Evaluation Activity 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?

By doing in dept research of thriller movies, we realised what we needed for our thriller movie. We looked at other thriller movies which helped us understand what the code and conventions of a thriller movie is. The shooting schedule helped us because we knew what we shooting scene for scene, so it made life a lot easier when it came to the editing.


From the experience of my preliminary task and the continuity editing I have learnt how to edit to an film to an appropriate level. My preliminary helped to boost up my confidence in terms of using the equipment to a high level and in terms of editing using effects and features. I have also learnt how to use a different variety  of camera angles and shots to show the power dynamics between characters. e.g.:

1. Over the shoulder shot.
2. Close up.
3. Low angle shot
4. High angle shot e.t.c

In this frame we used the over the shoulder shot to look from behind a person at the subject. Also the over the shoulder shot was used to show that somebody is talking.

In this frame we used the two shot which is framed similary to a mid shot. We used this shot to include both chracters and so that the audience can see the reaction of both characters at the same time.

We also took into consideration the 180° rule whilst making our final film,  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 relationship to each other. During the editing process I have also learnt about the different video transitions e.g. dissolve, fade and wipe. Continuity editing was used in our film brcause it creates action that flows smoothly across shots and scenes without jarring visual inconsistencies. Establishes a sense of story for the viewer. 

As a whole I feel that our film has fulfilled the task. Simply because we have made mouth watering opening that looks professional and fits the conventions of a thriller. We worked together as a group and as a result we have created an opening that everyone likes. 

Evaluation Activity 6 - What Have You Learnt About Technologies From The Process Of Constructing This Product?

Over the months I have seen my seen my skills develop from not being able to work with equipment and software to understanding it fully.


Equipment & Techniques:

1.  Editing skills - I now know how to use an video editing software (Final Cut Express) e.g. video transitions 
2.  Camera skills - Whilst shooting my film I have learnt the different functions and options of the camera e.g. panning 
3. Tripod skills - I now know how to adjust the height of the tripod to an appropriate height.
4. Camera shot skills/terminology - Over the period of making my film, I have learnt the relevance of different camera shots and angles. I have also learnt the different terminologies regarding about camera shots and angles e.g. high angle shot, establishing shot and close up. 

From the above pictures you can see me working with the camera. Whilst working with the camera, we are learning the different features of the camera e.g. zooming and panning. We are also learning the different camera angles and shots that may be relevant to our film. We learnt how to work with the tripod  and adjust it to suitable and appropriate height. 

From the above pictures this shows you our editing process. At first we had problems using Final Cut Express, but after doing our preliminary task we worked out how to add affects and use the software. We used Final Cut Express so edit our film because: 

1. It enables us to change the length of the video.
2. It enables us to edit the video transition.
3. It allows us to edit the voice.
4. It allows us to edit the video e.g. colour, screen size and insert text
5. It allows us to insert pictures.
6. It allows us to insert sound (music)

The problems we faced when filming were:

1. Some of the actors didn't turn up.
2. College was closed during the week (insert day), so therefore we had to reschedule
3. At one point there was no memory card inserted into the camera, so we couldn't film.

We knew that we had to find music that was copy right free, at first this was a major problem, but after hours of research we had finally found a website that enabled us to download copy right free music. To our advantage we found music that fitted amazingly well with our film.

Evaluation Activity 5 - How Did You Attract/Address Your Audience?

I attracted my target audience by putting my target audience in both of the characters position. We perfected this by using over the shoulder shots and point of view shots. 






Over the shoulder shot: This  was done so that the audience can get a sense of how both of the characters are seeing things.

Low angle shot: This was done so that the audience can see things from the hostage's point of view.








My target audience may be attracted to my film simply because they could relate to it through the dress sense of the actors/actresses, they could also relate to the fact that the movie portrays some of their past experiences and also the terminology that the characters use may be the same terminology that my target audience use. 

The above picture could be my possible target audience.

Evaluation Activity 4 - Who Would Be The Audience For Your Media Product?

Target Audience

The main target audience of my film are males and females students between the age group of 16-21. It also mainly targeted for people who are interested in thriller films, and interested in films that create uncertainty, mystery and keeps them glued to their seat. 

Other films that are similar to our film will definitely have the same audience as our film: Kill bill - The film doesn't 'beat around the bush', it goes straight to the action. This is proven through the opening scene where we can see a woman on the floor bleeding.

We choose this target audience because the story line appeals to students between the age group of 16-21, furthermore people within this age might be able to relate to the story line. In addition people within the age group of 16-21 like thriller, face paced and action packed movies, so therefore our film is perfect for the target audience. 

We had seen many thriller films, but none of them exceeded our expectations. Having characters that are our age made it possible for the target audience to relate to and we also made a relevant storyline that most young people might be interested in. Too make sure that our views were correct, we asked our target audience what they thought and they all agreed with us. 

Evaluation Activity 3 - What Kind Of Institution Might Distribute Your Media Product & Why?

A production company is responsible for the development and filming of a specific production or media broadcast. A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing films to the public, I believe that Revolver Entertainment would play a instrumental role in distributing our film because they have the funds and reputation to do so, furthermore they have made a lot of urban film such as Kidulthood and Adulthood.

I think that our film could be produced by a major Independent film company e.g. Revolver Entertainment. I feel that the film has the groundwork to become a major and succesful film. Therefore it will need funding, backing and advertising from a major company. Various people are named in my titles because we wanted to show the people that were involved in our film and we also wanted to show our appreciation for their work. The jobs that appear in the title sequence are 'Edited,  Written By, Executive and Directed By'. The order in which the title appears represents the different people who contributed the most work within the film. Due to the fact that my movie follows the codes and conventions of a thriller in the sense that it creates confusion and anxiety for the viewers just like successful thriller movies such Psycho and Kill Bill. We would be confident to release our film because I feel that my film is more than just an ordinary film. I feel that my film could be used as an advertising tool e.g. My film could be based on a game (A characters objective in the game could be to to find the hostage and complete missions)

Evaluation Activity 2 - How Does Your Media Product Represent Particular Social Groups?

The social group represented are young, black males from an urban background. We can simply see this through the image of the characters and the language used (slang).  Trevor from 'Kidulthood' (image shown below - on the right) is similar to my character in the sense that they are both from the same background and are involved in a very similar situation, they both carry a gun and they are both wearing a hooded jumper. 

The main gender represented in our film is males, we can see this because there is only two characters and they are both males. Furthermore stereotypically males are seen as violent and using abusive language, this exactly how the characters are portrayed as. The age group represented in our thriller is late teens, this is represented through the characters. Class is represented in our thriller by using to working class males, and this is shown by the clothes that they are wearing and speech (slang). The boys are definitely stereotyped as being brought up in a broken up and this revealed later on in the film when we find that the kidnapper was abused by his father.

Evaluation Activity 1 - In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms & Conventions Of Real Media Products?

The conventions that we have included into our opening sequence gives the audience an idea that the film may be a thriller. For example in our opening, the fading in and out of a black background shows that the film may be a psychological thriller and something may be going in whilst the image fades out to black. This creates mischief and some sort of uncertainty in the viewer’s mind, which keeps them glued to their seat. The title of the film 'The Interrogation' gives the audience an idea of what the film might be about, this follows the codes and conventions of a thriller for example 'Kill Bill', the main characters role is to kill Bill. Therefore the title 'The Interrogation' lets the audience know that some form of interrogation is going to take place within my film. The title font and style develops the codes and conventions of a thriller in the sense that the font and style of the text is not formal but it's a street type and artistic font which represents some sort of deviance. This could also be found in the 'Kill Bill' title sequence which is also a thriller.

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In terms of following the codes and conventions of a thriller in relation to props, we included a weapon (gun) which shows the audience that there will be some violence included within our film.

We also followed the codes and conventions of a thriller by adding non-digetic fast paced music in the background, the music created tension and we thought it was better for us to increase the volume of the music everytime the screen faded to black. This once again creates anxiety and confusion in the viewer's minds which keeps them stuck to the seat.

The film that inspired us was Kill Bill, particularly the camera shots. The camera shots is vital in our film, because it shows the power dynamics between characters. 

Using an over shoulder shot created tension and anxiety. It also gives the audience a sense of mystery of who the kidnapper is.

Using an low angle shot helped to show the power dynamics between the kidnapper and the person being held hostage. This also made it possible for the viewer's to see things from the hostages point of view. 

The setting of our film develops the codes and conventions of a thriller in the sense that the location is unknown, which therefore creates a sense of confusion and anxiety amongst our audience. 

Filming (Pre-Production, Production & Post-Production)

PRE-PRODUCTION


Pre-production is the planning stage of for shooting, and occurs before the camera starts rolling. By creating storyboards, scouting locations, and figuring out the budget ahead of time, our production will be free of unnecessary worry. For our pre-production filming we thought about things like location, setting, dressing, storyboard, equipment and props. By being careful with our pre-production we were able to save time and plan our out film carefully.


PRODUCTION


Production is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea or commission, through scriptwriting, shooting, editing, directing and distribution to an audience.


POST PRODUCTION


Post production begins when your camera stops rolling. This include things like editing and eventually coming up with a final piece. 

Recce

Before shooting our actual film, we decided to do a recce. A recce is a pre-filming visit to a location to work out its suitability for shooting, including access to necessary facilities and assessment of any potential lighting or sound issues. The main aim of our recce was to find out any problems or issues that may occur when shooting on the actual day. Furthermore we did a recce to try and experiment any ideas that we feel might be effective in our film.


RECCE

From our recce we learnt that:

1. We may have to change certain camera shots because we feel that most of the camera shots we used in our recce are very basic.
2. We may have to use continuity editing because it is at a very fast past and creates tension.  

Target Audience

The main target audience is between the age group of 16-21. This can be identified by:

1. The clothing of the actors.
2. The jargon of the actors.

My main target audience is people between the age group of 13 to 21 and like to watch thriller movies. Young people may be hooked by my film because  the experience of the characters within my film, may be the same experiences they went through or currently going through. 

Equipment

Camera - We used a Sony HD camera to do our shooting, by using this camera we were able to get very clear detail of the shot. 



Tripod - We placed the camera on top of a tripod to ensure that the camera was steady whilst we were doing filming. Furthermore the tripod was used to make sure that the camera was balanced and the that object we were filming could be seen in the screen.



Microphone - We used a microphone to make sure that people can hear what is being said in the film. 

Preliminary Task

Before we shot our movie we were told to do a preliminary task which involved someone walking down a corridor and into a room. When the person enters the room he/she is suppose to have a quick conversation with the person who is already in the room. The main objective of the preliminary task is to see how we use our camera shots and to see what camera angles we use. 


PRELIMINARY TASK

What we learnt from our preliminary task?

From our preliminary task we learnt how to:

1. Use the camera appropriately.
2. Use the different camera functions e.g. panning.
3. Use different camera angles appropriately. 
4. Use different camera shot appropriately.
5. Pick appropriate settings that fit the story line.

Similar Texts

The above videos are texts which are similar to our film. The camera positions and shots are the sort of shots that we could possibly use.

Kill Bill:


The movie Kill Bill is similar to our text because the opening scene is similar to our opening scene. The fact that everything seems so clear and detailed through one shot makes the opening scene special. We only see one character but yet we hear two voices, this sort of planning builds up suspense for the viewer.






The Dark Knight:


In this particular scene of The Dark Knight the camera shots are what appeal to me the most; the way the camera shots change whenever someone talks shows that there is some conversation going on between them and this also builds up suspense. The text is similar to our text because it’s a interrogation scene and it gives us an idea of what shots to use and what approach our actors/actresses should take.

180 Degree Rule - Dark Knight

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 relationship to each other. If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line. The new shot, from the opposite side, is known as a reverse angle.

Whilst this rule is meant to be stuck to, Christopher Nolan controversially broke this rule in The Dark Knight in the interogation scene between the Joker and Batman. In this scene the director shows us that the Joker and Batman are similar people and that the Joker still has some sort of control even though he is being interrogated.  

In addition the conversation between the two characters implies that the rule is being broken e.g. 'tonight you're gonna break your own rule'. 

Actual Idea

After coming up with three ideas as a group we then decided to go with the 2nd idea about a boy kidnapping his friend. We also decided to give the film the title 'The Interrogation', we chose this title becuase we believe that it is catchy, new and leaves a very grusome image in the audiences mind. 


Summary of film:

The Interrogation Treatment

Trey – The Imterrogator

Rio – Person Being Interrogated

Location - Unknown

Time & Date - Unknown

At first we hear someone breathing heavily, then we hear someone being punched and then we see a shadow of someone being punched. Rio then pushes Trey off the chair and onto the ground, spits on him, kicks him continuously and then puts him back on the chair. Rio starts to question Trey but Trey begs for mercy but Rio doesn’t want to hear. Trey then starts to say some sensitive things to Rio. Out of anger Rio punches, Trey still decides to speak up and then Rio reaches for his gun and he’s about to pull the trigger BANG! The door opens….

Script

FADE IN

Rio: Look, why are you doing this?

Trey: Why am I doing this?

Rio: Trey I swear to God it was nothing like that.

Trey: So you tell me what it is then? Yeah Rio! You tell me how it is and I’ll let you leave.

Rio: I thought you had ended it with her, so therefore I thought that it shouldn’t really be a problem.

Trey: Well you thought wrong. Rio you fucked up.

Rio: It’s not like you was getting anywhere with her.

(Trey punches him and then throws him onto the floor and kicks him continuously)

Trey: You disrespectful piece of shit, and get your ass back on the chair.

(Trey picks him up unto the chair)

Rio: Trey I’m sorry, you’re blowing this out of proportion.

Trey: You’re right you dirty bastard, because after I’m finished with you, you won’t be using your balls for a long time. In fact I’m thinking and contemplating whether I should kill you and let your body rot in this place. This building hasn’t been used since the Victorian era, so I’m pretty much sure that it’s gonna be a VERY long time before somebody stumbles across your remains. And do you know what’s so funny?……I said do you know what’s so funny?

Rio: What?

Trey: All this over a girl and I ain’t even gonna get caught. How’s that for you? Now ain’t life a bitch.

Rio: Trey please don’t…I’m sorry. I’ll do anything; I swear I won’t tell the police or anyone.

Trey: I don’t want to hear it. You’re going to die. Get used to it.

(Trey punches Rio)

Rio: You’re scum. That’s why she left you for me. Not even your mum wants you.

Trey: Shut up!

Rio: What’s happening Trey, turning out exactly like your father. Like father like son I guess…I guess you’ll be heading to prison as well.

Trey: Shut the fuck up! You don’t know anything about me.

Rio: I know that you were abused when you were 11 by your father. My mother’s a social worker; she worked on your case.

Trey: Well I guess you won’t be seeing your mother anymore. Coming up in here like you know me. I wasn’t even gonna kill you, I was just gonna scare you. But as far as I’m concerned now you’re a dead man walking. You’re dead Rio. You’re dead.

Rio: Go ahead and kill me, you’ll end up just like your father. Behind bars, is that what you want?

Trey: You’re testing my patience

Rio: Like father like son.

(Brings out a gun)

THE DOOR OPENS!

FADE OUT

Storyboard

A boy is sat on a chair with his arms tied back in a pitch black room which is situated in an unknown location. He is being physically and verbally abused by a familiar face that claims that the boy in the chair slept with his girlfriend. The interrogator starts to use all sorts of violence and they get into an argument and the guy in the chair says some really sensitive things to the interrogator, the interrogator can longer take it so therefore he produces a gun and as he’s about to pull the trigger the door opens and then the movie stops there.

Initial Ideas

As a group we decided that our movie was going to be an urban culture film e.g Adulthood, Bullet Boy and 1 Day.  But we had to decide what our film was going to be like, so we came up with three ideas.


1st Idea - A boy finds out that his best friend slept with his girlfriend behind his back and they get into         
an argument which then leads into a fight and he then he accidentally kills him and dumps his body into the grave yard.


2nd Idea - A boy finds out that his best friend slept with his girlfriend behind his back, so he decides to kidnap him and interrogate him. 


3rd Idea - A group of boys are at a party and then problems occur between them and a set off different boys. Things then start to become really bad and they take out a knife and try to aim for one of the rival boys but a girl gets pushed in the way and she gets stabbed and dies.