Sunday

This Blog is Now Closed!

We have both enjoyed the project and will leave it with a wealth of knowledge.

Jack Wickes Evaluation

Q1.In what ways does your media opening title sequence use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real opening title sequences?

Our opening title sequence is a typical thriller/horror and this is portrayed in the;

- Fast Paced Editing
- Fast Paced Soundtrack
- Images of Post-mortem Photo’s
- Equipment and visual effects

We did not challenge the codes and conventions of real media production, we displayed the names and titles in a linear fashion to follow the flow of a typical title sequence.

Q2.How does your opening title sequence represent particular social groups?

We don’t feel that our opening title sequence represents a certain social group, and we didn’t aim for one.

Q3.What kind of media institution might distribute your opening title sequence and why?

As we did not have expensive filming equipment or a very detailed set, the title sequence was made on an extremely low budget and we used what we could find, as a result of this I don’t feel that it would get nominations for awards or anything of that sort.

If the title sequence was distributed then it would depict our film and possibly it would get higher ratings, possible production companies might include New Line Cinema or Working Title films that would distribute our product.

Q4.Who would be the audience for your opening sequence?

I feel the title sequence, as it is a horror/thriller, would be aimed mostly at teenagers or aged 16-25 which is the age group that mostly watch horror films. And I think it would depend on the person taste in films but it would suit both male and female expectation of a horror/thriller title sequence.

Q5.How did you attract/address your audience?


To target our audience we used an intuiting narrative of revenge and murder, we used very quick editing and had flashes of images (post-mortem photos) that were almost subliminal, and they are imprinted on the audiences mind and makes them build a visual image, together with the fast pace music that draws the audience in and makes them slightly tense, then when its over you suddenly realise and gently relax.

Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this opening sequence?

My main thing I’ve leant through this project has been how to use Final Cut Pro. I hadn’t had much experience with the program before this, but I had used cameras and other editing software, although we did experiment with camera angle’s and positions.

E-Blogger is a something I had never used before, and I quickly picked up how to use it and found it very useful to document progress of the project and is more useful than using a sketchbook as you can have images/video clips/ web links and all sorts of other stuff that you cant have on a paper based document.

Q7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progress from it to the full product?

From the preliminary task I have learnt more/better editing skills using Final Cut Pro, camera work, casting and patience, it takes time to get something right and get something the way you want it.

We did have to re-shoot parts of the preliminary task and the title sequence to get it the way we wanted, some camera angle didn’t work and position was wrong, but it was sometimes a problem re-shooting in the locations as it was a regularly used room.

Overall we have enjoyed the project as a whole and we would do it again. If we were then we would choose a different genre of film and possible try to challenge the codes and conventions, we have leant quite a bit during the time we have spent on it and will leave with more knowledge that we started.

Saturday

Daniel Stringers Evaluation

Q1.In what ways does your media opening title sequence use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real opening title sequences?

Our opening sequence is based on the horror/thriller genre, this is conveyed through fast paced flashing images, murder and torture with fast paced music.

Our opening follows the forms and conventions of a real media product by presenting main characters, names, themes that will run through the sequence, titles, introducing music of a same genre and our opening relates to the title, however we feel it don't challenge the forms and conventions of a real media product.

Not every horror/thriller is the same and is portrayed in a different way and that is the case for ours, but you still can recognise the obvious themes that run through our sequence and through a typical horror/thriller:

· Murder
· Torture/Punishment
· Vengance/evil deeds (hence the title 'Retribution')

Q2.How does your opening title sequence represent particular social groups?

I don’t believe our opening title sequence does represent a particular social group.

Q3.What kind of media institution might distribute your opening title sequence and why?

Without proper filming cameras the quality is not as good and being an opening sequence that was created on money from a small piggy bank I think it will struggle to make it to the golden globes or Baftas never the less maybe a small scale institution may distribute it on a small scale and could become an opening sequence with a good status, I think that could be a possibility, maybe, very small chance, minute.
Distribution would expose our product and therefore gain a bigger audience, this is the case for bigger productions like Hollywood blockbusters.

Q4.Who would be the audience for your opening sequence?

International, I don't think so, our audience would or could range from 16-35 depending on your taste or liking and short films, opening sequences should or could be a passion for some people. I also feel that this is the same for the gender of the person, male or female its down to what you like however I feel that this sequence would appeal to most people.
We feel this because every one likes a good scare or to be frightened it's more exciting no one really likes a dopey love story especially the younger generation its more war, fighting and horror.

Q5.How did you attract/address your audience?

We felt that grasping a persons or audiences attention was the most important, getting them interested was a main priority as well as creating a good title sequence obviously. so we got their attention by creating scary thought with flashing images, and sound which is something you can create a mental picture out of. So for example at the end of our sequence there is a sound of someone getting tortured, no images just sound and we felt that would be great because they would just think 'what the hell' at the end and can't the mental pictures out of their head.
We also used fears as central and suspense in music to attract audiences.

Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this opening sequence?

I haven't really learnt anything about the camera or the tripod which the camera attaches to due to previous experience.
However once the filming had finished we had to edit and that was the biggest lesson as I had no knowledge of final cut pro which was the main software that we used. Final cut was great it had so many effects to use which overall created a better final piece.

E-blogger was another thing I had never heard of as well as used, but I quickly grasped the nack of it and found it ten times easier to record work and progress on than a sketch book.

We overall had no problems with the technology it was simple and all the shots were done in one day to keep continuity.

Q7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progress from it to the full product?

Since the continuity task we have learnt loads especially in different shot techniques and camera angles and our dialogue was all improvised and there was no script at all due to doing it straight away on the day we got it, but found it simple and good fun.

Soon after planning was in process for our opening sequence, then storyboards were drawn up and photos were taken of it and a cinematic was made which is now on our blog.

This was good because it gave us a plan to follow and the real thing didn't turn out any different and making the decision on the location and what it should look like was easy, dark, gloomy and deserted and we found the perfect place but it was getting a chance to film in there was tricky because drama productions and props were in there and when it came to using the room it had to be in one day because we didn't know when we would get to use it again and we wanted to get continuity.

Re-shooting was important, to iron out and creases and for a two second bit in our sequence we must of re-shot about ten times to get it right.

The continuity task made us realise stuff about sound and movement and that a tripod is important!! We also realised that the opening sequence is going to be a lot harder.

Overall this was great fun but very time consuming especially in the editing stages but in the end its worth it and we would do it again.