Tuesday 23 February 2010


Evulation Questions

1) In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
3) What kind of media institutes might distribute your media product and why?
4)who would be the audience for your media product
5) How did you attract or address your audience?
6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product
7)Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it ti the final product?

Certificate



The organisation in charge of awarding films in the UK their respective certificates is the British Board Of Film Classification. (BBFC) We have decided that our film should be classed as a 15. The official definition of a 15 from the BBFC;

"Certificate 15 is suitable only for 15 years and older. No one younger than 15 may see a '15' film in a cinema. No one younger than 15 may rent or buy a '15' rated video"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_picture_rating_system#United_Kingdom


https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8bQytTNrO4RDbCkpyyo3n57o6S7Nc3RRfQW6HbkgFz_RYo-ZezNWYnlimqQ1FMRR9MADw2kuGxNPL5hdaEmB8FI5dmPUB9cBg_w5BTFBtplzT_-KuHhkS9RWnjct1jIaONv1lMl1vuNI/s400/15certificate.png

We have decided our film is best suited to a 15 certificate. We have reached this decision after examining each of the factors below: the official guidelines for a 15 rated movie.

Discrimination
The work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.

Our film does not contain any discrimination. Although all our victims are gay, this is not portrayed in any way via discrimination.

Drugs
Drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse. The misuse of easily accessible and highly dangerous substances (for example, aerosols or solvents) is unlikely to be acceptable.

Although drugs are allowed to be shown in a 15, our film will not feature drugs in any way.

Horror
Strong threat and menace are permitted unless sadistic or sexualised.

Our film does contain horror in the case of the abduction and murder, but it is neither sadistic nor sexualised. No torture or sexual assault will be pictures graphically.

Imitable behaviour
Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied. Easily accessible weapons should not be glamorised.

The abductor within our sequence will use a knife as one of his weapons. To make the film suitable for the 15 certificate we will not focus or glorify the armanent. No dangerous behaviour will be featured.

Language
There may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.

There will be some minor language in our sequence, but it is neither strong nor frequent, thus making our film suitable for a 15 rating in the language aspect.

Nudity
Nudity may be allowed in a sexual context but without strong detail. There are no constraints on nudity in a non-sexual or educational context.

No nudity will feature.

Sex
Sexual activity may be portrayed without strong detail. There may be strong verbal references to sexual behaviour, but the strongest references are unlikely to be acceptable unless justified by context. Works whose primary purpose is sexual arousal or stimulation are unlikely to be acceptable.

There will not be a sex scene in our sequence, nor the film as a whole.

Theme
No theme is prohibited, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds.

As no themes are prohibited, our film would be suitable whatever the theme.

Violence
Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.

Though our film contains some violence, it is not particularly strong, not focused upon and is neither sadistic or sexualised. No verbal references are made to sexual violence nor is any sexual violence portrayed.

Monday 22 February 2010

Film Soundtrack

The soundtrack to the film sequence is called 'The Shield' it was made by me on a producing program called fruity loops. I used a Plugin called Predator, to make the bass. I them inhansed it using soungoodiser, and conpressed it to make it sound more sharp and in your face. The Track is 1:30 minutes long, and is classified in the genre of Dubstep.

Here are some screenshots of the program i used to make this music, and the song in progress.





What i tried to aim in achieve in this song is to create an suspenseful atmosphere. i think that the bellowing saw sounding bass line adds to the life and the energy and mystery to the music.

The way I achieved making this soundtrack was made from different types of effects with complex number of layers. Playing with the pattern volume helps lifts the bass up and down and give it the song a dip and rise in the volume. This will make the audiance feel more involved with the music and also would give of a vibe of energy and excitement to the audience creating a suspenseful atmosphere.

Thriller Film Sequence Target Audience

Our film aims to attract an audience between the ages of 15 - 30. We will make it appeal to a young adult and adult audience by using challenging themes such as murder and morality. Furthermore, our use of mise-en-scene to portray the darkness and vulnerability of the victims and main characters will mean younger audiences will not be able to follow the film easily.

Most people under the age of 15 would have trouble following our sequence due to the complex themes of morality and murder. The non-linear ordering may also confuse a younger audience. Because of this, our film will not be suitable to most people under 15.

Our film will feature a lot of modern aspects. For example, the music for much of the sequence will be Dubstep, a genre popular with young people. In addition to this the detective and victims will all be fairly young - this will allow our target audience to empathise with them. Because of these features we believe our film is best suited to people aged 15-30. Older people may struggle to understand aspects of the sequence and find it harder to empathise with the characters.

http://cpamoneytips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/choosing-target-audience-for-cpa-offer.jpg

Tuesday 9 February 2010

Detective shots
The first shot of the detective will be of him leaning over a desk illuminated by a lamp . Much of the room will be in darkness. This will be representative of the detective and how most of the mystery is unclear to him. As the detective pores over the cluttered desk, images of newspaper articles related to murder will briefly appear, amongst other objects. As the sequence progresses the detectives expression will change from despair to thoughtful to excitement. As he has a revelation about the murders he will slam on the lights, fully illuminating the room. This represents the fact the detective has had an idea that may solve the murders. He rushes over to a board filled with newspaper cuttings and stares at it. The shot changes to a close-up of his eye and in it a map is reflected.

This sequence is intertwined with the abduction sequence, so the sequence is presented in a non-linear way.

http://lastheplace.com/images/article-images/1aLatest2008Writers/august/hush_lounge/Hush-Lounge-Dining.jpg
Example of the kind of lighting we are aiming for.

Abduction Shots
The victim is walking down a street. He eventually arrives at an alleyway, and looks over his shoulder. This will betray his feelings of nervousness. A low shot will show him walking down an alleyway. As he gets closer an ominous dark shape will move across the camera, out of focus. This will greatly heighten the tension within the scene - what/who is the shape? Numerous close-ups from various angles will show the attacker shoving a bag over the abductees head, and the screen will fade to black. We have decided to use close-ups as they will keep the attackers identity hidden and create a sense of confusion within the viewer. These shots have been inspired by the strangulation sequence in No Country For Old Men, where numerous shots from different angles chronicle the killing. (Although in this case the victim is not killed.)

http://philgamer.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/dark_alley.jpg
An alleyway similar to what we will use.

Monday 8 February 2010

Camera Shots of Location





Still Shots of Shot List and Story Board






These are pictures of our group's storyboard and shot list. This is how we plan to shoot our thriller opening, by following these guidelines.

Costumes

Detective
Our detective will cast the appearance of a clean, neat man who has recently been neglecting his appearance. For example, he wears his top two shirt buttons undone and has his tie loose. His trousers are creased and shoes dirty. All of this will connote the fact that the man is under stress, and doesn't have time to properly care for his appearance. The costume is similar to Brad Pitt's character in Se7en - a young detective whose appearance is unkempt.

White shirt - representing good/justice.
Black Trousers - darker side of personality. (Two sides shown by split between Trousers/Shirt)
Skinny Black Tie - suggests formal business.
Black/Brown shoes - suggests smart dressing.

http://www.freewebs.com/rock_n_literature/seven.jpg
Brad Pitt (left) in Se7en.
Abductee/Victim
The victim will not be wearing any particular items of clothing - his apparel will be simple. This appearance of normality will cause the viewer to ask questions of why he is attacked - is he as normal as he seems?

- Shirt/Jacket.
- Jeans.
- Trainers.

Abductor/Attacker
All clothing worn by the attacker is dark to connote his lack of morality. A balaclava will cover his face to represent the hidden side of his personality - the murderer within. A similar technique is used in the Dexter opening sequence, where his face is never fully shown whilst murder related shots are being shown.

- Black shirt. (Formal?)
- Black jeans.
- Black shoes with white soles - this connotes that the killer is not completely consumed by evil.
- Balaclava.

Friday 5 February 2010

Dexter Opening Credits Analysis

The sequence is full of iconography and activities related to blood. This is done because the main character, Dexter, is closely related to blood. (E.g collecting victim's blood in slides/dismembering bodies) The first occurrence of this is the mosquito biting Dexter, and he mercilessly kills it. This instantly suggests that Dexter is a man without remorse. The name if the show is then show, splattered with blood. This again links Dexter to blood. He is then shown shaving, and cuts himself. The blood runs down his neck and drips onto the clean surface of the sink. Dexter immaculately wipes it away with a scrap of tissue. This represents the spilling of blood, and Dexter's skill of cleaning up. All of these shots correspond to the drawing of blood/the kill.

The sequence then begins to focus on the cutting up/disposing of the victims. This is effectively displayed in numerous ways, all linked to food. For example, a piece of pork is dissected, and egg is sliced, mixing with ketchup (Connoting blood) as it separates. A highly effective shot of an orange being sliced in two against a red background again connotes the dissecting of victims bodies, with the red again suggesting a presence of blood. The orange half is then squashed and comes apart with a 'squelch'. All of these shots are representative of the dissection of the bodies, providing vivid imagery which creates apprehension from a seemingly innocent activity.

Next images of flossing and laces being tied are shown. The taut string/ropes constrict the flow of blood, which represents Dexter being restricted - unable to reveal his true identity, which leaves him feeling trapped. He is then shown pulling a shirt over his head, slowly bringing his face into view for the first time. This connotes the hidden side of Dexter - throughout the imagery which represents his killings his face is never shown - this aspect of his personality is not known to others. The brief shot of Dexter locking the door infers that this part of his life is kept apart from the rest of the world. This knowledge helps the viewer emphasise with Dexter.

Shots are almost exclusively close-up. This not only makes the everyday activities seem more sinister, but also keeps the identity of Dexter hidden. The close-ups tend to focus on things related to death - the knife slicing the orange, the floss restricting blood flow and the blood splattering onto the sink etc.

Sound also plays an important role in creating the atmosphere - it contributes greatly to the sinister atmosphere within the sequence. The ominous horns kick in at significant moments, emphasising their importance. Sound effects are also key - they add more emphasis to moments such as the crushing of the orange.

Monday 1 February 2010

Plot of Thriller

Detective Smith has been tracking the ---- for 2 years. His attempts to apprehend the killer began after his old partner was killed by him. The killers victims are all killed in a similar fashion and share a number of traits. Firstly, they are all gay men. Secondly, all victims are between the age of 20 and 30. Thirdly, 3 kills seem to be made in each city before the killer moves on. The men are first ambushed in secluded areas of the cities and asphxiated with a bag, assumed to be plastic. The men are then taken away to a different location, usually inside, where they are killed with knife thrusts. His acts have inspired a series of copycat murders, which threw the 3 kills theory into jeopardy, but the killers have since been apprehended and the pattern remains strong. A young gay man of 24 has just been murdered in Cambridge, and the kill shows all the signs of the ---- killer.

Planning for filming

Costume
- Victim - Normal clothing to suggest that he is only a citizen.
- Attacker - Dark clothing to represent evil within character.
- Detective - Suit. Messy to suggest he is a relatively new detective. (Shirt with buttons undone/skinny tie loose)

Props
- Attackers weapon - plastic bag. Replica fake gun.
- Newspaper articles created on Photoshop.

Lighting
- Detective's desk lit by lamplight.
- Streets/alley where attack takes place in daylight.

Make-up/hair
- We don't plan to use much make-up, although some may be used to give the image of bruising around the victims neck.
- Mess up/Ruffle up the victims hair.

List of equipment
- Camera/Tripod.
- Character clothing.
- Newspaper articles.
- Attackers weapon. (Bag/Knife)
- Cup of tea.

Times and dates of filming

Location
'Office area' - Media classroom/office.
Alleyway in Cambridge

Actors
'Victim' - Dave
'Villan' - Dave
'Detective' - Sam

Production roles
Director - Dave Haynes
Producer - Kriss O
]Kai-Koi

Sound - Sam Bols
Editing - Dave O'Keefe


Test photos/footage