Greg's Evaluation: Q7

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

In the preliminary task, the main problem we faced was white balance. We kept forgetting to reset the white balance when we relocated and reshoot. We also assumed that white balance only needed changing when going from inside to outside. This led to shots that changed in contrast like below:

To rectify this in the thriller task, we made sure that we set the white balance for each shot we did. In doing this, we ensured that all our shots, both indoors and outdoors, looked pristine.

Another thing which was improved from the preliminary task was our titling. In the preliminary task, we had no titles, because we didn't know how. In the thriller task, we discovered how to add titles, so we added them to the sequence.

We also had some issues with continuity in our preliminary. Play 'spot the difference' with the images below. These two shots were taken on different days.

With our thriller project, we had to film on two separate days. To make sure we kept continuity intact, we made a note on what we were wearing. The only continuity error that is very obvious is hair length. To make hair length isn't a problem, we should shoot on days very close to each other. The shots below were shot on different days.

 

Greg's Evaluation: Q6

Before we did the preliminary task, I had never used the editing software Final Cut Pro before. I had used an HD video camera before, but I barely scratched the surface of what it could do. This is what I learnt. 

The main thing I learnt to do with a video camera was how to set the white balance. I already knew the basics (starting and stopping recording, playback, etc). Before I learnt about white balance, my footage would come out with varying quality. Now I get better quality with my footage, which is useful for if I decide to do filming projects outside of college.

I had never used Final Cut Pro before I started the project. Through the course of the  project, I learnt how to transfer footage onto Final Cut, put it into a timeline, trim the footage, add sound effects and a soundtrack, add titles to the timeline and export the film into a media player (we used QuickTime).

Greg's Evaluation: Q5

Greg's Evaluation: Q4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Our target audience for our thriller opening are male teenagers. I say this because both the characters are teenagers aged 17 and 18.

Greg's Evaluation: Q3

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

Media production companies, like Universal and Disney, are the companies that make the films. Media distributors are the companies that distribute the films, be it in a cinema, on DVD, or digitally. A big example of a media distributor is Netflix. Big media production companies do deals with these companies to get their films out to the public. These distributors only deal with big-budget products, so for our media product, we need a distributor that deals with low-budget products.

 After some research, I discovered that LoveFilm, Pathe, Momentum and Icon all distribute low budget British films. If we wanted to get our product out to the public, we would need to use one of these companies.

We could distribute it ourselves, via Youtube. We can make money on Youtube by letting people advertiise on the video.

Greg's Evaluation: Q2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?  

Our main characters, Jake and Kyle, are both in their late teens (17 years old). Stereotypically, teenager are portrayed as rebellious, rude and loud. We decided that instead of showing these stereotypes, we should challenge the stereotypes.

We made Kyle a guy who is kind and comforting. We show this when Kyle comes over and says 'Well, you said you wanted help moving'. This line tells that Jake didn't 'need' help moving, but instead 'wanted' help, meaning Kyle didn't have to help. But Kyle does, because he is a nice guy and cherishes his friendship with Jake.

Jake has been through a traumatic experience (witnessing his fathers murder), which, through our use of props (the clock) and sound (the audio of the murder), makes the audience feels sorry for him.

Greg's Evaluation: Q1

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

In preparation for the thriller opening project, I had a look at actual thriller openings, like Kill Bill and Se7en. I noticed that these openings did some things similarly. For example, they all used low key lighting and restricted narrative.

The low key lighting creates a feeling of suspense and mystery, which is part of what makes a thriller. The restricted narrative creates enigma and mystery also, which is also part of a thriller. It also keeps the audience guessing what will happen and asking questions, which keeps them watching.

For our thriller piece, we kept used these ideas, especially in the scene when Jake opens the box. We used low-key lighting on Jake's face, and we don't show the scene which he is remembering, only snippets of the audio. These two conventions together create enigma, which is what we were trying to achieve in this. This moment makes the audience ask questions, like 'who killed Jake's father?' and 'why did he/she kill him?'

Best Served Cold

(The Finished Sequence)

Risk Assessment

Filming and Editing Photos

Greg's Editing Decision

Greg's Titling Analysis: The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo

 The titling sequence starts in a dark room with an old man opening a mysterious package. in the package, is a picture of some kind of plant, and he discovers it was sent from Hong Kong. The picture clearly has some meaning to him, though we don't know what. We know this because he starts crying.

 The next shot is a picture of a woman, and we assume the package was related to this woman. We don't know who this woman is or her relation to the old man, but we do know it must be a close relationship, like family

 The title, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, appears over the picture. Because it is the title, we assume she is an important part to the plot, maybe even the main charater

We then cut to this shot as the title fades out. It is of a female with a hood on walking down a street. We think that maybe it is the same girl we saw in the picture. Whoever she is, she certainly doesn't want to be recognised

Greg's Titling analysis: Se7en

The title sequence of Se7en aims to set the dark and disturbing tone of the film. It achieves this in a few ways

 The text in the sequence jumps around the screen and also looks like it was handwritten. Sometimes the text gets inverted. This gives us a sense that the film is based around an unstable mind. It also fits with what is happening in the sequence, which shows him making a scrapbook of the crimes he's committed

 We also get some disturbing imagery. For example, there is a shot of this strange character using a razor so cut off this skin of his fingers. there is also a shot of someones hands, which have been broken and mutilated

 There is also this shot, which adds to the disturbing theme. It shows a man washing a cloth or something similar. Some colour is coming off the cloth, and we assume it is blood.

 The title is the same as the rest of the text, but in all caps. It also jumps around more than the rest of the text.

 The shot then fades into a shot of the character taking a book or something out of a box. This maybe him starting the scrapbook

Greg's Titling analysis: Kill Bill

 The title sequence starts with a sound bridge of a gunshot when Uma Thurman's character gets shot

 It cuts straight into white text (as seen above), the black background shows us that she is in a coma or dead, as black is a colour that represents death

 The text gets a little bigger after it fades into the next title.

We see a fade to the title, which is bigger than the other titles.