Typography

We have taken out a questionnaire to our target audience to see which font they believe would suit our opening title sequence best. These were the options:

After asking around 20 people in the range of 16-25, in result we found that the font number 5 was the most popular. So therefore this is the one we are going to use as it matches our concept the best.

.

Call sheet

Shot log

Shoot schedule

Story board

Health and Safety Risk Assessment

Thriller typography

All the fonts above are a typical thriller genre typography for titles of films. They all use a similar style and when the audience see the title with this style they would automatically associate with the thriller genre this is down to the conventions on thriller. The typography is simple and bold, it stands out to an audience and attracts the audience straight away. The colour schemes are usually red, white or black, the carry the connotations of danger and blood, some may be slightly blurred to give a sense of mystery. Some typography's can hint the narrative.

Analysis of The Departed

Conventions
The opening sequence of the film, is set in Boston in 1970’s time area (New York City) where violence and fighting are out of control on the streets. This is good opening to a thriller film especially for a sub-genre crime/thriller, which fits The Departed very nicely. The music is The Rolling Stones – “Gimme Shelter”

2.    Sound – the sound thought the beginning of the film uses non – diegetic sounds, to a feel for the movie and it adds to the theme of movie also. Then a slow voice over comes in with Jack Nicholson’s character with a diegetic sound of the background of the fighting and the police vans, then a music track begins with the voice over is going. There a line that’s predominately repeating within the opening of the film “war it’s just a shot away” this signifies that the movie is going to be violent involving fighting and weapons. Also theirs is a sound bridge thought out the opening of the movie; it’s the music track in the background plays between the scenes.   

Camera Techniques – the beginning shows the audience an racial tensions in Boston within the 1970’s, a medium shot use to show the fighting, then a pan shot is uses to a group of Americas with signs. There several quick cuts from the action back to fighting on the streets within the background the audience can see a man carrying the America flag, which symbolises that America in 1970’s is very violence and out of control also it shows a American wants to have human rights like rest of the people. A close-up is uses on the word “NO” painted on a bin. A establishing shot of Boston shortly after the footage of the beginning then cuts a zoom in shot of a street, the audience sees a mystery character (at this time) with black sunglasses an panning shot is uses whist he’s walking back and forwards in the shop as the camera is doing that, it’s keeping a nice medium close-up of him. Through the opening of the movie, the mystery character is also in a darker lighting to the other characters to create an enigma code for this character and to introduce him a negative light as the young version of Matt Damon’s character is in a light background and later we see the mystery character breaking into the light, using a low angle shot it shows that he’s trying to make the young character a bad guy then cuts to the tiles.     

Mise en Scene – the characters thought out the beginning of the movie is wearing 1970’s clothes baggy bottoms, pole shirts and a stranded suit for the mystery character. The setting is New York Boston 1970 is a common choice for crime/thriller films because of the events that took placed there, this also a version of the of the 1970’s at its worst time. 

Conventions of a thriller

What is a thriller film?
A genre of film that uses: suspense, tension and excitement as the 3 main elements.
Some subgenres of thriller are: mystery, crime and psychological issues.

Purpose?
A thriller is a film that provides thrills for the audience. The audience should be engaged and on the edge of their seats. The aim of a thriller is to create suspense and excitement for the audience. The narrative revolves around the investigation of an enigma.

Setting
The setting differs between the different narratives. This meas when deciding on where to set the film there is a lot of choice. Thrillers will create a sense of suspense, tension and uncertainty. They will create this effect by using different key lighting, music and shot types. Usually made up of complex narrative and false paths, clues and resolutions.

Characters
In thrillers include convicts, criminals, stalkers, assassins, down-on-their-luck losers, innocent victims (often on the run), prison inmates, menaced women, characters with dark pasts, psychotic individuals, terrorists, cops and escaped cons, fugitives, private eyes, drifters, duplicitous individuals, people involved in twisted relationships, world-weary men and women, psycho-fiends, and more. These types of character roles either help build suspense such as the resourceful hero who manages to escape near impossible situations. Or the Psychologically Insane who creates these impossible situations or just keeps suspense as the audience is unaware of what he might do next.

Narrative
The tension usually arises when the main character or characters is placed in a menacing situation or mystery, or an escape or dangerous mission from which escape seems impossible. Life itself is threatened, usually because the principal character is unsuspecting or unknowingly involved in a dangerous or potentially deadly situation. Plots of thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces - the menace is sometimes abstract or shadowy.

Pitching film idea

Pitching Film Idea on Prezi

Analysis of the opening of Once upon a time in a wild west

Analysis of the opening of Once upon a time in a wild west.
Representation The opening sequence of this film is represented in Western America, this is shown through the landscapes with the different types of shots and you can hear the different accents represented with Western America within this opening. From looking at the opening you can see that they are located in a poverty area as they are shown negatively, through the way the dress and where they are located, it is also shown that through the way the elderly man selling tickets is being threatened. You can see that the film is a male dominated film, by the main characters are mainly male.

Media language I wouldn't say there is loads of media language. I would say sounds, the opening is mainly made up of tension thrilling sounds, and they do this with the sound, the lighting, the shots and the cuts. They use water droplets and humming for the tension building sounds, they use high key lighting to show the dessert which therefore establishes the location. They use iconography; using cowboy costumes, locations within a desert and the typical man cowboy thing of guns and fighting which are mainly seen in Western films.

Genre In connection with what I have just said the genre is obviously Western from the stereotypical things that occurred in the opening titles sequence, the costumes and locations suggest the genre. The music also suggests this, and then the fighting signifies this.

Narrative The opening title sequence is very slow and shows basic boring content, I am surprised at how basic the opening titles of this genre are more full on and full of action.

Audience From observing the opening titles of this film I believe the audience is male, as it is a male dominated film and I think that western films are usually towards a male target audience, this is shown through women are not usually associated with guns and fighting. I think it would be towards a middle aged man, as the younger males are not stereotypically associated with western cowboys.

Analysis of Cape Fear

Cape Fear Analysis

Cape Fear is a film which was released in 1991, it tells the story of a convicted rapist who seeks vengeance against a former public defender whom he blames for his 14-year imprisonment due to purposefully faulty defense tactics used during his trial.

Sound

Diegetic sound – The only use of diegetic sound in this clip is when the women starts speaking towards the end of the credits. The diegetic sound being used is on screen. (Diegetic sound can either be on screen or off screen, the defence is that we see the person or object making the sound on screen for on screen diegetic sound and off screen we do not see where the sound is coming from)

Non-diegetic sound – Most of the sound in these opening credits are non-diegetic. (Sound, which we do not recognise as the film world) The sound being used is a soundtrack with creepy/spooky music being played. The music sounds like it could be being played by an orchestra, as you can hear the different instruments, as more and more instruments join in the sound becomes stronger and creates more tension and suspense for the audience.

Camera shots

The camera shots in this clip are close up on the water which is what the main section of the opening credits are based on. The camera shows the water rippling and the light reflecting of it. Toward the end when the women starts to speak the camera slowly starts zooming out to reveal more of her face until you can see the top half of the body.

Lighting

The lighting is mainly used on the water rippling throughout most of the opening credits. The light is shone down on the water to enhance the ripples and to make them look smoother in the water.

Editing

Editing has been done so it looks like images/videos are reflecting in the water. This creates a scene of mystery for the audience and also makes them wonder why these images/videos are being reflected and what meaning they have in the film. Also editing has been made to the colour when the women’s face first comes on the screen the colours slowly change from red to blue until it is back to a normal face colour.

Props

There are a few props used in this film’s opening credits. The main prop being an eagle, which swoops low against the water at the beginning of the credits. The eagle is one of the images that are reflected in the water.

Credits

The credits are displayed against the water, the font imitates the water because it is split in the middle so one half of the text is slightly out of line compared to the other half imitating the ripples in the water.

Genre

We choose the genre of Thriller as we believe this was the genre we have the most experience of, as we had all watched a lot of this genre films. Our idea took us a while to get to grips, as we had an idea but it was simple and we thought it would be too easy to do, so we kept re-drafting the idea and adding more complex ideas and through all of our groups ideas we came up with this idea which works so well!

Analysis of Children Of Men opening.

Children of Men opening.

Representation: Where is being represented?

London is being represented as an extremely modernised city. It is set in 2017. London is being represented very negatively it is shown as loud, polluted, unfriendly dangerous city, it is shown through the characters behaviour and appearance, camera work, lighting sound and editing.

Who:

The man portrayed, as our hero does not fit the established ideas of what a hero should be. For example, the stereotype of a hero is a friendly, strong, handsome man or beautiful woman whereas, this man is not considerate of other people around him nor does he care for the negative news report on television in the café. He is not bothered by anything around him even when the bomb explodes he does not run towards the café or towards those injured he simply jumps and slowly walks towards the café still emotionally detached.

How are women represented within the extract?

Women are represented in the film ’Children of the men‘ as weak due to the fact that they can no longer produce children which only women could do in the first place which is also, a negative representation of London 2027.

How is the future represented and are there any other social groups or places that you notice?

The future is represented as a negative world it shows failure, a dirty polluted world that has modernized way to far, from to much new technology. There are no visible social groups represented in the opening scene as it its only a few minutes long and mainly focuses on our ‘hero’ and the bomb explosion. The places that are shown are way to busy possible in central London where business/working class citizens are commuting to work.

This representation is constructed by central London’s culture for example, black cabs, red buses, the infamous red telephone box, historical buildings in sight. The lighting within Children of the men is very dark and dismal possibly to blend in with the typical English weather of clouds.

Media Language: there isn’t much dialogue in the opening scene apart from the negative new report therefore, the dark lighting could be blending in with the negative text. This could affect the audience by encouraging them to feel the negative vibe that the characters within the scene seem to be feeling so, that the audience relate to the film. The camera work within the film is constantly focusing on the man who could possibly be our ‘hero’ and quite obviously a main character for example, when the man is in the café surrounded by other members of the public he is still the centre image.

A lot of the camera work consists of mid shots and close up shots to mainly capture the characters facial expressions but, also capture some of the background within the setting. The camera appears to be on a crane zooming into the man alleged to be our main character/hero not disturbing the picture. However, the camera work unfortunately does not confirm any expectations of a major feature film. The editing in the opening scene works alongside the text and setting. It affects the text by showing short, sad moments.

The sound in the opening scene has been constructed in a particular way because; the street doesn’t appear to be as busy as it sounds which implies non-diegetic sound along with a diegetic sound. As well as thus music has been added to the news report on the death of ‘baby Diego’, which constructs the films story line.

Mise-En-Scene: Everything within the scene, props in the café; coffee maker, televisions, cups, a dog, glasses. Outside; buildings, cars, motorized rickshaws, electricity boxes, telephone boxes, street lamps. The locations have been created to look natural, to look as the future major city, London, is imagined or alleged to be, busy surroundings, working class people, polluted and very modern.

What type of film do you think this is, from the clip you’ve been shown?

-  Mystery/Fantasy: Plot of human infertility, film set in 2027.

-  Drama/Action: Bomb explosion and intense character development.

Narrative: What is noticeable about the narrative structure?

The narrative structure is the opening scene of a film. It is noticeable that in the narrative structure for Children of the men there is no image only dialogue of the news report in the café. All the reports we hear are negative stories.

Does it fulfill your expectations of what an opening scene should be/include?

I think it includes what it needs to,  it increases anticipation to see what is being heard however with a plot such as this you expect to see continuous action or action right from the beginning.

Audience: Who is the target audience?

Young adults to 40-50 year olds. Particularly 18-21 year olds as that is the age range focused on within the film and age is the main focus within the plot of Children of the men.

What is there to attract different audiences for example, age, gender or lifestyle?

Gender: Women/girls attraction to the film’s intense fantasy plot. Without women children would not be created and born and vice versa for men/boys. The attraction to this audience would be witnessing such a loss, the end of humanity.

Film terms

As Preliminary Task Evaluation.

I think that our final film sequence was very successful, definitely demonstrates the rules of continuity editing, we all showed great initiative. The continuity editing worked well the film flowed together really well and I was very happy with the final outcome.

Our final outcome I was very happy with although there were some points that may have needed more time put into it or needed to be rethought for example when Leah is tapping the pen in the back ground the clock doesn't actually fit in time with the with Leah’s tapping if we had more time we would have looked a lot more into the tapping and make it perfect timing. Another point would be that half way through James’ changed his clothes which isn't to noticeable but it still stands out. The main point would be that we didn't actually follow the brief ‘continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door; crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character; with whom she/he then shot/reverse shot and the 180˚ rule’ we followed most of it such as continuity editing, character opening a door, walking but James’ doesn't actually cross the room nor sit down, and James’ and Leah don’t actually have a conversation, Leah doesn't actually speak.

With our story board we actually followed it completely. We didn't lose any aspects nor add anymore, everything worked perfectly.

I have learnt to film with correct terminology for example when filming me, Kirsty and Leah all used the correct film terms such as using the shot reverse shot between Leah and James’ which works well and using like ‘close up’ ‘extreme close up’ it just sort of came naturally when speaking although I haven’t done media before. Through the editing stage I have learnt to add titles, but mainly I learnt how to superimpose the clock onto Leah’s piece of filming I did this by changing the opacity of both images.

The key lessons I have learned by doing the preliminary task would be the terms I am using just as normal conversation now, they just come naturally which will help me in more media lessons. In the editing stages the main new aspects I have learned I will take forward and use them in future now, such as in my main task I will take forward of the work I have learnt in the preliminary task.

Preliminary task.

Initial Task

We have just finish our first task, I really enjoyed doing this task and I cant wait to do the next one.
In this task I have learnt the following-how to use finial cut express and within this I have learnt how to trim a clip, how to insert transitions, key frames, the pen tool, to add titles, deselecting, and exporting clips.  I have learnt how to import clips of the two different cameras and finally Soundtrack pro is another programme I have learnt to use, exporting and finding different clips within the programme! I really liked the group I was put with as they liked being videoed and I don't really have  the confidence to do this.

First Blog.

Hello!This is my first ever blog. So I am not really sure what to write.
I am a year 12 student, I'm excited about this new media course, as this is my first time I have done media and I'm loving it already! So far we have done our promotional video on our school, I liked making the video, I liked my group as they didn't mind being videoed and I seem to be a lot more shy then they are! I love learning to do all the editing on the Mac's on final cut programme, as I love to learn new things as I have never done anything like this before. Can't wait for more!
First blog done!