Next blog task for you to think about and work on this coming week - for homework.
Opening Sequences, pt2-
Find the opening sequences to THREE Thriller movies. 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?
Embed relevant screenshots or sequences into your post as evidence. Remember, pictures, screen shots, images and visually showing what you're talking about. No bullet points but rather sophisticated analysis of your findings.
This is a short week, let's make the most of it and get ALL our planning done for PT 2 so you can film in the term break.
You have until Thursday, end of school to work through your checklist for planning your PT2.
Remember to be upping your game now in creating a suspenseful sequence that will keep audiences at the edge of their seats!
TASK
- Work together with your group
- watch this video
- embed it into your blog with a blog post entitled 'PT 2 planning - suspense tchniques'
- write a few pointers from this video that you found interesting and helpful, what movies the examples from, who the directors are and how you plan to try implement the same techniques (look up some other images of it on google if you need to)
Now, plan STRATEGICALLY how you will create a film opening that is simplified in concept but really effective in building suspense in your audience,
Here's some examples of building tension in short films / clips of thrillers can could be useful;
These ones play on the fear of women being vulnerable and having no one around to help;
This one's a short film but good suspense-building sequences
This one is a psychological thriller trailer - a great concept - can we trust our own perceptions of reality?
This one is interesting with the use of lighting and setting...
How have your PRODUCTION skills developed throughout the project? (pre-production, production and post-production. What have you learnt to do? - comment on the learning process. What did you find hard? What did you enjoy doing? What was a challenge and - what were peer revision/ comments on your rough edit? What did they suggest you change? What did you end up changing? - what went well in the filming process that you'll do again? What will you do differently next time?
Question 4 - How did you integrate technologies into this project? (Software, hardware and online) - Photos! List photos, screenshots, videos and explanations of every website, software, Youtube tutorial, camera, sound gear/ microphone etc, you used to plan, write scripts, look up info on sound effects, convert Youtube music to MP3's, edit, after effects etc
1. We're being more intentional about the creation of suspense / tension through use of specific filming techniques and conventions.
2. It's a good idea to get them to choose a specific thriller sub-genre you want to try to reproduce. You can reference your recent blog assignments on that to decide which conventions you want to use. PT#2's mark will also take into account how good a job you did at making an accurate representation of this sub-genre.
3. We're switching up roles! Whatever job you had for PT #1
Second filming task brief-
·Two characters
·1.30 - 2 mins maximum length
Technical elements required:
·Use at least one extreme-wide / establishing shot, one close-up (CU) andone extreme close-up (ECU).
·Use 180-degree rule
·Use shot-reverse-shot
·Use match on action
·Use Thriller conventions
·Consider the Critical Reflection questions as you prepare for the main task!
·After Effects! Explore this technology to decide what you will add into your version of the edit..
All the best! Remember to plan thoroughly, record all your decisions and changes. Work with the end in mind. Lastly, get creative!
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 HEREfor 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).
PRESENTATION is important (check you have pictures/ photos / colours and that the writing and placement of graphics or backgrounds isn't distracting)
BLOG TOOLS - each question needs a DIFFERENT blog tool EMBEDDED into blog
Question 1 How does your product USE or CHALLENGE conventions? How does it represent social groups / issues?
(Think sound, lighting, narrative structure, editing, camera work, symbolism and iconography) - make a list of conventions used, are they conforming to the norm or challenging the normal thriller conventions? - This needs to be at least 5 slides with DETAILS and showing links to clips/ movies you used as inspiration. Do NOT just list things, EXPLAIN them, show photos of what you wanted to achieve as a convention and what you did achieve
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 we did in class - GEN Z/ i-gen content. - Why would this appeal to this audience range? - 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?
Today we are going to look at Blumler and Katz's uses and gratification theory.
Here are the 2 videos we will watch in class, for your reference if you want to revisit them. This theory should be referenced and explained in relation to Question 2 of your. CCR.
Today we are looking at distribution and how it works. Why is this relevant? Because you will need to know all about this for your end of year exams when we look at how the movie industry works. You will also need to have a distribution plan for when you do your CCR (next on the agenda), and need to comment on how you will distribute your film.
We will go into this in more depth but today, I want you to read through these handy articles and decide, if your film was a real movie, how would you distribute it? On what platforms and why? Remember to think about your target audience, too. What platforms are they watching content on? This may need some research.
Write a blog post including your findings and research on distribution, particularly independent film distribution (because this is what your film is).
Include research from the link supplied as well as other information you've researched on your own, as to what distribution avenues you would use and why.
You may also choose to include examples of other indi-films and how they were distributed as part of your rationale for your choices.
Today I want you to watch this short clip on Stuart Hall's RECEPTION THEORY, read the notes in the link below and make some notes.
We will go through this in more detail on Monday, when we have to use room 12.
You are going to create a slide share that explains each aspect of his theory. Include an example that illustrates each of the different 'readings', Stuart Hall explains and include pictures. What are some examples of where an audience may choose to adopt each of the 'readings'?
Reception theory as developed by Stuart Hall asserts that media texts are encoded and decoded. The producer encodes messages and values into their media which are then decoded by the audience. However, different audience members will decode the media in different ways and possibly not in the way the producer originally intended.
Stuart Hall states that audience members adopt one of the following three positions when they decode the text:
Dominant, or Preferred Reading - how the producer wants the audience to view the media text. Audience members will take this position if the messages are clear and if the audience member is the same age and culture; if it has an easy to follow narrative and if it deals with themes that are relevant to the audience.
Oppositional Reading - when the audience rejects the preferred reading, and creates their own meaning for the text. This can happen if the media contains controversial themes that the audience member disagrees with. It can also arise when the media has a complex narrative structure perhaps not dealing with themes in modern society. Oppositional reading can also occur if the audience member has different beliefs or is of a different age or a different culture.
Negotiated Reading - a compromise between the dominant and oppositional readings, where the audience accepts parts of the producer's views, but has their own views on parts as well. This can occur if there is a combination of some of the above e.g. audience member likes the media, is of the same age as you and understands some of the messages, but the narrative is complex and this inhibits full understanding.
Many factors could affect whether the audience take the dominant, oppositional or negotiated reading.
