AS Media Coursework Evaluation: 2010

For preliminary task go to this link:
http://ashleyjonesmediaas.blogspot.com/

Since making the preliminary task it is evident that the quality of work has progressed massively going into the full product: Sleepover. Sleepover contained an academic year's worth of research, planning, filming and editing whereas the preliminary task only took a few weeks. However this doesn't exactly mean that Sleepover is a perfect piece of work, there are faults and parts that when reflected on, could have involved a lot more.

The preliminary task was done so that we could experiment with camera work and editing. It consisted of a light-hearted script written on the day we filmed and it took no consideration to things such as representation. It also only consisted of four long shots and a shot/reverse shot sequence, whereas our later product incorporated editing techniques such as match on action. Sleepover was a major improvement and displayed how we had matured as film makers. We knew our genre and everything done in the film was done in consideration to the genre.

As the film begins, it only features the main titles straight away; "Sleepover" in capital letters. It doesn't show any credit to the actors involved in the product and this is a mistake. In most of the films i researched it included credits throught the opening sequence, and in films such as SAW II it included the main title at the end of the opening sequence once the monster fodder had been consumed for more effect. Therefore i didn't think we used the technology appropriately in this sequence and the titles didn't introduce the genre; the audience could think it was a teenage drama. The element that redeems this part is the start of the non-diagetic music which cuts off as the sound begins. We made the track on Cubase, a system we learned to use to create music in GCSE Music. It was inspired by the minimalist aspects of Danny Elfman, it also uses a celeste to portray disturbance whilst it is accompanied by strings.

It then begins with a steady close up of the television portraying white noise, this is done to represent disturbance. It then goes to a medium shot of Kelly(Lauren Sweeney) holding the remote, phallic reference displaying her as a feisty 'Tom boy'. It then goes onto introduce the other character Laura(Katie Toon); introducing characters is an important element in an opening, yet we never used a close u

p on these characters as they were insignificant monster fodd

er.

The characters are also wearing pyjamas to represent this as a typical sleepover. However the immediate error in this scene is that it is clearly daylight outside when the camera first cuts to Laura at 0.11. We tried to cover the mistake with the blinds yet the light shined through yet this mistake was unavoidable due to the shooting schedule. After some shot/reverse shot there came a difficult piece of editing at 0:25, where we cut to a different scene during a characters piece of dialogue; the difficulty came where we tried to make it the two cuts in sync.

At 0.27 we introduce the antagonist, Lauren(Fiona Robertson), and due to the nights coming early in winter the light from outside begins to fade making the shot more dull; this makes the character stand out more. We used make-up techniques to make Fiona look more possessed such as talcum powder on face and covering half of her face with hair to add more mystery to the character. We also zoom into her whilst the other two are still talking in the background to make them seem irrelevant and focus the viewers attention on this character.

The long shot which proceeds after this showing Laura walking over to Lauren acts as a establishing shot of the living room, as well as being a slight dutch(slanted) shot to add further disturbance. A critism of this is that it is low angle making Laura look more dominant and important than Lauren. In this shot/reverse shot we also introduce other types of shots such as over the shoulder shots and close ups on Lauren to display her importance. As the scene ends its a low angle dutch panning shot following Lauren out of the room; to display disturbance and Laurens growing dominance.
From 1.01 to 1.15 we use a hand held camera to follow Lauren up the stairs to add a sense of realism to the scene. As she reaches the top of the stairs the camera gets a quick close up of her face showing a lack of emotion. We use a steady long shot before she enters the room to show her distance from reality. She looks back before she enters the room to represent that shes going to kill the monster fodder, and the lights switching off represents her being fully possessed and it also acts as a hook to scare the audience. This sequence also reintroduces our piece of music to incorporate disturbance and mystery, however it cuts off as the lights turn off.

There is another mistake at 1.25 where we film a long shot of Kelly walking up the stairs whilst the camera is out of focus. This is done again at 1.27 when Laura rushes to the window after hearing a knock thinking it's her boyfriend Kevin. These mistakes show a real lack of perfection in the piece.

At 1.31 we add another hook, a medium shot from the outside showing Laura looking out the window after investigating a knock; it is there we see Lauren behind her. This shot is effective as the light shadows half of Laura's face representing her unawareness to the danger. The pattern on the window also look like bars preventing Laura from escape. As it cuts back to a medium shot inside the living room it shows that Lauren's disappeared, this acts as an effective hook to keep the viewer interested.

At 1.39, Laura hears a scream(supposed to be Kelly screaming upstairs) this is a common ideology in horror and it works effectively to add tension. That scream was recorded by someone outside the cast called Michelle Roberts, we made her record many screams before finally deciding to choose that specific one. At 1.43 it we use a high angle shot following Laura up the stairs as she investigates the scream, this shot is effective as the lighting is very dark to add a fear to the unknown and the high angle makes her look weak in this situation. We also play the music again to evoke mystery.
At 1.54 we use a close up of Laura's feet from behind the bannister to make them look like bars showing that shes in a situation she can't escape.

We then use the shot from between Laura's feet showing Kelly on the floor to represent shes in need and is begging Laura for help. The light in the bathroom represents that that room is safer than being on the landing. The high angle shot of Kelly with the blood on her hands shows shes injured and helpless; she is also gasping showing she is dying and panicing which is more iconography in a horror.

The next shot is a steady medium shot showing Laura with shock on her face slowly backing out the bathroom into the darkness. The darkness represents the antagonists domain, the last hook comes at the very end as Lauren walks behind her and pulls her in the room she went into earlier in the film; once again we use the scream as a hook to scare the audience. That shot took quite a few takes so we could get Fiona's pulling movements right and Katie's scream to our satisfaction.

In conclusion, we have progressed immensely since the priliminary task, however their are still many flaws in our final piece. We could of rearranged the titles to the end and added credits; not to mention using a scarier font rather than the bland one we used. We should have done more takes and experimented with different shots because when we had to trim our video it didn't leave it very fluent. However, we successfully made a horror movie featuring appropriate horror iconography and added meaning to our shots. Since our preliminary task i have learnt that planning and research is key to any film as it helps support the project and teaches you what fits into that particular genre. I have also gained a better understanding of camera work and editing which has helped me gain meaning to my product. We have also incorporated editing techniques such as match on action on Windows Movie Maker whereas before we didn't know any editing techniques. Therefore I think I have matured a lot as film maker in the interlude between my preliminary and main task.

Throughout the process of conrstructing this media product i have gained many skills and learnt much about the making of films. Technologically we spent most of our learning to use a video camera to great effect and editing what we had made on Windows Movie Maker.
One of the biggest things i learnt from the technology we had was that a shot could determine many things in a scene including its mood and realism. Typical techniques we used with a steady camera(supported by a tripod) including shot/reverse shot and a medium shot. In later parts of the film we experimented much with hand held shots without the tripod to create realism.

When using Windows Movie Maker, it allowed us to cut and merge clips, add music, trim cuts and add titles. We learnt that good editing is key to allow the film to flow nicely; which proved to be the most difficult part of the task. Due to the amount of footage in the film, trimming the shots cut much of the dialogue and at some parts of the film the dialogue seemed to be rushed. I also regret not using the technology effective and adding titles in a more effective way, which could have suited the genre much more.

I have also learnt a lot about technology theoretically. Prosumerism is the idea that anyone can produce and consume media; that anyone produces at least one part of what they consume. It was first introduced in the 1970s, yet it was also used in theorist Alvin Toffler's book The Third Wave from 1980. He says that the first wave is a settled agricultural society after hunter-gatherer cultures. The second wave is the industrial age which was first introduced in Western society. The third wave is the post industrial society known as the digital or information age; it is in this third wave where people may be prosumers.

In media, prosumerism can be found in a website like Youtube or Myspace where people can consume the website yet produce videos and shape their identities; therefore having an impact on the world around us. Throughout the course we were prosumers by consuming research through the internet and films, then producing and editing the film through Pinnicle.

David Gauntlett is a British media theorist, he introduced the theory tha

t because of modern day internet we are more creative. He says that when then internet was first introduced it was purely for information purposes; known as Web 1.0. Then the internet changed to suit prosumers, known as Web 2.0. He says that because of Web 2.0 we are more creative and therefore happier. We proved this in our product as we were happy being creative using interactive media.

AS Media Coursework Evaluation

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Finished Product: Sleepover

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

What have you learnt about technologies form the process of constructing this product?

How did you attract your audience?

Who would be the audience for your media product?

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

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?