Evaluation - Question 7

Chloe Eustace

Evaluation: Question 7-

Looking back at your preliminary task,

what do you feel you have learn

t in the progression from it to the full product?

The purpose of undertaking a preliminary task was to practise filming and learn how to use the equipment so that when it came to undertaking the final task I knew how to use the camera and tripod as well have an excellent understanding of how to take the best camera shots quickly, easily and effectively, this became useful when filming. Looking back at my preliminary task that I undertook I feel like I have learnt a lot in the progression too having the final product. When I did the preliminary task I had a lack of knowledge of how a thriller film sequence was going to come together. For the preliminary task I was required to take a variety of angles and camera shots in order to practise but also to prove that I can use the camera correctly. I had to include a two shot, angles and panning, in order to show that I can create a variety. In order to do this I had to produce a two to three minute video proving the skills that were required, this would help me with the creation of the final product. 

The use of editing has been better and more structured in the progression to my final edit because when I did the preliminary task none of us were experienced in using the software, I had never used it before and didn’t know or understand how to use the best effects and make it more conventional for our thriller genre. When I undertook the preliminary task I only used a jump cut from each scene or each shot, some of which would look bad, shaky and unprofessional, not linking to the story line or conversation together well at all. However when I produced the final thriller sequence we used different transition and filters to create effect and made sure that cuts were done in the right place to make the story and scenes flow together properly. For instance in my final edit I made sure that I used a blur transition from the first scene to the production name, which looked more tense and conventional to a thriller film than what I used in the preliminary task. From my preliminary task I have used a whole variety of different editing techniques from when I created my rough cut and my preliminary task including the use of filters to show that flashbacks of what there relationship used to be like are presented in black and white, as well as the use of fades and blurs to and from flashbacks. This makes it much easier for an audience to identify what the characters where previously like and what they are like now. Something else that I found that I was better at in the final thriller from the preliminary task was cutting useless and pointless shots out. In the preliminary task I had pointlessly long clips and didn't cut them, whereas I know that I had a flashback scene that was 10 seconds long and managed to cut it down to so that it was 3 seconds long, and this gave more effect on the thriller sequence anyway. 

There was a number of difficulties that I found when it came to creating the final thriller sequence and the preliminary task. Sound was a key element that has progressed since the first preliminary task because when we did that I didn’t add any sound in at all, whereas when it came to editing the thriller sequence we made use of all types of relevant sound in order to create the most effective thriller opening and make it conventional to the thriller genre. I used non diegetic sound to run throughout the background of the thriller sequence, because this was sound that I added in to give a tense beat and then I also used non – diegetic sound when I added in the ticking of the clock in order for the audience to understand that the victim in the thriller was running out of time. This drew the audience in and was much better than the preliminary task which I didn’t use any sound at all. On screen sound and off screen sound was something that I didn’t pay attention too when filming the preliminary task because I didn’t analyse the setting to see what could have added more effect as on screen sound. In addition to this we found that for sound, location is important because background noise can affect filming and make it difficult. For instance when I filmed the preliminary task I filmed in a school which was a busy area with people and constant sounds were being picked up in the background on camera. From this I learnt that to film in the forest it would have been difficult (a reason of why I choose to re film and change the narrative) because there would be a number of sound interruptions from people and cars.

When I first undertook the preliminary task I lacked on knowledge of the camera and how to use it meaning that when I did the task I only really used basic shots an angles, however in progression of the final sequence coming together I found it easier and less complicated to used better shots like panning, or two shots instead of the basic stay still and zooming in and out, therefore making the final product look better. I used panning within my preliminary task and found that the camera was shaking a lot so it didn’t look good when it was finished but however when I did the filming for the final product I used a panning camera shot and found it best to hold the camera completely still and that the best way to create this shot was to keep the camera on the tripod.Another thing that helped me from the transition of the preliminary task to the build-up of the final product was the lighting and how much this can affect the final edit. I found that the day we filmed the preliminary task the sun was out causing lot of issues when it came to camera angles but when it came to filming the final product the dark was then an issue. Getting the best lighting in order to create an effective product was something that we found difficult and learnt from  as I completed the final cut. I have also learnt that the use right conventions in reactions to the genre of film type you are creating is the most important in order to get the best final effect and result.

There was a number of challenges and issues that I found when I was creating my final thriller, there were a few things that I had to overcome especially when it came to creating the camera angles and getting them right. In order to create some specific camera techniques of my final thriller so that they were better than the preliminary task I decided on specific shots. First of all one of the camera shots that I took on for the preliminary task was a two shot, which I zoomed in on. The two shot wasn't good in the preliminary task, as the camera was shaky and didn't focus on the two characters in the shot so I made sure that when I used the two shot in my final thriller (pictured left) that I used the tripod, with the camera on and decided against zooming in, this gave a better effect on the thriller and allowed a better show of the characters together on screen allowing the audience to relate better with these characters. I used the two shot in my final thriller sequence during a flash back scene, showing what these two friends used to be like, and how they used to be best friends. Another camera technique that I had to use in my preliminary task was panning of a character. In my preliminary task again the camera was shaky because I was still learning how to use the camera and I decided to use it as handheld. When I created the panning shot on my preliminary task it was of one of the characters walking through the door and didn't really allow the audience to build or create any kind of relationship with these characters making it difficult for the audience to understand the story line. When I created the panning shot within my final thriller sequence (pictured top left) I made sure that the camera first off was on the tripod so that there was no shakiness and then stood back far enough that the character could be seen walking. The aim of the panning shot in my final thriller was to show the victim walking down the street as well as bringing the antagonist into the shot so that the audience can relate to these characters and get to know them. 

Conclusion

Overall, throughout the process of creating this thriller opening sequence I have learnt a lot about technologies and how to create an effective sequence that is conventional and draws an audience in. I believe that I managed to successfully do this through the use of working as a group, on my own and through background research and knowledge. Had I not have considered and done research on the typical conventions of a thriller film then it may not have concluded the same way.

Evaluation - Question 6

Evaluation - Question 5

Chloe Eustace

Evaluation: Question 5-

 How did you attract/address your audience?




 

Evaluation - Question 4

Chloe Eustace

Evaluation: Question 4-

Who would be the audience for your media

 product?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evaluation - Question 3

Chloe Eustace

Evaluation: Question 3 -

What kind of media institutions might

distribute you Media Product and why?




Evaluation - Question 2

Chloe Eustace

Evaluation: Question 2-

How does your media product represent

particular social groups?

There are two main characters within my opening thriller sequence, I have included the use of a main antagonist and the main victim, because they are easy for an audience to relate to and build a relationship with. 

The antagonist (pictured to the right) is represented as a conventional antagonist in my thriller sequence because she wears dark black clothing including black boots, a black coat, and a black hat as well as dark trousers, so that the audience can tell that this is the antagonist and that something bad is going to happen, by the way that she is dressed. The antagonist is straight away presented with a weapon as part of the costume which again is conventional as the antagonist typically will have a weapon in sight. This type of character I decided to use in the film because the antagonist has a hidden meaning and a hidden background from the audience which allows the character to draw the audience in from the opening sequence making them want to watch on and see why this character has been portrayed the way they have. The use of the dark clothing was so that the antagonist looked like someone from a thriller film, but the antagonist in a thriller film is typically a male but I decided that the antagonist would work better within our thriller sequence as a female. The antagonist is presented as a bit psychotic and obsessive, due to at the beginning of the sequence she is looking at t6he victim on Facebook and surrounded by pictures of other victims that she has possibly murdered or going to murder. By having the character represented this way in the opening sequence it creates an enigma to an audience as they want to find out what the reason is for wanting this victim.

The victim in my thriller (pictured left) is a female which is typical and she is presented as a young person who has been stalked and then gets murdered. The aim of this character is to draw the audience in as they get to see a bit of a background in the opening sequence as there’s a flashback on why the antagonist wants to murder her. She is presented in an easy way so that the audience can relate to her and feel sorry for her. This is done through the use of the outfit that she is wearing is easy for any teenager to relate too as she is wearing typical teenage clothes like, leggings and boots. She is wearing a hat (pictured above on the right) that is an animal which shows an audience that although she is a stereotypical teenager she is vulnerable because she is wearing a hat that would be considered stereotypical for a child to wear, allowing the audience to build a relationship with this character in my thriller because they feel sorry for her, as they are aware that she is the victim and that something bad is most likely to happen. There is also the use of the headphones (Iconography) that she is wearing, showing her listening to music, this is a typical teenage stereotype and represents the victim as unknowing and slightly clueless at what is going on around her which is why it helps lead the audience to a conclusion that something bad is going to happen too this character. An audience again can relate to this character because she is oblivious to what is going on around her and this is stereotypical of a teenage girl who is wandering the streets. The reasoning behind why the antagonist has chosen this typical teenager going about her business is unknown but draws the audiences attention because she isn't doing anything out of the ordinary. 

The gender of the victim is presented in a stereotypical way because she is represented as a typical teenage girl who is being followed. It is conventional within thriller films that typically the victim be female because they are considered to be vulnerable and easy victims. She may not be represented typically female from what she is wearing as she is just a regular person and she isn’t going to any kind of occasion but the audience would understand and recognise that she is the victim as the fact that the victim is typically female in a thriller as this is conventional.  From her costume the audience can be aware that she is vulnerable because they can easily see that she is young so they can build a relationship with this character because she is young and vulnerable leaving the audience feeling sorry for her, as they know that the chances are is that she is going to die. For the antagonist gender isn’t necessarily represented in a typical way as the antagonist is unconventionally female but she is presented in a male way by wearing dark clothing in order to blend into the environment and hide the fact that she is there to murder someone.

The characters would appeal to the audience, especially the victim as she is someone who is just a typical teenager and would be easy to relate to, because they may see themselves in her shoes. Thus allowing the audience to feel sorry for her, and concerned for this character as they know that something bad is going to happen. The audience antagonist would appeal to the audience because she is conventional in numerous ways to thriller films, meaning that the audience would want to connect with the tension and suspicion that this character creates as well as the enigma that she presents to the opening sequence setting up the rest of the film, and causing the audience to want to know what happens.