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

For my film opening, my aim was to successfully create an attention grabbing introduction to a fictional film. To do this, I knew I had to create something original and different and I had to think outside of the box / be innovative.

Within the film opening, I tried to use a variety of editing techniques and tools in order to create the right effect of film opening I was aiming for.

I have chosen 12 distinct frames to give some representations of my film opening, showing the main shots used within the sequence.

The title of the film:

For my film title, I tried to think of a name that would be suitable for my 'thriller' genre. I knew that I needed the title to make an impact to the viewer and suit the storyline/genre of the film.

The twelfth / final frame, out of the twelve key frames, shows the title of my opening sequence, 'Assassination'. I would say that this particular title displays a traditional / typical example of the thriller genre as it has a plain but classic white on black title to keep to the styling of the genre.
The font itself is known as 'Handwriting' which has been coloured in white upon a plain black background. I selected this particular font because from the wide range of fonts I was able to use, none of them gave me the same feel as this particular one and had a particular look and feel about it that would portray a thriller film.. I thought the 'Handwriting' font gave it a more personal feel, as if the character himself wrote it - 'Leaving his mark'.

Examples such as 'The Godfather' and 'Inception' also include the use of a white font upon a black background, which also put across a feel to the viewer to be prepared for a thriller, action or other serious genred films. The effect of white font upon a black background makes a very dark and blunt statement to the viewer and can put across a range of feelings for them, depending on how the title is used.
I believe that the title in my film opening portrays the genre effectivley because it is a 'handwritten' simplistic and dark title - which is what is usually found in most thriller films.

Setting/location:

For my film opening, Once I knew that I had decided on the theme of a 'thriller' - I had to ensure that my setting / location of the film opening had to reflect that theme. For this, I decided to film in an area with plenty of pathways and alley ways in the night time so that it would put across the intended theme. I would say that my choice of setting is a typical choice of a thriller opening - having a dark, mysterious and questionable choice of setting.

The fifth frame shows and example of the types of settings I have used, the metal framework that the character walks through, puts across the sense that the viewer is watching/following his journey to were he's trying to get to - that also creates a sense of suspence to the viewer. I would say that this is a typical type of setting/location that would be included in a thriller film, since it involves a mixture of the light and the shadows from the framework in the night and the silhouette of the character walking under it, as well as the consideration I put into the framing of the shot (making it look chilling and show the wall light/frame work)

Costumes and props:

For the costumes and props, I made sure the appropriate clothing and handheld objects were in relation to the genre of the film opening. For my actors, I ensure that the male actor had a black suit, white shirt and black tie so that he could look more like a 'professional' / 'white collar' assassin, but I also ensured that there was a black hoody used to hide the clothing/suit underneath so that it can be kept hidden until he reveals himself at the end of the film opening. I used these because I thought it is a typical type of costume to be used in a thriller/gang film, such as 'Reservoir Dogs'.

My second character (the female) was set out to wear a formal suit as well. For this, I made sure that she wore a classic black suit and some high heels to add to her image / superiority of herself.

Props that I had used within my film opening includes a phone, watch and a gun, which are found to be typical props found in films of thriller genres, because the phone is a form of necessary means of communication and displaying that he has been sent out to assassinate someone for someone else, the watch represents time and the gun obviously shows that an event is going to happen in terms of the use of that gun.

For example, The eighth frame in the 12 picture sequence is a 'close up shot' of the phone that shows the text, to give the viewer a better insight to what is happening. I think this particular frame prop is a good example of a thriller convention since the characters phone provides a key piece of information which lets the viewer have an insight to what the character is looking at - which is found in many most film openings (thrillers).

Camerawork and editing:

Throughout the filming and editing process, I had kept in mind my aim - to make sure I put across the theme of the film opening to the viewer, without them having to try to hard to work it out/guess.

I used a range of camera work (camera angles and shots) to portray the thriller genre. To do this, I used alot of quick cuts/speedy motion shots to excite the viewer and make their heart race - the kinds of reactions you would want out of a viewer who is watching the film opening. An example of this is found at the beguinning of my film sequence and towards the end when the clips are split up and cut, to show characters heart is racing and when he has a flashback.

I used a variety of editing in my film such as short cuts, speeding up film footage and including many effects such as the solarized effect, black and white, lighting and contrast, strobe light and fading effects to ensure make sure I included parts that would excite the viewer.

For example, In the sixth frame, I used a solarized effect on the wall lighting to make it as if the light is running/bleeding down the wall as it reaches the character walking. I would say that this is a typical convention used in a thriller genre because it has a use of both the light, dark and shadows and a strange/swift use of camera movement/angles.

In the third frame I used is both a passing shot/point of view shot as the character is looking up at the trees aboce him whilst walking through the night. I thought this would a good use of camera work to show what is above/surrounding the character at the time and to create a chilling feel for the viewer, because he isn't looking forward, and anything can happen! In the seventh frame, I used a point of view shot to show the hidden characters point of view of the character walking. I think this particular frame/sequence convey the thriller conventions well since this particular shot involves a quick movement/cut. 

A good example of a similar short cut, suspense raising film opening / trailer is a recent film release called '127 hours', which has a fast past cut sequence which had inspired me to create an impact to the viewer using a similar technique.

Title font and style:

The font and style of my titles is called 'Abadi MT Condensed light' which is a simple font that I had selected because I wanted it to be simplistic and stay in theme with the genre, and to put across a unsuspecting feel to the viewer. I also used it because in many thriller films, they use the same style and colour for the font because it doesn't give anything away and puts forwar a certain feel/atmosphere to the film opening.

For example, the seventh frame gives an example of the font I had used in the sequence. I used the colour white so it can stand out from the darkness of the footage, but to also represent 'clarity' and 'curiosity' for the viewer, because it is a blank colour.

As I said in the 'title of the film' write up, I have linked to examples that have used the same plain style font, white on black style - to keep to the styling of the film.

Story and how the opening sets it up:

The way I started the opening to my film, and how I set up the story-line, is by instantly revealing a bright street light with the effect of the zooming in and its glow. I did this so it can be a symbol within the film and perhaps present the unexpectations within it. As you can see in the first frame, it shows the street light, which is the starting point of my film opening. In frame two, it shows the introduction of the character, as he steps upon the ground where the camera is settled. I thought was a good way of setting up the opening because the footstep is in time with the beat to create an impact and so that the viewer can have a general idea on what is going to happen further on in the film.

Genre and how the opening suggests it:

My opening is quite sudden and shows the footage of a light straight away which gives the viewer the impression that it is a dark / mysterious film genre, since you can see that it is filmed in the night and the only source of light is coming from the street light. Also, because of the quick/swift movements of the zooming motion going back and forth, puts across that its going to be a supernatural film.

I would say that this is what would be said to be a typical opening to a film, because of the camera movements and editing - the in and out zooming of the camera to show the light and to be in time to the music - as if it represents respiration of someone and creates an impact.

How characters are introduced:

For the opening title sequence, I knew that I had to make sure that the introuction of the characters was key. To do this, I introduced my main character in a unidentifiable way - showing his feet walking past the camera (a low, close up shot) / along the ground and making a 'stomp' in time with the music; to make the viewer feel tense and shocked. I think this frame is a typical representation of a thriller, as it has a unique styling in terms of the effects and camera angles used - such as most film openings being started off by the introduction of a persons foot in the frame.
I also used a technique of having the camera tilt up from the point of view shot (character lying on the ground) on both characters within my film, to create a sense of suspense for the viewer and to show their identity slowly, making the character standing seem superior, but make the other character giving the point of view shot, look vulnerable. (found in frames nine and eleven)

Special effects:

Many films use special effects, especially sci-fi and action films. In my film opening, I didnt use many 'special' effects within my opening film sequence, such as 'green screen' but I have used the basic effects to alter my film footage, which are found on 'Premiere Pro' such as Solarize, Black and white, strobe light, blur...etc.

An example of an effect I have used can be found in the tenth frame of the 12 picture sequence, which shows a greyscale effect added to the film to show / symbolise the 'flashback' / 'rewind' within the film. I used this particular effect so that it can reflect the style of the thriller genre. I would say that this represents a typical use of a thriller convention found in some thriller films. Another example can be found in my fourth frame. For this frame I showed the character walking away from the camera and put focus on the light itself by going back to the symbol of the lights (fading from the natural colouring of the shot to a solarized style) - which I think represents the thriller genre well as it is a dark/chilling effect.

When filming, I had found that alot of my shots required / relied on the street lights around the area I was filming in. I used the lights as a symbol within the film to represent 'life' / 'light' within the film.

Overall, I believe that many of the frames, shots and techniques that I have used within the film sequence portrays the genre of a thriller because I feel that I have included all of the main conventions, such as quick cuts/camera angle changes, music that gives tension, darkness/lighting/shadows and the genre/storyline that plays with your mind.

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

For my main character, I decided to go for a cool, slick and classic look by having my actor wear a suit, to make him look important and sophisticated.

I got this idea from many film examples, such as Resevoir Dogs, James Bond and other gang/action related films, but my main influence came from a music video 'John Mayer - Assassin'.

I created this particular character by making sure my actor wore a typical, black, classic suit with a white shirt and tie.

Similarities: Obviously, both characters are male - and both have the same job occupation - Assassin.

The characters are similiar in the sense that they are both out for one thing - to do their job of being paid to kill others by the instruction of others.
They are also similar in terms of the clothing they are wearing - both wearing a formal black suit with a white shirt and black tie.
The actors both have a dark toned hair colour which suits well with the outfit they are wearing and reflects their personality in terms of being dark and mysterious.

Differences: My character has a different talent and gift to the example of the characters I have seen.
Another difference is that the character on the left is wearing sunglasses to hide his eyes or his 'identity' wheras, my actor isn't because it's filmed in the night time and I didn't think it would look effective on my style of film opening - since wearing dark sunglasses has a 'men in black' style to it, and I wanted to have something different rather than a traditional style.

I wanted to create a instant opinion for the viewer of this character - to make him come across as knowlegable and professional, just by looking at the outfit he is wearing.

For my female actor/character, I created a typical 'strong/independant' and smart woman type character - who most women want to be and know/have that type of person someone that they can look up to.

I made sure that my female character wore a smart, black suit with high heels to create the image of this particular character style. I also considered the long, blonde haired type character to display a feminine woman to the viewer of the film.

I got the idea for both the 'suit' clothing idea and the character from many action / thriller related films, the main one being 'Mr and Mrs Smith'.

The character 'Mrs Smith' in the film behaves and seems like a normal woman, but has a highly secret and different job to what the average woman would have. 

Similarities: Obviously, both characters are female and both have a similar job occupation and represent strong, independent and smart women. Both of the characters have long blonde hair, which I think makes a statement that they are both women who 'let their hair down' and both have the job of being assassins/women undercover.

Another similarity is that they are both wearing black clothing, which is a typical thing to wear - as it blends in well in dark conditions and is the typical colour to wear when in a job that involves being a spy, secret agent, assassin...etc

Differences: The characters have one difference in terms of clothing - the character on the right is wearing less dark clothing than my character (on the left) which may highlight the fact that the character on the left isn't afraid to show more flesh and be more vulnerable in the sense that there is more visibility and attention on her / being more likely to get hurt by the defender.

There is also a difference in terms of the equipment they are both using - my character is armed with a small, hand gun. Whereas, the character on the right is armed with two larger pieces equipment in each hand!

The main costume/clothing that I had intended my actor to wear for the most of the film opening was a black hoody. I intended this clothing and look to represent a typical 'Hoodie' - a person who wears hoodies to hide their identity and look threatening.

I mainly used this to create suspence and curiosity of the characters identity, to make the viewer think that it's just a typical troublesome teenager walking through the streets - when in fact, it's an undercover assassin.
An example of a film which gave me this character style came from a film called 'Kidulthood'.
I would say this particular character style represents alot of young adults and people nowadays so when people / that particular social group go to watch it - they can relate to the character whos wearing the familiar style of clothing.

Similarities: Both characters are wearing a black hoody and dark clothing - which doesn't show their identity.
They also have both of their hands in their pockets - which is a typical thing to do when wearing a hoody for looking like they are normal, relaxed and keeping their head down.
In terms of posture, they both seem to have the 'slouching' teenager look to both of them and have a image about them that shows that they 'dont care' about anything or anyone - as if they are close off from the world within their item of clothing.

Differences: I can't find many differences with the two examples, apart from the fact one is in more of an urban/industrial setting (on the right) and the other (on the left) is walking along pathways surrounded by a woodland type of setting.

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

The company name and logo and the role of such companies:
The name of my production company is called 'Kaleidoscope Productions'. The reason I decided to call it this particular name is because I thought it would put across a meaning to the production of films - kaleidoscope being a product of mirrors containing loose, coloured objects - which I thought would apply creatively to the meaning of watching a film; to inspire and capture the viewers attention.
The role of my production company is to be responsible for producing ideas and physical productions such as films, adverts, radio and television programmes. The production company may also find and organise funding for these types of products.

If I had more time, I would probably design a logo for my own 'Film Production Company'. I have sourced my own photo that I have created not long ago. I think this particular picture would reflect the name of the company well. I also begun to find the style of font I would use for the title of the logo. 

(see images below)

What does a production company do?:
A production company is responsible for the product of media products, such as Film, Television, Adverts, Radio, Performing Arts and 'New Media'.
A production company may even fund productions by raising money or accomplish funding through an 'emissary' (someone sent on a mission to represent the interests of someone else).
A production company may be big or small, which can sell its products to a film studio or even presenting it in a studio.
A highly reliable and recognisable production company is 'Columbia Pictures Industries' which is both a production and a distributor. It is also one of the leading film companies in the world.
Another production company that is useful is 'Coffee Films' - an independent British film production company. It was incorporated in 2003 and within a year, it was recognised as one of Europe's best young production companies. They produce documentaries (music and wildlife) and films. 
My film would most likely be produced by 'Coffee Films' because, even though its not been going as long as bigger companies such as 'Columbia pictures', I think that it would be more appropriate for my film to be produced by a smaller, british distribution company like 'Coffee Films'.

The idea of a distributor and who that might be and why:
A distributor has the proof in its name - It's a person who distributes/markets merchandise. In the terms of the film industry - A distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing film to the public, either theatrically or for home viewing (such as on DVD, Video, Television...etc)
This can be done through 'directly' or through theatrical exhibitors.
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an american production and distribution company. It has been going since May 1919 (known as C.B.C. Film Sales) but was renamed Columbia Pictures in 1924! 
There are other examples of small British distribution companies, which can be found on the British Film Production and Distribution website.
My film would be most likely be distributed by a smaller british distributing company as it would be more realistic and small budgetable.
When the film is first produced, the feature film is often shown to audiences in a movie theater or cinema. Usually, only one film is the featured presentation - but before the 1970s, there used to be double features a high quality picture known as an 'A picture' followed by a lower quality 'B picture'. The A picture is rented by an independent theatre for a lump sum and the B picture is rented out for a percentage of the 'gross receipts'. Nowadays - the material show before the feature presentation consist of previews of soon to be release movies and advertisements / Trailers.

Where the money might have come from for a film such as yours:
Film funding is important for the production of the product/film itself, so it is important to find a reliable source of funding. This can be done through many sources, such as lottery funding (the national lottery) or a Government-backed lead agency (Uk Film Council). They ensure the economic, cultural and educational aspects of film are effectively represented at home and abroad. The money for my film can come from these sources as they are the most recognised and trusted.
Other sources of funding can include Local Councils, Charities, Production schemes and Competitions and  Completion Fundings.

Local councils: Local councils can help fund films by putting money towards a short filmmaking initiative. They would be more likely to fund a film which deals with social exclusion or is a benefit to the local community. This can be found by visiting the local council or county website and findinfg out if their arts department will fund the project.


Charaties: It's surprising, but even charaties can fund short films! - a number of them for a matter of fact. For example, Wellcome Trust is the UK's largest medical research charity has an Arts Award that funds projects (inc. short films) that are inspired by a biomedical science.
Depending on the type of film, can apply well to certain charities and have a relevance to that charity.

Production Schemes and competions: There are various schemes set up by broadcasters and other organisations that produce a series of shorts, such as the BBC New Music Shorts and Channel 4/UK Film Council's Cinema Extreme schemes.

Completion Fundings: It can be hard to find the last bit of funding for final stages of post-production. The New Cinema Fund run a scheme called the Completion Fund that can offer up to £50,000 to support filmmakers and production companies in securing vital funds for the completion of short film projects that have already been shot but lack the funds to finish.

Why the various people are names in the titles - which jobs appear in title and in what order and how have you reflected this?:
Within my own film opening, I included the 'titles' to acknowledge and take note of the key people/companies who took part in the production/making of the film. Such as the characters along with the actor’s names, production companies, distributors...etc. The order I displayed my titles in were by 'BrightLight Pictures', 'Kaleidoscope Production', 'Starring Liam Smithington' and 'Lauren Arnoldo'. The reason I decided to put it into this particular order, is because I thought it created a good build up from the production and distrubitution names to the peoples/actors names. The credits are normally placed at the end of the film and have always been an essential part of any motion picture. The reasons to why there are various names included in the titles is because it acknowledges the ideas or other work of writers and contributors - because it wouldn't be fair if someone had their work and contribution in the film without being acknowledged or recognised.

What your film is similar to 'institutionally' (name some films which would be released in a similiar way)
Some films that influenced me to produce this style of film/film opening are films such as Inception, V for Vendetta, Mr and Mrs Smith and even James Bond (Casino Royale). The story line doesn't necessarily follow these film examples, however, alot of my inspiration came from these films. I made sure I had considered and included conventions of a thriller such as quick cuts, camera angle changes, music that gives tension, the lighting/shadows and the general build up.
For example, Inception inspired me to have a twist to the storyline, V for Vendetta gave many examples of the lighting, shadow and the 'thrilling' feeling of the film, Mr and Mrs Smith inspired me with the gender difference/rivalry storyline and James Bond - Casino Royale gave me examples of a slick smooth character, quick changing shots for the excitement and action.

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

This is Kris. He’s a 21 years old and is a university student. He spends most of his time studying, socialising with his friends and playing music.
In his spare time he enjoys driving, going out for a drink with his friends, watching movies, listening to music, spending time with family and seeing his girlfriend.
His hobbies include playing guitar, playing football and tennis, going on road trips and going on the computer.
His music taste is varied, but prefers listening to Rock, Alternative, Electronica, Blues/Jazz and Acoustic. He spends most of his time playing instruments including Guitar, Bass and Piano.
He likes bands/artists including John Mayer, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro, N.E.R.D, Kings of Leon, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Greenday, Coldplay, The prodigy,  Lenny Kravits, Eric Clapton and Pendulum.
He enjoys watching different types of movie genres such as Comedies, Horror, Thrillers, Action and Science Fiction. This includes films such as Inception, Jackass 1&2 the movie, 500 days of summer, Rainman, Kung-fu hustle, batman series, Star Wars, Napoleon Dynamite and Kill Bill.
TV shows include things such as Jackass, Lost, Friends, Have I Got News For you, Top Gear, (animated cartoon series) such as family guy, American dad, Ren and Stimpy.
He isn’t a huge fan of shopping, but he likes to shop occasionally in shoe shops, go to stores like Top Man, Republic, Bank and River Island – but he prefers brands the odd brands such as Bench and Diesel.

The reasons to why this particular person would probably watch my film is because he represents a young adult who enjoys what most young adults would like, listen to and watch.
Since he’s into thriller films and enjoys listening to music, I think he would appreciate the film but would also take particular interest to the music, being in time with the thriller film opening and throughout the film.


The film would probably be aimed at a range of ages and different people/genders who would like to watch a thriller. This can include men and women aged 15 - 50+.

What the audience thought of my film?

(Heres an example of the questionnaire I have designed around my film so that I can ask an audience to watch it and then fill out the questionnaire to give me general feedback and information on their opinions about films and my own film.)

Questionnaire

What gender are you?
Male Female

What age are you?

15-20    21-26    27-22    23-28    29-34    35-40    41+

What do you think the reason is to why a thriller appeals to you?

The feeling you get from it (emotions from the film)

The content of the type of film

Its style

Typical storylines

Other ..............

What makes a good film to you (mainly/specifically)?

The film opening

The effects

The storyline
The characters
The music/sound effects

What aspect of my film opening grabs your attention the most?

The starting point of the film (opening)
The images/film
The dialogue (characters)
The music

What would you say I should have improved/changed on my film the most?

The props

The characters within the film opening

The location

The amount of dialogue

The story line

The effects (sound and visual)

The camera movements/angles/shots

Results from asking the questionnaire:

What gender are you?
Male	Female
7	7

What age are you?
15-20	21-26	27-32	33-38	39-44	45-50	51+
4	4	3	2	0	1	0

What do you think the reason is to why a thriller appeals to you?
The feeling you get from it (emotions from watching the film)	The content of the type of film	Its style	Typical story lines	Other ..............
7	4	2	1	0

What makes a good film to you (mainly/specifically)?
The film opening	The effects	The storyline	The characters	The music/sound effects
4	2	4	2	2

What aspect of the film grabs your attention the most?
The starting point of the film (opening)	The images/film	The dialogue (characters)	The music
6	4	1	3

What would you say I should have improved/changed on my film the most?
The props	The characters within the film opening	The location	The amount of dialogue	The story line	The effects	The camera movements/angles/shots
7	0	2	3	1	1	0

I have asked a total of 14 people, of equal genders, to look at my film and give me their opinion of it. The reason I chose 14 people specifically is so that I can have a set of more reliable results than I would have had with a couple of people.
With each of the questionnaires answers and I filled in the number of people who selected a specific choice, I then created table charts - a visual representation of the feedback.
This enabled me to see, visually, alot easier on what the people preferred out of the closed questions which I had included and what their opinions were.

What have I taken away from the feedback on this questionnaire, based on my opening film sequence.By looking at the feedback I had gathered from my questionnaires, I have a better understanding on other peoples views on thrillers and my own film. Such as, If I were to have more time or if I were to do it again, how could I improve on my film opening and what would make it even more of a success!

The people who answered my questionnaire did give me more positive feedback than the negatives when I was talking to them, but the questions I had asked focused more on making my film opening better - If I could.

Comments:

By looking over my comments from my class (see ‘Main Task – Result’) I have been able to get each of their opinions and thoughts on my film opening. From the 10 comments I had received, I have been able to have a better understanding of what my audience thought of it and how it could be improved.

The positives I found out about my film opening from the viewers included the opening, mentioning that it was interesting and eye catching - and the use of including the zooming in and out of the lights was different and created a feel to the audience as if they were being 'pulled in', into the screen itself.
Alot of my comments included positive points about the effects used within my opening film sequence, including points about good representations of parts within the film (such as the flash backs) and the effect added to the light to make it as if its crawling down the wall. Other comments on the editing/effects also included the way I made the screen black/blank to raise suspence to the viewer - which had apparently worked! I also had a comment about the light at the beguining and it giving a futuristic feel to the viewer.
I had positive feedback based on my titles of my opening sequence, being told they were 'simple and effective' - which applies well to the style of the film (thriller).
The music/sound was said to be use really effectively with the style of my opening and creates a mood and tension throughout the film opening. The heartbeat sounds were said to be effective as the shots went well/in time with the sound of the heartbeats.
I also had lots of positive on the shots and camera angles that I used within my film opening, such as inlcuding lots of shot variations and being very 'creative', 'arty' and 'different'. I had a comment mentioning that camera twists within a part of my film makes the viewer want to watch it even more - since it raised suspence for them.
I also had a comment saying about the choice of my film opening being filmed in the night time. They said that the film opening being filmed at night gave it a 'spooky essense'.
The characters / actors within my film opening were said to have carried and pulled off their characters very well and professionally. I was also commented on the choice of having actors hood up throughout the - gave a 'hint of suspision'.
The film opening was said to make the viewer feel that they are on the edge of their seat - waiting / wondering whats going to happen!

As well as the positives, I had been given a few critisms and opinions of those who had viewed my video within my class.
I had been notified in a few of my comments that my viewers felt that the sound of the 'hit' didn't sound very convincing or as effective as it could have been.
I also had critisms based on the darkness of the setting and that it was hard to see the detail within the frames.
One point made was that I was told if I could do it again - I should think about how dark the shots are whilst filming and how I could improve that (by editing perhaps). A similar critism to this is that I was told that some of the viewers couldnt see the actors because of the lighting.

One of the main critisms I have been given is that some of my viewers were confused at the end of my film opening and were struggling to know what was going on. I was aware of this from the beguinning of my plan and had a feeling that some of my viewers wouldn't understand what happened or what is going on. But themain purpose of this was to make the viewers more interested/likely to continue to work out what would happen and what the storyline is.

5) How did you attract/address your audience?

For this task - I have used Youtube to annotate and outline how I have attracted and adressed my audience of young adults.
I have tried to pick out and talk about some of the parts within my film opening sequence that show my creativity and intentions towards attracting my target audience.

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

Throughout the process of constructing this product, my knowlege and abilities on using equipment such as the computer (inc. its programmes) and the camera (inc. its additional equipment) has increased. All of the equipment and applicatons I will be talking about have all given me a extreme benefit towards my work and final project.

(An example of myself working on the computer)

Apple Mac Computer:

The Apple iMac Computer was the main piece of equipment I have worked on for posting, processing, creating and editing my work for most of this project.

The equipment included a power source for the computer, various cables for the connection of the internet, keyboard, mouse..etc and included ports for electrical devices such as headphones, microphone and USB memory sticks.

This particular piece of equipmwnt was a great use to me as it had a large 21.5 inch screen and enabled me to work effeciently by being able to have various applications and programmes open at once (such as having the Internet / Blogger open whilst using Premiere pro to edit / create my project).

The Apple Mac included all the sources I needed such as the Internet and various applications, including Adobe Premiere Pro and Photoshop.

The computer also enabled me to create my own space/folder to store all of my work and images in one place, which enabled me to go back and continue with my work and creating new documents.

I would say that the Apple iMac is one of the best computers you can work on in terms of creating a product such as my own (films/film openings) because it can handle a variety of equipment to be connected to it (such as the camcorder) and is also great for enabling myself to do the work quickly and efficiently.

Camera recorder (HVR-HD1000P):

The HVR-HD1000P is a High Definition camcorder which is perfect for filming many types of occasions such as weddings, sporting events...etc. But the particular use of this camera whilst I was using it was to film the various work and projects I have been set out to do throughout this course, especially the main task to shoot a film opening.

With this particular camcorder, I was able to use it with or without a tripod and the ergonomic feature of it enabling the user to have it rest on the shoulder when recording, was a great use and as time went on - I was able to use it without problems.

The camcorder includes many supplied accessories such as a Lens Cap (to protect the lense from getting scratched), a lens hood (to prevent any extra light going onto the lens), a microphone (to record sound whilst recording the film footage), a touch screen (to enable viewing the film itself, playback and the various settings) and a large sized eye cup (to enable the user to look through at the footage being shot)

The film footage was saved and shot using a film tape which I could easily insert and take out from a panel on the side of the camcorder.

The camcorder also had a ergonomically designed handle which enabled me to use and carry it easily and safely without using a tripod or when I didn't use it upon my shoulder.

The sound quality of this particular camcorder is also a good quality - in terms of capturing the actors voices when they are speaking and other background noises (such as walking upon the leaves in my film). At one stage, I used the camera specifically to record the sound for when I needed to record my commentary of the film.

The functionality of the camcorder enabled me to efficiently record my film, such as the choice to have auto or manual choices, such as auto focus - which is what I had used for most of my filming as it meant that in dark conditions, I could trust that the camera has automatically focused it for me.

Overall, I found this particular piece of equipment was an excellent camcorder and was highly straightforward in terms of how to use it and how it appled well to my type of film.

Tripod:

 The tripod is a three-legged piece of equipment which enables stability along the side-to-side and up-and-down Coordinate axis of motion and provides a large amount of leverage. The only disadvantages to Tripods is that they can be heavy and bulky, however, they are a huge advantage in terms of being used with large equipment.

This piece of equipment came to a greate advantage to me to ensure that I can successfuly create a steady shot whilst filming, and in the type of conditions and area I was filming in, the tripod enabled me to personally adjust its height, angle and steadiness.
It also included a handle which meant, if needed, I could rotate the camcorder in a panning motion or a titlt, which turned out to be highly effective in terms of the footage I was filming.
Alot of my shots involved the tripod to create a clean sweep from side to side or an up and down motion. Alot of these shots enabled me to create a high suspence feel in the film and to enable me to be more creative with the types of movements I could achieve,
The tripod was also easy to transport as it can be clicked down back into its original/manageable size, where it can be easily put into a bag.

 

 (An example of myself using the camcorder with the Tripod)

(An example of myself with the camcorder and the Tripod in its carrying case)

Blogger:

Blogger is a 'Blog' publishing service that allows private or multi-user blogs with timings on the entries. I have used the 'Blogger' website all throughout my previous projects. This website enabled me to keep a personalised 'Blog' for all of my work based on this subject.

I was able to post different sections of my project into separate posts so that they can be viewed easily and to be in an organised style.

The various features on this blog publishing website has enabled me to post visual content such as images, video and text so that I can exaplain in detail about my project and the various factors about it.

The website enables text, video footage, images, links, formatting, editing, content allignment and lots more!

I found blogger a very straightforward website to use, and so far, I haven't had any trouble with it.

At first, it was all fairly knew to me and I found that I was slow on knowing how to use it and how to organise my posts - but over time, I have found it all very easy and efficient.

I would say this particular blogging website is one of the best on the internet, as it is easy to use for people of all ages and allows any posts of a variety of purposes - such as school projects, businesses, work and social purposes.

Adobe Premiere Pro:

 Adobe Premiere Pro is a software which is specifically designed for the making of films (video editing). The footage of films are based on a real time timeline, which shows the length of the film footage and enables 'cutting' the fim into shorter sections.

Adobe premiere Pro includes many features such as tools (including: select, cut, move...etc) and enables you to import footage and export the final result of video.

Throughout my use of Premier Pro, I used most of the features mentioned. For example, I used the cutting tool feaure to cut my film clip files down to a specific size - especially when I made my film in time with the music, this tool came in extremely useful for me.

I also used the feature 'Import' to put in images, video footage, music...etc into my Premier Pro document, where I was editing/creating my film opening.

I found this particular software fairly straightforward and easy to use and I also thought it was a very suitable programme for people of all ages, because I feel that anyone is able to use it because there aren't very many tricky things about it.

(Creating/setting up a new project)

To do this I simply opened up a new project on Premiere Pro and was then able to set up and name my project. It also included various presets which were available for the type of film and the footage.

 This is the Tool bar which enabled me t use a various choice of tools and functions to use. Such as 'Select', 'Track Selection', 'Ripple Edit', 'Rolling Edit', 'Rate Stretch', 'Razor', 'Slip', 'Slide', 'Pen', 'Hand' and 'Magnify/Zoom'.

The main tools I had used to help me throughout my project mainly involved the use of Select, Cut, Ripple Edit, Hand/grab and Zoom.

The tool (shown in the image above, below the Toolbar) enabled me to use the magnification of my project by using the sliding function.

Throughout the project, I had used various types of Video Effects to help with the effects and visual styling of my film clips.

There are many folders containing different types of effects that can be added to the video clips. Some which I had mainly used throughout my project includes Blur and Sharpen: Gaussian Blur. Colour Correction: Brightness & Contrast. Image Control: Black and White. Stylize: Alpha Glow, Solarize, Strobe light. Transform: Crop, Horizontal Flip.

Above is an example of the type of editing that can require a more in depth and manual edit of audio or visual effects/content within the project. The points and the lines enabled me to adjust and set the way in which I wanted the audio or visual footage to work with the project.

 This block was visible at all times (Top Left corner) so that it was easy to access if I needed to important any material. It enabled me to transfer all of my imported videos, music and images into one place and drag them into my timeline if and when I needed them.

To import a file, I simply went into 'File' and selected 'Import...'

I was then able to go into any accessible folder and find the file which I wanted to be imported into my project. This included the many cut film clips I had kept as a separate file, Images and music which had been intended for my project.

In order to import the video file from the film camera, I had to use the 'Capture' tool. This enabled me to run through the content on the film camera and he footage which I had captured.

With the capture, play and fastforward/backward enabled me to capture the footage in parts so that I could save each piece of footage in lots of manageable parts, rather than one huge stetch of footage.

When making my film project, I had to include some opening titles in order to add to the effect of the film opening sequence.

To do this I selected the '....' icon, which enabled me to create and edit my own title. With the various options of effects, fonts, sizes and so on, I was able to create a title under my own control and choice.

Photoshop:

Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing programme, which enabled me to edit images and text, to the be used in Premiere Pro.

 A really useful thing I found out is that Premiere Pro also integrates with Adobe Photoshop. Photoshop files can be opened directly from Premiere Pro and then be edited in Photoshop. Any of the changes made will immediately be updated when the Photoshop file is saved and focus returns to Premiere Pro.

I didn't use alot of Photoshop in my work, but it did come in useful from time to time when I had to edit something like titles/text or a photo for my final project piece.

However, even though I have been familiar with Photoshop before, I found that I learnt alot more about the tools and features available (such as turning individual images to become a singular file and tile them together, the crop tool, select tool and resizing the image) and how they can apply to my work creatively.

Adobe After Effects:

I did have a try on a programme called 'Adobe After Effects' is a digital motion graphics and compositing software that can apply to films and video.

I begun to use this programme to help me with my titles for my movie - but I had a few difficulties creating the font I wanted and to a particular style, so I ended up not using it.

However, I did find that it was a good programme in terms of creating more detailed text for titles, as it gave more options and effects for text.

By using this programme briefly throughtout my project, I know that I can refer to it at some point in the future for more creations of films.

Google:

Google is an internet 'Search Engine', which is useful for looking up furthur websites, information, images, maps, news, shopping, mail and so much more!
I used this search engine to look up various information for my project such as about media in general, camera shots, examples of film footage, looking up other websites and finding images to apply to my ideas and work.
I found this site extremely useful as it is simple to use and, most of the time, find the types of things I was intending to look for on the internet.

Wikipedia:

Wikipedia is a free, web-based encyclopedia project which anables others to view information on over 17 million articles from around the world - 3.5 million in English.

This web based encylopedia enabled me to research more into depth information on topics that I wasn't familiar with at the time, such as camera angles, shots, techniques, companies, distributors...etc!

I found this site extremely useful throughout my project as I was able to access information for myself and to understand alot more about the types of things I wanted to know about for this project.

Hotmail:

Hotmail is a free, web-based email sevice that is run by Microsoft. I already had an account with this particular web-based email service so I had some familiarity with the site.
The beneficial purposes of this particular site througout my project is that it enabled me to recieve and send information to / from others within my classroom from home or where ever I was (including my teacher - who sent us emails when we weren't in class to let us know about deadlines, work...etc)
This was useful for me as it enabled me to communicate with others / for help and information purposes throughout the project.

Youtube:

YouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos.

I used this website to upload, watch and share videos.

For my my final task (film opening sequence), I put it up onto youtube by uploading it and got an 'embed'. For my Main Task, I used Youtube to get the code and to put it onto my own Blogger - so that other could view my video from my Blog. This wasn't too hard to do - since I only had to copy the code from my youtube account of the video and paste it into the HTML section; so that it can be shown as a video feature.

I also used Youtube for parts of my evaluation, such as the annotated and commentated version of my final film opening.

Youtube was extremely good for the annotation purposes of 'Evaluation Activity 5' as it enabled different features and ways of annotating and letting me adjust the frames to a certain size and position.