Gregor Sharp's Evaluation

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

Before making our film we researched other films that were of the same genre as ours. These included films such as Final Destination.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v4osKSQrrk&ytsession=Ed-Dn-qIF1GMvZZb_h0E4HNsXj2oitXyvZfolMP5Xjs6CCBQkzAQRmVhA7pF5v4XHTnVJHMcaTFz1YHuqFwGeAMwW-ZzGd2hqtcqC3je8fjyBWyIQfr0_oTtcBvXGk1Sa_tVSL8y0wCO6EeibNa4cdClCvQ8H8vesFX5ptMBHy6T49hKUi2TsILww8mY-bQuJs1PxK352Vj_GDlW-cLFIZdVl0l7VULIFRp_BFUO2iA1gWl_2Jxx6dEjDNOM9ZTlHnE3RjQZ8V4
Here is a screen shot of an example of teen horror.




We realised that we would be unable to create something on this scale so we began to think about how to set the mood that people would think something was going to happen. We had a build up of things that are included in films such as the above. This included someone with a problem on their mind, a girlfriend (which is almost always included) and the fear of death or something terrible happening. Also we used music to build up the suspense which is a major part in films of this sort. We took the thrills of a horror and developed this and then put the teen side of things in to make the teen horror. One example of a horror technique is not being able to see the danger but knowing it is there. That was our aim and I think that we were successful in putting that across. We got this idea from the film Jaws which is not in the same genre but managed to bring across the feeling that we wanted in our product.


2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The people represented in our film are examples of people that are troubled and that believe that paranormal activity is following them. Here is a URL of a higher end film that acheived this effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSSqxrh5kp8&ytsession=RitPzxgrcrzZ2RkxcMrMls02IXKTiiXj3e08EXk8OsbQfxHXBeMhx1jPVFoZxdpsNWDbzgxXauezxa0qgxlsAWf2_Mc2lqPzp4yNrYca-9Y0kt5lsdva--J1aXcKHW4K7sTYd_GfIPKqxLev0EEdbr_lbUXeOJUfngxtOms22ofBnwOM8LCez2UQE87v7juZa8LbadsaQJpW824gMkvD4AM1Nf8X72c-e7gChoZi8I7gLcdbElyB7KdIL8efG2Hw4pmTo-pNoYw

We made a 2 minute opening scene of a film. This film was of the genre teen horror. The elements of this genre are suspense, thrill and surprise. I think that these elements have been included in our final product. An example of the suspense is the music that creates a tense atmosphere on the silent walk, of thrill there is the final scene where Charles gets killed and of surprise is the fact that Lisa disappears in the last shot meaning adding the possibility that it was her that killed him.
Personally I think that this is what the people that enjoy watching these films (who we are representing) will enjoy this scene as it still leaves them on the edge of their seats as still you don't see the killer.
And finally the characters in the film are representing people of their age. This is done by using the clothes that are used by teenagers and girlfriends that they trust etc.


Other films that also represent these particular social groups include Final destination and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre -


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

For the distribution of our media product we chose to use New Line Cinema. This was decided after watching video clips on YouTube. The signature of New Line Cinema fitted very well with the theme/mood of our film. For example we tried using Paramount but the mood that it created was just simply too happy for our intended atmosphere. When we saw New Line Cinema we thought that it was dark enough and was silent enough to help create the serious mood that we wanted. Here is a comparison of the two signatures:
























Then we researched what other films along the same lines as ours that they had distributed. The results were films such as Final Destination:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v4osKSQrrk
This meant that our media product might be of interest to them as it was the same genre as others that they had been involved with. Not only have they used this genre before but it has also been successful therefore increasing the interest of distributing our media product.



4) Who would be the audience for your media product?

The people that we had to aim our product at were those people that enjoy watching horror films. We had to decide which age range that we were going to target before we started filming our media product. The main reason for this is that if we had chosen to target the audience of the age of 12 and above then we might have had to change some material that included bad language etc. This to us did not really affect our story line as there was no footage that was shot that could be seen as insensitive or inappropriate for viewers of certain ages. There are no shots with bad language etc as we did not think that it was necessary to having a wide audience. This is because we made sure that the story had elements that attracted viewers of all ages. These included death for the viewers of 18+, there was a step up in to the world of horror films for the people that have just finished watching films of 12+ and there was the ground in between for those that watch films of 15+.
Eventually we decided that 15+ was a good age group to aim for because that gave us the largest audience. People that are over this age group will definitely still watch films of this genre that have a lower age limit and people that are under this intended age group will also get to watch it as they watch films that are above their actual age. This is the symbol that would be displayed showing people which age group this media product is aimed at and who will be allowed to watch it.



5) How did you attract/address your audience?

When making the film we had to decide on which techniques would be most effective in attracting our audience. By using people in our year to act meant that people would find the story easy to relate to because the characters involved are of the same age as the target audience. This is due to the life that is lived during school and the trusting relationship between boy and girl. We also used a trusting media distributor because people trust that New Line Cinema distribute good films meaning that they will be interested in our film. The film is an informal address to the viewers. This is shown by the conversation over the phone at the beginning is between a boyfriend and girlfriend and does not include language of a formal fashion.




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



In the making of our media product I have learnt to use the software Adobe Premier Elements 2.0.




This software is the one that we used to edit and make changes to our footage. Before I was able to make any changes I had to be able to upload the footage on to the computer from the video camera that it was currently on. I did this by using a card reader which is connected to the computer with a USB end. From then it is just a simple dragging task from the folder containing the cards media to the computer folder that you want the footage to go in to. Throughout the making of the product I have learnt how to do many things on the software from unlinking sound and video on timelines to changing the colour of the footage on screen to black and white etc. Personally the skill that I think that I have become best at is cutting pieces of footage and making the bridge between the two sides of the cut very smooth.



Photoshop is another software that I have learnt to use for creating titles and alteringthe appearance of a picture. Below is a screenshot of photoshop as it is first opened.




Here is an example from our film that is work from photoshop; (the titles in the corners)














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

As mentioned above I have learnt how to use the softwares such as premier elements and photoshop since the begining of the preliminary task to the finished main task. But there have also been some learning experiences other than softwares.
I not only learnt to use a video camera but also a digital camera for still pictures and the equipment that is to be used with them. This includes tripods. I had to learn how to use a tripod much better for my main task than for my preliminary task. This is because we tried to get shots that were more advanced than those in a preliminary task which requires the tripod to be used on ground that isn't flat and also when I climbed a tree for a high angle shot I had to use a tripod to hold the camera higher than I was to get some extra height. This required knowledge of which screws were tight and making sure the legs weren't under any stress that could cause snapping etc. Here are two pictures of tripod use in the preliminary task before we really got to grips with the equipment.

And here are some pictures that we took of the location that we were filming in with the digital camera during the main task when we had aquired the skills needed to use the necessary equipment.

Another thing that I have learnt that is not to do with technology is time management skills. This would could have been a big problem for our group if we did not sit down and do some planning as it is very easy to fall behind by time wasting. Another problem that we overcame was not only filming what you thought you needed rather than more which gives you more options when you are editing. Finally, below are some examples of the equipment that I have fully learnt to use since the Preliminary Task.

8) How did the feedback that you recieved help you to make a better film opening?

Here is the feedback that we have collected for our 2 minute film opening.

Simon said...
Brilliant video. I commented before and told you to build the storyline up more slowely and you did that now really well. The talking to Lisa on the phone makes it more understandable and the black and white effect and the camera shaking at the silent walk is really good as well.Well done!

The girls; said...
Wow guys, since you last asked for criticism comments, this has gotten so much better! Love the fact that the music starts a lot earlier. Seriously. The music is really good and works really well with your footage. Good work! :) Lisa Mitchell x

Gabi Paterson said...
Hey guys,I thought your film beginning was really good! I especially like the music because it makes the atmosphere of the film really intense and compliments the genre. I also liked how the point of view shots from whatever was stalking your main character were edited differently and in black and white.WELL DONE! (:

This is from the second time that we had recieved feedback although the criticism recieved before was verbal as a posed to being posted on the blog. The first time we were told that the story dragged on a bit and the story line wasn't clear enough. we decided to change the begining so that we showed a conversation over the phone so that the audience had a chance to realise what was going on.

Another point that did come up from a few people, that Lisa mentions above, was that the music started a bit too late. This was changed so that it starts earlier in the film and starts to set the mood sooner.

After doing this we got some feedback from some others and there were postive comments about the music setting the mood successfully and it complimenting the genre.

Finally one point that was brought up verbally by some people that the point of view shot shouldn't just be in black and white but also have an effect on the footage helped me to decide on using the blurred effect when Charles is being watched on the silent walk. Personally I feel this effect adds a great deal to the finished product as you can tell that it is something stalking the main character but it builds suspense as you are unsure of what is going to happen, what the creature is, or why it is stalking/following him. Overall the feedback that we have recieved has been very positive and has been put to good use.

Written by Gregor Sharp