My thriller opening, Under The Summer Low, can be compared to other real media film products as many of the same media elements have been used such as :
- Editing (transitions, length of time of shots, continuity/parallel)
To edit our film we used a program called final cut pro on the apple macs. Our film included transitions such as Fade in and face out, which was used at the beginning of the film and at the end, along with dissolves, which were used on the titles i added, using live type. The length of time of shots varies between each shot, with beginning shots being much longer ( up to around 8 seconds) and then as the opening progresses the shots speed up to build tension ans suspense ( from 1-2 seconds). Many of the shots were much longer when first filmed, but some were cut down in order to keep the audience interested and keep the opening tension building. Many match cuts were used in my film, and nearly all the shots were parallel to the next shot that was coming. We did have some minor continuity problems, involving the timing of the telephone ring tone, the cigarette burning out and the hand that the knife was in, but this was all easily resolved, by adding in fades, and cutting out some clips.
- Sound – music, dialogue, FX
Our soundtrack was created on Soundtrack Pro, another program on the apples macs. There is some minor dialogue in our thriller. i added in fades when the music comes in and out, and during the middle of the opening when the dialogue enters in, soundtrack does not stop but the volume of sound is reduced, whilst still maintaining the volume of the dialogue. I also lowered the volume of the wind in the back ground. After the dialogue, the soundtrack volume was brought back up, using final cut. No sound effects where used. The ring tone sound dietetic, not added in as it actually came from the phone whilst ringing.
- Camerawork – angles, distances, framing
Many different camera shots and angles where used, like in many films, where shot types rarely ever stay the same. The distance of shots do vary from close ups, mid shots and long shots.
- Mise-en-scene – location, props, costume, lighting
My location for filming was at a canal in central London, Calledonian road. Props included stones, vodka, cigarettes and lighter carrier bag, mobile phone and a knife. Costumes for the main character included a 'blood' covered shirt with mud on it and missing buttons. this was to create the effect that the character had been wearing dirty clothes as he'd being wearing the same clothes from the night before, and also he had been involved in some sort of fight/ murder due to the blood all over his shirt. The lighting was all natural as we filmed out doors early in the morning as it was not to bright, or too dark and dim.
- Credits
All credits and titles were created on Live type, a professional title/credit creator. We used many different title labels that would be included in a Real film, such as writers, directors, producers and so on.
My media product use conventions of real media products as it uses many of the same media techniques used in real life films. Earl yer on in my blog, i chose a film called Coraline, from which i got 9 stills from art of the title sequence. This is my own 9 still title sequence made from my movie, from which i can use it to challenge the original title sequence i originally saw.
My title sequence helps to represent the main character and introduce you into his character, where as the title sequence from Coraline (below) presents how the character in the film was made, in a creepy disturbing way, were as with my title sequence, it shows how the character develops.
2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our media product does represent a particular social group, which is Young adults/adolescent men, aged from 16-25 who's hobbies generally included clubbing/partying, drinking, smoking, and just generally having a good time. Our main character does represent the typical stereotype of a boy who's coming back from a night out drinking with friends, besides the fact that he may have just murdered somebody. A movie that also represents the same Stereotypes is Kidulthood and Adulthood, which is based around the same target audience and also involves Heavy substance abuse, violence and sex.
Trailer For Kidulthood
Stills From Kildulthood Character 'Becky', who's similar to the main character in my film.
This is a still from my movie, of the main character who has inspired me and is similar to many of the characters in Kidulthood
3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product
My film is a low budget student film, so it would be highly unlikely that my media product would be distributed by a expensive top market distributor such as Paramount, or a smaller British company such as Artificial eye. My thriller would most likely to distributed on the Internet on Sites such as http://www.youtube.co.uk/, where many other students who have studied media before and made their own media products have also uploaded their videos on to the website. This would be done by opening a YouTube account and uploading the video. Hits to the video are recorded to allow me to know how many people have viewed my video. There is also a comment box below the video that allows YouTube users to comment on what they think of my groups movie.
An example of a Student media product, also uploaded onto Youtube
Screen grab from a YouTube video, showing comment boxes, hits, and the general layout of the site.
4) How will you attract your audience
The Audience for my thriller would be targeted at primarily British/English males age from 16-25. This is the same age group that i am part of so it is generally quite easy for me to be able to target my audience. My film is also targeted for young adults, particularly males living in London. I could advertise my film around my college and to my friends who could also do the same in their colleges. My film was also shown in a cinema in Angel, Screen on the green, where everybody from my college studying AS Media was able to see everybody media coursework.
5) Who would be the audience for your media project?
The Audience for my thriller would be targeted at primarily British/English males age from 16-25. This was also the target audience many other people thought for my film, based on feedback. This is mainly because my thriller opening is based around a 19 year old boy, who has been out partying and drinking/smoking and possibly taking drugs. These are many hobbies possessed by young people these days and the man character is of the same age group of 16-25, and is also male, therefore i believe this is the correct audience for my media project.
This is a montage of images depicting the contents of a rucksack, which would belong to the typical target audience member for my movie. My typical Target audience member is named Jack. Jack is 20 years old and is currently in university. He has passed his driving test but cannot afford to buy a car yet as he is unemployed. Jack is a smoker and also enjoys drinking on the weekends, by going out to clubs/pubs and bars with his friends. He lives at home with his parents in London. He currently has a girlfriend, of whom he enjoys going out on dates to the cinema and out for meals. His favourite film types are Action and Horror Thrillers, Meanwhile His girlfriend prefers romantic comedy's.
6) What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
This is a video audit of all the technologies used in order to create my film.
7) Looking back at you preliminary task, what do you feel you have learned in the progression from it to the full product?
Looking back at my preliminary task, i have learned allot when it comes to constructing a film. y skills have progressed in many ways such as i am more ware of issues with continuity, i now know more camera shot, how to make sure the camera is always in focus, various editing techniques. previously while doing my preliminary task i did not know how to create or add titles which i do now, after creating the full product.
8) Audience Feedback and comments
After our audience viewed our Thriller, (our media class and the other members of my college currently studying AS Media) we received written feedback, and video discussions of how the films went. This is the word cloud i made, to represent the types of words the audience would use to describe my work. the larger words are words that have been used more frequently by audience members we received feed back from.
In terms of written feedback, done by filling out a feedback sheet by another media group, this is what they though of our film.
AS Media Studies
Foundation Portfolio
Film Title Sequence
AUDIENCE FEEDBACK sheet
1) Choose one aspect of film language that has been used especially well in this movie an say why
-Mise En Scene is well thought of. Blood on shirt, phone, knife, vodka and cigarettes. Everything in the frame had been thought of, and was relevant for the film.
-They used excellent match cutting in the film between scenes such as the man drinking alcohol, taking out the knife and when the woman was speaking to him. They also had good continuation for the story with the drunken man being shown off first to then showing his actions with the alcohol and the knife.
-One aspect of film language that has been used well is the mise en scene. The costume used works really well because it gives clear evidence as to what the actual film is about. The shirt worn has got blood on it which suggest he has been in a fight, or murdered someone.
- One aspect which was used well in the film was the sound. The film had good dietetic and non dietetic sound as it all blended in with the flow of the editing. The dietetic sound such the phone ringing and the pebble dropping into the river went well with the acting.
2) Choose one aspect of film language that could be improved in this movie and explain how
-Camera, they used this generally well, especially for match cuts, however one or two more important match cuts, such as the knife being thrown into the water, would have had a better effect.
-One thing which could be improved is adding a match cut of the knife dropping into the water.
- The location of the film could have been shown more with more use of camera shots.
-The location of the place could have been shot in more detail so show where it is set in.
3) Can you recognise any stereotypes in this movie?
-White drunk man, being a danger to himself. Possibly on drugs.
- A drunken man has put his life in danger. Have a knife, alcohol bottle, cigarettes and a phone. He is unable to talk. Stereotypes a typical drunken person’s behaviour.
- He is an average guy who has been out all night and has been drinking. Wearing the same clothes from the day before.
- The guy is shown as an alcoholic who’s drinking in the morning who is dressed in dirty clothes which he has been wearing for days.
4) Can you think of any intertextual references with any other movies when you watch this movie? Explain.
-Possibly Accidental Hero. Where a white drunk man who is a danger to himself with relationship troubles, goes about drinking and smoking.
- Accidental Hero is a similar film which contains a drunken man trying to save people off a plane.
5) Who do you think would be the audience for this movie?
-16-26 generally males.
- I think the audience of this film would target 16-24 year olds.
6) Write down 5 words which would describe this film
-Suspenseful, attention-grabbing, tense, alcoholic, murder.
- Atmospheric, tension, dramatic, suspenseful, suicide
- Suspenseful, attention-grabbing, appealing, alcoholic, interesting.
- Interesting, Suspenseful, Modern, Calm, appealing
7) What sort of institution do you think would release this movie
-WT2 – Low budget film with a specific niche audience
- Working Title 2 is a low budget film company which would release this film to a niche audience.
- British Independent Film Company.
This is a video feedback clip, from people who watched my groups film in the cinema.
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