Streaming ...

In order to get our OTS seen by the 'right' people, we had to decide where we were going to stream it for this to happen. We went through a few possibilities such as using the internet, but decided against this as it may involve alot of searching to find our short film. This could deter some people from trying to find our film and therefore we would not get as much feedback as possible.

Here is a possible website in which we could stream our film on; as it is specifically for film makers:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/filmmaking/guide/distribution/links-exhibition-and-distribution-shorts

Inspiration ...

Each member of the group is going to write about a film and how it inspired us in making our own film noire production.

I will be writing about 'Sin city'...

Ben Cawdron will be writing about 'The Ring'...

Ben Hawkins will be writing about 'Next Day Air'...

Jay Martin will be writing about 'Bangkok Dangerous'...

... More alterations ...

• Strong contrast of light and dark would make it more film noire
• play with the clips .. make them darker, looks naive with the light

The darker the film is, the closer the audience will move in to figure out what is going on and therefore be more hooked into watching the rest of the film.

As a group, we were also advised to research 'Mickey Spillane' and films such as; Se7en and Number 23.

...scenes added, for example; putting the parcel on the side, knocking it off, realising what it is ... We decided to add these parts as we all felt that there should be a moment when you see the victim actually finding the parcel and discovering what it is =)

... Scene 11 ...

...changed and added some different angles and camera techniques, such as; in the fridge, of the kettle, the bin etc ...

... Scene 10 ...

...Unchanged, only the scenes added before this one.

... Scene 9 ...

...we changed this scene from just one to a few different ones to split up the ideas and used different camera angles than originally planned. Although we did not use all of the shots as it did not make sense to squeeze many different angles of the victim walking from his room to the kitchen into our OTS.

FINALLY ... Continuity Task =D

As a group, this was our first recording/film that we did. The task was to film 'person A' walks to a door, opens it, passes through, crosses a room, sits down and talks to someone. There was many adaptations/extentions that could be added and we tried to include as many of these as we could within our ideas ... such as; person walking alone, footsteps, door bangs, a person screaming, ambient lighting, extreme angles, mutterings, reverse tracking, tilt, more than 3 locations, enigmas, more than 2 people, implied fear.
We managed to for fill many of these criteria but got a bit carried away with doing this and therefore did not focus on the story line as much as we should have done. We took this into consideration when we started planning and filming our main task and therefore (hopefully!) it will be much better than this.
Enjoy, Comment, Rate Below, Thanks. =)

... Scene 8 ...

Within this scene we added and took away certain objects such as; took out the rubbish from the bedside table and added a beer bottle which the victiim then knocked over as he tried to turn his alarm off ... this was planned but changed form our original idea.

... Scene 7 ...

This is the only scene that has stayed exactly the same... Static behind the title before it cuts to the beginning of the film.

...Scene 6 ...

We hadn't decided which images we would be using until we started putting it all together; although we had a few rough ideas in which we knew would definately be edited into this scene.

We also changed the idea of using Images to Clips; this would give the affect that we wanted better than still images. Once we started editing, more ideas started to flow and Ben Cawdron edited the static and clips so that they got shorter (and therefore faster) until it hit the Title.

Examples of the clips we used; Static (s), Killer on phone, S, Drug deal, S ... etc

We also decided to add 'titles' within this scene; before the film name is shown.

...Scene 5 ...

We changed this scene by splitting into 2 separate cuts; one of the killer and the FF walking away and the second of the victim on the floor. We used this as a cut-scene to the static images and the beginning of the OTS.

... Scene 3 & 4 ...

Due to the lighting, we changed the direction in which the killer and femme fatale (FF) were walking, in order to get a better image (to be able to see their faces clearly) without adding any artificial lighting which would look odd within this OTS.

... Scene 2 ...

When we filmed this part we all decided (including the actors used) that it would be better if the killer were to push the victim into the fence and have the gun against the back of his head; this would enable the audience to the gun and be aware of what is happening without changing the monologue and the music in the background.

Storyboards ...

For our Opening Title Sequence (OTS), we had decided to start it in an dark alleyway. The audience would firstly see the victim and then quickly followed by the killer behind him.
This scene in the our original storyboard was kept how we planned, with only the camera angles differing from the original. The sound was also changed, as only the sound of footsteps was too quiet and added footsteps sounded too fake so we decided to add music to the background.

... 30.12.09 ...

As Tom (main character) was unable to meet for filming today, we could not get any done as we planned; the only next available day we could all be together for this is the 4th of January. We need tom, Mark and Anna (uncle and aunt) plus, preferably, all of us (me, ben, ben and jay) to film and arrange everything in scene as best we can. Also, as this is the last day of the holiday (and the last day before we have another media lesson) we need to make sure that we all are there and get the rest of the filming we need (everything we didn't do before!!).

...29.12.09 ...

Met for filming as planned with an early start at Toms' house; we managed to get the majority of our filiming done and came up with some new ideas to add to the OTS. We also filmed the monologue which will be added to the appropriate parts of the OTS. It was useful that we were able to have 3 cameras as it meant that we could shoot from different angles at the same time and also meant that Ben, Ben and Jay had a camera each to film with instead of taking turns. I was in charge of making sure each camera was in the right place and angled appropriately.

... 27.12.09 ...

As it was decided, we all met round mine to go through ideas together. Unfortunately, Jay couldn't make it but Me, Ben Hawkins and Ben Cawdron went through our ideas and made arrangements (Jay included) to film on 29th and 30th of Dec 09.

'Filming Journal ... '

As the director of our group for the 'Opening Title Sequence' (OTS) Task, I was in charge of getting everyone together and organising when and where we would all be meeting up. The first thing I did when we all got together was to separate everything that needed to be done between all of us; Ben Cs' first task was to think of possible names for the film, this is what he came up with; Revisited, The pursuit, Out of Place, In Too Deep, Dealership.
During the christmas holiday we were set to get all of the filming done. This was hard as it was awkward to get all of us together at once. So i arranged for us all to meet on the 27.12.09 for a few hours to get all of our ideas together; this would help with some possible storyboards i could come up with for filiming.

Interaction with doors and windows ... AGAIN =/

I like this image because it is abit dark, it has an edge to it as though something is going to happen - if this were an image from a film. The only lighting is coming through the window and reflects from the womens dress, it is a complete contrast in colours and lighting. There is a sense of mystery as to who the women is, why she is wearing that dress, who she is waiting for maybe - this makes you begin to think about the image in a different way.

An example of the Film Classifications from the BBFC ...

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/recent/films

Film Classifications ...

Cinema
The British Board of Film Classification is an independent, non-governmental body, which has classified cinema films since 1913, and video since 1985.
The Board was set up by the film industry in order to bring a degree of uniformity to the classification of films nationally.

Video
In 1984 Parliament passed the Video Recordings Act. This act stated that, subject to certain exemptions, video recordings offered for sale or hire commercially in the UK must be classified by an authority designated by the Secretary of State. The President and Vice Presidents of the BBFC were so designated, and charged with applying the new test of 'suitability for viewing in the home'. At this point the Board's title was changed to British Board of Film Classification to reflect the fact that classification plays a far larger part in the Board's work than censorship.

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/structure


Below is a link which will take you to the BBFC website; this page explains how they work and what they do etc ...
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/about/vsindex.php

Film Noire.

A cinematic term used to describe stylish hollywood crime dramas; especially those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. Between the early 1940s and late 1950s.

'Black Girl'
(La Noire de ... / the black girl of...)

1966 film directed by Oosmane Sembene.
The film centers on Diouana, a young Senegalese women who moves from Senegal to France, to work for a rich french couple. In France, Diouana hopes to continue her former job as a nanny, and looks forward to a cosmopolitan lifestyle. However, upon arrival in Antibes, the couple begins to treat Diouana more harshly and she is forced to work in the capacity of a servent. Diouana becomes increasingly aware of her constrained and alienated situation.

Soap Operas ...

This is a slang term, originated from being sponsered by soap detergents (soap) and the fact that the style of acting is over the top (operas). As they are shown during the day, the main target audience was housewifes; this is why they were sponsered by soap detergents - something that appealled to them, in the 1950s. This put women back in their place as housewives after the war; as whilst the men were at war, women took on all of the jobs that the men had. Sitcoms also had the same idea of 'active' men and housewives.

TV Dramas.

• on television at peak times
• fictional - 'made up'
• serious
• most have a series of episodes
• one off dramas
• serials - 2 parters, 4 episodes then finish
• british

For example;

1. Eastenders
2. Coronation Street
3. Emmerdale
4. Hollyoaks
5. Doctors
6. Casualty
7. Holby City
8. Midsummer Murders
9. Frost
10. The Bill
11. Crossroads
12. Torchwood
13. Doctor Who
14. Grange Hill

The main sub-genres of TV drama;

• Medical
• Youth
• Historical
• Fantasy/Sci-Fi
• Soaps
• Crime

Soundbite ...

(1) a portion of a whole; teaser trailers, podcast radio shows, headlines from the press...
(2) leader into further detail
(3) summary
(4) synopsis; at the back of a book or film case, or a review ...
(5) demonstrate knowledge and understanding ...

Examples of Qualitative Measurements.

Active: someone who purposely goes to the cinema to view the production.
Passsive: someone who goes to see the production because they have been taken by or for someone else e.g. with a partner or children.
Preferred: someone who goes to see a production that is specifically aimed at them.
Hedonist: someone who is purely devoted to their own pleasure e.g. they go to see a production because they want to.
Traditionalist: someone who goes to view a production because they know they will like it.
Post-Modernist: someone who goes to see a production because they know the original and want to see the re-make.

Qualitative Measurements ...

... are like 'open-ended' questions; for example if i made a questionnaire in order to see who would be interested in my production, a qualitative question would ask why they like a certain genre of film rather than just if they like it.

Looking at Target Audience ...

The target audience is the group of people (consumers) that the product (e.g. film) is directed at. Each production has an indivdual audience; this may include age, gender, nationality etc.

My First Ever Blog!

I have started doing media AS this year and I am overwhelmed completely with it all! I have started to look at Film Noir and Soap Operas, in which i have written an essay on how 'James Bond - Casino Royale 2006' shows the conventions of Film Noir within the first five minutes.