http://aaronalderman0.wixsite.com/mediaas
Friday, 30 December 2016
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Sound Planning - Task 19
This soundtrack will be perfect for scenes of the sequence which involve someone being followed. It has a very ambient feel to it which will compliment the scene, and let the audience know that something isn't quite right. This soundtrack is copyright free therefore it should cause no problems using it in our sequence. This music was provided by Bensound.
When browsing the sound website we came across this soundtrack, which we think suits the scene well after the protagonist picks up the fallen note on the floor, then suddenly realises what happens next. This is when his 'instinct' kicks in as he gets prepared for what he must do. The loud drums and short periods of silence in-between them provide a satisfying sound which compliments the ongoings on screen. Provided by Bensound.
Other sounds - We are thinking of including general background sounds which may add to the ambience that we are eager to portray in our sequence. An example of this is crickets chirping at the beginning where there is equilibrium - this, along with the darkness, gives the audience the impression that it is set quite late at night.
Edited Sound for Final Cut 2
We decided to change one of our choices of soundtrack after hearing people's thoughts about our film sequence. As a result we decided to act on this and adapt our soundtrack to fit the sequence more, which we accomplished by further browsing the internet and selecting the right sound for us. I feel as if this is a success because it enabled us to edit our sequence to fit perfectly with the video, for example when the tempo picks up when a character is introduced on screen.
Learning Comments
Sound in our sequence is very important as it adds so much to the atmosphere and the overall feel of the movie, for example it immerses the audience into feeling as if they are actually there in the film itself. Sounds are key to letting the audience know that something is about to happen, for example in our sequence the protagonist is being followed, and as the person approaches him faster the music picks up both pace and volume. Lastly it was important for us to use copyright-free music in our film, as if we did we'd be potentially be putting ourselves into trouble (e.g. a copyright strike).
Monday, 28 November 2016
Typography - Task 18
While looking for typography these were our best choices when choosing from the horror category. We decided that none of these would fit our movie properly as it is a psychological thriller and would require more grit/edge in order for it to really stand out. These fonts would be more suitable for true horror movie which our movie will not be.
After searching the fonts we came to a conclusion that one of these two would be used as our title font. These fonts show more "roughness" than the others and we think the title name looks good in them. Another thing which made us choose this font is how much it would stand out. The title is supposed to catch the audiences eye and these two capture how the title should look to a major extent.
Props, Location, Fashion and Risk Assessment - Task 17
Props/Costumes
- iPhone 6-Character uses it to look at time
- Stabiliser - Used during filming
- Carrier bag- Object character is holding
- Knife rack/Knives- Weapon character may use
- Sweet wrapper- Evidence left behind by Stalker
- Gloves- Adds to the anonymity of the Stalker
Location
The two main locations we will be shooting are the street(near a local shop) and inside a house. This is where the first half of our sequence is set. This sets the dark tone of our movie as the time of day is set in the evening. The second part of our sequence is set in the character's house. This sets the coming of age genre as it shows the teenager doing things you associate with ordinary people.
Risk Assessment
We have decided to shoot our practice filming on Saturday the 19th of November as during this day the weather would be at its best. This day is perfect as we will be free all day to film so if there are any mistakes made there will be time to reshoot. Another thing we took into account was the visibility. Our filming will include longshots, and that day visibility looks like it will be good. Is visibility was poor.
Another thing which can effect the filming is the sound. The wind is a major factor and can make it hard to film because it can't be controlled. We can fix this by recording our sound separately from the filming in order to minimise any problems. This will ensure our sound is good quality. The problem with this is it increases the risk of a flaw in continuity.
A problem that can effect our filming is the lighting. Because this is a little to no budget project the lighting may become a problem as we will film some scenes at night. We have tried to fix this by filming in an area that has street lights. this will make it much easier to see; although in area where the light isn't shining it may be too dark to see, luckily this will add to the horror theme of our movie.
Learning Comments
It is important to have a prop list for your sequence as this helps you remember what you will need to bring on the day(s) of filming. This list should be accompanied by a brief description of why the prop is needed/it's role in the narrative etc. Props are needed in the film to extend the narrative and make it more interesting and appealing to the audience. It is also important to have an idea of where you are filming (location) as this must be a key location since it is where the film kicks off. A clear risk assessment must be carried out to assess all of the risks that may be associated when filming the sequence, so we can make sure that everything goes as closely to plan as possible.
Saturday, 26 November 2016
Character Profiles - Task 16
Learning Comments
When building my character profiles I realised how vitally important it is to provide lots of information about the character(s) in the narrative. It is much easier to create a narrative if you know the characters you are using inside and out, as it provides an opportunity for many more unique and original events. By adding lots of detail it makes the character much more interesting and provides a new level of personalisation, rather than a generic teenager for example. A character with a specified and unique background is much more appealing to the audience as they will want something new from each and every movie, rather than an unoriginal & generic person.The more the audience knows about the character, the more engaged in the film they will most likely be.
Friday, 25 November 2016
Final Storyboard and Shot List - Task 15
This is the storyboard that we created for our movie opening sequence. On the piece of paper there are 18 boxes each side that equate to 36 overall. However after filling in several boxes, we realised that we didn't include spaces for the producers, distributors and film certification codes at the beginning.
When creating the storyboard we tried as hard as we could to make each and every shot unique, however we found out that this wasn't essential because after watching several film openings amidst the process of creating it was apparent that film makers often re-use the same camera angle/shot, so we replicated this instead.
After adding the finishing touches on the storyboard we then produced a shot list for each individual frame. This time we remembered to include the producers and distributors as shots on the list. Within the shot list we added multiple categories such as:
- Shot number
- Shot type/Camera angle
- Location of shot
- Minor description of shot
Learning Comment
From doing this task I have learned that draft storyboards shouldn't be too neat as they are not final (however in this case it was our final in the end). This was a mistake I made as I spent too much time doing some of the drawings on the sheet rather than thinking of any ideas for the upcoming shots. As a result of this our time to think about possible shots was shortened, which could harm the authenticity and quality of our film. On shot lists too there must be room for improvement, so everything initially must be written in pencil before pen.
Thursday, 24 November 2016
Draft Script - Task 14
Learning Comments:
This is our very first draft script for our film sequence. It is very important to have an initial draft script as this can easily be used as a rough template for other possible ideas within the sequence. The draft script should include several things such as the names of the characters and what they are saying, as well as any stage prompts or actions that the character does.
Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Audience Profile - Task 13
The target age for our audience will be 16+, this is because it is a thriller which may include slightly violent scenes which would not be suitable for younger viewers such as infants. Younger age groups may not understand what is happening or why it is happening either, which would leave them confused and uninterested. This sequence will feature a teen as the star which would make this age group feel more relatable to the character in the film, as it is something that is not entirely unrealistic to real life happenings.
Audience Theories
The Uses and Gratifications Model:
This is a theory where the audience are active when consuming a text, film, or television program. The audience use the media for their own pleasure, for example, diversion, escapism or for information.
Also because the audience is in control of their experience with media, they are able to use it for relaxation, emotional satisfaction, and help with issues of personal and social identity.
Reception Theory:
This theory considers how texts include with deeper moral meanings, and how they are understood by the audience. Audiences will either understand the deeper meaning/message, or on the other hand they will misunderstand or reject the idea. The audiences view is described as either:
Dominant - this is where an audience understands the meaning and generally agrees with it
Negotiated - this is where an audience neither agrees, nor disagrees with meaning, or holds no interest
Oppositional - this is where an audience understands the meaning, but rejects it, maybe because of cultural, political or ideological views they hold.
The Uses and Gratifications Model:
This is a theory where the audience are active when consuming a text, film, or television program. The audience use the media for their own pleasure, for example, diversion, escapism or for information.
Also because the audience is in control of their experience with media, they are able to use it for relaxation, emotional satisfaction, and help with issues of personal and social identity.
Reception Theory:
This theory considers how texts include with deeper moral meanings, and how they are understood by the audience. Audiences will either understand the deeper meaning/message, or on the other hand they will misunderstand or reject the idea. The audiences view is described as either:
Dominant - this is where an audience understands the meaning and generally agrees with it
Negotiated - this is where an audience neither agrees, nor disagrees with meaning, or holds no interest
Oppositional - this is where an audience understands the meaning, but rejects it, maybe because of cultural, political or ideological views they hold.
Learning Comments
From doing this task I have learned that when making or producing a film, it is very important to prioritise your target audience so you can base the film around them. For example the contents of the film must be suitable for the age certifications, otherwise it may be breaking laws and therefore may not be screened at cinemas. The age rating of the film tells the audience what the film will be like, especially if they already know the genre.
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Thinking Of A Concept - Task 12
This is our final mind-map that we produced for our opening film sequence. Although we had several different ideas prior to this, we decided to not write them down unless we came up with a solid idea we both agreed on. Within our mindmap we included several categories that would construct our sequence, these included:
- Narrative
- Location(s)
- Props
- Characters
- Shot Ideas/Possibilities
Another small category we included was the title. We both wanted the title to reflect heavily on the film's narrative, so we came up with several ideas each in our pair. One title I really liked was called 'Yesterday's Tomorrow' because the film revolves around a teenage boy's premonitions, whilst sounding quite vague at the same time. Together however we ultimately decided on 'Stalker' because it sounds simple, yet is very effective as it is easily linked with the narrative.
Learning Comments
When creating our mind-map we realised how important verbal communication is with your partner(s) as you must share ideas with each other, before finally deciding together what you will choose. If one member has a great idea in their head but decide not to share it then the idea is wasted, which could potentially lead to a better film sequence. I also learned that initial ideas should be written down somewhere on a different, possibly scrap, piece of paper so that they can be revisited if they are wanted/needed.
Tuesday, 8 November 2016
Creative Task - 30 Shot Sequence
In this task I particularly liked our creativeness and willingness to adapt to situations where circumstances aren't as we first pictured. For example, we originally planned to film this 30 shot sequence at Castle, however we instead filmed at Marlwood where we had to change many of our shots, especially ones that were taken outside. As many of our ideas couldn't be put into effective use, we had to come up with several new shots using different angles and techniques, which we thought of during filming.
However, as we had to review footage and come up with ideas mid-filming, I couldn't stay in the same stance/position between shots, which in turn caused quite a few continuity errors.This made some of the shots seem unnatural in terms of my body position etc. Also, one large error we noticed was that in one of the longer shots, the camera man's body can be seen in the reflection of the window filming me. We could not re-film this however because by the time we noticed the error, the weather conditions had changed which would create another continuity error.
Learning Comments
From completing this task I have learned just how important it is to continuously have the camera man review footage approximately every other shot or even every shot depending on how long the sequence is. This is drastically important as it can help iron out any noticeable errors within the shots that have been taken. It is important that the camera operator must do this because as seen in my sequence it can lead to various continuity errors within the project if the actor/actress does this. It is also helpful that footage is reviewed as it is being taken because otherwise certain conditions may change, but if not then you can simply re-film the shot. I will take all of these points into consideration when filming my own movie opening sequence as they are vital for creating a smooth and flowing film with little to no errors that may be seen.
Monday, 17 October 2016
Analyse Previous Students Work - Research Task 10
Opening Sequence 1 - The Edge
Opening Sequence 2 - Roses Are Red
Opening Sequence 2 - Roses Are Red
Learning Comment
From analysing previous students' final opening sequences I have picked up many little key skills and techniques that I could feature in my own opening sequence. For example if there are any actions scenes I could use shaky camera movement to enhance the atmosphere and overall fast-paced feeling of the scene. On the other hand, if the scene involves a calm atmosphere then there will most likely be less cuts and a stable camera positioning. I have also learned the importance of the typography being able to be read by the audience, meaning it must contrast with the background colours.
Saturday, 15 October 2016
Representation In Films - Research Task 9
The Breakfast Club
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Learning Comment
In this task I learned about how filmmakers add representation of social groups and age groups in the narrative of their movies. I have realised that in movies it is important to portray the social context of the film early on in the narrative (usually to be in included in the opening sequence). For example in films such as The Breakfast Club, the first shot is a long shot of a high school which sets the scene for the rest of the narrative, while informing the audience that the cast will be a representation of teenagers.
Wednesday, 12 October 2016
Creative Task - Title Sequence Remake
This is our remake of the movie Drive's (2011) opening title sequence. Although it is not an actual coming of age film, we particularly liked the 80's/90's vibe of the music and font that were chosen for the film. We felt that the font we used (Brush Script MT Italic) was very similar to the original movie's typography (which we could not find in iMovie), however the colour we selected was a little off.
We couldn't replicate the exact background of the original title sequence, as it includes air shots and in car shots - instead we used a simple black background which would contrast with the text. Our primary focus was the typography itself, however, so the background wasn't too much of an issue.
Learning Comment
When looking at examples of title sequences of films I realised that the typography was very important as it this introduces the actors and title of the film. The style of font should be interesting but not too complicated to read, and should capture the audiences attention. The music selected for the sequence should also relate to the typography and happenings in the background - mood and atmosphere especially. The typography should be consistent in timing and placement so the audience can keep up.
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Narrative Research - Research Task 8
Deadpool
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
Learning Comment
From completing this task I have gained knowledge on several famous narrative theories, and why it is important to have a structure to your film. I have also learned how important it is to feed the audience some information within the opening sequence but not enough to spoil the whole plot, as engaging the viewers by getting them to think what could happen next is a very interesting concept. I could use a narrator in my own films as I think this is an easy yet informative way of giving information.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Title Research - Research Task 7
Napoleon Dynamite
Zombieland
Zombieland
Learning Comments
By completing this task I now know how to integrate interesting typography and that it should have relations the the genre and style of the film that I am creating. I could also use animations/effects to make my typography more lifelike. Having interesting typography means that it is more likely to capture the audience's attention, more-so than compared to simple font text. I have also learned what order I should list all of the names of the people who have worked on the film, for example the director comes last.
Audience Research - Research Task 6
What is audience research?
Audience research is communicating and gathering information from a sample of people using various data collecting methods for a product. This information may consist of their attitudes, knowledge, interests, preferences or behaviours towards/about the product. The people being sampled may be selected randomly or by a selected grouping strategy, e.g by gender.
Learning Comments
From completing this task I have learned how important it is to clearly establish your genre of film (in our case coming of age). To do this in my own project I could use some of the popular themes that I have found from my questionnaires. This for example will be first of all choosing a popular genre such as action. I then will need to integrate a good and interesting story line which includes aspects of relatability within the audience's life so they are immersed in the film. My film could also include a deeper meaning as a whole so that the viewers gain an important message as they are still developing through their teenage years.
Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Creative Task - Opening Scene Remake
This is our remake of the Step Brothers (2008) meeting scene between the two main characters - Dale and Brennan.
When watching the real clip it looks like a short and simple scene to reenact, however we quickly realised that in reality it wasn't as easy as it seemed. For example, on the particular day we were shooting, the weather was very inconsistent which caused inconveniences in sound quality, such as gusts of wind being caught mid-shot. Also, due to the location of where we were filming it (next to a road) there were often cars driving past, so there were many continuity issues. Also, the weather interfered with the travelling of sound, so we had to speak louder - this made the speech seem quite forced and unnatural in my opinion.
On the other hand I thought we did a good job recreating the camera angles used such as the shot-reverse-shots. Also, I feel as if the typography was edited quite well for the selection of fonts and transitions we were allocated in iMovie. The actors also behaved in the same manner as in the real clip when acting, for example the way Brennan walks and stands is recreated very well.
Learning Comment
Although we did well in recreating certain aspects of the clips, I feel as if conditions that we unable to control let us down. Next time when filming I think we should shoot inside so our sound quality is improved as that is what I think is holding us back at the moment. We could also use a stabilizer for the camera to improve the quality of shots, as at the moment they are quite shaky and unnatural.
Tuesday, 4 October 2016
Director Case Study - Research Task 5
Learning Comment
From completing this task and researching Greg Mottola I have now come to the realisation that by using the same actors in multiple film is useful, because by seeing a particular actor (i.e. Bill Hader) they know roughly what genre of film they are witnessing. Also well-known actors play similar roles in movies for example Seth Rogen is primarily involved in comedic genres, and Michael Cera often plays a socially awkward character in a film. I admire Mottola's extensive use of comedy that is not always obvious, as this makes the jokes both funnier and interesting to watch. His passive humour style is something I'd like to include in my own creations.
Sunday, 2 October 2016
Producers and Distributors - Research Task 4
What is a film producer?
Producers, whether they're employed as part of a wider production company or independently, are responsible for filling a large variety of roles to do with the film. They plan and coordinate many aspects of the film's production, for example script writing, directors, editors and main cast. During production, they are the first point of contact for all production partners, investors and distributors. Producers must approve every change made to the film. During post-production, they deal with financing and distribution companies to plan how the film will be marketed.
What is a film distributor?
A film distributor is responsible for the marketing of a film, and has become a key part in film production financing. The distributors are usually a different company than the production company. A distributors job may involve setting a release date for the particular film, and distributing the film to various viewing platforms such as cinemas or even straight to Bluray/DVD. The primary distributor will then most-likely receive a notable mention in the film's credits sequence.
Producers
Universal Studios
Who are they?
- Universal Studios is an american film studio owned by Comcast, and is one of the 'big six' studios. Its distribution offices are based in New York, however its production studio is located in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1912 by Carl Laemmle, Mark Dintenfass, Charles O. Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, Robert H. Cochrane and Jules Brulatour.
What do they produce?
- Universal Studios produced mainly films and television shows. Under the Universal brand, there is also theme parks and Hollywood tours, and many other entertainment platforms.
What have they produced in the past?
- Jurassic World (2015, $652,000,000)
- Despicable Me 2 (2013, $368,000,000)
- The Secret Life Of Pets (2016, $365,000,000)
- Other films include: Jaws (series), the Jurassic series, the Fast and Furious series, and Straight Outta Compton.
Are there any common film certifications?
- The most common age rating of Universal Studios films are 12-15, focusing on teenagers and older children with films such as Despicable Me and Minions. They also have films targeted at older audiences such as Jaws, 50 Shades Of Grey and Ted.
Have they produced any coming of age films?
- Bad Neighbours (1 & 2)
- Pitch Perfect
- American Pie
Walt Disney Pictures
- Walt Disney Pictures is an American film production company, a division of Walt Disney Studios which is owned by the Walt Disney Company. It is currently located in Burbank, California. The studio was founded in 1923 by Walt Disney and his brother, Roy O. Disney. It is classified today as one of Hollywood's 'big six' studios.
- Walt Disney Pictures produces films, TV shows, animations, books and some video games. The Disney brand as a whole is huge worldwide, with their own TV channels on US and UK television.
- Star Wars Ep. VII: The Force Awakens (2015, $937,000,000)
- Avengers (2012, $624,000,000)
- Finding Dory (2016, $484,000,000)
- Other films include: Pirates of the Caribbean (series), Frozen, Toy Story (series).
- Their productions are mainly PG/U certificated as their target audience is primarily young children - for example some of their highest grossing films are Toy Story and Frozen, both animated pictures.
- I haven't found any coming of age films produced by Walt Disney Pictures - I believe this is because they focus their films on animations and movies based upon fictitious characters.
Distributors
20th Century Fox
Who are they?
- The Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation is an American film studio, distributor and one of the largest American film studios, founded in May 1935 by Joseph M. Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck. It is currently located in Los Angeles, USA, where most of their films are set, and owned by 21st Century Fox. It is one of the 'big six' film studios.
What do they distribute?
- As the company is so big, it is split into many divisions of which handle certain aspects of media. This means as well as films, 20th Century Fox also produce/distribute radio, TV and music, although film is their biggest priority.
What have they distributed in the past?
- - Avatar (2009, $750,000,000)
- - Star Wars Episode I: Phantom Menace (1999, $431,000,000)
- - Deadpool (2016, $363,000,000)
- The Star Wars franchise is without a doubt their largest asset, with a combined gross of well over a trillion dollars ($). Other huge franchises include X-Men, Home Alone, and Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Are there any common film certifications?
- 20th Century Fox distribute a wide range of films for many audiences. However, they have seemed to distributed a lot of 12-15 rated films, which tells me that they target mostly teenagers and mature audiences.
Have they distributed any coming of age films?
Yes, they have distributed many, for example:
- The Goonies
- Fault In Our Stars
- Dude, Where's My Car?
Paramount Pictures
Who are they?
- Paramount Pictures is an American film studio, television production company and motion picture distributor, and is one of the 'big six' Hollywood studios. It was founded in 1912 by W. W. Hodkinson, Adolph Zukor and Jesse L. Lasky. In 2014, Paramount Pictures became the first major Hollywood studio to distribute all of its films in digital-form only.
What do they distribute?
- Paramount Pictures International: Responsible for marketing and distributing movies to worldwide audiences.
- Paramount Home Entertainment: Responsible for sales, marketing and distribution of DVD's and Blu-ray discs for films and TV shows.
- Paramount Television Distribution: Responsible for distributing product to a variety of television media.
What have they distributed in the past?
- Titanic (1997, $601,000,000)
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009, $402,000,000)
- Forrest Gump (1994, $330,000,000)
- Other films include: Shrek (series), Indiana Jones (series) and Star Trek (series).
Are there any common film certifications?
- As usual there is a wide range of film audiences, however the most common being 12. This is because Paramount are family friendly with light-hearted humour being aimed at young teenagers/older children.
Have they distributed any coming of age films?
- Mean Girls
- Clueless
- Mean Creek
Minor Companies
United Artists
Who are they?
- United Artists (UA) is a minor American film production and television entertainment studio, based in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. It was founded in 1919 by Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D. W. Griffith, with the intention of their own interests rather than commercial interest.
- United Artists produce film, television and music. MGM own a large stake in the company now, however.
- Gone With The Wind (1939, $189,000,000)
- Rain Man (1988, $172,000,000)
- Die Another Day (2002, $160,000,000)
- Other films include: the Rocky series, many of the older James Bond films, and Hannibal.
- They have also distributed films such as Spectre and Hot Tub Time Machine.
- The most common film certification is 15+, as they tend to focus heavily on action/comedy movies.
- The most well-known film that they have distributed is Fame.
Learning Comments
From this task I have learned a lot about the production and distribution scene in the film industry. Firstly, most studios are based in Hollywood, Los Angeles because it is such an iconic and well-known location in the entertainment business - it is also where all of the largest actors go because there is tons of money involved. I have learned how important distribution companies are too, as they are responsible for making the money and success that the films deserve - if a film is distributed poorly, then the profits made will be substantially less. Finally I have learned about the 'big six' studios and their huge reputations in the industry - if you see that one of these companies has produced a film, it will have very high expectations because these companies provide large budgets in the production of the film.
Preliminary Task 1
This short video is our AS Media preliminary task, where we have attempted to show every camera-shooting technique that we've learned throughout our first few weeks of lessons. These include simple techniques such as shot-reverse shot, match-on-action etc. whilst keeping in mind the 180 degree rule.
The task required us to create a short, simple conversation between two characters who were sat on chairs, with one person entering the room, the other already sat down.
During the opening few shots I feel like the transitioning between shots has been edited to look very smooth, giving the illusion to the viewer that the sequences happen seamlessly. There is little-to-no jump-cutting, which is a significant improvement over our first creative task. We used the camera techniques to great effect, especially when picking up the bag nearing the end, where 3 different shots have been edited to flow neatly together.
However, there were also a few continuity issues during our video. For example, when the shot-reverse-shot sequence of the conversation takes place, there are a couple of moments where my head is at a different angle to the previous shot. There was also a shot where the lighting significantly changes to gloomy, whereas the rest of the shots were quite bright.
Lastly, the sound needs to be improved, as sometimes the characters alter their volume by accident when speaking, which also isn't helped by issues such as wind and poor sound recording in general by the iPhone.
Learning Comment
In this task I have learned the importance of continuity between numerous shots. This helps with the authenticity of the short film and overall flow. The match on action shots make films more interesting than only a single shot, however are harder to pull off and edit it to transition seamlessly. I have also realised the need to emphasise words when acting, so the audio is clearer and much nicer to listen to. Finally, next time editing I must play the 'finished' film several times with loud volume, to be completely sure that I have cut every individual mistake.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)