A letter to AS Media Students

Dear new AS Media Students, 
The purpose of my letter is to inform you as to the structure of your Media course and what you can expect to do in the way of coursework. As a fellow Media student, I feel that I will be able to provide you with an accurate and truthful insight into the ups and downs of commencing with Media Studies as an A Level subject. 


Firstly, and most importantly, is your coursework. For my task I was instructed to create a front cover and article page for a specialist magazine. The research that I instigated consisted of analysis of existing media products, different genre magazines and current popular magazine publishers. I needed to gain an insight into the way the magazine producing industry worked in order to establish an acceptable market launch of my product. Identifying where there were gaps in the market for new magazines to launch a new magazine was difficult due to the extensive range of magazines that are available. However, once the publishing details has been cemented, research into genre began. I decided to create a new health and beauty magazine for teenage girls as I had identified that most existing health and beauty magazines were aimed at a more mature audience. I found this target audience very easy to work with seeing as I could identify myself with the age group. I had a personal understanding of what I would like to see in the magazine, but also collected responses and opinions from others in my target audience in order to gain a broad outlook. Using my questionnaire results, I was able to establish the conventions of my magazine which enabled me to create an effective and successful piece of coursework. Production of the coursework was the element that I found the most entertaining. I used my creative skill to create draft after draft of magazine covers and articles until my teacher and I agreed that I had reached close perfection. 


It was important to me that I was able to express myself and my own interests through my coursework, and I feel that I have done that successfully. Your coursework is a valuable aspect of your overall AS grade so care must be taken not to abuse the time that you have to get creative. Media is undermined as an "easy subject", but I can assure you that at A Level, this is not the case. You have to work just as hard and input as much effort into your work as you would with every other subject. Every piece of research that you submit and every draft that you construct, help towards achieving that overall final grade. 


The exam, also of equal importance is prepared for in class time with group revision sessions. You are taught every Media term imaginable so that when you go into that exam hall, you know exactly what you are doing and how to get the marks. Under pressure, it can be very hard to concentrate of remembering all the Media terminology that is required of you. As long as you prepare yourself and understand what is expected of you in the exam, then you will surely come out on top. My exam consisted of close analysis and comparison of two advertising campaigns of current media items. The adverts are played a number of times, leaving you time to make any notes before you begin writing. Confidence is key. The endless pages of writing and wiping sweat from your brow shows signs of achievement, you must not be afraid to work yourself to the bone! It is important that you do well in your Media exam as it can have a significant effect on your overall grade. It is just as important that you achieve your full potential in the exam, just like you did with your coursework.


I assure you now that AS Media Studies is no easy ride. You have to work hard and push yourself to the limits if you want to achieve those high-end grades. Independence and creativity is vital. Examiners look for expression of personality in writing in order to offer those extra marks. You must be prepared to put in those extra hours in order to get the job done. I advise you to stick to your deadlines, you will be making your AS course a whole lot easier for yourself. 


I have expressed my opinion on the AS Media Studies course and tried to advise you in the best possible way, based on my own failures and successes. I hope that you consider my letter useful and I wish you all the best of luck in your progression through the course. 


                                                                     Yours Sincerely,
                                                                                              Eleanor Huggan

Vladimir Propp's Theory of Character Roles

Vladimir Propp was a Russian critic who studied hundreds of old folk tales to see if they shared similarities in structure. From his study, Propp identified 8 character roles and 31 narrative functions common amongst folk tales. He then generalised these common conventions to other narrative structures.  

The 8 character roles: 

1) The villain/s

2) The hero

3) The 'damsel in distress'/princess - the object of the villain's evil plans and the reward for the hero's courageous duties

4) The father - who rewards the hero with his daughter

5) The donor - who provides magical property to the narrative, usually through some sort of object

6) The helper - who aids the hero in his duties

7) The dispatcher - who sends the hero on his way

8) The false hero

These portrayals of common character roles are now apparent in media all over the world. We commonly are presented with the roles of 'heroes' and 'villains' through the news; for example, Mother Theresa would be classes as a modern day hero whereas, Bin Laden would be classes as a worldwide villain. Propp has helped us to construct media personalities through the use of character roles which determined the general perception of any particular person.

Evaluation - Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback? 

(Click link below to view evaluation work)

http://www.slideshare.net/ehuggan/what-have-you-learned-from-your-audience-feedback-7928920

Crew and Cast Sheet

Call Sheet

Video Budget Sheet

The Bridge "Tears of Blood"

Evaluation - Question 5

If you were to make this product again, what changes would you make and how would you improve it?

I am extremely happy with the outcome of my three media coursework production pieces. However, if I were to make them again, there are a few things that I would consider to change and reconstruct. 

In relation to my short film...

I am happy with the storyline that is currently presented in The Bridge as it is clear and precise to the script. The music we chose to coincide with the film I feel fits perfectly to its purpose, increasing the horror of the dark walk home, the sympathy of the police station scenes and finishing the introduction and credits of the film to a tee. 

However, I feel that when shooting scenes for the film, we could have made more use of the tripod for smoother motion and transition. For the scenes where the camera works in character perception of the 'Mystery Man', holding the camera was perfectly acceptable as it insinuated that the camera was the man himself. In this sense, you would expect the camera movement to be untidy and unsteady as it moves with the character. However, when filming scenes where character perception was not necessary or apparent, we could have used to the tripod to give the scene a professional finish. Instead, scenes where the tripod could have been used ended up looking rugged in movement and somewhat untidy. 

Also, I found when watching back over our short film that we used too many transitions between scenes where they were not necessary. I noticed this especially with the walking scenes. This was due to the fact that we could not, in my opinion, create an effective walking scene without stopping and starting the camera to move to different positions. 

The scene in which Louise calls her mother would have been a lot more effective had it been shot using a tripod. Close-up's on Louise's face would also have improved the scene as it would have captured her facial expressions in reaction to what her mother is saying. When using close-up's, additional artificial lighting would have needed to be used as the setting was too dark, in order to clearly present Louise's face and capture these expressions. Another way we could have improved this scene was to assign another actor to play Louise's mother. We could have the included quick, sharp cuts from Louise to her mother as they spoke to gain a full understanding of the conversation, allowing the audience to feel a part of the scene. Instead by only having Louise in the scene, the audience have to guess what her mother is saying from Louise's response, which in a way, is enough. 

Towards the end of the walking scene as Louise approaches the bridge, the scene fades out to black. This is a problem I noticed when watching the film back as part of my audience feedback as my target audience picked up on this fault. The scene then quickly comes back into view before changing to the opening of the bridge. This look untidy and unprofessional as the scene is meant to make a sharp cut to the bridge opening. If I were to re-do the short film, I would ensure that this fault was removed for a clean finish. 

We faced another problem when tackling the screaming in the bridge. We attempted to elongate the scream using iMovie, to which there was no avail. We then attempted to record Holly (Louise) screaming again and for longer, and insert it into the scene. However, the microphone of the computer could not handle the pitch of the scream and the speakers began to crackle. We therefore, moved the screaming sound so that it would extended beyond when the scene had faded to black. This however, produced a lag in the storyline. The man grabs Louise and, after a few seconds, she starts screaming. Having the chance to do it again, I would re-record the bridge scene and ensure that Holly screamed for longer to create a smoother sound. 

The scene in the garage when the Mystery Man rapes Louise was one that we needed to take great caution with when shooting. We did not want to show the incident taking place, but instead wanted to suggest what was happening. However, I do not feel that the scene was effective in showing the incident taking place. If I were to shoot this scene again, I would ensure that it was more action-orientated in the sense of movement and struggle. I would ensure that people understood that Louise was being attacked, but not show the incident itself. 

Finally, the scene in which Louise finds the police officer who brings in her water to be her attacker, was not as believable as I wanted it to be. Her facial expressions were not realistic enough and the scene was not presented as dramatically as I would have liked. 

In relation to my poster...

Although I am perfectly satisfied with how my poster turned out, the one element that I would change if I had to in order to improve the article would be to add an image of Louise. I would take an image of Louise's face where she looks upset and distressed and place it over the entrance of the bridge. I would then change the transparency of the image so you can faintly see it behind the film title. This would indicate that something happens to this young girl in the bridge which is going to cause her great trauma. However, this would have then given the storyline away to the audience and the aspect I like about my current poster idea is that it does not do this.    


In relation to my film review article...
Again, I am satisfied with the final result of my film review as it looks professional and reflects elements of existing film reviews I researched. However, if I were to change anything, it would be the colour scheme of the film review. I would change the white background to black which would help to intensify the horror and mystery of the narrative. I would then change the writing to white to stand out against the dark background. I would also change the font style of the film title to 'Chiller' which is also apparent in my film poster, to create another resemblance between my advertising package. Considering the actual text in the film review, I would comment more on individual actor performance and condense the synopsis into fewer words so that more importance and value is placed on the editor's opinion. 
   

Evidently, the most issues that occurred were with my actual short film. If I were to re-do my short film and edit it according to my comments above, I feel that the film would have been a lot more effective. I enjoyed creating my short film with my partner as it gave us both a taste of what film producing is all about. I learned that there are a number of things that should be considered when filming new material and that the process can become very stressful. Although my audience feedback shows that they were happy with the outcome of the film and the supporting articles, I feel I could have improved upon certain aspects to enhance the professionalism of the piece. 

Evaluation - Question 4

 How did you use media technologies in the construction, research, planning and evaluation stages? 

Media technology played a huge part in the development of my media coursework. At each stage of the coursework, I found myself using different types of media production technology to complete tasks and research. Without access to this technology, my coursework would have taken a lot longer to complete and would have struggled to create my final products.  

The Internet:

I used to internet in a number of ways to help enhance my coursework. In my research, I relied greatly on the internet as my source of information. I used YouTube.com to locate and watch existing short films that would gain me an insight into how to make one for myself. There, I found a variety of different short films that have been created by both professionals and other Media students. Comments made by YouTube viewer about the films allowed me to depict what features I would need to include in my own product in order to produce an effective and popular short film. I used the comments made by viewers to determine audience perception of the product in order to improve my own. YouTube also allowed me to broadcast videos I had created in order to attach them to my blog. I also used IMDb.com in order to research existing horror/thriller films to gain an idea into the type of market I was entering into by making that particular genre of film. I found the film ‘Taken’ the most useful of all films as the narrative is similar to my own short film. The website provided many important details concerning the technical aspects, box office information and film production details of Taken which allowed me to determine the popularity of the film, how it was made and whether it would be justifiable to create a short film similar to it.  I used ‘Google’ search engine which enabled me to find images, information and websites quickly and more efficiently. Pearlanddean.com, a similar website to IMDb.com, provided me with more information about existing films, particularly concerning impact of target audience. From this website, I was able to define a suitable target audience for my short film based on the genre and other comparable films. Blogger.com was the blog site I used to document my coursework. This allowed for easy access to my work from any computer which made working at home much easier. Barb.co.uk was the website that helped me to decide on perfect broadcasting for my short film based upon figures of popular viewings on different TV Channels. This website helped me to select Channel 4 as my broadcasting channel based on existing programmes broadcast by the channel and how effective they were at drawing in audience numbers.

Filming:

For the process of filming, I used a video camera, camera tape, tripod and power lead to capture my film. The video camera enabled us to film scenes a number of times and watch them back in order to choose the best version to use in our short film. To prevent from problems with the battery in the video camera, we always had a power lead on hand to substitute for a dead battery. However, this power lead could only be used when an electrical supply was available. For the number of scenes that we filmed outside, there was no accessible electrical supply. Due to this, we had to ensure that before we commenced with filming scenes outside, the battery had to have been charged fully to allow for lengthy filming sessions. The tripod allowed us to create a smoother finish to movement of the camera when filming.  This was important when wanting to give scenes a professional finish as filming movement with handheld cameras tends to be uneven and creates jolting in scenes. All filming was recorded onto the same camera tape ready for editing.

I also used a digital camera (Samsung L313) to capture still-images of the bridge that I then went on to use in my poster.

Editing:

Throughout the editing process, we used MAC computers and the programme iMovie to edit and produce our short film. Having not used this programme before, we found it difficult to manage and locate around. However, once we had gotten used to how the programme worked, we were then able to produce a good standard short film. Using iMovie, we were able to import, crop and position scenes that we had filmed on the video recorder in order to create a logical storyline. We were also able to insert text into our short film to indicate passing time “The next day”, location placement “In the interview room”, illustrate the short film title scene and create rolling credits at the end. iMovie also provided a decent selection of sound effects that would help to enhance our narrative. For example, we used the sound of a “cold wind” to increase atmosphere in the walking scene, which it did effectively. Using un-copyrighted music that we found on the Internet, we were able to increase the professionalism of scenes that needed accompanying music to intensify the situation. The music helped to illustrate scenes when there was no allocation of dialogue.

I used Picasa3 software to edit my images for use in my ancillary products. I find this programme extremely easy to use due to familiarity with the software. The programme provides a range of different editing techniques and features that helped to enhance the outcome of my images. For my main image used on my poster, I increased the brightness and contrast of the image to emphasise the light and then increased the amount of shadowing to intensify the darkness, resulting in an effective looking image for a horror/thriller film.

Evaluation:

For my evaluation, I used Windows Live Movie Maker to create a video response to the first evaluation question. This allowed me to be more creative with my evaluation and construct my information in a more entertaining process. I found Windows Live Movie Maker very easy to use, although I had trouble when trying to upload the video to YouTube. I have also used other documenting software such as Microsoft Publisher and Microsoft Word to produce the other responses to the remaining evaluation questions. 

Evaluation - Question 2

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?


My two ancillary products, my film poster and film review page are marketing products that work to promote and enhance my short film production. It is important that through the ancillary products, an insight into the film is provided. In order to be effective as a complete package, the three production pieces must share a number of different aspects that allow them to become identifiable with each other. 

Much like the ancillary texts produced to support the second Spider-man film, it is evident that each of the products share a recurring theme. Spider-man is the character of main importance within the film and is therefore featured on all products. All three texts present Spider-man in a similar stance/position which offers him position of empowerment and authority. Both posters created for the film share the same title font, which suggests that this font is now related to the film and this is how people would recognise it. The colour schemes of each product are somewhat similar, although the poster on the left has been edited to a 'Sepia' effect. The colours of Spider-man's costume are however, still evident through the editing style. All aspects that have been commented on in relation to the Spider-man products must now be answered in relation to my own media production pieces. 


In addition to my short film, I was asked to produce two subsidiary products to compliment the main product in promotional value. By researching and evaluating a number of different existing products, I was able to identify common features that would need to be included as part of my supporting articles in order for them to be effective in purpose. 
I noticed, especially with a number of horror/thriller film posters that have been released that the colour scheme tended to include darker colours which effectively enhanced other aspects of the poster. Therefore, the colour scheme for my poster and the images I have used in my film review have been chosen purposely for their darkness in contrast with light. I used the editing programme Picasa3 to adjust the brightness and contrast of some of the included images in order for them to integrate with the intended colour scheme. The atmosphere of my short film is very dark and the setting has been chosen to emphasise this. Many of the scenes were shot at night time where there would be little in the way of natural light, which would ultimately decrease the intensity of the short film. Keeping the sense of insecurity in darkness apparent through all three media products not only intensifies the genre conventions, but also allows the products to become more successful as a package. 


The bridge is the focal setting in the narrative of my short film as this is where all the action builds to a climax. Therefore, I thought it would be important to emphasise the setting as opposed to any other aspect (i.e. character) of the film. The car used to transport Louise from the bridge to the garage is also of high importance. This is shown through the elongated driving scene featured in the film, used to heighten confusion amongst the audience. I have therefore, decided to combine an image of both the car and the bridge to use on my film poster. I believe this image works to full effect as it strengths the title of the short film, yet does not give anything away in the way of narrative. Images of the bridge and the car are then used in my film review as still frames from the film itself to allow the three products to be connected through image relation. The lighting effect created by the bridge helps to emphasise the genre of horror. Although the bridge itself is brightly lit with artificial lighting throughout, the surrounding areas are poorly lit, if at all. I found this to my advantage when filming as the poor vision leading up to the bridge intensified terror of the walking scene. We found that we did not need to use any other additional lighting to the scene as the lighting that already existed worked excellently to create shadowing and contrast between settings. 


I feel that the combination of my main product with my ancillary tasks fulfil their purpose of advertising and promoting the film and the brand image. They work effectively together to enhance the genre of the short film, but also contain their differences that help them to become identifiable each as new and imaginative products for the same promotion campaign. I did not use as many identifiable features on my film review page as the magazine is targeted at a range of different genres of film as opposed to just horror/thriller. I did not feel it essential to emphasise the genre of horror within the film review as I found with other existing products that magazines tend to follow closely with their consistent layout rather than changing to suit films they review. 


The products are appropriate for the target audience as although they are young adults, gruesome and inappropriate imagery must be used with caution. The images must not contain too much blood or unsuitable content that would deem the material inapt the target audience. If the target audience were 18 years and above, then I would have considered using slightly more horrific imagery to sponsor the poster. However, my target audience consists of those 15 years and above, creating restrictions in creation. Taking all this into account, I feel that the images I have included in both my ancillary texts are suitable for the age group the film intends to target. From personal experience, I find films to be more attractive when the supporting articles do not reveal excessive amounts the story. Instead, they should touch lightly on the narrative through the use of images and assisting text, but leave an essence of curiosity as to the storyline.


As a whole, I feel the combination of my main product and ancillary tasks work successfully to create an effective advertising package. However, if I were to do the task again, I would change a number of things to increase the recognition between each product. 

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment

Location 1: Skitts Hill, Braintree 
Hazard: Crash whilst driving
Avoidance: Ensure that the driver of the car has a full UK license and that they follow all precautionary driving methods to ensure that passengers in the car, other drivers and pedestrians are safe.

Location 2: (Garage) 42 Skitts Hill, Braintree
Hazard: Materials inside garage may cause injury to actors when walking through.
Avoidance: Ensure that a clear pathway is made through the garage for actors to take and that all equipment in there that may cause potential harm i.e. lawnmower are removed. 

Location 3: Braintree Town Centre, George Yard
Hazard: Problems with security guards. 
Avoidance: Inform all security guards in George Yard of the purpose of filming and gain written permission if necessary.

Location 4: Petworth Close, Great Notley

Hazard: Beware of oncoming traffic that may cause injury to actors.
Avoidance: Ensure that the roads are clear before filming and stop filming if a car were to pass by.
Have a first aid kit and phone on hand to call an ambulance if required.

Location 5: Footpath between Petworth Close and Grantham Avenue, Great Notley
Hazard: Be wary of pedestrians and oncoming cyclists.
Avoidance: A member of the crew must always be aware of passers-by. If they occur, seize filming until they have passed. Do not obstruct cyclists in case of an accident.

Location 6: (Underpass beneath A131) Great Notley Garden Park, Great Notley
Hazard: Be wary of any broken glass, stones or pavement curb that could cause potential injury to cast or crew. 
Avoidance: Ensure that the underpass is clear of obstructing materials before commencing filming.
Have a first aid kit and phone on hand to call for help if necessary.

Location 7: Reception, Chelmsford College, Chelmsford
Hazard: Keep walkways clear for passers-by.
Avoidance: Ensure all wiring for equipment is routed to prevent tripping.
Ensure that no equipment/crew obstruct passers-by.
One member of the crew must be on hand to guide oncomers around the equipment to prevent injury.

Location 8: Classroom, Chelmsford College, Chelmsford
Hazard: Trip hazards for other students in the classroom and risk of electrocution.
Avoidance: Ensure that all wires and equipment are safely routed to prevent hazards.
No equipment should be touched with wet hands. Hands must be perfectly dry before touching electricals to prevent injury from occurring.

Recce Notes

Information on Recce Notes:


Location 1: Skitts Hill, Braintree
Access: By car
Notes on Location: Driving scene. Carelessness during driving could cause a potential accident.
AC/DC: DC

Location 2: Braintree Town Centre, George Yard
Access: By foot, entrance by Town Centre Car Park
Notes on Location: Noise from passing pedestrians must be considered. No artificial light source required as the scene will be shot in late evening time – plentiful source of natural light.
AC/DC: DC

Location 3: Petworth Close, Great Notley
Access: By foot
Notes on Location: Walkway lit only by streetlamps. Effective as it allows the scene to feel more realistic and increases tension as sight is restricted. Impact of walking home in the night time is highlighted – makes it more horrifying,
AC/DC: DC

Location 4: Footpath between Petworth Close and Grantham Avenue, Great Notley
Access: By foot
Notes on Location: Walkway lit only by streetlamps. Effective as it allows the scene to feel more realistic and increases tension as sight is restricted. Impact of walking home in the night time is highlighted – makes it more horrifying,
AC/DC: DC

Location 5: (Underpass beneath A131) Great Notley Garden Park, Great Notley
Access: By foot from Grantham Avenue way or By car from Garden Park entrance
Notes on Location: Underpass is lit by electronic lighting to enhance vision of scene. Loss of light leading down to the underpass may be effective in increasing intensity of situation.
AC/DC: DC

Location 6: Chelmsford College, Chelmsford
Access: By foot
Notes on Location: Use of classroom – noise from other students in the next room must not be heard. Use of reception – students/staff walking through reception, receptionists on the phone.

Using the reception will allow for a realistic police interview reception area.

AC/DC: AC/DC

 

Evaluation - Question 1

Video for Question 1 - Evaluation

Click link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldtgo_zUDU0

The Bridge "Tears of Blood"

(Final product)

Film Poster - Final Product

By rearranging the layout of the text, I feel as though I have increased the potential of my poster. I have ensured that “The Bridge” is the biggest piece of text on the page in order to gain recognition and familiarity of my short film. By placing the title over the bridge, I feel that not only is the bridge not accentuated, but the car as well which plays an important part in the plot. By adding minor details about the film in the bottom right-hand corner I feel boosts the expertise of the poster and helps to make the promotion of the short film a success.  

Film Poster - Alternative Ideas

Here, I have moved the position of the text used in the previous posters to see if that will at all enhance the professionalism of the poster. I have also added a slogan into the poster which I feel fits the purpose of the short film, whilst not giving too much away. However, by tuning the photograph out to black and white and leaving the colour in the text I feel takes away the importance of the bridge and marks all attention towards the writing. 

Building on my previous idea, I have then used a focal black and white effect that not only draws attention to the bridge, allowing it to look menacing and dangerous, but it has also taken some of the attention off of the writing and focused it back on the imagery. Although I feel this is the best idea so far, I do not feel that the poster looks professional and realistic enough in order to successfully promote my short film. 

Film Poster Draft 1

I have used the Picasa 3 editing programme to edit all of the photo’s I have taken to use for my supporting articles. Here, I have adjusted the brightness and contrast of the photograph to help  bring out the colours of the tiles in the bridge and the lights of the car amongst the dark background. However, I do feel that this idea for a poster is too plain, does not fully accentuate the bridge (which is the focus point) and does not look professional enough to market my short film.  

Making adjustments to my first draft, I have increased the saturation of the colours in order to make them more noticeable.   I feel that this brings more attention to the bridge itself but on the other hand, I am still not completely satisfied with the over all outcome of the poster.  

Final Product for Film Review

Basic Layout for Film Poster

The image below shows the basic layout I intend to use for my ancillary text - film poster. 

Basic Layout for Film Review

The image below show the basic layout I intend to use for my ancillary text - film review.

Film Review Draft 1

"What was it like making your first short film?

E: It’s very stressful, especially under such a limited time pressure! I think we would have crumbled if we didn’t have each other there.

H: I know I would have."

"What gave you the inspiration to create such a powerful film?

H: I think with such programmes around on telly at the moment, mostly soap operas, the extraordinary circumstances of life are dealt with. We felt that this particular subject was somewhat overlooked when there are people who are in need of help and advice."

"What audience would you say your short film is aimed at then?

E: I think mostly teenagers as the character in our film is of that age group. It would more than likely attract younger females as the more likely targets of these situations; I’m not saying that it doesn’t happen to males. We tried to identify every audience and wise them up on the issue. "

"It comes as great surprise that new and upcoming filmmakers Pasha and Huggan have succeeded in making a realistic short film based on a very sensitive subject. When creating a film of such delicacy it is in the hands of the creators to ensure that they capture but do not offend audiences when tackling such events in their production.  The scene opens very ominously following main character Louise (Pasha) as she walks to work. The camera style is made to feel as though we are watching through the eyes of a predatorial spectator. Pasha seems edgy and suspicious of her unwanted company but continues on her way. It comes to the end of Louise’s shift where the true mayhem of this whirlwind tragedy begins. After calling her mother, of whom we actually never see and who tells her what we can only assume that she must walk home. The thoughtless actions of this irresponsible parent set the cogs in motion. Haunting music narrates the eerie walk home through a darkly lit housing estate, building tension and sinking your heart deeper into your stomach. This game of cat-and-mouse swiftly comes to an end as Pasha approaches a terrifyingly brightly lit underpass bridge, fittingly where this short film has extracted its name that she must pass through to get home. Feeling unsurprisingly safer in the underpass, Louise slows down only for the camera to come closing in on her. Echoing screams fill the extent of the underpass as the screen freezes and fades to black. Doubtless of the black screen, her screams are left ringing in your ears, sending shivers down your spine."  

"The scene then opens back up to a moving car with what appears to be an extremely (and oddly) cheery kidnapper in the driver’s seat. Without giving too much away, Louise’s life is turned upside down in one night alone. She reports the assault the next day at the local police station, unaware that her life will be thrown into turmoil once again.

Our verdict

Although the producers of The Bridge were experiencing their first insight into the movie making industry, they have done well to capture the heartache and trauma that allows the situation to become all the more realistic. Doubtless of its minor filming issues which in our opinion neither add to take away from the storyline, the short film works to provide audiences with an insight into a matter that is somewhat looked over. By tackling the issue in a soft approach, the film is neither too empowering nor too idealistic. The film is made typically for the younger generation and aids to raise awareness of practical safety procedures that should beconsidered when in similar situations. Sinfullyentertaining and informative, this short film is bound to be a hit at the Box Office. Credit should be paid to the up and coming actors noted in the film and other works are to be expected from them in the near future.  An all-round intelligent performance that issure to stick in the mind, even after the credits have stopped rolling. Bravo!"

"Due for release June 2011 on Channel 4."

Film Review Draft 2

"It comes as great surprise that new and upcoming filmmakers Pasha and Huggan have succeeded in making a realistic short film based on a very sensitive subject. When creating a film of such delicacy it is in the hands of the creators to ensure that they capture but do not offend audiences when tackling such events in their production."

"The scene opens very ominously following main character Louise (Pasha) as she walks to work. The camera style is made to feel as though we are watching through the eyes of a predatorial spectator. Pasha seems edgy and suspicious of her unwanted company but continues on her way.

It comes to the end of Louise’s shift where the true mayhem of this whirlwind tragedy begins. After calling her mother, of whom we actually never see and who tells her what we can only assume that she must walk home. The thoughtless actions of this irresponsible parent set the cogs in motion. Haunting music narrates the eerie walk home through a darkly lit housing estate, building tension and sinking your heart deeper into your stomach. This game of cat-and-mouse swiftly comes to an end as Pasha approaches a terrifyingly brightly lit underpass bridge, fittingly where this short film has extracted its name that she must pass through to get home. Feeling unsurprisingly safer in the underpass, Louise slows down only for the camera to come closing in on her. Echoing screams fill the extent of the underpass as the screen freezes and fades to black. Doubtless of the black screen, her screams are left ringing in your ears, sending shivers down your spine.   

The scene then opens back up to a moving car with what appears to be an extremely (and oddly) cheery kidnapper in the driver’s seat. Without giving too much away, Louise’s life is turned upside down in one night alone. She reports the assault the next day at the local police station, unaware that her life will be thrown into turmoil once again."

[Next page]

"Hit the nail on the head." *** Empire

"Truly gripping. Such a horrific experience" **** The Sun

 

"Our verdict

Although the producers of The Bridge were experiencing their first insight into the movie making industry, they have done well to capture the heartache and trauma that allows the situation to become all the more realistic. Doubtless of its minor filming issues which in our opinion neither add to take away from the storyline, the short film works to provide audiences with an insight into a matter that is somewhat looked over. By tackling the issue in a soft approach, the film is neither too empowering nor too idealistic. The film is made typically for the younger generation and aids to raise awareness of practical safety procedures that should be considered when in similar situations. Sinfully entertaining and informative, this short film is bound to be a hit at the Box Office. Credit should be paid to the up and coming actors noted in the film and other works are to be expected from them in the near future.  An all-round intelligent performance that is sure to stick in the mind, even after the credits have stopped rolling. Bravo!"

 

"A must see" - AbsoluteFilm

Taken - Market Research

Information taken from http://business.pearlanddean.com/films_guide_details/4621/taken


(Similar Product to my Media Production)

The information gathered by pearlanddean.com on the film 'Taken' expresses the: 
Release date: 26th September 2008
Genre: Action, Thriller
Price: C
Estimated box office income: £1,000,000
Director: Pierre Morel 
Film cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley
Certificate: (not stated - 15)
Distributor: Twentieth Century Fox 
Synopsis of the story: A former spy (Neeson) relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter (Grace), who has been forced into the slave trade. 




The website then gives details of a comparable film, in this case Ransom (1996) of which the audience profile for the film can then be established. 

Film makers then gain some idea into whom their target audience should be specifically of which they can then begin to create the film. 



With the film 'Taken' being of a similar nature to the short film that I wish to produce for my media production, I must take the professional advice of the information given by the Comparable Profile of these films into account in order to construct the audience profile for my own media production film. 
Noticeably, my film should be aimed at:
1) 15-24 (possibly 15-34) year olds: 38% (+37%) 
2) A predominantly male audience, although females will also take a great interest in the film (the predominantly male audience may be due to the fact that the main character, Neeson is a male and he is trying to save his daughter. Many males, particularly older will be able to relate to the situation as they will understand what Neeson is facing and would be able to relate it to how they would react in that particular situation. The genre of the film is 'Action, Thriller' which will also attract a more dominant male audience) 
3) Predominantly those of a middle to higher-working class. 

Audience

Market Research


Information taken from http://business.pearlanddean.com/audience_profile

There has been a change in the purpose of cinema over the past decade with an increase in cinema exhibitors and popularity that, in turn increases profit and allows for a wide range of cinema sites to be created. 

The range of films available to view at the cinema has extended to vast numbers of different genre films than the usual Hollywood blockbuster. 

All this has helped to increase the diversity of audiences who visit the cinema. Film producers now have to work a lot harder to target particular audience types and ensure that their films receive acceptable recognition. 

The diagram above shows that audience profiles of young cinema goers and how film producers target their audience to receive the most response and profit. 

For example,

The graph above states that 52% of the population are female and 48% are male. The bar next to the 'Population' marked 'Cinema Audience' shows how much percent of the audience is made up of males and females. From the graph we can determine that women make up 53% of a cinema audience and men make up the remaining 47%. Although there is not much difference in the percentages of these results, if a film company were aiming to receive the most viewing numbers, it would make sense to aim their film at women as opposed to men as they make up the majority of cinema-goers. 

The graph also suggests that although ages 35+ make up 68% of the population, only 41% of those make up a total cinema audience. 39% of a cinema audience is made up of individuals aged 15-24, with the remaining 20% made up of individuals aged 25-34. There is not much difference in the percentages of those aged 35 and upwards and those aged 15-24. Therefore, film producers would find it ideal to make one of these groups their target audience in order to receive the most viewing numbers. Of course, films that target more than one particular type of age group are more likely to be more successful as the audience range is more extensive. 

Questionnaire Overall Results

1. Are you male or female?
As you can see from the pie chart, I made sure to ask equal numbers of males and females to ensure that the results of the questionnaire were representative of a fair and equal sample as men and women share different attitudes. 


















2. How old are you?
The majority age of the people I asked to complete this questionnaire were 17-19 years old. This is because the target audience of my short film will be mainly this age group, although it will also be suitable to those of an older age. 

3. How many hours a week on average do you spend watching TV?
The majority of people we asked to complete this questionnaire watch 0-3 hours (6 people) or 4-7 hours (6 people) of TV a week. This shows that all of the participants of the questionnaire sample watch at least some TV each week. 

4. On average, how many films do you watch a week?
The results show that the majority of the questionnaire sample watch 1-2 films a week (10 people - half the sample). Every participant in the sample finds time in their week to watch at least one film, showing that watching films has become a part of everyday human life. 


5. What is the most recent film you have seen?


Remember Me, Kick-ass, Shutter Island, Inception, Up, Anchorman


These are some of the most common occurring answers for recently watched films that came up when this question was asked. The regular occurrence of these films may be due to the fact that they were recently broadcast on TV/bought on DVD, yet the results give an indication as to the types of films that my sample are likely to want to watch. 

6. What attracts you to a film?
The pie chart shows that a 'Good trailer' (6 people) is the most important aspect of drawing in viewers to a film, closely followed by a 'Famous acting cast' (5 people). However, all elements given in the question received votes from the sample, showing that people have different views as to what is most important to them when considering a film.  


















7. What is your favourite genre of film?
According to the results above, 'Horror' is the most favoured film genre with 4 votes, closely followed by 'Comedy' and 'Chick Flick' each with 3 votes. Although the sample used in this questionnaire is not representative of the whole population, it does give a good indication as to the preferred genre of film for my target audience. 'Thriller', 'Crime', 'Action' and 'Sci-Fi' all received 1 voted from the sample used and will therefore not be considered when creating my own short film. 

8. What is your least favourite genre of film?
As shown in the results above, 'Sci-Fi' has been nominated as the most unfavourable film genre amongst the questionnaire participants with 6 votes to its name, swiftly followed by 'Romance' with 4 votes and then 'Action' with 3 votes. This tells me that I should ensure that I steer clear from these genre types when creating my short film in order to attract as many viewers as possible. 


















10. Do you find it more effective in a film if the victim is a female and the villain is a male?
The pie chart above clearly shows that the majority of the sample used to answer this questionnaire feel that a film is typically more effective if the character roles follow the traditional role of the female being the victim and the male being the villain. When asked to comment on their answers, one participant wrote "I feel as though women typically make the better victims as they are able to express their emotions both vocally and physically better than males. Women are more likely to be sympathised with as they are seen as being weak and vulnerable, whereas men are seen as more domineering and powerful." Another wrote "It would be weird to see the roles reversed. Without sounding too morbid, it would take some of the drama and tension out of the storyline if the roles were reversed and the narrative would become less realistic. Like with superhero movies, the victim always seems to be the woman the hero is romantically involved with and the villain is always a male. I think males do villains justice as they are typically stronger and more power-hungry."


















11. Are you more likely to be attracted to watching a film if the characters are around the same age as yourself?
In answer to this question, there was not a massive difference between the answers given. However, the majority stated that they would be more inclined to watch a film if the characters were of the same age themselves. One participant who answered 'Yes' claimed that "you are able to learn a lot more from a programme if there is a character within the narrative of whom you can relate to. Some people use films/programmes as a form of escapism from their everyday lives (uses and gratifications model) and will find it a lot easy to become more involved in the storyline if they have someone they can compare themselves to." However, one participant who answered 'No' to this question claimed 'It doesn't matter how old a character is in order for you to enjoy a film or programme. I think that the producers of the media piece are much more successful and skilful if they are able to get the audience to relate to any character, despite their age." 
















12. Are you interested in watching films/programmes about tackling real-life situations?
The answer to this question as shown in the pie chart above is very much one-sided. 19 out of 20 people who answered this questionnaire stated that they were open to watching films/programmes about real-life situations, with only 1 person in 20 disagreeing. This suggests that creating a short film that tackles a circumstance that is rare but potentially could occur amongst the audience in everyday life will be a success over a wide audience. 


















13. Do you prefer endings that are solved or left on a cliffhanger?
The results to this question indicate that the preferred ending to any media production piece is a cliffhanger. Cliffhangers allow producers to finish their production work without actually providing any type of conclusion to the narrative. Using this method leaves the audience wondering what happens next and thinking about the film long after the credits have stopped rolling (a film usually receives more recognition in this way). Film producers sometimes use cliffhangers if they wish to create sequels. However, cliffhangers can sometimes leave people feeling unsatisfied with how the story ends. Many people prefer closure on a story and dislike anything that leaves loose ends. Taking all this into consideration, cliffhangers seem more positively enforcing for films in order to grab and hold the attention of the audience. 


















14. What do you find most effective in films that help to build suspense and tension?
'Music' has been deemed the most effective aspect that helps to build a films suspense and tension with 7/20 votes. Music helps to convey the feelings of the characters in their current situations without them actually having to tell you. Eerie music used in horror films help to emphasise the isolation and fear of the situation and helps the audience to feel exactly the same way the character does. The music builds up to an unexpected climax that leaves the audience with hearts pumping, clawing the edge of their seat. Slow-paced scenes comes in in second place with a total of 6/20 votes from my sample. Fast-paced scenes help to emphasise action and movement whereas slow scenes work to create resentment and hesitation. They are most suitable to horror films where the producer wishes to get adrenaline rushes round the viewers body.  

15. Are you most likely to watch films with other's or on your own?
The above bar chart shows that from the sample asked to participate in this questionnaire, the majority of the sample are more inclined to watch films in the company of other people (11 people) rather than on their own (9 people). This suggests that watching films has become adapted into everyday human life and is now considered a sociable event to do with friends. Horror movies tend to be a lot more scary when watched on your own whereas comedy films have been found to be more enjoyable when in the company of other people. The type of watching conditions is based entirely on the genre of film. 


















16. Is there anything that you would deem inappropriate to show in a contemporary life (modern day) film?
The majority of the participants felt that there was nothing they would deem inappropriate to portray in a contemporary life film. However, 5/20 of those who completed this question felt there was some inappropriate material that should not be featured in a film. When asked to comment on their answer, one participant stated that "Some issues that are addressed in existing contemporary life films/programmes are harmful to the audience. Producers must ensure that they take a delicate approach to addressing sensitive issues in their media as individuals who have experienced similar situations or know someone who has experiences similar situations can take offence to material that is shown." Another participant suggested that "As long as help/advice is offered at the end of the media production to guide those who have been effected by what they have seen, then significant amounts of the scene can be shown." The footage shown must be suitable for the intended audience and must not exaggerate the situation. Implications of what is going on in the scene help to soft the impact that it has and this must be considered when creating my own short film around such a delicate subject. 
















17. Would you watch a film based upon kidnapping/sexual assault of a young girl?
Following on from the intentions of the previous question, when my sample was asked if they would be happy to watch a film based upon a delicate and sensitive circumstance involving a young girl, the majority of them agreed. However, 6/20 of the sample asked would not like to view such footage. I must take into account that the situation I am addressing with my short film will not be to everyone's liking and that some people may disagree with the purpose of the film. However, the majority of the sample claimed that they would watch such a film which suggests that my idea would be a success amongst my audience. 

18. What certificate film are you most likely to watch?
When asked what certificate film my sample are most likely to watch, many opted for the highest ranking certificate (18) with 11 votes out of 20. Certificate 15 closely followed with 6 votes and Certificate 12 received 3 votes. However, Certificate U and Certificate PG received no votes from the sample. This suggests that the sample who answered the questionnaire like a film to have some risk to it that may be unsuitable to younger ages. Films are ranked on appropriateness for the content they behold. It can be assumed from the result that the sample like some inappropriate material included in films that they watch as they add more excitement and entertainment.