Research: The Mark Scheme

The questions that must be addressed in the evaluation are: - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
 -How does your media product represent particular social groups?
 - What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
 - Who would be the audience for your media product?
 - How did you attract/address your audience?
 - What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
 - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? 

World War Two Films Research

Pre-watched war films: 
The Pianist
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas


Planning to watch:
Saving Private Ryan
Schindler List
The Longest Day
The Dam Busters

Some Upcoming Deadlines And Who Is Doing What

180 Degree Rule Video:

George - Location and scheduling

George - Shot List

Everyone but recorded by George- Story Board

We want 180 degree rule filmed and edited by 16th

Main Corsework Film Opening:

Everyone - Script

Katy - Costume design and examples of costume

Mariella - Actors and who we should consider casting

Mariella - Decisions on conventions

Katy - Age, Race and Class within WW2 films

Mariella - Codes and conventions of WW2 Films/Thrillers

Everyone but recorded by George - Storyboard for film

? - Shot list

George - Animation of storyboard

Aim for this all done by Jan 30th

Other Thoughts on the 180 Degree Rule Shoot

For the main premise of the video we decided to go with a dramatic comedic western set in a school. The comedic value coming from the guns which are actually going to be a gun app on a phone.

We have decided to film up in the math corridor for convenience as it is within the school grounds. For the second location we have decided to film out in thew school field as we think it will give our film high vermilisitude.

The interaction is 2 lines of dialogue and a fight scene.

Shot List For 180 Degree Rule Video

1.  Establishing shot  of corridor- 2 Seconds 
2. OSS medium front shot of P1 on phone displaying character behind- 4 Seconds
3. Medium shot P2 shouting "You Suck" - 3 Seconds 
4. Medium shot P1 spins around- 1 Seconds
5. Wide angle medium shot of P1- 2 Seconds 
6. Close up of P1 - 3 Seconds 
7. Three quarter length shot followed by zoom on gun (p2) - 5 Seconds
8. Close up on P1 - 3 Seconds
9. Close up and pan down to waist - 6 Seconds
10. Close up of eyes looking at door (Eye line match) - 2 Seconds
11. Low angled shot of door - 1 Second 
12. Close up of P1 - 3 seconds 
13. Close up of waist holding gun - 3 Seconds 
14. Close up of P1 - 2 Seconds 
15. Behind Three Quarter Length shot showing P2 about to draw - 2 Seconds
16. Medium shot of P2 firing gun - 2 Seconds
17. P1 dives out the door - 2 Seconds
18. Low angle close of feet seeing P1 dive out door - 2 Seconds 
19. Wide shot of P1 running followed by P2 - 6 Seconds 
20. Close up of P2 Then runs off - 2 Seconds
21. {Fight} 
22. 020 to 200 degrees high to low angle shot (Insert Pun Line) - 7 Seconds 

180 Degree rule

In film making, the 180-degree rule is a basic guideline regarding the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene. An imaginary line called the axis connects the characters, and by keeping the camera on one side of this axis for every shot in the scene, the first character is always frame right of the second character, who is then always frame left of the first. The camera passing over the axis is called jumping the line or crossing the line.

The object that is being filmed must always remain in the center, while the camera must always face towards the object.

The 180 degree isn't a static rule in the sense that we could break it without the world ending however to break this rule it is important that we as a group understanding what we are doing otherwise our audience will be left confused.

For example this rule is best explained through a conversation between two characters because they are looking at eachother. If I wanted to shoot this from a wide angle then two close ups I would have to create an imaginary line that cuts through the middle of the scene because this line is where the camera is advised not to cross.
The reason behind this because if I was to cross the line within the same scene then the actors would look like they were facing the same way and seem like a flipped image. The reason this is further a problem is because it ruins the eyeline match.

Developed Ideas For Our Opening Sequence

Sci-Fi Thriller

The first person narrative about person controlling their own dream however quickly begin to lose control of what is happening. The film would have a lot of panic shown through the multiple flashes and fast editing montage. This then leads to the protagonist having an outer body experience. The typography would be smashed during the flashes leaving the text jittery and unstable much like the character  adding to the sense of panic while still providing the information like "director".

-Katy's idea

Political thriller

The narrative follows a group of illegal immigrants into the United Kingdom. The opening would show the extreme conditions and tension between the characters within the container. The narrative would focus the up coming journey ahead of the characters and emphasise the unstable relationships between them.

-George's idea

War Thriller

This would be a war thriller set in WW2 in which the protagonist is followed by tracking shot from behind with input POV shots not showing the protagonists face giving the sense of mystery. The character would then be interigated by another group of soldiers. For every hit there would be a flash back and then the titles.

-George and I's idea

Representation of Gender in Television

In media we looked at the representation of gender within TV dramas. In the lesson I learnt that gender is how your presented for example males are seen as more powerful in the eye of most media which in reality its just a stereotype given to that sex. We learned that a stereotype is a generalized idea about a group of people. The reason why its important to know this is because although in reality it can be equal, within media it usually isn't and because of this it is expected that in a film or TV show the man has to save the women. I found this interesting because it provides me with a chance to maybe alter that in our film opening. Obviously we don't have a hole plot to play with but you can show a lot about a subject in two minutes using the various techniques like camera angles.  More feminine males also are seen as less powerful, for example in the clip we watched from desperate housewives the man was crouched down by some flowers looking up at the male with the suit. This shows that men are more powerful when they are masculine than feminine.Our task for the lesson was to analyse a clip of our choice looking at gender equality. I got into a pair with Mariella (Me) and we set to work choosing our clip. We thought that we should try and find one with a scene that challenges these stereotypes and whether overall it successfully did it or failed. We analysed Mes en scene, Camera angles, Sound and Editing to reach our decision and presented it to the class. Our clip was sherlock and we found that the women had more power than usual however showed all the typical traits for example she had more close ups because she got emotional and her love for sherlock caused her to fail.Overall after looking at this it would cool to have a female lead however it could disappoint an audience who want a male lead.
Credit to George Turner

Initial Idea, Shot list, and Equipment For The 180 Degree Rule Video

Shot List:

1. Long Establishing Shot showing both characters on opposite ends of the hill.
2. Medium shot of protagonist 1 on phone.
3. Close up of phone.
4. Medium shot of Protagonist 2 on bench looking at P1.
5. Close up of P2 "You suck"
6. Long Shot of P2 overlapping "You Suck"
7. Medium higher angled shot of P1
8. Close up of P1 "How dare he call me a duck!"
9. Close Tracking shot of P1 running towards P2.
10. Long Shot showing P1 unable to get to P2.
11. Low angled shot of P2 laughing and turning around.
12. OSS Medium shot of P2 walking away shows P1 behind. 
13. Side angled shot of P2 punching P1 

Prop List/Equipment:

1. Phone(s)
2. Tripod
3. Camera
4. Grip
5. SD Card
6. Storyboard
7. Set

Research Conclusion

Over the past few weeks we have been researching thriller film openings and developing our understanding of what titel sequence is. In our opening we can either comply with the codes and conventions of thriller films, to make a film that the audience will be comforted by, or we can defy some of these conventions to create something more original.  We have learnt that title sequences come in many different forms. they can be primarily animated, follow a protagonist, or have a third person type of narrative.

From the sequences that have been analysed we have found  that psychological thrillers are the most popular type of thriller which although were not going to make will help when creating a hybrid genre. The reason why we wanted to explore hybrid genres is because it allows the filmmakers to give the audience more of what they want from two genres instead of one which helps with originality.

to be finished