FILM OPENING

Prep for the weekend of Saturday 11 December 

TITLE of post: FILM OPENING

You upload the most recent edit of your finished film opening then write the rest of the post that the moderator will see first.

This is an example of what you write:

YOUR NAME 1234

I worked with Alan Rickman 5678 and Emma Thompson 9357

Our brief was to make the titles and opening of a new fiction film (to last a maximum of two minutes). We made a thriller film opening / psychological thriller film opening / comedy film opening / drama film opening entitled XXXXXXX

I took responsibility for the camerawork, in particular, ....

I took responsibility for the directing of the scenes...

I took responsibility for set design, such as ....I sourced LED lights and because I do DT at AL, I used the school DT studio for materials to... Together with Millie / Ollie, I created the pinboard which is a key prop...... I made suggestions about lighting which we implemented, in particular, the lighting in the scene...

I took responsibility for the editing / editing the scenes in which... I edited in Final Cut Pro / Premiere Pro / iMovie. Particular challenges in my editing included....

I created the music for the final scene because I play the guitar. I picked the track Hotel California and used my Squire guitar. I used an amplifier....

I designed and made the Production Company logo BELVEDERE STUDIOS / ROCKING HORSE PRODUCTIONS / MIRROR STUDIOS / LEVINE LOOPS / HILL LIMITLESS. I used Adobe Illustrator then edited the image in Premiere / I used Photoshop / I designed the image in Photoshop then took it into Premiere.

CONSTRUCTION: FEEDBACK

 3.2 Reviewing and editing coursework It is likely that some teacher guidance will be given during the production process in terms of facilitating discussions that encourage a higher level of application and engagement with creative processes. However, as part of the learning process, it is also valuable to encourage whole class feedback on productions. Creating a place where learners can watch the film productions initiates a good opportunity for critical reflection, peer assessment and feedback before the final edits on the coursework productions. A feedback form (see below) may be useful to ensure feedback is suitably critical, and constructive. In order to ensure a fair learning environment for learners of all abilities, it is advisable to make time for editing, two or three hours should enable learners to re-film a sequence after feedback and complete a reasonable level of editing before submitting the final media coursework production.

REFINEMENTS, CHANGES, EDITS & REFLECTIONS

PREP for the weekend of Sat 4 December

CIE are keen on reflective analysis in your blogs – the sort of critical reflection that may come after you get feedback from a focus group. They think that it is so important that it comes second in their bullet points. In the highlight below ('process'), notice the reference to 

• what you’ve changed because it
  didn’t work well enough (“any refinement, changes or edits made”) 
• what has have gone well, that you should be drawing attention to (“reflections on key moments”).
  

To present these important posts, I have suggested a ‘before and after’ visual evidence + written analysis 

See these posts HERE

 

PARALLEL EDITING & OTHER TERMINOLOGY

Watch this 

FILM INDUSTRY: KEN LOACH & SWEET SIXTEEN

This material is for Component 2 Media Texts and Contexts - Section B Media Contexts

In your exam, you answer one question on TV drama and the second on the film industry.

It might help you to think about typical exam questions as we cover two further case studies: 

‘Marketing is vital to the success of both established and new media products.’ To what extent do you agree with this statement in relation to the media area you have studied?

"How do media institutions target national and local audiences in the media area you have studied?"

Today's case study - Ken Loach films and I, Daniel Blake. Please save your notes in your laptop folder (not on your blog). Next time, we will cover Sorry We Missed You.

OUR STARTER ACTIVITY

We looked at 3D anamorphic billboard design as a new marketing platform. We also discussed making a LinkedIn profile in your future.

3D out-of-home (OOH) billboards, a burgeoning new technology on the high street, has strong implications for how marketers bring their campaigns to life. Hyper-realistic 3D OOH billboards have been stunning passersby on busy streets in China, South Korea, the US, Japan and recently the UK. The creative campaigns blur the lines between technology and reality while showcasing that creativity in advertising really is limitless. Current examples include Amazon Prime’s 3D OOH campaign at Piccadilly Circus.

In them, characters break the fourth wall, interact with IRL environments and blur the lines between content, OOH and experiential like never before.

CHECKLIST

 Posts /tasks that can be done by one member of the Production Team and shared:

1. Mind map
2. The actual treatment (but don't just copy / paste the post)
3. Location recces (with photos)
4. Storyboard (can be shared)
5. Shot list (can be shared)
6. Call sheets (one for every shoot)
7. Risk assessment
8. BBFC certificate

Posts / Tasks best done individually:

1. Casting (post with paired images)
2. Accounts of filming (reflective, with 'on the set' shots; challenges, what went well / badly)
3. Props that you have made yourself
4. Your own Production Company logo (films often have co-productions)
5. Pinterest boards on the social groups and social issues in your film 

GUIDANCE and LISTS

To show the development of your Foundation Production, you publish PLANNING posts. Put the word PLANNING in caps before each of the following:

AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE Consult this blog post

TREATMENT Examples here

MY TARGET AUDIENCE example of a post here,  here and here 

CHARACTERS The exam board ask us to consider social groups and stereotypes. Examples of this are in this post here, this post and here

LOCATION RECCE with photos like this

RISK ASSESSMENT Once you know exactly what you are doing, assess the risks in a Word Document like this one here

CASTING Note Examiner's report here Examples here in Canva, here in Piktochart, here in Slideshare

PROPS Present this as you see fit, such as like this. If you have to construct props

STORYBOARD Examples here  and here

SHOT LIST Example here and here

CALL SHEET Example here Do NOT PUT IDENTIFYING DETAILS

CERTIFICATE Example here

AUDIENCE Theory SlideShare like this 

SOCIAL GROUPS - images collected in Pinterest boards, labelled and groups: How does your film opening represent social groups or issues? Find images (= representations) and collate them in different Pinterest boards like this.

• First identify the social groups featured and present them visually (in Pinterest). Roles and jobs?
• The focus is on how they are represented: stereotypes? anti-stereotypes? What are they like? Gender, status, age? 
• Identify the issues in your film opening: recent 'issues' have included artificial intelligence, people smuggling, bullying, kidnapping, art theft, online fraud. How are they presented in your production?

                                                                      ...........

CONSTRUCTION: SHOOTS Great fun to report on your shoots (and later on your edits), explaining the challenges

FILM INDUSTRY: EMMA AS A CASE STUDY

 Exam Paper 2 Key Concepts : Section B 

In today's lesson, we watch the US and UK trailers for Emma and consider how to use Working Title's Emma as a case study to discuss issues raised such as

• ownership - Working Title, Universal
• genre - literary adaptation, comedy
• different audiences - mainstream, national, international, literary
• marketing - posters (how 'outdoor' marketing with high production values & highly stylised costumes + landscapes targeted older audiences)
• casting of long-term famous stars like Bill Nighy & Rupert Graves, comediennes like Miranda Hart and new talent like Josh O'Conner, Johnny Flynn, Anya Taylor-Joy (known to Netflix audiences for her acting triumph in “The Queen’s Gambit”. Accompanying the streaming of the miniseries has come renewed interest in the movie)
• social media (younger audiences Twitter and Instagram; older audiences FB); trailers and visuals now cut specially for hand-held devices with snappier editing for shorter attention spans
• marketing - trailers (how the fast-paced editing, use of comedy, emphasis on romance & current stars engaged a new generation of younger audiences)
• product tie-ins and merchandising - stationary; 
• celebrity appearances and interviews - Vogue Magazine screening
• synergy - the trailers appear on WT's website, together with convergent social media links, enabling a degree of synergy
• Emma release: Valentine's Day 2020 in UK, shortly after in US; 20th March digitally through Premium VOD streaming platforms because of cinema closures; later, in May, via DVD and Blu-ray, and recently viewing via HBO with Prime Video Channels. See this article on the changing patterns of content creation, distribution and star power 
  
• Accolades - Academy Award (like Costume design)and BAFTA nominations, Golden Globe winner
• Box office world-wide total $26 million +

FILM INDUSTRY MARKETING: BLACK PANTHER

 

ESSAY: Analyse the techniques used to target different audiences in the media are that you have studied. 

By Sunday 21st November

In this short prep, you will start preparing this exam essay by presenting the first of three case studies, Black Panther, using the materials emailed to you, which are also on GoogleClassroom.

TV DRAMA: HUSTLE

 Exam Component 2: Key Media Concepts (25% of total marks) Written examination 2 hours

Written analysis by Sunday 14 November on Google Classroom
Find the exam text on ClickView: go to Media Studies > TV drama clips > OCR 322 HUSTLE

 
Discuss the ways in which the extract from Hustle constructs meaning through the following: 

• camera shots, angles, movement and composition 
• editing 
• sound 
• mise-en-scène

Tips:

Start with an opening sentence that briefly sums up what the extract is about.

Tackle the analysis on a scene-by-scene basis (NOT camerawork, then editing and so on)

So, discuss all 4 bullet points as you go through each scene - some may be longer than others.

3 point plan: identify the terminology, then give the example, then say what meaning is made.

For example: The close-up shot terminology of the wealthy blond customer with her expensively coiffed hair and perfect make-up example shows the audience how poised and self-assured she is as she smiles smugly, confident of getting what she wants meaning 

Another example: The tilt pan terminology from foot to head of the wealthy customer trying on the expensive new evening dress example constructs her as the sort of client that the shop assistant wants to impress as she is slim and makes the dress look beautiful; by ending the camera movement on her face, the audience sees her vain reaction to her image in the mirror meaning 

Another example: the two shot terminology of Stroller (the older man) dressed to impress in his expensive suit entertaining Sean (the younger man) in the exclusive gentlemen's club, plying him with whiskey in cut glass tumblers, in a setting designed to make a statement example suggests that Stroller is out to manipulate the younger man.

PLANNING: OUR COMP LIST

 Kezia Williams, of Entertainment One UK, on the FutureLearn Film Distribution by the Film Distributors Association, speaks about how film distributors build a 'comp list' of comparable films that their target audience would enjoy. 

She highlights the importance of knowing your target audience. She asks questions like "what drives them to the cinema" and "what interests do they have". She also says distributors will compare data of films that are similar in their genre, selling points and story. The target audience and budget is formulated from what box office take was like with previous films and the types of audience that saw those films. The target audience can be analysed to find the gender gap, and which cinemas the target audience usually frequent.

seconds KEZIA WILLIAMS: Really important to understand who your audience is and what motivates them and what’s going to interest them and drive them to go to the cinema. So you start, often, by examining similar films that have been released in the past– comparable films is a way in which we refer to them in the industry– and create a set that we can then look back at data so we can look at lots of different data and do research, really, on those comparable films to identify who the audience was on those films. So it might be that we look at demographic data and think about, did it skew more male or more female? What’s the age group that it appeals to?

0:46Skip to 0 minutes and 46 secondsDoes it have multiple different audiences that that can appeal to? And there’s lots and lots of cinema-going trends that you can dig into from that comparable set. We’ll also look at box office data to understand regionality, to look at the cinema-going skew– so did more people go to a certain cinema chain to see these comparable films? Right down to which cinemas performed. So it might be that there’s a cinema in London that had a fantastic box office share, and that’s an important aspect for us to consider. And then once you really understand who the audience on those comparable films were, you can start to talk about the differences and similarities between those films and the film that you’re working on.

You should start your post by explaining that you carried out similar research and created a 'comp list' (such as these below). 

You must explain the ways in which your chosen films are similar to the one that you are making and how they appeal to your target audience.

Example 1 

Example 2

Example 3

PLANNING: MY TARGET AUDIENCE & HOW I ENGAGED THEM

WHAT YOU WRITE
From the FutureLearn course that I am following Distribution: Connecting Films With Audiences, I know that all products are targeted at specific audiences.

I needed to plan how to reach my target audience. Therefore, I needed to know who they are (factors that may be relevant include age, gender, ethnicity, social class), what their media needs are (so that I could produce a product that they will want) and how to reach them (to market my film). I will show how my research has shaped / influenced my planning. 

I started by investigating how brands define audiences in preparation for creating my own audience profile for my AS Foundation Production. 

For example, I saw how Bauer Media, NME and Sky defined audiences. This helped me profile my audience. I then created an audience profile (below).

PLANNING: MY AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

I am using Google forms to create a questionnaire for my target audience and send it to people who are likely to watch our film. I will ask questions referring to age, gender, what types of films they prefer to watch, what influences them to watch a film and where they prefer to watch it. Our production team want to make a film that would appeal to young people aged 15-35. Our questionnaire will be useful to ensure that our type of genre will appeal to this audience. Through the use of Google Forms I will be able to collect this data.

These are the questions I intend to ask:
(Opening message) I would be grateful if you complete this short survey on films and what you prefer

1.  What is your gender?
2.  What age category do you fit into?
3.  Which of these your film genres would you watch? Pick as many as you wish.
4.  What was the last film you watched?
5.  What platform would you most likely use to watch a film?
6.  Which of these trailers have you seen?
7.  Which of these platforms would you use to find out about films?
8.  What is the most likely reason you would watch a new film?

(Ending message) Thank you for completing this form!

PLANNING: MY TARGET AUDIENCE

To plan how to reach your specific target audience you need to know who they are and what their interests are. You create an audience questionnaire to research the age, gender, ethnicity and social class of your target audience. You also find out what their media needs and wants are so that you can create a film that will satisfy them. Ultimately in order to market your movie you have to find out the best way to reach your target audience. To show how your research has helped with your planning, you have answered the questions below with pictures to support your post. 

1. Who is my primary target audience?

2. What kind of films and television are they likely to prefer?

3. What platforms do they choose to watch films and where are they likely to see information about films?

4. What brands do they prefer?

5. What makes my film stand out from the competition?

6 . Why should my audience watch my film?  

HALF TERM CHECK LIST

Continue today's post 

Film whatever you can for your film opening

Complete 2 more Art of The Titles analyses

Start your FutureLearn Course FILM DISTRIBUTION: CONNECTING FILMS WITH AUDIENCES

PLANNING: FILM TREATMENT

Brainstorm initial ideas:

INITIAL IDEAS

Our production team brainstormed ideas about the plot, the soundtrack, our favourite films / scenes from films, ideas for locations and characters. (Write freely: I can imagine using our dog / garden / school woods / my mother's office....)

We wrote an OUTLINE TREATMENT

.......your ideas.....

MINDMAP

Write a treatment for your film opening. A treatment will normally contain:

• A TITLE that is dynamic and engaging
• The TOPLINE - an 'elegant sentence' that sums up the action
• The BIG QUESTION - what is the cliffhanger? what is the enigma that will unfold?
• The SYNOPSIS - one or two paragraphs outlining the plot
• CHARACTERS - brief introduction: Adam, 35, a dreamy design engineer.... Lucy, 25, a disenchanted doctor... Mary, 18, an idealistic student...

NEXT 

• After writing the treatment, you create a STORYBOARD  (hand drawn on the sheets that I give you)
• and a SHOTLIST

PLANNING: TOPLINE & BIG QUESTION

 

Watch this presentation by Frank Ash then write your own Topline and Big Question for your film opening. You write up a blog post explaining all this. You include a visual from the Frank Ash presentation, explaining who he is and what you learned from the presentation. Your blog post title is PLANNING:  THE TOP LINE AND BIG QUESTION

For Frank Ash, Creative Consultant who has taught storytelling and creativity techniques to teams across the BBC and beyond, it is important to focus on the audience: what will interest the audience? How will the narrative develop? 

"So, if you’re aiming for your film to reach a large audience online, making sure it has universal appeal will be key"

TOP LINE DEFINITION: Think about your favourite book or film or any ‘good story’ you recently watched online, could you sum up its narrative into ‘one elegant sentence’ to provide its ‘topping’

BIG QUESTION DEFINITION: What was its big story question, and how important was it to your appreciation of the text?"

Having learned from Frank Ash's presentation on FutureLearn, I decided to sign up for FutureLearn's 

Film Distribution: Connecting Films with Audiences

The course promises to cover  how our favourite films make it to our local cinema or television screen, through the film distribution process. The start date is 18 October.

PRELIMINARY EXERCISE: FILMING AN OPENING SEQUENCE

This post models for you what you will writing on your blog this weekend for PREP but obviously don't just copy this 

This week, we made practice film openings using the idea of 'table top' filming. Our brief was to film in one continuous take and to include a tiny live action element within this.

RESEARCH

We viewed three examples of opening sequences filmed in a similar 'table top' style.

Using Art of the Title, we watched Delicatessen (1991, Jean-Pierre Jeunet) and noticed how its inventive camerawork tells a story and sets the theme. Another excellent title sequence was that of To Kill A Mockingbird. 

We also viewed work created by last year's students.

We then use these as inspiration to create an original title sequence in groups by setting up the mise-en-scène using props from our props collection.

PLANNING

Before filming started, we laid out all the props that were elements of our film narrative's mise-en-scène on the table.

We also researched and discussed music tracks for the soundtrack. One option for our title sequence uses the soundtrack Nostalgia by Emily Barker (the Wallander theme tune). Another was ....

FILMING

We then filmed the 'live action' element, uploaded the footage into the editing software and planned our titles, credits, editing, special effects and soundtrack.

PRELIMINARY EXERCISE: FILMING AN OPENING SEQUENCE

Four stages today:

Stage 1: research the genre by watching three examples

Stage 2: film your table top in one take

Stage 3: film your live action sequence

Next steps tomorrow:

Stage 4: capture your footage and put it into a labelled bin

RESEARCH: FILM OPENING ANALYSIS AE FOND KISS

Use this title + follow the bullet points + key terms in colour + add photos to illustrate points 

Titles:

• A Sixteen Film - signals the film's pedigree to Ken Loach devotees, as does the director's name
• co-productions - with Bianca Films, EMC and Tornasol Films in a British/Italian/German/Spanish Co-production in association with Matador Pictures and Scottish Screen and with the support of Diaphana Distribution Cineart and The Glasgow Office. This copy reflects that Loach has regularly secured funding through co-productions with European partners
• dedication - to the memory of Martin Johnson, production designer on a dozen Loach films, including this, his last one

Images

• The opening nightclub scene establishes where young Glaswegians from different ethnic backgrounds (Sikh, muslim, Pakistani, white) mix, dance, relax - a feeling of internationalism. Bhangra music and Bollywood cinema play as Casim is absorbed in his role as DJ.
• The bhangra music carries over as a sound bridge seeping across the long pan along the grey Glasgow city skyline. 
• Conflict between cultures erupts at the corner shop where Mr Khan 

The genre: 

• romance - Casim Khan's meeting with Roisin launches a romantic relationship that reaches across cultural backgrounds (Muslim and Catholic)
• 'coming of age' film - families, cultures and personalities collide. In the school assembly debate, Tahara declares her cultural identity as 'a dazzling mixture, and I'm proud of it.'

CONTINUITY EXERCISE

 Your CONTINUITY EXERCISE

This is to show that you have had a chance to practise 'Hollywood editing' or 'continuity editing', that is, putting together a series of clips that delvers a simple narrative.

Work in pairs or threes. Keep it simple!

What to write on your blog post about this:

State the task and what you set out to do (shoot and edit so that the sequence of shots tells a story - continuity editing). There are suggested shot types below. Your editing includes adding these to identify them. Upload some photos of you at work too! This post belongs under PRELIMINARY EXERCISES

Suggested shots:
Establishing shot
Tracking shot
Tilt up / tilt down
Pan left / pan right
CU
Focus pull / zoom in
Two shot (shot with two people in it)
Over the shoulder shot
POV (point of view shot)
Shot / reverse shot

In the edit, you will LABEL THE SHOTS
If you wish, add non-diegetic sound (like music or sound effects).

When complete, add a report on what you have done to your page PRELIMINARY EXERCISES

TV DRAMA: NOWHERE BOY

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS: NOWHERE BOY

We practise analysing the representation of age using the opening of the film Nowhere Boy (directed by Sam Taylor Wood, 2009) about the early life of the Beatle John Lennon.

In your end-of-year exam, Section A is the analysis of representation in television drama. An unseen clip will be screened four times.
You are expected to analyse and discuss the technical aspect of the language and conventions of moving image in the extract's representation of individuals, places, groups and events.

• camera shots, angles, movement, composition
• editing
• sound
• mise-en-scene

 You will be asked to discuss how these technical elements create specific representations of individuals, groups, events or places and help to articulate specific messages and values. 

We watch Nowhere Boy and analyse the visual codes (camera angles, camera movement, shot types) and sound (dialogue and soundtrack).
We use technical codes (the language of moving image).

We note the exam mark scheme for a grade A response:

• use of terminology (8-10 marks)
• use of examples (16-20 marks)
• analysis, explanation, argument (16-20 marks)

We practise from the very start formulating responses that cover these three elements in the order given above. We note just how precise  and detailed our points must be: similar to PEE in your English examination technique (point, evidence, explanation).

ON THE SET

In your PAGE called PRELIMINARY EXERCISES, create a blog post entitled ON THE SET

Write up a brief account of our first practical this morning

Details are already on our class blog here

Use your iPhone as you go to take a couple of photos - set them up thoughtfully, such as in a collage

Consider breaking up your page with a 'house style' of bands like this:

PRODUCTION COMPANY LOGO

Lesson starter (5 minutes):

Tidy the MediaMac that you are working on - you need a folder with your name and you put all your stuff inside (not on the desktop).

Complete the ComicLife presentation of camera angles and shot types.

Include: title, your name.

Airdrop it to yourself. (In your own time, post it on your media blog under the PAGE called PRELIMINARY EXERCISES) "This week I have learned to use a new presentation platform and used it to present my understanding about how camera angles and shot types function. I based my research on Daniel Chandler's work The Language of Television and Film."

Main lesson: 

Introduction to Photoshop to make a simple production company logo. A4 landscape; colour or black and white; a name that packs punch / has a personal relevance / makes it clear that the company makes films - Sharpe Studios, Hill Films, Silverscreen Productions, Darklight Studios, Winterwood Cinema, Illusion Pictures....

 

Second lesson: 

Introduction to Component 1 TV drama.

PLANNING: FILM OPENING

 

3.1 Implementing the plan The production plan should draw on the research stage and should evidence decision-making based on media techniques, codes and conventions that have been identified. Some of your more able learners may attempt to challenge the conventions. However, if they do attempt this, they must justify and document it in both their blog, and their creative critical reflection work. 

Learners working on Option 1: Film opening task, should be encouraged to draw up a range of planning materials to demonstrate the development of the production. The example below is a useful way to encourage learners to avoid a narrative approach and engage with the media strategies required at this level.

ART OF THE TITLE

 Use the website ART OF THE TITLE to analyse the opening sequence of a film.

In class, we viewed Se7en which would be a good choice.

Start by putting the correct blog post title RESEARCH: ART OF THE TITLE: SE7EN

Then state that you have used ART OF THE TITLE to research film and TV openings. Hyperlink the page for Se7en.

Then add the image across the blog page.

Next, analyse the conventions of a film opening. Pick out any key terms in colour. 

Below is the guidance from CIE

This research should include images of sequence stills that are annotated with: technical terminology, camera angles, genre specific conventions and notes about the speed of transition that may not otherwise be apparent from the still images. 

Other titles to consider:

Gone Girl

To Kill A Mockingbird

The Fall

Nightwatch

Underwater 

Human Revolution (scroll down)

FRAMEWORK FOR YOUR RESPONSE:

The opening sequence starts with production company logos for .... and .... which provides the pedigree for a film and may support the audience's choice of seeing the film. The names of the director, the cast and other creatives usually appear.

Font choices are important elements of the visual appeal and contribute to the graphical cohesion. In this film opening, ...

The film opening for [film name] signals the film genre which seems to be....

It does this in a number of ways, such as through the establishing shot that shows...

It signals genre through the soundtrack, such as music, which is.... and which build up to become....The use of a voice-over sets the scene by...

One of the conventions of a title sequence is the introduction of the protagonists (main characters). This film opening introduces...

Another generic convention is the use of text such as copy which helps explain a complicated story or points the audience to aspects of the story that the filmmaker wants you to know are important.

Setting, lighting, colour, costumes and props can be key factors in engaging audiences. For example,...

Most film openings introduce the main narrative elements to launch the film but do not give away too much in order to retain the enigma...

What really impressed me about this film opening was...