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I am pleased to say that I have finished my blog for my AS media Studies. We as a group worked extremely hard throughout the project and hope you find my blog pleasing. Feel free to watch our Preliminary Task videos and our Final Piece. Enjoy.

Evaluation Task - Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task - 

Since our preliminary task, there is an amount of aspects that have changed, concerning the organisation of our group. Our planning has become more structured and our organizational skills have rapidly improved. Our communication has enhanced swiftly and we worked better as a group. As a group we connected, and set each other different tasks in order for all of us to make the deadlines and achieve high standards.  Our understanding of each other’s abilities has helped us to identify where we work best and use those skills to perform tasks to the best of our abilities.

When comparing our preliminary task to our main task, the opening sequence, we see a big change and mass development in our work. Our main task look very professional compared to the preliminary task. We noticed that because of the organisational factors that changed due to commitment and seriousness, our preliminary task looked like a sketch where as our main task looks more like a film that we would enjoy watching in the cinema.

We stuck to continuity editing to make the sequence look very realistic and not put off viewers of what they were watching. We used a variety of shots in our sequence ranging from ‘Close Ups’ to ‘360 Degrees’ shots, we were very dynamic with our shot choice. There was a scene where dialogue was shot in the opening sequence. The dialogue was picked up nicely and saved us from going to purchase a microphone in order to film the dialogue.

Evaluation Task - Technologies

Technologies - 

During the filming of our main task, we used a variety of different technologies to put it together. From cameras to software’s we picked out and used different technologies and demonstrated the use of them in our final piece. The camera that we used to film our opening sequence was the fantastic ‘Canon EOS 60D’ which we found was light and easy to work with. Canon's X0D series has throughout its life, attracted a wide range of photographers, from fans and semi-pros through to some pros who appreciated having a lightweight option. The camera was a great choice because it offered us wide range of colour variations (or 'Ambiences') which could be applied to the image when using the scene modes, and whose effect can be previewed on screen in Live View.

The 60D gave us the ability to convert raw files to jpeg in-camera, including the option to correct for lens aberrations including distortion and chromatic aberration. As an added bonus, we could looking back apply new 'Creative Filters' to files that we had shot, including 'Grainy Black and White' and 'Toy Camera' looks. The video allowed us to upload our video in the HD option of 1080p.

 Next we used the Glidecam HD 2000. This camera stabilizer assisted us to transform the hard to watch, shaky camera footage into hypnotically smooth, professional footage. The stabilizer enabled the camera to float, be balanced and isolated from our hands undesirable motions. We were free to move with the camera - panning, tilting, booming or running without any camera instability or shake. This benefited us in many ways e.g. filming specific shots such as the 360 degrees shot in our opening sequence.

Next we used a Tripod which is the standard piece of common equipment used for still-shot filming also similar to the Glidecam Camera stabilizer, helped with panning and tilting in still shots. The tripod helped us in spaces where the Glidecam was not efficient and unnecessary. 

We used a range of lenses like the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 II Lens and the Canon EF-S Zoom Lens 18 mm - 55 mm - f/3.5-5.6 IS MK II, which assisted us in filming shots in and out of focus when needed.

To edit our opening sequence, we used the software iMovie. A built-in library automatically organized our footage, so all the clips we’d captured were just a click away. iMovie made it quick and easy to browse the library and create our opening sequence and was also very simple to upload our video to YouTube with options to do it straight after editing. Enabling us to put our camera shots together simple all that was left was to add music and a few effects and the sequence was done.  The work was exported from iMovie and shared to YouTube so we could post to the blog.

We used music from an underground artist from Islington named ‘Joe Black’. We used two tracks from his mixtape named 'Reallionaire'.

Overall the technologies that we used in this season has benefited us massively, giving us the professional effect which is reflected in our work and final piece.

Evaluation Task - Target Audience

Target Audience - 

Our target audience for our piece was set after our market analysis research and focus group with the students ranging from the age of 15- 18 was completed. For our film to appeal to this particular audience we chose young characters and themes which people of this age group would normally be able to relate to. After all of the research was completed, we found that a lot of teenagers between our bracketed age range preferred the movie genre of drama. Since this was the type of genre that we first planned on doing we decided to continue with it.

The youth of today’s society is very much aware of the thrill of gangs, gang violence and gun crime. Quite recently, being in a gang has become a trend among them. This video is aimed to make the youth of today aware of just how dangerous getting involved in gangs, gang violence, and gun crime really is. The video is aimed to make them streetwise and to understand that being involved in petty gangs and gang crimes is pointless and not worth you putting your life at risk. We want them to see that it shouldn't be the majority of them getting involved in this ‘trend’, but instead, should be a minority.The props we used also related to the stereotype of gangs as the characters involved were hooded and used a tool [in this case a gun]. Also, the use of street language/slang was included in the film. This was done so that the target audience would be able to relate to the film more. The location setting of the film may also have appealed to the audience as the estate would be seen as a typical place where a scenario similar to this is more likely to occur.

We [as a group] have decided that, because of the themes used within the film e.g. [moderate violence], it should be restricted to the age group of 15.

Evaluation Task - Institutions

Institutions-

Revolver entertainment is a marketing-lead, all rights film distribution company that was founded in 1917. It has operations in both London and Los Angeles. One thing that revolver is well-known for would be the promotional stunts that they host. Examples of this would be the Zombie gathering in Leicester Square, in which they tried to beat the world record for this as a promotional stunt for their film ‘The Zombie Diaries’. Another example would be the fact that they were superimposing the facers of political leaders onto Kidulthood billboards in London. One of their most recent successes would be the action thriller Shank. Revolver entertainment films are usually distributed by Magnolia home entertainment. We decided that Revolver entertainment was the most suitable film institution to support, sponsor and help produce our film. This is because of the fact that they have previously sponsored a range of national-scale drama films like Kidulthood and Shank. These films were all successful and reached the aim and standard that they wanted to achieve.

I would say that the budget for our filming would be around 400,000 pounds. This is including the costs of the payment for actors, props, production, equipment, marketing campaign and anything else that we may need for the production of the film.

If everything goes to plan, the film will hopefully be shown in multiplex cinemas. This would work to our advantage because of the fact that they have a wider audience range, they offer deals such as orange Wednesdays which again will increase the amount of people that come to the cinema’s to watch films. This especially appeals to younger audiences as they only have a limited amount of money to spend on things like films. This is because the majority of teenagers are in school/college and aren’t working. I would say that channels like ‘Channel 4’, ‘E4’ and ‘BBC Three’ would show our film; this is because of the fact that their main audience are young teenagers that would be interested in this type of movie genre. They would most probably put it on in the evening after 9’o’clock as the film does contain some moderate violence.

Evaluation Task - Representation

Representation -

In terms of social groups our production has focused on British youth. All of our actors were of similar age between 16-18, which shows how people of similar age and background will come together to do something in order to make the task easier for both good and bad reasons. Age and levels of power were not related in our production as, in reality just because a person is older does not necessarily grant them power, as even though the older character Damien had the car, Cavell possessed the firearm, which gave him a higher sense of power although his confidence had been taken by the loss of his mother. In today’s society it is common for youth to become independent of their parents at a young age as many single mothers cannot afford to provide for their children’s expensive lifestyles and as a result they feel they need to provide for themselves. In our character Cavell’s situation he has lost his mothers support completely due to her passing away and has no official job and now has to live with his girlfriend. Though his situation may seem little farfetched, parents giving up on their children is becoming more and more of a reality each day. Many young prisoners in the UK claim that they “had no choice” or the “had to commit crime to get by”. We believe that Cavell’s situation captures these comments and his actions reflect somebody in a similar position.

Our location is a block of flats in Ponders End in the London borough of Enfield with an electronic security door, which regulates who enters and exits the building. Flats and estates are where most gangs are formed due to the close proximity of each flat and the community that is formed by this. Many flats are owned by the council and are rented cheaply to poorer families. This poverty and the want for expensive mobile phones and clothes lead to crime as there are very few jobs available and it is quicker and easier for gangs to do. 

 The first character to be introduced is Cavell who at first looks like a normal teenager getting out of bed but in the morning but this changes slightly as he look very downbeat as if he has no fight left in him. Cavell leaves the flat dressed in dark colours with no emotion on his face further emphasising his sorrow at the loss of his mother. From the setting Cavell is in he looks neither poor or wealthy as the bedroom he woke up in was well furnished but not over the top and the whole block of flats look well maintained showing that the area is quite good. From the flat door all the way to the car Cavell walks lethargically and once he enters the car doesn't even greet Damien just sits down and waits until Damien speaks first. This fully captures his sorrow, as he doesn't even want to speak to his close friend in a time like this. Subsequent to this Cavell presents the gun to Damien which completely changes the audiences perception of Cavell from an emotionally trouble teen to a young criminal. He is now represented as a menace to society as opposed to his earlier representation as a victim of society [no parents].

Evaluation Task - Conventions

Conventions - 

One of the most obvious conventions of a UK film is the accents and the music it contains as only UK films use “Grime music”. The first sound the audience hears is an un-copyrighted track by the UK grime artist Joe black. Automatically this points to a UK youth film coupled with typical UK flat layout the audience is shown afterwards. The clothes Cavell is wearing is typical of British Films with its dark theme, in other countries on a sunny day it would be out of the ordinary to see somebody dressed in dark clothing and a body warmer however this is a typical convention of British teens. A typical convention of gangsters is the way they walk or bop around, Cavell walks with a swagger regardless of his emotional position, this could show how he’s been a thug for so long it has become part of his while life affecting everything he does. Another convention used is the use of a hood, Damien is driving his car whilst wearing his hood behind heavily tinted glass, this connotes that he is trying to hide himself or something from somebody possibly the Police. Just the possession of a firearm is a crime that is highly punishable in the UK, knowing this to have one would mean you have to have a lot of money to get a hold of one and guns are created to kill people so to need one would make one assume that they are murderers or are involved in deep criminal activities.

Our opening sequence does look like an opening sequence as we have used many cuts to show the pace of the story; we have also introduced the main characters in the film quite early in opening. From only seeing the film opening that we have created we believe that an audience would know what type of film is to follow. Opening sequences from similar films such as ''Kidulthood'' and ''Adulthood'' make use of both of the aforementioned techniques and have been successful after using them. I showed the film opening to some of my colleagues at work and asked them what they thought the film was about and what Genre they thought it belonged to. The main response was that they thought it was a story about a boy's life and what he has to do to survive and at the end he would be killed. The thought it was a British drama film that showed the wayward actions teenagers of today do. This was an excellent response as the assumption of the genre was very accurate; the prediction of Cavell’s death or imprisonment was very realistic for this kind of film so this was also deemed as good feedback.