Thursday, April 22, 2021
REFLECTIONS - PHOTOSHOOT
As a prop for our table top sequence in our production, we did a photoshoot of Sarah from the stalkers POV. These were the pictures that the stalker would have taken of Sarah which meant that we experimented with angles and locations that the stalker would have used. In order to not be seen by Sarah whilst taking the pictures, we had her sit on a bench and walk around, and took pictures of her from far away (as to not be seen). To make the pictures more realistic we created shadows and hid behind trees to take the photos, making sure there was part of the picture that had the tree bark in frame, so it would be apparent to the audience that the picture was taken in secret. We wanted the pictures to show Sarah in her everyday life doing everyday things.
We filmed the stalker taking the pictures too, so that we can edit together the shots of the salker taking the pictures and then show the pictures in turn. However, we did face a few challenges whilst doing this, as on the day of filming the weather wasn't cloudy which made it so we needed to adjust our angles so that the sun didn't reflect on the camera screen and show our faces and shadows whilst filming. We also had to adjust the angles we used through the pictures of Sarah in the window, as she was clearer when the window was open, however the window didn't open fully, and so we had to take this into acount and use a lower angle in order to see her better.
To turn the pictures into props for our tabletop scene, we edited the pictures using a grey scale, as if the stalker used an old camera, making the pictures look moe sinister, then printed them out and laminated a few, so that we could film the stalker developing the pictures in a dark room in a later scene. We had to make sure they were laminated so that the salker could place the pictures in solution without damaging them in order to create a more realistic shot.
HOTSEATING
Planning:
- Stalker- have a voice affect on it and blurr the face- we are having to conceal their identity. Sketchy exchange possibly of money to bribe the stalker to speak about it.
- Ellie- just come in from a run to keep in her character.
- Possibly be in the style of a police interview as if people are being questioned about Sarah's stalking.
- Same quesitons for each- cut from each person's answer.
- What's your name? Where do you work?
- Relationship- last time you saw her? Friendship? How was she?
- Have you noticed anything is wrong with her?
- Does she seem happy? Is there anyone you think that is jealous of her?
- Does she have a partner?
- Do you know Becky and Alice?
- Do you have a bestfriend?
- Do you know anyone who could be jealous of you?
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
SEMIOTICS
A breif summary of Roland Barthes Semiotics Analysis video on how to read sign in films:
Sign
in film is anything that creates meaning, it could be a symbol, colours, camera
angles and logos. When something creates meaning it is described as the ‘signifier’.
Semiotics is the study of these signs and how the audience perceive them. There
are two types of meaning that can come from a sign: denotion and connotations. Denotation
is the literal meaning and so someone may see the Apple Company logo as the Apple
Computer logo. The conotations that are linked with the signifier is the
associated meaning people have for the signifier. For example, the logo is a
picture of an apple, but is connotated and associated with high technology as well
as sweat shops and unfair labour. However, there are many different
connotations of any signifier as different people with interpret them in
different ways, depending on someones background, ideology, and culture and
what someone is exposed to. The factors vary among people because signs are
polysemic and so we can read all signs around us in many ways.
Within media, the importance of semiotics is all about understanding the signs used, what they mean and why a producer has decided to use them. There are 4 categories of sign we look for in film:
1. Mise-en-Scene
2. Sound
3. Camerawork
4. Editing
In film, we rely on language to represent meanings and the
video used the example of Terror for Tokyo, which is a foreign film, leaving
audiences without Japanese lexis to rely on the other signs in the film to
understand what is happening.
In the film the Mise-en-scene creates an eerie atmosphere,
leaving the audience unsettled due to how young and innocent the child is, the
claustrophobic feel of the room and the cold colour and bare walls, all leading
the audience to feel as exposed as the child. The sound keeps up the tension
when a voice is heard from the other side of the door. Even though the content
of what is being said is unknown, the audience can recognise the tone is aggressive
and therefore whoever is speaking should be feared. Then there is this eerie
chiming noise, followed by dead silence, contrasting these sounds is effective
in creating tension. The camera work consists of many wide shots/fish-eye shots
which are used to heighten the enclosed space the child is in; the camera
tricks cause the audience to feel just as trapped as the girl looks. The
editing increases and hold the tension by showing the extended shot with no
cuts, creating a held-breath sensation making the audience feel out of control
and vulnerable. There is a shot that cuts straight from the girl’s scared face
to the door where the voice came from. Here, the audience are able to establish
that whoever is behind the door is the reason the girl is so scared. Terror for
Tokyo is a perfect example on how signs can have a huge and distinctive impact
over the audience and control the emotions and tension of the piece.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Hazard to Health and Safety
Risk posed and to whom
Risk Level (H/M/L)
Control measure to reduce
risk
Further action needed to
reduce risk
Transport:
Standing in the street in Walton to get the shot of Jess through the window
from the stalker’s perspective (could have got hit by a car if we were too
focused on shooting). Danger when travelling to destination by car. Moving
vehicles (lorries) in school carpark. Students looking wrong way when crossing
road. Student falling down stairs. Walking across roads. Be cautious when walking/driving to filming location and be aware of
surroundings. Aim to cross roads at
designated pedestrian crossings. Always
have a person looking for incoming cars.
Weather:
In the forest it was slippery due to rain (danger of falling and injuring
ourselves). Danger of getting clothing wet and becoming too cold. Wet camera
when filming outside. Students bring
appropriate clothing suitable for all weather and be cautious when walking on
slippery surfaces.
First Aid Issues:
Trips/Falls – could trip over in the dark room. Could come into contact with
harmful chemicals in the dark room. Brambles in woods. Carry a first aid kit at all times, aim to have a first-aider on
stand-by, identify areas of danger (e.g. brambles or chemicals).
General Public
(e.g. theft or assault): Outside in the dark on the street (danger of potential
assault or kind of incident). Threat of pick-pocking in Walton (not a large
risk as we are not in a crowded location). Students causing incident with
member of public. Students stay in groups
when in public spaces (with mobile phones), do not approach members of public
or respond to provoking comments, students to remain in supervised conditions,
do not film late at night, follow guidance of emergency personnel.
Accommodation (e.g.
risk assessment from centre): No overnight accommodation
Major Public Incident (e.g. terrorism): Not applicable as there is minor
chance of a terrorist attack in a small town. In
the case of one: Ensure venue has assembly point and pupils know where it is, as well as
giving pupils assembly points whilst on public transport. Ensure pupils know
the national advice to run if possible and hide if not. Ensure pupils know to
always follow police instruction. Issue pupils with printed emergency contact
card detailing school landline and school mobile – instruct them to call if
they become lost (as well as alerting security official). Ensure trip leader
has a school mobile and also contact details for both the school and all pupils
+ families
RISK
ASSESSMENT |
HAZARD TO HEALTH AND SAFETY |
RISK POSED AND TO WHOM |
RISK LEVEL (H/M/L) |
CONTROL MEASURE TO REDUCE RISK |
Transport |
Incoming cars when we stand in the street to get
shots of Jess through window from stalker’s perspective. And moving vehicles
(e.g. lorries) school car park. Traveling in car Crossing roads |
Potential injury through getting hit by a car if we
were too focused on shooting. Danger when travelling to destination by car. Students looking wrong way when crossing road. |
H |
Always have a person looking for incoming cars.
Students to be made aware of risks. Be cautious when walking/driving to filming location
and be aware of surroundings. Aim to cross roads at designated pedestrian
crossings. |
Weather |
Rain when filming outside making ground slippery and
dangerous (especially in forest) Rain making clothes and camera equipment wet |
Rain could cause students to slip and fall –
potentially causing injury. Damage to the camera and risk of students becoming
cold. |
M |
Students bring appropriate clothing suitable for all
weather and be cautious when walking on slippery surfaces. |
First Aid Issues |
Trips/Falls Chemicals Brambles |
Could trip over in the dark room. Could come into contact with harmful chemicals in
the dark room. Brambles in woods – could trip over or cut
themselves on |
M L M |
Carry a first aid kit at all times, aim to have a
first-aider on stand-by, identify areas of danger (e.g. brambles or
chemicals). |
General Public e.g. theft or assault |
Assault Theft Incidents |
Outside in the dark on the street (danger of
potential assault or kind of incident). Threat of pick-pocking in Walton (not a large risk
as we are not in a crowded location). Students causing incident with member of public |
L L L |
Students stay in groups when in public spaces (with
mobile phones). No filming late at night. Filming in supervised conditions. Students not to approach members of public or
respond to provoking comments. Students to be advised on their responsibilities and
school expectations. |
Accommodation e.g. risk assessment from centre |
N/A (no overnight accommodation) |
|
L |
|
Major Public Incident e.g. terrorism |
Not applicable as there is minor chance of a
terrorist attack in a small town |
|
L |
|
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Monday, January 4, 2021
PLANNING: CHARACTERS, SOCIAL GROUPS & STEREOTYPES
I used Mark Dixon's Media Theory for A Level to research stereotypes and discovered that they are universally deployed by the media.
Stuart Hall states the 4 reasons why stereotypes are helpful and used in the media:
- To help audiences understand the characters. Stereotypes act as a visual shortcut for the audience as they can instantly decode a character through the use of their body language, costume, etc.
- To help audiences build character relatability. Audience empathy, sympathy, and antipathy are achieved quicker when stereotypes are used so it emotionally connects the audience faster.
- To signpost audiences. Stereotypes help audiences gain a sense of the potential direction of the story. For example, the princess will find love, the hero will defeat evil, etc.
- To reinforce genre expectation. All genres contain stock characters and audiences may be attracted to a movie due to these characters.
Stuart Hall on Stereotyping:
Hall expresses how stereotypes can be very useful in the film industry as they increase the visibility of key groups. as stereotypes usually depict groups by referencing a few key negative features - behaviors, physical appearances, for example, having a blonde play a 'dumb' character would help get the character trait across to the audience as they would be familiar with this stereotype.
Stereotyping can be very negative and dangerous, as it creates ‘groups’ who are identified through negative features and their ‘otherness’, together with the implication that the negative traits are ‘natural’ qualities. So for example, the stereotype that blondes are dumb. This leads to what Hall calls ‘power circularity’, that is, the groups with power get to create the stereotypes and exclude other groups from the elite list.
We researched and analysed the type of characters, settings, and wardrobes that were collectively and similarly used in the type of genre of thriller and horror movies. We also looked at our target audience to see our age group which deemed to be 14 - 25. We analysed the different social groups and stereotypes that we wanted to include in our product so that they were recognisable to audiences.
I used Pinterest in order to create a mood board and find various pictures that represented these social groups that we came up with; stalkers, sporty teenage girls, darkrooms, and woods. Then I created various boards so the themes were clear and we could clearly create them in our film opening.
Sunday, January 3, 2021
RESEARCH: AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE
I have used Google Forms to created and distribute my audience questionnaire to send out to a wide range of age groups and genders who have different tastes in films, in order to further find a perfect target audience. It is easily accessible and has a simple and modern layout to allow the receiver to have a clear understanding of the questions and answer them clearly. The completed questionnaire allows me to collect a diverse set of data from the participants and therefore tells me about their film preferences. I can then use this information to find patterns between age groups and gender with favorable film genres. This will then allow me to market and distribute my film to my target audience in the way they are most likely to react to and make them want to watch my film. To do this, I asked them these questions:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5gw3XixXF8-2-Z-ehrFVnztca7H8vaLLH_EZ4zSk7wovibg/viewform
What's your age?
- 20 and under
- 21 to 35
- 35 and over
What gender are you?
- Male
- Female
- Prefer not to say
- Other
What genre of film do you prefer?
- Action
- Thriller
- Horror
- Romcom
Do you like mystery in a film?
- Yes
- No
- Maybe
Do you tend to watch the trailer before deciding whether to watch a film?
- Yes
- No
- Sometimes
What platforms do you use to find out about films?
- Cinema
- Social Media
- Website
- Television
How do you prefer to watch films?
- Distributing service (Netflix, Amazon Prime, NowTV)
- Cinema
- Both
Are you influenced by any of the following?
- Reviews
- Recommendations
- Social Media
- Interviews
- Trailers
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfK9Zh1Bx9bwSwLWuerRVu-ggCqJpicDGbKeVVgZKY51MiV7g/viewform?usp=sf_link
WELCOME TO MY BLOG!
CHARLOTTE COPPELLOTTI CANDIDATE NUMBER 1812 CLAREMONT FAN COURT SCHOOL 64680 Welcome! My production team included: Jess Foster 1820, Ellie S...
-
On the Film Distributors’ association ( FDA ) website I watched a presentation on how distributors work to create a successful marketing cam...
-
In class, we watch the FutureLearn video about Digital Storytelling . The video was by Frank Ash who is the creative consultant for the BBC ...