Friday, 28 April 2017
Last Minute
It's all been a bit of a rush to get all my evaluations finished and uploaded. Using PowerPoint then saving the presentations as videos proved more complicated than I had expected as I had to convert to mp4 to allow for me to edit on my iPad. I wanted to have some variety in use of technology so have finally settled upon one stop motion with video cut aways, three speaking to camera with picture in picture and three PowerPoint videos. At last EVERYTHING is finished and uploaded!
Thursday, 27 April 2017
Evaluation: Question Seven Script
7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
"Looking back at our prelim, our shot variety was extremely limited which highlighted to us the importance of alternating angle and shot type especially in relation to the aims of our opening. More specifically, I learnt the importance of using match on action and close ups in between initial wide shots. On a basic level, the prelim forced me to begin to pay attention to the specifics of mise on scene for continuity but also verisimilitude. In conjunction with, the choice to have multiple takes and sufficient planning proves so useful for efficient filming. The most noticeable issue regarding sound in the prelim was that there was an error of Emma saying “action” at the beginning of a shot. As a result, this made us pay close attention to the audio when editing and ensure there were no anomalies in sound suggesting there was an error. From this I learnt to balance and layer all types of sound. For our opening, using more than one non diegetic sound and use of foley sound was crucial. Our prelim introduced this to us though we progressed significantly in the making of our final opening."
"Looking back at our prelim, our shot variety was extremely limited which highlighted to us the importance of alternating angle and shot type especially in relation to the aims of our opening. More specifically, I learnt the importance of using match on action and close ups in between initial wide shots. On a basic level, the prelim forced me to begin to pay attention to the specifics of mise on scene for continuity but also verisimilitude. In conjunction with, the choice to have multiple takes and sufficient planning proves so useful for efficient filming. The most noticeable issue regarding sound in the prelim was that there was an error of Emma saying “action” at the beginning of a shot. As a result, this made us pay close attention to the audio when editing and ensure there were no anomalies in sound suggesting there was an error. From this I learnt to balance and layer all types of sound. For our opening, using more than one non diegetic sound and use of foley sound was crucial. Our prelim introduced this to us though we progressed significantly in the making of our final opening."
Tweaking Question One
As I'd mentioned before, I had decided to do a stop motion video for the first evaluation question. It has taken a very long time to edit all of the photos together and make the voice over match exactly. However I eventually decided to not have the entirety of the video as stop motion but also incorporate cutaways of the films and sections of our opening that I refer to in voiceover. Therefore, the video response now uses varying technologies as opposed to the single use of photos I had initially intended.
Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Key Problems
I would like to think that overall we were very efficient in all aspects of our film opening, particularly editing as we were quick to make any required adjustments. However, we did encounter a number of problems along the way:
- Firstly, the initial plan for our opening simply wasn't long enough, which we realised after editing and accumulating just 1 minutes worth of fully edited footage. This then meant we had to further our plot in an almost "part two" of the opening which took place on the roof. We decided upon a flashback sequence, contrasting heavily in colour palette and lighting to the opening half. As a group we wanted to avoid the more conventional and often cliché "one week earlier" and it is at that point we took inspiration from seven in a more ambiguous take on the flashback.
- Light levels were a huge issue in filming for both consistency but also in making clear the time of day as to not confuse the audience beyond what we intended.
- In editing the glitch sequence was very tricky, deciding upon the length of each shot, the point at which it cuts as well as the number of alternations. This is where my skills in editing became excruciatingly precise!
- Furthering on from this, we struggled with deciding whether to include sound or not however eventually we looked to audience feedback for the answer (if only we'd done it sooner)
Protagonist
The protagonist of our film opening, played by me, is extremely introverted and evidently anxious. This is suggested in numerous ways beyond solely acting, a key more obvious example being when the text is received, highlighting the need for reassurance. What I found most difficult playing the character was only having the single line of dialogue. I had to always keep in mind that in editing, the inclusion of black screens, alternating sounds and sharp straight cuts would convey the overall sense of "Dazed" embodied by my character. Within the party scene we had hoped for a direct contrast between my character and those surrounding me, smiling and laughing. Its funny to watch back outtakes of us switching between our "film crew" and a bunch of idiots balancing on the roof in hopes of getting the perfect close up!
Evaluation: Question Six Script
6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
“The process of making our film opening allowed me to further my skills and precision when using editing software as well as practising using a camera on a tripod. Prior to making our film opening, I had very little experience with editing, particularly with using iMovie. In contrast however, initially I had more experience with using a camera and tripod though we had to adapt to the setting or functions of the equipment provided. When filming close ups, I quickly realised that we would be required to use the touch screen element of the camera to focus on individuals. In contrast, when doing establishing or more intentionally out of focus shots (like the shot assisted by a heartbeat to commence the running sequence) we did not require such attention to detail. Our hopes for shot variety throughout the film meant we were constantly altering the height and positioning of the camera and tripod to create high, low and eye level angles.
“The process of making our film opening allowed me to further my skills and precision when using editing software as well as practising using a camera on a tripod. Prior to making our film opening, I had very little experience with editing, particularly with using iMovie. In contrast however, initially I had more experience with using a camera and tripod though we had to adapt to the setting or functions of the equipment provided. When filming close ups, I quickly realised that we would be required to use the touch screen element of the camera to focus on individuals. In contrast, when doing establishing or more intentionally out of focus shots (like the shot assisted by a heartbeat to commence the running sequence) we did not require such attention to detail. Our hopes for shot variety throughout the film meant we were constantly altering the height and positioning of the camera and tripod to create high, low and eye level angles.
The most challenging aspect of the editing process was a
glitch sequence. On iMovie we had to ensure we had more frames to make for a
more precise cut between the party and the protagonist alone. Alongside this, I learnt how to download and
convert sound files into mp3 and import them into iMovie. Again, this is where
I developed my skills in precisely editing clips of footage with the correct
sound at the correct volume. The most difficult aspect of this, I found, was
when altering the sound levels when the door opens and slams outside the
party.”
Evaluation: Question Five Script
5) How did you attract/address your audience?
"As a teen drama/thriller, we had to appeal to two differing areas of interest for the audience and address them appropriately. Our consistent use of POV shots and close ups position our target audience within the drama. The ambiguity of our opening due to the fast paced straight cuts and inconsistent sound fully immerse the audience in the film opening. Our main aim for the film opening was to make the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge.In doing so they are immediately invested in the protagonist and empathise with a teenage character struggling to cope with the expectations of what seems like social life but actually a much more serious event.
Although in some aspects we wanted to address the audience as a friend or acquaintance of the protagonist, our choices regarding titles partially distance the audience to further the more uncomfortable, surprising side we had hoped for. Pink, almost girly titles, accompanied by contrapuntal ringing sounds ,contrast to the initial use of party music to attract a teenage audience."
"As a teen drama/thriller, we had to appeal to two differing areas of interest for the audience and address them appropriately. Our consistent use of POV shots and close ups position our target audience within the drama. The ambiguity of our opening due to the fast paced straight cuts and inconsistent sound fully immerse the audience in the film opening. Our main aim for the film opening was to make the audience feel uncomfortable and on edge.In doing so they are immediately invested in the protagonist and empathise with a teenage character struggling to cope with the expectations of what seems like social life but actually a much more serious event.
Although in some aspects we wanted to address the audience as a friend or acquaintance of the protagonist, our choices regarding titles partially distance the audience to further the more uncomfortable, surprising side we had hoped for. Pink, almost girly titles, accompanied by contrapuntal ringing sounds ,contrast to the initial use of party music to attract a teenage audience."
Tuesday, 18 April 2017
Presence of Women in Star Wars
After
watching the recently released teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi, I
began to look into the growing presence of women both on screen and behind the
scenes of the franchise. The Force Awakens (2015) introduced the character Rey
played by Daisy Ridley and her plotline is likely to develop significantly in
the next episode. I particularly liked Rogue One (2016), revolving around the
character Jyn Erso played by Felicity Jones, as it was a much more personal
take on the conventions of the films. Jones' character is portrayed as an
incredibly strong individual both physically and mentally. In shaping the
character, director Gareth Edwards said he wanted to avoid the mistakes often
made when writing female characters. I also found a really interesting article
in the New York Times about women in Star Wars, with particular focus on those
working behind the camera.
Evaluation: Question Four Script
4) Who would be the audience for your media product?
"Similarly to those represented in our film opening, the target audience for our film is teenagers and young adults around the ages of 15-24. However, the film could easily attract a slightly older consumer due to the possible nostalgia of teenage life evolving around independence but equally fear. The sensitive subject matter and emotional intensity of the film meant we decided upon a certificate 15. Under the teen drama/thriller genre, we believe this was appropriate as the entirety of the story follows a teenage protagonist coming to terms with the expectations of youth but also unexpected dangers beyond such. A 12 certificate would not be in keeping with our desired audience and an 18 rating is too severe for the content of the film."
"Similarly to those represented in our film opening, the target audience for our film is teenagers and young adults around the ages of 15-24. However, the film could easily attract a slightly older consumer due to the possible nostalgia of teenage life evolving around independence but equally fear. The sensitive subject matter and emotional intensity of the film meant we decided upon a certificate 15. Under the teen drama/thriller genre, we believe this was appropriate as the entirety of the story follows a teenage protagonist coming to terms with the expectations of youth but also unexpected dangers beyond such. A 12 certificate would not be in keeping with our desired audience and an 18 rating is too severe for the content of the film."
Evaluation: Question Three Script
3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
"If our film were to be released as a real media product, it would classify as an indie film distributed to the US and UK. The specific nature of content, focused on youth, would suggest a tailored distribution to specific areas as done with Paranormal Activity (2009). The British company Warp Films are typically involved in the production of films, titles including Submarine and This is England, however have distributed a number of other features and may be open to distributing ours. We took inspiration from This is England regarding mise en scene and therefore is suited to the conventions of the company.
Ideally wanting to initially target the UK and America, the US based A24 would be likely to distribute our film due to their frequency to choose films with abstract content. American Honey (2016) distributed by A24 similarly focuses on youth and the freedom of such, the film itself was nominated for Outstanding British Film in the 2017 BAFTAs. The company also distributed The Lobster (2016) a film renowned for its abstract filming style and content."
"If our film were to be released as a real media product, it would classify as an indie film distributed to the US and UK. The specific nature of content, focused on youth, would suggest a tailored distribution to specific areas as done with Paranormal Activity (2009). The British company Warp Films are typically involved in the production of films, titles including Submarine and This is England, however have distributed a number of other features and may be open to distributing ours. We took inspiration from This is England regarding mise en scene and therefore is suited to the conventions of the company.
Ideally wanting to initially target the UK and America, the US based A24 would be likely to distribute our film due to their frequency to choose films with abstract content. American Honey (2016) distributed by A24 similarly focuses on youth and the freedom of such, the film itself was nominated for Outstanding British Film in the 2017 BAFTAs. The company also distributed The Lobster (2016) a film renowned for its abstract filming style and content."
Monday, 17 April 2017
Evaluation: Question Two Script
2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
"Our film opening revolves around the representation of teenagers, immersed in conventional teenage scenarios, namely the party sequence. We drew attention to the independence but consequent vulnerability of young people. Due to the dominating absence of dialogue, our portrayal of teenagers relied upon our choices in cinematography, sound and the titles themselves.
"Our film opening revolves around the representation of teenagers, immersed in conventional teenage scenarios, namely the party sequence. We drew attention to the independence but consequent vulnerability of young people. Due to the dominating absence of dialogue, our portrayal of teenagers relied upon our choices in cinematography, sound and the titles themselves.
The titles written in pink chalk covey youthfulness and fun
however we intentionally contradict such in our choice for a much darker plot. This
proved successful in relation to genre when we gained positive feedback
acknowledging our use of titles. The rapid straight cuts of our opening with
constantly changing angle and point of view projects onto our opening a sense
of confusion possessed by the teenage characters. As well as this constant
varying sound, both diegetic and non-diegetic, suggests how impressionable and
often conflicted teenagers are."
Title length
Within our opening for Dazed, the black screen and titles themselves provide a sense of structure amongst an extremely quick confused sequence of shots. Conventionally, the black screens would provide a moment of silent drawing sole focus to the titles however our use of ringing sounds mirrors the relentless uncomfortable nature of the entire opening. The length of the titles themselves follows the industry standard of four seconds to display both the role and title. We included as minimal titles as possible, only displaying the crucial roles to ensure the opening doesn't become too broken up. Unlike the opening of features such as Napoleon Dynamite (2004) the titles themselves were not a critical aspect of Dazed but rather assisting the intensity of the entire opening.
Costume
Our opening is entirely focused on the seemingly stereotypical aspects of teenage life, masking a darker plotline. In keeping with such, costume choice for the protagonist (played by me) was typical of a teenager and kept quite casual to adapt to the running scenes. We gave a similar brief to the people we asked to be in the background of the party.
- Jeans
- Adidas Jacket
- Trainers
- Crop top
- Hoop Earrings
We wanted a contrast in costume and makeup in the roof sequence. Wearing little to no makeup and wearing block coloured slouchy clothes connoted more vulnerability as well as standing out against the brick.
Showcase Written Feedback: Further improvements
Alongside feedback confirming we had achieved our initial aims for the opening, we did receive useful feedback if we were to repeat the entire process. The most common observation was that the writing of "Friday" should be made bigger so easier to read. We had wanted to fit the writing under the protagonist on the guttering so could not be made any bigger. Ideally we wouldn't want the writing to take up a large proportion of the frame but if we received further feedback mentioning it we could have considered making more of a point of it.
Showcase Written Feedback: Ending
Another key aspect of our opening that we wanted to achieve was the ambiguity of the scenario and protagonist. We wanted to consistently focus on the protagonist and ensure that the audience is fully invested in her by the end of the opening. The success of a film opening can be defined by whether the audience are keen to continue watching, which many people mentioned in their feedback. Our use of straight cuts and constantly changing diegetic and non diegetic sound ensured the discomfort of the audience we had hoped for. (refer to question three)
Sunday, 16 April 2017
Showcase Written Feedback: Genre
One of the most useful things I personally gained from the showcase was people's recognition of our use of titles in relation to genre. The use of bright pink lettering in chalk conforms to the convention of upbeat, childlike teen dramas however we develop this through darker more mature content. The intensity of relatable scenarios particularly the party scene and rapid paced sequences conforms to the drama/thriller genre. (refer to question two)
Showcase Written Feedback: Sound Choice
The written feedback we gained from the showcase confirmed to us that we had succeeded in our aim to make the audience feel on edge and uncomfortable, largely achieved through sound. The main focus of "areas to improve" was regarding our choice for a piercing ringing sound edited over the black screens and the abrupt nature of such. The reasons for such feedback was as it was too loud, even "horrible" however both of these were conscious decisions we made post production. We were fully aware of the intensity of the ringing sounds though previous audience research amongst the class and peers. (refer to question four)
Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Wes Anderson
At the moment, two of my favourite directors are Damien Chazelle and Wes Anderson. Though heavily different in genre, the definite focus of their films and choices in cinematography draw me to their films.
The often abstract nature of Wes Anderson's films has allowed them to develop their own independent style beyond the conventions of established cinema. The random, abrupt straight cuts between shots and often absence of long takes is directly reflected in the development of characters. The only way I can really describe Anderson's work is bizarre. The vibrancy of colour palette and subverting of film conventions is consistent in his work. His 2012 feature Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel of 2014 are both told to the audience by a narrator. Not an omniscient narrator but one active in the plot, breaking the so called fourth wall.
Real, meaningful character relationships are developed on the most surreal backdrop. Anderson cleverly balances both comedy and drama. One key channel for this in The Grand Budapest Hotel, in my opinion, is the relationship between M. Gustave and Zero.The immense shot variety is what I love about these films (alongside the abundance of quirky characters). Constant change of perspective and audience positioning fully immerses them in the story. For me, I feel like a fly on the wall watching the events unfold whilst other times(particularly in Moonrise Kingdom) I feel like one of the characters in the film. The opening to Moonrise Kingdom sees a fluid pan across a house, room to room almost like a dolls house. This is followed by close ups, POV shots, shot reverse shot, any shot you can think of!!!
The often abstract nature of Wes Anderson's films has allowed them to develop their own independent style beyond the conventions of established cinema. The random, abrupt straight cuts between shots and often absence of long takes is directly reflected in the development of characters. The only way I can really describe Anderson's work is bizarre. The vibrancy of colour palette and subverting of film conventions is consistent in his work. His 2012 feature Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel of 2014 are both told to the audience by a narrator. Not an omniscient narrator but one active in the plot, breaking the so called fourth wall.
Real, meaningful character relationships are developed on the most surreal backdrop. Anderson cleverly balances both comedy and drama. One key channel for this in The Grand Budapest Hotel, in my opinion, is the relationship between M. Gustave and Zero.The immense shot variety is what I love about these films (alongside the abundance of quirky characters). Constant change of perspective and audience positioning fully immerses them in the story. For me, I feel like a fly on the wall watching the events unfold whilst other times(particularly in Moonrise Kingdom) I feel like one of the characters in the film. The opening to Moonrise Kingdom sees a fluid pan across a house, room to room almost like a dolls house. This is followed by close ups, POV shots, shot reverse shot, any shot you can think of!!!
Shot Variety
When first planning and storyboarding our opening, I wanted to follow the rough outline of conventional shot sequences however use rapid straight cuts between varying shots to capture the emotional intensity we decided upon.
Dazed begins with a tilt shot into the opening establishing shot of the block of flats displaying the title itself. In the following party sequence we used consistent (extreme) close ups in the glitch sequence before contrasting to the full body and POV running sequence. The obscurity of the protagonist was emphasised through choices in cinematography in the section filmed on the roof. Though planned later on, we had a variation of over the shoulder, POV and close up shots countered by a wide shot zooming out to end the opening. As well as this we explored camera angles as well with as low and high angle shots whereas previously a substantial amount of the opening was filmed at eye level.
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Colour Palette
As mentioned in my blog post about the television series Glue, we wanted and did explore coloured lighting to connote the excitement of teen life. Not only this, it enhanced the verisimilitude of one of the first and arguably most crucial shots of the opening - the party. Bright neon colours allowed us to explore contrast and like many indie films, high colour saturation was key.
More simply, the opening was split into two key parts with differing colour palettes. The second is much more grey and dull, filmed on quite a harsh urban background.
Title Choice
Initially we decided upon the title Daze, however as we began to give even more focus to the protagonist we changed it to Dazed. The verb choice is therefore a direct reflection of the confusion and almost hypnotised state of the character in our opening.
Like many real film products the choice for a single word title is ambiguous, giving very little detail as to style or content. Some recent examples are Life, Unforgettable, Unlocked and Suntan (all for 2017 release). Most crucially, we kept with the our main focus of replicated the titles of Drive.
The title, I feel, reflects the frantic nature of the opening whereby the audience is immediately positioned from the same perspective as the protagonist. However, the absence of dialogue places the audience in the same 'dazed' position in their lack of knowledge.
Like many real film products the choice for a single word title is ambiguous, giving very little detail as to style or content. Some recent examples are Life, Unforgettable, Unlocked and Suntan (all for 2017 release). Most crucially, we kept with the our main focus of replicated the titles of Drive.
The title, I feel, reflects the frantic nature of the opening whereby the audience is immediately positioned from the same perspective as the protagonist. However, the absence of dialogue places the audience in the same 'dazed' position in their lack of knowledge.
Monday, 10 April 2017
Location
In keeping with our desired focus on the challenges and overwhelming nature of young life we decided to film in largely built up urban areas. We had two main locations, filming in low light at the blocks of flats and then in the high key daylight on the roof. The busy streets and loud diegetic sound allowed us to further our desire to reflect the panic and often obscurity of the protagonist in the landscape.
However, in deciding to film at low light levels to fulfill our desire for stark contrasts, we had to pay even closer attention to whether everything was clear in frame. As well as this, filming on a road continually disrupted takes but eventually we filmed the entire running sequence.
However, in deciding to film at low light levels to fulfill our desire for stark contrasts, we had to pay even closer attention to whether everything was clear in frame. As well as this, filming on a road continually disrupted takes but eventually we filmed the entire running sequence.
Sunday, 9 April 2017
Evaluation: Question One Script
1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
"Our opening for Dazed conforms to numerous conventions of established
film products, namely the 2011 feature Drive. The stark contrast between the
bright pink lettering of the titles with the darker content enabled us to
harbour discomfort from the audience, which we furthered through uncomfortable ringing
sounds edited over black screens. The use of such black screens was also
inspired by Drive but arguably used more consistently in our opening in comparison.
I also found this contrast in content to be similar in the 2017 horror film Get
Out. Also, we adapted the text displaying the days of the week in Seven (1995) to suit our desired style thus developing the form used.
Our choice for an almost complete absence of dialogue is a
convention typical of modern cinema however our choice for a single line of
dialogue partially challenges such. The somewhat inconsistency of shot length
in between the black screens and often enhanced diegetic sound was directly
linked to our focus on the young protagonist. Character driven plots and establishing a perspective
is pivotal in any opening though we intentionally over played it so the
audience is immediately invested in the protagonist. The unreliable narrator is
a common motif of thriller novels and is something I’d love to explore as seen
in Gone Girl, adapted to film in 2014."Sunday, 2 April 2017
Get Out Opening
I recently went to see the film Get Out, categorised by IMDb as a horror/mystery. The film itself is largely psychological with sudden shocks assisted by orchestral music as opposed to the more typical trope of the devil for example in the horror genre. In my opinion the film was more of a mystery thriller and even though the later part of the plot wasn't really the type of cinema I enjoy, the cinematography was interesting.
The opening of the film drew similarities to our opening whereby the style of the titles themselves is a sort of contradiction to the content of the film. Judging the bright color palette and blue simple style of the titles in isolation, the film conforms to the style of indie films. In doing so, as we had hoped for our film, the audience is in a false sense of security before the tone changes (in this case where the car hits a deer).
Throughout the film, director Jordan Peele explores use of extreme close ups to create emotional intensity as we had done in our opening.
The opening of the film drew similarities to our opening whereby the style of the titles themselves is a sort of contradiction to the content of the film. Judging the bright color palette and blue simple style of the titles in isolation, the film conforms to the style of indie films. In doing so, as we had hoped for our film, the audience is in a false sense of security before the tone changes (in this case where the car hits a deer).
Throughout the film, director Jordan Peele explores use of extreme close ups to create emotional intensity as we had done in our opening.
Friday, 31 March 2017
Danny Boyle
In class, we recently watched 127 Hours (2010) and The Beach (2000) both directed by Danny Boyle. His style of film is made blatantly clear in the hyperactivity of sequences with consistent rapid straight cuts. Contrast between the realism of often isolated natural settings with abstract edited sequences assisted by contrapuntal sound is evident in both features.
127 Hours use of split screens and contrast in colour palette:
127 Hours use of split screens and contrast in colour palette:
Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Overall plot
As shown in the opening itself, the film begins with the scene of a party. The text saying "Don't worry tonight will be fine" refers to the party happening on the Friday night. The protagonist is revealed to be a heavily introverted character, struggling with the expectations of teenage life hence the purpose of the text to reassure her.
At the party itself, the protagonist witnesses or overhears a suspicious argument between numerous people. Upon realising that the protagonist has overhead their conversation, two other characters violently threaten her, leading into the bathroom scene.
It is revealed later in the film that she was threatened again at the party forcing her to leave, evidently distressed. Helin's character seen waiting outside the flats could then have received a text saying something along the lines of "if you see a girl running out of the party. She knows!".
I think if we were to create a full film it would be based upon the idea of her almost being hunted down and forced into keeping quiet. In doing so, the plot would be in keeping with the teen drama/thriller genre as key aspects of youth would be explored alongside the more thrilling, psychological aspect of the plot.
Monday, 13 March 2017
Clique
BBC Three have recently released a new TV series called clique which follows the lives of two teenagers and their lives at universities however the plot begins to become much for complex. The BBC summarise the story as "In the first year of uni, childhood best friends Holly and Georgia find themselves drawn to an elite clique. When Holly begins to suspect darkness lurks beneath the glamour, she will do anything to save her soulmate."
I first decided to watch the show as it is written by Jess Brittain who also wrote the Channel 4 series Skins. In an interview with the BBC, Brittain said that she hoped the quite extreme themes of friendship and challenges will resonate with young people but particularly young women. The series was filmed in Edinburgh which I find quite interesting as its so common for programmes to be based in London and surrounding areas. From the two episodes that I've watched so far its clear that the series is driven by strong determined female characters with regard to both their personal and professional lives.
Full Interview : http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/writersroom/entries/a1acff0d-f7f3-4ef5-86fc-d03d73c5c6a8
Relevance to Audience
I decided to ask a few of my friends to watch the film opening and get their views on how the themes explored are relevant to our desired audience. It seems that the sort of ambiguous nature of the opening with the only dialogue being a single line entices teenagers as it can be adapted to suit their own interpretation.
Katie
"I'd say that your film has loads of appeal to the target audience because firstly the premise of the film revolves around teenagers, like the characters featured are all in their teens and its a party which makes it relatable to loads of people. Also recently there's been loads of psychological thrillers on TV that have had an audience of young adults and that links in quite well with how your film is done with the glicthes"
Alev
"The fact that young adult culture is incorporated in the opening with the party scene. Also, it proposes a problem with the 'I need your help' which adolescents could relate to"
Catherine
"The themes are very relatable to stereotypical teenagers for example parties, so it makes it interesting to watch as you can relate to the main character as she is a teenager so you feel connected to her as you have something in common"
Isobel
"The contrast between the party scene and the roof top scene is applicable to contrasting parts and emotions in young peoples lives. The intensity of the first party is also relatable to the intensity often felt by young people with the lighting and noise"
Katie
"I'd say that your film has loads of appeal to the target audience because firstly the premise of the film revolves around teenagers, like the characters featured are all in their teens and its a party which makes it relatable to loads of people. Also recently there's been loads of psychological thrillers on TV that have had an audience of young adults and that links in quite well with how your film is done with the glicthes"
Alev
"The fact that young adult culture is incorporated in the opening with the party scene. Also, it proposes a problem with the 'I need your help' which adolescents could relate to"
Catherine
"The themes are very relatable to stereotypical teenagers for example parties, so it makes it interesting to watch as you can relate to the main character as she is a teenager so you feel connected to her as you have something in common"
Isobel
"The contrast between the party scene and the roof top scene is applicable to contrasting parts and emotions in young peoples lives. The intensity of the first party is also relatable to the intensity often felt by young people with the lighting and noise"
Use of FreeSound
Within our film opening we used a variation of recorded diegetic sound and foley sound effects either recorded separately or non diegetic sound. For the non diegetic sound used to accompany the constant action of the opening, we relied upon the website FreeSound for uncopyrighted sound. The diegetic sound of the party scene was included in editing in turning the sound down on the actual clip then converting our desired audio into mp3 format. In doing so, constant varied sound not only was in keeping with the mood of the protagonist but also emphasised the awkwardness and shock of the glitch sequence.
Once we'd finished cutting together all of our footage and decided upon having no sound in the glitch segment (use of a poll) we began to layer and enhance sound elsewhere. One key example was the our of focus POV shot prior to the running sequence where we didn't want the stillness of the shot to cause a dip in tension which is why we added the sound of a heartbeat.
Once we'd finished cutting together all of our footage and decided upon having no sound in the glitch segment (use of a poll) we began to layer and enhance sound elsewhere. One key example was the our of focus POV shot prior to the running sequence where we didn't want the stillness of the shot to cause a dip in tension which is why we added the sound of a heartbeat.
Friday, 10 March 2017
Key Influences
Rather than replicate the style of one film's opening, we adapted aspects of numerous films to create our own. Most obviously is the style of the titles themselves is inspired by Drive (2011). As well as that we included 'Friday' without any date or reference to previous action, similarly to Seven (1995). In regard to mise en scene, the costume draws similarities to the Channel 4 series 'Skins'.
Our party glitch sequence was partly inspired by the TV film 'Ellen' as mentioned in my initial blog post. We adapted the bright coloured lights of the 'Gaycation' opening sequence to suit our party scene as a direct contrast to the neutral, silent glitch images.
Our party glitch sequence was partly inspired by the TV film 'Ellen' as mentioned in my initial blog post. We adapted the bright coloured lights of the 'Gaycation' opening sequence to suit our party scene as a direct contrast to the neutral, silent glitch images.
La La Land: A Classic?
After seeing La La Land, I was immediately a huge fan and evidently so are most as it has already grossed $405.2million from its $30million budget. It has proven successful with people of all ages, avid fans of musical theatre and film geeks alike. I recently watched Youtuber and filmmaker Hazel Hayes' video highlighting why Damien Chazelle's film is likely to see years and years of success. The film partners modern life and cinema with classic American musicals, allowing it to be successful on an international scale.
Beginning Evaluation
I decided that for the first evaluation question, I would create a stop motion video assisted by voice over to explain.
After briefly planning my key ideas, I printed off pictures to use including the title of Drive and our film opening Dazed. Following that I had to take numerous photos of them, changing their position each time. I may need to re do some photos to make it appear less jumpy but also ensure my phone is in the same fixed position to take the photos. I will edit them all together, possibly change increase the speed and once I'm happy add ,my voiceover. Here are just a few of the photos I took to use:
The Nice Guys
I recently watched The Nice Guys and although the quite random comedic content differs from the intended genre of our film opening, I noticed that the colour and fonts used in the title sequence are similar to ours including the style of the production company:
Continuity
One the biggest issues we encountered in our film opening was that of continuity. Filming in numerous locations at different times of day would heavily affect lighting and sound quality which we quickly realised in our first shoot. Initially filming inside the block of flats, lighting continued to vary between shots whilst we were first getting accustomed to using the camera. However, eventually getting into the habit of paying attention to light level and focus before recording prevented us from taking longer than necessary for the rest of the film. We found similar problems with mise en scene but it highlighted to us early on to take pictures/notes of costume and frame compositions. In our final film opening, we think paying such close attention to light levels paid off.
Age Certificate
Every 4-5 years, the BBFC carries out a major public consultation exercise to find out what the public thinks about the age rating of films and videos before they are released and whether the BBFC's classification standards meet public concerns.
The BBFC adjusts its standards in response to any changes in public attitudes.
These standards are laid out in the BBFC's Classification Guidelines, they detail what is acceptable at each age category, from U to R18.
The current ratings consist of:
Universal
Parental Guidance
12 Accompanied Advisory
12
15
18
Restricted 18
If our film dazed was to be released as a full length feature, it would most likely be released with a 15 certificate due to the potential for mature subjects and language.
The BBFC adjusts its standards in response to any changes in public attitudes.
These standards are laid out in the BBFC's Classification Guidelines, they detail what is acceptable at each age category, from U to R18.
The current ratings consist of:
Universal
Parental Guidance
12 Accompanied Advisory
12
15
18
Restricted 18
If our film dazed was to be released as a full length feature, it would most likely be released with a 15 certificate due to the potential for mature subjects and language.
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
Light and Dark
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Within our film open, we wanted to focus on a constant contrast between light and dark which meant we needed to pay close attention to constant light levels for continuity purposes. Within shot 7, we relied upon the artificial lighting of the stairway as a directly opposing image to the party. Focus on contrast, as mentioned previously, complimented our decision for rapid straight cuts in emphasising the confusion of the protagonist. As well as this, changing light levels act as a time stamp, indicating the length of the party for example.
Wednesday, 8 February 2017
Successes in film style
Showing our film opening to Alicia prior to upload confirmed to us that we had largely fulfilled our initial aims for the style.
- Contrasts in light levels
- Almost make the audience feel on edge, eventually achieved through periods of silence, title font/colour and black screens
- Teenage-Young adult audience
- Solely teenage cast, sense of isolation for the protagonist
- Recognisable settings containing more extreme circumstances
Final Film Opening
Prior to uploading the final version of our film opening, we watched through the clip numerous times to be sure of no errors in sound, footage and titles. Our opening for Dazed is based upon heavy contrasts and continuous sudden straight cuts to partially mirror the mind set of the leading character. A key example of such is at 1:07, the only use of black screen and ringing sound effect outside of the titles. The choice for such rapid cuts leading into a black screen containing titles not only mirrors the overwhelmed state of the protagonist but immediately builds suspense for the audience if the film was to continue to the length of a feature. Following our preview to the class and specifically Yasmin's feedback, we re recorded the voice over following the running sequence to avoid echoes or any other signs to suggest it was recorded inside. Instead, we recorded it a second time outside.
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
Evaluation Questions
The questions that must be addressed in the evaluation include:
1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
1) In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
4) Who would be the audience for your media product?
5) How did you attract/address your audience?
6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Friday, 20 January 2017
Sound Poll Results
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After asking numerous people to watch both versions of our glitch sequence, one with whispering and one without, we came to the decision to have no whispering. The absence of sound enhances the contrast between the party and being alone already established through the lighting. The partial awkwardness of the silence was what divided opinion, however after watching the opening in full, the silence proves effective. We asked numerous people to come and watch the full opening finalised without the whispering. Isobel, who had voted for whispering, said that in the full 2 minutes the only absence of sound being in the glitch actually made the whole sequence stand out and emphasise the use of lighting. Blog post about this evaluation in further detail to come soon.
Class Feedback
After finishing the editing of our film opening, we decided to show it the class for feedback and possible aspects to improve that we may not have been aware of. Sharing our film opening with the class for the first time highlighted to us how opinions vary heavily from person to person regarding the editing. Sophie questioned the quite jumpy nature of the film, which we had intentionally placed emphasis on, whereas Alisha said that she liked the straight cuts between scenes and locations. Abbie questioned Helin being at the party then outside in the next sequence however the shots are not continuous. Similarly, the glitch sequence at the party is followed by a full body shot of the character running out the flat but there is in fact time between the two occasions . Within the party, my character is never tracked to the door or leaving so this signifies the time difference with the following shot. A key piece of feedback came from Yasmin regarding the quality of the follied sound onto the black screen, the only dialogue in the opening. The shot prior to the black screen is outside whereas the sound was in fact recorded inside which she said she could tell by the background noise or lack of. Will we re record the sound outside and re edit it in as we had previously overlooked sound quality.
Overall, the ambiguity and suspense created in the opening appears to be effective and we also gained useful critiques to encorporate as they may have gone unnoticed otherwise. Hopefully we will be able to show the film to the class again closer to the deadline to fine tune any small details.
Editing in Production Companies
Though the inclusion of production companies do not gain marks, we wanted to use them as a way to establish a tone and quality for the film as well as a sort of colour palette. The use of bright block colours throughout the film amongst the often dark, cold, grey toned settings is consistent in our opening. Examples of this are the lighting of the party glitch scene and the use of pink titles to almost trick the audience into an almost false sense of security for what the film entails.
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