of my actress Jennifer Austin's house. I filmed in her hallway as I felt the lighting was appropriate for the scene. I also used her bedroom, as I felt it was realistic rather than over the top, as it is a 'normal' bedroom for a teenage girl.
Locations.
Addingham. I am going to use a location by the river, and Jeni's (Rosie) house.
I have chosen to use these locations because I feel they are appropriate for creating the desired atmosphere which will have a strong effect on the audience.
The video below is of the footage I took when testing out my locations.
The images below are of some of the locations I tested with my central protagonist, which I didn't need to film at in the end.
I have chosen to use these locations because I feel they are appropriate for creating the desired atmosphere which will have a strong effect on the audience.
The video below is of the footage I took when testing out my locations.
The images below are of some of the locations I tested with my central protagonist, which I didn't need to film at in the end.
Casting.
Rosie - Lead female. Brown-haired, pretty 16-17 year old. She must be a character who appears to be happy frequently and have a kind an warm personality; a genuinely nice person. When faced with the prospect of her boyfriend's death, she becomes withdrawn and rarely smiles. The actress used must be able to successfully portray various emotions. She is to be seen happy, but also crying and suffering agonising pain while packing Adam's old things and presents from into a shoebox.
Casting: Jennifer Austin.
-17 year old female.
-Brown hair.
-Green eyes.
-Attractive (male gaze theory).
-5ft6"
Jennifer Austin
Below is the actress whom I feel my chosen actress is best compared to, as she plays the well known character of Gabriella in High School Musical. This character has many of the qualities of the central protagonist in my own film. She is pretty, genuinely nice and also has a sense of innocence as well as a likeability factor.
Adam - Rosie's boyfriend. Attractive 17-19 year old male. He should be able to portray a cheeky and funny guy with a nice smile, and be attractive to a youth audience (12-19). He must portray a stereotypical 'perfect boyfriend'. He must be capable of making it obvious to the audience that Rosie is his everything, and that they are a perfect couple. He is to be seen in situations which show the intensity and seriousness of the relationship, such as giving a necklace to Rosie before they attend a formal event together, so the actor must be able to express the desired emotions of passion and adoration, without faltering as this could decrease the believability for the audience.
Casting: Joel Scott.
-19 year old male.
-Brown hair.
-Blue eyes.
-5ft12"
Joel Scott
Below is a selection of actors who I feel have qualities I was looking for when searching for an actor to play the character 'Adam'.
Ben Feldman as the character Adam Forrest in the film The Perfect Man (Mark Rosman, 2005). As well as being good looking, he also played a sensitive and kind character, who was deep and thoughtful. He turned out to be a 'perfect guy' fot the character Holly Hamillton (Hilary Duff).
Chad Michael Murray as the character Austin Ames in A Cinderella Story. He plays a character who is unsure of himself at first, but similarly to the actor above, he successfully portrays an ideal boyfriend at the end of the film.
Casting: Jennifer Austin.
-17 year old female.
-Brown hair.
-Green eyes.
-Attractive (male gaze theory).
-5ft6"
Jennifer Austin
Below is the actress whom I feel my chosen actress is best compared to, as she plays the well known character of Gabriella in High School Musical. This character has many of the qualities of the central protagonist in my own film. She is pretty, genuinely nice and also has a sense of innocence as well as a likeability factor.
Adam - Rosie's boyfriend. Attractive 17-19 year old male. He should be able to portray a cheeky and funny guy with a nice smile, and be attractive to a youth audience (12-19). He must portray a stereotypical 'perfect boyfriend'. He must be capable of making it obvious to the audience that Rosie is his everything, and that they are a perfect couple. He is to be seen in situations which show the intensity and seriousness of the relationship, such as giving a necklace to Rosie before they attend a formal event together, so the actor must be able to express the desired emotions of passion and adoration, without faltering as this could decrease the believability for the audience.
Casting: Joel Scott.
-19 year old male.
-Brown hair.
-Blue eyes.
-5ft12"
Joel Scott
Below is a selection of actors who I feel have qualities I was looking for when searching for an actor to play the character 'Adam'.
Ben Feldman as the character Adam Forrest in the film The Perfect Man (Mark Rosman, 2005). As well as being good looking, he also played a sensitive and kind character, who was deep and thoughtful. He turned out to be a 'perfect guy' fot the character Holly Hamillton (Hilary Duff).
Chad Michael Murray as the character Austin Ames in A Cinderella Story. He plays a character who is unsure of himself at first, but similarly to the actor above, he successfully portrays an ideal boyfriend at the end of the film.
Production Schedule.
Sunday - First Cuts - Past tense shots.
Saturday - Footage of present tense shots.
Sunday - Reshoot of past tense shots.
Saturday - Footage of present tense shots.
Sunday - Reshoot of past tense shots.
Prelim task.
Our preliminary task consisted of a 'Continuity task involving filming and editing 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.'
Match On Action:
Match on action is when an action is shown, followed by the result of the action. For example, seeing a close up of a character's hand opening a door, followed by a shot of them coming through the door from the other side.
Shot-Reverse-Shot:
This is when a shot of a character's face is used, followed by a shot of another character, and back to the original character again. This is often used when two (or more) characters are having a conversation, to allow the audience to see the different expressions and reactions. It also breaks up long shots to keep the audience interested.
180 Degree Rule:This incorporates the rule that if you are filming two characters you must stick to a particular side and not cross the line, as this would confuse the audience and make it look as though both characters are in the same place. The image below shows where you can and can't shoot from. (Green line - Can. Red line - Can't)
For this, we came up with various ideas, which we then developed into a group idea. I was part of a group of 5, along with another 4 girls. We had to storyboard our idea to ensure we knew what shots were needed and exactly what should be in each frame. We then began to film, checking that our scenes flowed well and made sense to the audience. Finally, we had to edit it using iMovie, adding appropriate music and transitions.
Evaluation of prelim task:
I feel our prelim task was successful, as the final product was entertaining contained all the required elements. To make this prelim task better we could have focused more on the lighting because in some of the shots the character us silhouetted due to there being too much light behind them. Also, not all the of lines were properly scripted before we began filming which left the actors unsure of exactly what to say which meant we had to do several takes. Working in e group of five was useful for gathering ideas and converging various ideas, but made it difficult to give everyone a chance to film, and it meant that not everyone's ideas were conveyed effectively. Another thing I feel could have been improved is that our chosen location meant that we weren't actually alone in the room we filmed in, so background taking and noise could be heard in the final product.
Development, Final Idea and Synopsis.
I have chosen to take forward the third of my initial ideas for my final idea. The target audience for this idea would be youth (12-19) with a BBFC rating of 12.
Synopsis
A 16 year old girl, Rosie, has everything she could ask for - great school grades, brilliant friends, and a perfect boyfriend. But what happens when it all goes wrong? Will she ever be happy again? New boy, Lucas, is determined to heal her heartbreak - will he succeed? Due to Adam's fatal accident, Rosie is struggling to cope and is increasingly confused as Lucas gradually becomes everything she needs to find happiness again.
I have done some research on Google Images to try to collect some ideas of the types of still frames/short clips I would like to include in my opening two minutes. Many of the pictures i have found come from the hit film 'Twilight', directed by Catherine Hardwicke.
Development/Alteration
Before I began shooting, I decided I wanted to make some changes in my idea, the order of the shots and the characters.
After creating my storyboard, I realised that the order of shots would not be successful in capturing the audience's attention. Because of this, I decided to create a new storyboard which involved the opening being of Rosie receiving a letter and teddy from Adam, with the letter being ready out by Adam as a voiceover to anchor the fact that he is going away for a period of time. Then the next thing seen is the accident which Adam is involved in on his way to see Rosie when he gets home. Following this, Rosie is seen at Adam's grave mourning and leaving roses, which is iconography that is used throughout the film to signify romance. Finally, Rosie is in her bedroom looking through a boxful of things which she was given by Adam, with flashbacks cutting into the narrative (done in black and white to make it clear to the audience that a different time frame is being used, and to make the non-linear narrative easier to follow) used to represent the long term and serious relationship that the couple were involved in. The last shot involves Rosie closing the box, slamming a photo frame down on her desk, and getting into bed, finishing with her turning off her bedroom light.
I feel that although this narrative may be more complex, it will be more successful in hooking the audience and creating a strong emotional effect. I also decided to remove one of the characters (Lucas) because I felt that with my idea as it it, the audience would not accept the character in the correct way, due to his introduction being too early. I feel it would be more appropriate for this type of film for him to be introduced later.
Synopsis
A 16 year old girl, Rosie, has everything she could ask for - great school grades, brilliant friends, and a perfect boyfriend. But what happens when it all goes wrong? Will she ever be happy again? New boy, Lucas, is determined to heal her heartbreak - will he succeed? Due to Adam's fatal accident, Rosie is struggling to cope and is increasingly confused as Lucas gradually becomes everything she needs to find happiness again.
I have done some research on Google Images to try to collect some ideas of the types of still frames/short clips I would like to include in my opening two minutes. Many of the pictures i have found come from the hit film 'Twilight', directed by Catherine Hardwicke.
Development/Alteration
Before I began shooting, I decided I wanted to make some changes in my idea, the order of the shots and the characters.
After creating my storyboard, I realised that the order of shots would not be successful in capturing the audience's attention. Because of this, I decided to create a new storyboard which involved the opening being of Rosie receiving a letter and teddy from Adam, with the letter being ready out by Adam as a voiceover to anchor the fact that he is going away for a period of time. Then the next thing seen is the accident which Adam is involved in on his way to see Rosie when he gets home. Following this, Rosie is seen at Adam's grave mourning and leaving roses, which is iconography that is used throughout the film to signify romance. Finally, Rosie is in her bedroom looking through a boxful of things which she was given by Adam, with flashbacks cutting into the narrative (done in black and white to make it clear to the audience that a different time frame is being used, and to make the non-linear narrative easier to follow) used to represent the long term and serious relationship that the couple were involved in. The last shot involves Rosie closing the box, slamming a photo frame down on her desk, and getting into bed, finishing with her turning off her bedroom light.
I feel that although this narrative may be more complex, it will be more successful in hooking the audience and creating a strong emotional effect. I also decided to remove one of the characters (Lucas) because I felt that with my idea as it it, the audience would not accept the character in the correct way, due to his introduction being too early. I feel it would be more appropriate for this type of film for him to be introduced later.
My initial ideas.
I considered the different genres of film which I thought would be realistic in terms of me being able to make an opening for it, and I decided that Rom-Com, Romance, Social Realism, Horror and Comendy would be among the most plausible. Out of these, I chose to carry forward the Romance genre to make my coursework.
The first of my initial ideas is a stereotypical teenage girl, about 18 years old, who has grown up constantly moving house and unable to form any close relationships due to having to pack up and move again. The story would consist of the girl finding a guy she likes and being scared to let him into her life, but when they move house again he asks her to stay behind and move in with him. The opening two minutes of this would mostly be showing the extent to which the girl's family move house, and her lack of strong attachments, with a build up leading to them moving into the significant house of the story (where she meets the guy).
The second of my initial ideas is a teenage girl about 16/17 who has been bullied all her life because of her individualities, who eventually meets someone who is right for her. The opening two minutes of this film would include flashbacks of the girl's life as she has grown up showing her being bullied and not accepted. The last thing seen in this opening would be the girl and main guy who she ends up with meeting and although being shy, showing a genuine connection.
The third of my initial ideas is one in which a 16/17 year old girl is in a relationship with a guy who she believes is 'the one'. He is involved in a car accident which leads to his death, and the leaves the girl distraught and heartbroken. She then finds it difficult to let anyone get close to her because she's afraid of getting hurt again, despite meeting someone who makes her just as happy as she used to be. Eventually, her heartbreak is healed by the new guy and she finally feels ready to open her life up to him. The first two minutes would involve a montage of still images and a selection of short clips of the couple together doing romantic activities to portray their relationship strongly to the audience so that the audience start to experience the feelings that the girl would be going through. This would ensure that they understand the extent of her heartbreak after the accident. There would then be an enormous tension build up leading towards the car accident, at which point the scene would then go into black and white to replicate the female protagonists emotions.
For this idea, I would make the selection of activites over-the-top romantic to stress the importance of the relationship.
I would use a range of different weather types to show the diferent time periods that the couple spend time together in. This would also include a range of different lighting. I would use brighter lughting to express the happiness of the couple together, and a darker, duller light setting for after the accident to help to set the mood for the audience.
i think a suitable setting for this film opening would be Addingham, making use of the coutryside and places such as the river with the bridge over it, and the children's park. I think the natural setting would be appropriate for a film of this particular genre to create a romantic atmosphere.
Characters for this film opening would be:
-A female protagonist. 16-17 years old. If possible a naturally pretty, brunette, with a very natural smile.
-A male (boyfriend). 17-19 years old. Preferably brown-haired and tall. Naturally goodlooking (needs to be attractive to a youth audience)
-A male (eventual boyfriend). 17-19 years old. Also preferably attractive with likeable qualitites to ensure audience will be 'on his side' throughout the story.
Props which might be required are:
Bunch of roses, picnic blanket/basket etc, photographs, teddy etc (presents from boyfriend which the girl will pack away), mobile phone.
The first of my initial ideas is a stereotypical teenage girl, about 18 years old, who has grown up constantly moving house and unable to form any close relationships due to having to pack up and move again. The story would consist of the girl finding a guy she likes and being scared to let him into her life, but when they move house again he asks her to stay behind and move in with him. The opening two minutes of this would mostly be showing the extent to which the girl's family move house, and her lack of strong attachments, with a build up leading to them moving into the significant house of the story (where she meets the guy).
The second of my initial ideas is a teenage girl about 16/17 who has been bullied all her life because of her individualities, who eventually meets someone who is right for her. The opening two minutes of this film would include flashbacks of the girl's life as she has grown up showing her being bullied and not accepted. The last thing seen in this opening would be the girl and main guy who she ends up with meeting and although being shy, showing a genuine connection.
The third of my initial ideas is one in which a 16/17 year old girl is in a relationship with a guy who she believes is 'the one'. He is involved in a car accident which leads to his death, and the leaves the girl distraught and heartbroken. She then finds it difficult to let anyone get close to her because she's afraid of getting hurt again, despite meeting someone who makes her just as happy as she used to be. Eventually, her heartbreak is healed by the new guy and she finally feels ready to open her life up to him. The first two minutes would involve a montage of still images and a selection of short clips of the couple together doing romantic activities to portray their relationship strongly to the audience so that the audience start to experience the feelings that the girl would be going through. This would ensure that they understand the extent of her heartbreak after the accident. There would then be an enormous tension build up leading towards the car accident, at which point the scene would then go into black and white to replicate the female protagonists emotions.
For this idea, I would make the selection of activites over-the-top romantic to stress the importance of the relationship.
I would use a range of different weather types to show the diferent time periods that the couple spend time together in. This would also include a range of different lighting. I would use brighter lughting to express the happiness of the couple together, and a darker, duller light setting for after the accident to help to set the mood for the audience.
i think a suitable setting for this film opening would be Addingham, making use of the coutryside and places such as the river with the bridge over it, and the children's park. I think the natural setting would be appropriate for a film of this particular genre to create a romantic atmosphere.
Characters for this film opening would be:
-A female protagonist. 16-17 years old. If possible a naturally pretty, brunette, with a very natural smile.
-A male (boyfriend). 17-19 years old. Preferably brown-haired and tall. Naturally goodlooking (needs to be attractive to a youth audience)
-A male (eventual boyfriend). 17-19 years old. Also preferably attractive with likeable qualitites to ensure audience will be 'on his side' throughout the story.
Props which might be required are:
Bunch of roses, picnic blanket/basket etc, photographs, teddy etc (presents from boyfriend which the girl will pack away), mobile phone.
Common Codes and Conventions of film openings.
When making a film, certain codes and conventions are usually followed for particular genres e.g. using a blue tint on horror movies to create a tense/eerie atmosphere.
To try to work out the common codes and conventions of film openings, I have watched various films (some presented by the class) of different genres and analysed them.
Friday the 13th
-Low key lighting
-Lack of music - SFX for tension.
-Involvement of comedy/sci-fi/slasher with use of mise-en-scene/props/costuming/dialoge - hybrid genre for wider audience appeal.
-Intertextuality (references to other films) such as Jason X's wrestling move which has previously been done by another wrestler. The mask worn is also used by another horror film.
-Post-modern film - almost impossible to have original ideas in a film due to so many being made covering almost all themes possible - this one uses ideas from other horrors.
-Stereotypical 'girl' - can't drive - dies.
Brown haired girl - stereotypical strong female character (attracts a female audience) who kills antagonist.
Confined space - high tension and lower budget.
Coach Carter
-Hip-hop music - ethnic minority. Also basketball stereotype.
-Social Realism film - signified by location, dialogue and costume.
-Central Protagonist (Samuel L Jackson) on LEFT of screen to emphasise his importance as the audience naturally read the text from left to right.
-Credits pause on big named/a-list actors
-Teenage boys playing basket ball - exposition of the films main theme.
Mixed race basketball team - causes tension to build, shows ethnicity groups, focus on race throughout film.
-Arguments - lack of respect - suggests confrontational characters will cause trouble.
-Introduction of protagonist's wife - Exposition of sexuality (hetereosexual) and shows he's a family man - family and important factor of film?
Casino Royale
-Depth of field used to blur the gun - mystery from beginning makes use of the Narrative Enigma theory.
-Close up of facial expression is immediate exposition.
-Humour added - hybrid genre (action/adventure/romance/comedy) to widen possible audience.
-Flashback to bathroom scene where the fight took place suggests it is likely to be a violent film.
-Music builds up to death of man in water - TENSION.
-Counter-hegemonic.
-Close up showing lack of emotion and suggests character kills for a job, involving no emotion - exposition of character traits.
-Black & White used to look simplistic (opposite to storyline) and used to show flashbacks (makes it obvious it is a different time period).
-Iconography is key in the opening of this film, for example the use of a gun automatically connotes James Bond.
These films all seem to suggest that Narrative Enigma is crucial to keep the attention of the audience and make them want to carry on watching. The element of mystery causes the audience to want to know what happens next. Narrative Enigma makes the audience ask the questions: Who? What? Where? Why? How? For example, in the film Indiana Jones, the central protagonist is not properly seen in the first scene to make the audience wonder who the man is, up until the point where he lashes his whip (which is iconography as it is Indiana Jones' signature move) at which point his face is then exposed to the audience.
From these openings, i also found that tension is often used to draw in the audience's attention and make them want to watch on.
Exposition is also mandatory in the opening of a film. Although the audience like to have some mystery involved, if the opening doesn't make any sense and the audience has no idea what's going on, they will get bored very quickly. Exposition could be in the form of dialogue, text on screen, props, introduction of character or shots of items which give away character traits e.g. a gun in James Bond. The gun is also iconography which immediately connoted James Bond, and also prepares the audience for the themes throughout the film. Exposition also helps to give the audience an idea of what the rest of the film will be about. For example in a social realism film such as This Is England, a non-caucasian character is introduced and this gives the audience an idea that the film may involve racism/mixed ethnicity/social stereotypes. If dialogue is used as exposition, it is usually as part of a conversation or in a way that gives the audience clues, rather than just having straightforward dialogue such as 'Hello, my name is James and I am a criminal', as this would not hold the audience's attention.
Generally, when we watch the opening of a film, we expect to see an introduction of the central protagonist(s), find out the genre of the film and the general themes, receive information about the location and get an insight into the storyline. Although most films do this, it is possible for film openings to oppose this in order to cause suspense and tension for the audience by not giving too much away. Openings of films can vary greatly, as the intention is to do something which will capture the audience's attention and make them want to watch on. We do not expect to find out the whole storyline in the opening of a film, as this would cause the remainder of the film to be boring. However, it is likely that shock tactics will be used, such as violence. The film Apocalypse has a very action-filled opening which drops the audience straight into the action, however other films such as Love Actually slowly draw the audience into the story without stirring up much excitement, as the intention of this film is to bring about various emotions linked with family and romance. Different films have to have different types of openings depending on what effect they want it to have on the audience, for example the film Enchanted starts with animation, even though the majority of the film uses rea actors, which is an automatic signifier that is is targeted at a child audience.
Most films have an introduction of the central protagonist in the opening as this helps the audience to understand who the storyline of the film will be following. Often the character is centrally framed, or tracked to give the effect of the audience actually following them.
Along with narrative enigma comes polysemy. Polysemy is when something has multiple meanings and plays an important role in the openings of many films as in creates mystery. Narrative enigma and polysemic encoding work alonsgide each other to make the audience question what is going on, why things are happening and who is involved. This type of film opening is often used in horrors to create a feeling of suspense
To try to work out the common codes and conventions of film openings, I have watched various films (some presented by the class) of different genres and analysed them.
Friday the 13th
-Low key lighting
-Lack of music - SFX for tension.
-Involvement of comedy/sci-fi/slasher with use of mise-en-scene/props/costuming/dialoge - hybrid genre for wider audience appeal.
-Intertextuality (references to other films) such as Jason X's wrestling move which has previously been done by another wrestler. The mask worn is also used by another horror film.
-Post-modern film - almost impossible to have original ideas in a film due to so many being made covering almost all themes possible - this one uses ideas from other horrors.
-Stereotypical 'girl' - can't drive - dies.
Brown haired girl - stereotypical strong female character (attracts a female audience) who kills antagonist.
Confined space - high tension and lower budget.
Coach Carter
-Hip-hop music - ethnic minority. Also basketball stereotype.
-Social Realism film - signified by location, dialogue and costume.
-Central Protagonist (Samuel L Jackson) on LEFT of screen to emphasise his importance as the audience naturally read the text from left to right.
-Credits pause on big named/a-list actors
-Teenage boys playing basket ball - exposition of the films main theme.
Mixed race basketball team - causes tension to build, shows ethnicity groups, focus on race throughout film.
-Arguments - lack of respect - suggests confrontational characters will cause trouble.
-Introduction of protagonist's wife - Exposition of sexuality (hetereosexual) and shows he's a family man - family and important factor of film?
Casino Royale
-Depth of field used to blur the gun - mystery from beginning makes use of the Narrative Enigma theory.
-Close up of facial expression is immediate exposition.
-Humour added - hybrid genre (action/adventure/romance/comedy) to widen possible audience.
-Flashback to bathroom scene where the fight took place suggests it is likely to be a violent film.
-Music builds up to death of man in water - TENSION.
-Counter-hegemonic.
-Close up showing lack of emotion and suggests character kills for a job, involving no emotion - exposition of character traits.
-Black & White used to look simplistic (opposite to storyline) and used to show flashbacks (makes it obvious it is a different time period).
-Iconography is key in the opening of this film, for example the use of a gun automatically connotes James Bond.
These films all seem to suggest that Narrative Enigma is crucial to keep the attention of the audience and make them want to carry on watching. The element of mystery causes the audience to want to know what happens next. Narrative Enigma makes the audience ask the questions: Who? What? Where? Why? How? For example, in the film Indiana Jones, the central protagonist is not properly seen in the first scene to make the audience wonder who the man is, up until the point where he lashes his whip (which is iconography as it is Indiana Jones' signature move) at which point his face is then exposed to the audience.
From these openings, i also found that tension is often used to draw in the audience's attention and make them want to watch on.
Exposition is also mandatory in the opening of a film. Although the audience like to have some mystery involved, if the opening doesn't make any sense and the audience has no idea what's going on, they will get bored very quickly. Exposition could be in the form of dialogue, text on screen, props, introduction of character or shots of items which give away character traits e.g. a gun in James Bond. The gun is also iconography which immediately connoted James Bond, and also prepares the audience for the themes throughout the film. Exposition also helps to give the audience an idea of what the rest of the film will be about. For example in a social realism film such as This Is England, a non-caucasian character is introduced and this gives the audience an idea that the film may involve racism/mixed ethnicity/social stereotypes. If dialogue is used as exposition, it is usually as part of a conversation or in a way that gives the audience clues, rather than just having straightforward dialogue such as 'Hello, my name is James and I am a criminal', as this would not hold the audience's attention.
Generally, when we watch the opening of a film, we expect to see an introduction of the central protagonist(s), find out the genre of the film and the general themes, receive information about the location and get an insight into the storyline. Although most films do this, it is possible for film openings to oppose this in order to cause suspense and tension for the audience by not giving too much away. Openings of films can vary greatly, as the intention is to do something which will capture the audience's attention and make them want to watch on. We do not expect to find out the whole storyline in the opening of a film, as this would cause the remainder of the film to be boring. However, it is likely that shock tactics will be used, such as violence. The film Apocalypse has a very action-filled opening which drops the audience straight into the action, however other films such as Love Actually slowly draw the audience into the story without stirring up much excitement, as the intention of this film is to bring about various emotions linked with family and romance. Different films have to have different types of openings depending on what effect they want it to have on the audience, for example the film Enchanted starts with animation, even though the majority of the film uses rea actors, which is an automatic signifier that is is targeted at a child audience.
Most films have an introduction of the central protagonist in the opening as this helps the audience to understand who the storyline of the film will be following. Often the character is centrally framed, or tracked to give the effect of the audience actually following them.
Along with narrative enigma comes polysemy. Polysemy is when something has multiple meanings and plays an important role in the openings of many films as in creates mystery. Narrative enigma and polysemic encoding work alonsgide each other to make the audience question what is going on, why things are happening and who is involved. This type of film opening is often used in horrors to create a feeling of suspense
Initial analysis of a film opening.
As part of my research, i did a presentation on the analysis of the film Anchorman.
Anchorman Presentation
For this research, i used the internet to find out information about the film, such as the Director, budget, production company and nominations. I then watched the opening of the film several times and analysed it to find out what they did to produce a particular effect on the audience.
Anchorman Presentation
For this research, i used the internet to find out information about the film, such as the Director, budget, production company and nominations. I then watched the opening of the film several times and analysed it to find out what they did to produce a particular effect on the audience.
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Coursework 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 he/she then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. That task should demonstrate match on action, shpt/reverse shot and the 180 degree rule.
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.
THE DEADLINE FOR A COMPLETED PRODUCTION IS THURSDAY APRIL 2nd.
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.
THE DEADLINE FOR A COMPLETED PRODUCTION IS THURSDAY APRIL 2nd.
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