Goodbye

Dear Moderator,

I hope you enjoy following my growth as a media student through reading my blog posts, watching my videos, my presentations and ultimately the construction of my thriller opening sequence. I feel that I really engaged with and enjoyed the course, as well as having learnt many things along the way.

Goodbye

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

Comparing the preliminary task and evaluation to our final cut and evaluation, there is a wealth of knowledge which I can identify that I have learnt.

Here we can compare the editing in the preliminary task with the best parts of editing for continuity in my final cut.



It is evident that I am much more competent at editing to create match on action, due to the help of the double editing screen on final cut, and the ability to trim footage frame by frame to make it perfect. The conversation between the two actresses is followed by the 180 degree rule as over the shoulder shots were used to communicate the dialogue. Shot list and and planning was adhered to much more than it was in the preliminary task, and the need for a script and actors to do the exact same thing each time to ensure continuity is more relevant. The use of equipment is much better and more stable due to the use of a tripod and dolly.

In the final cut, the movement and real time action is much more fluent and the variety of angles really support my ability to edit carefully and considerably to show match on action and our concern with continuity.

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

By enrolling on the media studies course there are many things I have learnt about the process of constructing all types of media products, from a simple video of recreating a scene, a preliminary exercise to learn about continuity in a sequence to creating the final product that is our opening sequence for One Step Ahead.

Juno recreation

Preliminary task

To film each of these we used a Sony camcorder, this itself was new to us as we had never had any experience with this level of filming, with each of us only filming minor things on video phones and webcams. With the use of a Sony camcorder we were able to learn about correct framing of shots and the importance of it. The use of the zoom button was helpful in getting two separate shots in one continuous part of filming which saved time and improved the quality of our film. 

Equipment + Diffuser for lighting

Strengths of using the camera equipment that we had were that with the tripod we were able to film shots that were steady and not wobbling all over the place. This improved the quality of our film by a significant amount, making it look much less amateur and so nothing distracts the audience from the narrative, as a wobbly camera may remove the focus from the plot. Another strength of having a tripod was the ability to attach our means of lighting to it. this meant the lighting throughout our scene was consistent and there was no fluctuations in where the light was coming from or how close and far it is. A final advantage of being able to use the camera equipment we did use was the ability to take tracking shots due to the presence of a dolly. This meant tracking or panning from left to right or forwards and backwards was much easier than if we were to do this free-hand. The diffuser helped to shine the light evenly over the room to create the perfect ambience that we desired.

Dolly

Lighting

Tripod

 However there were several problems with the camera equipment, the dolly spanned too largely at the base, this meant it was heard to negotiate around the small space of the loft. We counteracted upon this by moving furniture around slightly. Also The other group forgot to bring the attachment which connects the camera to the tripod, this was problematic as it meant we were unable to vertical panning shots easily, we resolved this problem by using excessive amounts of blu-tack to stick the camera to the tripod. We also had no way of safely attaching the lights to the tripod and so had to use plenty of tape to do this.

To edit all of our footage we used Final Cut express. We learnt from the very start of the media studies course how to shorten footage and remove parts we do not need as well as great effects and video transitions such as fading in, altering the lighting, overlapping sequences, avoiding jumps and blurring the motion. As the course proceeded we improved on all these skills, gaining the ability to not exactly which frames are needed and which is excess. Using the Apple Macs, we learnt how to import footage from the camera and work on several projects at once. 

All this technology helped us to build our knowledge and we learnt a significant amount throughout the process about creating and editing film. We were able to see the effect of storyboards and shot lists and how when on location it is difficult to execute some shots the way we intended, provoking improvisation. However we learned after that we are also able to manipulate our raw footage to suit us further with effects. For example when we realized we were missing a particular shot, we became aware that we were able to reverse a different shot so that it played backwards and filled the void.

Using Garageband to create our soundtrack proved testing as there is a limited amount of sounds and loops, this would prevent us from creating an original sounding track which reflected the tone of the film, however after looking at other soundtracks for inspiration Carmela was able to create an effective soundtrack. After transferring it to Final Cut we were able to manipulate it further to match the simultaneous images from the film. We were also able to change the format of the soundtrack, changing the volume and frequency to create the perfect sound for our opening sequence

How did you attract/address your audience?

This is Alister Prior and Alex Lamb, they both fit our target audience profile as they are males between the ages of 18 and 29. Ali resides in Portsmouth and enjoys television shows such as FlashForward, 24 and Prison Break. His favorite films include the Bourne Trilogy, Inception, The Green Mile and City of God, amongst other films directed by Quentin Tarantino and Christopher Nolan. He enjoys playing and watching a variety of sports. Ali enjoys films which are fast paced and full of suspense, after viewing my opening sequence, here are some of the things that he said;

"Really enjoyed the suspense that was built and the way that the story line unfolded so quickly and dramatically."

Alex lives in Ascot and also enjoys action thriller films, his favorites include films such as Enemy of the State, Training Day and the Bourne Trilogy. His favourite television shows include Lost, The Mentalist, House and FlashForward.  During his spare time he likes to play tennis and football, and enjoys walking his dog. His opinion on my opening sequence are as follows;

"Great start to a film, being thrust into the heart of the action really keeps you on the edge, wanting to see further. Having a young Asian man to play the lead role really shows hows the film is adapting to our real life multi-cultural society."

Who would be the audience for your media product?

I have previously researched target audience here. 

Evaluation 4 on Prezi

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

Evaluation 3

View more PowerPoint from kaminikamini

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Evaluation 2 on Prezi

I have also discussed gender representation on males and females.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

I have selected 9 particular frames from my film opening which incorporate or challenge generic conventions of thriller films. Some show how we have indicted the hybrid genre of our thriller and how other thrillers have influenced our work.

Frame One; story and how the opening sets it up

At the start of the film we wanted to explicitly show the basis of the narrative, this meant a panning shot of  the mise-en-scene we had created. From this frame we are able to see three key things; an identification card, a photocopy of a passport and a post-it note with "terminated" scrawled in capital letters on it. This identity card reveals that the plot includes a possible mistaken identity, dopplegangers or the passport may even indicate amnesia as the character may be unable to remember who they are.

The post-it note incorporates the generic convention of a thriller, which is that the narrative revolves around a crime, such as a murder. The use of a close up panning shot really allows us to focus on intricate parts of the mise-en-scene which we contrived, similar to how the character in question is ensnared in a web of trouble, the viewer is also captured and engaged, only being able to see part of the bigger picture.


Although this first frame supports our film as being part of the crime-thriller sub genre, it does not reveal that the plot is also heavily based on a man on the run. Compared to another thriller, it is similar to the beginning of the film Memento, where it begins with a close up of a photograph containing the image of a dead person with large amounts of blood. This sets up possible story lines and acts as an enigma code, much  like what we have tried to do with our first shot.

Frame Two; Camera work and editing

 To create a suspenseful and thrilling opening several actions were taken. This included ensuring that the camera work was effective enough. We used only a small variety of shots, many of which were close up or medium shots. We felt this would suit the narrative of the film much as more it would help reflect the feeling of confinement which the character is experiencing at this point in the film. There was a lack of long or establishing shots, however this is justified because we want to engage the audience in the immediate action without giving the the full picture. Whilst there is a flashback occurring, the shots consist mostly of close ups of the characters eyes, this helps to support that the interjecting clips are a memory.

changing the lighting on Final Cut

The editing in our opening sequence is quite quick from the start of it as this signifies a sense of urgency for the audience. It gets progressively faster, this is to emphasize the tension that is being built as the character is rushing to leave because he is being pursued. The concept of pursuit itself is a popular theme in the thriller genre. I also edited the lighting in the beginning of the sequence so that the entirety of the panning shot was not visible to emphasize the notion of not having all the pieces.


Frame Three; Film title

 The third frame I have selected to discuss how our film incorporates generic thriller conventions is the film title. The title plays a key role in providing the audience with a taster of the narrative of the film without revealing too much of the plot. With our film title being "One Step Ahead", I decided against having it against a plain backdrop, instead I decided to have the title appear whilst the film continues, this is to imply that in order to stay one step ahead, many things are happening at once, and you cannot stop what you are doing. The lettering itself is in capital letters, this is too emphasize its importance and add to the sense of urgency being built. The font is simple yet strong, like many other thriller films. The motion of the text is each letter comes in succession to the other, and then is blurred, mirroring the narrative of the film where the protagonist is being pursued and his information is not entirely clear. Moreover, the addition of a shadow effect shows how the bold lettering is also one step ahead.

The font and motions we used have elements from many other thriller films that we have already previously researched.

Frame Four; How the characters are introduced

To introduce or main character, we have a medium shot of him where is hurriedly looking for something in a dark area, we have intentionally placed him in the center of the frame to show his importance as the lead role. There is low key lighting and he is also holding a torch, this helps to signify that he is possibly in hiding. He is wearing dark clothing which would suggest to the audience that he is the antagonist in the film, however he is the protagonist. This is a challenge to many films, as the antagonist is usually dressed in dark colours and resides in dark dwellings, however in the thriller genre many of the protagonists also dress in darker clothing in order to remain "unseen". We are only able to see parts of his face, which again signifies how he is in hiding.

Salt is a protagonist dressed in black

 However as he emerges from this confined space, we are able to see his face much clearer and the story line begins to unfold. As the lighting is focused on him, it is clear that he is the central character. Furthermore we are introduced to a friend or colleague of his from the past. This may show how she may have been murdered or doesn't exist, and now the same people are after him, helping to convey both characters as protagonists. The framing of the second character is slightly off center, this helps to show her as not a central character, we have also framed in this way so that the audience is able to see the empty space over her shoulder, creating  sense of pursuit.


Frame Five; Lighting

28 Days Later

 For the lighting in our opening scene, we wanted the location to be dimly lit, almost as if it is only illuminated by the moonlight or city lights coming in from outside. In order to do with we shut the lights off and filmed in the evening, we used two blue lights to light the room and the protagonist held a torch so we could highlight the key things he was looking at. The blue lighting and surrounding darkness is key in portraying the character as isolated, a popular theme in the thriller genre.


Frame Six; Setting and location

FlashForward

The setting of the majority of our opening sequence was inside the loft of a house. The walls are covered in evidence and official government documents, indicating that this is a crime thriller, or one of Charles Derry's sub genre, that is a political thriller, especially due to the conspiratorial nature of the film. The character is supposed to be hiding from those who are pursuing him, this is revealed by the diagetic sound near the end of the sequence as the law enforcement is arriving. This is typical of Charles Derry's sub genre of an 'innocent-on-the-run' as our protagonist finds himself on the run from both the antagonists in the film as well as the police.




Frame Seven; Genre and how the opening suggests it

Bournes Passports

 The seventh frame I have chosen clearly depicts the thriller genre and how the narrative revolves around a man on the run. In this frame we can see the protagonist is packing his bag with evidence and documents. Lying on the bed next to his bag is a variety of international passports which indicate that he is planning to go across the globe in order to get away.


Frame Eight; Special Effects 

Motion blur in Bourne

 The eighth frame illustrates the use of special effects we tried to create in our opening sequence. In this frame the protagonist is having a flashback to a conversation he was having with a colleague of his. By using final cut express we were not only able to quickly cross cut between a close up of the protagonists pondering eyes, but we were also able to blur the motion of the flashback footage. This made it more staggered and the diagetic sound slightly non-synchronous, supporting it as a subversion a opposed to an event that is happening elsewhere at the same time. The dialogue in this part really unfolds the story as the character reveals the opposing teams awareness of the protagonists knowledge, hence him being a man on the run. 

Motion blur tool

Frame Nine; How suspense is created

This final frame depicts how suspense has been created in our opening sequence, as after all the tension has been built up from the quick editing style and the flashback has alerted the audience that the character in question is in the immediate danger of being caught, we have a medium shot of him running down the stairs and out of the frame. Diagetic sounds of sirens are faintly heard and the dialogue of first person narration "This is where my life changes" builds the suspense as we are left not knowing whether he is caught or if he is able to get away, but as a viewer we are certain that his life takes an abrupt turn and so the end of the opening sequences leaves us with a cliffhanger and an action code.  

Sound clip on Final Cut

This frame creates suspense as we are unable to see where he is going, the lighting contrasts with what the opening sequence began with, this signifies his emergence from hiding and braving the outside world in order to get away. His sense of urgency is echoed in the way he runs down the stairs, and it is a key factor that he does not look back as this may slow him down. By using a high angle shot, we are conveying to the audience his vulnerability now that he is on the run, it also helps to creates suspense as if the viewer is right on the edge looking upon him, a key thriller convention being the audience is placed in the ambiguous position of a voyeur.