Evaluation Question 7

Question 7 – Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

There are many differences between our preliminary task and our final product. When making our preliminary task, we were very limited with regards to the time, location, actors and props we had. As we shot most of the task in an hour, we ended up with a very rushed result.

In our preliminary task, we had one severe mistake that we had to sort out, this was the phone call that Ellie done outside, the wind caused her voice to be a muffle and you couldn’t understand anything she said because of it. We had to reshoot this scene in a different location so that the wind was blocked off from the camera to make the result better.

When planning our film opening, we used several different things to allow us to know exactly what shots we needed to film and also to allow us to film them in the best way possible. We made:
-A storyboard 
-An animatic storyboard
-A picture storyboard
-A shotlist in the right order

This helped us to get all of the shots we needed without a worry of forgetting one. This meant that we could relax and focus on other things like props and locations as we knew what we was looking for and wanted to film. On the other hand, when  we was filming our Preliminary Task we didn’t do this which meant we had to think about a lot of different things so our end product was a lot worst.

When we edited our opening and whilst filming we didn't really stick to what we put on our storyboard as our idea changed, this meant that the storyboard was pretty much pointless to us which therefore meant that we had to think about several different things at once, which we wanted to avoid at the start. For our preliminary task though, we did stick to the storyboard but the detail was a lot worst which yet again meant that we had to think of stuff on the spot to get it right, therefore the storyboard ideas and in depth detail definitely could have been improved on.

From making the preliminary task to where we have come now our editing skills have improved majorly, we started on a small editing software and then went on to use one which was deemed as quite hard, this mean that our knowledge and editing skills were improved majorly through playing with the smaller software when editing our preliminary task. As we had limited credits in our preliminary task our knowledge on them wasn’t very strong when adding them into our opening, but once we started we got the hang of it, so this could have definitely been improved on when making the preliminary task so that it ensured us the knowledge that was needed.

When making our preliminary task, we recorded the sound and audio on the camera we was given, the picture also wasn’t great as the camera was quite old. The sound and quality made our preliminary task look very unprofessional so for our opening we knew we had to upgrade to something better. We used an iPhone 7+ which has a dual camera and 3 sound ports which meant that the overall quality was improved majorly, this meant that the opening looked a lot clearer and just looked more professional altogether.

Our overall final product was a lot better than our preliminary task, as you would expect. A comparison of the two would show how much we have improved as a group and the progress we made over such a small period of time. The preliminary task really helped to upgrade our basic knowledge and get us prepared for our opening that’s why I feel we were quite successful. I feel as if we have improved a lot since the preliminary task and we have learnt from our mistakes that we made in the preliminary task which helped us learn a lot quicker and more efficiently. 

Question 7 by olle gentry on Scribd

Evaluation Question 6

Question 6-

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

Because we were making an extremely low budget film we didn't have anything fancy to film and use for our final project. Throughout our planning, filming and post production we used everyday equipment that we didn't have to buy especially for the film and we used equipment that we already had and didn't have to rent. the products we used were; 

• Iphone
• Imac
• editing softwares

This is a very short list compare to most film makers as we were only students we could get any extravagant equipment that was out of our range. There were many strengths to this meaning that we didn't have to spend any extra money, we didn't have to borrow anyone else equipment, we had all our equipment ready to go and we didn't have to wait for any camera or anything to be free to use them. This was defiantly one of the best perks meaning that we could get the whole filming process over and done with very easily. Another strength was filming using our iPhones, this was one of the easiest and quickest way to film as smart phones these days have the same camera quality as a normal camera and they also have been designed so well and they are so advanced it enabled us to be able to edit on our phones straight away if we needed to. However there were some weaknesses with our filming equipment and because we filmed all of our film on iPhone, it meant that the quality of the footage wasn't the best it could possibly be. By us using our phones it also meant that the camera angles and ‘shakiness’  where a problem. This is one of the things that has let down is that our film looks like it is a student film and not a high production budget film that has been produced by one of the big six. this is one of the only down sides to our final project. Another weakness is no having the knowledge or the equipment to make a perfect institutional logo. If we had the right equipment and knowledge then i think we could have created one of the most amazing institutional logos, but we didn't which meant that we weren't able to create one. 

The filming process- 

In my opinion i think that the filming process of making our film went very smoothly and worked out perfectly. I don't think we came across many complication when filming but most (if any) problems we faced would have been in post production. We came across some editing complication but nothing that we couldn't fix straight away or in a short amount of time. I think this was down to how we planned and how me proceeded to make our vision possible. This was one of the best things about our group is that we all worked together to make sure that out vision was replicated onto the screen. We didn't really get to use any type of equipment that would have enhanced our film and this was one of the weakness of our film, is that we didn't choose to shot the generic film that would have used all of these enhancing equipments. Unfortunately we didn’t need to use a piece of equipment for example a dolly for a tracking shot because our film was shot using technology that everyone uses for example the laptops and the phones. To edit our film we diced to use an advanced software like final cut pro. We did this as we believe that this would give us the perfect image and this would be the perfect type of software that would make our film a ‘film’. This was a very good choice to use final cut pro as this is one of the best most advanced softwares for film making and for us to use this, meant that we were having a shot at making the best product for ourselves. We considered using iMovie but we thought that we would have a shot at using final cut pro as this meant that there were better editing tools and this also meant that we had more of an option when editing because final cut is such a good editing software. There is nothing that we couldn't have done using final cut than we would have received using iMovie, we just felt that Final Cut Pro was more suited for us. By using Final Cut we have learnt lots of constructive things as we had never used Final Cut before so then enabled us to have a bit of a play around with it and it mean that we were able to learn as we went. We found editing with final cut for the low key lighting moments in the piece as this meant the we were able to edit the type of lighting, so that it gave us a softer and lower glow to the picture. This then helped us with the portrayal of mine-en-scene throughout the piece. 

As any new film maker would, we encountered problems and issues that net time we will know to avoid for example; the use of the equipment. Next time i think we would definitely have better camera gear to enable us to create a perfect picture for the audience to enjoy. However, factors stoped us from enabling us to do so this time. I feel next time we will know to film a lot more of a variety of shot in different locations, settings and characters. This was one of the only problems that we encountered as a group throughout the whole filming process, not that we didn't film enough scene it was just the variety that we were lacking this time. However, there were some things that we would also defiantly do again for example; using the editing software that we used this time around, Final Cut Pro. Final Cut Pro worked very well for us and the purpose that we needed it for. Final Cut was very good for all of the complex things that we needed to do for our final project and this was good a we found a software that could handle the complexity of what we needed to do and this was perfect. I think as a group we worked well as we all contributed a fair amount. This was a very big project and this meant hat there was lots and lots of worked to be done in such a small amount of time. This also meant that we had to double up work for example; editing and blogging at the same time. This helped as we would all have a go at doing lots of different things which helped us create a great piece of work and also helped with the experience and the gain in knowledge. I think as a group we worked well at documenting our progress and what stages of our filming making we had reached. Blogger really helped with this as it made it much easier for us to document our process and for us to document the successes and failures of our piece. Blogger made it really easy for us to just log on and type.  

  

We used a Mac Desktop Computer and we also used a MacBook Pro Laptop. This meant that we were able to use the best technology for the making of our final film. By using these technologies it meant that we had the best start and we were very lucky because these already had the editing software on them. Because we were using the best it meant that we had the best start. By using the Mac's it also meant that edition, uploading, downloading and transferring information was much easier. By having equipment like them enabled us to edit our final piece quickly and in the best way possible.  

Evaluation Question 4 and 5

Question 4- Who would be the audience for your media product?

Question 5- How did you attract/ address your audience?

The target audience for our film is 15-25 year old males and females. We chose to attract this audience as our film has the same aged characters in this, which the audience could relate to. Meaning they would be more absorbed throughout, further making the opening almost a critical success. Our film is rated a 15, as we researched onto the BBFC and found this was the best fit for the opening. This also links in with our target audience as this would be the youngest age therefore being suitable.

The audience for our film would likely fit in the uses and gratifications theory, meaning people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs and will look for an enigma in the film. Therefore, we made sure that our opening wasn't giving away too much, but enough to understand and allow people to figure out.

Through research and planning, we found that our target audience liked the idea of tension and suspense, meaning we met these needs. For example, we decided to add many short slips of victims and the antagonist, leaving them thinking, grabbing their attention. Also, meeting the conventions of a thriller. Another film that is similar would be Ratter. This is a Netflix film, meaning it attracts a younger audience, both male and female, as Netflix is a popular company in the media now. We also attracted our audience through the use of social media, as we included a small clip of a video on Facebook, meaning our young audience can connect with this and then invites them to watch more.

We also attracted our audience through the use of character, as our cast in the opening are all teenage females and males. Due to our target audience being this age, it allows them to think they will relate to the story, and may feel that this is what they could come across. The use of character addresses our target audience as it is almost a replica of themselves, and shows them how this narrative can happen to anyone.

Evaluation Question 3

Question 3 – What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Our film would be distributed straight to cinemas as we would want to hit a bigger mass audience to earn back our high production budget. An example of a film that has been distributed in this way is Spectre, by Sony. They done this to over 2000 screens worldwide which allowed them to gain back the money they spent.

We want a big distribution company to distribute our film as they have more experience and more money to distribute it. This would mean that they could distribute it to more places and even internationally if the film is a success in Great Britain. This would mean that our profit would increase meaning we will have more money for anything else that we could produce in the future.

Our film would be sold predominantly through cinemas such as Odeon or Cineworld but will also be available at cinemas such as The Everyman which has a lot better screen quality and a whole better experience entirely. As The Everyman was quite a new concept when Spectre was released it would have been very successful when released here, and hopefully our film would have the same impact as most people still haven’t experienced this cinema.

We chose to distribute the film in this way for several reasons. Our main reason was to hit a wider audience and regain the money we put into it, but we also wanted the viewers to get a better experience whilst watching the film as they will get the by going to The Everyman for example.

Secondly, it will make the film available and easily accessible for our main target audience (young to middle age) because there is usually a cinema based in the town close to their homes.

Releasing our film this way would ensure us that we would get our money back as many people go and watch the film in the cinema and then later on buy it on DVD so we are in theory making a double profit which essential to us. We could also release a Blu-ray edition of the film to push our profit even further as this is the best quality to watch at home.

Evaluation Question 2

Question 2 - 

How does your media product represent particular social group?

Our film’s target audience are teenagers and young adults. We have decided to base our film at the younger generations because our film is about social media and technology. Younger people tend to use social media and technology a lot where as older more mature people stereotypically don't use it as much as the younger people. Our film represents mostly school students and younger people. We have decided to add the same amount of woman as the amount of girls. This is because our film represents all sexes and ages. This is because we wanted to aim our film at both boys and girls equally. We wanted to do this so we were able to be relatable for all teens and not just a certain sex. The majority of our cast were young adults/teenagers and only one of our cast was of an older/mature age and this was the hacker. We did this to represent more than just one set of people which were teenagers and we wanted to add a little more diversity in. You can also see for a couple of second that we used a teacher in the class room/cctv camera footage. This has also added to the diversity in age that we have included in our final film as we haven't just chosen to represent school children. Throughout our film we haven't really represented class as our films based on younger children and they don't really have jobs at this age. This was a really hard subject to try and convey through in a film that is based around younger people. However the representation of men is stereotypical i feel, as in our piece the hacker is a male. This is a very stereotypical representation of men through the use of media as they are represented as the ‘killer’ type person. The male is represented as the type of person to avoid and is very stereotypically shown as the person committing a crime or doing something that wouldn't be deem acceptable in society. Although along with this point, we have also broken stereotype as we have shown the main character to me a male which is stereotypically a woman. This has broken the stereotype as it is shown that the leading male is in a vulnerable and targeted position. This has broken the stereotype as it is usually shown that the woman are in these positions most of the time because they ‘can’t protect’ themselves. Where as the male character is shown in a vulnerable place and is shown in a light that makes it look like he can’t fend for himself.  

The film is told through the perspective of the technology user. We have done this to connect with the audience that they are not all safe all of the time. This film is heavily based through the prospect that they will put them selves in this position and think about how they would deal with this if it were them dealing with it. We also did this to represent how vulnerable everyone is even in their own homes. The story is told through the eyes of a young student, along with our age certification of 15, the audience would be at the right age to resonate with the main character and the film is aimed at this age so they are able to connect with the film. The way the film is told, links to our audience through the use of the cast and the subject and theme of the film. We have made our film a thriller because this is a one of the most favoured genres which means that this would encourage a lot of people to watch our film including the younger generations. We have made our film about social media and technology. This is a big thing for younger people and teenagers. This means that these teenagers are going to be interested because the theme of this film is something that they are really interested in. We have aimed our film at this specific age range for this exact reason, because their generation is growing up around technology.   

These two characters have some things in common as they are both victims of hacking and they are both of a young age. As they are both young they are both very into technology and staying online. Most young people now days have start phones (Iphones), laptops, iPads, social media accounts like; Instagram, snapchat, Facebook ect. These characters are very similar and are portrayed in similar ways as they are shown in a naive light. These characters are both being watched and hacked without knowing that they are, which shows the risks of being online and having all of these smart product and being so attached to social media. These character are still both in school and are just at the stage of adolescence.

Evaluation Question 1

Question 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions used in real media products?

In our film opening, we incorporated a few different generic conventions of the thriller genre. For example, we decided to add an enigma immediately to grip the audience’s attention. This is shown in other thriller, such as Ratter, as it is a mystery to the audience, which is a convention. We also displayed the antagonist in our opening quite early on to allow the audience to think about the narrative. Another convention used was the use of music within the opening. The piece of non diegetic sound helps to specify the thriller genre as it builds the tension throughout the clips of victims. The music is quite fast paced which also is a convention of the thriller genre.

Also in our opening, we also made sure our titles were correct and suitable for the generic convention of a thriller. This is because we made sure they were plain and white, which is shown in films like Gone girl and Fast and Furious. Meaning we don’t draw any attention away from the opening and therefore the audience don’t miss anything, but their names are still credited. The titles are placed in the rule of thirds, meaning we didn’t place any in the centre third, apart from the main star in the film. This follows the conventions of the thriller genre.

Through cinematography, 2 of our victim clips were shown to be hand-held. We decided to use this method of filming, as it shows clearly the victims do not know they are being filmed. Which is also influenced by Ratter. The hand-held movement could also show the audience that they are not purposely filming themselves, and the angles also suggest this.

However, our film challenges conventions of thriller films as it shows there are many different characters and isn’t clear there is one main person featured. This isn’t normally the case as thriller film openings are normally focused on one or two protagonists and one antagonist, such as the film Split.

Our Final Film