Media Evaluation
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
The conventions in which follow our film are as follow:
The first convention a twist on the comedy comes into action at the start in the title sequence. The audiences are able to see the teacher being murdered by a student. This turns the film from what seems happy into a depressing and bad mood. The audiences are able to grasp an understanding that the film starts with a happy and cheerful mood, this is down to the music that is used. This is later changed when the audience learns that the student is in fact a killer.
In the case of the title sequence the audience is only be able to acknowledge that the victim in the film will be the teacher. The audience isn’t sure that this is defiantly the case due to a freeze frame but they are relatively certain. In addition the audience could make the assumption that the other student in which also features could also become a victim.
This is one of the major conventions in which should appear in a black comedy, I believe that we partly achieved this. I believe that there are a few elements in the film which could indicate this but I believe it could have been done better. I believe that the fact that when a can falls from the sky and closely misses the student this is a part which can be seen as funny. In addition another part in which can be seen as funny is the part when the student tie gets caught in the draw. To improve I believe that we should make elements more humorous.
The enigma that I believed is created during the title sequence is that fact who the character is and why he has killed a teacher. This eventually will be revealed to the audience later on in the film but in the title sequence the audience will have no knowledge of this. The enigma is good in the film as it will keep the audience watching to the end and keep them guessing through out.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My title sequence represents a typical students journey too school, this is because they are able to relate there everyday journey to the title sequence. The fact that the students facial expressions show that he is not looking forward to going to school the students can therefore empathise and relate to their own experiences . The stereotypical social group of a geek will also be able to relate to this; the reason being is that he can be seen as a lonely character and an outcast in his society. He is not seen t o make contact with any other individual, in addition he also doesn’t walk to school with anyone indicating that he might not have any social connections. The fact that the main character is a killer means that the audience cannot relate to him meaning that it cannot be related to a social group. Our character that we have created ‘Ronald’ fits into the social group of an outsider. The reason why the character is an outsider is because he doesn’t fit into a specific social group that tends to be portrayed in sequence or film. By doing this it creates mystery for the audience as they can’t define the character. The fact that he is a killer means that he is a dangerous to everyone around him because they don’t know anything about him and any bad occurrences such as the killings.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
As a whole the group and I researched the different film distribution companies and the films that they have distributed. We looked at the big five companies in which rule the film industry but because our film won’t be a big budget we believed that we wouldn’t need to use any of these. The reason behind this is because our film isn’t a high budget films so we decided to not choose a big distribution company. The institution that we will be using to distribute our film is Studio Canal. The main reason in which we have chosen this particular distribution company because it has previously distribute other black comedies such as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. The reason why we chose these is because they have previously done this type of film we believe that they would be able to reach the correct target audience using the correct techniques by doing this the audience we will perhaps come and see the film due to the ways the promote it and also once they also acknowledge who is distributing it.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
Our title sequence ‘Ronald the Grade ‘A’ Killer is aimed at boys whose age ranges from 15-21. We decided to choose this specific target audience as we believed that this type of film will appeal to them. This is because our film is a black comedy which contains violence and hints of comedy. The violence is one reason in which we chose boys because these are stereotypically seen as the more aggressive gender. We decided on this age range mainly because we believed that the comedy events that will appear in the film will appeal more to teenagers.
How did you attract/address your audience?
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Whilst we were constructing our title sequence I learnt that technologies play a major part in the production and editing process. Due to the fact I was acting and editing I learnt that getting the correct amount of shots and getting them from different angles. Without the cameras it would be difficult to even shoot any footage so this is a major thing, but being the actor I couldn’t participate in the use of the most of the camera shots but as a group we discovered the full benefits of the tripod. We discovered that it is a major item as it keeps the camera steady and makes the footage look professional. When it came to the editing process of the production I learnt that this process as a whole was what makes the production come together. Due to final cut pro it helps people cut down the footage and put them together. It help us because we wanted to start from the end and then go back to the beginning as by using Final Cut pro it allowed us to do this. It allowed doing this as we were able to drag the footage to the beginning. This meant that we used it to the maximum potential. Without final cut pro the sequences wouldn’t flow as some parts of the footage would over run and could feature mistakes. So it provides us with the opportunity it put the footage together and make it look professional/One of the major things that I have learnt whilst creating our title sequence was how to use Final Cut Pro. The reason in which I learnt a lot is because I played a major role editing the footage that as a group we shot. Due to the fact I had never done Media Studies before or had never come across this piece of software when I first started I didn’t know how to use the software to its maximum potential. The class had a Final Cut Pro lesson in which we were taught the basic features and effects that it provides, once I had learnt how to use it I pick up the more advanced features and ways to do something quickly. I learnt that when using this software patience is a vital asset, this is because editing takes time to perfect meaning when I came to do thing patience helped to get the best effects for our footage. The fact that our group had to cut down our title sequence was a challenge, but due to the fact I like challenges I enjoyed doing this. This is where I learnt to cut out scenes that perhaps aren’t vital to the narrative of the title sequence. I learnt that personal research can be vital for example I researched how to undergo certain processes using Final Cut Pro by doing this it helped my editing skills and to do the best I can.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
During the process of our preliminary task, I have learnt the importance of the research and planning in which needs to be done. The research and planning is a vital process which can define the outcome of the final product, we discovered this once we completed the continuity editing task. Due to the fact we didn’t do much planning during the continuity task, I believe that we didn’t show our full potential and use all resources possible during the piece. I didn’t play a major role in the editing of the continuity piece but I edited a few parts, but for the title sequence I played a major part in editing so during this process I learnt a lot about final cut pro. During the editing process I learnt how to get different cuts during the footage this was helpful as it provide me with the chance to experiment and find the best ways of doing it.
Due to me acting during the title sequence I didn’t do much camera work, but I still learnt a lot from the continuity piece. I learnt that by using the adjustments for the tripod it provides a different view and the different camera shots can connote different meanings. In addition discover that it is best to get all the shots wanted from a particular location rather than switching, this is because if you switch locations then the tripod height might need to be changed so when it comes back to the same position it would be difficult to get it back to the correct height. Furthermore I believed that I discover how to maximise the use of cinematography, during the continuity piece we used very basic shots such as close ups and medium shots. So in the title sequence when I had a chance to use the camera I tried a few different shows, y doing this I believe it provides a different aspect to the sequence.
For our title sequence our group done a lot of in depth research and planning. We had done a lot of research mainly because we wanted to discover the things that specially make our genre. By doing this it helped us pick key elements we could insert into out title sequence. In addition planning was vital, we first had to draw a storyboard which helped our groups understanding of the narrative which will occur. When we completed this we then had to plan out how we will present each of the scenes shown on the storyboard. This helped us grasp an understanding of the overall production. During the planning we had to make sure that our shooting locations were still accessible, by doing this we defiantly knew w could shoot on that day. I learnt the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes this includes planning, editing, casting and scriptwriting. Overall this has changed my views on the people that do these jobs and the amount of work and afford they put in.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
Our title sequence that we produced followed many codes and conventions that typical title sequences should. From the beginning of the title sequence as a group we tried to insert a typical convention, the first code and convention we used was detail of the cast and crew. We done this by inserting the job title and the name of the person that was involved, we had a set font in which we would use for our typography. By doing this the audience will acknowledge and appreciate the actors, actresses, director and the cast that was involved in making the film. This can relate to real media products as they show who s in the film so the audience know what they will expect if the film contain a good actor, actress or director. We had our title of our film appear on the back of the character we made the title bigger than the other types of typography that will appear by doing this it will stand out more meaning the audience will easily be able to read it. By having the title appear the audience will discover the name of the film and could work out what may occur in the film. For example our name is Ronald Grade ‘A’ Killer from this the audience can discover that killings may occur and the main character might be a male called Ronald.
The audience is introduced to characters beginning of the sequence, they come across three characters. This creates an enigma mainly because the audience are unaware of who these characters are, they are able to acknowledge that one character is older than the other two so this could indicate that the character could be a dad, teacher or other type of family member of theirs. Due to this an enigma is create mainly because the audience are oblivious to who these characters could be.
The audience is introduced to the place in which the film will take place which is the school at the beginning and end of the title sequence. When it starts at the beginning the audience won’t know that the film will appear at the school again. By having another location the title sequence which is a house create mystery for the audience as they will be curious of what will happen next.
I believe that our sequence contradicts one of the codes and conventions this is information about the mood and tone. I believe that out title sequence disturbs the audience; this is down to the fact that we have introduced a flashback. By having this it doesn’t make the mood clear and therefore the information about the mood isn’t provided. When the sequence starts with the character in the cupboard the mood is tense and creates mystery, then later it creates a happy mood when it shows the character getting ready for school.
The conventions in which follow our film are as follow:
· Twist on the comedy
- There is a victim
- Got to be funny
- Set up an enigma
The first convention a twist on the comedy comes into action at the start in the title sequence. The audiences are able to see the teacher being murdered by a student. This turns the film from what seems happy into a depressing and bad mood. The audiences are able to grasp an understanding that the film starts with a happy and cheerful mood, this is down to the music that is used. This is later changed when the audience learns that the student is in fact a killer.
In the case of the title sequence the audience is only be able to acknowledge that the victim in the film will be the teacher. The audience isn’t sure that this is defiantly the case due to a freeze frame but they are relatively certain. In addition the audience could make the assumption that the other student in which also features could also become a victim.
This is one of the major conventions in which should appear in a black comedy, I believe that we partly achieved this. I believe that there are a few elements in the film which could indicate this but I believe it could have been done better. I believe that the fact that when a can falls from the sky and closely misses the student this is a part which can be seen as funny. In addition another part in which can be seen as funny is the part when the student tie gets caught in the draw. To improve I believe that we should make elements more humorous.
The enigma that I believed is created during the title sequence is that fact who the character is and why he has killed a teacher. This eventually will be revealed to the audience later on in the film but in the title sequence the audience will have no knowledge of this. The enigma is good in the film as it will keep the audience watching to the end and keep them guessing through out.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
My title sequence represents a typical students journey too school, this is because they are able to relate there everyday journey to the title sequence. The fact that the students facial expressions show that he is not looking forward to going to school the students can therefore empathise and relate to their own experiences . The stereotypical social group of a geek will also be able to relate to this; the reason being is that he can be seen as a lonely character and an outcast in his society. He is not seen t o make contact with any other individual, in addition he also doesn’t walk to school with anyone indicating that he might not have any social connections. The fact that the main character is a killer means that the audience cannot relate to him meaning that it cannot be related to a social group. Our character that we have created ‘Ronald’ fits into the social group of an outsider. The reason why the character is an outsider is because he doesn’t fit into a specific social group that tends to be portrayed in sequence or film. By doing this it creates mystery for the audience as they can’t define the character. The fact that he is a killer means that he is a dangerous to everyone around him because they don’t know anything about him and any bad occurrences such as the killings.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
As a whole the group and I researched the different film distribution companies and the films that they have distributed. We looked at the big five companies in which rule the film industry but because our film won’t be a big budget we believed that we wouldn’t need to use any of these. The reason behind this is because our film isn’t a high budget films so we decided to not choose a big distribution company. The institution that we will be using to distribute our film is Studio Canal. The main reason in which we have chosen this particular distribution company because it has previously distribute other black comedies such as Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. The reason why we chose these is because they have previously done this type of film we believe that they would be able to reach the correct target audience using the correct techniques by doing this the audience we will perhaps come and see the film due to the ways the promote it and also once they also acknowledge who is distributing it.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
Our title sequence ‘Ronald the Grade ‘A’ Killer is aimed at boys whose age ranges from 15-21. We decided to choose this specific target audience as we believed that this type of film will appeal to them. This is because our film is a black comedy which contains violence and hints of comedy. The violence is one reason in which we chose boys because these are stereotypically seen as the more aggressive gender. We decided on this age range mainly because we believed that the comedy events that will appear in the film will appeal more to teenagers.
How did you attract/address your audience?
We address the audience by showing them the day to day routine of a student getting ready and going to school. They are able to relate themselves to these happening; this is down to them still being in that situation. The audience are able to relate there own experiences to this, due to the fact we aimed our film at 15- 25 year olds we address them as they can thrive from the violence as they tend to follow this type of genre.
Our sequence will be aimed at a specific target audience therefore when it comes to attracting there attention it will make it easier. Due the filming being a black comedy I believe that by exhibiting it at Halloween it will fit the correct time as our target audience will be able to see the film either at night or in the day. By doing this it can attract a large audience as Halloween is a time celebrated and by looking at films that came out around the same time we will use the same techniques.
In addition we have set up an enigma for the audience, this is ‘Who the killer is? Why he killed that person? and what will his destiny be? I believe that this was an effective thing to do mainly because it them will keep the audiences attention and will make them carrying on watching. They will do this as they will want to find out what will occur next and the final outcome of the film. Due to the fact the main character is a teenager people might see the film to see the experience that will occur in the character life. The fact that the film is well produced and edited I believe this on its own will attract the audience and create a buzz with could encourage other member to see it.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Whilst we were constructing our title sequence I learnt that technologies play a major part in the production and editing process. Due to the fact I was acting and editing I learnt that getting the correct amount of shots and getting them from different angles. Without the cameras it would be difficult to even shoot any footage so this is a major thing, but being the actor I couldn’t participate in the use of the most of the camera shots but as a group we discovered the full benefits of the tripod. We discovered that it is a major item as it keeps the camera steady and makes the footage look professional. When it came to the editing process of the production I learnt that this process as a whole was what makes the production come together. Due to final cut pro it helps people cut down the footage and put them together. It help us because we wanted to start from the end and then go back to the beginning as by using Final Cut pro it allowed us to do this. It allowed doing this as we were able to drag the footage to the beginning. This meant that we used it to the maximum potential. Without final cut pro the sequences wouldn’t flow as some parts of the footage would over run and could feature mistakes. So it provides us with the opportunity it put the footage together and make it look professional/One of the major things that I have learnt whilst creating our title sequence was how to use Final Cut Pro. The reason in which I learnt a lot is because I played a major role editing the footage that as a group we shot. Due to the fact I had never done Media Studies before or had never come across this piece of software when I first started I didn’t know how to use the software to its maximum potential. The class had a Final Cut Pro lesson in which we were taught the basic features and effects that it provides, once I had learnt how to use it I pick up the more advanced features and ways to do something quickly. I learnt that when using this software patience is a vital asset, this is because editing takes time to perfect meaning when I came to do thing patience helped to get the best effects for our footage. The fact that our group had to cut down our title sequence was a challenge, but due to the fact I like challenges I enjoyed doing this. This is where I learnt to cut out scenes that perhaps aren’t vital to the narrative of the title sequence. I learnt that personal research can be vital for example I researched how to undergo certain processes using Final Cut Pro by doing this it helped my editing skills and to do the best I can.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
During the process of our preliminary task, I have learnt the importance of the research and planning in which needs to be done. The research and planning is a vital process which can define the outcome of the final product, we discovered this once we completed the continuity editing task. Due to the fact we didn’t do much planning during the continuity task, I believe that we didn’t show our full potential and use all resources possible during the piece. I didn’t play a major role in the editing of the continuity piece but I edited a few parts, but for the title sequence I played a major part in editing so during this process I learnt a lot about final cut pro. During the editing process I learnt how to get different cuts during the footage this was helpful as it provide me with the chance to experiment and find the best ways of doing it.
Due to me acting during the title sequence I didn’t do much camera work, but I still learnt a lot from the continuity piece. I learnt that by using the adjustments for the tripod it provides a different view and the different camera shots can connote different meanings. In addition discover that it is best to get all the shots wanted from a particular location rather than switching, this is because if you switch locations then the tripod height might need to be changed so when it comes back to the same position it would be difficult to get it back to the correct height. Furthermore I believed that I discover how to maximise the use of cinematography, during the continuity piece we used very basic shots such as close ups and medium shots. So in the title sequence when I had a chance to use the camera I tried a few different shows, y doing this I believe it provides a different aspect to the sequence.
For our title sequence our group done a lot of in depth research and planning. We had done a lot of research mainly because we wanted to discover the things that specially make our genre. By doing this it helped us pick key elements we could insert into out title sequence. In addition planning was vital, we first had to draw a storyboard which helped our groups understanding of the narrative which will occur. When we completed this we then had to plan out how we will present each of the scenes shown on the storyboard. This helped us grasp an understanding of the overall production. During the planning we had to make sure that our shooting locations were still accessible, by doing this we defiantly knew w could shoot on that day. I learnt the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes this includes planning, editing, casting and scriptwriting. Overall this has changed my views on the people that do these jobs and the amount of work and afford they put in.
