evaluation question 7

Looking back at your preliminary piece what do you think you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

I believe the final product was much more better than our preliminary piece in multiple ways. Firstly the camera movement was much better, this was more fluid and was not as stiff, enable it to have more effect and visually look better,

also added a lot more different camera shots to the final piece than in the preliminary piece which made the film more interesting and effective. i have also got better at planning my work and organising the time schedule, what props are needed and where camera shots should be used etc.

looking back at the preliminary piece, i have learnt a lot, i have learnt many new camera shots, i have learnt how to use a camera effectively, i have learnt about the audience and how to research what is needed in order to attract your audience but mainly i have learnt about how to make a good film piece overall, this has been important and effective in furthering my knowledge and skills in media production.
without the experience of the preliminary piece the final production piece would have been a lot worse and dodgy and i am positive the preliminary piece was crucial in the development of my understanding for the final production work. 

evaluation question 6

Across our production we used a selection of different modern technologies, we used a standard easy upload camera without a tape so as we did get any of our production work lost, this was effective and easier to use, also the camera was of decent quality but small, this meant it was easy to move and could get into tight positions to film almost any shot.

we also used a variety of software to edit our final piece such as imovie on which we put the shots together and made the final piece flow together we also used imovie to edit all our other evaluation videos and research video's, we used browsers such as safari and google chrome to find the music we wanted which we then used imovie to sync the music to the production work. imovie also helped to place the credits into the production piece, this was crucial to the production as it was on the specification and what the production was supposed to be about.

when we filmed our piece, in order to keep the shots still we used a tripod, this enabled us to keep the camera shots steady and enable us to move the camera, for panning shots etc. with it being smooth and not shaking everywhere.

evaluation question 5

evaluation question 4

Evaluation question 3

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


the type of media production group we would chose to distribute our film would most likely be someone similar to to warp films or we may go through the warp x system who help small directors to create their piece with help from the microwave scheme, although getting a large company to distribute my work would increase profit and publicity, the larger management groups may not want to air our film as we are unknown and have no reputation. hopefully the distribution company we would choose would be experienced in advertising and using the distribution money efficiently so we do not waste money and can get the best possible audience attendance, however this would also need the distribution company to be linked well with cinema's around the country, this should then counter act the fact we are not well known as people will hear us through the frequent screenings.

Evaluation Question 2

Evaluation Question 2

Evaluation Question 1

we tried to get our media piece as original and no over do it with any aspects, this involved alot development especially after the story boards, but alot of the research we did helped to us to come up with ideas for the film opening.

in the first half of the project, we tried to get a fast tempo going that would clash with the next scene which would be slower, to do this we got a fast paced song and shortened the shots down so they were much faster then originally planned, this created the short shot fast paced scene we wanted, we had seen this kind of thing on films we had research according to the genre, so we thought it would be a good, popular method to include.

in the second part of our piece there is a slow scene which we researched alot about, we found that slow motion scene were very popular in comedy films, including Zombieland, we managed to get a song that fitted well with the scene and increased the impact and comedic effect,
also the 4 shots of the characters being introduced with their names has been shown in other films such as Scott pilgrim vs the world.

lastly the scene with the van was original, because that was not inspired by anything however none the less there was alot of planning put into it.

EVALUATION SECTION

Final piece

Editing and sound

we used a mac to edit our film opening on, i had no previous experience of using apple mac's for editing so i was a bit lost, but my fellow members of the group had so they taught me and there was not much time wasted, the software we used was iMovie, this was quite simple and easy to use and allowed plenty of different ways to edit our film.

although for the sound aspects of the film we didn't used garage band as we found some good music that was copyright free, we just used iMovie to sync  the music with the shots and it turned out quite well, the music we got was chosen because it went well with the piece, but the only sound effects we put in was the vans engine and the phone ringing, we also had to do a voice over of the phone conversation as the sound quality was bad and recored more of the wind then the conversation. however this turned out good and was probably the best way to do it anyway.

Story Boards

Camera shots

ideas for costumes and props

Costumes was probly the hardest part of the planning stage to complete, as it casued the most arguments between the group of which was split in half one side wanting to wear a shirt and jeans and the other wanting to wear a polo shirt and trousers, after long talks and obsessive disicion making, the final verdict was approched and the group agreed on polo shirts and trousers, note: the polo shirt will be white.






The Actors will all be wearing the same costume as they all work for the same company and by wearing the same clothes it should give across that they work for the same company, there will be a total of 4 actors, all of which names will begin with the letter 'B' there will be:

Bob - has a Mohawk and is a healthy active guy, hence the jug of orange juice he drinks every mourning.

Bernard - this guy takes the calls and is the orientator and spokesman of the group.

Brad - very casual laid back guy, although average at almost everything, he just cant seem to rid a bike.

Bill - blessed with the intelligence every comb-over lover wants. Brains. he keeps the guys in business as the rest couldn't put the right wires together even if it was to a bomb that would destroy their favorite breakfast cereal.

The actors will all fit these profiles well and with the help of the props they will make the 2 minutes good quality.
The props we will use in the first 2 minutes are all safe and will be over priced expensive. the props will help to set the scene of the first two minutes and to help increase believability and atmosphere. The props that will be used indoors are listed below...

• 4 alarm clocks,
• Toaster,
• Orange juice,
• Tooth brush,
• Comb, 
• Afro,
• Glasses,

The next props are all outdoor props...

• 3 bikes,
• tricycle,
• van,

Risk assessment

During filming there are many problems with the sets that may be hazards and cause danger, so we have to think about these hazards and what risks we may need to take, in the bedroom we have to think of things like wires and other filming equipment getting in the way, like wires and the tripod. to combat this, we can either tape all the wires to the floors and try and minimize the amount of wires we use.
the other hazards inside rooms is that the area maybe cramped for the whole group to fit in and so, before shooting all the rooms will be cleaned up and to make sure there is not too many people in one room at any time, there will only be the actor / actors on set with the camera man.




Outside there could be problems such as busy roads, slippery surfaces, mud, animals (dogs) and uneven surfaces, all these dangerous factors also have solutions, the road we are using is not a main road and is classed as a drive with the only cars going up the drive being ours and two other households, to make sure there are no vehicle hazards i will personally visit my neighbors and warn them. for the slippery surfaces and mud, we will make sure the actors stay on film ground i.e. concrete and will ensure the camera man has sturdy boots on so they are not hurt or slip, this goes the same for uneven surfaces. the problem is dogs can not be controlled and it is hard to keep all the dogs in the village under control, however through my own knowledge and the general closeness of the village, i know there are no harmful dogs in the village and the worst any of the dogs can do is run in front of the camera and ruin a take.
                           

There is one scene in the film that may be of some controversy, in this scene Jamie aka Brad crashes on his bike into a grass hill, now we spent alot of time thinking of how this could happen safely, and in the end we concluded that because the slope is at such an angle, it will not impact up on the crash but be like getting off a bike in the wrong way. so although adding greatly to the comedic value, the actor involved will not be harmed.

Ideas for locations

the locations we are using are varied around Arnesby, Countesthorpe and Blaby, we are going to use the bedroom and other rooms of the house for each member of the group, in these rooms the first minute of the opening scenes will take place, then the out side of my house and the surrounding street will be used for the second part, the locations are below...

                           The last few pictures show the settings and location of the the main part of the 2 minutes will be shot, it will be a tracking shot from the gate down to the white van.

This setting will be used for the shot were i "bob" drinks all the orange juice for breakfast.

This will be the setting for when "Bob" gets out of bed in the mourning.

Initial ideas

The initial ideas of our production were all different, one of the members in our group suggested we do a horror or thriller and described his idea, he wanted to do a mysterious scene that included a darkened house and scary noises, how ever the rest of the group including me all agreed that a thriller or horror was not the best idea as it would be better to do something different, the next idea that came up was of an action genre, but the problem with this is that in order to make a good action film you need a good budget, of which we dont have, however we all wanted to make an action film so we decided to make it a action/comedy, this way there would not need to be as much special effects needed. but the main reason we chose this genre is because we can then have the first 2 minutes as comedy and if the rest of the film was to be made, it can then include action further on.
the final decision was much to the liking and agreement of the whole group so as not to start of any arguments.

Research into titles

 

Seven Samurai

This is the title of the the film, Seven samurai, the title is clear and stands out, it is dark against the light background, this is to make sure it is seen by the audience, and the font also compliments the films setting, the main point about this title is however, that it is in capital letters, this makes it alot more noticeable.

the title is also in a very large font and this helps the identification of it.

Unforgiven

This title is similar in the way it is contrasting with the background so it can be seen and read easily, however the font is alot different, it is not as large as Seven Samurai and although it is also in capitals, it is less visible, but in common with Seven Samurai the title much fits the theme of the film, it looks like it is rough and the red suggests violence or a life of hardships, this is much reflected in the film.

Traffic

In a much different way this film title to traffic although small, plain and unrepresentative of the film, is still effective in that it is still in capitals and it contrasts with the background white on black, although this method is rare and usually is not seen on well known films and especially modern films. 

Oceans Eleven

I managed to this film title which is much the same as the last one i looked at, it is small, plain and unlivley however i think the background helps largely with this one as it pictures a calm body of water, but perhaps there is a meaning to the small font, it may be in a small font because it is supposed to suggest the ocean is a very large place and everything else by comparison is small.

the most outstanding thing about this was that it was quite a big film yet has such a small title, thus going against what i said in the last title review of  Traffic.

Spirited Away

This film title is different because although it is in capitals and is large in font with plain clear letters, the background does not allow the the title to show up clearly enough as it mixes with the complex of trees and houses behind it, perhaps if it was in the blue sky or on another plain background like the large brown wall then it would be more effective.

Adaptation

I managed to find this title, which, im sure you have found out for yourself is hard to read, the title of this film is very weak as it is in lowercase letters, unlike any other titles ive seen, it is unbelievably small and plain, but at least it stands out from the background. this is overall a bad title.

HERO

This next film title is much better, as it is easy to read, clear and big, it stands out from the back ground and the letters are spaced nicely from each other, also this title is quite interesting as the background makes it themed and less plain.

The School Of Rock

This is another good example of a title as it is large, clear and more interesting than many others, because of the red glow of the neon lights and the fact it is not CGI makes this tile unique and different in a good way.

it also looks original but eye-catching.

Dream

I have chosen this example of a title because i have recognized a strong trend in the back ground of the title and  where the film was made, for example alot of the films from the us have a plain dark back ground but the majority of films from South Korea have the titles written on a back ground or wall.

looking at these titles has given me a chance to decide on how to make our title work, what font to have it, how big the font should be, what colour it should be and what colour should the background be, or what should the back ground be altogether.

4Th opening reveiw

DIE HARD 4.0
for this opening i am going to look at specifically the shots of the first 2 minutes of the film.

the opening starts off with the distributer, 20th century fox this is a fade in shot, it then fades in a shot of a computer room, this is the establishing shot.
it then tracks across the room, this showing all the computers in the room until it reaches a man who's face it lit up by the light of computer screen he is starring into.
there is then a cut in shot of computer screen that is being looked at by the Caucasian male, this and the computer room in the establishing shot show the film may be based on a technical storyline, it then cuts to a shot of the males face who is clearly focused on the computer screen, this is then followed by a fade in tracking shot of a shelf with a east Asian female also focused onto a computer on the other side of it, it then gives us a cut in point of view shot of her computer screen and here we see a map of America, this helps us to establish were the film is set, at this time a crucial credit comes up - lead actor, Bruce Willis.. supporting my point on the earlier review this is brought up on quite a plain shot to bring more attraction to it because the audience is supposed to see it and get enticed into watching the film by it.
after these few shots there is another shot of the male and his computer screen, on it he is downloading files, then the shot fades into darkness and the title of the film Die Hard 4.0 is shown in bold large white font.

this has helped me greatly with my choice and ideas of shots we could use in our group and also helped decide whether shots look maybe a bit over the top or do not work with certain scenes and film genres.



                                                              
                                                    

Audience research

Audiences

Watching films is one of the UK’s favourite pastimes. On average almost seven films are seen per person per month, either in the cinema, on video or television, or increasingly online and via portable devices. Age, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status influence film preferences and the tendency to watch films at home or on the big screen – and to download films illicitly.

Facts in focus

• In 2009, 60% of the UK population said they went to the cinema at least once a year, the same percentage as 2008.
• 18% went to the cinema once a month or more.
• The cinema audience for the top 20 films in 2009 was predominantly young, with the 7–34 age group (40% of the population) making up 64% of the audience.
• Minority ethnic groups were equally or over-represented in the film audience, except for viewing pay-per-view films where they were under-represented.
• Disabled people were under-represented in the film audience.
• Total ‘film viewing occasions’ numbered over 4.5 billion, which means an average of 81 film viewings per person in 2009.

all this would help in deciding on what audience the film should be aimed at, because our film is a action-comedy, it will be aimed suitably at the 13-24 age group (main audience), although the film would be suited to all audiences, so it can be enjoyed by everyone, the main reason we have chosen to focus on the 13-24's is because their main interests are horror/thriller, action and comedy, so the film fits in perfectly in this area.

3rd film opening review

Zombieland

I noticed at the start of this film there were specific warnings, that can be seen on many new films, but were not on the 2 other previous films I have reviewed
The film starts with a zoom shot of a upside down American flag, as it slowly zooms out we see it is attached to a car which is also toppled, this is probably to show the world has been turned upside down, shortly after the zoom out stops, a zombie jumps from behind the car and we see that we are in the point of view shot of a person as the camera tracks back wards. this gets the viewer interested in the film and as we see by the next few scenes of the rules the main character has made, we get more and more interested. however the majority to the start of this film features the opening credits set out in a interesting and eye catching fashion,
the credits were in this order-

- Distributor (Colombia)
- Production (Pariah)
- Main Actors (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin)

Then the title appears in and is followed by other members of the team-

- Casting
- Costume
- Music
- Editors
- Production designer
- Director of photography
- Executive producers
- Producer
- Writers
- Director

second film opening review

Hot Shots : Part Deux

I have reviewed the first few minutes of this film because it is an action comedy, the same genre of film my group is planning to make, I also watched the whole of the film to get ideas and inspiration for our film opening.

although I will go further into the order of the introduction credits on my next review, I noticed the distributor is always shown before the start of the film, and at the start of the introduction credits the first two names are the director - Jim Ambram, and the lead actor- Charlie sheen, and almost immediately after the lead actors name has disappeared, the film title appears in bold red letters to attract the viewers attention. the probable reason for the early showing of the lead actor is to entice fans of Charlie Sheen and show others in support of the funny side of the film.
after this there is a overhead shot of a sub marine surfacing this provides a relatively simple background to the introduction text which immediately provides comedy in the spelling mistakes and corrections.

the establishing shot comes in about 1:37 in the film and shows a palace surrounded by rocks and cliffs and lit up by multicoloured lights however with a desert like surrounding.

First movie opening review.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=155Ps_q0SUw&hd=1

What is the atmosphere? how is it created?

The Atmosphere is set as we see what looks like a dark old warehouse with luxuries inside, then we see, sinister looking Asian men with tattoos, this makes us presume they are part of a young gang most likely Yakuza due to its setting in Japan. the dark area creates a tense air which peaks when the old tattooed man tell his story of his previous encounter with Ninja's.

How does the opening scene attract viewers?

The target audience for this film is the core audience - 16 to 27, this age group is most likely to want to see action, so the director has made the opening scene to attract them in the hopes the action interests them.

How is the film set up?

The opening scene shows us the power the Ninjas have in the film, and also establishes to anyone who does not know what a Ninja is, the kind of activities they do. the old man who tells the story interests the audience as well as the action however the scene does not do much set up for the main story line.

the links to the production my group is planning to do because it a action film with occasional comedy.

linked as our planned production piece will be a action/comedy.