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AS MEDIA STUDIES UNIT G321: FOUNDATION PRODUCTION 7th September 2015 – 21 March 2016 BRIEF FOR VIDEO PRODUCTIONS: PRELIMINARY TASK: Continuity exercise requiring students to produce a brief film reflecting 3 continuity principles. MAIN TASK: THE OPENING SEQUENCE OF A NEW THRILLER FILM INCLUDING TITLES AND SOUND TO A MAXIMUM OF TWO MINUTES. All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free source.
The Bridge 2013 (TV thriller Denmark/Sweden)
Broadchurch 2014 TV thriller BBC(BBC)
“ Happy Valley” controversial TV thriller BBC (2014)
Research & Planning Uploaded onto student blogs
Individually marked with case studies posted on student’s blogs.
Research in the form of case studies into real thriller films and TV crime/thriller dramas.
Construction Group work: Short continuity editing task.
20 marks
The opening to a new thriller film to include sound and titles.
Evaluation Uploaded onto student blogs. Students respond to 7 compulsory questions about research, planning and evaluating their opening to a new thriller film.
Marks awarded for quality and commitment to differentiate between individual students. 60 marks
20 marks
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CNS Media Student Poster
Kill Bill Vol 2 (USA)
Animal Kingdom (Australia 2010)
CONTENTS
Page Number
Title Page
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Contents Continuity Exercise: Preliminary Task Three principals of Continuity Exercise Important advice for main task Definition of a thriller film Planning opening to a thriller feature film (Main Task) Construction: The Shoot Construction: The Edit Research into aspects of the thriller genre: Task 1 Definitions of Noir Thriller and Femme Fatale Task 1 continued: Research into the thriller genre; hero, anti-hero; generic locations. Research into the thriller genre Task 2: Case Studies Research into the thriller genre Task 3: Extended Task How to improve analysis Blog entries: Advice on presentation Evaluation: Questions 1 Evaluation: Questions 2 Evaluation: Question 2 continued Evaluation: Question 3 Evaluation: Question 4 Evaluation: Question 5 Evaluation: Questions 6 & 7 Health Warning: how marks are awarded re written and practical components of course work. Advisable working structure in lessons and homework Deadlines
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Course book: OCR Media Studies for AS. Third Edition by Julian McDougall, Published by Hodder Education. ISBN No 978-0-340-95898-8
“The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” 2007
Winter’s Bone (2010)
3 Unit G321 Preliminary Task: Continuity Exercise: Deadline Week beginning 5 October 2015
The preliminary task requires students to produce a short piece of film in which contains the following continuity of action: A character opens a door Walks across a room Sits down in a chair opposite another character Exchanges two sentences of conversation which will become dramatic. You must show her/him in their everyday situation. Representation must be achieved by a range of elements: Appearance Costume Performance Location, Dialogue, Lighting, Props, Music Voice-over (optional) Before filming you will require: 1) Storyboard - It is essential that you storyboard the film. The story board allows you to conceptualise the flow of the action and to work through the important practical details. The storyboard will be in chronological in relation to how the narrative will unfold for the viewer. Your storyboard should illustrate your understanding of shot types (close up, extreme close-up, long shot, mid shot) and any movement (pan, zoom, tilt, track etc).
2) Shooting script – This is arranged in order of filming which is rarely chronological. The shooting script also lists equipment and actors/ crew needed for each shoot.
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4 There are three continuity principles to observe in this exercise:
Match on action - Means to cut from one shot to another view that matches the action and pace of the first shot to create an impression of continuity. This creates a visual bridge which can disguise the cut from one to the other. Shot reverse shot – is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer assumes that they are looking at each other.
180 degree rule - The180° rule is a basic guideline in film making that states that two characters (or other elements) in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If the camera passes over the imaginary axis connecting the two subjects, it is called crossing the line and can confuse the viewers. Think about filming a football match where the 180 degree rule is important so that viewers understand where the teams’ goals are.
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IMPORTANT ADVICE for MAIN TASK: Opening to a new thriller film.
Keep to deadlines, if there are problems inform course tutors immediately. Persistent problems with meeting deadlines can result in students being encouraged to leave the course. Parents and the Sixth Form Management Team are informed if students do not keep up with their work. Marks are deducted pro rata if students consistently let down their group during the planning, shooting and editing process. Marks are awarded not only for quality but also individual commitment to the project. Research and planning is individually marked. Though specific planning may be result of group decisions, nevertheless ALL students must post all elements of planning onto their blogs. Avoid chopping and changing ideas. Keep ideas simple, plausible and possible. Avoid over ambitious /far- fetched complicated plots and reliance on dialogue. Particularly avoid plots which represent characters and action which are unfamiliar to you. The most successful productions are those which communicate suspense with specific camera angles, appropriate lighting and integrated diegetic and non diegetic sound. It is strongly advisable to begin editing raw footage even before a shoot is complete. Remember you are shooting the OPENING to a thriller film thus you will want to hook the audience, you are NOT shooting a whole story.
THE SOUND TRACK
The musical soundtrack is a vital part of the production; it sets the atmosphere and may connote aspects of a particular character and place. Once the narrative is storyboarded and all elements of mise-en-scene are planned (characters, locations and costumes etc) begin looking for appropriate music for soundtrack. It is an OCR requirement that any soundtrack must be copyright free. It must therefore be over 50 years old or released under a Creative Commons licence. So research is a timely business. Useful websites include mobygratis.com, ccmixter.org and freesound.org (for sound effects). All require free accounts. Students can also use jazz, classical music or any popular music written before 1961. Students may compose their own soundtrack. Students who use music from unsigned artists must email artists and ask permission. CREDITS AND TITLES The website www.dafont.com is a useful source for designing appropriate titles and credits. Students need to research various fonts used in the title sequences of real productions. THE SHOOT: You may find that shooting some sequences with two cameras positioned at different angles will help you achieve an interesting variety of shot movements and angles.
The media department has two digital SLR cameras. These are only for students who want to play with depth of field, focus etc. If you want to borrow one, please see Mr Rootham.
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DEFINITION OF A THRILLER FILM 1940’s thrillers usually low budget thus modest locations, focus on lighting, script, soundtrack, camera angles and movement, performances, and edit.
Thriller and Suspense Films The primary moods of classic film noir were melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia. Noir Thrillers are types of films known to promote intense excitement, suspense, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety, and nerve-wracking tension, menace/danger. If the genre is to be defined strictly, a genuine thriller is a film that relentlessly pursues a single-minded goal – to provide thrills and keep the audience cliff-hanging at the ‘edge of their seats’ as the plot builds towards a climax. The tension usually arises when the main character(s) is placed in a menacing situation or mystery, or an escape or dangerous mission from which escape seems impossible. Life itself is threatened, usually because the principal character is unsuspecting or unknowingly involved in a dangerous or potentially deadly situation. Plots of thrillers involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces – the menace is sometimes abstract or shadowy. Generic Characters in Thriller films: Characters in thrillers include convicts, criminals, stalkers, assassins, down-on-their-luck losers, innocent victims (often on the run), prison inmates, menaced women, characters with dark pasts, psychotic individuals, terrorists, cops and escaped cons, hit men/women, fugitives, private eyes, drifters, duplicitous individuals, people involved in twisted relationships, world-weary men and women, femme fatales (dangerous and or deviant women), psycho-fiends, drug addicts, and more. The themes of thrillers frequently include greed, envy, jealousy, terrorism, political conspiracy, pursuit, or romantic triangles leading to murder. Generic locations in Thriller films: Dimly lit often wet narrow urban streets or alleyways, lifts, staircases, basements, large featureless exteriors (reflecting moral vacuum of central characters No Country for Old Men), shower cubicles, toilets, phone booths, bank safes, interior of cars, top of a skyscraper, shores with tide coming in or muddy river banks/canals, scrap yards, derelict factories, tunnels, and many more. The purpose of a thriller is to put their (audiences’) toe in the cold water of fear to see what it’s like.” Alfred Hitchcock. 1) Dance With a StrangerHit men Vince and Jules (Pulp Fiction, Tarantino, 1994) 2) Post war racketeer Harry Lime trapped in the Viennese sewers (The Third Man, Carol Reed, 1949) 3) Gilda, classic femme fatale (Gilda, Charles Vidor (1946). 1
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PLANNING: Main Task: Opening to a thriller feature film: Planning (so that shoot can go ahead) deadline week beginning 16 Nov 2015 Note planning must be agreed as fit for purpose before shoot starts. Please note that understanding aspects of the thriller genre, and individual research into thriller films should be reflected in all aspects of planning. Each student’s blog should include the following
Construct initial concepts of how you want the film to look. Placing images of character types, locations, costumes, props, objects are a useful way in. This can be done on a large sheet of sugar paper or on a power point/slide show on your blog A brief synopsis of the plot. No more than 100 words. Story boards that are readable and contain image, colour, camera positions/shot types, any dialogue and soundtrack. Planning edit: For higher marks students should include details of transitions from one shot to the other so that editing is planned. For example jump cut to…, or fade to black…, or cross dissolve etc. Locations: Annotated photographs/sketches of locations are important. Decisions need to be justified and relate to genre conventions, if students challenge the thriller generic blue print then they need to explain this. Costumes, props and objects: All ideas illustrated with examples from research from real thriller films/TV dramas. Characters: Brief details of character’s backstories. Characters can have names that may give a clue to their personalities or their fate. For example Jo Dacre (surname indicating darkness) also referencing William Blakes “Chimney Sweeper Song: “There’s little John Dacre who cried…..” Casting of characters – brief explanations of casting decisions. Some student hold auditions for roles and include pics or notes related to auditions. Avoid casting 6th formers who are meant to be hardened gangsters otherwise the film will be unconvincing. Casting should be discussed with course tutors. KEEP CAST DOWN TO A MINIMUM OF 2 OR 3 CHARACTERS. A larger cast leads to complications when arranging shooting your film. Soundtrack: Ideas for soundtrack which must be evaluated. Explain purpose of final choice and likely influence on atmosphere and style within mise-en-scene. Students can upload ideas for soundtrack onto their blogs. Shooting schedule and Equipment: Organisation of time (dates when going to shoot), to include locations, names of actors required, equipment required (camera; tripods; lights; microphones) Evidence of the individual contribution to the planning and individual responsibilities during the shoot and edit. Typeface – Ideas/ proposals for the font you will use. Pick a font that is appropriate to your subgenre and creates connotations that fit with your film opening (visit dafont.com for fonts and inspiration) Inter textual references: Student’s ideas need to be explained: 1) Reasons for choice of ideas. 2) Source of ideas with explicit or implicit references to thrillers you have researched. This could be through location, costume, character, action, shot type, soundtrack.
Important: Identify the type of thriller being planned. Example: A psychological thriller like “Sixth Sense”; gangster thriller Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Essex Boys, ; Mafia thriller The Godfather; comic thriller Snatch; or incorporating elements of a futuristic/action thriller, Blade Runner, The Matrix; film noir thriller such as LA Confidential, Jackie Brown, Memento.
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CONSTRUCTION: The Shoot DEADLINE: Week beginning 18 January 2016. Equipment
Lending Policy (cameras) To borrow a school camera or other school equipment students MUST BOOK AT LEAST ONE DAY IN ADVANCE. Cameras and tripods are booked through and collected from the Technical Support Office. Responsibility with borrowed equipment: Students must check the camera in every two days, even if more time is needed for the shoot. Students who flout these rules will be denied access to school equipment on future occasions. Students will be charged for any equipment which is damaged or lost. SD Card: You will need to put a deposit down (£7.50) for an SD card for camera in CNS Finance Office. You can then save all of your video work to this SD card. Students must inform course work tutor prior to going out on location to shoot their films. Equipment available includes: camcorders, stills cameras, tripods, various microphones, and torch lighting If you return equipment late you will lose ONE mark per day per person from your final coursework grade. Using time effectively: Students will be given media lesson time to shoot and edit their films. During the shoot and edit students can only use the lessons for construction run by tutors teaching course work. No other media or other subject lessons are allowed for the shoot and edit. Students will also be expected to shoot during free periods and after school.
Guidelines for shooting film : School cameras only
“To Have and Have Not” 1944
Shooting the action: Students are strongly advised to; o Take multiple shots of the same action so the most effective shots can be selected for the final cut. o Hold your shots, do not take a few seconds of film because this makes editing very difficult. It is easier to cut footage than to add it! o Remember you can use 2 cameras to improve camera angles & positioning. o Hold shots steady where appropriate o Frame shots carefully including and excluding elements as appropriate. o Shoot material that is appropriate to an opening to a thriller film. o Use a variety of shot distances appropriately. o Carefully select mise-en-scene thinking about colour, figure, lighting, positioning of objects and setting. Camera angles: Students are advised to use an appropriate variety of camera angles and movement in order to add to the appeal of the film. Take important shots from different angles then you can select the most suitable/stylish during the edit. Close up shots: Students are often reluctant to use close ups, but these shot types are most effective in drawing your audience into the action. Think close ups and angles. Lighting: Some student productions are too dark and are thus unreadable. Though you may wish to achieve noir lighting effect make sure the action is decipherable, professional directors use non ambient lighting to achieve noir or chiaroscuro effects. Therefore make sure that your action is well lit; when looking at the rushes/raw footage and the lighting is too dark then students must re shoot the clip. Revisions to original ideas: If students shoot action which is different from the original planning (story boards, character etc), any revisions can be briefly redrafted and explained on the blog. Raw Footage: Students should have at least 9-10 minutes of raw footage to allow for cutting during the edit. Do not put health and safety at risk, do not use pretend weapons in public.
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CONSTRUCTION: The Edit: DEADLINE: Week beginning 22 February 2016 Always check with course work tutors that your allotted computer is available. Each group is allotted a computer for the edit. ALWAYS USE THE SAME COMPUTER.
Downloading raw footage: Once the shoot is complete you need to remove the SD card and return the camera to the Library. Then use an SD card reader (your teacher has these) to download to your group’s folder (e.g. E:/Year12B/Thriller/footage). Download the video footage into your folder on your allocated computer. Keep the footage backed up on your SD card just in case something goes wrong. Or on a memory stick. It is wise to download no more than about 810 minutes of your best footage, which then Eyes without a Face (1960) has to be edited to approximately 2 minutes of film. Further technical information on editing will be given to you on a separate sheet. Selecting what shots to keep: Once students have raw footage, make an editing list of what shots you want to keep and where in the narrative your selected shots are appropriate. Soundtrack: When students have chosen the sound track it must be down loaded and saved on your computer. Do not erase diegetic/wild sound when editing. The most effective/convincing productions include a mixture of diegetic and non diegetic sound. Using post production time effectively: Editing can be done in course tutor media studies lessons, during free periods and after school. Edit so that meaning is apparent to the viewer. Use varied shot transitions and any other effects selectively and appropriately, for example jump cuts, cross dissolve, fade to black, slow motion, alteration of colour. Titles: Need to be planned carefully using the website www.dafont.com. Students need to research titles systematically and post this element of research onto their blogs. Editing must be completed in school. Students who want to use their own editing software on a laptop must bring their laptop into school and edit under the supervision of their course tutor. Film title also needs to be researched and link to the action, theme or characters. Alfred Hitchcock
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RESEARCH INTO THE THRILLER GENRE Task 1: Independent Research : Definitions of aspects of the thriller genre should be included on your Blog, for example the definition of: Noir thrillers
Double Indemnity 1944
The Night of the Hunter 1955
Brighton Rock 1947
Mildred Pierce 1945
Definition of a femme fatale Femme Fatale (classic period 1940’1950’s) Traditional representations of deviant woman who is subdued by domesticity/ marriage, punished/exiled or killed off.
Gilda
Lauren Bacall “To Have and Have Not”
1946
1944
Barbara Stanwyck “ Double Indemnity” 1944
Janet Leigh as Marion Crane “Psycho” 1960
Contemporary representations of strong women in thrillers (who are flawed/deviant.heroic). These characters mirror more progressive attitudes to women who are independent and prepared to fight back and survive .
Jackie Brown 1997
The Bridge (Denamrk/Sweden) 2011
Thelma & Louise 1991
Mia “Pulp Fiction” 1994
Trinity “The Matrix” 1999
Nicole Kidman “To Die For” 1995
Lisbeth Salender “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” 2009
Alex Drake “Ashes to Ashes” 2008-2009
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The flawed/ambiguous anti-hero
“Chinatown “ 1974 Jack Nicholson as J Gittes
Once Upon a Time in America” Robert De Niro as Noodles 1984
“ Double Indemnity “ Fred McMurray as Walter Neff 1944
“Life on Mars” Gene Hunt & Sam Tyler 2006-2007
Villains with charm
Harry Lime “The Third Man”
Leon in “Leon” 1994
Brad Pitt as Jesse James in “The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford”
Generic locations & Lighting Design
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RESEARCH INTO THE THRILLER GENRE continued Task 2: All students are expected to construct a minimum of 5 case studies consisting of annotated notes and graphics. All students are expected to engage in independent research into thriller films. 1. Film clips viewed in class 2. Independent research into the thriller genre focusing on analysing how directors utilise the conventions of the thriller genre. 3. For those who which to strengthen research you could include in one of your case studies how representation is constructed in one of your case studies, i.e. sexuality, age, cultural/regional identity, region, disability. Specific aspects of mise-en-scene (characters, costumes, make up, props, objects, locations, colour saturation, lighting (diegetic, non diegetic, chiaroscuro), purpose of intertextual references to similar films/TV dramas and narrative structure (narrative structure: linear, circular, flash back, complex with loops between past and present, or sequences seen from the point of view of more than one character. Explain how the narrative structure strengthens or weakens the appeal of the film) Camera shots, angles, movement and composition (connotes significance of character, or object or place.) Editing (sets pace and can heighten suspense or fear.) Sound (heightens mood, can connote aspects of character, adds to sense of drama.)
The Third Man
1946
Heavenly Creatures 1994
Tarantino’s anti Nazi thriller “Inglourious Basterds” 2009
Essex Boys 2000
Casino Royale 2006
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Task 3) Extended Task: A case study presented on either power point, video diary, audio discussion or other electronic form to include imbedded images and moving footage. This task will improve your coursework mark. All points must be supported by written or visual references to research.. Suggested topics; ( students may come up with their own ideas.): The representation of women in British or Hollywood, or World Cinema Thrillers. (Think about comparing the deviant female character with a blameless or brave female character) The appeal of the femme fatale in the thriller genre. How location and lighting in thrillers reflects the character’s emotional landscape. Or – How location, lighting and colour add to the element of suspense (or fear) in the thriller genre. How directors use claustrophobic spaces to increase menace in thriller films. How costume suggests character and genre. The representation of the hero (or anti hero) in the thriller genre The representation of the villain in the thriller genre. (Think about whether the villain is stereotyped, for example: from an ethnic minority, or disfigured, or very old, or a teenager or a deviant woman thus reinforcing negative stereotypes about particular social groups). A comparison of Jackie Brown and Melanie in Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” or A comparison of Mia (Pulp Fiction) and Jackie Brown (Jackie Brown). (Think about Jackie as the assertive middle aged, street wise, black independent woman who subverts stereotypes, contrasting with the white, dependent and passive woman who whose existence is dependent on her rich husband.. Remember both women are deviant but in different ways. Which is the most appealing to audiences and why? You could do some independent research here.) The appeal of the thriller genre – focusing on audience research. How racial minorities are represented in thriller films (think about the tendency to represent black males as deviant/low life) The representation of children in thriller films (Think about films such as “Leon”. “Taxi Driver”, “Witness”, “Sixth Sense”)
Taxi Driver 1976
Spiral: Laura Berthaud (2005-2014) France
Leon” Luc Bresson 1994
Sarah Lund The Killing(2012)Denmark
Witness” Peter Weir 1985
Wallender (Sweden) 2005-2013)
14 How to improve your analysis Structure your writing with an introduction and then a different paragraph on each technical aspect/ concept/ idea. All points must be supported by detailed references to research. Point, evidence, explain.
Analysis of the sewer scene from The Third Man The sense of claustrophobia created by the sewer setting, with the low ceiling and the cold concrete brick walls, seeks to enhance the audience’s sense of tension and impending doom: there is an anxiety and discomfort brought on by the setting. The setting provides a visual metaphor for the world closing in on Harry Lime. This is exemplified in the shots of Harry running down the tunnels of the sewer towards the light (fig 1): the image connotes Harry’s attempt to escape, to find ‘the light at the end of the tunnel, but this his escape is at once enclosed within the confines of the cold Setting and Fig 1: Harry sewer. The character’s movement from left to right as he running in sewer tunnel runs leads the audience’s eye towards the right and into the distance. Furthermore, the composition (using the rule of thirds, with the sewer wall firmly on the right) leads our eye in this direction, encouraging the reader to search for Harry, just as the characters are doing. You should seek to examine the films in terms of: Codes/forms & Conventions of the thriller genre: What conventions does the film use? Analyse the effects of cinematography, mise-en-scene, editing and sound. Examine the narrative, the genre, and intertextuality. Ensure you comment on the connotations and effects. Higher marks are awarded to students who explain the purpose and effect of elements of mise-en-scene. Annotated notes and drawings/diagrams are evidence of understanding technical aspects of mise-en-scene (film language) to include purpose and effect of the following: camera angles and movement, lighting, sound (diegetic and non-diegetic); soundtrack, special effects/CGI’s) location, character types, costume, make-up, props, objects. Genre: Notes on how genre is utilised. Inter-textual references to other thriller films and if appropriate references to aspects of mise-en-scene from appropriate crime/cop/spy thriller television programmes. Students need to explain the purpose of these references Narrative structure: linear, circular, flash back, complex with loops between past and present, or sequences seen from the point of view of more than one character. Explain how the narrative structure strengthens or weakens the appeal of the film.
Representation: Identify any issues regarding representation of particular social groups (women, ethnic minorities, social age); cultures ideology (what messages and values are being communicated by the film), use of stereotypes or subversi Again discussion of purpose and effect very important. Language and Terminology To Use Mise-en-scene: Lighting (key/ fill/ backlight; ambient/ naturalistic/ artificial/ low key; chiaroscuro); colour, location, setting, set design, props, costume make-up Sound: diegetic/ non-diegetic; Dialogue; Voiceover; Ambient sound; Soundtrack; Editing: Pace; Juxtaposition; Cross cutting; Transitions (fade; cut; wipes); long/ short take; Camera work/ cinematography: Low angle; High angle; Eye Level;Tilt/ Canted angle; ECU/ CU/ MS/ LS/ POV/ Two shot; Pan; Track; Tilt; Dolly; Crane; Steadicam; Handheld; Zoom Composition: Framing; Rule of thirds; Use of diagonals; Deep and shallow focus; Representation: ideology; dominant; subordinate; reinforce/ perpetuate/ subvert/ challenge; Narrative: linear, non-linear, parallel, interweaving, circular, flashback, flashforward, equilibrium, disequilibrium, binary opposition, engima Intertextuality: Explicit or implicit references to other texts.
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What should your research blog entries look like? Here are some successful screenshots of research by past students. Notice how they’ve embedded video, images and annotations.
Work by: Amy Nolan: http://amynolanmedia.blogspot.com Tom Kail: http://tkail.blogspot.com Helen Blyth: http://helensthrillerishblog.blogspot.com
EV
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Evaluation DEADLINE FOR FINAL SUBMISSION: week beginning 21 March, 2016
Assessment is on an individual basis, and completed on your blog. It is important that engagement and enthusiasm are evident in your evaluation. You need to reference particular features of your film to illustrate your points. Do not repeat a point you have already made. You must use a variety of presentational techniques in your evaluation. For example: text and image, embedded videos, screen shots from your own production, power points, prezies, audio or film interviews, video diaries. You will be given power points during this period for extra support on structuring your answers.
Questions: 1.
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? This question asks how your research into specific thriller texts has informed your production. Think about generic costume, location, soundtrack, camera angles, character types, narrative structure, lighting, soundtrack, plot, title, transitions You can’t discuss all these but identify the most profound influences. It is important that you include appropriate screen shots/images from researched films/TV dramas/extracts from crime and so with screen shots from your film with explanation. This questions also relates to the conventions of the opening to a film, for example including titles, soundtrack, cliff hanger etc.
Olivia Thomas’ Thriller “Eve Crawford”
Josh Moore’s thriller “Dead Hand”
Mildred Pierce: Velda kills her lover
“Reservoir Dogs” (Quentin Tarantino.
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2. How does your media product represent particular social groups? You could begin by explaining how you have represented gender. Think about whether your male or female characters represent stereotypes, generic archetypes, or contemporary/realistic/progressive representations of gender. Then move onto explaining how you have represented ethnicity, age, disability or social class in as traditional representations or representations that challenge stereotypes. Think about Masculinity : is it in crisis meaning is the male in your film emasculated, dominated by female, heroic, a villain or hero stereotype, or yobbish stereotyped hoodie? Femininity: Stereotype passive, compliant female victim or deviant (bad and mad which are misogynist representations including the femme fatale, or manipulative controlling women) Or is your representation of femininity authentic and progressive. Sexual ambiguity is the gender of your characters androgynous? DOES YOUR FILM CHALLENGE GENDER STEREOTYPES? Representation of ethnicity: How is ethnicity represented? Does your film focus on indigenous white British ethnic groups who feed on themselves or prey upon themselves? How are ethnic minorities represented? As victims? As realistic? That ethnicity of the character is irrevant? Representation of status/social class Representation of those who live on the margins: This is because one group has made a film about a homeless man. Only reference if relevant. Representation of upper class: Only discuss if relevant to your film. Representation of youth/age/contemporary Britain Representation of young people: What does your film communicate about what it’s like for young people living in contemporary Britain? Think about how the sense of insecurity re living in austerity Britain where jobs are difficult for young people to get jobs, pay university fees, find somewhere to live. Read if relevant to your film: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16158913 “Young and Jobless” Think about how your film (like film noir in the 1949’s) is a product of a sense of despair, hopelessness and thus “conveys dark feelings of disillusionment, pessimism and cynicism” The Philosophy of Film Noir.
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
18 Question 2 continued (examples of representations gender, ethnicity and youth in students’ film productions)
Death at No 52
Homeless
Deceit
Skate
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3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? You must justify all choices.
Consider which film distribution company is most likely to distribute your film. Refer to your work on the Film Industry exam unit. Would your film suit the European independent film market targeted by StudioCanal, or the independent British market via FilmFour? Or is it more in the style of films distributed by a mainstream global distributor like Universal? Justify your ideas by referring to other films they have distributed. Remember: StudioCanal and FilmFour distribute films, but Working Title/ Warp are film production companies. This question asks about distribution, but you can refer to production companies to help explain your decisions.
http://www.independentfilmcompany.com/
Independent
http://warpfilms.com/
Working Title https://www.workingtitlefilms.com/
1. NBC Universal
Which cinemas would be most likely to exhibit your film? Would your film appeal more to a mainstream audience of a multiplex cinema (e.g. Vue) or more to an art-house or independent cinema audience (e.g. Cinema City)? Justify your answer by reference to other films that are exhibited at these cinemas. Straight on to DVD is also a possibility if your film would not target cinema audiences. How could digital technologies offer new distribution opportunities? Consider YouTube, social network sites, mp4 players, games consoles, Video-On-Demand services like LoveFilm and Mubi. Would your status as a student film-maker offer opportunities for distribution? Consider first-film competitions and student film competitions.
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4. Who would be the audience for your media product? Students need to reference audience research and justify in detail why a particular demographic would identify with specific aspects of your film . 
Explain the demographic of your potential target audience: age, gender, ethnicity, lifestyle, aspirations engagement with popular culture, media interests
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Think about what real thriller films or TV crime/police dramas your potential audience would watch
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Students have the option of constructing a visual profile of their target audience with either visual or written references to aspects of the way they consume popular culture.
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5. How did you attract/address your audience? Rave the opening of a thriller film by Chiony Harvey (2014) http://chionehardymedia.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/G321%20Completed%20Productions
It is also important that you can identify specifically strong elements of mise-en-scene which have appeal. For example any of the following: locations Costumes or objects lighting design camera angles and movement character types (do your characters subvert or challenge stereotypes?) action/suspense sound track/ diegetic and non diegetic sound, i.e. a sound bridge Inter-textual references Editing effects: transitions narrative structure colour alternation, cliff hanger enigma. A topical theme Titles Students may wish to reference any audience feedback during the editing process. Students may include a filmed interview with a potential viewer.
22 6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this Product? It is advisable that you identify specific technologies and explain how they offered you creative opportunities that revolutionised/enhanced/ transformed aspects of your research. Think about technologies that assisted you in your ability to: File coursework onto your blog using different forms of presentation creatively. Upload case studies, including film clips and screen shots onto your blog Research and plan your preliminary task and your opening to a new thriller film. Shoot and edit using credits, sound and editing effects appropriately and creatively. Record these processes onto your blog CREATIVELY either through prezi, power points, uploaded film clips or screen shots, recording aspects of your work on video. Collaborate Communicate All points must reference specific examples.
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Students need to consider how their preliminary task introduced technical and conceptual knowledge to embark on their thriller production Think about the skills you used in your preliminary task and how they became more sophisticated when researching and constructing your thriller. Ideas to consider: The 180 degree rule, match on action, shot reverse shot. Explain how you developed these skills in your thriller, to include using titles and sound. Experimenting with lighting and camera angles and movement Working within the blueprint of generic conventions for the main task (your thriller film) Working to a specific brief and to a specific deadline and reinforcing generic conventions Evaluating audience feedback
Prime Evil (Stuart McCrum) http://stuartmccrum.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/G321%20Completed%20productions
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“The Birds” Alfred Hitchcock
Kill Bill Volume 2 Quentin Tarantino
Health Warning Course tutors will be monitoring all written and practical components Students are marked individually for written work Any student not contributing adequately to planning, shooting and editing their production will have marks deducted. Irregular attendance will also be penalised in the assessment process. If students encounter problems with deadlines they must seek tutor support immediately. If there are problems within a group please seek tutor advice without delay so that problems can be quickly solved. These matters can be discussed with a media tutor in confidence. Remember your coursework makes up 50% of your marks for AS media studies
Robert DeNiro in Scorcese’s “ King of Comedy” (1983 )
Clint Eastwood in “The Gran Torino” 2007
24 Advisable working structure for course work
2015 September to 6 October
Lesson time Continuity task. Practising camera shots and movement, storyboarding, shooting and editing Continuity Task.
October – November
Analysis of thriller films in class. Collaborative planning of thriller film. Tutor monitoring of individual student progress.
November – December
Shooting thriller film Commence editing thriller film. Tutor monitoring and support of individual students and group work during production process.
2016 January – February
Preparing for mock exam Editing film Preparing and completing Evaluation of production process addressing 7 specific questions set out by OCR Examination Board
Homework / free periods Commencing coursework on blogs. Posting all elements of planning under label “Continuity Task”, to include camera shots & angles. Embed moving image clips from research into match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule. Short Evaluation. Independent research into thriller films through case studies Planning film (individual storyboards etc.) all to be posted on student blogs. Independently researching thriller films and TV crime/thriller dramas Shooting thriller film in lesson and own time Editing film in lessons, free periods and own time.
24 March 2016 final deadline for uploading any coursework onto blogs.
Completing Evaluation Completing all elements of blog.
Preparing for mock exam Editing film Preparing and completing Evaluation of production process as a “director’s commentary” -addressing 7 specific questions set out by OCR Examination Board. Revising research elements (into the thriller genre) in response to tutor advice. Working on revising Evaluation Completing all elements of blog in preparation for internal moderation process.
25 YEAR 12: DEADLINES FOR ALL ELEMENTS OF COURSEWORK.
AUTUMN TERM 2015 Week beginning:
Details of work
14 September 2015
Submission of summer task to blogs. Complete planning, shooting , editing and evaluation of preliminary task All elements of planning opening to thriller film are in place for shoot to go ahead
5 October 2015 16 November 2015 SPRING TERM 2016 Week beginning 18 January 2016 February Half Term February 2015 Week beginning 22 February 2014 Monday 21 March 2016 Thursday 24 March 2016
Completing the shooting of thriller film
Completing the edit of new thriller film (maximum 2 minutes) to include sound and titles. Evaluation: Final draft of response to 7 compulsory questions set by OCR posted onto blog. All practical and written elements of coursework completed. Administrative details checked ready for submission of all coursework for internal and external moderation No further blog entries for Unit G321
The 65+ thriller films and television crime/police dramas referenced in this booklet are suitable choices for case studies. Elements of camera angles, lighting costume, location & soundtrack offer inspiration for planning your film.