Actor Enquiries

NAME: Theresa Greene

AGE: 52

WHY ARE THEY SUITABLE FOR THIS ROLE: I think she s=is suitable for this role as the character she plays is an older character and quite a mysterious person which I think she can play very well. She speaks with great annunciation which is also very suited to the character she plays. She is also quite tall for a woman (5'9) which i thought was great especially for this role.




NAME: Lavonne Dow

AGE: 26

WHY ARE THEY SUITABLE FOR THIS ROLE: I think Lavonne was best suited for this role because I
think she really fits the character description and what I envisioned my lead female role to be.

Target Audience

My target audience is between the ages of 13-25. I am trying to appeal to a wide range of ages as my film is not scary and should appeal to all age groups. I personally don't think people above this age range will enjoy this genre of film.

My film is more of a mystery thriller rather than scary and jumpy but it should appeal to those who like to solve mysteries and get involved with the plot.

Shooting Schedule

Date and Time	Location	Scene	Summary; what was filmed	Cast
14/05/16 - Night	Park	1	Establishing shot of the area and different angles of Lavonne walking	Lavonne
14/05/16 - Night	Park	1	Whole dialogue	Lavonne Theresa
15/05/16 - Night	Park	1	Last scene – Theresa speech	Lavonne Theresa

Individual Analysis 2

THE DEPARTED

The first shot of the film is video footage of a fight between several people in the streets in the midst of what looks like a riot to the audience. The reason it can be assumed this is actual video footage of an event rather than a staged fight for the purpose of the film is the shaky camerawork filming the scene as well as the poor quality of the image making it look like news footage. 

This single 7-second shot to kick off proceedings lets the audience into some very important information very early on. This film is clearly going to be violent. A brawl in the streets between a handful of people as an opener is effective at setting the tone of the film at an early stage, the audience now knows exactly what to expect from the film ahead of them, and this acts as a sort of warning. The fight could also show the chaos that people are capable of causing and this now makes the audience expect a similar sort of chaos from the Irish mob. There is diegetic sound in the back of the scene, background music by The Rolling Stones, this shows the scene is set in the past around the late 60's or early 70's and is showing that the characters might have history with each other. 

The first character we are introduced to is a middle-aged man that seems confident with himself by the way he moves and strolls around. He supplies a brief narration at the beginning of the film that layers his character more efficiently so the audience can see the many aspects of his personality. This builds tension within the audience as they now know they are going to be introduced to some very menacing people. 

In this narration, he uses the racist slur. We can connote that this is a man who is very much of the past, and is yet to move on from the discriminatory past of America into the equality of today's society. It also makes the audience dislike the character from the start, identifying him as the antagonist of the film. To reinforce this the first shot of the character is in darkness with only his outline visible, this is where lighting is essential to make a character mysterious. This darkness carries the connotations of evil and fear which the audience from then on associates with that particular character.

After the opening scenes introductory phase we have an establishing shot of the outside of a bakery. This same shot continues and pans into the bakery, where we see the owner go into the till to hand the antagonist some money as soon as he sees him enter. The dialogue with this scene also identifies the antagonist of being someone who is feared.  The owners false respect for the man despite having to hand over his money without a word shows Mr C is a menacing character who is not to be reckoned with. 

Mr C then turns to a young boy sitting at the counter next to him and addresses him. The audience are also told the boy lives with his grandmother. Now sympathising with this character we are led to believe he is a character of importance to be taking up so much of the shots he is in, so the assumption can be made that this boy is a protagonist. 

Throughout the entirety of this scene the boy is shown in full light whilst Mr C is not once shown fully, always in the shadows which is a key feature of thriller films like this one.  This accomplishes two things. Firstly it differentiates the antagonistic and protagonistic personalities of Mr C and the small boy and highlights Mr C's menacing nature and the boys innocence. It also makes it hard to make out Mr C's face. Therefore, later in the film he does not look the same age as he does in the past-set scene. This is quite clever production work which identifies a solution to the problem that also makes sense thematically.

Genre Conventions

Codes and Conventions a Thriller

What is a thriller?

A thriller usually consists of a battle between the protagonist character and the antagonist, when there is a disruption in the equilibrium. Then the story shows a chain of bad events building tension and suspense for the climax. The aim of the protagonist is to restore justice, while the antagonist seeks to destroy it.

Conventions of a Thriller
• Low key lighting
• Quick cuts
• Shadows
• Tension music
• Changes in the angle of shots
• Diegetic sound of breathing
• Black and white shots
• Montage of shots
• Protagonist is in the mercy of the Antagonist

Characters
• The protagonist is often a brave male who seeks to restore the equilibrium
• The antagonist will have a hidden identity that the audience will uncover as the film progresses. Often the antagonist goes out for revenge from a past event.

Themes of Thriller
• The storyline will be designed so the audience will think that it can happen to them, which will make them feel jumpy and on the edge of their seats.

Cinematography of a thriller
• There will be a lot of close ups and extreme close ups of the protagonist character, this is often to show their emotions, also it can be used to focus on props to aid the narrative.
• The shots of the antagonistic character will be cut quickly and will aim to hide their identity, e.g. A shot of the back of them, a low key shot, the silhouette, or shadow of the character.

Editing of a Thriller
The director will include lots of jump cuts because there will be things happening that the audience is unaware of but is essential for the film to make sense. Cross cutting is a key point in editing as it is used to build suspense which is essential for a thriller. Continues editing is used to help the audience understand the film better.

 Sound in a Thriller
• Music is essential in any film to understand the mood of the characters and hint at a significant part in the film. In a thriller, it adds suspense and tension. It will often start at a slow paves and the then build up to make the shots more dramatic for the audience.

Mise en scene
• The location is important for the film because it help the audience establish the theme.
• Lighting is often low key
• Costumes- antagonist usually be in dark clothes if you see them. Protagonist will be in ordinary everyday clothes
• Composition
• Make up and hair styles
• Acting

Shot Types Film

Here is a link to my shot types video;

https://youtu.be/wqPhYteZETk

Preliminary Film

This is the link to my preliminary film;

 https://youtu.be/xD4Xcg2sAak

Evaluation

EVALUATION

Here is the link to my final film; http://youtu.be/u8BKln6XWfI

This evaluation is an in depth, detailed essay of what I've learnt throughout this process, including camera techniques, sound, mise-en-scene and editing. The task at hand was to make a short film of what ever genre we preferred, researching different elements and components needed to make this short film as effective as possible. I looked at key media terminology such as L.I.A.R which stands for language, institution, audience and representation. I researched into this further and found that it is crucial to know the different aspects to appeal to your audience.

As a class, we studied different opening sequences whilst analysing them and picking each key part out and thinking about what techniques were used to make it effective and suited to that particular audience. One of the opening sequences we studied was Memento. This is a thriller film which used particular techniques such as spaced out typography (text) and quite cold colours to connote deeper meanings, for example the text format is spaced showing that the protagonist suffers from a memory problem and that he is quite a cold, nonchalant character. We also focused on the transitions of the text and the sound. When analysing this opening sequence, we focused on two types of sound which was; digetic and non-diegetic.  The non-diegetic sound was the voice overs and these are used to make it more effective and grip the audiences attention. They can also connote deeper meanings such as the character could be thinking about something very deep and contemplating his actions which would be ironic as he suffers from a mental problem.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Gender/Sex - Although in my opening sequence, my main protagonist faces are hidden, I've chosen a strong female lead for one of my characters who in the film is nicknamed "Rookie". The film is called ENDGAME, so there is quite a lot of chess game references which I've chosen to use also. I've called my character "Rookie" after the rook which is a chess piece which is often referred to as a "heavy" or "major" piece in the game, it is also considered to be developed from a chariot which shows that this particular piece in the game is seen to be fast, strong and significant, and this is exactly what Rookie is in the film. I've chosen to do this because frequently in thriller films, wo
men and girls are portrayed as weak and very vulnerable so I took this opportunity to make a strong female role to show that not only male characters can be brave and "defeat" evil.

In on of my scenes, there is a confrontation between the two characters. I used a high angle shot when Rookie was standing up for herself. This shot type shows power and dominance which is what I tried to show throughout. I chose to make Rookie a head strong female lead, to switch up gender stereotypes which a often used in mass media - portraying women as fragile and often quite "damsel in distress" like, which made me decide to make Rookie the opposite which is brave to defy the conventions of female protagonists being so weak.

My target audience is definitely teenagers to young adults as the typical age group to watch these types of films is aged 13 to 25 and as I am this age group so it puts me at an advantage to consider what people my age would find appealing and gripping. Rookie is also meant to be portrayed in this age group which could make her a character more people can relate to rather than an older audience. Also the costume I used on Rookie is just an average red hoodie, as this colour connotes power, and jeans.

Angela McRobbie's gender stereotypes theory applies here well. McRobbie shows how women in the media industry are portrayed as weak and quite submissive towards men. She recognises that women are often given traditional domestic roles such as a mother or a carer which result in women being given this nurturing and weak demeanour. This is why Rookie is such a strong female role as I do not portray her as any of the traits above but I portray her as a dominant woman.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media and why?

Film distribution is a process which usually comes after making and producing a film, which involves selling the film to a specific target audience. At the start of this, the studio producing the film would make an agreement with a distribution company. The company would then decide on the amount of copies/prints the movie should have. They would then negotiate deals with several theatres, to try and get their film shown.

There is a noticeable difference between Major budget and Independent distribution companies. The key difference is the budget the films are given for distribution. Therefore major budget films from major companies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Tangled and Avengers can reach out to bigger named consumers to get television ad appearances and A-List endorsement. However since my film would be an independent film I won’t have the resources for these opportunities, this does not mean there are not ways to distribute my film effectively.

I would like my film to be distributed by Aristan Entertainment as I like the way they promote certain films such as, “The Blair Witch Project” which was shown at the Sundance film festival in 1999, and festival flyers were given out, asking if anyone had any information on the whereabouts of the “missing” students, which referred to the students in the film. This interactive approach created massive buzz and excitement for the film as the distributors gave the illusion that the film was based on true events, making the film seem more authentic and life like for the audience. As a result of this I would strongly consider having Aristan Entertainment as my Distribution Company as I find their distribution style innovative, effective and exciting.

Who would the audience be for your media product and why?

As I stated earlier, my desired audience would be between the ages of 13 to 25 as I feel this age range is more suited to this genre of film. The age gap is quite wide as I feel some of the older viewers may be able to comprehend some of the deeper meanings in the film and find it more interesting and to their style. My audience would also mainly be white and middle class as they are the kinds of people to not only watch this type of film but also star in it. My film would also be aimed at those who are quite intelligent as my film would have a "who dunnit" theme running throughout, so the more intellectual viewers have something to sink their teeth into and really get involved.

My film would not cater to a specific gender but I used a strong female lead which might appeal to other females of the targeted age group as there isn't a lot of films in the market with a strong female lead alone.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Whilst creating my opening sequence, I learnt a variety of things which helped me when actually filming. As it was only a short film, I filmed it on my iPhone 6s with a tripod and steady hands. The camera quality on my iPhone is extremely good and takes very similar high quality footage to a handheld camera. I found using my phone it was easier to hold with a steady hand and easier to focus, the only problem was the tracking shots and establishing shots is what I struggled with.

I used two different types of software to edit my film which were iMovie and Adobe Premier Pro. I prefer to used Premier Pro as it is on a larger interface which makes it easier to edit the cuts. It also had a wider variety of features which gave me an opportunity to get creative, innovative and unique with my creation. Premier Pro was also useful for typography transitions and other effects which I could play around with to see which is best suited for my film.

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Well, firstly, during the preliminary task I didn't prepare a storyboard to visualise what would happen in the scene. I have developed in my ability to use the advanced software such as Photoshop and Premier Pro. Not only have my technical skills developed but my planning and organisation skills have grown as I was able to prepare properly for the final piece. Aside from all those skills, I feel like I have developed in analysing opening sequences and seeing ways how to attract and keep my target audience gripped to my film.

With a wider scope of freedom, I feel like during this final task I had more freedom whereas the preliminary task I wasn't able to choose the location in depth so it may have looked out of place.

In conclusion, I feel I have really developed since the preliminary task in all the ways possible such as in using the software, organisation and preparation skills.

Moodboard

Filming Risk Assessment

This is a list of things that need to be considered when making a film

Hazards	Control
Security and personal safety	Have an adult/guardian nearby. Have a fall back plan and emergency contact.
Theft of equipment/ broken equipment	Be careful with all the stuff and make sure it all stays intact.
Injuries from passing vehicles and cyclists	When off camera, wear high visibility jackets if near traffic.
Slips, trips and falls	Be vigilant, and observe the surroundings
Obstruction of footpath	Avoid working in the middle or the edge of pathways, forcing the public to walk in the road.
Noisy or disruptive distractions of the public	Increase distance from traffic to reduce disruptions and noise levels
Don’t stray onto private property	Obey highway code and if needed to go on private property, get permission.

Treatment

A treatment is a brief overall summary of what my short film will be about.

My film is called ENDGAME, I chose this name because it means "the final stage of a game, when only a few pieces remain."  I also thought that the meaning of this word would be a good plot/storyline for my film.

So, we start off with a mysterious character wearing a hoodie, who could be a potential protagonist but their face will remain hidden in my opening sequence. The setting of my film is on the streets of Edmonton to give my film a kind of realistic feel. This character comes across someone they know but this person's face also remains in the shadows.

I have chosen to leave the characters faces out to create mystery which usually comes when watching thriller films like what I'm trying to create. I also want my viewers to be left hanging in suspense, creating an enigma which may leave them asking questions and wanting to see more.

Location Scouting

This is where I will film.

One scene will take place in this alleyway, this is a street in Edmonton called Bridge Rd.










And this is where the other scene will take place. This is actually another alleyway but I will only use thee street leading to the alley. This street is called Bardot Close.











I think these locations are suitable for my film because they provide quite eerie lighting at night and they are also very suitable for the style of film I'm trying to create.

Media Techniques: Filming Language

"ACTION" said by the director.

"?" said by the actor.

"ROLLING" said by the camera operator to start record.

"CUT" said by director.

Storyboards

This is the storyboard for my short film. 

Individual Analysis 1

SEVEN

Seven (SE7EN) is a crime drama (thriller) that I've chosen to analyse. This thriller stars big names such as Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. The film has gripping and experienced characters which contribute to making the film successful. This opening sequence is a good example to choose because it has a wide variety of different types of mise en scene, sound and lighting.

The first scene is where the two main characters (Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt) meet and the majority of the scene initiates the relationship of these two, it is shot at a low angle shot to show dominance and power between the two characters and others who look up to the police force. The auteur, David Fincher, uses motifs which are reoccurring styles through out his films including Seven such as;

• his use of silhouettes - where characters are frequently in the shadows where you cannot make out their faces. 
• his films usually involve serial killers and/ or finding them. 
• they often end with the villains "winning" or not receiving proper punishment.

A combination of shots are used to open the film, we see a male character (Freeman) who is a detective or police officer. A point of view shot shows how Freeman's character is neatly organised by having equipment laid out precisely in order and the use of shot/reverse shot here shows how he places each piece of equipment onto his body (like placing pens in the trouser or shirt pocket) connoting that this man has a certain lifestyle which involves being precise.  An over-the-shoulder shot shows Freeman's character in the mirror, he is adjusting the collar on the shirt that he wears, connoting that this character is clearly a man of pride, and likes to take care of his appearance.

The metronome in Somerset's room. 

Later, the use of shot/reverse shot shows Freeman's character William Somerset, talking to a younger detective, David Mills played by Pitt. During this shot combination, the use of dialogue shows that the detective are cautious, connoting that they're having to hide something from the public eyes and ears.  Shortly after, we change location again to Freeman's house. There is a close up and shallow
depth of field on the metronome, it ticks slowly away, this can possibly connote that Freeman's character's time is running out, or the first chapter of this story is just ending leading into the rest of the film.

Also, within the opening titles, there is many camera angles, point of view shots to show the detective looking at case files, close ups on a stop bath in a dark room, and a strand of string with a hand sewing together pages of what seems to be a case file. The use of all fours technical areas here made a very good opening to a thriller film.

In the opening scene of the film, we as the audience begin to think that this film will have a rather calm storyline and not focus much upon horror. However, the mise-en-scene presented in it's succeeding scene immediately contrasts that, by having a body that's covered in blood and there are many detectives, investigators and police within the scene connoting that a crime scene is always a busy atmosphere.

In this film, it doesn't seem to be just the personalities that contrast between William and David (Freeman and Pitt) but also the clothing too differentiates. Freeman's clothing consists of a formal dress code, a shirt, tie, trilby with a slick trim and a long cream/if not brown overcoat. However, Pitt doesn't follow this dress code as his character. He sports a black leathery jacket, and still keeps some sense of formal dress by having a shirt and tie, a smart casual look is what you'd call David's style. Freeman's costume connotes a high sense of formality. Throughout the extract that we watched, a lot of diegetic sound is used, street noise, and sounds of photographs and footsteps in the crime scene all relate to the conventions of the real life situations explored.

As explored within camera shots, a metronome is used before the titles, it connotes this significance of time running out which we as the audience are almost expected to assume that it signals the near ending of William (Morgan Freeman). Throughout the title sequence, there are lots of layered sound used, the use of interference/white noise. The effect of this discording sound doesn’t fit in with the title sequence. Relating to when we were talking about William's possessions. The use of an insert combined with an eyeline match connotes how significant these objects actually are to Freeman's character's life. Later on in the extract, at the point where Freeman and Pitt's characters are exchanging dialogue, the continuity system makes the editing appear almost invisible, so the conversation and number of shots flow continually.

However, this isn't always the case, there are a few jump cuts in parts of the extract which can connote that this film's pace may not be calm at all, but more in fact an Action Thriller.
The editing of the title sequence is very well done, it's very dramatic, and emphasis that the camera provides isn't lost by editing, it creates a rather sinister overtone when using monochrome colours
combined with tints of red.

Media Techniques: Sound

SOUND

Diegetic Sound: Usually refers to the sound that clearly and believably actually exists in the films world. Cn either be on or off screen. For example, character voices, sounds made by objects. 

Non-Diegetic Sound: Sound that is not visible on screen. For example; narrators commentary, sound effects for dramatics. 

Synchronous Sounds: Sound that is matched to certain movements occurring in the scene. For example, when footsteps correspond to feet walking.

Asynchronous Sounds: Are not matched with a visible source of the sound on screen. Such sounds are included so as to provide an appropriate emotional nuance, and they may also add to the realism of the film. 

Sound Motif: A sound effect or combination of sound effects that are associated with a particular character, setting, situation or idea through the film. 

Sound Bridge: Sound bridges can lead in and out of a scene. They are one of the most common transitions in continuity editing styles, one that stresses the connection between two scenes since their mood, usually suggested by music, is still the same. 

Class Analysis

What is a title sequence?

A title sequence is the opening of a film, where it shows the names and give credit to the actors, directors and other crew members who helped make the film.

What is the purpose of the opening sequence?

It allows the viewer to to see what the film is about and to really engage in the film, it also may introduce some of the main characters and build the storyline.


Memento: Opening Sequence

The opening title sequence  or the film memento begins with credits sequence introducing the cast and crew. The  protagonist played by Guy Pearce and Chris Nolan. The blue font connotes the sadness of the character and a deeper meaning. The text is far apart showing the gaps in the characters memory. The transition used is called a slow fade. 

For most of the opening sequence the camera seems to be stationary.
Throughout the opening sequence several close up are used such as: of the photo which is shaken, a shot of the blood running down the walls, the bullet laying on the floor and Teddy’s glasses laying upside down on the floor. Low angle shots are used on the main character during the flashback, which shows Leonard to have all of the power.

A lot of the shots in this film are close-ups of things making the key feature to appear in the middle of the shot.The credits appear slowly and transition very slowly. The credits are blue and in capital letters meaning the character is sad and possibly has an mental issue that needs to be dealt with. The blue connotes sadness and coldness. The letters in memento are spaced wide apart; the gaps could represent the characters memory. In the polaroid is a dead body and it’s a close up shot. This opening scene has many narrative hooks which leaves the viewer wanting more as the sequence is played in reverse.

The non-diegetic sound in the film is melancholy sounding which could show that the man in the opening sequence did not want to murder the man and feels sad about it. The diegetic sound is the sound of everything moving in reverse and then the viewer hears shouting. This may leave the viewer very tense and wanting more as they will be guessing what happens next.  The characters equilibrium is quite dispassionate and unaffected by the polaroid of the person who he murdered, this could show that he is most likely used to this or is very desensitized to this kind of thing. The enigma for the audience because we as the viewer start to question if this character is aware of what he is doing.

Reverse matched cuts in where the sequence of events after looking at the picture seems to be replaying backwards – such as the picture itself going back though the camera at the start of the film. This may confuse the audience to what is really happening. The film starts with a close up of a photo. The photo is shaken and then shown to the camera again. Every time the photo is shaken the image that is meant to be on it slowly disappears. This is symbolising how Leonard sees the world because in a few minutes of Leonard doing something the memory of it fades and he cannot retain that information anymore. This may confuse the audience until they have seen the whole of the film.

Media Techniques: Editing

Continuity Editing

Is the dominant editing technique found in narrative feature films, television and web content. it is used to unify a series of disconnected shots into a scene that plays out in a logical fashion. Part of what makes editing unique is it allows the viewer to see something they wouldn't in real life.

Match on Action

is an editing technique for continuity editing in which one shot cuts to another shot portraying the action of the subject from the first shot.

Non Continuity/ Discontinuity

Discontinuity editing intends to be visible these effects call attention to themselves and violate viewers of expatiation of continuity.

Eye-line Match

Is based on the premise that the audience will want to see what character on screen is seeing. The eye line match begins with a character looking at something, followed by a shot of what they're looking at from their point of view.

180 Degree Rule

An imaginary line is created across two characters, on on right, one on left and on on right making it very clear the relationship between the two.

The rule can be broken if the director is trying to show the actor/actress as confused or disoriented and maybe to show chaos.

Passage of Time

When a period of time is shown through editing to show that time has passed without taking "real time".
















Adobe Premier Pro

Media Techniques: Mise en Scene

Mise en Scene;  (noun) /mize un scene/ meaning the arrangement of scenery and stage properties a play. The setting or surrounding of an event.

Production Design

The overall look of a film that illustrates the setting and visual style of the story. This includes the design of the sets, location choices, choice and supervision of props.

Costume Design

Costume, hair and make-up can be an instant indicator to us about a characters personality, status or job. They can immediately indicate location society. They can signify a lot of meaning or internal thoughts about the character.


Props 

Props are objects on a set that are small or light enough to be carried by actors. These are distinct from larger pieces of furniture or decor which merely for the background of the set. They can have particular significance or be an important focal point in the film.

Lighting

Lighting plays an important part in creating the atmosphere in a film. The amount of light and the direction of the light source can give meaning to the viewer of the film. For example, lighting is used to indicate the time of day.

Key Lighting

It is usually directed onto the main character. Fill lighting can be added to soften the effect of shadows.

Back Lighting

It is used to create a silhouette. That character can be made to look mysterious due to the effects of the shadows. It can create a sense of impending doom and is often used in horror movies

Colour Design

Colour is one of the most important things in your scene because it can make it look completely different. The colour can be symbolic or suggestive. The colour differences can be used to suggest brightness or many different things. Colour can make the audience feel a lot of different types of emotions.

Questionnaire

Questionnaire

A questionnaire is a primary type of research method to gather information from the general public. This questionnaire was to my peers to understand what they look for in a film and what entertains them so I can consider it when creating my original film. 

Below are the results of a few questions from the questionnaire...

Script Writing

How To Write A Script

Fade In
The first item on the first page should be these words "fade in".

Scene Heading
A one line description  of the location and the time of day of scene. Known as a slug-line.

Action
The narrative description of the events of a scene, written in present tense. E.g, JOHN walks quickly to his car.

Transition
Film editing instructions.

Characters First Appearance
A description of the character. The name should be CAPPED. E.g, LIAM, a thirty year old journalist with something on his mind.

Dialogue
Lines of speech for each character. Dialogue format is used anytime a character is heard speaking, even for off-screen and voice overs. E.g, JOHN (VOICE OVER) What time is your train?



Script: ENDGAME