Media Evaluation

Media Evaluation

"Give them pleasure - the same pleasure they have when they wake up from a nightmare." - Alfred Hitchcock

1) In what way does you media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Research was very important in the development of our thriller production. A lot of time was spent watching and analysing thriller films to explore generic signifiers and to inspire us into using similar ideas in our own product. A lot of time was spent watching films such as Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown” and “Inglorious Bastards” to show us how certain shot types, lighting, costume and narrative structure could be used to produce a film that stood out and succeeded in generating thriller appeal. Particular interest was generated by the group after watching “Jackie Brown”. In “Jackie Brown” it was very clear of Tarantino’s intentional use of female empowerment through the behaviour and costume worn by Jackie. We decided upon further analysis to create a similar character to Jackie, one who would upset gender stereotyping and who would control the environment she was involved in. We decided to name her Grace Jones and later would name our film “A Fall from Grace”. We used this piece of word play in our title to send the message to the audience that Grace Jones was once an elegant and graceful woman but through her own ambition had developed into someone far more devious and mysterious. As well as taking inspiration from Jackie Brown in the development of one of our key characters, we also took inspiration from a particular shot found during the film itself. During an argument between “Ordell” and “Beaumont” Tarantino turns the camera into the depths of the car boot leaving us the audience with a mid shot of both characters. The shot (shown below), not only suggested Beaumont’s inevitable decent into darkness but also showed how a mid shot could be used in similar circumstances to generate mystery and suspense. Taking inspiration we developed the shot (also shown below) and created a shot that featured a mysterious handbag being lifted from the boot of the car by an equally mysterious figure – hopefully generating audience suspicion and wanting them to question who the mysterious figure is and what is in the bag.

We decided however whereas the shot in Jackie Brown had the backdrop of a nights sky. We would fill the background of our shot with powerful natural light. We did this to enforce the idea that the natural light is acting very much like a halo over the mysterious figure suggesting she believes she is invincible while also giving the effect that the bag she is collecting has been masked in darkness and mystery

2) How does your media product represent particular social groups?

As mentioned in the above paragraph, we took a lot of inspiration from "Jackie Brown" and "Inglorious Bastards" which both contrast to gender stereotyping and put woman very much in control of the situation. With our character Grace Jones, we wanted to ensure she was masked in mystery and felt dominant over those she approached but we also wanted her to be just a small part of a far greater hierarchy. Using dark black clothing we presented Grace as someone who wanted to slip into the background, unnoticed but also someone who was very much in control of the way they acted. We used pink high heel shoes to suggest she still had a seductive, youthful essence about her - contrasting to her otherwise all black outfit. Furthermore we ensured that her face was never shown during the production, this was used to reinforce the idea that she wanted to remain anonymous and isolated from the rest of the world. It could be argued that for the above reasons Grace Jones is not a generic Femmefatale. She is indeed ill - fated due to her nasty run in with the dominant male figure at the end of the product, but we did not want to present her as a sexual figure. We wanted to tell the audience she could easily dominate those who stood in her way but also intended to lurk in the background and out of sight. Constrating to Grace we presented the second key character of the film to be far less dominant and far more innocent. The shop assistant played by Samuel Cameron was used as a way of suggesting the blissful unawareness of those around Grace. We wanted to present the male figure - who would often be seen as the dominant one - as being off guard and somewhat clueless of the events around him. We took inspiration from characters such as "Derek" in "London To Brighton" who were part of much bigger plans and who lacked much knowledge about what they were in for. Our final important character was based strongly on accepted (accepted meaning more in tune with mainstream generic presentation) stereotyping of modern society. The suited male featured very late on in our production, who lays in wait for Grace to commit her murderous act, was a way for us to suggest that even in the world of Grace Jones men could still overpower and outwit the most deviant of woman. For this character we took inspiration from famous Gangster type roles such as "The Godfather's" Don Corleone.

3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Upon researching media institutions we discovered how sites such as Youtube make sharing independent projects far easier and cheaper than in the past. Youtube offers a way for millions of people to view and share videos all over the world. We realised how uploading our thriller film to Youtube would potentially allow it to be viewed by an infinite amount of people. We also discovered how uploading a video to youtube allowed friends and family to share the film on social networking sites such as Facebook while also being able to download the file onto personal memory sticks and upload it to anywhere they wanted. For funding we researched into how certain sites such as Filmproposals.com offer special ways of acquiring funds for independent film makers. Furthermore we also looked into how companies such as "Working Title" could potentially allow films such as our own to be developed into full length feature films. The internet as mentioned earlier however is most probably the best choice for a film like ours. With Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and various other social networking capabilities the internet allows for short films to generate vast amount of public knowledge and interest through word of mouth and file sharing. The internet means people from all over the world can view and discuss certain media products and contact the developers with ideas or even contracts into turning short films into full length feature movies. Finally we looked at how once a film has been projected into the public domain, how DVD's can be created and sold to generate profit and further awareness of such projects.

4) would be the audience for your media product?

Thriller films are usually targeted at older and more mature demographics. This is mainly due to such films containing graphic violence, complicated plot twists and harsher language. We believe that our film would also fit into this demographic. Our film in its short two minutes contained murder and robbery and therefore would not be aimed at a younger generation, instead we would attempt to attract an audience of around 17+. We would want people to understand the twists and turns of our plot while also being able to enjoy the film without fear of violence or gritty drama. Upon research, where we showed various thriller films including "Flightplan" and "Panic Room" to an audience of people aged 17+ we discovered how they found the films to be engaging and enjoyable. We would not expect this result from children aged below the age of 15 who would most probably not understand some of the complex storyline and who would most definitely not enjoy graphic violence and foul language. We would also hope our product would be enjoyed by adults aged above 30-40. We believe that through the empowerment of woman in our film and the use of sinister and mysterious appeal we would be able to both attract men and woman audiences. Finally due to our inspiration from films such as "London To Brighton" where we are presented with a gritty and disturbed city scape and TV Dramas such as "Spooks" where again we are shown gritty and isolated characters, hopefully means we would attract similar audiences who would watch these kind of programs.

5) How did you attract/address your audience?

After the completion of our film we decided to give the finished product to the year 13 students to critically review. We sent the film to around 10 students who each filled in an individual questionnaire. Upon receiving the questionnaires back we discovered how some elements of the film were repeatedly commented on. One such example was where nearly every student advised we remove our original murder scene. Many of the students argued that the scene was not up to the standard of the rest of the film using words such as "fake". After receiving the feedback we decided it would be best to remove this scene and consequently added a few changes which should indeed make the scene feel more real and keep it in line with the rest of the production. Furthermore we were told about how the lighting in the scene involving Grave Jones's decent into the basement was not up to scratch and made it very hard for the viewer to understand what was going on. Again we decided it would be best to reshoot the scene to ensure the overall film was not damaged due to a key part of the production being hard to understand. Happily we also recieved a lot of positive feedback from those who reviewed our film. Many people really enjoyed the cliff hanger at the end commenting that they wanted to know "what happens next" this pleased us greatly due to this being exactly what we wanted to achieve with our production. Finally we were also pleased that the soundtrack was also a major attraction to our piece. Many people commented on how although maybe slightly light hearted it made the piece enjoyable and added to the sense of mystery. The soundtrack was a very important choice for us as we knew it could dramatically change the whole environment of the production. Were we to choose something like jazz, Grace Jones's whole appeal would have changed due to the audience believing she was far more seductive and sexy; this was something we did not want to happen.

"To me, movies and music go hand in hand. When I'm writing a script, one of the first things I do is find the music I'm going to play for the opening sequence." - Quentin Tarantino

6) What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

From admittedly being quite new to using media technology at the start of the year I believe I have learnt a great deal from creating our thriller product. Firstly through the use of digital cameras I have begun to develop my understanding for different shot types and angles. Learning about how tilt shots can represent feelings of unease and nauseousness allowed me to show a characters emotion through a simple shot rather than speech or action. Furthermore learning about how high angle and low angle shots represent superiority allowed me to again show the dominance of one character and the weakness of another. Through our narrative structure I was able to use a range of different shots including tracking and over the shoulder to show the movement of Grace Jones as she approached and entered the shop. I was also able to use close ups of her red painted nails to show generic signifiers when referring to the femmefatale. Finally I also used the camera to capture shadows that were projected on the wall - showing her high heels walking down the steps and her knife coming down on the unsuspecting shop assistant. As well as getting used to various camera shots and the camera itself I was also able to develop my understanding of how to edit and export the finished film. I was able to learn how to cut and paste various clips into position and how to add diegetic and non-diegetic sound onto the product. Furthermore I was able to use cross dissolves to merge clips together making them much more fluid than they would have been if they were to simply jump from one clip to another. Finally I was able to add titles and cast names to the finished product where appropriate so that they would not distract the audience or disrupt the ongoing film.

7) Looking back on you preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

It is now obvious how the preliminary task allowed me to develop my ideas and camera shots into a far more productive and engaging piece of film. Through learning about the 180 degree rule and getting used to various camera movements the preliminary task taught me much about how difficult filming can be. Through making mistakes in the prelim task, such as using a soundtrack that doesn't fit with the film and dodgy editing I was able to develop my understanding of both equipment and the thriller genre itself. A major problem discovered during the preliminary task was how one mistake could lead to a full reshoot being needed during the editing phase. This prepared us later on when we began our final production as we knew we would have to take multiple shots of each scene to ensure we did not make any dramatic errors. Furthermore we learnt how extremely important lighting is during a film and how lack of lighting can result in continuous reshoots being needed. The progression from preliminary task to final cut has been a huge leap. We spent a lot more time on the editing ensuring everything ran smoothly without a hitch, as well as ensuring the soundtrack was appropriate and that a range of camera shots were used to ensure a smooth and enjoyable film. Personally making the film has been very demanding. From the almost complete change of original idea during the first few weeks of filming to having to travel to and from various destinations during weekends and weekdays the filming has been tough but great fun. The weather has played a major role during some of our shoots making continuity a very big problem, but after weeks of editing we have created something that I believe everyone in our group is proud of. Some of the criticisms have been hard to take, due to spending several hours on certain scenes only to be told they need to be completely reshot. With the final feedback given however, I believe we have created a film that meets the target demographics' needs and that will entertain those who watch it.

Inglorious Bastards Essay

"Inglorious Bastards" Essay

Original Thriller Storyboard

Original Storyboard Ideas

Here is the original storyboarded idea for our thriller film. The storyboard shows our first piece of planning, which differs greatly from our final thriller outcome. As you can see we kept various generic elements from this idea and used them in our final film. These generic elements include the use of the car boot (particularly a mid shot which features in our final cut) and the use of a femmefatale.

The original idea dramatically changed when we gained a new member to the group and were able to merge our ideas together. This would lead to us creating an idea based around a small shop and basement rather than a large shopping mall. We chose to change the location of our idea due to believing the new location had far more villainous appeal than the initial location. Furthermore, along with new location we introduced new characters and changed the plot heavily to further the feeling of tension and thrill.

Preliminary Task

Here is our preliminary task. The task itself was filmed inside the City of Norwich School and was a way for us to practice various camera shots and distances. We also had to focus on the 180 degree rule. I was generally very pleased with the final outcome, and especially like the shot of the feet climbing up the stairs. Seeing as for some of us this was our first use of a recording camera I believe the outcome of the preliminary task was successful and helped us gain confidence with using both the camera itself and various shot types in our final productions.

Kick - Ass

"Kick - Ass"
Director - Matthew Vaughn

From the director of "Stardust" and "The Layer Cake" who also produced iconic british films such as "Lock Stock" and "Snatch" comes the low budget picture - "kick Ass"


I first noticed Kick - Ass back last month when Emprie magazine ran a special article section dedicated to the film. The film at first glance looked average, it had a few recogniseable faces - these being Nicholas Cage, Mark Strong and Christopher Mintz - Plasse, but I must admit I just assumed the film was trying to be a funny version of Watchmen - and would most likely fail. After the first 15 minutes of the film however. I realised I was very wrong!

Friday morning I watched an interview with the Films director and writer Matthew Vaughn, where he explained the various elements of the film, and how the film was actually a low budget British film. With all the recent independent film research we have been doing in class. I thought "Kick Ass" would be well worth a watch.

Lucky enough we were able to grab some advanced screening tickets and on Friday 26th of March at 8:30 we were plunged into the world of "Kick - Ass"

The film started much as expected, the odd gag here and there, with a fimiliar British face around every corner. Infact the first 20minutes of the film was like watching a "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" reunion! The basis of the story was layed out and already it was clear the film had a lot of inspiration from comic books and graphic novels such as Batman and Watchmen.

Without giving to much away. It was about this point that the film could quite easily have become another low budget Superhero comedy destined for the 2010 Razzies. I mean the plot seems perfect for an awful film - Lonely Kid wants to become a super hero and fight crime, has no super powers but has the will to do so. I mean it hardly sounds like a thrilling ride.

What kick - Ass actually offered however was... just brilliance. All credit to the director and cast who turned the film into the best film experience ive seen in a very long time. Mark Strong who has been one of my favourite actors since RocknRolla continued his stretch of playing the baddy, this time playing the crime boss Frank D'Amico - a mix between Spiderman's King Pin and Brick Top played by Alan Ford in Guy Ritchie's "Snatch." Nicholas Cage as Big Daddy showed given the right script he is still able to play a pretty impressive supporting actor part and Chloe Moretz (Hit Girl) Aaron johnson (Kick - Ass) Christopher Mintz Plasse ( Red Mist ) all showed brilliant acting skill which stopped their characters becomming corny and boring.

The film itself featured some superb cinematography, one of the most noticeable scenes being a whole 5 minutes of complete darkness. The darkness only being broken by a comic book style flash everytime a gunshot went off. The scene was like watching a live Prodigy gig with all the strobe lighting but with the sound of gunshot fire entwined within. Furthermore the various comic book references - from Batman and the Joker - to Spiderman and Mary Jane suggested the film was also a homage to all the comic book greats of old and new.

Finaly when looking at the soundtrack used in the film, we can see how just about everything in "Kick - Ass" was brilliant. From the Prodigy - Omen that played during the early fight scenes to the classical soundtrack (which im sure i heared in "The Dark Knight") the music was perfect. It again made the film feel like a homage to other comic book movies while also keeping the film in a modern age - with the use of modern music.

All in all "Kick - Ass" was superb. A budget of only $28 million and a story line that should have been so corny, made "Kick - Ass" seem like it was destined for failure. However due to some superb acting, even better cinematography and brilliant directing "Kick - Ass" has to be one of my favourite films of the last few years. Lock Stock, Watchmen, Tarantino all rolled into one with a nice layer of british acting skill on top. there isnt really much more to say than...

GO SEE THIS FILM!

IMDB 8.7 / 10

Thriller Audience Research

Thriller Research - Narrative

For the third section of audience research I decided to find out how narrative structure effects the way people view a thriller film and how different directors use different narrative structures to ensure their films have a unique storyline, and to what effect this has on the paying audience.

Quentin Tarantino is just one director who does not always use the conventional continuous narrative structure in the films he directs. Films like Resovoir Dogs and Inglorious Bastards use flashbacks to tell a past story of events that are occuring on the screen. Inglorious Bastards often used flashbacks to promote individual character storylines. In fact the start of the film is all sent many years in the past, to establish the setting and theme of whats to come.

I decided to ask family members about how this kind of narrative structure effects how they view a film, and then possibly use the findings as a way to choose the narrative structure of my own film.

When showing people various clips from Inglorious Bastards they mostly agreed that the use of the past narrative in the opening of the film was key into understanding the following storyline. Infact both men and woman agreed that without this part of the film there would most likeley be no film at all due to the way it explains the drive of the characters invovled to hunt each other down. Furthermore both agreed that when a flashback was used to promote the past storyline of a character - such as the "bear jew" - it was relatively pleasing due to a bit of back story being added to the continuous narrative.

Although flashbacks were seen as being generally pleasing, there were some problems with narratives that werent continuous especially from the female viewers. Sometimes the use of to many flashbacks, or indeed a narrative that jumps from time period to time period could be confusing and unhelpful. This lead to a lot of people getting bored of such films due to them having to constantly work out what was happening and who the scene was invovling.

The Research itself was interesting, Inglorious Bastards used a continuous narrative mixed with flashbacks to support the plot and was easy to follow, other films however such as "Vantage Point" which played a repeated narrative in the viewpoint of several people over and over again got rather tedious and irritating. Therefore I believe that it would be best to ensure the thriller I create has a continuous narrative, which could include flashbacks - rather than a narrative that confuses and irritates the audience.

Thriller Audience Research

Thriller Research - Cinema Viewing of Thriller Films.

For my second piece of research I created a questionnaire to find out where people would expect to find thriller films being shown. For this I assembled a questionnaire of various Cinemas located inside Norwich and then asked people to tick which cinema would most be assosciated with which film and why.

The Thriller Films invovled in my questionnaire are as follows:

The Third Man
London To Brighton
Inside Man and Inside Man 2 (yet to be released)
Se7en

The Cinemas involved in my questionnaire are as follows:

Hollywood
Vue
Odeon
Cinema City

I myself would expect people to associate the bigger named thrillers in my list with mainstream cinemas and those that are either independent or seen as more cult films to be shown in independent cinemas.

The Results of the Questionnaire are as follows:

The Third Man and London To Brighton - Cinema City

Se7en and Inside Man - Vue, Odeon and Hollywood

As expected, most people agreed that those films that were either independent or that were released many years ago would only be shown in a cinema like Cinema City. This suggests that modern people associate "out dated" and low budget films with independent cinemas and that mainstream cinemas are just that. Mainstream. Furthermore most people agreed that a film like Se7en would of first have been shown in a mainstream theatre but due to it being "out dated" now it would most likely be shown again at a place like Cinema City due to its cult following.

Many people argued that Mainstream cinemas, being mainstream only show selected titles that are modern and expected to be a success. Independent films are slowly working there way into the odd showing at say Vue or Odeon but on the whole most people agreed that if a film like london To Brighton is shown it will only be avaliable at a cinema that is more driven by audience enjoyment than profit.

In my belief if my film was to be shown at a cinema it would be shown somewhere like Cinema City - an independent company that isnt afraid of showing something a bit edgy and out there. My film being low budget and featuring generic stereotypes fitting with independent thrillers would fit well with an audience that visited Cinema City but would probably not please those who visit a big name mainstream company such as Odeon or Vue.

Thriller Audience Research

Thriller Research - Role of Woman

For my second thriller research section I decided to host a screening for friends and family of the film "Panic Room" starring Jodie Foster. I decided on this film due to the fact it features strongly the role of two woman - Foster and her daughter - and this links in well with the use of woman in my own thriller production.

My own thriller production is a modern thriller that follows a generic mainstream thriller plotline and that features, much like panic room, a certain area that offers a lot of the action. This being the basement. For my research I decided to ask the people viewing the film a series of multiple choice questions.

These questions are as followed:

1) Does the role of woman effect how you view a film?

2) How does the character played by Jodie Foster contest with generic stereotypes?

3) Do you think mainstream films such as panic room dramatise the role of woman too much?

4) Does Jodie Foster's appearance in various thrillers such as Panic Room, Flightplan and Inside Man make draw you to her latest picture?

5) Do you think independent films push the boundaries in a far greater way than mainstream ones when it comes to the presentation of woman in film?

The Results are as follows:

1) Out of the ten people asked to view the film, eight people said that the role of a woman in a dominent roll makes them view a film differently. Most of these people said that due to it going against gender stereotyping it offers a greater element of suspense and thrill as the woman is less predicatable. Furthermore most of these people argued that a woman in a predatorial/dominent roll makes a film more engaging due to them generally being more emotional attached than a male would.

2) Most people agreed that due to Jodie Fosters character taking a dominent role over the male attackers the film was made more thrilling and exciting. The male robbers were portrayed as clumbsy and foolhardy, while foster was seen as playing the more dominating and clever role. The use of this generic stereotyping role reversal - much like the works of Tarantino's Jackie Brown - meant that the whole film was flipped into a world of unpredicatability and emotional attatchment. On the one hand we saw the cleverness of Fosters ability to stay hidden while deep down we knew at heart she was still a woman and lacked the physical strength to beat off her attackers - this could be seen strongly in the scene where she tries to retrieve her mobile phone - a suspense filled few minutes!

3) The gap between the Yes's and the No's was smaller this time, but it seemed that more people believed that the role of Foster's character had been dramatised too much. Whereas woman in films such as Jackie Brown and Physco were seen to be cunning yet ill-fated at times it seemed the role of Foster in Panic Room made her seem a rather alianted from the outside room, and often made her seem out of touch from reality. Films such as London To Brighton show woman to be devious and cunning but at the same time vulnerable, Panic Room didnt manage this kind of idea quite as well. This could be due to it being a more mainstream film.

4) It seemed that most people agreed a female actor such a Jodie Foster gains support due to her ability to produce various convincing dominent Female roles. This was as I expected, and it also seemed most people believed the characterisation of her roles goes towards making her so successful at what she does. This will be helpful when doing our own thriller as it will enable us to ensure our femmefatale fits the same kind of gender specifics that an actor like Foster does.



5) As expected most people agreed that independent films are far greater at pushing the boundaries in the way they present films. Films like London To Brighton promote woman to be far more real than mainstream films such as panic room. The scenes in London To brighton where prostitution was apparent are far less apparent in bigger budget films and even when they are shown are far less gritty. However people did agree that some films in the mainstream market do promote a breaching of gender boundaries. To go back to films like Jackie Brown and Physco we can see how some directors are willing to show their actors as very much capable of taking on a devious role or playing the predatorial character that would usualy be played by a male.

Overall the screening taught me much about peoples knowledge and understanding of the role of woman in films. Some ideas such as a strong charachter will help me in ensuring the Femmefatale in our film has a strong, powerful attitude about her. Whereas other revelations such as the mainstream / independent divide allowed me to see how farbehind most mainstream directors are in promoting so called taboo ideologies such as prostitution.

Costume

Thriller Film Costume

Due to the fact our thriller film is set during a modern environment we wanted to ensure our costume fit in with this time period. Therefore the costume of the assistant and the shop owner can be seen as being casual and modern while fitting in with the working environment.

The femmefatale however, who visits the shop to steal the money and who consequently murders the shop assistant we wanted to stand out from the rest of the cast yet keep her devious appeal. For this we dressed "Grace Jones" the femmefatale in black, while giving her noticeable bright coloured elements to ensure she stood out. For example we used red nail varnish to add a seductive and bold statement and used pink high heels to suggest she was trying to be innocent on the outside.

Youth In Revolt

"Youth in Revolt"
Director - Miguel Arteta


Those who are fimiliar with films such as "Superbad" and "Juno" will know of comic actor and performer Michael Cera. "Youth in Revolt" much like "Superbad" saw Cera playing a down and out teenager who lacked.. well any social ability.


The film begins with Nick Twsip (Michael Cera) living with his recently divorced mother and new boyfriend Jerry - (Played by "The Hangover" star Zach Galifianakis), Nick has to not only put up with Jerry, but his inability to interact with girls, his eccentric next door neighbour and his general life as a whole.

To cut a long story short, Nick ends up having to move to a trailer park where suddenly his life changes thanks to meeting the "love of his life" (Sheeni Saunders) but ofcourse things couldnt be as simple as falling in love. Oh no.. To get Sheeni Nick will have to prove to her he is the man she needs.


To do this Nick decides he must create an alter ego namingly Francois Dillinger. What results is a confusing role reversal where Nick suddenly finds himself destroying Cafe's, being chased by the police and breaking as many laws as he can.

"Youth in Revolt" is a film that does exactly what it says on the tin. Its a film about teenage life taken to the extreme mixed with the comic genious that is expected from an actor such as Michael Cera. The film may not be the greatest teen comedy of all time, but "Youth in Revolt" offers its audience a great laugh and a decent enough storyline at the same time.


IMDB Rating: 7.1 / 10

The Hurt Locker

"The Hurt Locker"
Director - Kathryn Bigelow

With filming almost over, I decided to create a new section of the blog where I review/analyse various films I have recently watched.

To kick things off I decided to finally go out and buy a film that seemed to spring up from nowhere and which recieved fantastic reviews across the board, while also propelling its leading actor to a "Best Actor" nomination at the Oscars.


Before watching "The Hurt Locker" I wasn't to sure what to expect. On the one hand I couldnt help feel it would be a pro-america, pro-war film aimed at supporting the troops out in the middle east, on the other hand through the trailers and clips I had viewed it seemed to resemble much that the 2007 film "The Kingdom" starring Jamie Foxx had offered. How wrong I was.

By the opening few chapters it had been established this was neither a pro-war film nor a glamorous take on the life of the average soldier. This was a gritty ,thought provoking drama about the current state of war in Iraq and Afghanistan. A film that told its audience war is unpredicatable, hateful and full of suprise.

The films itself was shot in a way that suggested you the viewer were viewing the action through the eyes of one of the american troopers. Ever vigilant for enemy activity the camera would often zoom to various locations along the deserted city to suggest the feeling of being watched. This was superb at building tension and suspense especially during the scenes that put the american soldiers out in the open.

The characterisation of the american G.I's was also superb, Jeremy Renner's performance as the socially isolated and emotially detatched bomb disposer was brilliant and well worth an oscar recognition, while the supporting cast were also great at presenting the constant feeling of suspense and tension. The conflcition between Renner and his squad mates built upon this idea of emotional detatchment and gave something extra to the whole film experience.

To sum up, "The Hurt Locker" offers the viewer a brilliant piece of modern war realism while also offering action lovers a film that doesnt dissapoint graphically. The cast of the film deserve massive congratulation for their performances as emotionaly stable yet constantly uneasy soldiers, and whereas other films of the war genre seem to go about a film all guns blazing, "The Hurt Locker" offered a superb tension thriller with brilliant action and storyline.

IMDB Rating: 8.0 / 10

The BAFTA Awards 2010

The BAFTA Awards 2010


Tonight marks the 63rd annual BAFTA ceremony, a night where hollywood meets indepedent film. The BAFTA's offer those who work for independent film the chance to stand up and be heared. With catogories such as "Best Short Film" and "Best British Debut for a Director/Writer/Producer" the BAFTA's are a great ceremony for celebrating those who very much deserve recognition for significent independent film achievements, who may otherwise not be heared over the mainstream media hype!"


The BAFTA's also cater for many of the greatest mainstream films to come out over the last year. Films such as "Inglorious Basterds", "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" are all up for various awards, with "Christoph Waltz" up for a well deserved best supporting actor award for his genious performace as Col. Hans Landa in "Inglorious Basterds."


The BAFTA's this year presented by Johnathon Ross will offer a great insight into those who stand a decent chance at being awarded arguably films greatest award. The Oscar. While also celebrating all those independent actors and directors who also create such powerful films sometimes overshadowed by the mainstream world of film.

Key Media Definitions

Femmefatale - A devious women of great seductive charm who leads men into compromising and dangerous situations. (An alluring or mysterious women)

Film Technology Essay

The Evolution and Advancement of Film Technology Due To Audience Demand

The film industry will always need to adapt to meet the demands of the paying customer. From the introduction of technicolour in 1932, to this year’s blockbuster Avatar’s revival of the 3D film. Technology will always play an important role in the film industry. But is all this technology eating away at good old fashion film production? And are the technological advancements required by the audience turning plot driven epics into CGI packed flops?

Back in 1915 the first movies (as we know them) began to be shown, movies that did not yet have their own sound, these so-called silent films were the wonder and amazement of millions. Recognisable figureheads such as Charlie Chaplin charmed and thrilled audiences as the age of slapstick comedy was at its peak. Critics however argued the early years of the 3D movie presented a “dumbing down” of film production and argue it was not till “The Jazz Singer” (1927) and the introduction of sound in films that the age of the film industry began to take off.



By the early 1930’s the introduction of “Technicolor” allowed films to be shown in a basic arrange of colours and so begins the discussion of our first technological advancement:”Technicolor”. The use of “Technicolor” in films, for many brought the image on the screen to life. Although indeed many films before this new technology had been released were shown in a basic colour, “Technicolor” was much clearer and was much more easily used. Films such as Disney’s “Flower and Trees” (1932) and “Three Little pigs” were massive successes with both the paying public and sceptical Critics. By now audiences and film makers alike were beginning to realise the endless possibilities of film making and the demand for technology was beginning to fasten its pace.



Over the next thirty years film making continued to evolve and prosper. With “Black and White” films arguably still holding superiority. Actors such as “John Wayne” and “Humphrey Bogart” took on leading roles as Hollywood heartthrobs helping the people of Europe and the US progress through the Second World War. The people of a war torn world needed heroes and such actors offered it to them in bundles, the film industry supplied much needed moral boosting entertainment and in the mean time film technology continued to develop. The constant demand of new technology and film continued to exist throughout the 50’s and 60’s, the audiences need for colour film began to out – weigh that of the old “black and white” and by the late 60’s it seemed certain that “black and white” film had had its day. By the 1970’s the development of the animated wire frame graphic, saw cult classic Star Wars (1977) rise to fame and fortune. As audience demand seemed to require a never ending supply of advancement the older “black and white” classics began to turn into just that, classics. With a supply of another two Star Wars epics and various other groundbreaking productions other the next century a new age had begun for film making.



By the 1990’s due to a change in culture and technology the age of film making began to advance once again. This time the advancement would be through animation. Arguably the most famous name in film making, Disney was back at the forefront of technological change. “Toy Story” showed the world the first glimpse of CGI animation as we know it today. A piece of technology that would entertain audiences of all ages the birth of CGI entertainment offered a completely new source of enjoyment and would please greatly all those who craved for further advancements in the world of the film industry. Lead by “Woody” (Tom Hanks) and “Buzz” (Tim Allen) little did the toys of one fortunate child know. That they would be the founding fathers of the multimillion earner, that is the world of CGI animation.



In just over 50 years the film industry had advanced from basic “black and white” silent films to advanced CGI animations that sold for millions of dollars. However the hunger of the audience continued to grow and the need for further advancements in film making was required, over the next decade CGI would take a forefront in the world of films. “Star Wars” would return for another three films bringing with it extreme usage of CGI, alienating it from some of its diehard fans due to its arguable lack of enthusiasm and plot. Comic fan’s favourite “Marvel” would also join the CGI race converting many of its 2D heroes and villains into multimillion selling film icons such as “Ironman” and “The Hulk.” It seemed for some time film technology had finally met the demand of its eager audiences. The idea of a totally 3D film lingered for some time but nothing of any substance seemed to come about. That was however till the 18th of December 2009 where a film named Avatar would push the boundaries even further.

“Avatar” directed and written by James Cameron would be a film that took the jump into a technology argued by some critics to be a dead end. However what it would achieve would amaze its audiences and surprise even the most sceptical of critics. “Avatar” used the most modern 3D technology and CGI to bring the film straight to its viewer. Much like “Toy Story”, “The Jazz Singer” and “The Flowers and the Trees,” “Avatar” was the first film of its kind and was a bridge over to a world of new possibilities. Some critics still argued that the technology was unnecessary but generally the reception not to mention the billions of dollars of profit tell us the general public and critics alike have been sucked into a new technological advancement and that Avatar is very much the founder of the new genre that is 3D filmmaking.



Over the journey of around 100 years the film industry has advanced by a huge magnitude. From a once silent, colourless source of enjoyment we are now at an age of technology that allows us to interact with the image on the screen. I believe the advancement has been so quick due to the heavy demand of evolution craved for by the audience. An audience will always seek more from a film, and although arguably the creation of CGI and animation have damaged the once innocent profession of film making, we are now in a time that allows us to bring the most bizarre and extraordinary ideas to life. Avatar is the current “next gen” process but in a few years no doubt we will be hit with yet more technological madness, and after all film making needs to advance to stop it being boring and outdated.

Thriller Planning - Location Stills

Thriller Planning - Location Stills

Here are some shots of a location that might be used in our thriller production

(Not yet Completed)

Thriller Planning - Equipment List

Thriller Planning - Equipment List

Here is a list of the equipment being used in our thriller production.


Tripod

We will be using a tripod to ensure our filming is smooth and stable.



Recording Camera

We will be using a basic recording camera to film our production.




Lighting

We will be using various torches and lighting to get the desired effect in our thriller production, escpecially in shots such as the shadows in the basement.

Thriller Planning - Car Boot Shots

Thriller Planning - Car Boot Stills

Here are some stills of the car boot being used in our thriller production taken by me
(Adam Ward)

Here we have a shot taken from inside the boot of the car with the door shut. For our thriller we wanted to experiment with different shots to see how we could make the boot of the car a menacing place. When dealing with the car boot scene we got a lot of inspiration from the scene in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown.


Here we have a shot taken from inside the boot of the car with the door partially open. This shot allowed a little light from the outside to seep in, this added to the menacing effect and allowed the boot to be illuminated from the outside.

Here we have a shot taken of the inside of the trunk with the door fully opened, the way the light was projected into the boot was really effective here and i hope to achieve this kind of effect with the final shot. In our final shot we will have the femmefatale - the character "Grace Jones" taking out a package/bag from inside the boot - you will not see her face but will be given the impression of her dark intent from the clothing she is wearing.

Here we have a shot taken from inside the boot with a figure standing outside. I wanted to experiment with this to see how effective a shot could be of someone reaching into the boot. I believe that I have got an effective shot here, I like the way the hand is blurred to suggest nauseousness and unease.

Femal Actors in Thriller Films

Female Actors in Thriller Films

The opening scene of our thriller production will feature strongly the role of a femmefatale. For this reason i decided to do some in depth reserch into the roles of women in various thriller films


Arguably one of the more recognisable women known for playing important and engaging roles in various thriller films including Flightplan, Panic Room and Inside Man is jodie Foster. I decided to do an open screning to some friends and family to ask for their views on the role of jodie foster in Flightplan, and what makes her and women in general such powerful figures in the thriller genre.

Background on Female characters in thrillers


Arguably one of the most iconic images in thriller history, involving a femmefatale is that of the shower scene in Physco (as seen above.) The murderous scene both shocking and brilliant was very inspirational in the planning of our thriller opening due to the chilling image of the knife and the helplessness of the femmefatale.


During the recent filming of out thriller we have used inspiration from Physco to create our very own shadow scene. We used lighting to project the shadow of a knife stabbing down into our unsuspecting shop assistant and I believe the shot works really well. Unlike physco however we did not use a shower scene and instead used a basement. The basement allowed us to acheive a spooky/exciting atmosphere aswell as acheive some very powerful shots.

Mainstream and Independent Films

Mainstream and Independent

Films (The Budget)

Mainstream and Independent films differ greatly in many respects. However there is generaly one factor that can overshadow all others when comparing these two types of films. Namingly budget. With mainstream blockbuster Avatar having a budget of no less than $300 million dollars, many people argue we are now entering an era where things have gone too far.

"James Cameron's epic" as its being labeled, was indeed a visually stunning film with an engaging plot and cast, the improvement of the 3D element made the film arguably more exciting than just "another sci - fi flick" to quote critics. But was it really worth $300 million? The plot engaging as it was fell into many of the basic cliches of a mainstream movie and lacked any suprises or twists. Much like the CGI laced films before it: Transformers, Ironman, Star Wars etc.. it was enjoyable but lacked any controversial ideas that would be expected in any lower budget movie.

However, independent fans do not need to feel threatened by the Avatar giants of today, if $15 thousand dollar horror flick "Paranormal Activity" has anything to say. Independtly made, written and directed by Oren Peli, Paranormal Activity has alread made $100 million dollars before DvD sales. Although nowhere near the several billion dollars achieved by Avatar, Paranormal activity is just one example of an independent film that has shown the world budget does not necesserily determine the greatness of a film.

Max's Death Analysis (Hollyoaks) - TV Drama

Max’s Death Analysis

Every teen drama and/or soap opera requires an emotional storyline or scene every once in a while to ensure its demanding audience receive the entertainment they hunger. From “Eastenders” to “Skins” emotional scenes will grip an audience and keep them hooked. One such example of a scene that does just this is that of Max’s death in the soap opera/teen drama “Hollyoaks”.

The scene opens with many of the cast wearing their finest suits after attending the recent wedding of the ill – fated Max; this is done as a way of suggesting to the audience that all is well and removes any expectations of the disastrous event about to occur. However as we know, soap operas will often turn seemingly pleasant events on their heads to secure a gripping and emotional death scene. The camera then quickly moves to a tracking shot of the young child as he chases after his parachuting toy before again changing to two fast close ups, one of the soon to be murderer and one of Max. The use of non - diegetic sound can be heard as the music heightens resulting in a build up of suspense, while diegetic sound in the form of the revving of a car engine and the screams of Max to warn off the endangered child are layered on top furthering the emotion. The camera once again changes to a tracking shot of Max, stopping just as he manages to push the child away and is propelled over the Cars bonnet. The camera makes one final change to the image of the parachuting toy, this time instead of gliding smoothly it smashes against the curb, a direct metaphorical reference to Max. In around ten seconds the mood of the event has turned from cheerful and enjoyment to disaster and shock.

As Max lies still in the road, the music changes to a softer more mournful sound, and non-diagetic use of a heartbeat sensor can be heard mingled within the soundtrack, suggesting ideas of death and peacefulness. The camera switches once again between close ups of the killer and Max suggesting that these are the two key members of the scene and could arguably suggest the idea that the event was a duel between the loving newlywed Max and the emotionally unstable driver. As the camera pulls out we see passer bys arrive at the scene and the emotional dialog between the two best friends begins to unravel. The dialog consists of friendly banter between the two even though the incident will leave Max dead. Max reveals his emotion for both his wife and OB by telling him “he loves him” the reply from OB continues this idea of a friendly yet emotional exchange of words “Don’t be gay” he mournfully replies suggesting even now in the last few minutes of their friendship he still wants to joke about and just pretend nothing has happened, while secretly the close up of his eyes tells us much more, he is beginning to realise the magnitude of the incident and is dreading the thought of losing his best mate. As much as he tries to cover up these feelings as the dialog continues it becomes much more apparent.

As max falls silent into the arms of OB, the young Tom cuddles him suggesting they have a stronger relationship than that of Max and his wife, a relationship of brotherly love and the bond between the best of friends. As the camera goes to a mid shot, Steph comes into view behind them still wearing her white wedding dress, suggesting ideas of purity and innocence. She cradles her dead husband and her wedding dress covers the pavement suggesting ideas that her purity and innocence has now been mixed in the dirt and grime of the villainous affair. As Ob, Tom and Steph surround the body, the camera begins to pan out and towards the sky, the peaceful music begins to reappear and the camera makes a final accent into the sky. Suggesting that Max’s spirit is floating up into the heavens where he will at last have peace.