Bryony's Media Studies Blog: March 2009

Tuesday 31 March 2009

Preliminary Task - Evaluation

1. What camera and editing techniques and codes did you use in your film and how do they influence the audience's understanding of the film? (e.g. camera angles and shot types etc; Match on action, Shot/reverse shot; 180 degree rule) We kept our preliminary film fairly simple and easy to watch, with lots of eye level medium shots, long shots and close ups. We experimented with zooming in and out and using different shots, as this was our first time using the digital cameras. We incorporated the 180 degree rule when the conversation takes place, so that the audience doesn't get confused with who's talking at which point. We also used the match on action technique when the character was seen walking up to the door of the house from outside and then shown walking in from inside, to keep the sequence continuous and being the best way to change location with the audience being able to follow easily.
2. How did you use new technologies in your construction, planning and evaluation (e.g. digital cameras; non-linear editing software; Youtube and blog) and what skills do you have at using this technology? (Strengths and weaknesses e.g. steady/shaky camera; variety of shot types; smooth/clumsy transitions; independance when using technologies...)
We were able to use the digital cameras before shooting our Preliminary film, so had already learnt the basic camera shots and movements, however we were still very shaky when holding the camera, but we overcame this problem by using the tripod yet we still had problems when zooming in and out too quickly creating the clumsy transitions. During editing, some of our cuts became to quick, but we didn't realise till it was too late. However we had managed to cover some of these quick cuts up with transitions on Premiere Elements such as fade in and out. After completing the editing, we signed up to YouTube with our own group name, uploaded our film and then transferred it to our blogs.
3. How successfully does your final product meet the brief?
Overall, i think our Preliminary film wasn't particularly brilliant, but it was good for a first attempt. It was successful in terms of us including the 180 degree rule and the Match on action technique, however it could've been better if we had included a soundtrack and used some different camera angles. If we'd had time to re-do our film, we would have taken more time over it, and included a soundtrack and used some better transitions during editing.

Revised: Location

We chose this back alley location for our film, inspired by the sewers in the final sequence of Carol Reeds 'The Third Man'. The alleyway looks dirty, and desolate, and refers to where someone of a lower social class might live, and where drug addicts may hang out, relevant to the characters of our film.

Thursday 26 March 2009

Questionnaire

This is the questionnaire we handed out to groups of ten 16-19 year olds, and ten 25-35 year olds, males and females, in order to conduct research for which type of thriller we should make.

Revised: Narrative sequence & Storyboard

When it came to filming, our group decided to change the plot line, due to complications with weather and actors.

Narrative Sequence
Shot 1: Close up of Jack's head, focus on the red of the blood.
Shot 2: Panning shot of Jack's whole body lying on the ground.
Shot 3: Birds eye view, zoom into the necklace in Jack's hand.
Shot 4: Camera stationary, Nicole's legs can be seen walking towards Jack.
Shot 5: Close up of Nicole's hand going into Jack's pocket.
Shot 6: Cross fade into Nicole picking up Jack's wallet. (Extreme Close-Up)
Shot 7: Cross fade into Nicole opening the wallet. (Extreme Close-Up)
Shot 8: Cross fade into Nicole taking out money and bank card. (Extreme Close-Up)
Shot 9: Cross fade into Nicole fanning out money. (Extreme Close-Up)
Shot 10: Medium long shot, Nicole walking down alley way.
Shot 11: Worms eye view, Focus on nicoles feet walking away from camera.
Shot 12: Medium close-up, Nicole meets Jennie.
Shot 13: 180 degree rule applied, focus on facial expressions, no dialogue.
Shot 14: Extreme close-up, Nicole reaching into her pocket & pulling out money & bank card.
Shot 15: Close up, Nicole reaches her hand out with money and Jennie goes to take it. Moment of hesitation - create tension.
Shot 16: Maintain close up from opposite side as Jennie snatches money from Nicole.
Shot 17: Close up of Jennie's face.
Shot 18: Medium long shot as Jennie turns and walks away.
Shot 19: Extreme close up of Nicole's weary face, standing alone.
Shot 20: Extreme close-up of Nicole's face, from another view point.
Shot 21: Camera is stationary, Worms eye view, Jack puts bin bag over Nicole's head. Slow motion.
Shot 22: Cross fade into extreme close-up of Jennie's eyes.

Storyboard

Audience Profile

The audience for our thriller film would be young adults, of the student age, 16-25. This is because of the younger cast members, and the gripping storyline. It would be certified as a 15 due to the reference to identity theft, and the violence present in the opening scene. We can conduct from our surveys would attract both genders from our audience as the majority surveyed would rather have the female lead role, which we have included. Our film is likely to appeal to students due to the action in the opening scene, yet could also appeal to those higher up on the demographic model and to older viewers, due to the reference to classic films like Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho'. Other films that may appeal to our audience could be those like 'Jackie Brown' - Quentin Tarantino, and several of his other films. This is because our film was inspired by his directing, with the use of location and femme-fatales.
Our film would attract an audience who enjoy tv programmes, such as The Bill, with the reference to identity theft and a murder. Our film could continue into being a Crime type thriller, a film proved to be favoured by some from our surveys.