Film opening (Evaluation)

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (I.e. of film openings)

There was much inspiration for my film opening. The main inspiration for me was the film ‘1984’ (George Orwell) the visuals used within this film inspired me to create this film opening with the surveillance story (where the main character is being watched / looked down apon). Another influence for me was the film ‘Equilibrium’ which is a futuristic / political film which closely relates to ‘1984’.

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

In my film opening there is an older male actor. Who is playing the role of William Black who is an adult male living in the future world surrounded by CCTV. This character is closely related to the main character within the film ‘1984’. So my media production strongly represents the rebellious kind of character whom is seen to be rebelling against the CCTV system etc.

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

Coffee Films came into being in 1996, growing from the ashes of the Naked Pony Theatre Company and Mr. Spambapstic Films.

I’ve found media Production Company ‘coffee films’ which distribute / produce British independent films which are not well known. (This is what I am planning on releasing my film as) I’m hoping to release my film as a not well known British independent film, so I believe that this company would be perfect to release / distribute my film.

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

I am aiming my media product (film opening) towards the audience of older teenagers to young adults (18+). I am planning on releasing my film with political minded teens and young adults in mind. For example a teenage / adult that is politically minded and is at university is the perfect demographic for my film.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?
I created a definition of my target audience earlier on my blog, the idea was to be stereotypical and to have a shot person specification about them. My target audience would be at university and has a political mind or maybe who perhaps studies it or has interest.

If it was promotional material promoting my film then I would create advertising materials that would be displayed at universities or where students socialize such as pubs or cafes, cinemas, etc...

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

I have learnt how to use a variety of new software. Such as Sony Vegas 9.0 pro and also mix craft. These two software packages have been very useful in the production of my film opening. Due to this being the first time me using the software I learnt a great deal when using these software packages. I learnt such things such as how to create moving titles in Sony Vegas and also how to apply sound effects onto mix craft sound files etc.

Some new effects I learnt from the process:

1. Dissolve Threshold used to create the film opening clip with the futuristic edgy atmosphere.

2. Transition dissolve colour bleed fast yellow and blue.

3. Type writing titles

4. White flash Threshold effect hard flash transition.I learnt how to fade out my film opening.

5. Brightness and contrast levels adjustments I learnt how to make the film darker but effective.

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

The 180° rule is a basic guideline in film making that states that two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right

I have learnt about the 180 degree rule and I kept the rule in mind when filming my character walking along the street keeping the camera one angle and the correct side. It helped me to understand a few rules of filming and how to create a opening film trying to not break any of these rules.

I have learnt about match on action shot which I have not really needed to capture as for I was using a cctv effect and was not using close ups purposely.

Reverse shot: Shot reverse shot (orshot/countershot) is a film technique wherein one character is shown looking at another character (often off-screen), and then the other character is shown looking "back" at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer assumes that they are looking at each other.

I only had one character for my film opening so therefore there was no reason to have the character looking in another direction towards another. However there was on example with the cctv camera that looks down at the character. There is a close up of the character looking up towards the camera. However you do not see the reverse shot of the character looking back at the character. So therefore there would not be an accurate definition of reverse shot in my film opening. However this creates atmosphere because if you saw the character looking up at the camera it would not build up the tension in the audience as for the camera is the audience watching on the character. So therefore this is not a rule that is included in my sequence but is purposely created.