Post 20. FINAL FILM, POST CARD AND FILM REVIEW

Short Film. 'Closer'

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrsShipp100#p/a/u/0/ZkHBtwDgo4E

Postcard

I chose this design because it allows people to see a section of the film and you get a sense of a character and the mystery of why the other person has been burnt out, therefore leaves you wanting to know why.



I create my final design on Photoshop and begun by opening up the picture to allow it to be the background. I then cut around the person with the Magnetic Lasso tool. To get the burnt effect I had to experiment with many different tools such as the smudge, blur, brush and burn buttons. At first I wasn't sure of the effect I wanted to create, as I wanted a more spiritual one to make it seem ghostly, however decided the burnt out looked more effective. Plus gave me a chance to practise and improve my skills on Photoshop.


I then took sections of the postcard to layer them behind the image to show the leaflet and wooden floor behind, making it look more realistic.


I found the most suitable fonts to match the original ones to spell the title 'Closer' and then used the smudge tool to blur the other letters to allow the title to stand out.


The back started as a brick wall image found on google. I then cut the bits to make it just the boarder, but keeping with the jagged edge to make it look more effective. I then found individual fridge magnet images to spell out the title, as finding one image with all the letters was harder than expected as they were either blurry or had a copy right through them. Once these were placed the logo and stamp were put in, along with the text.

Film Review Page

Within my film review page I wanted to fallow the conventions of Empire magazine but as a Web page. I like the way it is set out with the separate section to show the plot of the film which allows the audience to get a sense of what the film is about before being influenced by the writer/s opinion. Also the additional adverts around the outside allow a more exciting visual which are good for the website as it makes people look at other pages which they are attracted to. However I could have been more clever with a section on similar films with our short film's genre as that could have created an already built audience of people who enjoy these types of films. The box to the left gives vital information that in parts is incorporated within the review but also shows necessities which the audience need to know, like the certificate and running time. It is also good for the actors and creators as they stand out and could have increased popularity if the review is positive.
The review itself follows the conventions of Empire in that is it very much the writers opinion and although goes into the context of the film with the characters and set, the small details are less apparent as it gets straight to the point.
I also chose not to incorporate a rating or 'Verdict' as I do not believe it should be down to one person to decide on the fate of the film.

I believe my review page fallows the conventions within real media and Empire, plus looks attractive whilst incorporating the important points to publicise our film.

Because I created my page on Microsoft Word I then could not transform it into a JPEG file without disorientating the images, therefore had to scan it in which makes it hard to read. Therefore I have copied to textual review and placed it below...

Synopsis

If dealing with the loss of a loved one isn’t hard enough, try being the cause of such a tragedy. Messed up, depressed and alone we see the harsh consequence of Lucas’ life after accidental killing his girlfriend. Whilst beating himself up internally and resorting to drinkable means of help, we are shown that true love never dies.

Review

New Director Zach Green has managed to transform your lovey-dovey love story into a representation of a deep and meaningful bond found between a young couple, in only six minutes. Although you get the sense of a ‘PS I Love You’ theme of communication between love in life and death, you see another side with a more spiritual and harsh effect on the survivor as he nearly resorts in serious means of ending the pain that’s been inflicted.


Excellent performance by the up coming star Kenny Mitchell allows you to truly understand the rut he is in of anger, guilt and heart break, which due to his own fault makes turning to a bottle the best option in his mind. Yet his slow pace, strong movements and angry, yet upset tone leaves you in complete belief of the utter regret and grief he is feeling. Kelly Bluff- co-actor allows a complete contrast with her soft voice and angel glow.


The only setting allows a true sense of isolation within the one house and no escape for Lucas. Although films usually entail different locations, this film may not be as effective and would loose some of its sense of being trapped and alone. The darkness inside also contrasts well with the shots outside the window to show the light waiting for him to return.


I was shocked when viewing the film about its content. I was expecting your typical happy romance with a few minor set backs which seem in the characters eyes to be the worst outcome. However this gripping short film takes certain conventions of two contrasting genres from Romance to Physiological to build a love story taken over by depression and guilt.


Although slightly predictable with some stereotypical notions this film is unusual and moves away from certain conventions from its big budgeted predecessors, which add to its appeal and should make it more popular.

Question 4 - How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

'New Media Technology' explains many different forms of electronic technologies used through computer technology which have been created over time and evolved from 'old media'. These 'old technologies' include printed newspapers and magazines, where as the 'new media' would consist of the Internet, email, social networking, mobiles and the digital era for example. The use of New Media implies the communication between desktop and laptop computers, being compatible with USB's and CD's in connecting them together.


Below is a collage of images of NEW TECHNOLOGIES which we used in our project.

Having been able to have the opportunity to use these technologies made our project much easier, quicker and allowed a higher quality within our work.

I will now explain how we used them and what we would have had to resort to if they were not available to us.

Digital Film Camera: We used a Sony PD 150 recording camera to shoot our entire footage. If digital camera's were not available, a film camera would have to be used. This caused issues in that they would need to be hired in which creates more time and costs to rise. Also because the editing needs digital technology the footage would need to be transformed into digital before connection with Adobe Premier would be possible. Using a film camera would mean that any problems would need to be addressed in the development process, as not possible in the editing stage, therefore would struggle if parts were wrong, and may need to be done again from scratch.

Adobe Premier: This allows us to capture our footage in the one programme and take the parts needed to be ready for cutting and placing. And obviously has one of the most important jobs of editing. It can create the cross dissolves of fades to black for example to add to the film and the obvious titles that need to be placed. This is a non linear editing meaning that you can manipulate the sequence of the shots equally. If this was not around, a linear editing- have to cut everything together in sequence, would be needed, meaning that when anything goes wrong, you would have to start again.

The Internet: It allows us to research, watch clips and even present our work. Without it the research would all be from other sources such as books or articles which creates time as they are hard to access and not so straight forward to find. As in today's age http://www.google.com/ allows a quick search engine which helped me with many questions, and images needed. The viewing of other short films would need to be physically going to a Short Film Film Festival, which could prove to be difficult in itself. Although going further back in time some short films were placed in cinemas before feature films to be promoted, however this is not as apparent noways and doesn't really occur.

The camera: We needed to take pictures through out our filming to highlight certain elements we would later use to create our postcards, to show the involvement of our production team, capture a variety of shots and to help with the lighting. It was very important with the postcard as the picture would later be used to create our final design. Without the camera we would have had to use our phones which would never have been of such good quality and are harder to manipulate. Although before phone cameras were ever invented we would have to go back to the original hand-crank camera which are harder to use, locate, and take a much longer time to set up and capture a good shot.

Youtube: The main use for http://www.youtube.com/ within our project is where our final short film will be displayed. However we also used it to gather research from watching other short films and get a sense of the ones already accessible to everyone and help us understand conventions. We were also able to upload other video's or audio's we created within the process of creating our short film which allowed us to experiment with different light for example, plus added to our technology used in our posts and make them look more effective. If this website was not accessible we would have had to go to Film Festivals to view short films and would have found it much harder to upload films to our blog and may not have been possible. Also our final project would have had to be burnt onto a CD and sent separately which causes more problems.

Mobiles: As I come from a different school from Kelly and Zack we need our phones to help with communication. Texting particularly came in handy when organising times and meeting places and any last minute changes to our schedules. Obviously it would have been possible without their use but we would have to be very organised, and make sure everyone was clear on the plans and that they weren't to be changed, therefore creating more aggravation. Having the almost instant communication made everything much easier for us, especially in the filming process.

USB: The use of a memory stick is very useful as it allows us to transport important documents from computer to computer. Especially for me because of the changing schools, as well as allowing us to do the work at home. Without one I could have simply used Hotmail to email documents to myself but that takes longer and if there is a problem with Internet connection in a different place creates a serious issue.

Blogger: This website allows us to put all of our work into one place and neatly organise our posts in the order we want them. Also allows others to view our work and help each other through the course. Without the use of Blogger we would have had to create scrapbooks which although is a good way to connect thoughts and would still be effective, it would take longer to place all the information with printing, which is also a strain of being environmentally friendly with the use of paper, plus may look messier and take longer to organise. Also the use of video's and audios wouldn't have been possible, accept if transported onto disc, which again could be problematic.

Question 3 - What have you learned from your audience feedback?

The first response to our short film was from our Media teacher Ms Rolf who has ten years worth of experience within the media industry. She gave a mixture of positive and constructive comments which showed she understood the message of the film and what we want our audience to get from it. However there are a few points which illustrated the aspects we could improve on if creating Closer again.

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrsShipp100#p/a/u/1/QDPeK6ZgtX4

She begun by commenting on the name of the piece- Closer. Although she understands after watching our short film why it was named this as the spirit of the dead girl appearing is that she is always close, she objectively states that it is also the name of many other media forms such as a magazine, feature film and song, which causes the issue of not being original, and could have be named more cleverly.
She enjoyed the jump cuts as they displayed his anxiety but said there was to many which is a fair comment as initially they were meant to be quick shots moving in but with the constant moving within the acting meant continuity issue would be created and this way was still effective.
The comment of the lighting being to dark in the scene with Lucas's friend at the window is apparent among most of the viewers so would need to be looked into if re-filming to see the best way to tackle the issue and make it brighter. Although Ms Rolf did give the idea of making the lighting darker throughout the film until the end where we could experiment, which I believe to be very clever, especially if we were to make it lighter as it would be as if the whole story has be darkening to a fatal end but then the light would show the positive outcome and the way out.
A point which was not recognised by us is the dog calender in the background in the kitchen which should have been removed as it adds a comical factor which is not wanted.
Although she thinks it contains a few cliche moments, the props did a good job of connoting mystery. Just simple things like the smashing of glass and wiping items off the table were very stereotypical, which is a fair point in my opinion.
She had positive comments about the continuity, shots and editing, with the flash backs being the strongest point as it pulls the story together which I agree with, plus helps people to understand the message. Plus the last scene with the use of the ghost and music which work well and are "sweet", especially with the framing itself which was of good quality.

____________________________________________________________________

I then interviewed Jane a University student going into the industry, who gave me some more points of improvement, plus compliments of our film.

http://soundcloud.com/you/tracks

She started by explaining how she was a bit confused at the beginning as she wasn't really sure what had happened other than a man in distress, however by the end, and with the help of the messages understood what had happened. This can be seen as a negative although in a way is good in that we did not give to much away at the beginning which leaves the audience in suspense about what has happened for these events to occur which could make them want to watch on and continue to find out.
Although she enjoyed the idea of having the spirit Kate which allowed her to understand the context of the piece, she thought the window scene was to short and she could have faded out to create a bigger impact which is something to think about if we were to re-create the short film. Also if possible to make her seem more spiritual somehow. For example within the editing we should have tried to spotlight her more which would give her a larger glow around her outline, or could have made her slightly transparent to show a more ghostly effect. But they are just a couple of my ideas which would need to be looked into more if needed.
She did not fault the continuity to much accept at the end where LUCAS leaves the kitchen after sitting on the floor with a knife, and picture with a slit wrist, because as he walks away they have disappeared with the blood in the next scene- other than the picture, therefore looking un-realist. I have learnt to check thoroughly every aspect from scene to scene, which I know had to be done, but have seen even then smallest things become noticed.
She noticed the fridge magnets which again helped her understand what was happening, although like Ms Rolf was drawn to the 'blood donation' of the leaflets rather than the 'Forgive'. So again needed to highlight this more with maybe a brighter spot light, or have been cleverer with the leaflet itself and dulled the rest of the image within the printing, which is something to think about if re-shooting.
Overall Jane enjoyed the film, whilst commenting on the good acting and use of a variety of shots, especially the jump cuts at the beginning. However lighting could have been slightly better in places where parts became brighter. Her comments were noticed, understood and appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klt7IsuGxgY

Showing my Postcard design to possible viewers really helped me understand where I could improve and the bits that worked well and would attract people to the short film.

Firstly I spoke to Amber who had never seen the short film so I could get an understanding of if it would appeal to her, and if she could guess what it was about. The comments were mostly positive in the mysterious qualities it contains with the burnt out picture and smudged out letters. As they leave un-answered questions, of Who is the erased person? And what had happened to them? For example. However the issue faced with the design is that it could give off a misinterpreted genre, as it is meant to be a mixture of Psychological and Romance but Amber viewed it as either a Thriller or Horror because of the burnt image, and know doubt the dark, shadowed image. However this could be scene as a positive as people interested in those genre's may be attracted to watch it, which brings another group of people to viewings.
The back of the postcard also had positive thoughts with the short synopsis which gives a little a way but makes you continue to ask questions. Plus the email address is helpful as it links you to the website where you can research more into the short film. Overall she liked the design because it did not give to much away and gave you a lot to think and ask questions about.

I then thought it would be a good idea to ask someone who had watched the film there opinion on the postcard in comparison to the film and whether they worked well together. Evie stated that she thought the postcard relates to the film in that the girl has been cut out, as obviously she is dead in the film, and they work well in asking the question of what actually happened to her as you never truly find out how she died. Plus because the main image on the postcard is a modified shot from the film, creates another connection which is easily noticed. Although the back of the postcard had helpful information the text was said to be a touch small, which if viewed quickly would be missed. So I could look to make it slightly bigger if people were having this problem. The comments from both people helped me understand how important the postcard is in getting people attracted to the film and linking with it so that they are not disappointed and shocked with the context of the short film in comparison to the image on the postcard. Although they do link, it may be a bit misleading with certain aspects. However from Evie's comments this did not seem too big of an issue after watching the film. And the design seems to fit the task well and adding the synopsis was definitely a good idea, as not all other postcard I have researched in the past contain one. Although there could be a few improvements the design seems to be suitable and would hopefully help attract an audience who would enjoy 'Closer'.

In addition, on a parcing comment after the video was filmed, the logo was also mentioned in that it looked a bit out of place on the postcard and as a Film Production Team in general and needs to be looked at, as it makes the company look slightly cheap and "a bit like a Chinese restaurant". So maybe a second design should be created before publishing the film as we want people to recognise our Production Company with a professional attitude.

From the feedback I have learnt the main issue for me is that specialists did not notice the second message on the leaflets and if re-filmed would need to be addressed to make more apparent. Plus the continuity issue at the end where the last two scenes need to fallow each other perfectly with the make-up and props. The piece seemed to allow a good understanding of the message we wanted to give off and people understood what it was about. I am very pleased they both enjoyed the piece and there comments were positive and constructive which helps us a lot, and we can learn from our mistakes in the future to allow us to improve.

Question 2 - How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

Below is a screen grab from our short film which was my inspiration for my postcard design.
Although when first filming the image below was taken and was the main cause for my postcard design.

The fact that the postcard image is basically an image from the short film itself we already have a connection. Obviously with the change in cast member I was not able to use the image exactly and the one in the film would not have been as effective. Although this worked to my advantage in my opinion. As Lexy needed to be removed from the image it gave me a chance to experiment with a number of ways in which you could see that she is not going to appear in the film but is crucial within the story. I wanted to create the element of a spiritual guide because that would link to the story completely however when put into practice did not look visually appealing and did not give off the exact effect I was looking for. This lead me to the burn tool which relates to a scene where 'Lucas' is about to burn the picture but cannot do it to himself. It also keeps the mystery that appears with 'Closer' as you never actually find out how she was killed.

The main character also appears which allows the viewer to establish the main protagonist who will be the basis of our short film. Also having him smiling implies that he was happy when the photograph was taken which juxtaposes the film in that he is in the opposite state because she is gone. So works well to create background knowledge with the story to show his life before and prove that the 'woman' in the picture was very special.

The text itself had to be changed to allow the title to appear as that is a main convention within postcards plus shows the viewer what the film is called which is obviously very important. I chose to replace the word 'Forgive' with 'Closer' rather than placing the title else where as it looks effective and fits well within the picture. I chose to blur the rest of the text with the smudge tool as it was not needed and looked distracting, plus works with the mystery within the film and the tension created in the facts that have been missed out, such as how she died, so keeps the audience asking questions.

The back also works well in that although there is no image but the brick wall allows a connection with the one setting of a house which shows the character to be closed in. Plus the title is written in fridge magnets which are crucial within the film as they create one one the messages, which links directly with the main image of the front with the other hidden message within the film that has been sent by the spirit of his former girlfriend.

I believe the postcard design works well with the film as it incorporates both character and a sense of story with the loss of a person. Although the colour scheme is a bit dull, it keeps with the darkness of the film and continues to keep an anonymous feel with un-answered questions.

The next ancillary text to help promote the film is a Film Review Page.

I have either circled of highlighted the aspects within the page which link to both our short film and also the conventions within Empire Magazine. I have colour coded them so I can explain how they connect below...

Green: The images on the page link directly with the film as they are shots taken from with in it. Both images are of the main character and give you an introduction that he must be in distress because of his stance and facial expression, which shows he is facing a problem within the film. The Empire conventions require a main picture and I used the 'Image Gallery' to display another image so people can get more of a feel of the film. Although it may have been more effective to use an other image that was not just of him to give more of a variety. However the use of using the main character twice shows the film is all based around him and does not give to much away about the films content, other than his emotional state.

Red: The use of the synopsis explains what will occur in the film but leaving you asking questions. Although it may seem to go into a bit to much detail about the storyline, it gives a good representation of the film in a way that should attract people to watch it as it seems more unusual with an awaiting twist happening at the end. With the connection of Empire they always leave a separate section for the plot itself so was vital to place within the page.

Purple: The use of the 'Film Detail's' box is very important and is another feature among an Empire page to outline who is in it, who it was made by, running time and certificate which is more important for the audience. Yet also for the film as with a positive review leaves a lasting impression so they can recognise and enjoy later work with the same people involved.

Blue: The explanation of the good use of acting skills by our main character played by Kenny Mitchell may be more important for him but is very helpful for the popularity of our film. Having positive reviews should allow a bright future for Kenny as he will be recognised and can move on within his scheme of work in the future. The positive attitude will help promote our short film as people do not want to see an un-believable performance and considering he is a new actor has not got an already built audience which means we do not have that star quality. Although from the review you would certainly be more inclined to watch our film.

Yellow: The review itself highlights the important elements within the film such as director, set and genre. Having an up coming director allows the audience to explore new things whilst getting an understanding of the films content. Introducing other hit feature films with a similar outlay helps create a built audience whilst beginning the develop genre. The mix in the two genre creates a less well known idea for a film so could attract people who fancy something different. Explaining about the one setting creates a deeper impression of the film and works with the character's depressed emotion, shown through other means, to give the sense he is trapped, and linking love makes you feel he does not deserve what he is going through. The overall review allows a mostly positive opinion of the film which would help promote it, plus give you an understanding of what will happen whilst again leaving you with un-answered questions. The conventions from Empire imply that the text should be based a lot on the opinion of the writer which I believe is present, and although you get some detail the little things are missed out so not to much is given away.

Pink: Every review must have its criticisms, although thankfully ours have managed to be turned into a positive comment by showing that although it is slightly typical also has elements that make it different. Most people do not like change and enjoy a happy ending so therefore keeping in traditional stereotypical methods is not all bad. And the context of our film is not badly expressed.

Orange: The adverts around the outside of the page do not exactly link to our film in particular but help make the page look more colourful and exciting, plus fallow the Empire conventions very well. Although what I could have done to make the adverts more effect is incorporate a sections that would help our film, rather than random links, such as a similar film part which would appeal to an already built audience create by such film,s as 'The Notebook. This I now regret and would use as a replacement if the page were to be re-created .

The Review Page as a whole seems to fit well within the film and the Empire conventions. Although there are certain elements that could be changed I think it is visually appealing and gives a good impression about our film which would hopefully persuade people to come and watch 'Closer'.

Question 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

1. Title to identify film, and Production company and associate to show the creators.



2. Establishment of character showing that the problem he is facing is serious.



3. Further development into the characters and story with him turning to drink.



4. Sets up the story by identifying the problem which is that he has killed a person.



5. Background knowledge into the characters and story showing it was a loved one he killed.



6. Rejects help from his friend showing the depression is becoming deeper.



7. The climax where we see the extent he is willing to reach at an attempt to stop his pain.



8. Brings the story together, plus showing another side to our character who is now trying to resolve his problem.



9. Essential credits to show important involvement's within our film.

Audio to show in more depth how our short film develops or challenges real media conventions. (Visual not needed)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cakFP09D_Y

Postcard against Real Media Conventions.

• The back of my design in particular fallows the conventions of a real media product with the information on it plus the way it is set out...



• The title is bold, easy to read and links with the fridge magnets in the film which connects them together.



• I decided that although not all postcards feel the need to add a synopsis it is an incentive for people as they have an idea of what it is about and don't rely on the images to make there decision whether to watch it or not. Plus for us as we are a new company is helpful because we do not have the support from a built audience to support us and cannot rely on popularity of the star as they too are up coming.



• Obviously the logo is a requirement so people can begin to recognise our name and hopefully fallow and support our company in the future.



• I chose to apply the idea from the 'Divine' postcard of using the website to split the card into the two sections as it is a good use of space with important information, and makes it look more interesting.



• Although there seems to be a lot of text I feel there is enough space for people to make notes and for an address to be written, I decided against the 'On a Life's Edge' with the entire colour scheme and much information as it looks to busy and does not fit well with our low budget short film, especially as in the industry who would charge more on printing with the extra colour cartridge and text.



• The front of my design again allows most conventions to be fulfilled with the title, image and a sense of main Character. Plus a mysterious feel with the burnt photograph which will hopefully entice people to watch and find out why.



• However the use of a tag line would be useful and if linked well with the burnt image would again create more questions. Especially if it was positive, about love for instance as the viewer would be shocked that such a dark image could have a positive outcome. Although a tag line is a requirement for a poster, it does not seem as apparent among current postcards.



• The main image itself is a shot taken from our short film, which if recognised for this would show people something to expect. And it does also introduce you to a character, but at the same time doesn't give to much away about the story. Although on the other hand does not link directly with the actual story which could be misleading. Yet many other postcards have the same effect by taking one aspect of their film.



• The use of the title being incorporated into the image looks clever and effective, although does not stand out as much as others do, which is a negative as it is crucial information for viewers to notice.



• Unfortunately the image itself is not of the best quality and even within the film should have been printed to a higher standard with the correct colour scheme. Which within real media would have been perfect and thought thoroughly over before using it. When creating my design on Photoshop my aim was to incorporate colour but I found this very difficult and also decided that it takes away the aspect of a screen grab from the film.

Film Review Page against Real Media Conventions.

The reviews itself incorporates important conventions such as person opinion, comparison films, positive comments and constructive criticism. Plus a sense of acting quality, setting and genre which you would find in a real media review.

However one vital piece of information missed from the review is where the film is going to be held such as Film Festivals or small private screenings. Although these details would be shown on the films website, it would be easy for viewers to read this direct with the review.

Post 19. Post Production Report

POST PRODUCTION REPORT

Filming on just one day certainly worked to our advantage. We were able to begin logging, capturing and editing immediately. The three of us tried our best to equally split the work and we managed to organise times, especially in free lessons were I would travel to Kings Langley and we could work on it as a group.

We hit a problem straight away with a technical fault from the camera to AdobePremiere as sections of our footage were not sending, or were missing, plus certain sound elements. Although after some tech work this was put right and although we had begun with certain parts that were able, everything was there to cut and edit together. As we had already used the programme in our previous AS course it was about getting used to it again rather than learning from scratch which was useful. Much like last year the cross dissolve button was used to begin and end each scene, plus the fades to black which we have used to show a new day has dawned. Also the audio needed to be cut to match with the visual. And the sound effect of a glass smashing was put in as where it originally hit a pillow, the sound was un realistic and did not cause the harsh effect we wanted. Also editing on the light was needed in certain places to make brighter or darker. As for instance the scene containing Lucas's friend at the window needed tweaking as the inside was noticeable darker in comparison to the natural light outside. Plus we added in a spotlight over the shot with the leaflets as we wanted to highlight that the letters spell 'FORGIVE'. However from feedback still needed to be a touch brighter.
Also with the sound there were a few issues with being able to hear Grayham from a distance when he is outside. On set we opened the window to allow the sound to travel further but placing the microphone by him would have been more sensible than expecting his voice to travel as far as it needed. However after experimenting with different tempo's it was either to loud or quiet, yet we managed to find a happy medium. Although from feedback it still isn't as loud as we would have liked and could be improved upon.
Thankfully we did not seem to come across many faults with continuity. As we really tried to pay attention when filming to this point and Kenny spent a lot of time in frozen positions whilst we moved the camera. Yet unfortunately we did slip up near the end with the disappearance of a few props from one shot to another. This is where Lucas is in the kitchen with a knife to his wrist with blood. As we took the shot from many angels there are slight changes within each one, however luckily this does not seem that apparent and is hardly noticed. The main problem with this arose when he walks out towards the stairs. You can tell the scene is within the same time period with his shirt and the way it is filmed, however as he leaves there is no blood on his wrist and no knife on the floor. This was noticed by us in editing and we regretted not realising at the time, someone also commented on it in their feedback which is unfortunate for us and is a shame the problem was not addressed at the time.

People know that music always contributes to a scene and helps to create the important impact that finishes off the piece. Luckily we found two tracks of music quite early in our editing stage. These were found of 'Moby Gratis' a copy right free website that was very useful. Although we were unsure whether using two different pieces of music in one short film would fit, when edited in we realised it was the best idea and worked extremely well. This is because the first piece found was to harsh to be placed at the beginning yet worked very well at the end, especially as it comes in just as Kate appears.

The overall editing process went much better than last year and I found it much more enjoyable as it did not need to be rushed. We all organised our time well and made sacrifices to get it done to a good standard. The fact we used the programme last year came in very helpful and after this project I now feel a lot more comfortable using it. Also we seemed to edit much quicker than expected which definitely worked to our advantage to finish off the project.

Post 18. Production Report

PRODUCTION REPORT

First Attempt at Filming. Our first day of filming started as chaos with us all arriving at the same time and then not being organised with cast and crew. It took us a little while to set up and Kenny had to sit and wait which was not fun for him, as with Lexy who waited all day and was not needed in the end which meant a waste of her time. After reviewing what we had done when logging our footage we discovered much of it was un-usable because of various reasons. These were little things such as camera flashes where we took images on set, items of equipment in the background- such as boxes and filters, and the more serious issue of slanted camera footage. This meant having to re-film our entire footage.

However we did record parts of our day with photographs which are shown below...

Filming "Take Two"

Learning from previous mistakes our aim was to be very organised and focused throughout our whole day, paying great attention to detail. We begun re-filming on Friday 15th April and due to prior commitments Lexy was unable to make it, although Kelly was more than capable of stepping in. We decided to arrive an hour before Kenny to allow us to set up equipment such as lighting and the camera, and wanted to get all the props ready and in place to be used and allow everything to run smoothly. Once Kenny arrived we briefed him on what we were to do as we had made a few minor changes with the shooting and any questions he needed to clear with us, and at 10:30am, phones were off and we were ready to start. We needed to start early so to take advantage of the natural lighting and to fit in as much filming as possible, to cause less distribution's with our actor.

With continuity we made sure that when director Zach called "cut" that Kenny stayed in exactly the same position whilst we arranged the camera, this was especially important in the first scene with all the jump cuts. Plus this is when all the photographs needed were taken so we did not have the same problem as last time when the flash disturbed and destroyed many shots.

Learning from our first attempt we realised that our location was positioned very close to Apsley Train Station which caused interferences with our sound. Although we needed to wait for the trains to pass on many occasion this came in handy with rehearsal time. I in particular found certain shots hard to maneuver on the camera and waiting for the trains to pass allowed more time to practise and also for Kenny to prepare for his scene. This also helped with improving our camera skills.

Although filming only took us the day we spent a lot of time with certain shots and re-shooting them as we wanted them to look as professional as possible and to be of the best quality. But with the movement and lighting it was very important to be precise and make sure they flowed nicely and did not break any rules. Thankfully we were blessed with clear blue sky's which allowed us to use natural light more effectively, plus the sound of the rain would have caused more problems with the sound and the scenes with outside action to become more uncomfortable. Plus it helped with the message as there was a contrast from the dark inside to the bright outside.

Whilst filming, scene seven came to our attention and caused much debate. This scene was filmed in a bedroom which would have been a total change in setting. A beauty of the film is the one location, involving only the two rooms which helps identify how trapped Lucas is feeling and the closed in depression he possesses. We decided that this scene was possible to be moved to the dinning room and would make much more sense as it would not break away from the enclosed surrounding of the rest of the film. Although there was quires about this at first we all decided in the end that it was for the best. Because we want the audience to focus on the emptiness our character is feeling, moving upstairs may break the concentration and the quality of filming may be lost, especially within the change of lighting.

When reaching one of the final scenes we again had a few changes. Although throughout it was very important to create a variety of shots we knew this scene would work best from all different angles to make the audience more uncomfortable. So we spent a lot of time filming the whole scene from four different angles so that in editing we could cuts bits from each and place them together to create a more surreal effect in our film. Plus we needed to make it more realistic with the slitting of wrists, so a concoction of Tomato Puree and Tomato Ketchup was mixed to create to blood. Also because of the knife it was very important to have a cloth and water at hand if any accidents were to occur. Much like in scene seven with the lighter, as a bucket of water was placed close near by to prevent any fire issues.

Considering there was only three of us in our production team the job roles needed to be carefully spread between us, and working together was crucial. Lucky we all get on very well and were able to resolve issues we had, and any problems we disagreed on were dealt with fairly.

Post 17. Ancillary Task 2 - Film Reviews Part 1

Codes and Conventions of Film Review Pages.

A main image is crucial to the page whether it is a still image from the film or a photo taken from the shooting of the film, like the one used for I am Legend.

Smaller images are usually used to highlight more of the films content.

Obviously a summary of what the film is about, however not giving to much away, just quality spots, not specifics. Also factual information with distinguishing facts such as awards, records, or new talent.

Debate good and bad points of the film from unexpected events to a typical outcome.

A tag line summing up the film in a catchy sentence.

Films information details such as, Director, running time and stars, etc.

Can have ratings and a comparison to other films, and maybe reviews from other sources.

Should include your own opinion, plus quotes from people involved within the film.

'Sight and Sound' and 'Empire'

These are two film review magazines who are going to help me with writing my own and deciding on the best layout.

From researching into Sight and Sound I found that they like to make a through analysis within each review and do not have a set place for a synopsis but is entwined within the text. The layout of the website is very minimalistic with little advertisements around the outside. They are usually long detailed reports with pictures placed in between the text which makes it look more interesting and helps the audience to relate. The actual magazine is set out much like a newspaper with the columns and although contains a lot of information is not the most appealing.

Empire is very different. They seem to cram a lot into one page and try and make it look exciting with a mixture of different articles, adverts, and images together. There web page in particular gives you a lot of additional information in a box to the side about the reviewed film such as direct, actors, etc, plus the latest film reviews and which are the most popular. Also the use of the right hand side to promote other pages from there site. The review itself always has a 'Plot' section which tells you about the film and what happens before they give there opinion on it. I personally like this as you have a slight chance of making up your own mind before taking in there points. The review seems very much, unlike Sight and Sound, to be based around the opinion of the writer/s and not to focus on the small details. Plus they also give a star rating, and a 'Verdict' section on their feelings towards the film.

From looking at them both I decided to take a more 'Empire' approach to my film review page. I like the busyness of that they fit extra information onto the page whilst making the details very clear about the film itself. I also feel that a separate section for the synopsis is needed to allow people to become interested in your film before being influenced by the writers opinion. However I do not wish to give my review a star rating as it should not be down to one person to decide, but in fact a survey of people who have clear minds to vote on what they want. I like the use of a single image as it makes the reader concentrate on the text, but having an image gallery allows a more personal sense of what you will view if you see the film.

Writing a Review.

I used the conventions I picked up from other articles to write my own film review on a hit movie. This will help me to write my own later when our short film has been produced...

Toy Story Three
People say that sequels are never as good as the original. Pixar has proved this theory can be wrong. It’s inventive idea creates another fantastic storyline following ‘Andy’s toys’ which has the same enchantment and inspiration as the other two films, proving that Pixar has the imagination to continue there former work from the late 1990’s into the second decade of the 21st century where the magic still lives on. Although a children’s movie it manages to attracted a mixture of the audience, combining children with teens and grown ups who can watch and appreciate the film from its old roots to new. Proving the magnificence Pixar family entertainment generates, and that it can still exist in today’s society.

Although the film focuses on the character ‘Andy’ (John Morris ) outgrowing his toys and moving on to collage, the audience on the other hand are made to move back to there younger years and engage with the toys once again, bringing the likes of ‘Woody’ the cowboy (Tom Hanks ) and space ranger ‘Buzz Lightyear’ (Tim Allen) with the whole gang back to life, but also the introduction of new characters such as the ironic ‘Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear’ (Ned Beatty), a sweet strawberry smelling, cuddly bear with an anger and authoritative streak making him a feared dictator of ‘Sunnyside Day-care Centre’ because of an event in this past that lead him to feel abandoned, which is a toys worst nightmare. The toys- excluding Woody who is meant to be on his way with Andy, are scared of being put into the attic or worse the bin, they find themselves by mistake there with Woody who’s plan was to get them all back to the house. Unfortunately ‘Lotso’ makes out to be the heart warming leader with "No owners means no heartbreak," but by the time the toys find out otherwise, its to late and they are locked in a place of "ruin and despair" which they cannot escape.

Many twists and turns, ups and downs lead to dangerous adventures and new friends, luckily ending on a true Disney high. Yet before this occurs you see the other side to toy culture where evil takes over with the Monkey watch guard and ‘Big Baby (Woody Smith)- who is also messed up by the consequence of the previous owner with ‘Lotso’, and has therefore turned bitter. We also see the rekindling of love between ‘Ken and Barbie’ (Michael Keaton and Jodi Benson) with a love at first sight interpretation and allowing Barbie to be the dominant character whilst Ken’s camp side with his ‘Dream House’ and clothes room, makes him to be seen as the “girls toy”, but at the same time is respected. The girls in this audience in particular return to there childhood and connect with the couple. I believe the highlight has to be when Buzz is first transformed back into ‘Demo mode’ and becomes and military warrior once again but then into ‘Elbuzzo’ the Spanish, Flamingo, Latin version who has a love for Jessie the cowgirl (Joan Cusack) where he becomes more romantic with dance and affection, bringing new and unexpected love to the film which the audience enjoys and laughs along with.

Toy Story three completes the trilogy and is a truly amazing way to follow two other highly recommended films which were such a hit in there day, and still today- nearly a decade after. Producer John Lasseter does a fantastic job in keeping the three films at the same level and recreates another connection as he has remained through all three. American screen writer Michael Arndt links back to old values of the film keeping them contemporary but at the same time in keeping with the other two, with quotes such as ‘There’s a Snake in my boot’. The film beautifully creates the sense of the toys being a reckoning on our younger selves, and a significance of what the silent but life like objects mean to each one of us. The film consists of many cliff hangers which leave you in dispense and shock whist at the same time humour emerges with witty lines and the thrilling sense of adventure, then rescue. It is so powerful that people all around the cinema are crying and jumping with the prospect of the toys lives at risk and even ending, making them forget they are watching fictional, annotated toys, but acting as though they are childhood friends, which in a way could be a representation the production team wanted to create.

At the end of the film Andy passes his toys onto Bonnie (Emily Hahn) a young toddler who we see through out takes true care of her toys and has a wild imagination much like Andy with the stories she creates for them. This ending, with the film seeming to be the last of its kind, made me feel as though I was meant to let go of the past and allow the younger generation to enjoy animation and toys the same way we all did. Until I realised this could never happen and my eyes begun to water with the prospect of another Disney… happy ever after.

However this is a review for a feature film, short film reviews have to be slightly different because of there content, although contain many of the same elements.

To begin the reviews are usually shorter because the films are shorter in general. Also short films are not shown on mainstream cinema so need to give more detail about the films content whilst using as many features as possible which will link audiences to the film. For example, director used, previous films, or stars as this already attracts certain people. You must also tell which Film Festival the film is being shown at, or where ever people can see it. One particular way other sites have set out reviews for shot film is with one picture, and an information box underneath to show vital information. Getting main stream media firms involved will also help, such as the BBC as it is god publicity for your film.

Post 16. Ancillary Task 1 - Postcards Part 1

Film Posters.

Film posters are made up of many different conventions with the main purpose of grabbing the audience's attention to make them come and watch there film. Posters should be eye catching in appearance with an image that reflects the film and usually dominates the typography of the design. The title is obviously the main focus with the release date boldly visible. A tag line is also necessary to define the film in one short sentence which helps to show what the film is about. There can also be unique selling points if possible with the star appearing in the film as some already have a high enough status to bring there fans to the film. This also works with directors, studio's and distributors, that can if popular enough, be identified by there logo. Also a website can help promote the film as then people have the option to research more into it and get a true sense of whether they will enjoy it. If the website is used in the correct way you can even appeal to people who would not usually be interested in that type of film. Obviously there is always the important points to the poster which must be addressed such as the age certificate and copy right. Rating endorsement's are also helpful if positive views have been expressed as that is a good selling point to bring in an audience. A Knights Tale is prime example of a poster being used well for advertisement as it fills all the conventions but with a simple approach. By emphasising the key qualities or the colours and with the evil expression you can see the genre is going to have a serious and dangerous interpretation with Heath Ledger being the main focus. The poster also has the essentials that a poster requires plus is eye catching because of the harsh texture created with the shadows and dirty look. In comparison to the big Hollywood blockbusters, the British Independent films have also got to use posters as a means of advertising but have to do more as they do not have the money of a big studio and have to rely on smaller sponsors. However they still work in the same way with the same conventions, although do not have the focus of the big studios to grab attention. With films such as Billy Elliot the stars, writer and director were not well known so the main focus needed to be the films contents. Although the producers also made 'Four Weddings and a Funeral', 'Elizabeth' and 'Notting Hill', which all have a large fan base, so is a strong selling point which is why it is at the top and enlarged on the poster. Luckily they could also have a humorous twist in the image used with a boy in a ballet class as in the time period and place it is set this would have been very uncommon, which helps in attracting people because it seems unusual. Also the fact he is in boxing gloves gives you confusion to what you think the films is about and make you question its purpose. Again it has the necessary information.

Although using posters is a good advertising campaign this is not so much for short films, therefore are rarely used. Because they have a lack of media to distribute widely, and again do not have the backing of a big American studio to help. This also links with the lack of funds as they are very expensive to produce. Plus are usually screened on a smaller scale which cannot take the front of wide public viewings.

This is where the use of Postcards come into action. Short films usually produce a postcard with their film as it is a good way to promote it plus has the additional information needed to attract sponsors into the film and then an audience at a later date. Postcards are produced to allow knowledge of the film to be spread to people as well as later investors who could decide to put money into the film to help distribute it. Plus are used within Film Festivals as handouts so people remember the film and hopefully purchase it and help allow it to win an award. Postcards are similar to posters in the conventions although have a different format and may have additional information such as a synopsis. Obviously they consist of the title and image, productions company and sponsors, screenings and website and even maybe a cast list and festival.

The 'Divine' postcard is set out in a normal layout for a postcard you would find on holiday although have a few personal added touches such as using text as the line to divide the page to add information in a more interesting way plus using the space well. Obviously it has the image, tile and tag line bold on the front which is striking and has the information on the back and blank space so as to right to potential investors or notes.

Production Company Team

Studio's are recognised all over the world, not just for there name but there logo, and have the credibility to draw people in because of it. This is why we needed to come up with a production company name and logo. We first thought of the name 'Green Pad', where we were going to have a lily pad for the logo, however we thought this would be to childish and wanted it more formal. This lead us to the idea of the name, 'Bright Sun Films', as it is positive and easily remembered. The design of half a sun with the light beaming out is simple and recognisable with our name. However we then had a problem with the colour scheme. We did not want to go with traditional yellow sun on a blue sky line, this is why we used a combination of colour to design three ideas...

The chosen logo is the red and white lines as it was the less contrasting and freshest look. We put our title on the logo as we are not well know yet and will help people get a feel for who we are and what be do. Our logo can now go on our Postcard and whatever information it is needed for as it will mark and show our work and what we are about.

Postcard Designs

I based my four designs around items and scenes found in our short film and photographs taken from on set which I adapted into drawn images. This gives viewers a little sense of what the film contains and characters and snippets that will be shown.

Design ONE:

My first design was created from a scene within the piece of an image where the letters fall off the table to create a massage to 'LUCAS' which usually spells out 'Forgive'. However I transformed the words to create the title of the piece. Although I liked the idea I thought it could be extended and improved, so came up with a more in depth version.

I adapted the image to make it look more interesting by creating more of a scene by adding different items. So I took the idea and changed the wording as I thought it is a good image as it shows the main characters and gives you a false sense of what the film will contain as they both look so happy. It also shows a random image you will expect to see in the film and makes you ask questions of why it will occur.

However when designing I found it very difficult to draw the photograph of the two characters, therefore had the idea of sticking the actual image of it to make it look more interesting and abstract, plus add colour to make it look visually appealing. Design Two:

My second idea is not a shot taken from the film itself but is adapted from a photograph taken on set whilst filming. We took it to use within the piece, meant as a photo in the house that had been taken before the death, to show how happy they were before. Although, I obviously added the title as this is crucial for a postcard to contain. I tyred to incorporate the text within the wall so that it would blend better and not just look as though it had been thrown over the image. However, we did not end up using this image as we took a different one. Yet I thought it would be a good base for our postcard design as it again- as with the other photographs, gives the sense of a happy life, which is contrasted in the piece itself and will surprise the audience. Therefore this may mean that a short synopsis is needed on the back to allow people to know the true story and not be shocked when it is not what they think it is. Also it does help with allowing people to relate to the characters and story in that you can see how devastated LUCAS must be as they were clearly very close before the death. Therefore creates a link between the postcard and the film.

I then decided to add colour to make it more interesting.

Design Three:

My next design was a drawn image of an action shot taken of the main character, which I got from a photograph taken on set.

After creating this design I did not see the need in it as it does not explain a lot about the film and is not very interesting to look at. Although it would be improved with colour I did not see the purpose in adapting it as the other designs could use more attention to be improved and would make more sense to advertise our film.

Design Four:

My final design is again taken from an idea from within the film, incorporating the use of the fridge magnets to create a message, obviously the message being the title of the film in this case.

I started with simply the fridge and the magnets but this looked very boring and needed to be more. I then thought the image could be pinned up of the photograph of them both to again introduce the main characters, and the note was there to add a more realistic effect. But this still needed more. This is where the background came in and makes the image look more homely and warm, a complete contrast to the content of the film, but again showing what it was like before her death. It also makes the postcard more visually appealing and attractive.

I also decided that it needed colour to complete and finish off the design.

For the back of my postcard I wanted to make my design simple but effective. Obviously I needed to incorporate the title which I decided would be best shown with fridge magnet letters as they appear in the film. From looking at other short film postcards I saw the vital information needed, such as the production company name and logo, directer, producers and possibly stars. I also liked the idea from the 'Divine' postcard by using text to divide the card into two, so I used the website to do this. When looking at the 'On a Life's Edge' postcard it seemed to me there was to much information and it looked very crowded. However I did like the idea of adding a short plot to give viewers more of an idea about what the film is about and may help attract a larger audience.

Once I selected the information I wanted to show it in a more interesting way, rather than just written on the page. This lead me to the use of some sort of boarder which would help to improve the appeal but yet keep it simple. The fill effect of bricks is because the setting is all filmed inside one house and shows 'Lucas' is trapped, although the fact it is only half a rectangle could imply a deeper meaning that he has room to escape.

I like the design because it entails elements from within the short film and gives the audience an idea about what happens, plus the website allows them to look more in depth about it and persuade them to come and see 'Closer'.