How did you attract/address your audience?
To attract our target audience, we used topics and a plot that they would stereotypically be interested in. We gathered research and feedback from our target audience and what they thought about our film opening.
The clip below shows annotations of audience feedback.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Evaluation: Question 4
Who would be the audience for your media product?
Our media product is aimed at a target audience of mainly female aged 15+. They would most likely be of the alternative sub-culture and listen to rock music. They might watch TV shows such as 'Supernatural', 'Doctor Who', 'Vampire Diaries' or 'True Blood', and be interested in supernatural creatures such as vampires, werewolves and ghosts.
They would be interested in our film because it stars a group of teenage girls whom they would find relatable as they are also intrigued by the supernatural, to the extent that they attempt to use a ouija board. The verisimilitude of the plot and characters mean that the audience will eaisily be able to indentify with them. Later on in our film we introduce a dark mysterious male character who the audience may find intriguing and attractive.
Our media product is aimed at a target audience of mainly female aged 15+. They would most likely be of the alternative sub-culture and listen to rock music. They might watch TV shows such as 'Supernatural', 'Doctor Who', 'Vampire Diaries' or 'True Blood', and be interested in supernatural creatures such as vampires, werewolves and ghosts.
They would be interested in our film because it stars a group of teenage girls whom they would find relatable as they are also intrigued by the supernatural, to the extent that they attempt to use a ouija board. The verisimilitude of the plot and characters mean that the audience will eaisily be able to indentify with them. Later on in our film we introduce a dark mysterious male character who the audience may find intriguing and attractive.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Evaluation: Question 7
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Since making our preliminary task, I found that we were able to edit much quicker, as this time around we knew how to use the editing software and knew what we needed to do for certain shot types. The camera work was done to a much higher quality and the sound quality was also much higher. We have also improved our knowledge and use of the 180 degree rule.
We had a much clearer idea on what we needed to film to get the desired effect with our footage. Also, we filmed everything in a sensible order which made editing a lot easier and meant that we were able to look through possible clips much quicker. I feel that all of our shots were much smoother than when we filmed our preliminary task, we were able to hold the camera a lot more steady if we needed to use any handheld shots.
This is the handheld walking shot from our preliminary task, it is rather shakey and not smooth at all.
This is the handheld walking shot from our film opening, it is much smoother.
The use of props was effective but used in a very clear or interesting way.
The use of props was shown in a much clearer way with much more of the focus on the props.
In our preliminary task, as we didn't have many props or a good location, we put a lot of effort into make up to help convey the story-line.
Since making our preliminary task, I found that we were able to edit much quicker, as this time around we knew how to use the editing software and knew what we needed to do for certain shot types. The camera work was done to a much higher quality and the sound quality was also much higher. We have also improved our knowledge and use of the 180 degree rule.
We had a much clearer idea on what we needed to film to get the desired effect with our footage. Also, we filmed everything in a sensible order which made editing a lot easier and meant that we were able to look through possible clips much quicker. I feel that all of our shots were much smoother than when we filmed our preliminary task, we were able to hold the camera a lot more steady if we needed to use any handheld shots.
The props were also shown in a much more interesting way to keep the audience engaged.
Whereas in our film opening, we had a much better variety of props, costume, location and a more interesting story-line. Therefore we didn't feel like we had to compensate with extreme make up.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Evaluation: Question 6
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
HD Camera: The use of a HD camera made it very easy to capture the shots that we needed. Although when panning or using a tracking shot it did blur slightly. In the panning shot we were able to use the slight blur to our advantage by making it seem like the characters were feeling hazy in the situation.We did face a few issues being that the camera picked up the lighting differently in different areas of the room, but this was easily overcome with the use of editing software in post-production.
Tripod: We used a tripod to help keep shots steady in order for the film to look smooth. This helped greatly in shots that needed to be held the same position for a long amount of time.
iMovie: Editing with imovie was very easy to get to grips with. We were able to edit the colours in clips so that they weren't affected by the slight lighting change throughout the room. We also found it very useful to detatch the audio from the clips so that we could improve the continuity and fluidity of the transitions. We were also able to overlap different sound effects to create the desired effect. We used a fair few fade to blacks as we found that these were the most appropriate and least overpowering transitions between scenes.
Problems we encountered: The only real problems we encountered whilst filming was that as we wanted it to be set during night time, we had to keep making sure that there wasn't any reflections of us or the equipment in the windows.
Working as a group: Our group was very good at splitting up the different jobs between us which helped us all get an understanding of how the different pieces of equipment worked. We used all of our different individual skills as an advantage towards the process of creating out media product.
Blogger: I found using blogger to log my work very helpful. It made it so much easier to track where I was at with my work and what I needed to do to improve. At first I found it slightly difficult to get to grips with, but after getting used to it, it has become much easier.
HD Camera: The use of a HD camera made it very easy to capture the shots that we needed. Although when panning or using a tracking shot it did blur slightly. In the panning shot we were able to use the slight blur to our advantage by making it seem like the characters were feeling hazy in the situation.We did face a few issues being that the camera picked up the lighting differently in different areas of the room, but this was easily overcome with the use of editing software in post-production.
Tripod: We used a tripod to help keep shots steady in order for the film to look smooth. This helped greatly in shots that needed to be held the same position for a long amount of time.
iMovie: Editing with imovie was very easy to get to grips with. We were able to edit the colours in clips so that they weren't affected by the slight lighting change throughout the room. We also found it very useful to detatch the audio from the clips so that we could improve the continuity and fluidity of the transitions. We were also able to overlap different sound effects to create the desired effect. We used a fair few fade to blacks as we found that these were the most appropriate and least overpowering transitions between scenes.
Problems we encountered: The only real problems we encountered whilst filming was that as we wanted it to be set during night time, we had to keep making sure that there wasn't any reflections of us or the equipment in the windows.
Working as a group: Our group was very good at splitting up the different jobs between us which helped us all get an understanding of how the different pieces of equipment worked. We used all of our different individual skills as an advantage towards the process of creating out media product.
Blogger: I found using blogger to log my work very helpful. It made it so much easier to track where I was at with my work and what I needed to do to improve. At first I found it slightly difficult to get to grips with, but after getting used to it, it has become much easier.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Evaluation: Question 3
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Our media product in made in a very independent way and is intended to be distributed by an independent company. It would attract a niche audience as a mainstream audience would expect a much higher quality through having a higher budget. An independent distribution company would be much more likely to distribute our niche film as it doesn't involve any well known hollywood actors. As we only had a low budget, we would be more likely to be able to afford to work with a small independent institution such as Film4 or Studio Canal. In order to get the most out of the distribution, we would consider using product placement within our film to increase our budget and be able to distribute to a wider audience and have a more advanced advertising scheme.
Due to our low budget, we would probably have to distribute via 35mm as it reduces the chance of piracy, which would vastly effect the success of the film. We also wouldn't be able to afford the security needed to prevent piracy on a digital film. We would distribute our film to independent cinemas as most mainstream cinemas only show digital copies of films.
If the success of the film was good enough and we made enough of a profit, we might be able to distribute our film to a wider audience by having it on home cinema viewing platforms such Netflix or appleTV. The advertising campaigne for our film would have to be fairly basic due to the small budget. It would be limited to online trailers, posters and possibly website advertising spots.
Our media product in made in a very independent way and is intended to be distributed by an independent company. It would attract a niche audience as a mainstream audience would expect a much higher quality through having a higher budget. An independent distribution company would be much more likely to distribute our niche film as it doesn't involve any well known hollywood actors. As we only had a low budget, we would be more likely to be able to afford to work with a small independent institution such as Film4 or Studio Canal. In order to get the most out of the distribution, we would consider using product placement within our film to increase our budget and be able to distribute to a wider audience and have a more advanced advertising scheme.
Due to our low budget, we would probably have to distribute via 35mm as it reduces the chance of piracy, which would vastly effect the success of the film. We also wouldn't be able to afford the security needed to prevent piracy on a digital film. We would distribute our film to independent cinemas as most mainstream cinemas only show digital copies of films.
If the success of the film was good enough and we made enough of a profit, we might be able to distribute our film to a wider audience by having it on home cinema viewing platforms such Netflix or appleTV. The advertising campaigne for our film would have to be fairly basic due to the small budget. It would be limited to online trailers, posters and possibly website advertising spots.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Evaluation: Question 2
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our media project shows teenage girls in a stereotypical way. This being that they are curious and still quite naive. This is shown through the idea of them using a ouija board, with which they don't really understand what they are doing.
We have also shown stereotypes of the different cliques in a friendship group by having one of the girls being overly confident that she is right and the others are being cowardly for not wanting to follow her actions. We also have the shy, nerdy girl who is shown to be rather scared of the idea of taking part in using a ouija board.
Another stereotype we have used in shown through the role of the younger sister. She is very naive as she doesn't even notice that the girls are using a ouija board, and is more concerned that they are being loud and that she can tell her mum on them.
Our story-line is shown from the point of view of a female, as the story follows the girl. This helps to reach out target audience as they will find it much more relatable.
There are no adults shown in the opening sequence, this shows that the teenagers are independent and also naive by not understanding the dangers of the actions.
Our media project shows teenage girls in a stereotypical way. This being that they are curious and still quite naive. This is shown through the idea of them using a ouija board, with which they don't really understand what they are doing.
We have also shown stereotypes of the different cliques in a friendship group by having one of the girls being overly confident that she is right and the others are being cowardly for not wanting to follow her actions. We also have the shy, nerdy girl who is shown to be rather scared of the idea of taking part in using a ouija board.
Another stereotype we have used in shown through the role of the younger sister. She is very naive as she doesn't even notice that the girls are using a ouija board, and is more concerned that they are being loud and that she can tell her mum on them.
Our story-line is shown from the point of view of a female, as the story follows the girl. This helps to reach out target audience as they will find it much more relatable.
There are no adults shown in the opening sequence, this shows that the teenagers are independent and also naive by not understanding the dangers of the actions.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Evaluation: Question 1
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challange forms and conventions of real media products?
The generic conventions of a supernatural thriller are that the story-line generally revolves around a supernatural creature such a a ghost or a vampire.
We have used many generic conventions throughout our film opening to help convey the genre. We have done this through our choice of location, title font and mise.
Location
The location of our film opening is in an old looking house. This setting has been used in many supernatural thrillers such as 'Amittyville Horror 2: The Possession (1982)', 'Insidious (2010)' and 'Woman In Black (2010)'. These films are all set in houses.
Costume and Props
The costumes that we chose to use in our film opening link more into the generic conventions of a horror film as they are all dressed in nightwear. But this still fits well into our film as it give the audience a time frame that the scene is set in.
The main props that we used were a ouija board with candles placed in the corners. These are shown using multiple shot types to show their importance within the film.
The generic conventions of a supernatural thriller are that the story-line generally revolves around a supernatural creature such a a ghost or a vampire.
We have used many generic conventions throughout our film opening to help convey the genre. We have done this through our choice of location, title font and mise.
Location
The location of our film opening is in an old looking house. This setting has been used in many supernatural thrillers such as 'Amittyville Horror 2: The Possession (1982)', 'Insidious (2010)' and 'Woman In Black (2010)'. These films are all set in houses.
Costume and Props
The costumes that we chose to use in our film opening link more into the generic conventions of a horror film as they are all dressed in nightwear. But this still fits well into our film as it give the audience a time frame that the scene is set in.
We used a tracking shot to show the old fashioned photos on the walls of the house. This helps to give an eerie atmosphere to the clip.
The main props that we used were a ouija board with candles placed in the corners. These are shown using multiple shot types to show their importance within the film.
Camera Work and Editing
We used an establishing shot to open our clip and help set the scene. It pans in from the right and includes the first title in the bottom left.
This kind of establishing shot is also used in the supernatural thriller 'Amityville Horror 2: The Possession', the differences being that the camera is placed on the left hand side of the house and in the foreground there is a 'for sale' sign.
Tracking shots are another generic convention used in supernatural thrillers. They make the audience feel as though they are a part of what is going on and they are walking through the set. An example of a tracking shot used in a supernatural thrill would be in the opening of 'Insidious (2010)'.
This tracking shot moves down the frame whereas our moves up.
Close up on props is also a largely used generic convention in supernatural thrillers as they show the importance of them and possibly foreshadow later events within the film.
This is used in the opening of 'The Woman In Black (2010)'.
We have used a similar shot our film opening showing the candles and matches.
Another shot used in 'The Woman In Black' is a three person shot.
We have used a shot that is very similar to this in our opening sequence.
The only real differences between the two shots is that ours is from a high angle whereas the one used in 'The Woman In Black' is from a low angle.
Slow paced editing is a commonly used generic convention in supernatural thrillers. We have used this throughout to create a mysterious, eerie feel.
Title Font and Style
The title font that we chose to use in our opening is based on the font that can be seen on the ouija board. They are also partially incorporated as they have been placed in specific areas of the frame depending on what else is in the frame at the time.
These are the titles used in 'Insidious (2010)', they are very well intergrated as they are placed perfectly around the lamp.
This is the titles that we used in our opening sequence. They are integrated as the font matches that of the ouija board, and they have been placed so that the cursor is inbetween them. They still stand out above the clip more than the titles used in 'Insidious' and this gives our film a more independent feel.
The other titles used in the opening sequence for 'Insidious', and also in our film opening, are not integreated, the are simply placed on top of the frame.
Story-line And How The Opening Sequence Sets It Up
The majority of supernatural thriller films don't introduce the main aspect of the plot as quickly as our film did. We introduced the ouija board within the first two minutes of the film which goes against generic conventions.
How Characters Are Introduced
We also go against generic conventions with how our characters are introduced because we introduced them using dialogue within the first two mintues. The main characters are not normally shown this early on in a supernatural thriller film. This makes our film different to conventional films and makes it stand out and grab the audiences attention.
Special Effects
As our film is independent, we didn't use any special effects in the opening sequence. No special effects have been added in post-production. This goes againsts the generic conventions of most supernatural films which use special effects to animate the opening titles.
This is shown in the opening titles of 'Drag Me To Hell (2009)' where the titles appear in black smoke. Whereas our opening titles do not use such effects.
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