Media Evaluation Questions

Media Evaluation

In what ways does my media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (Link to Prezi)

How does my media product represent particular social groups?

Our film opening’s characters are all somewhere between the ages of adolescence and adulthood, but the theme of a post-apocalyptic world creates the idea that modern stereotypes and social groups are redundant as everyone is fighting for survival, which creates a social group of people who are forced to mature quickly and wise up, often beyond their years.



 The two main characters of my opening scene.










In the film ‘The Book Of Eli’ the main character is presented as someone who is alone and as a result his character is forced to abandon all expected stereotypes and fend for himself. This aspect of the characters, however, is open to interpretation to maintain the mysterious atmosphere of our opening.


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

The film companies and distributors we created – entitled ‘Steamtrain Productions’ and ‘Abandon Ship Distribution’, respectively, connote the rough, industrial ambience of our opening.

Our film opening is a dark thriller which is enjoyed by a wide range of audiences so it is suitable for production by both small independent companies such as Working Title, and large-scale producers such as Universal. Personally, I feel that our film opening would benefit from production by a smaller independent companies as though larger-budget films from larger production companies sell more I think that an independent company would not over-embellish the film and it would retain some of its natural grittiness which I find effective. Ways to distribute our film could also be through online means such as sites like Netflix who offer an online film service, whilst other (free) video services such as Youtube could be used for advertisement purposes such as showing a trailer for the film, and this could also be used as a method of gaining feedback.


Who would be the audience for my media product? (Link to Prezi)


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

Technologically I feel that I have become much more confident with the process of editing and sound work. We originally used Mac computers to edit but found this difficult because we hadn’t used the editing software on there before, so we changed to using Windows and the program Sony Vegas Pro because we didn’t want to compromise the quality of the end product by using unfamiliar equipment. We did, however, use Macs to create the first draft of our film which gave us a wider experience with different editing software, which is beneficial for the future if we choose to use Macs as they are generally regarded as more credible when it comes to film editing. We used a Panasonic Lumix G2 DSLR camera to shoot the footage for both our rough drafts and our final product. These kinds of cameras are used in independent films as they provide a more rough homemade feel to films as they are handheld. They also produce professional-style footage as they can change the depth of field used within a shot, allowing the focus to be changed. The files are also easy to upload and edit which was beneficial as most of our group was unfamiliar with this style of camera.


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

Our final product.

Our preliminary task.

Overall, I feel that I have learnt much more about the dynamics of camera angles and lighting within a shot than I did before, which is a crucial part of both our film opening and film in general. I have also become more confident with editing software and layering sounds within a clip, both of which are an integral skill in creating a film. It is evident from looking at the original rough cut footage of our film opening compared with the final film edit that each member of our group has become more confident in acting, directing and shooting footage than before, and the quality of our film has improved greatly as a result. Another factor in improving our film is that between filming the original rough cut and the final cut we improved the location and the aesthetic surroundings which is probably the most important factor of our film opening as a whole. I have also become better at finding film openings with genres that would relate to our product which I can often use to make improvements to our film opening. Overall, I feel we created a credible film opening within the thriller genre which would be enjoyed by our target audience and also be widely marketable.

Final Product Re-Edit

Re-Edited Final Product

The film was edited again as the credits needed extending as they were not long enough. This only increases the video by one second. One of the major problems raised when asking a sample of the target audience was that the credits and the sudden change in scene separated the opening and made it seem like two unconnected events other than two different character perspectives.

Final Film Opening (Us And Them)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPna0HT54Tg&feature=relmfu

According to viewers, one of the areas to improve within the opening is the fact that it is reminiscent of a trailer rather than a film opening. This is probably because of the numerous fade-out shots and the fact that the opening fades to black to show the credits.

Opening W/ Sound (No credits)

Final Opening (No Credits)

'Signs' Credit Order

TouchStone Pictures Logo
Blinding Edge pictures logo
Touchstone Pictures presents
A Blinding Edge Pictures/Kennedy/Marshall production
(Main Actor) Mel Gibson
(Main Actor) Joaquin Pheonix
(Movie Title) SIGNS
(Supporting Actor) Cherry Jones
(Supporting Actor) Rory Culkin
(Supporting Actors) Abigail Breslin. Patricia Kalember
Casting by Dougles Aibel
Music by James Newton Howard


We will follow this institution design by using a similar credit order, starting with the distribution company e.t.c.

New Film Location

The new location is aesthetically more effective and appealing in terms of our film being set in a post-apocalyptic environment. The location is going to be the setting for the first half of the opening scene, and will show the first character and his involvement within the storyline whilst still maintaining a mysterious aspect. The other half of the opening is somewhat of a contrast and will focus on the other main character on a table with a light shining on them.

The natural darkness and dilapidated look of the setting provide an aesthetically appealing backdrop.

Little work was required to dress the scene as the area isn't well-maintained which adds to the idea of the world being post-apocalyptic.

The dark lighting coupled with the overhead lighting shows the length of the room and adds tension.

Synopsis Of New Film Opening

The film opening is split into two narratives; the first focusing on an as-yet-unknown character sitting  in an abandoned underpass, typing on a laptop. As the scene progresses it becomes apparent that some unseen person is watching his every move. The scene cuts as the main character runs away; leaving behind his laptop in the process.

This then cuts directly to the second character's narrative: a young girl who is tied to a chair and gagged for unknown reasons. A shadowy figure than approaches her and it is strongly implied that he tortures her. Whilst his back is turned, the second character unties herself, grabs a weapon and stabs him before freeing herself and running out of shot, where it cuts the title of the film.

Feedback

Annotate the rough cut using the annotate tool.

New storyboard.

Clearer synopsis.

Sound.

Discuss in more detail the films we have been inspired by,

Viewer feedback.

Opening Credits

Credit order
'SteamTrain productions' logo (fade in/out)
Abandonship distribution' logo (fade in/out)
First actor 'Sam Broadway' (fade in/out, over video)
Second Actor 'Poppy May' (fade in/out, over video)
Title (fade in/out, over video)
Minor actors (fade in/out, over video)
Sound credit (fade in/out, over video)
Director of Cinematography (fade in/out, over video)
Director of Sound (fade in/out, over video)
Chief Editor (fade in/out, over video)

I need to work out at which times each credit will appear on screen.

Steampunk Style Analysis

Our films' costume is heavily influenced by steampunk culture and style. Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy.We are focusing more on the Victorian-era clothing aspect (waistcoats, jackets with coattails etc) but will incorporate the metal/industrial accessories in a manner that is not as clean-cut and perfect, as our movie is set in a post-apocalypse landscape and the costumes should reflect this struggle for survival while still maintaining the unique steampunk style.

Above are some examples of typical steampunk outfits. 

Rough Cut 2 - Viewer Interview

An interview with an anonymous viewer of the second draft of the media opening. The anonymous viewer is 16 and is within our target audience age (approximately 15+)

The fact that it is filmed with a handheld style so it adds to the suspense and it was obvious that it was fast paced.

0:37 shot of the door being kicked open is dramatic. The shot is to long and lingers after the character has left the frame; this diminishes the pace of the film and makes it seem less frantic.

0:33 It is an effective shot and gives the film a faster pace.

0:06 the shot at 0:10 shows to much area to the right which gets rid of the claustrophobic feel of the film.

1:02 this first person shot makes you feel as if you are part of the action. It makes you think about who the characters are that are watching.

Rough Cut 2

This is the second rough cut for the film introdution. Areas that we wish to improve are that it doesn't focus on the main characters enough and that some of the shots are slower than we wanted which makes the scene feel more dull instead of fast-paced and full of action. The scene also becomes at times difficult to understand so in the final cut we will focus more on making the narrative clearer to the viewers.

Feedback

I need to define what the steam punk genre is - visual examples.

Show rough footage.

Add into storyboard when the titles will occur.

Filming: tomorrow.

Organise, edit and research sound.

New shooting location

We had to choose a new location to shoot as the original one became unavailable to us. We will have to clear the things off of the tables and arrange some props to make it look more futuristic, and to appear like people were inhabiting the location (wires scattered, etc.)
We must also create a small alcove which the main characters can hide within.

Second draft

We have organised the final script and camera shots around the new location for our film opening and filmed the second draft. One of the main issues that occurred was that we did not have all of the props that we required to shoot the scene. The revised script and camera shots, however, worked well within our second shooting.

The costumes did not give the effect desired and we are re-designing what each characters' costume will be like (still focusing on the steam punk genre). We decided that we will mainly be focusing on small steam punk elements such as accessories.

Names

The production company will be called 'SteamTrain' because of the steampunk elements within the film and also it reflects the more industrial post-apocalyptic future we wish to portray in our opening.
'Us and Them' will be the title because of the main conflict between two separate forces against each other and it also adds a sense of enigma.
'Abandon Ship Distribution' will be the distribution company, as it reflects the urgency and suspense that will be in our film opening and also again has the connotation with industrialism and machinery.

Ideas feedback

Used a website called 'Omegle.com' (a site which allows you to talk to a random person on the internet, which is an advantage as it make the study completely biased as we have no previous connection to the person we were talking to) to pitch our idea for our film opening. Explained the main concept and asked if there was any improvements that could be done. The person asked said they were 16 so they fit into our target audience.

Discussion

We discussed that we need to interview people to determine who the most appropriate target audience would be and  what viewers would expect and want from our film opening based on the ideas we already have.

Updated shooting script

Shot Number	Description and Duration	Sound/Dialogue
1	Establishing shot of the outside of the Factory. Long shot.	A monologue narrated by Elliot explaining the backstory of what happened to him. (Cut)
2	Establishing shot of a pan around the inside of the factory. Showing the main characters on the inside working at a table.	The monologue continues to explain the situation. (Cut)
3	Establishing shot of the soldiers approaching from a distance. Long shot following	The monologue continues to explain. (Cut)
4	Mid shot of the soldiers approaching.	The monologue continues (Cut)
5	Reaction shots of the people inside of the factory because of the soldiers approaching.	The monologue continues Pause so the characters inside the factory can react. (Cut)
3	Shot of soldiers running toward the camera. Soldiers are wearing black gas/surgical type masks. Soldiers wearing heavy black clothing carrying guns of some kind. 3 seconds	Diegetic sound of feet running on pavement. Non-diegetic soundtrack continues. (Cut)
4	Long shot of the main door as the soldiers move toward the door. One of the either sides of the door and the third kicks through the door.	Monologue continues until the door is kicked through. (Cut)
5	Long shot of the door from the inside of the factory. The door kicks through and the soldiers move in and through.	Monologue stops Diegetic sound of the door being kicked open. (Cut)
5	Mid shot of the soldiers moving through the factory. The camera is low down and has a slightly low angle shot.	Diegetic sound of footsteps and organised orders Non-Diegetic  suspense music (Cut)
6	Over the shoulder shot of the soldier looking over the soldier checking the over an object.	Diegetic sound of footsteps Non-Diegetic suspense music. (Cut)
7	POV shot from behind one something of the soldiers coming together.	Diegetic breathing of the person. (Cut)
8	Mid shot of the soldiers as they meet in the middle.	Dialogue of the soldiers. (Cut)
9	Close up of an object rolling out from nowhere.	Diegetic sound of the object rolling. (Cut)
10	Over the shoulder shot of the soldier aiming his gun at the object as it rolls.	Diegetic sound (Cut)
11	Long shot of the two people jumping out from behind a box.	Non-Diegetic sound (cut)
12	Long shot of the soldiers running away from the factory.	Monologue starts near the end of the shot. (Fade into a flash back)
13	POV shot from ‘Leaf’s’ perspective. Surgeons looking down onto the camera. Surgeons wearing masks and white coats with scalpels. Blurred.	Monologue talks over. (Fade to black)
14	Track across the surgery room looking at ‘leaf’ strapped to the table. The surgeons have their backs to the camera leaning over into her.	Monologue continues over. (Fade to black)
15	Black screen	Loud diegetic sound of commotion and loud sirens. (Fade in)
16	The two people running away from surgeons and soldiers chasing them .	Diegetic sound of gunshots and shouts.

The shooting script describes each camera angle and the dialogue used in the opening. This had to be changed because the original shooting script didn't work with new location.

Set

On Wednesday 25th we will empty the set (a warehouse) and decorate it to fit the theme of the film. To portray the 'post-apocalyptic/futuristic' themes we will use old wires and dilapidated machinery scattered in seemingly random places, and try to create the effect that the warehouse is abandoned and derelict. We will then begin filming at the end of Wednesday.

Feedback

I need to add more detail to my blog in regards to things such as lighting, sound, and general aesthetics, and also link together my blog posts more clearly, and also make it clear which person in my group was responsible for each part of our film opening.

Additional scenes (rough idea)

We need to extend the opening. We are going to show a few establishing shots with a monologue explaining what has happened and why. After the monologue comes an action scene, whereafter the monologue begins again and introduces a flashback where 'Leaf' is being tested on by scientists for her powers. Elliot then finds this out and breaks her out of the Lab, where the flashback ends. 

Character details and backstories

Elliot Grainger

Born: 2995
Age: 18
Born a year after the apocalypse into a society of some the last remaning humans which came to be known as 'the oppressors', he broke away at the age of seventeen to join the army of mutants known as 'the rebellion' as he disagreed with the violant manner that the oppresors were treating them, and the fact that the mutants were captured and tested on for research purposes. He possesses superhuman intelligence which more than makes up for his lack of physical strength and makes him a valuable asset to the mutants.
After escaping the opressor's laboratory with 'Leaf', a captured mutant he took pity on, they found a small group of mutants which they decided to join. The mutants were initially sceptical and suspicious of him as he was a human, but he was eventually accepted into the group where he began his training and aid in the rebellion, being used to create new machinery and weapons to surpass the oppressors and using his knowledge of their technology to find their weaknesses.



Alias- 'Leaf'
Actual name- Unknown
Born-2995 Age-18

Very little is known about this mysterious character other than the fact she is a mutant capable of telekenetic powers; even her real name is a mystery as she simply goes by the alias 'Leaf', so named because she is one of the few mutants who have ever seen them due to the apocalyptic environment destroying most of the nature on the planet.

Born a natural mutant as opposed to those who were once human and changed by the radiation effects of the apocalypse, she began training in the rebellion army at the age of five. During her training her telekinetic powers revealed themselves which makes her a valuable asset within the rebellion, who train her to focus her powers into the destruction of the oppressors. She is an orphan as her mother died in childbirth and her father was captured, tested on, and eventually killed by the oppressors.

She was once captured by the oppressors at the age of seventeen, where Elliot, who was working as a trainee surgeon at the time, saw for the first time the inhumane way they were experimenting on the mutants and set her free, escaping with her. They became close friends after joining the small rebellion army they fight for, and they often work together on covert missions.

First animatic storyboard

The first animatic storyboard showing the initial ideas for camera angles, length of camera shots and a rough idea of what happens in the first scene aesthetically.

Camera angles/shots

Shot Number	Description and Duration	Sound/Dialogue
1	Establishing shots of the front of a warehouse that slowly pan out until the full front of the warehouse is shown. Close-up shots that pan and zoom out into a long shot. 20 seconds.	Non-diegetic soundtrack (music - subtle, eerie music that becomes heavier and more rock-oriented as the scene progresses)Voiceover/monologue explaining the setting and situation. (Cut)
2	Panning shot across soldiers legs as they run from right to left. 3 seconds	Diegetic sound of the soldiers footsteps and their clothing. Non-diegetic soundtrack continued. (Cut)
3	Shot of soldiers running toward the warehouse. Soldiers are wearing black gas/surgical type masks. Soldiers wearing heavy black clothing carrying guns of some kind. 4 seconds.	Diegetic sound of feet running on pavement. Non-diegetic soundtrack continues. (Cut)
4	Long shot of the inside of the door closed which then pans out quickly as the door is smashed open by the soldiers; which then run in to the room toward the camera. 4 seconds	Non-diegetic soundtrack stops to add suspense. Diegetic sound of the door bursting open loudly. (Cut)
5	Long shot of the inside of the room aimed at the door. POV from behind boxes showing the viewer that someone is watching. The soldiers run into the large space in organised soldier form. 8 seconds	Diegetic sound of footsteps and organised orders. Diegetic sound of light breathing. (Cut)
6	Close up shot of the soldiers black booted feet with a small rustic grenade being rolled toward them from behind the camera. 4/5 seconds.	Diegetic rolling sound. (Cut)
7	Over the shoulder shot of the soldier aiming at the smoke bomb which is excreting the smoke. 3 seconds.	Non-diegetic music continued from beginning of scene. Diegetic sound of smoke escaping from the bomb. Soldier exclaiming “It’s a smoke bomb, get out” etc… (Cut)
8	Long shot of the boxes/objects which the main protagonists emerge from/behind and run toward the camera (5 seconds)	Non-diegetic soundtrack (music becomes slightly more epic, heavier). Diegetic sound of boxes falling (Cut)
9	Over the shoulder shot from the soldier looking at the two main characters running from right to left. During this they are being shot at.	Non-diegetic soundtrack Diegetic gunshots Sound of running (fade)

Rough cut

First edit of the rough cut. Shows us which shots are more effectively used in the scene and that to portray the narrative better a few changes to the storyboard and shots are required. The scene was also shot in a different location to the one which was initially planned, so changes to the camera angles and aesthetic surroundings were required to achieve the affect we wanted.

Rough cut with colour balance

Testing the camera angles and shots potentially used in the finished film.