Skills Audit: Creation of soundtrack (Plus Posting of Compositions)

When using the soundtrack program, it wasn't something you could learn easily. It took messing about with things on the program etc, in order for it to be more easier to use as it was the hardest program I think we've had to use. I did not use create the soundtrack however I was there most of the time when Shreub and Imranul was composing it. It took a lot of concentration, effort and time . First thong they did was created a melody, a melody which went with our clip. Our soundtrack was a vicious cycle meaning it didnt change at specific times within our clip. After a certain amount of time of our sountrack piece has finished it was just suddenly restart again flowing within the same pace. However when there were to unsuspiscious bits we made the beat thump a bit quicker and louder then before giving a harsh suspense feeling for the audience. After finishing our soundtrack we then had to drag it on to livetype, on to the timeline where we wanted our music to start from. It was not easy because we then had to listen to the soundtack whilst watching our clip, and any little problems where it didn't fit in or go right we then had to go back to the sountrack program and change it around.

Skills Audit: Creation of titles (plis screen grabs of decision)

When we were creating our title sequence we had to make up names for each part. We were told to do this in order to make our opening of our clip seem more realistic and professional. At the beginning of our clip we chose to have studio canal to be the first title set and the font was vey basic. Followed by WT2 Prdouction which was nicely fitted and contrasted with our clip. We used a bright but darkish red which was slightly fading in a way that it looked as though their was a shadow effect on the writing. This was put against a black background making it more clearer for the viewer to see and also we thought that by using our title against a black background would have more of an effect to the audience. It showed for 2-5seconds which was enough time for the audience to read it alongisde with our names after in order so they know who's involved within this clip. We made sure that didn't put the title shots straight after or overlapping an important shot, this way it makes the important shot stand out how it is suppose to. After this someone in our group them had to import the title sequence and import them onto final cut pro. They then dragged the title sequences onto the timeline where they thought the tiltle sequence would fit in and by looking at where it is in our clip, it couldn't have fitted in a better place.

Evaluation

Conventions of Thriller Opening

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

My film is based as a thriller movie and is called Dead End, just by the title we know that it isn't going to be a happy/comedy film. Our film is very serious and this is mainly so it can build up suspense,tension and uncertainty whilst watching. Due to our film being a thriller we had to make sure that the colour we used wasn't colourful and the music wasn't a happy tone. Therefore meaning there should be a lot of harsh, loud, thumping noise, etc in order for the audience to feel more engaged and also start to make them feel a lot of anxiety. Our soundtrack which we created is a type of tone/melody which relates to the type of our thriller and works together very well. Within a thriller it isn't just the acting or how your able to create suspense to the audience in a spectacular way but it's also how you put things together very well. At the beginning of our thriller our soundtrack fits in miraculously well giving the audience an exciting feeling. Also the the types of camera shots which has been used contrasts with our soundtrack nicely making the audience question themselves whether this film is going to be as interesting and scary as we've made it out to be, by the opening clip.


2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?
It represents Tahera as Vulnerable although she is in a busy market and this is a contrast with Tahera being alone whilst other people are getting on with their lives. Tahera is wearing a head scarf and this indicates that she's either trying to or is only approaching/trying to attract the asian community. Our film was located in Bethnal Green and this is a area which is popular for Asians. However we havent filmed our clip in a specific Asian area, our main location I believe is the market where she buys the flowers. As you'll be able to see its an diverse community and everyone seems to have come together seen as there are a lot of ethnic groups. Tahera, seen as being soo afraid of her surroundings, although she's around a lot of people could also indicate that she is trying to portray females as being more of a victim within society. This would be because women are known and seen to be vweaker, vulnerable individuals and not as strong or unworried as men.


3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
The media institution which might distributw my media product would be WT2 and this is because our film is a thriller and refers to how WT2 produces their film. My reasons being is because we also used British locations as we filmed in England. I will be showing my media product every week in the cinema. I will upload my media product on to youtube similarly to this one as it is a low budget film. I will do this in order to appeal and attract a mainstream audience and computers being a common technology I will be able to get passed on to different types of audience. Also uploading it on youtube as shown will also help my media product to get a lot of hits and become well known.



4) How will you attract/address your audience?
Placing my thriller into the real world of general cinematic release, my thriller would get a mainstream release. For e.g both Shaun of the Dead and Star Trek recieved a mainstream release. Shaun of the Dead appealed to a kind of 15-40 age group as it was both comedy and thriller. Shaun of the Deads institution is WT2 as it's also a low budget film and put more advertisements such as trailers on the homepage, games etc. This way it helps them to appeal to more of an audience. On the otherside Star Trek appealed to more an an older audience such as 16 onwards. However they also appealed and attracted the younger generation as they had games,toys and costumes which they'll definetly be interested in. It also appeals to mainly men when talking about gender wise. Its basically attracted to an audience who is matured, loves action and seriousness. Star Trek is the same as my product in a way of attracting an audience of aged 16 onwrads. However there's too many differences within our films. Wheres as Shaun of the Dead is appealed to the same kind of audience and is WT2. Its also a low budgeted film like my media product and is a thriller however my product doesn't involve comedy. Shaun of the Dead related to my thriller clip more.








This is the type of cinema in which my thriller would be shown at if it was going to be a real world of general cinematic release.











They style of marketing campaign i would envisage for my movie as shown and will be a wide-scale global release. To attract audiences we will use OOH media aswell as inside home and this will consist of billboards, facebook, youtube and asian magazines. We will use youtube and facebook as internet has a huge impact on encouraging and persuading people to watch our clip. Also due to our audience which we are appealing to, they are the ones mainly who would be surfing the net, especially the teenagers. We will advertise in the Asian magazine becuase our film in a way appeals to mainly the Asian Community.



5) Who would be the audience for your media product?
Our film is directed to the audience aged from 16 onwards also working class people aged 20 onwards would be interested in our thriller clip. This is because on their days off work they like to spend their free time doing something they are interested in. "Chinequa 21, I love it when it comes to the weekend, Saturdays, my girlies and I love going cinema to watch the latest horrific, spectacular, tense thriller films. We enjoy the suspense which are created throughout them and we really like screaming up the place in uncertainty and scaryness."



6) What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
As media, we learnt how to use viedo cameras, Softwares such as Live Type and Soundtrack etc. This is the clip of still images with a voiceover note which we created. It's also showing one of us within our group (Tanika Warner) talking about what her group have used over the past few months. Using a range of different types of technologies helped improved the creation of our product by far. With using these technologies we were able to fiddle around with it in order to have better use of it so we can create a better piece of work which we did.


7) Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learned in the progression from it to the full product.
As shown underneath there's a huge difference between our match cut and full product. There's a difference within mise-en-scene, camera angles, camera focus. In our preliminary task we learnt how to use match cuts, 180 degree rule and reverse shots and this helped us to have a better use within our clip in our final product. Our final product looks a lot more professional than the preliminary one.



8) Audience feedback and comment


This is a audience feedback from 2 students at City and Islington 6th form College who watched our clip. As you can see we have recieved to positive feedbacks which is wonderful meaning we used all our technolgoies and lessons very well.

In my media lesson we went on to www.wordle.net and typed a few words which we believe referred to our clip and thrillers in general. We then customised these words in different fonts, layout etc to what we want.

Skills Audit: filing (Plus 'on shoot' photos)

This is a photo taken whilst filming our thriller clip. This is an important piece/photo to our film seen as this when uncertainty, suspense starts occurring which makes the audience engaged to the film and curious of what is going to happen. The audience starts thinking and questioning themselves because Tahera, the girl in the photo seems to be paranoid as she's curious to whether something/someone is following her. That is why she keeps looking back as she walks up to an unaware alleyway.

Location Shots

These are our two location shots which is d on Columbia Road E.2. We chose this to be our 1st main location seen as it relates to the flowers due to it being bought there. We thought this would be a great idea because it is a busy market which means there are alot of people in the environment which helps us to create more suspense towards our audience.

List of Thriller Sub-Genre

• Supernatural
• Serial Killer
• Psychological Thriller
• Action Thriller
• Political Thriller
• Innocent on the run

The type of thriller sub genre which inspires me at the moment are Supernatural and Action Thriller. Within Action Thriller films/movies there tends to be alot of harsh noises and violence and with the special effects which are created/shown makes it even more exciting for the audience to watch. It also helps me to engage to the film and query whether it is going to be a good or bad ending and what else might happen. I generally like Supernatural Thrillers as the unexpected scenes create alot on anxiety, tension as well as suspense.

Intro to Cameras & Health and Safety Tutorial

During my media lesson today i learnt how to use the cameras and the health and safety issues which was involved. I specifically got shown how to turn the camera on, put the battery inside, how to insert the memory card, how to use the focus while recording, put the camera on a tripod and how to eject properly. Last but not least I got taught how to use a camera without breaking it. I also got shown how to hold a camera in an appropriate way without damaging any of its devices.

News and Current Affairs Events

Review pledged over use of legal high drug mephedrone

Police said the boys had been out drinking on Monday

The legality of the drug mephedrone will be examined "very speedily, very carefully" following the deaths of two teenagers, Lord Mandelson has said.

The business secretary said the government would take "any action" needed to deal with the drug.

Louis Wainwright, 18, and Nicholas Smith, 19, died in Scunthorpe on Monday after taking the drug.

The Home Office said it would receive advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) on 29 March.

The ACMD said its chairman, Professor Les Iverson, has discussed mephedrone with Home Secretary Alan Johnson, "who has expressed his grave concern about the drug".

It said: "The council has been looking at the dangers of mephedrone, and the related cathinone compounds, as a priority.

MEPHEDRONE FACTS Recreational drug with effects similar to amphetamines and ecstasy Sold as a white powder, also found in capsules and pills or can be dissolved in a liquid Often sold online as plant food marked "not for human consumption" Completely different drug to methadone, which is a pharmaceutical drug typically used as a very strong painkiller or to treat heroin addicts Reported side-effects include headaches, palpitations, nausea, cold or blue fingers Long-term effect of taking drug unknown Currently legal to buy and be in possession of the powder, but against the law to sell, supply or advertise the powder for human consumption under the Medicines Act Already illegal in Israel, Denmark, Norway and Sweden How has drug affected users? What is legal high mephedrone? Drug debate

"The ACMD held an evidence-gathering meeting on 22 February and continues to carefully work on its considerations with a view to providing advice to ministers on 29 March."

According to BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw, a member of the ACMD, speaking anonymously, said he would be "very surprised" if the council did not make its decision at its next meeting in March.

The council will then write a full report, containing its recommendations, and present it to the home secretary.

The ACMD member said there was also "some understanding" of the science behind mephedrone, though it was "far from perfect".

Lord Mandelson said: "We will take any action that is needed, any action that is justified, to deal with this and to avert such tragic consequences occurring in the future."

He also admitted that he had never previously heard of the drug.

Mephedrone is known by various names, including "M-Cat", "MC", "mieow", "meow", "4MMC" or simply plant fertiliser.

It is usually a white or yellowish powder, which is snorted, but can also be obtained in pills and capsules. It is marketed as plant food.

Police made three arrests following the death of the two teenagers.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) says a ban on the substance should be considered.

FROM BBC RADIO 5 LIVE More from BBC Radio 5 live

NAHT general secretary Mick Brookes told the BBC the use of the drug had become more widespread.

He said: "This drug clearly has the same inherent dangers as any Class A drug and I think serious consideration should be given to banning it.

"The problem with that is that you then criminalise the people who take it, so we need to think very carefully about what we do, but act with some speed."

Some heads say the drug should be made illegal immediately - even if it risks some children getting a criminal record.

Schools have become increasingly worried that because the drug is legal, children as young as 12 are trying it.

Legal high report; first broadcast December 2009

An ACMD sub-committee had been looking into legal highs, but its work stopped following the dismissal of Professor David Nutt as the chief drugs adviser last October.

Prof Nutt was sacked after publicly disagreeing with the government's decision to reclassify cannabis as a Class B drug and not to downgrade ecstasy.

Club scene

Five ACMD members then resigned in the row that followed Prof Nutt's departure.

Websites selling the drug have told their customers it is a case of "when" not "if" mephedrone will be banned.

Head teacher Mike Stewart: 'We need help'

The two teenagers who died were found collapsed at their homes after a night out in Scunthorpe.

Humberside Police said the drug appeared to have contributed to their deaths. They had been out drinking in the hours before they died.

Two men, aged 26 and 20, and a 17-year-old boy have been arrested in connection with the incident.

Post-mortem examinations are being carried out.

Mephedrone has become popular on the UK club scene in recent months.

Its side effects are said to include psychosis, palpitations, burning throat, nosebleeds and insomnia.

Suspense

Suspense is a feeling of anxiety and uncertainty for the audience during a dramatic piece of work which mostly takes place in films. Its used in situations where there's a lead up to possibly a big event or a dramatic moment. This helps keep the audience engaged to the film and wondering what's going on. Suspense makes the audience question them selves to whether what could possibly happen and keeps them wanting to watch it even more because they're curious of what could happen next. Although you may feel frightened or uncertain you still want to carry on watching it because its a feeling of excitement and makes the film more enjoyable.Suspense doesn't always take place in films it could also be used inside a book.

On Wednesday 10Th February 2010 my group filmed a 1 minute clip mainly using and focusing on reverse shot, match cut and 180 degrees angle.

We showed a very clear understanding of the 180 degree rule. Also with match cut we used this when Imranul was making an entry to the door, this tends to work and looks very well inside our clip. We had an understanding with reverse shots although in our clip we didn't quite use it as well or continuously as we should have.

The transitions between the shots where a bit jumpy, however we were able to work together and put it into a continuing sequence where it made sense to the audience. The length of edits was a bit too long in certain places and in a way makes it obvious to audience what is going to happen and doesn't really get them thinking. In other words because we haven't used reverse shots properly etc it tends to break the 'rhythm' of the sequence. Normally there is another type of shot between these shots such as dialogue, action story and shots to provide a flow.

Noticing these mistakes it makes it easier and better for me to understand that the next time i will be aware of what to do.

Match Cut prelim