Readers,
Last night 29th November at 5:45pm I filmed another part of my 2 minute film opening. I was filming Mr P (stalker) walking in the 6th form arch, standing in the courtyard looking round, moving towards the common room and looking inside through the window. He walks through the corridor, he then peers at another window and sees a girl that is walking into the common room so decides to make a run for it to a near by bush were he lurks to wait and watch from afar.
I will keep updating!
Please comment on my posts PLEASE!
Saturday 30 November 2013
Saturday 23 November 2013
Audience research 23rd Nov
Readers,
The website Pearl & Dean explains to us what age range and gender will most likely go and see a film at the cinema. I have categorized myself and the film I am making, in this area of: 15+ cinema-goers who are young and upmarket. My target market age range is 15-24 years and my gender market would be females because they can relate to the film as it is set in an all girls boarding school, but males also might like my film because of the stalker thriller element. I will also be targeting ABC1 social grade people. (A-upper middle class, B-middle class and C1-lower middle class) The reason I will be aiming at these specific people is that they are fairly well paid and they are more likely to go and see my film.
The website Pearl & Dean explains to us what age range and gender will most likely go and see a film at the cinema. I have categorized myself and the film I am making, in this area of: 15+ cinema-goers who are young and upmarket. My target market age range is 15-24 years and my gender market would be females because they can relate to the film as it is set in an all girls boarding school, but males also might like my film because of the stalker thriller element. I will also be targeting ABC1 social grade people. (A-upper middle class, B-middle class and C1-lower middle class) The reason I will be aiming at these specific people is that they are fairly well paid and they are more likely to go and see my film.
Storyboard, shot list, props list 29th Nov
Readers,
Yesterday I started filming my course work. I have 5 scenes to film, 2 of which I was able to shoot yesterday. I was lucky enough to only need to take the 2nd scene twice and the first was done in 1 take. These scenes where the first two in my story.
Scene description:
1st scene) Arriving at the school gates, driving down the school drive, lingering on the front entrance of the school and on to the 6th form area to be met.
2nd scene) Walking in and being met by the 6th form house mistress, then being taken to the common room.
The actresses I used where: the main character, my media studies teacher as her mother and my music teacher as the 6th form house mistress. Due to the other actresses being in lessons and the stalker (my friend Mr P) I will have to arrange times next week to film them in their scenes. I have 3 weeks till the end of term so I will have fully filmed and edited (a little) of my final work. I have also started designing and putting together using Photoshop my own production company graphic. I will have to make all the other titles with the names of the actresses and actor on them and the titles with may name as the director, camera woman and writer. The film will be finished by the end of next term.
Yesterday I started filming my course work. I have 5 scenes to film, 2 of which I was able to shoot yesterday. I was lucky enough to only need to take the 2nd scene twice and the first was done in 1 take. These scenes where the first two in my story.
Scene description:
1st scene) Arriving at the school gates, driving down the school drive, lingering on the front entrance of the school and on to the 6th form area to be met.
2nd scene) Walking in and being met by the 6th form house mistress, then being taken to the common room.
The actresses I used where: the main character, my media studies teacher as her mother and my music teacher as the 6th form house mistress. Due to the other actresses being in lessons and the stalker (my friend Mr P) I will have to arrange times next week to film them in their scenes. I have 3 weeks till the end of term so I will have fully filmed and edited (a little) of my final work. I have also started designing and putting together using Photoshop my own production company graphic. I will have to make all the other titles with the names of the actresses and actor on them and the titles with may name as the director, camera woman and writer. The film will be finished by the end of next term.
These are my different designs for my company logo.
This is my final design for my own film company graphic.
These pictures are of my story board, the scenes that I will use in my 2 minute sequence. I have used a camera for my first story board and have drawn the other.
This is my shot list I will use in my final opening 2 minute film.
Tuesday 12 November 2013
Very handy websites for learning Media Studies easily
Readers,
Finding good sources of reference for Media Studies on the internet isn't as hard as you think, but if you are starting out and have never looked any of this up it is a little daunting. So I thought I would post and explain some very good and helpful websites in this subject.
This is a link for a brilliant site explaining about the different language used in the media. This covers all the different shot angles all the way to the key terms that you must understand and use in your course work and end exams. http://www.alevelmedia.co.uk/page26.php
This blog is especially for media study students, it is published by a teacher of the subject at a large school. The publisher is very insightful into what we as the students need to know and learn. http://mrsblacksmedia2.wordpress.com
This is the best website for explaining everything there is to know about media studies. The university of Yale are known to be one of the best universities in America. This site explains all the terms and definitions very well.
http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis/htmfiles/basic-terms.htm
This website is called "Pearl & Dean" it specialises in explaining to the general public how and why films do what they do to sell as many tickets as possible. This also shows you what age range and gender go to different genres of films. Eg. family films are directed at a house wife and children aged 7-14. Research shows that most children this age are girls who go to the cinema instead of boys.
http://business.pearlanddean.com/audience_profile
I will keep updating this post with new URLs that explain Media as simply as possible.
Finding good sources of reference for Media Studies on the internet isn't as hard as you think, but if you are starting out and have never looked any of this up it is a little daunting. So I thought I would post and explain some very good and helpful websites in this subject.
This is a link for a brilliant site explaining about the different language used in the media. This covers all the different shot angles all the way to the key terms that you must understand and use in your course work and end exams. http://www.alevelmedia.co.uk/page26.php
This blog is especially for media study students, it is published by a teacher of the subject at a large school. The publisher is very insightful into what we as the students need to know and learn. http://mrsblacksmedia2.wordpress.com
This is the best website for explaining everything there is to know about media studies. The university of Yale are known to be one of the best universities in America. This site explains all the terms and definitions very well.
http://classes.yale.edu/film-analysis/htmfiles/basic-terms.htm
This website is called "Pearl & Dean" it specialises in explaining to the general public how and why films do what they do to sell as many tickets as possible. This also shows you what age range and gender go to different genres of films. Eg. family films are directed at a house wife and children aged 7-14. Research shows that most children this age are girls who go to the cinema instead of boys.
http://business.pearlanddean.com/audience_profile
I will keep updating this post with new URLs that explain Media as simply as possible.
Monday 11 November 2013
Reasons for picking the Horror genre 11th Nov
Readers,
The reason I picked the genre of horror for my opening 2 minutes of my film, was that my school is a very large stately house with its own rumors and scary stories. We have (as we call it) a great hall and a large organ at one end. In this area there hangs several pictures of the past owners of the house. One of the pictures is of Lady Holford she was rumored to have hung herself from the organ, that is why there is a hole in it (at the top). Apparently every Halloween she is meant to come out of her portrait and swoop around all the dorms and go in to do this: "Over the first bed, under the second and kill the third" This is totally not true. I have been here on several Halloweens and nothing has ever happened to the third person. Even though I did use to choose the first or second bed just in case... The other stories are that if you stand in front of her portrait and stair into her eyes that her left hand disappears. And the final story is that her and her husbands eyes follow you around the room. The first is a trick of the eyes and the last is the way a picture was painted like the Monor Lisa. When I was first told about this I was so eager to try it out and indeed it does work. There are many more stories about how in the basement staff see on regular basis servants wearing old fashioned clothing walking through walls or disappearing into thin air. Ever since I arrived at this school I have always been interested by the supernatural and horror, that is why I though a horror genre would be ideal for my movie.
This is my original idea for the whole plot of my film (if I were to film more than the first 2 minutes).
This is my mind map of what could be put into my 2 minute opening: locations around the school, characters, times of day to film and also the plot and how certain characters would act.
The reason I picked the genre of horror for my opening 2 minutes of my film, was that my school is a very large stately house with its own rumors and scary stories. We have (as we call it) a great hall and a large organ at one end. In this area there hangs several pictures of the past owners of the house. One of the pictures is of Lady Holford she was rumored to have hung herself from the organ, that is why there is a hole in it (at the top). Apparently every Halloween she is meant to come out of her portrait and swoop around all the dorms and go in to do this: "Over the first bed, under the second and kill the third" This is totally not true. I have been here on several Halloweens and nothing has ever happened to the third person. Even though I did use to choose the first or second bed just in case... The other stories are that if you stand in front of her portrait and stair into her eyes that her left hand disappears. And the final story is that her and her husbands eyes follow you around the room. The first is a trick of the eyes and the last is the way a picture was painted like the Monor Lisa. When I was first told about this I was so eager to try it out and indeed it does work. There are many more stories about how in the basement staff see on regular basis servants wearing old fashioned clothing walking through walls or disappearing into thin air. Ever since I arrived at this school I have always been interested by the supernatural and horror, that is why I though a horror genre would be ideal for my movie.
This is my original idea for the whole plot of my film (if I were to film more than the first 2 minutes).
This is my mind map of what could be put into my 2 minute opening: locations around the school, characters, times of day to film and also the plot and how certain characters would act.
Sunday 10 November 2013
Background research into horror movies 10th Nov
Readers,
For prep I was told to go and watch the opening two minuets of several horror movies to get a feel of what my first two minutes should or could look like. The films that I was studying were: The Blair Witch Project, The Mist, The Evil Inside, The Unborn and The Messenger. I have written about everything that happens in the first 2 minutes of each on a time line.
I have talked to my friend and she is a HUGE horror movie fan about what she likes in horror movies.
T's ideas of what a horror should have in it:
My teacher said to find out some film production companies then look at their designs and think up my own for my movie.
A list of well known production companies are:
A graphic artist, Saul Bass once said, "Making a main title was like making a poster, you're condensing the event into this one concept, this one metaphor is a back story that needs to be told or a character that needs to be introduced".
In the film industry the first 2-3 minutes of the film is critical to lay out to the audience who made or was in this movie along with expressing the story line/character in these first crucial minutes. When this happens and the producer's name is shown it can explain to the audience what the movie might be like. Example: Michel Bay--> he likes big, loud movies with a lot of explosions in them.
For prep I was told to go and watch the opening two minuets of several horror movies to get a feel of what my first two minutes should or could look like. The films that I was studying were: The Blair Witch Project, The Mist, The Evil Inside, The Unborn and The Messenger. I have written about everything that happens in the first 2 minutes of each on a time line.
I have talked to my friend and she is a HUGE horror movie fan about what she likes in horror movies.
T's ideas of what a horror should have in it:
- Dramatic music
- Scary and believable make up
- Good and gripping story line
- Good acting
- A scary child
- Set in a forest or haunted house
My teacher said to find out some film production companies then look at their designs and think up my own for my movie.
A list of well known production companies are:
- Paramount
- 20th century Fox
- Lionsgate
- Fact
- Dolby digital
- DMN films
- Universal
- Momentum pictures
A graphic artist, Saul Bass once said, "Making a main title was like making a poster, you're condensing the event into this one concept, this one metaphor is a back story that needs to be told or a character that needs to be introduced".
In the film industry the first 2-3 minutes of the film is critical to lay out to the audience who made or was in this movie along with expressing the story line/character in these first crucial minutes. When this happens and the producer's name is shown it can explain to the audience what the movie might be like. Example: Michel Bay--> he likes big, loud movies with a lot of explosions in them.
Wednesday 6 November 2013
Differences between: film openings and trailers 6th Nov
Readers,
In trailers have show clips from different parts of the movie and explain or complicate the story line to the audience. This gives us as the audience an overview of what is in the movie and whether we are interested in watching it. They use a lot of music to demonstrate the feeling of the movie. Dramatic for a building up tension or club music for a dance film. this gives insight as to what genre the film may be. (horror, comedy, sci-fi, ect.) Some trailers use voice overs with a line from the movie played over a shot that is at a different time to when this is normally said. The trailers all have titles in them the are used to break up the different scenes used and some tell you when the film is going to be released into the cinema.
Camera shots used regularly:
Panoramic
Close up
Mid shot
Crab
Low shots
Track
Today I am going to explain the differences between film trailers and openings.
In trailers have show clips from different parts of the movie and explain or complicate the story line to the audience. This gives us as the audience an overview of what is in the movie and whether we are interested in watching it. They use a lot of music to demonstrate the feeling of the movie. Dramatic for a building up tension or club music for a dance film. this gives insight as to what genre the film may be. (horror, comedy, sci-fi, ect.) Some trailers use voice overs with a line from the movie played over a shot that is at a different time to when this is normally said. The trailers all have titles in them the are used to break up the different scenes used and some tell you when the film is going to be released into the cinema.
Camera shots used regularly:
Panoramic
Close up
Mid shot
Crab
Low shots
Track
Trailers of movies used to gain information:
Robocop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4ukwHdACDw
Hobbit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfflhfn1W-o
300: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leXo4-QLNVc
Riddick: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH3O-CeZckE
Frankinstien: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCUZd1iuq3o
Vampire Academy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcNHWXujGG0
Godzilla: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAO7BIeMR-Y
Step up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEasHztgvh8
In the opening of films play along the same lines. They all use titles to show who has made and acted in the movie. They all use music but every so often you get the odd one that has no music at all. The pictures used in the opening give you an insight into how the movie might be. Example Spiderman 2 shows you the comics of him saving the day on different occasions.
Camera shots: uses a wide range of shots but the main ones are; close up, panoramic and ped up and down.
Openings of films used to gain information:
Aliens vs Predator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYj8pI94z9c
Girl with the dragon tattoo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY4f_83t_rw&list=PL4BA48B9F49F8158C
Spiderman 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSDU2tu7rpk&list=PL4BA48B9F49F8158C
James Bond- Quantum of solace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfYC_CBNtiM&list=PL4BA48B9F49F8158C
In the opening of films play along the same lines. They all use titles to show who has made and acted in the movie. They all use music but every so often you get the odd one that has no music at all. The pictures used in the opening give you an insight into how the movie might be. Example Spiderman 2 shows you the comics of him saving the day on different occasions.
Camera shots: uses a wide range of shots but the main ones are; close up, panoramic and ped up and down.
Openings of films used to gain information:
Aliens vs Predator: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYj8pI94z9c
Girl with the dragon tattoo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY4f_83t_rw&list=PL4BA48B9F49F8158C
Spiderman 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSDU2tu7rpk&list=PL4BA48B9F49F8158C
James Bond- Quantum of solace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfYC_CBNtiM&list=PL4BA48B9F49F8158C
Monday 4 November 2013
Finish of preliminary task and start of horror film 4th Nov
Readers,
Today I have started and finished my preliminary task for my AS level course work. This was to film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down opposite another character, with whom they exchange a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should show match on action, shot/revers shot and the 180-degree rule.
In the next couple of weeks I will start to film my main course work for media studies. This will be based on the genre of horror/thriller. I will film this in the school grounds as the school lends itself to ghosts and horror stories. My first thoughts on this is a dark shadow that is prowling around the houses unseen to others except certain people. I have said before that there are a few features that make good ingredients for a horror movie, they are: music, real life story line, strange and scary setting and not being able to see clearly what the creature/thing is.
Today I have started and finished my preliminary task for my AS level course work. This was to film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down opposite another character, with whom they exchange a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should show match on action, shot/revers shot and the 180-degree rule.
In the next couple of weeks I will start to film my main course work for media studies. This will be based on the genre of horror/thriller. I will film this in the school grounds as the school lends itself to ghosts and horror stories. My first thoughts on this is a dark shadow that is prowling around the houses unseen to others except certain people. I have said before that there are a few features that make good ingredients for a horror movie, they are: music, real life story line, strange and scary setting and not being able to see clearly what the creature/thing is.
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