Categorising Audiences

Pearl and Dean categorise audiences into 4 categories based on modern cinema and what types of people tend to watch different types of film.

Perfect Audience Member

I used a couple of websites to research what would be the perfect audience member of our film opening (UK Tribes and 'What Tribe are You?'). To do this, I took the quiz and answered how my typical audience member would.

After taking the quiz on behalf of my perfect audience member, the result was a Trendie. I then researched what this meant and found that it was part of the 'Aspirant' tribe, along with Rahs and New Casuals. For Aspirants, it's all about "experience seeking, keeping up to date and letting loose with friends". This is a perfect match for our ideal audience member as they are likely to watch our film with their friends and socialise. Trendies are "always searching for the next big thing".

Trendies are a rapidly growing UK Tribe that are threatening to exceed the population of Townies, a 'Mainstream' tribe. Trendies take a more alternative stance on fashion, trying to create their own individual look. Idols include Alexa Chung, Kate Moss and Daisy Lowe.

With these idols in mind, I put together a few items of clothing that our typical audience member might wear using Polyvore.

Based on this, here are some images of what our typical audience member might look like. They would be young thrill seekers who enjoy socialising with friends.

Outcomes of Audience Research

One day after creating and sharing my questionnaire, I decided to look at the results so far. The website I used allows you to view the results in a donut chart, making it easy to decipher the majority.

Gender

The gender of my audience is almost equal, however the majority is female at 61%. Because they are split very closely, I do not want to make my film opening overly feminised to ensure it still appeals to the male population of my audience. However, using female characters will be a much subtler way to appeal to female viewers as they can relate.

Age

The most common age range of the audience was 16-20 years old. This is very similar to my planned target audience, meaning I can hopefully succeed in making it appeal to the viewers.

Favourite Genre

Most of my audience prefer horror films, which works very well with the plan for my film opening. The second most preferred is thriller. With this knowledge, I plan to add aspects of thriller to my film opening in order to appeal to a wider audience.

The next question asked the respondents to list a film of their specified genre that they believe has a good opening. I was most interested in seeing what horror films would be listed so that I could research them and include some of their traits in my own film. Three quarters of the horror respondents listed The Woman In Black as a film with a good opening.

 Opinions

One of the questions in my questionnaire was: "Fill in the blank: if the opening of a film was ____, I would not want to continue watching the film". This was an important part of my research as it allowed me to find out what my audience did not like so that I knew what not to include in my opening. Here's how they answered:

• "Bad quality"
• "Not HD"
• "Boring"
• "Boring"
• "Boring"
• "Bad quality"
• "Scary"
• "Overly slow and drawn out"
• "Bad quality"
• "Boring"
• "Boring"
• "Boring"
• "Badly edited (ie: continuity errors)"

The most common things my audience did not like in film openings was if they were boring or of lower quality. To avoid these, I will make sure to ask people's opinions when editing my video to make sure it is exciting and engages the audience. I'll also double check for continuity errors while editing. Using a high quality camera when filming will ensure it looks professional.

Another one of my questions was designed to help me include things my audience would like. I asked  "Why do you like this opening?", in regards to their answer of a previous question. They answered:

• "Eerie and gives a good sense of the plot"
• "It ties in later with the film"
• "Because it's engaging and not boring"
• "It's very tense and is leading up to a very good plot"
• "Eerie"
• "Shows a good idea of the plot"
• "Sets the scene. Instantly engages the viewer"
• "Very interesting and catches the eye of the audience"
• "Tense atmosphere"
• "It's amusing and you get drawn in"

Most of the answers refer to the atmosphere and the sense of plot of the film. I think my group will succeed in offering these desirable traits as a creepy and tense atmosphere is easily created through editing and our plot has contextual clues. Other comments like the opening "set(ting) the scene" and being "interesting" are all good ones to take into consideration. To set the scene, I will use a panning shot of our location. I believe our film opening should be "interesting" as our plot is quite unusual and so will hopefully engage the audience.

Audience Research

Survey Maker

Mood Board

I used Polyvore to make my mood board, setting out different areas I wanted to cover: settings, props and characters. 

The 'settings' section features abandoned houses, dark woods and confined alleyways as these are all typical of the horror genre. Because of this, audiences will straight away pick up on this motif, inducing fear of what is to come. During my research, I noticed that horror films often take place in day to day locations, such as somebody's house. This means the audience member can relate the events to their own life, thus creating a sense of paranoia and fear.

I included a range of different evil antagonists in my 'character' section and took inspiration from popular films of the genre. An example of this is Jack from The Shining, which also refers to horror films reflecting real life as he was just a regular guy. This isn't always the case in horror films though, hence why I included other antagonists such as a zombie, a masked man and a creepy clown.

Researching props also helped with deciding what to include in our own film. Crows are often in horror films and has deeper significance; a group of crows are often referred to as a 'murder'. I also included fake blood, various weapons and supernatural objects.

9 Key Shots of a Horror Opening

I decided to research the 9 key shots of The Woman In Black, a 2012 horror film.

(Note: non-diegetic, eerie music is playing throughout the opening, creating an unsettling atmosphere for the audience.)

The opening of The Woman In Black immediately highlights the power of this supernatural force. The first shot shows three young girls playing happily together in a playroom. This is an important shot as it adds a sense of realism to the film. I would also like to use realistic elements in my own film opening to ensure that my audience can find ways to relate to it. The girls are also dressed in light, feminine pastels which symbolise innocence and purity. I would like to include similar colour meanings in my own opening as a subliminal way to portray the difference between characters.

The second shot shows the girls simultaneously turn around, transfixed by something/somebody that the audience cannot see. This further instils fear into the viewer as the unknown can be very daunting. This shot is imperative to the plot of the film as it gives resolution to upcoming scenes. In my film opening, I will look into ways we can include this filming technique as it is a simple way to create a tense atmosphere.

The next shot shows the three girls divert their attention to something else, which we also cannot see. An eye line match is used between shot 3 and shot 4 as the camera moves to where the girls are all looking: three, full length windows. The audience are left in anticipation as they wonder what relevance this has. This shot is something I am interested in including in my own film opening as it is an effective way to engage the audience.

Shot 5 is of the three girls in a trance like state, as they leave their toys to stand up, still focussed on the windows. The way that they do not divert their attention has a haunting feeling to it, as they appear to be in a sort of hypnosis.

The next shot is a close up of one of the girls' hand as she drops the china teacup she was playing with. The camera follows this with match-on action and focuses on it smashing against the floor. This leaves the audience unsettled as they realise this is peculiar behaviour and creates anxiety about what is to come.

The camera is in front of the three girls as they walk orderly to the windows. At this point, the audience have a good idea about what may be about to happen which ties in with omniscient narration as it is clear that the girls are not in control of their fate. When filming my film opening, I would also like to use omniscient narration as this can induce fear and tension in the audience.

The audience's thoughts are realised in shot 8, when all three girls jump synchronously to their deaths. This shot is imperative to the plot as it highlights the intensity of this supernatural force.

The last shot pans backwards from the window to reveal the evil entity that is responsible. The audience can only see her veil, leaving the air of mystery around her. Like her name would suggest, she is dressed all in black. Being such a dark colour, it connotes evil, mystery and power. The villain in my film opening will also be dressed in black in order to portray similar characteristics.

Full Textual Analysis of a Film Opening

The scene opens with non-diegetic music, somewhat resembling that of an old fashioned music box. Music like this is typical of horror films, so viewers who are accustomed to the genre will already feel tense and anxious about what is to come. The music intensifies throughout the opening, creating a sort of countdown to a main, horrific event. There is no dialogue in this opening scene, making it feel more cinematographic. 

The first few shots show three young girls playing together with their toys. All three girls are dressed in pastel coloured dresses, connoting innocence, femininity and purity. The style of the dresses and the toys they are playing with are representative of the Edwardian era in which the movie is set. Close ups are used here to draw attention to these details.

A long shot is used as all three girls simultaneously look up, creating the impression that there is something/somebody in the distance. The girls are transfixed by this entity and begin acting in a trance-like state. They hold eye contact for quite a while, making the scene feel intense. The girls' eyes then divert to the other side of the room and an eye line shot is used to show what they are looking at: three full length windows. Without looking away, all three girls stand up at the same time, further suggesting the idea of hypnosis. A close up is used of one of the girls dropping a china tea cup, followed by match on action as it smashes on the floor. The girls begin walking over to the window, ignoring and breaking the china dolls and tea sets that lie on the floor before them. Their obliviousness strengthens the idea of some sort of possession. Synchronous sounds are used here to emphasise the breakages, suggesting to the audience that something is not quite right.

The camera is placed in front of the three girls in the next shot as they walk towards the windows. This highlights their determination as the girls continue staring behind the camera. Omniscient narration is used as the audience begin to realise what may be about to happen, allowing them to sympathise with the girls as it is clear they are not in control of their fate. The audience's thoughts are realised as the girls climb into the window frame and synchronously jump to their deaths. This highlights the intensity of the effect the supernatural entity has on others. This shot was centre of the frame which draws attention to it and marks it as important for the progression of the plot.

The last shot of the opening pans backwards from the window to reveal a mysterious, veiled character in the right of the frame, fixated on the now empty windows. She is dressed all in black, connoting evil and power. The audience do not get to see much of her, keeping the air of mystery surrounding her. Her outfit somewhat resembles what one would wear to a funeral, which is appropriate when considering the events that just unfolded.

Horror Film Opening

Here is a graphic break down of the opening of Saw, a film from my chosen genre.

Horror Films: Research & Analysis

Upon research, I have settled on two horror films that share the conventions I would like to include in my own film opening. Both films (Let Me In and Devil's Due) associate the female gender with blood, representing them as callous. The crimes they commit are often forces of the supernatural, instilling fear into the viewers. The supernatural is often invisible, which leaves the audience paranoid and fearful of their security. We will also be using a supernatural element to our film opening; our protagonist sees a dead, bloodied version of herself trying to communicate with her. Another convention they share is the settings and locations. They are all set in modern day suburbia, making it relatable for the audience. This means the audience are able to visualise the plot happening in their lives, creating a haunting feel to the film. This is something we will definitely include as I believe it is a simple, yet effective, way of creating the same tension. 

 Let Me In (2010)

 Devil's Due (2014) 

I have decided to study these two films as, although not in terms of plot, they are both quite similar to our film opening. When we were planning our film, we decided to use an inversion of female characters. We wanted to go against the typical representation of the female gender being passive and compliant by linking the characters closely to blood and gore. The main character of Let Me In is a young vampire girl who has to kill to quench her thirst, while the protagonist of Devil's Due is possessed by a devil, resulting in her attacking people. The victims are innocent, regular people which further instils fear into the viewer as it gives the impression that nobody is safe.

Both of these films use a lot of (fake) blood in order to create graphic imagery, which has an unsettling effect on the audience. In our film opening, we will also use fake blood as a way to differentiate between the dead and alive version of the girl. 

In terms of sound, both films use diegetic, foley sounds that match the video. This creates a sense of realism to keep the film from being too outlandish. However, when tension is being built, non-diegetic soundtrack is often used. Music in horror films is often used when leading up to something bad (ie: a killing), causing the viewer to feel nervous. Sound is very important in film making as it can alter the entire atmosphere.

Omniscient narration is typical of horror films and is present in both Let Me In and Devil's Due. From very early on in Let Me In, the audience are made aware that the protagonist, Abby, is a vampire while the other characters remain unknowing. This is similar in Devil's Due, as nobody else realises she has been possessed (until it is too late) while the audience have known from the very beginning. This keeps the audience in anticipation for the reveal and allows them to feel anxious for the other characters. Omniscient narration goes hand in hand with the rule of thirds (demonstrated in the still, above, for Let Me In). In this still, the male character, Owen, is in the centre while Abby walks into the right third. The rule of thirds highlights the importance of certain aspects of the shot and, in this case, it is Owen. He is in the foreground of the shot, bringing the audience's attention to his reaction. Close ups are also typical of the horror genre as they allow the audience to see characters' true emotions and reactions to the events that unfold.

Analysing these two films has given me broader understanding of what is expected of horror films. It has consolidated my knowledge on what makes these horror films so successful and I am keen to include these conventions in my own opening. This will ensure that my film opening reflects the genre we have chosen and should appeal to our target audience.

Horror Film Music

The Typicality of the Horror Genre

I researched the greatest horror directors over the years and included the top five in my prezi. I also then went on to research notable horror characters and the actors that commonly take on these parts.

Conventions of Our Chosen Genre

Our group have chosen the horror genre for our film opening. Collectively, we have all watched a great number of horror films and so believe we have a good knowledge in this genre. This is a good research method as we can pinpoint the good points of the film and adopt them into our own. Upon further research, we found there were lots of sub-genres that we could choose from, meaning we can make our film opening more specific to our target audience.

Production Techniques of the Horror Genre

I did some research on the techniques commonly used in my chosen genre. This research will be incredibly beneficial for when we begin to start planning our own horror film opening.

Sub-Genres of Horror

Target Audience of Horror Films

The target audience for horror films is generally those in the age group of 15-25 years old. It is around this age that a common way to socialise with friends is to watch scary movies together. Young people tend to be thrill-seekers and this is one way to soothe that crave.

Although both genders watch horror films, they tend to be designed to appeal to the male fan base. This is made evident by the content and the typical characters. Stereotypically, males in this age bracket often play violent video games and so are enticed to watch a film with similar content. Film producers do this deliberately as they know that a large proportion of young males are very likely to watch. In my prezi (here) explaining the conventions of the horror genre, I mentioned the different characters that are commonly used. One of these was the 'sex appeal' of the film - a promiscuous young woman. This relates to the "male gaze theory"; it describes the tendency of works to assume a heterosexual man's viewpoint.

The Jelly Baby Challenge

Story One:

The first opening we decided on creating was for a "ghost story film, rated PG". As a group, we chose this one as we believed we had a good understanding of the key conventions used in ghost films. Before we began, we outlined a plot and several filming techniques we intended to include. The techniques we wanted to use was an establishing shot, whip pan shot and close ups.

The plot of our film opening is pretty simple but, I believe, very effective. It is a story of four friends who go camping in a field. When one of the characters (Stephanie) hears noises in the distance she goes off to investigate and is greeted and attacked by a demonic ghost. The next morning, the remaining three friends realise Stephanie isn't in the tent and later discover her lifeless body.

The planning of our Jelly Baby story was successful because all members of our group made a contribution. Before we started planning the plot, we all made suggestions and mutually agreed on the one we found most fitting. From there, we then discussed a range of shots we were interested in using. We printed out various images (the facial expressions, the backgrounds, the tents and the rock) in order to make our storyboard shots look as true to life as they would if we actually filmed them. I believe we stuck to our brief very well and ensured that it stayed within the PG-rating boundaries. 

We could have improved our finished storyboard by using the same surface throughout. As you can see, the surface in the last photo is different to the rest which creates a sense of discontinuity. 

Story Two:

The second brief we decided on was for the "independent movie". We chose this because it allowed a multitude of possible plots for us to decide between. The shots we would use include Long Shot, Tracking Shot and Medium Close Up.

The protagonist of our film is a regular at an indie coffee shop and knows almost all of the customers. One afternoon, somebody completely new and mysterious enters and catches our protagonist's eye. This is only the opening of the film, but the plot would develop further and follow the story of our protagonist and the mysterious male. 

I think this task was planned and carried out well as we put a lot of effort into it. We focussed heavily on the props and set of this opening to make it more apparent to the audience. All members of our group contributed and worked quickly so that we wouldn't run out of time. Because of this, our shots were consistent - unlike our shots for the ghost story opening. I believe our storyboard stands out because of the set. There were different depths, meaning the bar tender could sit behind the bar and our characters could 'sit' on chairs. 

A way of improving the overall look of our storyboard would be to find a way of having the jelly babies stand on their own. Using pencils worked, however it meant that the shots were obstructed and it isn't as clear to the audience as I would have liked. Picking a genre with such versatility in terms of plot meant that we spent quite a lot of time when deciding. 

Preliminary Task: Evaluation

I am very happy with the end result of our preliminary task video. We applied the various filming techniques to the actions we had to include and, I believe, we succeeded in doing so. The video was filmed smoothly and was edited in a way that strengthened the professional approach we sought out to achieve.

For the dialogue, we chose one we had previously looked at in class but altered it slightly to ensure our video was original. If we were to do this task again and had more time, I would suggest we wrote an entirely new and original dialogue. I am extremely happy with who we cast to play the characters in our video. Caoimhe and Rainbow are both A-level Drama students and they definitely exceeded our expectations. They fully immersed themselves in their roles and were very convincing actresses.

The actual filming and editing of this task didn't take very long as everybody in our group were very focused and conscientious. Filming the video was very straight forward as everybody in our group cooperated and had the same vision. The planning process was the most time-consuming part of this project. It took a relatively long time to find an appropriate duologue and casting actors for our characters proved quite difficult.

We did not complete a risk assessment as our video was filmed in a very safe environment and the actions our characters carried out did not pose any immediate risks.

I believe the filming techniques we used were effective and added to the atmosphere of the video. We used the compulsory techniques (180-degree rule, match on action and shot/reverse shot) as we saw these as most important. Our group agreed that we did not want to add more in unnecessarily as we really wanted to focus on the essentials. I do believe we could have perhaps emphasised the 180-degree rule technique a little more, but other than that I am very happy with the techniques we used and how we applied them.

The target audience for this video is mainly teenagers, so we showed it to a few of our friends. They all really liked it and appreciated the fact that the actresses were also peers. This made it appear more life like and they were able to empathise.


Although I am generally pleased with the outcome, there are a few changes that, when looking back, I would change. At one point, I film through one side of the window and focus on Caoimhe. Here, the light in the room creates a reflection and the camera is then visible for the audience to see. Later in the video, there are a few people in the background of shots where they are not needed, as well as unwanted noises from surrounding classrooms. Unfortunately, we did not notice these errors until after editing so we were not able to go back and re-film due to timing issues. This has encouraged us to always look back over our clips in detail before finishing up so that we can avoid this in the future.

Preliminary Task: The Video

Preliminary Task: Duologue

B1: Caoimhe
B2: Rainbow

B1 passes a room and, in the corner of her eye, sees B2. Camera goes behind B1's head, focussing on her watching B2. B2 walks through the door, yelling.

B1: Oi! [match on action]

B2 is sat at a table. B1 stands above her.

B1: Have you got it? [180 degree rule]

B2: (Nervously) Yeah..

B1: (Aggressively and mockingly) Hand it over then?!

B2 keeps eyes down, avoiding eye contact, and hands over a wad of money. [Match on action]

B1: (looking at the money) Is that all of it?

B2: Yeah [shot/reverse shot]

B1: (Strangely cheerful) "Nice doing business with you.."

B1 exits.

Preliminary Task: Storyboard

Preliminary Task: Planning & Research

Setting Details:

While planning our preliminary task, we thought of several different locations which we believed to be appropriate for the setting of our video. We narrowed it down to either a hallway, a picnic bench or an empty classroom. Out of these we decided on the empty classroom. This setting allowed us to demonstrate all of the actions we were asked to include: opening a door, crossing a room and exchanging a few lines of dialogue. Filming in our own room also meant that we were not disturbed by other people or noises.

Character Details:

There were only two characters in our video: Caoimhe and Rainbow. Caoimhe played the aggressor, who intimidatingly collected money from Rainbow, her victim.

Equipment and Prop List:

The only two pieces of equipment we used was a camcorder and an SD card. Initially, we were going to film using my own camera as it is high quality and it is very easy to change the focal point of the shot. However, it was much more convenient to use the school camcorders. The camcorder filmed in HQ and had a very powerful zoom which meant that the clips all turned out really well. It didn't already have an SD card inserted, so we used one I had brought in from home. 

The money was the only prop we used in our video. We printed off £240 worth of fake notes from Google images so it looked more realistic. This also added to the overall professionalism of our video.

Preliminary Task: Choosing a Logo

Before we started planning our video, we needed to decide on whose production company logo we should use. To achieve a mutual agreement, we all put forward our opinions on each of the logos.

Ellie's Logo

Nicole's Logo

My Logo

  

In the end, we all agreed that Nicole's was most suitable for our preliminary video. As it had a plain black background, it would be much easier to transition into the start of the video. The monochromatic palette used gives the impression of professionalism and is similar to current successful film companies. I also really like the font as it is unusual and portrays the creative process of film making.

Filming Techniques

Here is the Prezi I made on various filming techniques. It includes 'Match on Action', the '180-degree Rule' and 'Shot/Reverse Shot', accompanied by a description and an example of each.

Film Title Sequences

Title Sequence 1:

(Click to see full size picture)

The first timeline is for the film "The Incredibles". I decided to choose this film as I thought it was set up interestingly in the way that it was accompanied with animations. As it's an animated film, the majority of the work is down to the 'behind-the-scenes' crew, so these were credited first and the voice actors were not credited until the very end.

The audio in this opening was very minimalistic. It started with a distinct voice declaring for "peace and happiness" which was then drowned out by cliché superhero-like music. This continued for the rest of the title sequence.

My Logo

My Film Company Logo
(Click for full size)

The logo is the first thing the audience will see regarding your company, so it should convey a lot about what you do. It should look professional but, most importantly, it should be unique.


The main image of my logo is a Pegasus. I decided to look into star constellations as a reference to the 'star-quality' of my company's productions. Upon research, I learnt what Pegasus symbolised and knew it was the name I was going to go for. Pegasus is a symbol of knowledge, glory and inspiration and was the 'creative spirit' of Greek mythology. Film production is clearly a very creative process which has the capacity to inspire it's audience; this is why I believe Pegasus is an incredibly relevant symbol for my company.

My initial idea was to have the sky a sort of faded lilac colour to emphasise the magical connotations. However, I decided against this in order to keep my logo gender neutral, meaning I could appeal to a much wider audience. Looking into colour psychology was a very beneficial step in the creation of my logo, as it meant I could convey what my logo represented in a concise and immediate way. The shade of blue I settled on is a sort of 'azure blue'. This colour is one that "inspires determination and ambition to achieve great things", which, I believe, is extremely applicable to the film industry.

The only words I've used on my logo is the company name: "Pegasus Productions". I didn't want to use a slogan as it's not something typically seen on the logos of current production companies. With this in mind, I thought it would appear unprofessional if I did decide to include one. The alliteration of my company's name makes it seem bold, striking and powerful, as well as being quite memorable.

The text on my logo is all capitalised, emphasising it's importance. The word 'productions', although underlined, is in a smaller text size. This was done deliberately so that your eyes straight away fixate on the word 'Pegasus' as it is this that sets my company aside from others. The font is dark grey - a colour that creates a sense of composure. Initially, I wanted black text as a way to assert the power this colour seems to radiate. Instead I decided on the dark grey as it is less harsh yet seems to strengthen a sense of mysteriousness. The colour grey is not gender biased, which means by using it I am not restricting the audience of my company.

I think my logo would definitely stand out on different advertisement platforms as it's very bold. The white Pegasus on the blue background makes it hard to miss and would also be easily recognised. It's different to other film company logos I've seen in the way that it is coloured. Most logos of current production companies tend to be black and white, making mine much more noticeable in comparison.

I believe my logo is creative as I have made something based on our perceptions of different images, shapes and colours. I looked into everything I included to ensure it conveyed the message I wanted to spread. As previously mentioned, it's very different to other production companies in many ways. Mine is much more visual, while other companies tend to focus on the text and one small image or icon.

Summer Work: Evaluative Essay

In my mini film, I wanted to succeed in creating a sense of tension. With that aim in mind, I made sure to watch the scene we were going to recreate in great detail. The actual scene from the film is incredibly tense and so I noted down how this was achieved so that we could incorporate certain aspects into our recreation.

 I think the main thing that added to the unease of the scene was the lack of audio. The only sounds playing were the repeated beat of a drum, a countdown and a monotonous drilling sound; there was no speaking. In order to achieve the same dramatic atmosphere, we used the same audio. We then focussed on different camera techniques that would work effectively.

To open the scene we filmed a close up of Rainbow, who was playing Katniss. Close ups are often used to underline a character’s personality, as well as focussing on their reactions. I think this is an effective way to open a scene as it means viewers can quickly make an opinion on the character – especially whether they think the character is ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

Another camera technique we included was ‘whip pan’. We included this by panning quickly from character to character. Doing this meant that the audience were introduced to the entire cast, while still maintaining the tension we created.

I think using extreme long shot works very effectively when filming the set. This means the scale and importance of the event is evident, as well as fitting in the whole cast. This technique shows the vastness of the landscape, which works perfectly with the film we chose. It’s effective at creating overall atmosphere and I believe it looks particularly dramatic in the way we’ve incorporated it.

I’m very glad that we used the “worm’s eye view” technique in our mini film. This angle looks extremely threatening as the character in shot is made to look dominant and with power. The clip we used this technique for is a very brutal clip, which I think fits perfectly.

Overall, I'm extremely happy with how our mini film turned out. Setting out the aims we wanted to complete before we started made it much easier to ensure it was a success. My main aim was to create the same sense of tension that is present in the actual scene which, I believe, we have definitely accomplished. I also really like the way it's edited; the smooth, fluid camera movements make it appear much more professional. 

Summer Work: The Video

This is our recreation of a scene from The Hunger Games.



Characters:

Rainbow - Katniss Everdeen
Lauren -    Peeta Mellark / Mrs Everdeen
Nicole -     District Tribute / Primrose ("Prim")
Me -          District Tribute / Gale

Summer Work: Storyboard & Write Up

1 - Close Up

2 - Slow Pan

3 - Whip Pan, then Medium Close Up

4 - Medium Long Shot

5 - High Angle Shot

6 - Medium Shot

7 - Low Angle Shot

8 - Medium Close Up

9 - Extreme Long Shot

10 - "Worm's Eye View" Shot

11 - Over the Shoulder Shot

12 - Long Shot

The opening shot in this scene is a close up of the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen. There’s no audio, except from a monotonous sort of drilling sound. These two factors combined set the mood and atmosphere for the rest of the scene. Viewers can already recognise the tense and dramatic nature of the segment, which means they then pick up on smaller, yet significant, details and gestures.

The next shot is a slow pan of the surroundings. This emphasises the scale of the event, which also adds to the drama. The audience can see how much the competition means to their society, meaning they’re able to understand how important it is for them to win.

Shot 3 is a series of MCU’s of the other contenders. Their stern facial expressions add to the sinister and immoral nature of the competition. This added darkness means the audience feel more and more uneasy and, in a way, nervous for the protagonist.

The next four shots are the contrasting reactions of different groups in their society. Shot 4 shows a sense of togetherness and celebration, while the people in shot 5 are much more disengaged and gloomy. Shot 5 is also filmed from further away, thus fitting more people in frame and highlighting the fact that there are more people unhappy with the situation, than there are joyous. This idea is also supported by shots 6 and 7, in which the characters all look concerned and pensive. The thought of people celebrating the event is then somewhat pushed aside from the viewer’s mind.

Next, the audience see Katniss engage with another contender in a much less fearsome manner. The audience can see an alliance forming, providing with them with some hope.

In shot 9, the extreme long shot is used to, again, display the significance of the competition by emphasising its mass.

The next shot instills a sense of fear into the viewer’s mind. The “worm’s eye view” shot amplifies the savagery. This camera angle shows dominance in the character by showcasing the power they have. In this clip, the character is seen stabbing somebody. This brutality has a very strong impact on the viewer, especially when shot from an angle like this that makes them appear superior.

Statement of Intent

Statement of Intent

My name is Bailey Welch and I am currently studying AS Media Studies, as well as English Literature and Sociology.

I also studied Media at GCSE, achieving a B grade and gaining some experience in this field. During the course, we had to analyse the DVD covers of different genres of film, as well as making our own with the title 'Imagine'. We also studied the music industry; I researched how celebrities are portrayed in different aspects of the media, as well as creating a magazine print interview and the transcript for a television appearance with said celebrity. Our final piece of coursework was to create 4 pages of a magazine: the cover, the contents page, an advertisement and an article. The magazine centred tasks were definitely my favourite as I'm interested in going into journalism as a career. I really enjoyed the creative process of designing and producing my magazine.

I'm very keen to learn more about the film industry and I look forward to learning more about the various filming and editing techniques used. As previously mentioned, I'm very interested in going into the media industry in the future as I'd love to be a fashion journalist. I believe studying media for the past two years has definitely helped me to realise this as it has taught me a lot about the industry.