Looking back to my preliminary task, what do I feel I have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Written Version
Our preliminary group task lasted only 32 seconds, and my final opening sequence product lasted for 3 minutes. The image below shows screenshots from both:-
I learnt a lot from the preliminary task as well as my own research, about camera angles and how they can change how the audience sees and understands what is happening on the screen. Both tasks make use of dialogue between two people and I followed the 180 Degree Rule in both of them.
Looking back at my preliminary task I feel I have learnt a lot in the progression from it to the full product. The preliminary task was put together very very quickly, and the full product took a lot of preparation, thinking, rehearsing and planning in advance of the shoot. This is probably the most important thing I have learnt - good planning and organisation is needed to make a good film! In the preliminary task I did not think very much about the location (as you can see in the image above, there are bags and clutter in the background which distract the audience where as in the final product I really thought about the location and the background is not distracting and the audience will focus on the actors and action only).
In terms of production, my preliminary task has some shaky camera work (as we were holding the camera), poor sound (as we were using the built in microphone), and the continuity of the editing is not very well done. I tried to fix all of these things in the final product (for example I always used a tripod, I used a separate audio recorder, and I spend a lot of time and care editing together all of the clips). I also learnt a lot about colour grading in the final product and how to add interesting titles (there were no titles in my preliminary task and I think the colours are too bright). I still do like my preliminary task because I think it is quite funny, but I know now that I would be able to remake it much, much better using the experience I have picked up by making my Final Product.
What have I learnt about technologies from the process of constructing my product?
The use of technology has been vital in my Media Studies course and it has assisted me in almost every task I have done when constructing the product.
Camera Equipment:
One key technology that gave my sequence a professional look on screen was the Camera which was a Canon 600D. This camera is a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) which means that it combines the optics and mechanism of a single-lens reflex camera with a digital imaging sensor. Some of the specs. of this camera include:
18-megapixel CMOS sensor
Scene Intelligent Auto mode
Full-HD EOS Movie
On-screen Feature Guide
Up to 3.7fps continuous shooting
Wide-area 9-point AF
1,040k-dot vari-angle 7.7cm (3.0”) screen
Basic+ and Creative Filters
Built-in wireless flash control
I also used a variety of lenses (50 mm, 15-25mm wide angle, and zoom lens). I have learnt that 50mm lenses are favoured for medium-shots because they provide a natural and flattering image which is sized to feel like what you would see if you were actually standing at the location and looking at the action though your own eyes. I also used a Wide-Angled lens (typically a lens of 35mm or wider/lower) which can capture a great expanse of the location in a single shot without needing to pan the camera from side to side.
Sound Equipment:
To make sure I recorded the audio really well I used an external microphone. I wanted to make sure that the sound on my film was going to be as goos as the image, I asked my dad for some help to record the audio. I needed his help because it would be very difficult for me to concentrate on filming with the camera whilst also trying to make sure the sound was being captured well.
Directional Microphone
Wind Shield
Boom Pole
XLR Lead
Zoom Recorder
The film was recorded on a very windy day in the forest, so I learnt that we needed to use a wind-shield over the mic which stops some of the wind hitting the microphone itself. The microphone I used was called a shotgun-mic which is very directional, this means it records the sound in front of the mic really well, and not the unwanted sound coming from the sides or rear of the mic. The mic was attached to a long pole (called a boom-pole) so it could be held above and close to the actors but just outside of the area being filmed. The mic was connected to a digital recording device (called a Zoom recorder) using an XLR lead.
Post Production:
In post production, I used special software called 'AfterEffects' to overlay a picture of a skeleton in the ground over the video. I moved this picture slowly downwards which makes it look like a camera is moving upwards until it reveals the video underneath.
The final visual effect in my film is where Davy shoots the Body-Bag and we see blood splatter and the gun hole in the Body-Bag. I wanted to do this to add more action into my opening sequence. Again I used the software 'AfterEffects' to achieve this.
AfterEffects allows you to overlay an image or a video sequence on top of another one. I overlaid a video of a blood splatter and an image of a gun-shot hole on to the video I recorded of the Body-Bag falling over. I used the software to track the movement of the body-bag as it fell to the ground and made the image of the gun-shot hole follow this movement, frame-by-frame.
and lots more!
I have learnt so much about technologies and techniques in the process of constructing my final product? I have recorded most of the things I have learnt within many, many individual blog posts, for example click on the links below for a lot more information:
Who would be the audience for my opening sequence, and how did I attract/address my audience?
I think that my opening sequence would appeal to a wide audience range.
If I just described what happens in the opening sequence you might initially think that it would only mostly appeal to men aged between 18 to 40 years old as it could be mistaken for being a violent action film. However, I hope that the way my opening sequence is produced shows it to be an exciting action thriller with an interesting story, creative dialogue and some funny moments as well?
The interesting way in which the titles and credits appear also aims to show it as being a well produced product that the film maker / director has taken time and care over. I have chosen to rate my film with a 12A certificate. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) say the following about 12A films:-
"Films classified 12A contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child"
(www.bbfc.co.uk)
I chose 12A as there is a small element of violence in the opening sequence but it is not that bad or offensive. I believe that my film has a strong storyline and would appeal to males age 13 upwards but would also appeal to anyone (male or female) who likes films with a strong plot and a twist. Whilst the opening sequence does have some violence in it (eg a person is hit over the head with a shovel and then shot) we do not see the person as he is inside a bag at all times so I do not think it would be seen as being graphic or disturbing. The BBFC also say that 12A films:
"may contain moderate physical and psychological threat and horror sequences. Although some scenes may be disturbing, the overall tone should not be. There may be moderate violence but it should not dwell on detail. There should be no emphasis on injuries or blood, but occasional gory moments may be permitted if justified by the context"
(www.bbfc.co.uk)
Although strong language is permitted in 12A films I choose not to use it as that might make parents stop the younger teenage audience from watching it. I have tried to not used stereotypes in my opening sequence. The two characters that we see on screen are both british white, young males. I would say they are fairly average young adults. Neither of the characters are overly street or gangster, they do not have strong regional accents. I deliberately chose not to reinforce any stereotypes, for example, by giving them strong cockney accents or by making them appear hard as if they come from a rough upbringing. It would have been easy and maybe more funny if I did that but I think it would have been too stereotypical of this type of film. Also I wanted to ensure that the audience would believe the characters playing the roles. The characters of DAVY and JONE look different to each other, which I think helps the audience to remember who they are and to get to know the characters, it also helps to make the audience choose which one they might like best or want to be, based on who they feel they are most similar to. My opening sequence has already been viewed by a variety of different audiences of different ages and backgrounds: • My Friends; • My Family (grandparent, parent, brother, cousins); • My Teachers; • Online (via YouTube) • Social Media (Facebook, etc.) • Other AS Media Students (from other schools) • and a well respect Film Critic (Ryan Connolly from Film Riot: www.youtube.com/user/filmriot) The demographic of the above group encompasses both genders, ages up to 75 years old, and different races. I asked some of the people above the following 3 questions, and got the results shown below:- QUESTION 1: Would you say the film is Comedy, Thriller or Action? Most people thought it was a Thriller / Comedy more than an Action Film. This might be because there is not much action in the opening sequence but I would want to put more action in the main film.
QUESTION 2: Who do you think is the main character (The Boss, Tony, Davy or Jones)?
Most people thought JONES was the main character. Fewer people identified DAVY as the main character. My bother (who was playing the role of Tony) thought he was the main character! QUESTION 3: If you saw my opening sequence in a cinema, would you stay to watch the rest of the film or leave because it does not appeal to you?
Everyone I asked said that they would stay to watch if I made it into a longer film.
I also received the following comments from YouTube and Social Media: "wow" "Excellent" "gr8 piece bro xx" "Well done Joe that's great" "Outstanding!" "That was awesome" "Well done Joe, amazing work x" "I now want to see the rest !!!...great job" Finally, I used Twitter to ask Ryan Conolly what he thought of my film(Ryan Connolly is famous for a YouTube channel called FilmRiot and is a very experienced film maker, and film critic). Ryan did reply to me with the following feedback:
Ryan gave me good advice about the ending of my film but said he thought it was well executed and a solid idea for an opening sequence!
What kind of media institution might distribute my media product and why?
To distribute my film I would need the help of a Media Institution. A media institution is a company that is responsible for production, marketing, distribution and regulation of media products.
For this evaluation question I'm only going the be focusing on distribution and not the other stages of getting a media product to the consumer.
To maximise profits it is vital to get a well known media institution to publicise and distribute a film. Looking realistically at my product, which is a low budget, independent British film, it isn't on the same level as a multi million pound film made with a large and professional production crew and with A-List actors. Despite this, I am very proud of my opening sequence and if I could chose any media distribution company, my ideal one would be UNIVERSAL PICTURES.
This is because Universal is one of the Hollywood Big-6 studios and for over a century has been known for its diverse range of Academy Award-winning films. These include some films with similar genres to my film (Action/Thriller), such as:-
A more realistic and achievable way for me to distribute a media product like mine might be to enter it into lots of short film festivals and competitions and hopefully gain the attention of a smaller film distributer who specialises in independent low budget films.
I have already entered my opening sequence into the 2017 Media Mag Production Competition hosted by EMC (The English and Media Centre).
Maybe in time, and with more experience, I might be able attract a media institution like Film4:-
"Film4 is Channel 4 Television’s feature film division. Film4 develops and co-finances films and is known for working with the most distinctive and innovative talent in UK and international filmmaking, whether new or established"
(www.film4.com)
Film4 are known for making and paying for British films to be made which are creative and interesting - they also have a National TV channel through which their films can be distributed. I chose to use Film4 as a credit in my opening sequence for this reason.
I might also try to attract a distribution company who operate online services (such as Netflix, iTunes or Amazon Instant Video) so that my work might be featured on their popular websites.
How does my opening sequence represent particular social groups?
My opening sequence introduces four key characters (DAVY, JONES, BODY-BAG and THE BOSS) although we only ever see the faces, and hear the voices, of two of the first two - the main Hitmen.
Below I have listed each character in the order they appear and have outlined how I have used them in my film, the role that they represent, and the way the audience is meant to react to and understand each of them. The roles that some of the characters are representing (eg. the protagonist / the antagonist) change as my opening sequence progresses so I have described each one as I think the audience would understand them at the end of the sequence.
I have also provided some background information on the actors and against each character I have given some information on any cultural signifiers, stereotypes, or other identity characteristics I think are important.
I feel that the characters seen in my Opening Sequence, and the actors I have selected to play them are representative of the audience I would like to target - see Evaluation Questions 4 and 5.
DAVY
The character of DAVY is intended to be the Antagonist (although it could be said that he is only following orders from The Boss and therefore The Boss could also be seen as an antagonist?).
Davy and Jones are both initially seen wearing the same costumes (polythene overalls), both are male and are of similar height and race and so are initially portrayed as equals, but Davy’s actions on screen soon tell the audience that he is probably the leader of the two Hitmen. For example Jones is “doing all the work” and struggling to drag a heavy body-bag, whilst Davy is causally walking in front carrying only a shovel. Davy is also the one who chooses the spot where the body will be buried, not Jones. Davy is clearly in charge.
DAVY is played by my friend Matt Conroy (Height 5’8”, aged 16, white/British). I chose Matt to play the role of the leader of the two hitmen as his appearance is more tidy, formal/smart (for example his hair is short and tidy) and I would say that he looks more professional and experienced as a Hitman than the actor playing Jones.
JONES
The character of JONES is intended to be the Protagonist. He is also a Hitman and therefore seen as ‘bad guy’, but I wanted the audience to be on his side at the end of the sequence.
JONES is played by my friend Jake Gooding (Height 6’1”, aged 17, white/British). Although Jake is both taller and older, he is seen in my film as subservient, to Matt. His appearance is more scruffy with longer dyed hair.
Both Jones and Davy are supposed to be representing a lower social class. They are carrying out the orders of The Boss, they are the workers.
BODY-BAG
BODY-BAG (who we eventually find out is also called TONY) represents the Victim. Little is known about this character in the opening sequence and we have no visual clues to his identity - he also never speaks. As the story progresses we learn that Tony is working with Jones to steal money from The Boss, so he is probably also a hitman with similar characteristics to Davy and Jones?
BODY-BAG/TONY is played by my Brother Ben Wright (aged 14) - for the purpose of my opening sequence the character is not important other than to serve as the victim - he is used more as a prop.
THE BOSS
THE BOSS represents another Antagonist. He is never actually seen, and therefore not such an important character, but the way in which Davy speaks of him informs the audience that he is the main person giving the orders.
Even though we never see him, the characteristics of The Boss are cleverly portrayed through the actions and dialogue of both Davy and Jones who are clearly scared of him. Leading the audience to believe he is probably a formidable person.
If I had to choose an actor to play The Boss I would look for someone who looks superior/powerful/intense, and someone who could look and act like they are from a higher social class, and is older that all of the other characters.
Evaluation Question 1: In what ways does my opening sequence use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real opening sequences?
Written Version:
The purpose of a film opening is to engage the audience to carrying on watching more of the film. A film opening sequence should give away small parts of the film like the characters and genre.
When I compare my finished product (my film opening sequence 'Buried') to a real Hollywood opening sequence, I believe it conforms to, and makes use of, many of the conventions of a real media product, but I also feel that it challenges some of the conventions by combining many genres.
When I first set out to make my opening sequence I knew that I wanted to make an Action/Thriller. I wanted to take some of the conventions typically seen in Action Films (where there is usually some aspects of violence, weapons, fighting, stunts or struggle) and cross them with the those belonging to Thrillers (eg. suspense, tension, audience-engagement, and an element of uncertainty for the audience).
Examples of where I have used and developed the conventions of Action films would include the use of a gun, the choice of camera angles, and the stunt where the character Davy knocks out the person in the body-bag with a shovel. I have also colour-graded the film to give it a dark and gritty look often associated with Action films. Also I have used the editing stage to change the pace by using different techniques such as cutting, splicing and carefully adjusting each clip in the style of the Action genre.
The conventions of a Thriller are developed through the use of sound and music which creates the mood of a thriller with a very intense soundtracks with a steady build up to add suspense. Another convention is the mise en scene of the forest location and the storyline which contains two moments/twists to keep the audience engaged and guessing what might happen next.
Through my evaluation of the finished product, and by talking with some of people that have watched my opening sequence, I would also say that I have additionally managed to include some of the convention and subject matter typically explored in another genre - the Black Comedy - at least at the very end of the sequence where the phone is seen ringing from inside the body-bag. Most of the people who have watched my film laugh at this moment even though the situation faced by the character ‘Jones’ is serious.
Black comedies are films or plays which include things in life that we would usually consider to be very serious (like death, murder or illness) yet they cover these things in a funny or humorous way to make light of the situation presented.
I think another way in which I have challenged the normal conventions of an opening sequence is that I have included a lot of dialogue and a lot of story/plot in my product - it is almost like a short film. Opening sequences are often (but not always) used to only set the general mood, atmosphere and tone of the main film that is to follow, and do not usually contain so much of the story. However I wanted to really challenge myself, and to try out some of the things I have been researching so I decided to try to present a more complex situation within my opening sequence which would include a long conversation between the two main characters. I believe that this also easily engages the audience from the outset, the story is clear and concise (not long and complicated like some opening sequences) and gets the audience thinking 'what is going to happen now'? One of the comments I was really pleased about was someone saying that my opening sequence shared similar characteristics to James Bond movies, where you almost get a mini-film before the titles and the main story.
At the end of the opening sequence we are left with a simple title which reads “(Two Days Earlier)". My idea is that the main film, after my opening sequence, could show the series of events that have led up to events already seen in the opening sequence. So we are seeing the conclusion of the film at the very start!
The purpose of Titles in a opening sequence is to inform the audience of who helped in the making and production of the film. This overall convention I have followed as I believe it is important, but I have also tried to make interesting use of the credit titles in an effort to challenge the standard and conventional way in which titles are often used when they are simply overlaid on top of the action on screen. I wanted to try to use my titles in a way that they appear to be somehow appearing inside the world I am introducing on screen so that they are integrated and do not cover up or get in the way of the action. I hope it sets a unique and stylish tone for the rest of the film.
My first idea here was to physically write (or scratch with a knife) the names of the actors and production crew onto tree trunks or stones found in the forest at my location and to film these. However I thought that this idea might make some of the important credits difficult for viewers to read clearly.
Instead I tried another idea which can be seen in two sections of my opening sequence, first when the camera appears to be rising up through the earth, I have timed the overlaid credits to roll downwards the screen at the same speed as the camera is rising up, almost as if they are also buried in the ground along with the skeleton. Then later, once the camera has broken through to the surface and as each character first appears on screen, I have overlaid the name of the Actor in such a way that as the credited actor walks across the screen they wipe-out their own title. I managed to do this using a software called After Effects, and carefully masking out the letters and titles frame-by-frame in time with the action. I am very pleased with this effect and feel it is quite inventive and effective.
I hope this information explains how I have used, developed and also challenged the usual forms and conventions used in opening sequences?
I have used the next 6 blog posts to fully evaluate my finished product and to answer the 7 evaluation questions, in doing so I have tried to make use of ICT in interesting ways as advised my teacher.
For example:
For Evaluation Question 1: (In what ways does my opening sequence use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real opening sequences?) I have made a YouTube video of me talking about the forms and conventions used in my opening sequence and have also contrasted these with some real examples in the video.
For Evaluation Question 2: (How does my opening sequence represent particular social groups?) I have included in depth character profiles including images and screenshots taken directly from my film.
For Evaluation Question 3: (What kind of media institution might distribute my media product and why?) I have researched several media institutions and have illustrated these with pictures and logos.
For Evaluation Questions 4 and 5: (Who would be the audience for my opening sequence, and how did I attract/address my audience?) I have evaluated data and presented these using statistical analysis and graphs. I have also presented some feedback received through social media (Twitter).
For Evaluation Question 6: (What have I learnt about technologies from the process of constructing my product?) I have mostly used text, but have also integrated hyperlinks to my research. This blog post is very detailed and full if you include all of my information that is linked to elsewhere in my blog.
For Evaluation Question 7: (Looking back to my preliminary task, what do I feel I have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?) I have created a digital presentation using ‘Prezi’ which I have then embedded in my blog using HTML code.
Below is a comparison of my original storyboard vs the final product. I think it is interesting to see how closely the two are when played at the same time!
A shot list in my mind is one of the most important essentials to take with you on the day of filming because it makes the time you spent on set used as efficiently as possible and concentrates your time on the shots that are going to take much longer. It is vital to make the decisions on what you want your film to look like before you get to the set because your decisions want to be well thought out and not improvised. To add to this I think when you have a shot list it gives the actors confidence that what they are doing is what you want and gives the reassurance that you know what you are doing.
Post-Production is the work you do on your film, after it has been shot and edited, it includes:
Colour Correction:
For the colour correction in my film, I desaturated the image a little bit to remove some of the colour, and added extra contract.
I did this to make the film look more cinematic and to make it look like it was shot early in the morning when the sun would not be too bright.
I think it also makes it look like it was shot on a cold day in the winter?
Vignette Effect:
In post production, I added a ‘Vignette’ effect over the whole film. A vignette very slightly darkens the area around the edges of the frame, whilst leaving the centre area clear and bright. It is used to draw the viewer’s attention to the centre, almost as if the viewer is looking at the film through a tunnel.
Wide Screen Bars:
The film was shot in wide screen (1920 x 1080) format at 29.97 frames per second.
Black bars were added to the top and bottom of the screen to give a more cinematic feel, like you see in movies, which makes it look like it was shot in a super-wide screen format.
Fig. #1
Here is how my final film looked BEFORE Post Production
Fig. #2
Here is the same part of my final film AFTER Post Production
