Foundation Portfolio Planning

 Foundation Portfolio Brief

• Create an opening scene for any Thriller sub-genre of your choice.  The opening sequence needs to set up a Thriller movie, introducing key characters and hinting at the story line ahead, setting up the plot that will unfold. It needs to have the following technical requirements;

1. It needs to follow the 180' Rule
2. Include shot-reverse-shot
3. Match on Action
4. Logo conceptualised and created by one of your group members
5. At least 2 Special FX from After Effects 
6. 2 - 2.5 mins long
7. Credits and title of the movie

Remember to think carefully about your sub-genre and try your hand at something new.

Have fun and remember to think smart, write down all your planning and log ALL changes, problems encountered and things learnt along the way for your CCR.

Planning Outline - Due Thursday 3rd June

Here is your checklist to work through. Some things you should ALL do, e.g. concept treatment & storyboard)  some things only you will be responsible for (e.g. storyboard/ script)

Pre-Production

1. Brainstorm (all include a version of this, show record of ideas developing into final idea)

2. Concept – HERE is the link for the template of how to do this
3.   Treatment - see link HERE for template for how to do this

4.  Storyboard (you can either print the template off our class blog, left side under ‘film templates’ or if you don’t have a printer, draw up your own template to use).
5.    Script & Talent

6. Shot List

7.     Location / Setting (do some research, find photos of the look you are after and places that could work for setting. Find some movies with setting / location that you want to replicate)

8.     Props & costumes (again, find examples of EVERY prop and costume you want to use. What other movies have they used them in? What look and feel are you going for? What colours are going to be symbolic? What props are going to be used in iconography? Include lots of photos/ screenshots of movies and write about the ‘why’ you would make this creative choice).

9. Film Schedules

10. Call Sheets

      PRODUCTION

11.     Lighting (you need a lighting plan. Show you have done some research to find lighting styles you like and want to replicate. Explain how you will get your desired effect).
10.     Camera (in this you include shot types and camera movement you want to explore and try out. Maybe it’s things like  dolly shot where you want the camera moving or a high establishing shot? Get examples of what you want to try replicate and look up/ plan creative ways to get this. For a dolly shot you can put your camera on a wheelie chair, a tracking shot can be on a skateboard etc. Get creative! Are you going to use lots of close-up’s? Are you going to use lots of obstruction of vision in what you include in your shot? Whose point of view is the story told from?
9.     Sound – who is going to do this on the day? Then you all need to start researching sound. What do you plan on including in your sound? Hat soundtracks have you found? What sound effects? What movies or short films achieve what you want to achieve in sound and how will you use them as inspiration?

      10. Director / time keeper

 

      POST-PRODUCTION

11.     Editing – look up some cool editing techniques like how to do a chase scene, how to do flashbacks, how to do fast paced edits, how to create a disorientated feel via editing. Do some research and have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with editing in this short film opening

12. Logo - design, placement/ animation (track all stages of designs, revision drafts, issues, decisions and finished product as well as treatment explanation for the above).

Week 14 Homework - Representation Essay

 Hi class,

Here is your representation essay for this week's homework. 

I want you to watch the following extract from a TV Drama series, a few times.
 Watch this extract from Downtown Abbey from 1.05seconds to 5.43 seconds.

The first time, just watch it. The second time, take some notes. The third time, take some more notes as you actively look for representational codes, stereotypes and messages that are presented to us about any of the 7 core media representations that you can identify or recognise in this clip.

Keep the following questions in mind;

1. What groups are being represented to us?
2. Are the messages challenging or conforming to what the media usually portrays in relation to this specific group?
3. How are the 4 technical elements used to send a message about the characters and who they represent in society?
4. How do the 4 technical elements work together to create meaning?

This needs to reflect not just surface observations but a deeper analysis of the way different societal groups are represented and how that impacts the viewer and ultimately society on a broader scale. Remember, the 4 technical elements working together are major clues as to how meaning is embedded and encoded into a text.

T-Bianca

After Effect Ideas

Homework - Wk 13 CCR Question 2 - Audiences

AUDIENCES RESEARCH 

Watch this for some context

Activity 1: Summarise a few key points about each generation in a Canva presentation using this resource

https://www.kasasa.com/articles/generations/gen-x-gen-y-gen-z

remember to include things like: 

- what years were they born?

- what media consumption patterns do they have? 

Activity 2: Read these resources and then craft your Question 2 CCR Question  

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/new-social-media-demographics/

http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/how-filmmakers-connect-with-audiences.html

https://greenbuzzagency.com/marketing-psychographics-talking-about-my-generation/

Question 2
How does your product engage with audiences? How would you distribute it as a real media text?

(What effect does it have on audiences? What emotions do you evoke in audience members?)
- Think about and comment on the following;
- Who is your target audience (use demographics research above) - GEN Z/ i-gen content.
- Why would this appeal to this audience range?WHat do they enjoy/ value? 
- How are you going to distribute this product BASED ON what you know about your target audience? (Do they go to the cinema? What sort of marketing would you use? What examples of viral marketing would you try and copy? What platforms would you make this available on and how?)
 - characters (what characters did you choose to use? Can audiences identify with any of them? Are they scary /  mysterious? Is there a vulnerable character that the audience sympathises with?
- narrative - what sort of story line does your film have? Think about narrative structure - are there certain aspects of the story that are revealed at the end? Is there enigma in your story? Is there a cliffhanger?
- point of view - is your film made from a certain point of view?
- How does the thriller genre in general 'hook' or engage audiences? (do a bit of research)
- What editing/ music choices have you used to build suspense and engage audiences?

Cuts and Transitions

 

Homework - Opening Sequences Pt 2.

 Hi guys,

Next blog task for you to think about and work on during your study break and please note the due date is next Thursday. 

 

Opening Sequences, pt2\

- Find the opening sequences to THREE Thriller movies.

- Comment on what sub-genre they are.

- Analyse them to answer the following question for each:

How is the sequence engaging and how does it conform to traditional Thriller codes and conventions?

(think about the 4 technical areas as well as narrative conventions)

- Embed relevant screenshots or sequence links into your post as evidence.

- Create this blog post with the title of 'Opening Sequences Pt 2' and with a label of RESEARCH.

- Create this blog post using a blog tool.

T-Bianca