How did you address/attract your audience?

I knew that, when planning the construction and factors within my piece, an important concept which would arise is location, location, location!

Bearing in mind that members of the population who actually live within an urban surrounding attend the cinema more often than those of rural surrounding, i knew i would need to mold my piece around this factor. I wanted to predominantly display familiarity within opening to create more relevance, hence many shots displaying locations recognised as an urban area (left). But as you can see i have incorporated images recognised as rural locations (middle) and even a mixture of the two types of area (right). Not only does this fit well with the unfamiliar storyline, but it also creates a sense of variety, which was credited within my audience responses.

when adapting a media product, every part of it, down to what titles you use needs to become relevant not only to the story, but your audience. Realising that the genre of my piece could fall under the 'art house' style and what audience it would attract, i knew that big bubble writing wouldn't do. I decided to use the 'snellround' font within Final Cut Express as this quite italic looking wording had quite a mature, polished look to it. I wanted to display titles that would work in parallel with the style of the piece, as i believe that creating too many in-ordinary factors in the construction would over-complicate the narrative, hence leaving the audience disconnected.

Within my audience research i asked several willing candidates the question 'What do you think makes a good psychological thriller?'. Answers include that, 'it's a bit scary, has a bit of mystery', 'choppy scenes' and 'gradual increase in pace'. As i digested these views, i could get a clearer picture on the ideal structure of my narrative. As you can see from my piece, i have incorporated the change of pace e.g variation of length in shots, moving shots. I have, to hopeful appreciation, achieved a sense of mystery through my choice of mise-en-scene e.g. supernatural being (suited man), black and white colouring. I would have incorporated many other ideas, but i was restricted to only the views of those within the school. So in this case, concepts such as regional identity would have played a part, meaning that an audience within a different part of the U.K or elsewhere might have a different taste or viewpoint.

I would consider that the most attractive factor for my chosen audience would be the 'supernatural' concept. This concept tends to be quite widely appreciated through the age range as it is different ; unconventional in relation to every day occurrences. And although this film would tend to attract the more aficionados viewer, mainstream viewers can appreciate the story also, as the 'supernatural' concept allows the viewer to lose themselves in the cinematic world of fiction, providing escapism from everyday stress.

Director's commentary

this is in response to question 1

Who would be the audience for your media product?

After seeing the completed product, i find it harder to outline a specific target audience for my media product, as i believe it varies slightly. If i were to create a focus group, they would ideally be aged from 16 to 30 and of middle class.  This isn't my choice simply due to that fact that the highest proportion of cinema goers are within this group, but because of the taste this specified group would tend towards.

The younger proportion of this group would hopefully find the piece popular, as the main character 'William' is of similar age, and so they can relate and connect more intimately. A disadvantage may be that there's more 'Psychology' than 'Thriller', causing less focus and induced boredom. But that's the fine line you have to balance on when making a psychological thriller.

Alternatively, the older proportion would be more attracted to the thought provoking factors of the film as, bearing in mind their social class, they would thrive in media products which challenge their intelligence. The art-house influences, such as the black & white mise-en-scene should be a popular attraction also. But again, the disadvantage would depend on the equilibrium of 'Thriller' and 'Psychology'.

Ideally, they would have an interest in films of a similar genre, such as 'Donnie Darko, memento and Shutter Island'. Independent, Art house films are seen when they have the time, although it is easier for them to attend the local city cinema to view more mainstream films. This is why i have chosen this sort of audience, as they enjoy both the art-house and mainstream style, which is what i have tried to converge in my piece.

here is an example of the ideal audience member: 'Brad is 22. He enjoys his social life, spending much time with his mates e.g. hitting the pubs, clubs or other social recreations. But in his spare time he likes to take part in more intellectual activities, such as reading or watching psychological thrillers.'

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Research:

To form my research, i studied information on various websites such as YouTube and Wikipedia. I focused more on the facts and advice in concern of filming technique, as i wanted to be prepared with a larger range of filming skills before i actually got the camera rolling. YouTube was used predominantly as i find it far easier to learn practical skills through a visual image medium. This website not only helped with research on filming technique, but also editing technique and strategies. Many step by step videos are available, which make using the editing software seem highly user friendly. I have to admit, i frequently alternated between my editing software and this savior of a website.

Filming:

I had filmed my main piece using a Canon HF M306 HD camcorder. Holding shots steady on static shots was far from taxing, due to the help of my trusty ole tripod. However, moving shots posed a challenge as they took a lot more effort to keep steady, while holding the camera. Next time, i would probably bring a bike when shooting as i would imagine it makes moving shots a whole lot smoother. certain shots were made in manual focus e.g. The mirror shot, as wanted certain material elements to appear more in focus, but on more wide shots e.g. The pathway shot, autofocus was used to create a more natural picture. I was quite lucky in that i was using a Micro SD camcorder, as opposed to DV tape, because the quality of picture would have been noticebly worse using DV. In that respect, i am very happy with the quality of footage i have captured.











Editing:

 I used Final Cut Express as my editing software, as owning a Mac made using this program very convenient. I could have used IMovie as it came stock with the computer, but final cut seemed so much more appealing and, although i didn't use many of its facilities, i took full advantage of the ones that posed beneficial to my idea. Perhaps if i had used specific effects such as the 'Unbleached processing effect', which was discovered after completion, the clips would have looked more washed out and hyper-real. This process was used in films such as 'Se7en" and 'Saving Private Ryan' and gives the film more of a rawer, edgy look. After realising the vast amount of tools and facilities this software uses, I've decided that i would gladly use it again in future projects.

   

                    Both Facebook and Blogger, predominantly Blogger, have allowed me to share my ideas, display my progression and give others the opportunity to comment and criticize. Blogger has made coursework far less strenuous as it saves writing information down on paper (which can be lost) and instead, provides a reliable and readily accessible network.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

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

Bearing in mind that my film falls beneath a more 'art house' style, i can not see it being produced by any mainstream film studios. So bearing in mind that the film is highly unlikely to reach the Mass market, i would need to converge with a film company who specializes in independent films.

these are the possibilities:

Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation is a Canadian-American entertainment company. The company was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, but is headquartered in Santa Monica, California. As of 2007, it is the most commercially successful independent film and television distribution company in North America.

Focus Features (formerly USA Films, Universal Focus and Good Machine) is the art housefilms division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films.

Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London, UK. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. It produces feature films with notable films such as Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead and The Calcium Kid under it's belt and produces several television productions.

 Despite all producing independent films, I think 'Working Title Films' would be most interested. Being a British written, directed and produced film, 'Seraphim' would not become an oddity among the other known titles produced by this company. The most convenient would be to go for 'Focus features' as previously stated, they distribute their own films. This means i wouldn't have to be responsible for releasing the film to the public, through theatrical release or DVD.

In terms of advertising, in the case that neither companies contribute, due to a predictable lower budget, i would have to rely more on social networks e.g. Myspace and facebook, printable advertising e.g posters, billboards, in addition to word of mouth.

If my film was accepted by one of these production companies I would hope to have it premier at 'The Sundance Film Festival. This is a film festival that takes place annually in the state of Utah, in the United Staes. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The main character (William) vaguely represents the social group of urban teenagers, although he conveys more meaning. He seems isolated, misunderstood, and riddled, but this is just a phase everyone goes through as they grow up, right?

As i compare William in my opening with the character of Jimmy Smith (8 Mile) in that opening, i begin to see similar traits.  Both of these characters share the characteristic of isolation, even though Jimmy is beyond his teenage years. This tells me that, although people are generally categorized into specific social groups, human beings are all capable of experiencing the same feelings.

Both characters spend a large proportion of the opening alone, either by personal choice or social influence. The difference between the two though is that Jimmy's isolation is emphasised through the fact that he's practically the only white male within the local underground hip-hop scene, so there are clues to possible social influences. On the other hand, William seems to have taken solitary by choice, seeing as he hasn't been outcast by all social groups; we see his mate 'Jonesy' at the end of the sequence.


Despite initial reasons of isolation, both characters aren't as purposeless as you may think.  Deeper thought is conveyed within both characters, for example- the shot of William, alike Jimmy, staring into the mirror long and hard, as though he's trying to find something. Jimmy aspires to be a well known hip-hop artist and has the skill aswell as mental clarity to reinforce manifestations, but his path is blurred and it's a struggle to find his way. William's block is more obscure, as he does not actually realise his potential and what he's destined to achieve if he simply grasps the opportunity. In this respect, William's dilemma is far more psychological. It is quite ironic that both characters problems present a strength in the other's world, reinforcing how non-beneficial isolation has become.

  I believe this shows that problems arise within every persons life, despite social background or culture. Opportunities come and go, but it takes realisation and drive to grasp them

evaluation questions

In the evaluation the following questions must be answered:

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?


How does your media product represent particular social groups?


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


Who would be the audience for your media product?


How did you attract/address your audience?


What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?


Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression 
from it to the full product?




I think if i were to answer these questions only in essay or short answer form, the audience wouldn't have a real idea of what's going on in my head. So i think if i answer at least a couple, if not all, of my questions in the form of a director's cut, it will become far more interesting as well as understandable.

audience feedback

•  "actors were good. Performance didn't look fake at all! logo was good and had relevance."
• "good range of movement, shots follow him then turn into being stationary. Great use of stopping music in the market to add effect. Could have been more innovative in the way you move from location to location"
• "good use of camera angles although the music seemed a bit fast for the pace of editing. I like the change of colour in the last shot. Overall it's pretty interesting though."
• "really cool! I like the man in the suit with no face as it draws in the audience. good editing with a range of shot angles. Music also seems to fit the genre of the film that you're going for. So good, i wish it was a real film!"
• "used a great range of camera shots which really help to create a sense of mystery. The use of the black and white effect was working well with the effect you were trying to get across, and the way that you fitted in the titles worked well with piece."
• "like the camera shots used-especially the one from above and the graffiti shots. Ending was interesting and also quite funny as well."
• "I liked the idea with the creepy man as it was something different. The reflection in the mirror was also effective + I liked the scene at the end walking through the deserted market."
• " The mise-en-scene is used well e.g. the low key lighting fits well with the music and storyline."
• "I would have kept it all black and white. Spinning in the market was awesome. Good shots with holly and the man walking under."
• "some excellent shots. Use of black and white with location works very well. The last few shots make it seem a bit like a trailer rather than an opening. An excellent piece of work though! would love to see more."
• Really good shots & editing.  Black & white mise-en-scene is very effective with the character contrasting with the background. Very good, well done!"

I have read these criticisms thoroughly and agree to the accuracy of the vast majority. It seems that the black & white effect was rather popular as well as the range of shots. In concern of the ending making the piece seem like i trailor, i had done this purposely as explained in the video, the next sequence of shots after the opening reveal a different perspective on William's life and so i thought it would be fitting to place in a split, so the audience would clarify a contrast.  Overall, I'm very pleased with the reactions!

After the shoot

'Seraphim'- the final cut

'Seraphim' Narrative

My opening sequence will be told from the perspective of William. The narrative would develop into a mix of outside perspectives as well as William's after the opening two minute sequence, which would allow the audience to get the impression that there's an oddity in William's point of view. Material elements will include a drain with running water, the jouney of the main protaganist walking through the city, the city itself and short images of the supernatural being remained still. I will have the films' title appear at the end of the sequence, which may make the piece seem like i trailor, but i feel that it's necessary as the next sequence of shots after the opening reveal a different perspective on William's life. So i thought it would be fitting to place in a split, so the audience would clarify a contrast.

I find that having events withing the story take place chronologically quite ironic. Excluding the possibility that flashbacks may take place at some point in the film, creating a non-linear narrative would blur the mise-en-scene. I want to convey the message that the oddest of things can happen in the most bland or straight frorward situation, and so, I don't think that it would fit in with the concept of my film; the main character goes through a journey and the audience need to see William's progress from a confused young man who has no sense of purpose, to a person of a higher calling and more purpose than he could imagine.

credits order

1. 'Hide & Seek productions'
2. Hide & Seek productions presents
3. a Jack Gould production
4. Shaun Mckay
5. Josh Mantle
6. Alex Warner
7. John Woods
8. Omar Ross
9. Matthew Johnson
10. Andre Liotta
11. Jason Conrade
12. Alex Cartwright
13. Bruce Dillinger
14. Casting- Bob Silva
15. Costume designer- Mark Brown
16.  Music by- Murdok
17. Written and directed by- Jack Gould
18.  'SERAPHIM'

opening sequence soundtrack

I've come to the conclusion that i'll be using 'Imogen Heap -2-1 (Murdok remix)' as my soundtrack. I sent Murdok a message on his facebook page and this is what he said...

storyboard

costume

When trying to picture the supernatural being I couldn't imagine how it would look facially, as i wanted certain human aspects to be absent. So one night i watched a few films in hope to find some sort of inspiration. After having having a skim through the film 'Watchmen' I'd found it! The character 'Rorschach' visually captured the characteristics and mood i was going for. I believe that we, as humans, have become increasingly scared of what we don't know and so i wanted this characters identity to be uncertain and out of the ordinary.

items of clothing:

• morphsuit-ordered especially for production
• suit jacket, trousers, white shirt, black tie,  formal laced shoes- my sixth form outfit

I think the suit matches the characters role within the film, as you find out after the sequence that he's there because it's its job to be there, hence the business like suit.

 In terms of the character of William, i had no clear picture as to what he would wear specifically, other than using darker apparel. So i had a skim over some of Shaun's (actor) Facebook pictures to see if he owned anything that would be suitable and i had found the ideal top. As you can see it is a black, 3 buttoned jumper.

I took preference with items such as this over something like a hoody as i wanted a more mature taste to match his adolescent age, in addition to the art house style of film. I had him keep it simple with what he wore on his legs and feet, restricting his choice to darker jeans and smart, black shoes

William has conformed with the society around him for all of his life and i wanted to match this lifestyle with what he wears. So hoods, leopard skin trousers or 'Bling' would be a big no no.

potential film names

• Lacuna
• Pith
• Arc
• Seraphim

I've decided that it is to be called.............Seraphim!

Seraphim is the plural form of the word 'Seraph', meaning a type of celestial being in Judaism and Christianity. Literally "burning ones", the word is normally a synonym for serpents when used in the Hebrew Bible, but they are mentioned in the Book of Asaiah as fiery six-winged beings attending on God.

In medieval Christian theology, the Seraphim belong to the highest choir of the Christian angelic hierarchy.

Audience research

Research into narrative

Narrative is the art of storytelling, something we all do in our day to day lives. It's an important part of our lives and something that we value quite highly, considering the amount of time we all spend in front of the television screen ingesting narratives.




  PSYCHO-shower scene narration analysis

Each shot has been joined to the next using straight cuts e.g. (shot1) of her sitting at a desk in her dressing gown, writing in a notebook. Following the rules of continuity this is then matched with the next shot (shot 2), a detail shot of the notebook showing her calculations. The dissolve technique is used between the shot of the shower drain and the shot of Marion’s eye.

Abrupt changes of pace are employed within the scene e.g. As Marion starts her shower the pace accelerates and remains measured with each shot lasting 4-5 seconds until shot 18. The next shot of a figure of darkness positioned behind the shower curtain, raising a knife lasts 17 seconds. The function of this is to take us from the peaceful solitude of Marion’s shower through rising tension to the moment of crisis.

The shot of blood flowing down the shower drain and the eyeshot is matched within the same sequence. Graphic matching is used to create a smooth visual transfer from one shot to the next.

This sequence is constructed in a discontinuous manner. The scene runs for three minutes and includes fifty cuts. Like previously explained, many shots are placed within the sequence before the appearance of the dark figure to create a contrast. Tension is built up to moment of crisis, then as the figure begins to stab, shots return to a faster pace, conveying the frenzy of the attack.

The film-maker utilises compilation sequences e.g. 9 shots are used, showing Marion showering from various camera angles. This is done to follow the rules of continuity so that the narrative is clear and easy to follow.

The film-maker utilises cross-cutting within this sequence e.g. Norman spies on Marion briefly through a hole in the wall and then returns to the Bates house. He is seen from behind slouching resignedly around the ground floor. The action returns to the interior of Marion’s cabin. I believe this emphasises the separation between the two characters (the feelings of love aren’t mutual).

Sound is being used in conjunction with editing in a very obvious way e.g. Sound is kept very quiet and low-key up until the later part of this sequence, matching Marion’s feeling of relaxation as she showers. This all changes at the point by which the curtain is pulled back and the figure of darkness raises a knife. Sudden dramatic violin sounds accompany this moment and further emulate the stabbing motion, dramatically enhancing the sense and horror of what is taking place. The change in music to much slower, deeper notes indicates the next change in pace (after the murderer’s exit).

chosen production title

I decided to go with 'Hide & Seek productions' as it sounded a bit more catchy than 'Gargoyle productions'.

As you can see, i kept the design fairly simple, but still quite attractive. I think that following the words with initials gives the title solidity and allows the viewer to remember the image within its simplicity.

Breaking the fourth wall

The presence of the fourth wall is an established convention of modern realistic theater, which has led some artists to draw direct attention to it for dramatic or comedic effect when this boundary is "broken", for example by an actor onstage speaking to the audience directly.

This concept has made its way onto the screen, and in some cases, to great effect.

 FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF (opening sequence)


(after his parents have left, thinking he is ill) "They bought it. The key to faking out the parents is the clammy hands. It's a good non-specific symptom; I'm a big believer in it. A lot of people will tell you that a good phony fever is a dead lock, but, uh... you get a nervous mother, you could wind up in a doctor's office. That's worse than school. You fake a stomach cramp, and when you're bent over, moaning and wailing, you lick your palms. It's a little childish and stupid, but then, so is high school."

Ferris breaks the fourth wall as he talks to the audience. I believe this to be very productive as it strengthens the bond between the audience and him as a character, adding to the already relative storyline (bearing in mind the youthful target audience). It's as though you are one of his friends.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

His point is even emphasized in the quote, separating the subjunctive word groupings with a bigger word grouping. This includes the words 'around' and 'while' which, involving vowel sounds, lengthens the group of words. Meanings such as this take greater effect, due to the concept of breaking the fourth wall.


I did not wish to use the 'Breaking the fourth wall' technique as i didn't believe it would captivate my chose target audience in reference to the genre. In addition, this technique is very hard to pull off and would, in my point of view, require a far more cheery genre and an excellent performance on the actors behalf.

mood board yo!

Production title and logo

Funnily enough, manifesting a production title with a fitting logo has been one of the hardest factors within my planning process. I'm stuck between two names:

'Hide & Seek productions'- For this i pictured quite a simple image. The words 'Hide & Seek' will appear in italics shorty followed by the initials 'HS' within a circle. I would prefer black writing with a white background, maybe including some other subtle details.

'Gargoyle productions'- This was originally recommended as a laugh, seeing as it's my pool playing nickname. As it turns out, the name is quite fitting to my chosen genre. The title would appear red, with a pair of beastly eyes above it.

script for opening two minutes

film characters- William Chester, Angel, Jonesy

(camera fades into shot of a sink hole) William begins to cup his hand under the running tap shortly before splashing his face. (over shoulder shot at the mirror behind the sink) he looks at himself blankly in the mirror for a short while. (medium close up-mirror view) As he continues to look into the mirror an unusual figure appears in the back of the shot, wearing a suit covered with a long trench coat, aswell as a bowler hat. This figure cathces William's eye and he sharply turns (mid shot from behind him). William returns to looking at himself in the mirror, revealing the absence of the previously spotted figure. (shot of exterior of toilets) William exits, zipping his hoody up as it's cold outside. The sequence progresses into various shots (close up, medium, wide, extreme wide, establishing) of William as he makes his way down streets and side alleys, frequently displaying glimpses of the mysterious figure. After a while William becomes overly agitated and stops, thrashing his head left and right in attempt to spot the figure again. He goes to continue his walk after failing to spot the figure and a shot of the figures face (medium close up, POV) flashes. William responds in shock. The image quickly cuts back to William's point of view and you see an image of his friend Jonesy(medium close up, POV, coloured) as he says "you alright mate?". End of sequence.

Potential Shot Locations

I liked this location as the trees enclose the pathway which will put more focus on William. I imagine a VWS (very wide shot) for this location as Willian walks centrally down the path towards the camera.

 This location would only be used for a couple seconds of footage, but I like how the vines have grown up the tree as it gives more of a vintage look, which would look great in black and white.

This, in my opinion, was a great find! The darkly shaded road beneath the bridge, along with the profound graffiti engulfing the walls looks amazing and will work perfectly with the mise-en-scene.

I found many alley ways and enclosed locations such as this which will create variety within the sequence, in addition to open space shots.

genre of opening sequence

 Genre functions like language, in that it possesses a set of rules and a vocabulary with which to organise meaning.

My genre will consist of a subdivision between thriller and science fiction. Now, although this description would initially seem appealing to a younger audience (15-24 yrs), I aim to produce a more Art Cinema based piece, which could potentially broaden the age range.

The sequence will represent the iconograpahy of these genres, containing an element of fiction (supernatural character) and the main protagonist as the hero (William). Narrative will be kept mainly linear, although flashbacks will be prudent after the opening sequence.

mise en scene will be moulded around a combination of familiar reassurance and new twists, meaning I need to confuse the chosen audience just enough to create suspense:

• location- downtrodden toilet room (specific location unknown), streets and back alleys of city (norwich and wymondham)
• lighting- great deal of contrast between dark and light (black and white), dim key light outside (late evening time)
• characterisation- confused, generally isolated
• costume/make up- dark clothing (black t shirt+hoody), pale face (prefferably natural). dark clothing enhances paleness

Pitch feedback

-Presented well, confident, good preparation
-Good use of powerpoint
-Good audience research into what people want

-Would have been good to have a title in mind
-Must avoid becoming a copy of 'Sin City'
-Don't overcomplicate

I didn't expect this sort of feeback at all. I prepared the pitch content at the last minute the night before, so i consider this a pretty fair achievement. I was rated within 'the top 3 pitches' out of the whole class. I'll take into account the fact that making the sequence too similar to 'Sin City' will ruin the originilaty, but to be fair, i don't have a green screen and a juicy sum of money to splash out, so that's a start.

my chosen actors

As originally said, i wanted the actor who plays William Chester to be adolescent, potentially innocent looking, facially eye catching and most important of all, possess acting talent. I've come to the decision of choosing one of my good mates, Shaun Mckay.

He is 17 years old, 5ft 7 and currently studies dramatic art at City College Norwich. He has also featured in the production 'Private Peaceful' which took place at Norwich Theater Royal. I had spent so much time simply trying to find an actor who's up for the job, completely forgetting the most obvious choice. When i thought of him i gave him a ring to see if he was enthused by my idea and as it turned out, he loved it.





My target actor for the role of the 'Supernatural Being' was ideally to be quite tall with no other special features required. The actor for this as you might of thought shouldn't be very testing to find, and it wasn't, but i had to make sure the person i chose was reliable. My final choice was Josh Mantle. I also had him play the role of 'Jonesy', who again, did not require any special features other than to be male.

he is 17 years old, 5ft 11 (which, in comparison to Shaun, is quite tall). He has no involvement with drama at this time, although i studied drama with him at GCSE level. So from experience i know he has punctuality, dedication and acting ability.

Synopsis of the first couple of scenes

William Chester (22) has just begun seeing things of the supernatural kind,  involving a mysterious dark figure.

He is unknowingly stalked through the streets of Norwich throughout the night, until he meets his best mate. Their previous plans of meeting the rest of the group at The Griffin pub have changed as William has made the excuse of being ill and goes home.

William goes to sleep. After a terrible nightmare, he awakes in shock. Immediately he begins to surf the web, looking up information on unusual occurrences. He finds his last name 'Chester' within a site. This site traces his name back to ancient roman times, revealing myths involving his bloodline. Myths such as possessing an active guardian angel.

William is rung up by his mate and invited to an underground club event. During the event William begins seeing things again and so leaves the underground club for some fresh air, when a hooded mugger holds a knife to his throat. William closes his eyes, fearing his death, when a hand touches his shoulder. He opens his eyes. He's standing on top of the city's cathedral. He turns to see a mystical dark figure, subsequently shouting questions as it approaches. As the dark figure merges with him a flashback appears.

It is the year 80 AD. William is sat at a large round table with several armored, bearded men drinking mead as guardian angels stand over each of them. They called him Florus Chester.....

what makes my film so special?

Unlike most mainstream action or rom-com films, this film is aimed at a more active than passive audience. When watching this, the audience has a greater opportunity to connect, attempting to answer various questions such as 'who, what, when, where and how'. This is exactly why i have aimed this at a more middle class audience as it's more likely that i will get a reliable, understanding reaction. For those who fancy themselves as more of a thinking viewer, this riddle of a film is a must.

8 mile

'A young rapper, struggling with every aspect of his life, wants to make the most of what could be his final opportunity but his problems around gives him doubts'

Jimmy Smith (Eminem), known by friends as Rabbit, is a young man trying to make his way out of the burned-out shell of inner-city Detroit. Rabbit's entire life has been a hard climb. He's just been dumped by his girlfriend, forcing him to move back in with his emotionally unstable mother, Stephanie (Kim Basinger), and he's not getting on so well with Stephanie's new boyfriend. Rabbit has a factory job that's tough, degrading, and doesn't pay especially well, and he's convinced his skills as a rapper are his only real hope at a better life. Rabbit makes music with a crew of DJ's and MC's who call themselves Three One Third, among them his close friend Future (Mekhi Phifer), but his status as a white guy making music in a predominantly African-American community and culture is extremely intimidating.

The story of Jimmy's life is what inspired me to play William Chester, arguably, as an isolated and confused character. Alike Jimmy, William hasn't had the easiest of lives and feels he is circling the plug hole as his life progresses. But an opportunity has risen, which gives the young man more purpose than he could ever imagine. Confusing, initially negative, diversions take place which only makes his journey harder, for in this modern day, supernatural events remain nothing more than tales in the eyes of the population. It seems that William must tackle this dilemma on his own.

preliminary task- 'the audition'

opening sequences- rough plan

Target audience:

• age 15-35
• primarily ABC1
• Art cinema audience
• Both genders should find the film attractive for viewing as more male audience luring details such as action sequences will be infrequent. It involves more thought provoking details which men and women can appreciate.

Inspirational films:

• 8 mile- I find the location of a downtrodden toilet room very relevant to the storyline, as the whole concept of the underground hip hop scene is a very secretive and dark reality. I would like to use a similar location to shoot my first sequence of shots.

• Sin City- The one factor which i think makes this film stand out is the presentation of colour and symbolism within it. Through its simplicity, the change in colour gives you the perception of the surrealism within the film e.g. powerful colours such as green and red are made to stand out from the black and white surrounding. As a slight alternative i have a rough idea of changing the colour of the entire shot at significant points with the slight urge of highlighting strong colours within black and white shots.

Target actor:

 Main character:

• Male
• adolescent 
• potentially innocent looking
• regular build
• facially eye catching
• acting talent

Supernatural character

• preferably tall (more overpowering effect)
• other features aren't needed (covered by costume)

My Idea....

I have a rough idea involving the story of a young man (William Chester) who's, initially, unknowingly involved in supernatural events. He is pursued by a being who's out of this world and is finding it hard not to slip into insanity. Reasons behind, and developments after the opening sequence reveals a clear significance in the main character. The first few shots in the sequence will be shown primarily as close up, profile and POV shots. As the sequence proceeds wider shots will be used in various different angles, to give particularly creepy effects (involving the supernatural character). The 'sin city' inspired black and white effect will be used throughout most of the sequence, although the degree of the effect will depend on what editing software i use.

Music

conveniently, i found that my brothers music fitted my chosen genre and specific storyline effectively. 'the depths' by banditude will be the song i choose to use withing the opening sequence. The alternative style to the song fits the uneased situation and sets the intended mood.

Another option is the song 'Imogen Heap -2-1 (Murdok remix)'. I love the way Murdok has remixed this song as the lyrics and heavy drop suit  the opening sequence very effectively. The story is raw, so i need a raw song.

A third choice would be the song 'Despina Vandi - GIA ( nhertz remix )'. Nhertz brings a very dark, creepy feel to this song, which matches the eeriness of the storyline.

Hide & Seek productions.

opening sequences- responses to clips

In class we watched several previously made opening sequences by other A level students. In general i learnt that there were several things which would be best avoided, for example, actors of the same age being used(depending on style of film) , cheesy lines and circumstances, gangster + horror orientated themes (hard to pull off).

Time warners takeover of british IPC media

Time warners take over of British publisher IPC media has given the NME brand a new lease of life. discuss.

your answer should show an understanding of the concept of synergy as it relates to media business + convergence (multiplatform delivery of content)

NME is the longest published and the most respected music weekly in the world. Every week it gives its readers the most exiting, most authoritative coverage of the very best in contemporary music.In the 1970s it became the best-selling British music magazine. The popularity of the NME brand had become very popular through the mewdium of the internet, although hard back copies of the issues weren't quite as successful. This changed quite dramarically since the infamous Time Warner corp, took over.

NME has almost definitely been a great success throughout it's well pronounced history, but it was the synergy between Time Wrner and IPC which really allowed the magazine to take off. The convergence between the two platforms of media drew great benefits for times, aswell as NME. The financial dependence on Times allowed NME to sacrafice more money for their revenue e.g. delivering more issues to sales providers, placing more advertising within other brands of magazine (usually IPC's brands. In tewrms of Tmes Warners benefits, the fact that they had claimed IPC meant that they could make a bigger name for themselves, through brands such as NME.

This achieved higher status not only drew in more of an audience, but attracted diversity within the audience. Within the IPC media platform there are many different genre of magazine e.g. Country life, Marie Claire and TVTimes. It would seem that Times had captivated the attention of a convincing number of readers. Although, however successful this may sound, there is a possible disadvatage to this. Through Times's aim to gain control of the market, they had become more monopoly based corporation. This can be a disadvatage, as ideas and development will derive from one source. This may allow regional identity to effect how merchandise and such is delivered and presented e.g an audience in Asia may not find a product produced in America very attractive, hence affecting sales and profits.

I believe that a more oligopoly based corporation would benefit greatly. Representatives can be based over many locations worldwide, meaning that each location representing the corporations can be influenced by the region in which they are based. This way products can be specified to attract the general local audience.

Time Warner has given the NME brand a new lease of life. Although NME will always be successful through the digital form of magazine e.g the NME app, there will always be hard backed religious readers who will need to be provided for. The control of Times allosw a very strong dependence on NME's part, meaning magazines will continue to be provided succesful through multiple forms of medium.

sound

To have sound on a film was a massive revolution. It enhances/matches the feelings of the character. Without atmospheric music, a scene won't seem as tense/scary/emotional.

Diegesis --> diegetic sound in the film's world belonging to the film's diegesis.

Diegetic --> sounds in the film's world, creates a real world

Non-diegetic --> sounds that are added: music, voice-overs

On-screen --> see it and hear it at the same time

Off-screen --> can't see it but can hear it


The Soundtrack and Foley tracks are both very important.

Foley track --> the soundtrack of natural everyday sounds for a film. Additional natural, incidental and ambient sounds are added to the recording from sound effect libraries or from the Foley artists’ personal collection. The purpose of recreating this track is to provide a much clearer professional production of the soundtrack than would have been recorded on location.

Sound bridge --> sound from one scene continues into/over the next scene (makes it flow better)

Parallel sound --> audio and visual effects match, not in synchronicity, but in tone and mood

Contrapuntal sound --> music and visual elements play against each other, and are in contrast

What should opening sequences achieve?

• introduce the characters, location & time
• engage and captivate the audience
• show the core themes and signify the genre
• introduce the narrative structure
• generic conventions to satisfy audience expectations of genre/director/actors
• establish iconography that will continue throughout the film
• be able to dictate the pace of the film
• credits/titles
• soundtrack that establishes the genre and mood and creates a sound that is recognisable as that film (with motifs that will be used throughout the film)
• give clues that will relate to the future story

(practice project for main production piece) - 'The Burden'

This project was very interesting, being our first serious project. Miss gave us all the word 'albatross' to base our project on. We were warned not to make the short film predictable, for example, literally involving an albatross in the filming. So we researched the meaning of the word and found that it roughly represented a burden of some sort. This was our starting point.

We were limited to filming in school time, so we found it ideal to involve education at some point. The story is based around the life of one student who is struggling in life, having to try balance his school work with looking after his fatally ill sister (the burden).

When looking at the edited version of the short clip, we could see the story being told quite effectively. But seeing as the project was a learning process, we realised that there was still room for improvement, for example, length of cuts, effective camera angles, lighting. Harriet and I found the roles we took on quite challenging, seeing as the story was sad and gloomy, very much unlike ourselves. But again we realised it was a learning experience and we could only improve from it.

Overall our team worked very well. We presumed that moulding all the different ideas we had together would be difficult, but we proved ourselves wrong. There was no argument while filming and few disagreements to new propositions, which made the whole process run a lot smoother.

Highlights of the film:

• Point of view shot- this was filmed down the school corridor in the middle block. In this clip many students walked down the corridor, it being the end of a lesson. in the shot you could see a hand reach out occasionally as the character pushes past people. We thought having a jittery camera view as well as the pronounced heart beat for audio added uneasiness to the clip. 

•  The shot of the girl laying sick in the bed as the boy sits at the end added to the meaning of the film. The girl is shown to be of less focus in the scene, which actually tells you what situation he's in. You can see the boy more defined and visible compared to the shaded character who sits further back in the shot. This signifies his potential to achieve greatly in his school work, but there is still something that deters him, lingering in the background.