Monday, 28 September 2009
Monday, 11 May 2009
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Question 7 - Progression from Preliminary Task
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Easy - use the evaluation of the preliminary task to help you to answer this question. Just go through the entire process and note what you improved from preliminary task to real deal:
Pre-production - casting, locations, storyboarding, scripting, narrative and character development.
Production - Use of camera and tripod plus sound recording equipment/mic. Shot selection, construction of mise-en-scene - lighting, costume etc.
Post-production - Uploading footage, editing shots, placing shots in sequence to tell a story (temporal and spatial continuity), use of music/sound effects, credits.
Easy - use the evaluation of the preliminary task to help you to answer this question. Just go through the entire process and note what you improved from preliminary task to real deal:
Pre-production - casting, locations, storyboarding, scripting, narrative and character development.
Production - Use of camera and tripod plus sound recording equipment/mic. Shot selection, construction of mise-en-scene - lighting, costume etc.
Post-production - Uploading footage, editing shots, placing shots in sequence to tell a story (temporal and spatial continuity), use of music/sound effects, credits.
Question 6 - Technologies
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Whatever the outcome, you will have used some of the following technologies in constructing your opening sequence:
DV/HD Camera
Apple Macbook Pro
Final Cut Express
GarageBand
Digital (stills) camera
Mobile phone
MP3 player
Internet
At this stage, be thorough - if I think you're including something that isn't relevant we'll take it out.
Whatever the outcome, you will have used some of the following technologies in constructing your opening sequence:
DV/HD Camera
Apple Macbook Pro
Final Cut Express
GarageBand
Digital (stills) camera
Mobile phone
MP3 player
Internet
At this stage, be thorough - if I think you're including something that isn't relevant we'll take it out.
Question 5 - Attracting your audience
How did you attract/address your audience?
If you think back to the work that we did on Adulthood, we decided that its audience was youths from urban areas in socio-economic groups B,C1,C2,D and E. We also discussed the ways in which the film actively considered and targeted this audience through every stage from pre-production, production, post-production, distribution and exhibition.
For example
Pre-production
Casting - Actors and actresses were cast who were of a similar age to the target demographic.
Production
Filming - Highly stylised and contemporary techniques were used - when Sam threatened Dabs for example, or in the intertextual reference to The Matrix with the bullet time effect in the final scene of the film.
Post-Production
Music - Tracks were used which would appeal to the target demographic because of the genre and artists used - the theme tune was by Bashy, a Grime artist.
These techniques, among others, all helped to ensure that Adulthood was able to target and attract the audience that they had previously identified as being most likely to pay to watch the film.
Think about all of the aspects that you have made decisions about during the entire process:
Genre
Narrative - what happens in the opening two minutes of the story?
Certificate
Casting
Locations
Characters
Costume
Make-Up
Lighting
Dialogue
Performance mode/acting style
Camera shots, movement etc.
Music
Editing
Titles - font, effect, size etc.
etc. etc.
All of these areas will have been considered by your group and you should be able to discuss how you reached your decisions in each area by considering what would appeal to your target audience.
If you think back to the work that we did on Adulthood, we decided that its audience was youths from urban areas in socio-economic groups B,C1,C2,D and E. We also discussed the ways in which the film actively considered and targeted this audience through every stage from pre-production, production, post-production, distribution and exhibition.
For example
Pre-production
Casting - Actors and actresses were cast who were of a similar age to the target demographic.
Production
Filming - Highly stylised and contemporary techniques were used - when Sam threatened Dabs for example, or in the intertextual reference to The Matrix with the bullet time effect in the final scene of the film.
Post-Production
Music - Tracks were used which would appeal to the target demographic because of the genre and artists used - the theme tune was by Bashy, a Grime artist.
These techniques, among others, all helped to ensure that Adulthood was able to target and attract the audience that they had previously identified as being most likely to pay to watch the film.
Think about all of the aspects that you have made decisions about during the entire process:
Genre
Narrative - what happens in the opening two minutes of the story?
Certificate
Casting
Locations
Characters
Costume
Make-Up
Lighting
Dialogue
Performance mode/acting style
Camera shots, movement etc.
Music
Editing
Titles - font, effect, size etc.
etc. etc.
All of these areas will have been considered by your group and you should be able to discuss how you reached your decisions in each area by considering what would appeal to your target audience.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Question 4 - Target Audience
Who would be the audience for your media product?
You have prepared an answer to this question already because it was a key part of your research and planning to find out who the target audience would be for a film like yours.
Remember that audiences can be categorised and described in the following ways:
Demographics (Age, gender, sexuality, ethinicity, social class etc.)
Psychographics (Values/Attitudes - the 4Cs)
Lifestyle (YAKs etc.)
Other media consumption
You have a presentation on this from the work that we did on the film industry. If you can't find it, let me know and I will send it to you.
Explain why you have identified this as your target audience - make detailed and specific reference to your research. Don't forget what you found out from the Pearl and Dean website or all the work that we did on audiences when studying Adulthood and Quantum of Solace.
If you've got any problems with any aspect of the coursework then get in touch. I check my first class account every day.
You have prepared an answer to this question already because it was a key part of your research and planning to find out who the target audience would be for a film like yours.
Remember that audiences can be categorised and described in the following ways:
Demographics (Age, gender, sexuality, ethinicity, social class etc.)
Psychographics (Values/Attitudes - the 4Cs)
Lifestyle (YAKs etc.)
Other media consumption
You have a presentation on this from the work that we did on the film industry. If you can't find it, let me know and I will send it to you.
Explain why you have identified this as your target audience - make detailed and specific reference to your research. Don't forget what you found out from the Pearl and Dean website or all the work that we did on audiences when studying Adulthood and Quantum of Solace.
If you've got any problems with any aspect of the coursework then get in touch. I check my first class account every day.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Question 3 - Media Institutions
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
As with the second question, think back to Unit G322 to help you with this one. We covered the film industry and you have been working on the production of the opening sequence of a film so it should all tie in. The question asks you about distribution so you certainly need to show that you understand what distribution entails in the film industry - remember that we talked about P and A - Prints and Advertising. It's also worth mentioning something about production too - what sort of institution would produce a text such as yours?
To answer this question you need to assume that your opening sequence would be turned into a feature length film and then think about how it would be distributed and who would do this. Look back over your notes at the work that we did on the production and distribution of Adulthood and Quantum of Solace. Ignore the fact that your film is a piece of A Level coursework to answer this question - what I'm looking for is an understanding of the film industry. If your film would be most likely to be produced and distributed by one of the majors then say so.
It's also worth checking the following websites for a bit of guidance:
www.launchingfilms.co.uk
www.launchingfilms.tv
www.ukfilmcouncil.org
More coming soon on question 4.
As with the second question, think back to Unit G322 to help you with this one. We covered the film industry and you have been working on the production of the opening sequence of a film so it should all tie in. The question asks you about distribution so you certainly need to show that you understand what distribution entails in the film industry - remember that we talked about P and A - Prints and Advertising. It's also worth mentioning something about production too - what sort of institution would produce a text such as yours?
To answer this question you need to assume that your opening sequence would be turned into a feature length film and then think about how it would be distributed and who would do this. Look back over your notes at the work that we did on the production and distribution of Adulthood and Quantum of Solace. Ignore the fact that your film is a piece of A Level coursework to answer this question - what I'm looking for is an understanding of the film industry. If your film would be most likely to be produced and distributed by one of the majors then say so.
It's also worth checking the following websites for a bit of guidance:
www.launchingfilms.co.uk
www.launchingfilms.tv
www.ukfilmcouncil.org
More coming soon on question 4.
Sunday, 29 March 2009
Evaluation Question 2 - Representation
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
This is the second question that you have to address in your evaluation. Think back to Unit G322 - half of this paper was about the key concept of Representation; you wrote an essay about representation of age in Monarch of the Glen! Refer back to your notes from this unit to answer this question - all that stuff about stereotypes and so on should come flooding back quite quickly.
Use the following questions to guide your response to this question:
Which social groups (age, race, religion, gender, sexuality, region, any other as relevant) are shown in your film opening?
What are people from these social groups shown doing and saying?
Are they represented positively or negatively? How is this achieved? Think about dialogue, camerawork, editing, music, mise-en-scene etc. ect.)
How are people from different social groups represented in comparison to each other?
Are the representations stereotypical or countertypical? Or balanced?
How are the audience positioned in relation to the characters?
More on question 3 soon...
This is the second question that you have to address in your evaluation. Think back to Unit G322 - half of this paper was about the key concept of Representation; you wrote an essay about representation of age in Monarch of the Glen! Refer back to your notes from this unit to answer this question - all that stuff about stereotypes and so on should come flooding back quite quickly.
Use the following questions to guide your response to this question:
Which social groups (age, race, religion, gender, sexuality, region, any other as relevant) are shown in your film opening?
What are people from these social groups shown doing and saying?
Are they represented positively or negatively? How is this achieved? Think about dialogue, camerawork, editing, music, mise-en-scene etc. ect.)
How are people from different social groups represented in comparison to each other?
Are the representations stereotypical or countertypical? Or balanced?
How are the audience positioned in relation to the characters?
More on question 3 soon...
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Evaluation - Question 1. Forms and Conventions.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
This is fairly straight forwards - another way to put it would be to say:
How typical is your film of it's genre?
Remember that conventions are features that have come to be seen as typical of certain genres. Masks are a convention of films in the Horror genre etc. You can think about generic conventions across the following areas:
Character Types
Settings
Narrative Structure
Iconography (significant objects)
Sound (Both diegetic and non-diegetic)
So - the question you are being asked here is how closely your film follows typical generic conventions in these areas. You should definitely make reference to other films within the same genre - both classical and contemporary. Refer back to the films that you wrote about as part of your research as they are in the same genre as your own film.
Perhaps the best way to start is to make a list of the conventions of the genre that you have been working in under the 5 headings above and then from here begin to think about how you have used these conventions in your own production. You also need to explain why and how you have used these conventions. It's just as important to discuss any areas in which you have deviated from generic conventionality - if you haven't used the typical features of the genre, explain why. It may be that you have chosen to create a generic hybrid, for example.
Question 2 guidance to follow shortly...
media products?
This is fairly straight forwards - another way to put it would be to say:
How typical is your film of it's genre?
Remember that conventions are features that have come to be seen as typical of certain genres. Masks are a convention of films in the Horror genre etc. You can think about generic conventions across the following areas:
Character Types
Settings
Narrative Structure
Iconography (significant objects)
Sound (Both diegetic and non-diegetic)
So - the question you are being asked here is how closely your film follows typical generic conventions in these areas. You should definitely make reference to other films within the same genre - both classical and contemporary. Refer back to the films that you wrote about as part of your research as they are in the same genre as your own film.
Perhaps the best way to start is to make a list of the conventions of the genre that you have been working in under the 5 headings above and then from here begin to think about how you have used these conventions in your own production. You also need to explain why and how you have used these conventions. It's just as important to discuss any areas in which you have deviated from generic conventionality - if you haven't used the typical features of the genre, explain why. It may be that you have chosen to create a generic hybrid, for example.
Question 2 guidance to follow shortly...
Evaluation
Overall, your coursework will be marked out of a total of 100:
20 marks for research and planning.
60 marks for the actual film opening.
20 marks for the evaluation.
You will be presenting your evaluations individually and uploading the presentation to your blog. We'll also do a group evaluation on your DVD as a Director's commentary.
The evaluation is formed from your responses to 7 stimulus questions:
• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
• How does your media product represent particular social groups?
• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
• Who would be the audience for your media product?
• How did you attract/address your audience?
• What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
• Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from
it to the full product?
The bullet pointed questions are taken directly from the OCR A Level specification and are the same for everybody. I'm going to create a separate post for each question to give you some guidance.
The mark scheme for the evaluation also has 4 levels. The 'excellent' level is as follows:
Level 4 16–20 marks
• Excellent understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms and conventions in relation to production.
• Excellent ability to refer to the choices made and outcomes.
• Excellent understanding of their development from preliminary to full task.
• Excellent ability to communicate.
• Excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation
More soon on the 7 questions.
20 marks for research and planning.
60 marks for the actual film opening.
20 marks for the evaluation.
You will be presenting your evaluations individually and uploading the presentation to your blog. We'll also do a group evaluation on your DVD as a Director's commentary.
The evaluation is formed from your responses to 7 stimulus questions:
• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
• How does your media product represent particular social groups?
• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
• Who would be the audience for your media product?
• How did you attract/address your audience?
• What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
• Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from
it to the full product?
The bullet pointed questions are taken directly from the OCR A Level specification and are the same for everybody. I'm going to create a separate post for each question to give you some guidance.
The mark scheme for the evaluation also has 4 levels. The 'excellent' level is as follows:
Level 4 16–20 marks
• Excellent understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms and conventions in relation to production.
• Excellent ability to refer to the choices made and outcomes.
• Excellent understanding of their development from preliminary to full task.
• Excellent ability to communicate.
• Excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation
More soon on the 7 questions.
The next few days...
Gentlemen - as you know, I'm not in school for the next few days. It is essential that you keep an eye on this blog as I'll put any useful information on it that you will need to be aware of. You won't be able to get to the MACs while I'm not in. I'll be in at some point early next week and will put the day/time on here - check it every day!
In the meantime, there is plenty for you to do:
1. Update your own blogs - some of these are excellent, some aren't as things stand. Remember that the Level 4 Criteria says:
Level 4 16–20 marks
• There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.
• There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
• There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
• Time management is excellent.
• There is excellent use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.
Look at your blog and ask yourself how much evidence you have for each of the bullet points above. If you have done all that I have asked of you then you shouldn't have a problem as long as you have uploaded it all onto your blog. If you're missing stuff then get it uploaded asap.
Remember what I've said about the need to make this information visually stimulating!
2. Plan for the changes you need to make to the first cut of your film openings. These were a real mixed bag - some just require a little fine-tuning while others need extensive work. Plan your changes completely and utterly thoroughly - you are at the stage now where you should have learnt enough from the first cut production and your preliminary task to just go out and get the footage that you need without wasting too much time because a battery runs out/light goes/somebody forgets etc. etc.
3. Begin preparing for your evaluation. This is a significant piece of work worth 20% of the marks for this project. I'm going to upload a new, separate post that goes through the evaluation in detail. Basically, you have to address a series of questions that relate to your film opening. Your responses to these questions will demonstrate your level of understanding of a number of key areas.
In the meantime, there is plenty for you to do:
1. Update your own blogs - some of these are excellent, some aren't as things stand. Remember that the Level 4 Criteria says:
Level 4 16–20 marks
• There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.
• There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
• There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
• Time management is excellent.
• There is excellent use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.
Look at your blog and ask yourself how much evidence you have for each of the bullet points above. If you have done all that I have asked of you then you shouldn't have a problem as long as you have uploaded it all onto your blog. If you're missing stuff then get it uploaded asap.
Remember what I've said about the need to make this information visually stimulating!
2. Plan for the changes you need to make to the first cut of your film openings. These were a real mixed bag - some just require a little fine-tuning while others need extensive work. Plan your changes completely and utterly thoroughly - you are at the stage now where you should have learnt enough from the first cut production and your preliminary task to just go out and get the footage that you need without wasting too much time because a battery runs out/light goes/somebody forgets etc. etc.
3. Begin preparing for your evaluation. This is a significant piece of work worth 20% of the marks for this project. I'm going to upload a new, separate post that goes through the evaluation in detail. Basically, you have to address a series of questions that relate to your film opening. Your responses to these questions will demonstrate your level of understanding of a number of key areas.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Health and Safety
You're going to be filling in some risk assessment sheets before you begin filming. We'll use these as a basis for discussion so that I'm satisfied that you're not going to endanger yourselves (or anyone else) during the production process. Please also bear the following points in mind:
1. If you are filming in a public place try to get permission from whoever is in charge of the particular place. Use your judgement on this - filming a character walking down a residential street shouldn't present any problems. However, a gun-toting pursuit through the centre of town will require some fore thought.
2. Don't ignore traffic - I want you focused on your coursework but not to the extent that you ignore tonnes of metal whizzing past you in close proximity.
3. Don't film anything that looks as if it is illegal.
4. Maintain your good manners when dealing with or encountering members of the public.
5. Don't trespass because you think that you've found a particularly authentic location.
6. Don't film anywhere dangerous.
7. Think about what you're doing and what you are asking your actors/actresses to do - if it doesn't seem right then don't do it!
The golden rule is to discuss your plans with me thoroughly before you go out to film - this should allow us to avoid any mishaps.
1. If you are filming in a public place try to get permission from whoever is in charge of the particular place. Use your judgement on this - filming a character walking down a residential street shouldn't present any problems. However, a gun-toting pursuit through the centre of town will require some fore thought.
2. Don't ignore traffic - I want you focused on your coursework but not to the extent that you ignore tonnes of metal whizzing past you in close proximity.
3. Don't film anything that looks as if it is illegal.
4. Maintain your good manners when dealing with or encountering members of the public.
5. Don't trespass because you think that you've found a particularly authentic location.
6. Don't film anywhere dangerous.
7. Think about what you're doing and what you are asking your actors/actresses to do - if it doesn't seem right then don't do it!
The golden rule is to discuss your plans with me thoroughly before you go out to film - this should allow us to avoid any mishaps.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Wednesday
Morning all!
I think I managed to tell most of you that I wouldn't be here today so I'm hopeful that you'll check this to confirm what you have to get on with. There's plenty for you to be doing - you need to crack on with your research into a potential target audience. Use the handout I gave you on Monday:
UNIT G321 – Target Audience
Part of your research needs to be into a potential target audience for your film – you need to show that you’ve really carefully thought about who would actually pay money to see the film. Think back to the work that we did on Adulthood and Quantum of Solace and the ways in which target audience was a key consideration at every stage of production, distribution and exhibition.
We looked at the various ways in which audiences are categorised:
• Demographic information.
• Psychographic profile.
• Lifestyle.
The first thing to determine is whether a film like yours would be aimed at a broad, mainstream target audience or a smaller (but well defined) niche audience.
Secondly, identify some films that yours would be similar too – probably because they are from the same genre or sub-genre. You can then ask the question – what was the target audience for this film? Your target audience will be fairly similar.
In a similar way, have a look at this presentation – it’s from Pearl and Dean’s website – they sell advertising space in cinemas. It highlights forthcoming releases and identifies the projected target audience from a demographic perspective. It also colour codes the films according to the type of audience that the film will attract. The presentation can be downloaded from this address:
business.pearlanddean.com/filmplanner/
You also need to design a questionnaire that will enable you to confirm the target audience for your own production. Start by asking what information you really need to find out – this will prevent you from asking lots of pointless questions. You will then need to distribute the questionnaire to a reasonably sized sample. Once they have been filled in you need to collate the results and use them to confirm your target audience.
By next Monday (2nd March) you need to have presented this information on your blog. Make this as interesting and as visual as possible!
In addition - it's worth having a look on the British Board of Film Classification website as this will provide you with some information on what would be acceptable depending on the likely certificate of your film. Their student website is here:
www.sbbfc.org
You can download a PDF from here that clearly shows what is and isn't acceptable!
Their main website is here:
www.bbfc.org.uk
Of course you also need to remember that this is an a academic school project!
Over and out...
I think I managed to tell most of you that I wouldn't be here today so I'm hopeful that you'll check this to confirm what you have to get on with. There's plenty for you to be doing - you need to crack on with your research into a potential target audience. Use the handout I gave you on Monday:
UNIT G321 – Target Audience
Part of your research needs to be into a potential target audience for your film – you need to show that you’ve really carefully thought about who would actually pay money to see the film. Think back to the work that we did on Adulthood and Quantum of Solace and the ways in which target audience was a key consideration at every stage of production, distribution and exhibition.
We looked at the various ways in which audiences are categorised:
• Demographic information.
• Psychographic profile.
• Lifestyle.
The first thing to determine is whether a film like yours would be aimed at a broad, mainstream target audience or a smaller (but well defined) niche audience.
Secondly, identify some films that yours would be similar too – probably because they are from the same genre or sub-genre. You can then ask the question – what was the target audience for this film? Your target audience will be fairly similar.
In a similar way, have a look at this presentation – it’s from Pearl and Dean’s website – they sell advertising space in cinemas. It highlights forthcoming releases and identifies the projected target audience from a demographic perspective. It also colour codes the films according to the type of audience that the film will attract. The presentation can be downloaded from this address:
business.pearlanddean.com/filmplanner/
You also need to design a questionnaire that will enable you to confirm the target audience for your own production. Start by asking what information you really need to find out – this will prevent you from asking lots of pointless questions. You will then need to distribute the questionnaire to a reasonably sized sample. Once they have been filled in you need to collate the results and use them to confirm your target audience.
By next Monday (2nd March) you need to have presented this information on your blog. Make this as interesting and as visual as possible!
In addition - it's worth having a look on the British Board of Film Classification website as this will provide you with some information on what would be acceptable depending on the likely certificate of your film. Their student website is here:
www.sbbfc.org
You can download a PDF from here that clearly shows what is and isn't acceptable!
Their main website is here:
www.bbfc.org.uk
Of course you also need to remember that this is an a academic school project!
Over and out...
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Narrative Codes
In addition to finalising all of the preliminary sequences we looked at Roland Barthes' work on narrative codes this week. I've uploaded the presentation below. Remember that you have a deadline for the second piece of analysis on an opening sequence - this is due in on the first day back after half term.
We've got some work to do on identifying a target audience but other than that it really is a case of full steam ahead with the pre-production tasks - storyboarding, scripting etc.
Please ensure that you update your own blog over half term. You need to upload both opening sequence essays and your evaluation of the preliminary sequence. You also need to post to simply provide an update on your progress.
Have a good half term.
Mr T
We've got some work to do on identifying a target audience but other than that it really is a case of full steam ahead with the pre-production tasks - storyboarding, scripting etc.
Narrative codes
View more presentations from ATith.
Please ensure that you update your own blog over half term. You need to upload both opening sequence essays and your evaluation of the preliminary sequence. You also need to post to simply provide an update on your progress.
Have a good half term.
Mr T
Monday, 2 February 2009
Final Cut Express Tutorials
Enjoy these:
http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/tutorials/
They're all really concise (ok, short) and are well worth watching. There are lots of tutorials for Final Cut Express on Youtube as well but these Apple ones are great precisely because they're very clear and relate to very specific functions within the software.
http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/tutorials/
They're all really concise (ok, short) and are well worth watching. There are lots of tutorials for Final Cut Express on Youtube as well but these Apple ones are great precisely because they're very clear and relate to very specific functions within the software.
Preliminary sequences
Well done to all groups on filming these last week. I know that there are a couple of groups who still need to finalise their editing but I was delighted with the speed at which you all managed to grasp the basics of Final Cut Express. When you come to evaluate your final product you need to address the progression that it shows when compared to the preliminary task. To enable you to do this I want you to update your blogs individually with an evaluation of the preliminary task. This need to be done by Thursday 5th February and should address the following areas:
1. What preparation did you undertake ahead of the preliminary task?
2. Where did you shoot it?
3. Why did you choose this location?
4. What equipment have you used?
5. What went well?
6. What difficulties did you face?
7. What is your overall impression of your preliminary task outcome?
8. How would you improve it?
9. What lessons have you learnt that you will keep in mind as you continue working on the main task?
There's some overlapping areas here so don't worry about writing 9 separate answers - just make sure that you're addressing these areas. Feel free to use the Grab application to take some screenshots and upload them to your blog if they help to illustrate a point that you are making about the sequence.
Your image will save as a TIFF - you can't upload these to blogger so use save as to change the format to JPEG.
1. What preparation did you undertake ahead of the preliminary task?
2. Where did you shoot it?
3. Why did you choose this location?
4. What equipment have you used?
5. What went well?
6. What difficulties did you face?
7. What is your overall impression of your preliminary task outcome?
8. How would you improve it?
9. What lessons have you learnt that you will keep in mind as you continue working on the main task?
There's some overlapping areas here so don't worry about writing 9 separate answers - just make sure that you're addressing these areas. Feel free to use the Grab application to take some screenshots and upload them to your blog if they help to illustrate a point that you are making about the sequence.
Your image will save as a TIFF - you can't upload these to blogger so use save as to change the format to JPEG.
Sunday, 25 January 2009
Storyboarding
We're going to start the process of storyboarding your opening sequence this week. This is a key stage of the process that is unfortunately neglected in much A-Level work with some groups believing that the storyboards are best completed after the filming! This is nonsense. The storyboard is an essential document if you are going to create a professional opening sequence. It basically consists of sketches that show what will be in each of your shots. There is space for information about shot duration and sound/dialogue. Any camera movement should be indicated by an arrow drawn onto the sketch itself. You can also indicate transitions between each shot - most will be cuts of course.
The storyboard is an excellent way for you to think about your shots and framing before you get on location with actors/actresses and a declining amount of battery/light/patience! Getting the storyboards right should enable you to know exactly what is required when you arrive at your location - I can't emphasise enough how much time and aggravation this will save you.
The ones on the left are from Shallow Grave - there are loads of storyboards online for you to look at and they are also sometimes included as extra features on DVDs.
You own storyboard doesn't need to show that you are an amazing artist - this isn't a skill that you are being assessed on. You only need one storyboard per group though, so it would be sensible for the best artist in the group to draw the sketches - with input from the rest of the group of course.
Opening sequences
On Thursday, we looked at some opening sequences to films and agreed that the following features are typical:
1. Titles – stars and director –key creative personnel.
2. Title of the film.
3. Production and distribution company idents.
4. Introduction to the main characters.
5. Establishing shots to show you the settings / locations.
6. Some indication of the storyline that will follow.
7. Some indication of the genre of the film.
8. Sometimes, a short back story is used at the start of a film.
9. Theme tune – non-diegetic music that will usually indicate something abut the film’s genre and mood.
Don't forget tomorrow's deadline for your analysis of an opening sequence.
Mr T
1. Titles – stars and director –key creative personnel.
2. Title of the film.
3. Production and distribution company idents.
4. Introduction to the main characters.
5. Establishing shots to show you the settings / locations.
6. Some indication of the storyline that will follow.
7. Some indication of the genre of the film.
8. Sometimes, a short back story is used at the start of a film.
9. Theme tune – non-diegetic music that will usually indicate something abut the film’s genre and mood.
Don't forget tomorrow's deadline for your analysis of an opening sequence.
Mr T
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Analysis of opening sequences
A crucial part of your research and planning is the research that you carry out into similar media products. Following on from Thursday's lesson you're going to be completing an analysis of an opening sequence from a film for homework. You need to begin by choosing a film in the same genre as the one that you have chosen to work in. Remember what we covered during the lesson on the conventions of opening sequences and consider the following questions when watching the opening sequence you have chosen to analyse:
Begin by outlining what the opening sequence tells us about the film, it's themes and the potential storyline that will follow.
http://longroadfilmopeningsequence.blogspot.com/1. What happens in the opening sequence?
2. What characters are the audience introduced to?
3. How are these characters constructed? How are the audience positioned in relation to them?
4. What does the opening sequence reveal about the setting(s) for the film?
5. What camera shots are used in the opening sequence?
6. What can you say about the editing in the opening sequence? Think about the pace and rhythm of the editing as well as the transitions used.
7. How is sound used in the opening sequence? Consider the instruments used, the tempo, volume, pitch and genre of any music used. Don't neglect diegetic sounds if there are any used.
8. How have the opening credits been presented? If you think it is significant, comment on their size, font, colour and positioning on screen.
There are some examples of analyses of opening sequences here:
Be concise with this - there's no need to waffle. Max 600 words.
The deadline for this work is Monday 26th January.
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Planning - Initial Ideas
We're working on some initial ideas during Wednesday's lesson. You'll be recording ideas onto a pro-forma that I'll give you. Make sure that you hang onto all of this sort of planning material - we'll submit anything useful in addition to the blog.
http://www.ocr.org.uk/Data/publications/key_documents/AS_ALevel_GCE_Media_Studies_Specification.pdf
You can also look at the evaluation questions and the marking criteria for the evaluation and and construction too.
There are two strands to what we'll be doing over the next week or so - you'll be carrying out research (into similar media products and a potential target audience) and we'll be filming and editing your preliminary tasks. The quality of finish for the preliminary tasks is not hugely important and I don't actually give it a mark. However you will have 15 marks deducted from your construction mark (out of a possible 60) if you don't do it.
I'm going to discuss the research tasks further on Thursday - in the meantime you can check out the criteria that will be used to mark your planning and research on page 65 and 66 of the specification - it's very clear how marks are awarded. The spec can be found here:
You can also look at the evaluation questions and the marking criteria for the evaluation and and construction too.
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Coursework Introduction
Coursework Introduction
View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.
Right! Done! I'm getting very impressed with this blogging. Remarkable.
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Exciting Times!
Welcome to the Windsor Boys' Media blog.
The purpose of this blog is to help guide you as we embark upon the Foundation Production Unit (Unit G321) for your Media AS. I'm toying with the options that we have for you to present your research and planning and a blog is certainly an option that the exam board seem to be keen on so we may well decide that you will present your work in this way.
Well done on sitting Unit G322 last week - let's hope that most of you get through without having to think about a re-sit! Don't forget that you'll be using a lot of what you learnt about the film industry to assist you in your own production - our experience will be closer to that of Cipher films than of Sony in terms of budget!
Please bear in mind what I said to you last week - the coursework should be exciting but it is also a hugely challenging project - stay on top of it from the beginning and manage your time sensibly.
Mr T
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