Tuesday 3 May 2011

Evaluation - Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?

I found it quite interesting to use the various technologies in the construction process of my film. I found using the camera at times tricky to use, for example at times, I found that movement of the camera caused distortion, which meant the quality of the film was low and the filming needed to be repeated. I fixed this problem by using a tripod which meant that the camera would remain stationary and at a fixed height.

Above is an image of myself securing my camera to a tripod.


I also found it troublesome to film when it was bright, as the light reflected on the camera lens and made it impossible to achieve a visible image. I resolved this problem by blocking the majority of the light with paper or editing certain frames so that the brightness is correct.
Above is an image of me practicing a handheld shot while using my free hand to prevent light from a nearby projector from obscuring my recording.


Since the majority of the shots in my film did not involve movement, I did not use equipment such as the Dolly. I also avoided using the dolly because unless the Dolly is used on a flat surface, then the filming becomes jolty and the film will in general appear to be low quality.

I have learned a variety of skills on editing software in the production of my film. I have used the editing software to include various transitions into my piece and crop certain scenes so that no inappropriate material was shown. I used I-Movie to edit my film. I chose to use this program because I was used to it and therefore I would be able to use it to a better quality, however, I movie lacked the precision that certain other programs may contain. For example, programs such as Final Cut Express would have allowed me to create a much more precise and better quality film, however I feel that as I was not familiar to this program, I felt that it would’ve taken a greater amount of time to create my film due to the fact that I would have to familiarise myself with the program before I began editing. I also found that with certain frames, I could not achieve the exact precision I wanted due to the ability of the I-Movie program. For example, the montage at the end of my film was not as quick and snappy as I wanted it to be due to the fact that the software would not allow me to make the freeze-frames any shorter. If I was going to recreate my film, I would probably consider using Final Cut Express as it will allow me to achieve a much more professional level off work. I found it useful that you could adapt certain frames so that they held a certain effect. For example, in my film I used the “x-ray” effect during my montage at the end of my film’s opening to create a supernatural feel.

I found it useful to log all of my work, as it allowed me to categorise my work which meant I could easily find the needed information to create my film.

This is me adjusting my camera so that it is parallel to the ground, meaning that I can film a standard shot effectively.

Evaluation - Q5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Below is a copy of the final cut version of my film, which I have annotated. Enjoy.

Evaluation - Q4. Who would be the audience for the targetted media product?

Evaluation - Q3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Who would my film target?
After researching into my chosen genre and comparing my own film to other films in my chosen genre, I decided that I would exhibit my film to a niche audience. Instead of trying to target a mainstream audience who may not understand or appreciate my movie, I would specifically target a niche audience.

How would I target my audience?
I would broadcast my film in an Art House and on the internet, as these places would be the best place to reach my intended audience. I plan to generate interest in my film through social network sites such as facebook and twitter, and I plan to create

my own website with I can use to broadcast my film. By using the internet as the main means of exhibiting my film, I think that this will encourage more people to hear about my film through word of mouth. Also, by using the internet, I can use Below the Line advertising (for example: viral websites) to save money.



Thinking of the existing market...
If my film was to be produced by a Hollywood Institution then my film will share a lot of similarities to already existing products. For example, my film, in terms of the feelings experienced by the audience, would be similar to that of well known horror films (e.g. The “Saw” films)








Thinking about conglomerations...

If I was looking to actually properly produce and distribute my film, I would look to join my Institution of “Hysteria Productions” with “Fox Searchlight”, as they specialise in British films and have a good reputation, being behind films such as “Slumdog Millionaire”, “The Fully Monty” and “127 Hours.” I have researched into existing Media institutions that specialise in British films to decide which institutions would back my own. Institutions such as Working Title or Fox Searchlight would be my best bets as those companies usually specialise in British films. Also, if my own company converges with a well known institution such as Fox Searchlight, I will be able to use features such as special effects and well known actors to make my film more successful and achieve a higher gross.



Deeper thought into my film...
My film’s main purpose is to educate audiences and indirectly advise them about isolating people as they can become unstable like my main character does throughout the film. My film is made to generally entertain the audiences, however there will be an underline moral which should encourage people to think about what they may do to others. I plan to release a novel version of my film alongside the release of the film so that people who enjoy the film may want to read the novel to gain a deeper insight into the characters and storyline and avid readers who read my novel will be encouraged to see the film. This is similar to what was done with the Davinci code (2006) or the Harry Potter films, in which both novels and films were released. By releasing a film and novel, this should potentially heighten the interest and should generate a greater gross.



Thinking about distribution...
I plan to distribute my film on websites such as Amazon, and I plan to make my film downloadable on Itunes and other such sites, as this will encourage the teenagers and young adults to download my films, as I will be targeting them on the market which they use most.