Evaluation Activity 7.

When looking back on our preliminary task "Cringey Joe" and comparing it to "Strides" we feel that we have progressed quite a lot since then. Our camera work has improved quite a lot, although we do feel that some of our shots in "Strides" look a bit shaky and realistically should have been re-filmed. We have been more experimental since filming our preliminary task, for example we used some handheld shots in Strides where the characters are actually filming their own feet. We thought that this would make the film more interesting for the audience. We have improved with our editing skills a lot more since the preliminary task as we didn't really know or understand how to edit footage but since working on Strides we have successfully managed to edit it. Also, with "Strides", we have added a soundtrack, this is an improvement from "Cringey Joe" as it did not include one.  

Evaluation Activity 6 Continued.

Other technologies that we have used during our production of our opening sequence..

• Blogger- We used this website to create this blog to present our thoughts, ideas, planning and evaluation of our opening sequence. This website has been easy to use to make our blog despite never making a blog before.

• We used Itunes and Sound Cloud to source our soundtrack. We researched different songs that we could of possibly used using Sound Cloud and then downloaded the final track into Itunes. Having used both programs in the past we found this quite an easy task.

• We used Iphoto to upload images for our blog, examples being the location shots or casting shots. 

• To edit all our footage we used the application called IMovie. As we had both never used this software before we had to spend a while getting used to it and learning how to cut and edit different sections. We found it especially hard to cut down our soundtrack but after a short amount of time playing around with it we worked out how to edit it. This was a good program to use as it is quite clear and easy to use once you know how.

• We used Prezzi to create presentations on our blog related to our opening sequence. Neither of us knew how to use this website and had a lot of difficulty understanding how to use it to begin with. Prezzi is a good website to present ideas and looks quite professional. 

• To create our titles we used Live Type. This was our chosen software to use as it looks much more professional and is more efficient to use. Neither of us had used this before but easily worked out how to use it. 

Evaluation Activity 6.

Throughout the duration of producing our opening sequence we have used many different technologies to construct every little bit of it. Technology is the main part of any media product as it is practically impossible to produce a film without it. We have used a range of technologies, some which have been new to us and some we may have come across in the past.

•  First of all, the Apple Mac has been the main creator of our film. This is where we have edited, created and put together the whole product. Most of the programs used are on the Mac. We found this quite easy to use despite not having much history working with it. A Mac is probably easiest to produce a film on compared to a normal PC as it contains better software and is easier to navigate around. 

• To film our opening sequence we used a Panasonic HDC SD60 (Full HD 1920X1080) Video Camera. Although we have not used this before we found it quite easy to adapt to and successfully filmed all the shots. The camera was small and compact so was easy to take to all our locations.

•  To ensure that all camera shots were stable and not shaky we used a tripod. We took this tripod to all of our locations we shot at. The tripod came in handy for shots such as a pan or close ups. 

• We used You Tube to upload all our footage to present it. This is a quick easily accessible website that is widely used across the world. 

Evaluation Activity 5.

Our film's target audience is teenagers aged around 15+. We have addressed/attracted our audience by including aspects in our film which would appeal to them. Firstly, we ensured that the characters playing roles in 'Strides' are of an age which the audience can relate to. The boys involved in our film are all around the age range of 17-18. As the audience is of a similar age they will most likely be drawn in by the characters, and especially as we used 3 good looking boys, the female audience's attention should easily be drawn...

Another aspect of our film which addresses the audience is the soundtrack. As we have used a well known, popular version of a Dr.Dre song, the younger audience would feel it applies to them more. We used current and mainstream music to capture the attention of the audience and try to keep them hooked. As the tune is quite catchy we feel this would be a success. 

Our Unique Selling Point (USP) is that the characters and the story line can easily be related to by the audience. The fact that we used a younger group of characters with the problems that occur everyday means that teenagers (audience) can relate to it. We feel that this would make our film a success...

However, if this were to become a bigger budget film we would have a distribution company who would nationally advertise the film and distribute it to cinemas, with the USP as the main feature of all advertising. 

Evaluation Activity 4.

These interviews show the type of audiences we aimed our film at. Each person being interviewed was between the ages of 16-18. Our target audience was the age range of around 16-25. The people being interviewed had a completely different personality and music/film/actor genre taste. We want our film to appeal to a wide range of teenagers tastes as the subject matter is quite common and some people may be able to relate to the issues we included. 

Evaluation Activity 3.

Evaluation Activity 3. on Prezi

Evaluation Activity 2.

We have taken Rhys from our film Strides and compared him to Johnny Whitworth's character 'Vernon Gant' in Limitless. Johnny plays a drug dealer, who is quite similar to our drug dealer Rhys. Both Rhys and Johnny play quite an unusual drug dealer part as they do not have the stereotypical dealer image. They both come across as smart, sophisticated men who you wouldn't really expect to be involved in drugs. They both have similar features and hair, stylishly slicked back. Despite their similarities of image, they are both from different age groups. Rhys plays an 18 year old dealer and Johnny is roughly 15 years older.

We decided to make our main character different to the typical drug dealers found in modern films as stereotypical characters are shown as big, unapproachable and mainly black males are discriminated against as being drug dealers. We wanted to break this tradition similarly to how Alan Gylnn and Leslie Dixon, the writers of Limitless did.

Preliminary Task - "Cringey Joe"

This was our preliminary task - Cringey Joe
We have still included aspects from this in our film Strides but feel we have improved much more since then.

Improvements.

If we had time to go back and make any improvements I think that we could of improved a lot of our camera shots. Some of the shots are very shaky, which is a fault of ours for not having the camera on the tripod steadily. Also I think that we should of allowed ourselves more time to do the original split screen editing that we set out to do in the beginning. This would of made our film a lot more successful and interesting and would of portrayed the message of the differences between the characters that we planned to make.

I also think we could of made more effort with costume & props, to make them seem more convincing. The idea of the drug dealing isn't shown as clearly as intended, and we could of made this more realistic. We could of been a bit more experimental with the camera work too, maybe a few more close ups.

Finally, I think that we could of maybe produced our soundtrack ourselves, rather than having a very common song choice, although this does attract the audience.

Evaluation Activity 1.

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

Evaluation Activity 1. on Prezi

Sweet Disposition: Interview Song.

Sweet Disposition

Working Title.

Working Title Films is a British film production company which is based in London. It produces feature films and several television productions. This is the production company that we feel would be most suited to our film 'Strides'. They have produced many films with similar storylines to ours... Here are a few examples... 

Progress.

Today we are adding all the finishing touches to our Opening Sequence. We are nearly finished... Just had a few technical issues with our soundtrack but we're solving these problems at the moment. We still need to add our Titles which we are currently editing.

Casting Shots.

Thomas Merritt

Miguel Nkegbe

Rhys Dewar 

Live Type.

We have used the programme 'Live Type' to create our opening sequence titles. We decided this would be the best programme to use as it looks more professional and is much quicker and easier to use. We went for a standard font type ( Bodoni Svty Two SC ITC TT Book) as we didn't want the titles to look too fancy and to ensure that they fitted in with the film. We used an effect called 'Slurp Down' to make the titles look more interesting and we thought this suited the film more than any of the other effects to choose from. Each title only lasts for 5 seconds as we didn't want them to drag out for too long.

Here is a screen shot of some of our titles being created using the software.

Current Editing.

At this precise moment in time we are editing all the footage we have filmed this week. We have a lot of random footage we don't need to include so this is taking even longer to edit. We aim to finish our editing this evening so that tomorrow we can add all of the finishing touches. 

Why We Chose These Locations.

We decided to film our Opening Sequence in these locations as we found that the 3 different doors, one including a gate, were the most intriguing areas to portray the different characters personalities. The two doors were filmed in different areas of school, as it proved easier to gather our actors here. The gate door was filmed in the Annex, a separate building near school. Each door was initially supposed to be filmed at each actors house but this was unable to be filmed in time. 


We used an alley way in Eden Park as a substitute location to our council estate. We were unable to film in a council estate but thought that this was a good location to shoot our Opening Sequence at as it gives off the same atmosphere. Also we found the lighting in this location worked really well.

Location Shots.

Issues During Filming.

We have now officially filmed all of our footage for our Opening Sequence. During this filming process we have encountered quite a few issues. The first issue was that we didn't have the correct number of boys to film and therefore we have had to make a few slight changes to our storyboard. Instead of filming 4 different boys from different backgrounds we have only used 3. This consequently means that we will not be using the 4 split screen. 

The next issue we found was that we could not film in the location that we initially intended to. We wanted to use a council estate but due to lack of time and organisation we were unable to. We found a alternative location that although is not exactly what we initially had in mind, reflects the same atmosphere, and similarly represents our genre. 

Soundtrack Change.

We have decided that we need a continuous soundtrack underneath our Opening Sequence, rather than different soundtracks for each character. This will help the sequence to appear more fluid, and help to attract and hold viewer attention.

Filming.

All together our filming took 3 days: On the first day of filming, we filmed our first boy. During this time, we experimented with different angles and shots. This helped us to establish what would work, and what wouldn't. For example, we found that following our character down the stairs was harder than we first anticipated, and so consequently, this shot features only for  a brief moment of time in our Opening Sequence.

During the second day of filming, we shot the next 2 characters. This meant a change of location. This day of filming went relatively smoothly, the only problem being uneven ground surface whilst filming the first of the 2 boys. Unfortunately, this is evident in our final shots. However, there were many positives taken from this shoot, including the fact that the location chosen was very aesthetically pleasing. Whilst filming the final individual shots, we found that the filming took longer than we had thought it would due to lack of concentration... 


During the third and final day of filming, it was time to bring all of the characters together in one location. Fortunately for us the weather was perfect, providing not only fantastic lighting, but a light hearted mood on set. After approximately an hour of filming, we had successfully shot all of our final scenes, and ultimately finished filming entirely.

180 Degree Rule.

The 180° rule is a basic guideline that means that two characters in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If the camera crosses the imaginary line, the new shot from the opposite side is known as a reverse angle. We have ensured that we followed the rules and did not cross the imaginary line. 

Split Screen Experimentation.

Last lesson we experimented with split screening. We started by filming multiple shots, using a variety of different camera angles, including a point of view shot as well as a simple mid shot. We then edited the footage, splitting the screen into 4 and 2. This helped us to get an idea of what the finished product will look like.


After watching the footage, we decided that following our characters footsteps with the camera rather than having them film themselves with a point of view shot will be more effective. This will also allow us to vary the distance of shots,and transitions between them.


We will upload the footage as soon as it is edited... 

Filming Dates.

We currently have 2 weeks left until the final deadline (March 9) for our Opening Sequence. Unfortunately, up until now we have been unable to film due to a shortage of equipment.
We plan to begin filming as soon as possible. When filming is complete we plan to use the remaining time to edit the footage. We estimate that filming should take no longer than 3 days, leaving us enough days to edit thoroughly. 

Sneakbo - The Wave (Remix)

Cameo - Candy (Remix)

Music Inspirations.

In order for our opening sequence to be effective and believable, our characters will have to contrast each other in as many ways as possible, e.g clothing. To ensure that we achieve this contrast, each character will have a different 'soundtrack' for their walk. Here are some of our music ideas...

Filming.

We plan to film 4 different boys in 4 different environments, ultimately arriving at the same destination. To achieve this we will have to find 4 separate locations to film in. These locations should all somehow differ in order to portray the characters personalities.  
To ensure that our opening sequence catches the attention of the audience we will have to film from multiple different angles. This could include a point of view shot and a high angle. 
Towards the end of the sequence we will include an establishing shot as the characters come together to show where the remainder of the story line would take place. 


We aim to film during the day as we feel this will give us the best lighting, and also give us time to make corrections if necessary. 

Reviewing Past Opening Sequences; Exemplar Work.

As the time draws nearer to begin filming, I took the time to look at some past AS opening sequences. I hoped that this would help me to gain an insight into what criteria the examiners will be marking our opening sequence against. 

After watching 3 different opening sequences, of 3 separate genres, it soon became apparent that the criteria is much stricter, and more detailed than first anticipated. Ability is marked as either showing:

-Minimal Evidence.
-Basic Ability.

-Proficient.

OR
-Excellent. 

Examiners review many aspects of opening sequence, including "using titles, sound with images, and editing appropriately" "controlled use of the camera" "variety of shot distance" and "making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, and other effects". 

In light of this; acting as an examiner, I then watched each sequence, marking them each individually against the specification. This again, helped me to distinguish the "do's and don'ts" to consider when creating an opening sequence such as;
-If a zoom is to be successful, it must fulfill it's job, and not 'ponder' in between close-up and mid-shot.
-Varying shot length and distance is an important factor in determining whether or not the viewer engages with the sequence.
-Maintaining a continuous theme in terms of opening titles and credits is something which is very well received by examiners, and is worth spending a substantial (yet appropriate) amount of time 'perfecting.'
After reviewing the opening sequences I then graded them, taking into account the fact that technology has advanced since the time the videos were made (2009), and the specification determined.

Animated Storyboard.

Our storyboard, converted into an animation using iMovie. This should hopefully give a clearer indication of what we hope our opening sequence will include, such as props, angles etc...

Animated Storyboard.

Our storyboard, converted into an animation using iMovie. This should hopefully give a clearer indication of what we hope our opening sequence will include, such as props, angles etc...

Similar Inspirations.

Inspirations for our story line at this point would be current t.v shows such as Misfits, Skins & Top Boy. They each contain similar modern issues that we want to portray through our film.

Main Aims.

The main idea for our film is to achieve a story line that appeals to teenagers so that they can relate to it. We are currently thinking of using a story line with the theme of drugs in it...

Split Screen Ideas.

This is a brief explanation of what we hope to achieve by splitting our screen during our opening sequence.

Saul Bass.

Saul Bass (May 8, 1920 – April 25, 1996) was a graphic designer and filmmaker, best known for his design of film posters and motion picture title sequences. Bass became widely known in the film industry after creating the title sequence for Otto Preminger's 'The Man With The Golden Arm' (1955). 
The subject of the film was a jazz musician's struggle to overcome his heroin addiction, a taboo subject in the mid-'50s. Bass decided to create a controversial    title sequence to match the film's controversial subject. He chose the arm as the central image, as the arm is a strong image relating to drug addiction. The titles featured an animated, white on black paper cut-out arm of a heroin addict. As he expected, it caused quite a sensation.

"You remember that the film was about drug addiction, and the symbol that is the arm, in it's jagged form express the jarring disjointed existence of the drug addict..."- Saul Bass.

"North By Northwest" - 1959.

"PSYCHO" - 1960.

"Not With My Wife, You Don't!" - 1966.

These examples of Saul's work show how he uses the genre of the film as the base for it's title font and format of the sequence... for example, "PSYCHO", the suspense/horror by Alfred Hitchcock is dark and disjointed, representing the plot to come. This is in stark contrast to the titles of "Not With My Wife You Don't!" a comedy starring Tony Curtis, which uses vivid colouring and animated characters to liven it's opening titles.   

Storyboard: Part 2.

This is the second part of our storyboard.

Storyboard: Part 1.

This is the first part of our storyboard. We hope to complete and post the rest soon. 

Mood board.

This mood board contains images and text that we will use as influences for our opening sequence. Settings such as council estates and flats, as well as groups of young people are all things we hope to include. These are representative of a social realism piece. 

Kidulthood Opening Sequence Analysis: Prezi.

Kidulthood Opening Sequence. on Prezi

We then turned our analysis into a Prezi in order to give the viewers of our blog a visual aid. Hopefully this makes the analysis clearer and easier to understand. 

Kidulthood Opening Sequence Analysis.

We chose the first 2 minutes of 'Kidulthood' as an influential opening sequence as it is a modern social realism piece that follows the lives of a group of teenagers living in London. This is much like the storyline we hope to produce in our opening sequence. We analysed titles and music etc. in detail in order to get an idea of what makes a creative and effective opening sequence. 

Pitch.

Plot.
Set mainly on a London council estate, four youths from different backgrounds with seemingly different personalities come together to form an unlikely friendship. Social realism piece. 


Target Audience.
We believe our primary target audience will be males and females under the age of 25. After reviewing our plot we have come to the conclusion that characteristics such as setting and character profiles resemble that of many  already existing teen programmes. For example Misfits or Top Boy. However, males and females over the age of 25 may also be interested as it gives an insight into the lives the youth of today lead. 

Production company. 
We think that our opening sequence would be one similar to the beginning of a film by Working Title productions as they have produced may films aimed at a similar, if not the same target audience. 

Further Influences: Split Screening.

'Up In The Air.'


The opening sequence to this particular film uses split screening. This technique allows one shot to 'hold' more imagery at one time. It is also aesthetically pleasing and keeps the audience watching...

Researching Opening Sequences: Influences.

After looking at multiple opening sequences, we selected these specific film openings as ones that contained influential shots and images that we would potentially use in our own opening sequence...

'The Holiday'.

The film opens with the logo of it's
production company, Universal Studios.

This use of reverse zoom shot misleads the audience, moving from one film to another. This, in turn, may help the viewer understand the genre of the film. 

'Se7en'.

This shot represents the literal opening of a storyline. This technique is simple, yet effective.

The font is again simple, however remains intriguing, creating a childlike feel which contrasts the otherwise grave mood. 

'Panic Room'.

The film opens with an establishing shot, informing the audience of the main location/setting of the movie.
The setting is urban and exciting, qualities we hope to include in our own opening sequence.

What is an 'opening sequence'?

An Opening Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programmes present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound.


Office Space-
The bright blue font and light upbeat music suggests a comedic genre. During the scene we are introduced to the main characters of the film. This helps us to gain an understanding of each character individually, and establishes the atmosphere of the film. 


Trainspotting-
This opening sequence does not include any opening credits, instead, the viewer is immediately 'plunged' into the action. The use of a voiceover allows the sequence to include many different shots and remain in keeping with the genre of the film.