Audience and Institution Practice Essay

Assess the importance of marketing in the media area you have studied.

Marketing plays an essential role when discussing the success and recognition of a film. When I'm introduced to a newly released film it's mainly by the company's marketing strategies. Some of these strategies include commercials, merchandise, cross-promoting, and promoting on social media. Not only do these strategies grasp the attention of many viewers, but it also makes these individuals want to invest in the film. 

         One commonly used technique that I have recognized in the marketing of films is cross-promotion. The movie is known as “Fantastic Beasts” used cross-promotion in various ways. The Warner Bros. partnered with AT&T to establish the creation of the film for it to be promoted worldwide. This strategy helped boost the recognition and publicity of the film as AT&T displayed posters within many stores and launched a preview on DirecTV. The main reason why I was interested in watching this movie was that I saw a preview for it while watching television. This proves that this is an effective marketing technique as it catches the attention of individuals who may be interested in watching the film like myself. Another way “Fantastic Beasts” established cross-promotion was through partnering with google. Google distributed ads which consisted of specific portions of the trailer to motivate the audience to be interested in the movie. This strategy helped expand the recognition of the movie to audiences worldwide. The last way “Fantastic Beasts” used cross-promotion was the creation of a Harry Potter-themed game that was released days before the movie was released to the public. As a result of the creation of this game, audiences were seen to have a higher interest in watching the movie when it was released. These examples from “Fantastic Beasts” show how cross-promotion is highly beneficial and crucial in the marketing process when promoting a new film.

         Another commonly used technique that I have recognized in the marketing of films is the creation of merchandise. The popular movie is known as “Spider-Man: Homecoming” produced a multitude of merchandise to promote the upcoming film. The sales team from Spider-Man: Homecoming used toys and other items as a way to get children to want to watch the film. They were also using the PS4's new Spiderman game to generate excitement for the movie. Before the film came out, to generate publicity for the film, they launched merchandise and when it was released, they had a massive premier. In order to produce a healthy profit, they released the film in all cities worldwide. Spider-Man also partnered with Cinnamon Toast Crunch to give out free water web-shooters with every cereal box. This attracted the attention of the younger audience, one that is more inclined to go watch movies like the aforementioned one. These merchandising techniques increased the public awareness of the film, creating a larger platform and gathered a hefty viewership. Marketing the film this way allows productions like Spider-Man: Homecoming to become well-known and profitable.

         Synergy is another commonly used technique in marketing strategies. The production of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 relied heavily on the use of synergy. This movie was produced by Disney, a conglomerate that owns a significant amount of smaller companies and networks. Guardians of the Galaxy used this to their advantage. It was produced by Marvel, a newly bought Disney subsidiary. In order to promote the movie, Marvel created animated features on the ABC network, using the characters from the movie to create suspense about the plot of the movie in these shorts. Disney also owns ESPN, so during the Super Bowl, Marvel released an all-new Guardians of the Galaxy trailer to peak the interest of an entirely different audience. A few days before the release, Marvel released a game online created by Disney Imagineering. This game was created to produce excitement and develop buzz around the movie premiere. Using synergy exposes the movie to a wider fan base and allows the company to save money on marketing, creating a cost-effective strategy that actually works. 

         The final marketing technique I will be talking about in this essay is cross-media convergence. The movie Furious 7 used two different types of media to promote their movie: print and radio. Many actors from Furious 7 were featured on the covers of Vibe magazine. In their feature, the actors promoted the movie by referring to behind-the-scenes features that were sure to pique the interest of those who were invested in the series from the start. Not only is this sure to recruit old audience members but it will also attract the newer audiences that read the magazines. On the radio, the producers released a certain amount of tickets to be raffled off to select listeners. It is known that people love free things, so using this tactic was to motivate people to call in for tickets, creating invested consumers in the process. There was also a soundtrack released with various artists such as Florida, Prince Royce, Wiz Khalifa, and others. These artists promoted their music on their pages that are highly followed, ensuring that millions of people would hear about the movie. Cross-media convergence works to integrate films into all aspects of a potential audience member’s life. 

Companies use these marketing techniques because they are the most proactive and the most efficient. They decrease the need for excessive marketing all the while increasing audience sizes.

"24" Extract Essay

The extract that was provided by my instructor mainly displayed excitement and thrill. This was because the main setting took place in an interrogation room along with the two main actors identified as the investigator and victim. The investigator desperately needed information from the victim who refused to say any information which soon lead the investigator violently choking the victim until he was forced out of the interrogation room by three overseers. This extract was known as “24.” The message that the author is trying to convey is that it can be challenging to contain your anger in stressful situations however, letting your anger get the best of you could ultimately ruin your opportunity to achieve your goal. This theme was conducted by the use of multiple techniques throughout the extract such as camera angles, camera shots, camera movements, sound, editing, and mis en scene. 

            In the beginning of the extract, the initial shot that was used was an over the shoulder shot. As the investigator first walked through the door to the interrogation room, an over the shoulder shot was used to show his unpleasantly angry look towards the victim sitting at the table. The usage of this shot allowed the audience to see the investigator’s angry facial expressions towards the victim. This shot also assured the audience that the investigator was looking directly at the victim and nothing else. Furthermore, a prop that was displayed in the beginning of the extract was I small stack of papers. The stack of papers were tossed on the table in front of the victim by the investigator soon after he walked into the interrogation room. The usage of this prop gives the audience a hint that some type of investigation is occurring between the investigator and the victim sitting at the table. The last technique used in the beginning of the extract was a sound technique known as dialogue. Dialogue occurred throughout the whole film however, it was first used when the victim started to have a conversation with the investigator soon after he placed the papers on the table. The usage of this dialogue allows the audience to have a clear understanding of what happened prior to the extract given and the reasons why the investigator is severely agitated. 

            During the middle portion of the extract, the initial shot that was used was a long shot. The long shot took place as it showed the victims full body, revealing that the victim was tied up to the chair she was sitting in after the investigator and victim started having an argument.  The usage of this long shot allowed the audience to intake the knowledge that the victim may have committed a crime or is capable of being dangerously destructive. Additionally, the final technique used during the middle portion of the extract was diegetic sound. Dietetic sound was used as the investigator angrily attacked the victim, forcefully pushing her against the wall while choking her. The usage of this diegetic sound allows for the creation of more suspense to fulfill the audience and help the audience understand occurring events. 

            During the last portion of the extract, the initial editing technique that was introduced was a split screen. The split screen took place when the two observers watching from the observation room were rushing to the interrogation room shortly after the investigator started to choke the victim. The usage of this split screen allowed the audience to visualize the conflict occurring within the interrogation room as well as the two observers that were trying to force their way into the interrogation room at the same time. Additionally, the second editing technique used during the last portion of the extract was an eye-line match. This eyeline match was used when the two observers stormed into the interrogation room and one of them conducted a head gesture expressing “let’s go” or “come here” to the investigator after he was forced away from the victim by the security guard. The last and final technique displayed during the ending of the extract was the overall view of the main setting which was the interrogation room. After the whole film took place mostly in the interrogation room, the audience would come to the conclusion that the interrogation room was the overall main setting and that the victim was most likely in there for doing something bad.

            In conclusion, the main idea of the movie was constructed through the usage of camera angles, camera movements, camera shots, editing, sound techniques, and mis en scene. In result of the investigator angrily attacking the victim in that stressful situation, he was punished by being removed from the case making him unable to question or work with that victim. The ending of this extract is what helped construct the theme that the author is trying to present to the audience; suppressing your anger in stressful circumstances can be difficult, however, allowing your anger to get the best out of you could eventually ruin your chance to achieve your main goal.

Final Task CCR

 


            When starting my CCR I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me. Before I started filming, I wanted to make sure that I had an appropriate location to film in. I wanted the location that I filmed my CCR to be very quiet with good lighting with a good background. After searching around my house, I decided to set up my filming location in my bedroom on my dresser. This was the perfect location as I  automatically knew I wouldn't get distracted or interrupted by any of my family members. When I started filming my CCR, there were four main questions that had to be discussed and answered. These four questions played a big role throughout creating all of my films. When filming myself answering these important questions, I had to start over multiple times on each question as I made various types of mistakes. Although I had to re-film many times, I had a lot of fun overall. Filming and answering these questions made me feel like I was in a talk show speaking to a cloud of people that were interested in what I had to say.
            When referring to editing, this was also a lot of fun. I was able to make my video very unique and creative just the way I wanted it to be. Editing all of my raw footage was also very time-consuming. When editing my footage, I imported many photos and videos to correspond with what I was talking about. This was very time consuming as I had to trim and crop my photos and videos before inserting them. Adding in specific photos and videos is what made my CCR unique and creative. Without these photos and videos, my CCR would be very boring for the audience to watch as it would be 13 minutes of only talking. Towards the end of my presentation, I decided to incorporate music. The music that I inserted was the music that played at the beginning of my horror film. At the very end of my film, I added a short clip that consisted of a black screen saying: "Thanks for watching." I incorporated this clip to smoothly wrap up the video and show my appreciation to my audience.

Final Task: The Taunting

          After filming the music video, I was excited to move on to the final task. The final task was the last thing that would be filmed for this class. I was so excited to begin working on this because movies are one of my favorite things to watch. In particular, I love horror movies. I knew this would be the genre I would want to focus on because of the love and compassion I have for it. After collaborating with my group, I discovered that they also enjoyed this genre as well. I couldn’t wait to begin filming and editing! With the help of my group, I thought of many different storylines for the introduction of a horror film. After lots of thinking and eliminating ideas, my group and I found the perfect idea. We selected the idea that would have the most potential for a horror film.

          After selecting an idea, I was eager to begin filming. The filming process was a lot of fun to experience. It felt as if I was in a real-life horror film. This was such a thrilling feeling because of how much I love horror films. Not only was it fun to film, but it was also a lot of fun to edit. Adding in the music and title sequences was a lot of fun, but it was also new to me. I was unaware of how to add text into the scenes on to iMovie. After conducting some research, I was able to easily learn how to add in the title sequences. I also had to trim the sequences to the right amount of time however, this was very easy to learn how to do. Overall, this task was a lot of fun and I learned lots of new tips and tricks that could be useful in later life experiences.

Music Video Overview

          After filming the commercial project, I was super excited to begin filming the music video. Music videos are so much fun to watch because there is so much creativity put into them. One of my favorite artists is Khalid so I knew I would want to a music video to one of his songs. I am so glad my group and I chose to use the song “Location” because it had such a peaceful and fun vibe to it. Luckily, this time when we filmed, I had previous knowledge, so the filming and editing process went much smoother. I was able to learn from the mistakes I made on the first film to help myself grow and improve on this project. Overall, filming this music video was a lot of fun. I learned a lot of new things and created such an amazing and unique film in the end.

Gatorade Commercial overview

This is the Gatorade commercial that was filmed closer to the beginning of the year. This was the product that was created by my group and I. Ever since we created this film, our production skills have gotten so much better. I have learned so many new skills and techniques about filming and editing from the other films that I created after this commercial. Overall, I am still proud of my gatorade commercial but, now that my skills have improved, I see some mistakes that I didn't see in the past when creating this film. The most importing lesson that I learned from creating this film was not to use my school's cameras as iPhone cameras seem to be much easier to use and record better quality footage.

Re- edit Blog: The Spread of COVID19

          Due to the rapid spreading of the coronavirus, schools have remained closed. There was a recent announcement that schools will be closed until the end of April AT LEAST. Individuals are now recommended to stay indoors and resist contact with all other individuals to stop the spread of this deadly disease. My groupmates and I decided to respect these new rules and regulations. As a result of this, my group and I were not able to reshoot leading to the conclusion of not being capable of re-editing any new footage. Although this was upsetting, we all knew it was for the best of our safety. Soon after this news was discovered, my group and I all joined into a group call as we knew this would be much safer then if we were to meet up in person. In our call, we discussed our opinions and future ideas. After some discussion, my group and I realized that the few editing mistakes found within are film could be easily fixed without re-shooting or re-editing. We knew that it wasn't going to be as good as actually re-shooting and re-editing, but it was all we could do to improve our film during the pandemic.

          When my group and I went back and reviewed our film, we realized that our film met all the necessary requirements. Our film only had a few small issues that could easily be improved without having to have new, raw footage. When we were in our group call, each of us decided to take one task to improve the quality of our film. My task was to make sure all of the transitions used were smooth and fit with each scene. Jade's task was to make sure that the title sequences remained on the screen for the correct duration of time. Sophia's task was to make sure that title sequences were in the correct order. Last but not least, Katia's task was to make sure that none of the scenes were burry and that they were all in the correct order. After we all completed our tasks, the quality and outcome of our film improved significantly. We were very happy that we decided to split these final tasks between all of us as it made this process much easier. Once we would finally say that our film was completed, we were very proud of the amazing film that we were capable of producing during this dangerous and devastating time.

Re-shoot Blog: The Coronavirus Outbreak

          After my group and I finished editing our film, we had a decent product. We tried to think of things we could do to improve our product because we wanted our film to be the best it could possibly be. My group and I then realized that some of our scenes could be improved by reshooting them. My group and I all joined a group FaceTime call and decided on a day to reshoot these scenes. This was a perfect idea yet bad timing. Unfortunately, we were not able to reshoot any of our scenes as a disease known as the coronavirus unexpectedly started to rapidly spread across the world. As a result of this outbreak, my school ended up shutting down and we are now expected to stay in quarantine until further notice. After this was announced, my groupmates and I created another group FaceTime call and talked about the situation that we were in referring to not only our re shooting plans but our health as well. After some discussion, we decided to cancel our re-shooting plans as we came to the conclusion that it was too dangerous. We realized that reshooting some of our scenes was not mandatory so we decided to keep the footage that we have and put our health first.
          After deciding to cancel our reshooting plans, my group and I tried to think of any more ideas to improve our film. We knew that we couldn’t reshoot any footage leaving us with only one thing left to do; watch our film and fix any editing mistakes. One Of the two scenes that we were going to reshoot only had a small lighting issue. I tried to think of many ways this could be fixed. After a lot of brainstorming, I remembered that we filmed some of our scenes more than once just in case an issue as this occurred. Luckily, this scene was one of the scenes that we shot more than once. As a result of this, my group and I had to search through our deleted footage to find the specific scene that had bad lighting. After about 10 minutes of searching through our deleted footage, my group and I were thrilled as we found the piece of footage that was needed. As a result of our findings, we were able to switch the footage that had bad lighting with footage that had much better lighting and quality. Switching this footage not only made our film appear more professional, but will allow our film to be more enjoyable to the audience that craves higher quality footage.

Editing Blog: Incorporating Sound

          After organizing title sequences, it was time for my group and I to move on to the final step in editing. We were all very excited to finish editing to see our final product. As a result of this, my group and I got to work immediately. There were a couple of things that needed some improvements which is what we started to work on. We quickly realized that the time duration between each sequence needed to be set correctly. We didn’t want to confuse the audience if one sequence appeared on the screen at the same time as another sequence. This is not complicated to achieve as resets the specific times that we wanted each sequence to appear and disappear. My group and I didn’t only want the transitions between each sequence to be smooth, we also wanted the transitions between each seen to be smooth as well. These smooth transitions between each scene are important as it informs the audience that switching of scenes has occurred. These smooth transitions also assist the audience to find and notice different shots and angles used within each scene.
          After setting the duration between each sequence, my group and I had one last thing to edit. This was to incorporate music throughout some scenes within our film. My group and I had many good ideas for songs that could have been used however, we had to use copyright free music. In search of copyright Free music, my group and I used the power of YouTube to our advantage. We searched and listened to many songs and soon found the perfect song to incorporate into our film. After selecting this song, we edited it into the introduction of our film. We incorporated the song to be playing when the title sequences are being displayed. The song had the perfect beat and mood to match the content being viewed by the audience. The song also provided the perfect intro for a horror film, exhibiting more horror as the film proceeded. Once this process was completed, my group and I finally finished our editing journey and had a fully completed product.

       

Editing Blog: Organization of Title Sequences

          After cutting and trimming all of the pieces of footage that we selected to use, my group and I knew we still had a lot of work to do. Because of this, we got straight to work immediately. After importing all of our selected footage, we didn’t know what to do next. After some discussion, my group and I decided to organize our footage. With the use of iMovie, we were able to move pieces of footage around. As a result of this, Our footage would all be in order in the way it is displayed to the audience. Organizing The order of our footage is essential as the film would not make any sense if the scenes are all mixed up. This will also result in there being no storyline within the film. If there is no story within the film, it will be uninteresting and confusing for the audience. The organization of our scenes and footage will overall make our film look more professional but most importantly, it will cause our film to make sense and be very interesting.
          After putting all of our scenes and pieces of footage in order, my group and I started to think of what we could do next. After some brainstorming, we decided to start working on the introduction of our film. The introduction of the film needed to contain many title sequences. Incorporating these tiles was very time-consuming. This was because we had to have the titles sequences in the correct order with the corresponding scenes. All of the title sequences are shown at the beginning of the film in different scenes. The order in which these titles are placed is very important for helping the introduction of our film make more sense. The main purpose of these title sequences is to give credit to the participants relating to the creation of our film. Additionally, the incorporation of these title sequences results in our film looking more professional. Overall, title sequences give the introduction of our film a much cleaner and organized introduction, making the audience more excited to watch the film.

Editing Blog: Trimming and Exporting Footage

          After my group and I finished filming all of the footage needed for our film, we were ready to start editing. Before we started editing, my group and I went back and looked at all of the footage we had. We wanted to ensure that we used the best footage we had to incorporate into our film. When filming,  my group and I filmed many shots per scene. Because of this, we had to go back and choose what footage was best for each scene. When selecting the footage, it was very time consuming as we had to delete the footage that was not wanted or worthy to be in our film. My group and I had to pick the footage that turned out the best and supported the genre of the film. After this selection process, my group and I began to trim the footage. We had to ensure that each clip was short enough to meet the time limit that was instructed. After many attempts, my group and I finally met the required time for our film.
          During this process, there were many issues that had to be resolved when trying to meet the required time limit. Our edited footage kept going over the maximum time limit. My group and I came to an agreement that some of the less important scenes needed to be trimmed. After trimming these scenes, we just managed to meet the maximum time limit and had no further concerns about the maximum time limit. After overcoming this issue, my group and I began to import all of the trimmed footage. We all came to an agreement to use iMovie instead of Pinnacle Studios. We knew that using iMovie was going to make this editing process much easier as all of our footage was filmed using my iPhone. My group and I faced some difficulties when trying to import all of our footage due to technical issues within the computer that we decided to use. We easily resolved this issue by using a different Mac computer to export our footage onto. After we switched computers, the footage was capable of being exported without any remaining issues.

Conducting a peer review

          In class on Tuesday, my group mates and I conducted a peer review of another group's film. The film had many positive values however, negative values as well. There were many things I liked about the film however there was one thing in particular that I really liked. The one thing I really liked about the film was the scary “creature” shown throughout the film. The “creature” was very realistic making the film look more professional. The realistic effect of the “creature” made watching the film more enjoyable. Additionally, the way the “creature” moved was very spine chilling. This really brought out the horror the audience craves and wants to watch. The “creature” made the overall film much scarier and interesting for the audience. Without the appearance of the “creature”, the film would have lacked interest as well as suspense and horror.
          Although there were many things that I liked about the film, there were a few things that could have used some improvements. Out of the many improvements that could have been made, there was only one main issue that could use some suggestions. One main suggestion I would make to the film is to improve the lighting throughout the entire film. All of the footage was very dark making it hard to see the overall setting and characters. The darkness of the footage resulted in the audience being unable to see the character’s facial expressions when being scared by the “creature.” This issue is very crucial as it decreases the quality of the film. Not being able to see the character's expressions or the setting in which the characters lye makes the film significantly less interesting and scary for the audience. The lighting of the film could be fixed by simply turning on a small lamp when filming, slightly opening the curtains, or increasing the brightness through the use of editing. If this main issue is resolved, the film will become better and more professional as a whole. Overall, the film isn't considered one of the best films I have seen however, it was good and somewhat interesting for my group and me to watch.

Filming blog: Establishing horror within the film

          When establishing the overall film introduction, my group and I wanted to ensure that the audience could clearly understand the genre. This is significantly important as the audience may find the film uninteresting or hard to comprehend and follow along with. My group and I recognized the importance of this and automatically took action. My group and I took many steps to ensure that our film inquired multiple senes that exhibited horror. To assist with this, we decided to film in dark locations, increasing the suspense and level of horror for the audience. For example, the scariest scenes were filmed in the bathroom, laundry room, and closet. These locations were very beneficial as each of those rooms sustained no windows, thus letting no unwanted lighting into the room we were filming in. When we were filming in these very dark locations, we used our flashlights to create just enough light to allow the audience to see what is happening in each scene. The usage of flashlights allows more darkness in the room and fewer objects to be identified. This results in an increase in horror in the effect of mysterious and creepy surroundings.
          When establishing the overall film introduction, my group and I also ensured that the audience could clearly understand the genre through the usage of props. During the scariest scenes, my group and I made sure to incorporate props to expand the feeling of horror within the audience. The most used prop which was incorporated in most of our scenes was the Ouija Board. Many individuals recognize the Ouija Board as a popular yet very scary board game. The usage of the Ouija Board intensifies the level of horror and warns the audience how scary the following scenes may be. If my group and I didn't have the Ouija Board, it would be more difficult for the audience to know that something scary was going to happen. When relating to other props, the scariest scene of our film was shot in the bathroom. In this scene, we wanted one of the characters to get possessed and pulled away. The usage of the shower curtain made this scene not only possible but scary and believable as well. To create this scene, I had to get into the bathtub and pretend to possess one of the characters by pulling her head back into the curtain (not hard enough to hurt her). This creates somewhat of a mystery leaving the audience wondering what happened to the possessed girl and who that antagonist was that possessed her.
     

Filming blog: filming at the house

          After solving the vast issue we faced with not having the expected amount of actors, we were finally ready to film. Luckily, we were able to film the day we intended and didn’t have to change any of our filming plans. Before we started filming, we had to find the desired location in the house to film. We searched the house trying to find the most logical location to film each scene. We tried to find the darkest location in the house to create a creepier setting for our film. As we were filming in the day time, it was challenging to find a spot in the house that was darker or at least dim. Because of this, we decided to close all the curtains through the house, making the overall setting much dimmer. Once this was accomplished, we had to find the darkest room in the house the film the scariest part of the movie entry. The darkness of this room made the genre of horror and chilling feels to stand out to create a greater impact on the audience. Once my group and I decided on all of our filming locations throughout the house, we were ready to film.
          As we started to film, my group and I acted out the first scenes approaching the house and having a simple conversation in the living room. The content within these first few scenes constructed a guideline for the audience on what the next scenes may be about. Within these scenes, many important shots were used. These shots included over the shoulder shots, establishing shots, and tracking shots. The use of these shots will result in our movie entry looking much more professional. The following scenes after these were used to express the horror and suspense leading to the scariest part of our film. These scenes were known to us as the scariest scenes throughout the whole film. For example, one of these scenes include individuals plying the Ouija board in complete darkness awaiting spirits. Within these scenes, we included very important camera angles and shots. These included medium close-ups, close-ups, pans, tilts, high angles, low angles, medium shots, and long shots. These shots and angles were very beneficial as they were all mostly used to excel in the feeling and genre of horror.

Filming Blog: Resolving an issue

          In result of a lot of discussions, my group and I decided to film on Sunday. Everything was going as planned until we ran into a serious problem. The individuals that agreed to work with my group and I informed us that they may be either late and may not make it. They then later confirmed that they were all not going to be able to make it for filming on Sunday. They explained that they started to film their own footage the same day and didn't expect it to take as long as it took. They said that their footage was going to take all day rather then what we anticipated: only a couple of hours. They said that they could help us the following weekend however, we wanted to film earlier so we would have time to edit our footage. Because of this, we were in a lot of panic. We were very worried as our whole script and storyboard included the individuals that weren't able to make it resulting in my group and I having to make changes to the script and storyboard. We informed the individuals that weren't able to make it that it was all going to be okay as they respectively apologized to us in concern of our plans.
            My group and I knew we had to find a solution as that could have been our last opportunity to film. My group and I brainstormed many ideas to help us find a solution to this massive problem. It was essential to us that our scenes still made sense and were still interesting for not only us but for the audience as well. If the scenes didn't make sense to the audience, the film wouldn't be interesting and it would be challenging to follow along with what happens throughout the film. This will also exclude the wanted genre of horror and the thrilling feeling that the audience craves. My group and I started to edit our script that was completed before we knew that we were low on actors. We needed to make edits to make our scenes actable with the number of actors we sustained. After some time, we finally perfected our script for the number of people we could work with. My group and I were very relieved that we faced and handled the problem very well without messing up our filming schedule. Because our group works so well together, we were still able to produce some amazing footage for our first day of filming, even with the problem that we faced in the beginning.

Filming blog: Scheduling and planning

          My group and I were planning on filming over the weekend but unfortunately, we were unable to. Unexpected plans from my fellow group members took place at the same time that my group and I were going to film. This resulted in us having to cancel our plans for filming. Since my group and I couldn’t film, we decided to use this time resourcefully to reschedule and conduct planning for the new filming date. I believe that this step was very important as this will provide an easier and smoother filming process. My group and I spent many hours on Group FaceTime discussing and reviewing specific details that will take place in each scene. We did this to make sure that we were all organized and prepared for the day that we planned to start filming. We also reviewed and discussed the angles and shots that would look good or match with each scene to make our film look more professional. This will also prevent my group and I from using more time on planning and getting organized at the filming location. As a result of this, my group and I will not waste valuable time that can be used to film.
         During our planning over the phone, my group and I mainly focused on the props and the setting of our film. Using the power of all of our knowledge, we conducted many great ideas about props and the setting that would be essential and valuable to include in our film. We also discussed specific editing techniques that we could use to take our film to the next level. To make the filming process less stressful, my group and I agreed that we would all bring props. This would allow my group and I to have a selection of props to choose from. The usage of these props and special effects extenuate the element of horror and fully express the purpose of the genre: to scare. Without the props, the genre of horror wouldn’t be completely fulfilled. The props will allow our film to seem more realistic and professional. When referring to the special effects, it is essential that we use them. Adding special effects will allow our film to look more professional and smooth as special effects can’t be regularly filmed and must be inserted to complete that feeling of horror that the audience craves.

Storyboard for the final task

   This is our storyboard. This story board will help out when it comes to the filming and editing process. Like in the past, the storyboard will act as a step-by-step guide for filming and editing.  For example, while we are filming we can look back at our storyboard to see what camera movements we wanted and in what scene or when to use them. We could also use the storyboard for the editing process. The storyboard could help us to remember what we wanted our titles to look like and what type of visuals we want. Overall, the storyboard helps to remind our group of our initial ideas for the film. This is helpful because we have found that sometimes while we film or while we edit we forget what we wanted and in what scene. So the storyboard helps us with this. The storyboard also helps us see if we made any changes when we finish our film or what stayed the same.

Planning Blog: Schedule, location, participants and health

In this presentation, the aspects schedule, location, participants, and health are focused. Within our schedule, we chose as a group what days will be best for us to record. As for the location after deliberating thoroughly we decided that it will be best to film at  Sophia’s house. Furthermore, we decided on how many people we would need to conduct the film. We chose three people for our group then three extras from another, the total will result in a great representation for a group of friends. Lastly, we discussed things we can do to make sure we are safe. Which included simple things like transportation. Exchanging views about these four aspects will be beneficial to us in the future, we won’t have to replan or rethink of anything. This will prevent wasting time from our filming process.

Planning Blog: Title slide

In this google presentation my group and I spoke about the titles of our movie. We spoke about where they would be, what they would look like and more aspects of the titles. Examples of this include color, size, and structure of the titles. This is all included in the presentation. We also came up with the name of our movie. This posed some difficulty because we had our whole script but couldn't think of a title. We wanted our movie title to correctly summarize our movie but at the same time not give the plot away. Eventually we came up with the title. This presentation will be very useful to our group because we can use it as a reference when we are editing. And will remind us of our original title ideas if they change as the process goes on.

Sound Script for the Final Task

In this Google Slides presentation, my group and I wrote out a sound script. This is a script that discusses the different sounds that would be used in our final task video. The sound effects discussed correspond with the shooting script. It is very essential to have this all planned out in order to have a smoother filming process. This script acts as a general outline for all the sounds that would be included. My group and I selectively picked out the sounds that we thought would work best with each scene. We made sure that the sounds would be able to contribute to the overall theme being horror. These sounds also allow the audience to better interpret and understand what is going on. For example, when the beat increases in the background music, the audience can assume that something is about to happen in the scene. It is extremely important to be able to identify when there will be a shift in the tone of the scene. As expected, there will be a few minor changes that may occur to the script to better suit the film. However, these changes will only be small and will not result in tremendous differences. Overall, this script will help tremendously as we begin to film, as it provides a layout for what we will need to do and edit in.

Shooting Script for the Final Task

In this google slides presentation I wrote out my groups shooting script. This is a script with all of the words, camera movements and some notable editing styles. This script can act as an overall outline for our movie clip. Each slide is a new scene. So for each scene I wrote out the dialogue and the characters movements. I also like said before noted any camera movements, angles or shits that were new or important to the scene. I also did the same for any added in things that would be for the editing process. We could use this script during the filming process and follow it religiously. Of course some changes are bound to be made because that's what happens in a film. But if any changes are to be made they will be minuscule and the overall plot will remain similar to the powerpoint. And the powerpoint will be very useful for the rest of the process.

Title research: Cargo

1) How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?

During the opening sequences of the film “Cargo”, there were 10 opening sequences to the film. Some of these included the producer, executive producer, director, director of photography, etc.

2) What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

Throughout the opening sequence of “Cargo”, they showed a woman with bare skin in a very dark place. The woman seemed as if she was very frightened and lost. The woman was also very bony and skittish as she sat there constantly checking her surroundings. This shows that something terrible most likely happened to this woman but the audience doesn’t know until the film is watched.

3) What connotations do the images carry?

The connotations of the images in the opening sequence of “Cargo” carry a very eerie and frightening feeling for the audience. This feeling is created mostly from the setting and character expressing skittish and scared actions. The setting is dark with very dim light focused on the main character of the opening sequence. On top of this eerie setting, the main character is incredibly freaked out which is why the images carry very fearful and creepy connotations.

4) How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

Throughout the introduction to this film, the genre is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes. The directors use symbolic codes to show what is beneath the surface of what we are seeing. In other words, this is a way of showing the audience what is behind or the cause of the horror that is being shown. This allows the audience to understand what is going on and have a better understanding of the emotions being portrayed. In the case of this film, we see that this person is being abused and is clearly terrified. Additionally, technical codes are used to show all of the ways equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, this includes the camera work as well. This film's introduction shows the story of someone who is being abused. The person experiencing the horror is very frightened and clearly feels alone. The directors also add to this effect by having the camera shake to make it look as if this person is being watched.

5) How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The film establishes an enigma from the outset as they show a damaged and scared individual however, not showing the audience what specifically happened to that individual. Doing this will result in the audience wanting to know what happened to that individual as the movie continues. They also develop enigma as the individual rapidly and constantly checks her dark surroundings. This causes the audience to question these actions and what the individual is scared of or looking for as she sits in a very dark area.

6) What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

Many strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audiences such as the setting, the font of the titles, and the score. The setting, font of the titles, and the score all appeal and make the audience want to continue watching to see what happens next. This is an excellent film strategy because the directors give an insider as to what is happening. This gives the audience a reason to continue watching. Additionally, the main theme is clearly identified which allows for fewer misunderstandings and more enjoyment of the film. The directors and producers also do not identify who the person causing this terror is. The audience can infer that this person is behind the camera due to the horror on the woman’s face and the shakiness of the camera. This is also an effective strategy because this makes the audience eager to find out who this person is and what they are doing.

7) How has technology been used effectively?

The technology was used very effectively throughout this film introduction. The film producers did an excellent and effective job of incorporating camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques. One camera angle used in this film was a close-up. This close up was used to extenuate the fear and terror of the film. When the camera shows the close up you can see this woman clearly feels trapped and is extremely horrified. We also can notice how she is shaking and appears to be cold. Using this shot was important in allowing the audience to understand and see how this woman is feeling and also allows us to infer what may happen next. One transition that was used as a transition from shaking very frightening images to showing the woman sitting alone in the corner. This is an effective transition as it shows the pain the woman has been through and where she is now. This also allows the audience to see the other victims involved in this unknown horror. This is an important detail for figuring out what type of horrific situation she is in. One editing technique that was used was the add-in of the sound. The music allows the audience to sense when something important is about to happen. In this film, the music begins to get higher and more intense as the antagonist is about to be introduced. Overall, these examples of camera angles, transitions, and editing techniques used in the film show the role that technology has played in creating this amazing horror film

Title research: Dead Silence

My group and I decided to research different title sequences from opening scenes in horror movies. To research, I decided to choose the movie Dead Silence. This is a horror movie that I found on Art of the Title website. I choose this movie because the title sequence fits perfectly with the movie and makes sense to the plot.

1.    How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
 
 In the movie Dead Silence, there were in total of 21 titles in the opening sequence. These included a quote and other important jobs that played a part in the film like the producer, casting agent, director, etc.

2.    What images are prioritized in the opening scene?

There weren’t many images placed in the film, mostly videos. But there were times when the video would freeze on something important to the plot, that they wanted the audience to know. For example, the whole opening scene was a man making the doll which was the main focus of the film and sometimes it would stop on images of sketches of different dolls that were being made. This might’ve been prioritized because they wanted the audience to see how the doll was made.


3.    What connotations do the images carry?

The images that were prioritized in the opening sequence had a creepy and horrific connotation to them. The images enhanced the already created creepy and unsettling feeling that the commercial already had.


4.    How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

When it comes to technical codes, the genre was reinforced by them using camera angles to their advantage. Throughput the opening there was a man making a doll and most of the time, the camera was a POV. And all it showed was the, and hands making the doll. And in some scenes, it wasn’t exactly a POV shot but it still never showed his face and only showed his hands. This might’ve been done to show the character and foreshadow a type of mystery or importance that he has throughout the film. They also used symbolic codes by showing a quote at the beginning of the sequence. This could symbolize what the film could mean and the lesson in it. This could also provide some background information.          

5.    How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The film establishes an enigma from the outset but showing the man’s hands and not revealing his identity. By doing so they developed a creepy and mysterious figure that the audience will start to question as the movie carries on. They also develop the enigma of the doll. This is because while the doll is being made, they could question if it’s going to bring good or bad to the film and what its role is going to be.

6.    What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

  The main strategy that as used to appeal to the audience was the score. The score really engaged the audience and again added onto the terrifying feeling of the movie. Since the audience is watching the movie they obviously want to be scared, so by using this scary music, it will appeal to the audience by adding to the effect. They also use colors to scare the audience more. The whole opening sequence was in black and white and the titles were in red, so the black and white with red titles engage the audience into a scarier mood.

7.    How has technology been used effectively?

  In this opening sequence technology has been used very effectively. There were many transitions used in the sequence to go from one clip to another. They used lots of dissolves and slides to do so. They also used angles and shots effectively. There were lots of jump cuts used to show the passing of time when the man was making the doll. And the whole sequence the camera was either shot at a POV or eye-level angle. But overall technology was used very efficiently because it added to the genre and all aspects made sense to the sequence.

Title Research: 30 Days of Night

Today my group and I watched the opening sequence to the film '30 Days of Night'. We were able to watch this film using the website: Watch the Title. This website provided us with the resources necessary to further investigate the introduction of a film. I chose the film '30 Days of Night' because it perfectly matches the genre of horror that I plan to focus on throughout my next project. This film will be a great resource to look back on for future references. For instance, I may get stuck on what the next step is when filming my introduction to a movie, but luckily I will have an excellent website and resource to look back on. Now, let's move on to analyzing certain aspects of the film.
          The first thing I analyzed while watching this opening sequence was the number of titles displayed. The number of titles displayed during the opening sequence of the film totaled 18. These displays are used to give credit to the people who worked on the film. While the titles were being displayed, many photos were also being shown in the background. These photos portray a very terrifying and scary connotation. They were used to signify to the audience that the film will be scary and mysterious. It creates a sense of mystery as well because the audience wants to know more about what these horrifying photos are and what role they will play in the film. These photos appear to be crime scene photos or photos of corpses which gives the audience hints about the main theme and plot.
          Throughout this introduction, the genre is reinforced through scary symbols. For example, the music playing in the background creates terror along with the way that the pictures are shown on the screen. Additionally, technical codes were used to extenuate the horrific effect. For example, they used Polaroid photos displayed across the scenes to show the main setting. These photos are used to help tell the story. The camera work is also very shaky and sudden which is also used to create a more scary setting.
          The film establishes an enigma through these Polaroid photos. The person who is causing horror is unknown, however, their effects are shown. In the pictures, it shows people who are all dead and killed during the night. This keeps the audience interested because they want to know more about who is the killer.
          This film uses many effective strategies to appeal to the target audience. For starters, they leave many mysteries open which leaves the audience wanting to more. This is a great strategy to keep the audience wanting to watch more. Additionally, the producers make it clear what the setting and theme of the film will be. This ensures that the audience will not be confused and can enjoy the film.
          The introduction to this film did an excellent job of successfully integrating technology. They used many different shots, angles, and editing techniques. One shot that was used as a close-up. This shot was used to show the blue, cold faces of the people who were killed. You could see the look of horror on these people's faces as they were being killed and could do nothing about it. One movement that was used as a zoom. The zoom was used to show the line of Polaroid photos showing all of the dead people and then zooming into each photo to show the cause of the death. For example, some photos had gunshot wounds while others had stab wounds. The last way technology was integrated was through the editing in of the music. The music is what really extenuates the horror in the film. The music is very creepy and gets faster as something is about to be shown. It also signifies to the audience when something is going to happen.

Title Research: The Reaping

1) How many titles are displayed during the opening sequence film?

In the opening sequence, “The Reaping,” it includes 23 titles. Providing credits to the directors, editors, producers, and etc.

2) What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?

Altogether, there weren’t many actual images shown in the sequence. Fairly, they replaced this aspect with small objects such as leaves, salt, pepper, and the legs of a frog.

3)What connotations do the images carry?

As mentioned before small objects replaced the perspective of images. However, they retained the same responsibility, to establish a perception of the movie. All objects illustrated in the sequence established the same feeling, mysteriousness, and creepiness. This connotation may give the audience a sense of fear or uneasiness.

4) How is the genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?

As for technical codes, a microscopic camera was used to film the salt/pepper. The seasoning didn’t seem too obvious instead it appeared to be tiny particles under a microscope as if you were a scientist conducting an experiment. As for the leaves and the legs of the frog, I’m not really confident what it symbolizes but I’m sure it would be introduced to us later on in the movie.

5)How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

The sequence somewhat foreshadows a summary of the film. By doing so, it establishes an enigma. Although we do not know exactly what happened in the film the opening sequence gives us a feel of what the movie will be about.

6) What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

In my opinion, the main element that caught my attention was the use of colors. The sequence started out with the color black but later on showed us red. This continued for the remainder of the sequence. The way the editors went back and forth between colors is what kept me engaged. Even though this is what appealed to me there are plenty of other components used to keep the targeting audience interested. Such as music, images, and editing.


7) How has technology been used effectively?

Throughout the whole sequence a song was playing, this song gives the audience the feeling that the film would be something creepy. In addition, technology was also presented in a variety of ways, including angles, editing techniques, sounds. Many of the snapshots were presented at a low angle. They transitioned from one another using techniques such as fade-in and fade-out.

Research title: Watch the titles website

Today, we are looking more in-depth on the website: Watch the Titles. This website is an excellent resource for interviews, feature films, TV shows, event titles, student projects, and video games. All of these will be essential when beginning our research for the project. While exploring through this website my group and I discovered many incredible things! The resources on this website allow us to browse through many different films and watch the introduction of selected movies. This allows us to have a better understanding when we begin to film and also access to an important resource that can be used throughout the project. Not only did we discover phenomenal features we also obtained lots of knowledge. My group and I learned the importance of the introduction to a film and how it contributes and affects a film. The introduction allows the audience to generalize what the film may be about. Without the introduction, the audience would not have a clear understanding of what the film is going to be about. Additionally, we also learned about what goes into the making of these films. We learned about this by watching interviews with films directors and producers. In these interviews, the main crew gives detailed descriptions to give people an inside view of everything that goes on. Overall, this website is such an amazing resource to have. We learned so much through research and exploration on this website that it will great to have for future references.

Title Research: Art of the title website

The Website, Art of the Title is a website that gives examples of different styles and designs that can be inserted into a film.  The titles in a film tell the audience of the actors or important jobs involved in the filmmaking process. The design and style of the title sequences are important because it frames the film. These titles normally open a film and give the audience a first impression of what the film will contain. The order and timing of the titles are also crucial to the feeling and purpose of the movie. Everything about a title has to make sense and fit perfectly into the movie. We are studying this website because we want to see examples of movie titles that work well with the movie itself. Seeing these examples will get our creative juices flowing for our final task. We will be able to grasp the idea of how titles should work in a movie. Since we will be making our final task a horror film, we will be researching examples of horror title sequences. The title sequences under the horror genre are often very different in styles but all have a creepy, horrific feel to them. We will need to see how certain horror film sequences look so that we can pick ours and make the look, order, and sequence specific to our movie. An example of this is that certain titles can pop up when an important character is in the scene. Or the titles can pop up in scenes that can foreshadow a certain character or event.  This website shows us the best of the best title sequences in the film. This will show us great title examples that our group can learn from. Researching from this website will ensure a perfect title sequence that flows and makes sense to the movie's purpose.

Research Genre: Us

After all of our film watching, we decided to analyze the film US as the last film. This film consists of the genre horror, thriller, mystery, and psychological horror. As done before, we are going to analyze the film using specific components.

1.Common CAMS in the movie
· Angles:
⁃ Dutch
⁃ Eye Level
·Movements:
⁃ Zoom
⁃ Trunk Shot
⁃ Hand-Held
⁃ Over The Shoulder
·Shots:
⁃ Over the Shoulder
⁃ Medium Close Up
⁃ Extreme Closeup
⁃ Long Shot
⁃ Two Shot

2. Common CLAMPS in the movie
·Costumes:
⁃ Red suits for the doppelgänger’s
⁃ Casual clothing for normal people
⁃ Torn clothing towards the end of the movie
·Lighting:
⁃ Dark
⁃ Light from fires
⁃ Artificial Lights
⁃ Normal lighting
·Actors:
⁃ Each person had a doppelgänger’s so the main characters plus the copied version of them
⁃ There were also some bystanders of the city who weren’t really included in the text
·Makeup:
⁃ The burned up face on one of the doppelgänger’s
⁃ The blood
⁃ Cuts, Scratches, and bruises from fighting
·Props:
⁃ The scissors.
⁃ The fire
⁃ Items used to kill the main characters
⁃ Items the main characters used to getaway
·Setting:
⁃ Although the setting in the film occurred in one city, it still managed to change a lot. Which includes the beach, the two houses, the car, and where the doppelgänger’s lived.

3. Common sound in the movie:
⁃ Dialogue
⁃ Non-Diegetic
⁃ Voiceover
⁃ Incidental Music
⁃ Sound bridge

4. Common editing in this movie:
⁃ Fade In/Fade Out
⁃ Shot, Reverse Shot
⁃ Eye-Line Match
⁃ Graphic Match`

5. Elements of Horror, Genre in the movie:
⁃ Bloody Scenes
⁃ The Fighting/Killing
⁃ Led to scary psychological thoughts

6. Elements of the genre the movie had that I liked
⁃ The film played out very well and realistic. Everything that happened in the film was very straightforward and relevant to what was going on. Incorporating the graphic scenes and the discussed elements also gave a boost to the horror that was going on.

7. Elements of the genre that the movie had that I didn’t like
⁃ Us was the type of movie that would leave you thinking of trying to find out the purpose of the movie. Due to the psychological horror, some pope may overthink too much and actually be truly frightened rather than being amused.

Research Genre: Boo!

We continued to further our research in the genre of horror by watching more films. For instance, the next movie we chose to analyze was Boo! A Madea Halloween. This film had both the genres, drama, and horror. Down below is a list of what we analyzed.

1. Common CAMS in the movie
· Angles:
⁃ High Angle
⁃ Low Angle
⁃ Eye Level
·Movements:
⁃ Tilt
⁃ Pan
⁃ Tracking
·Shots:
⁃ POV Shot
⁃ Medium Shot
⁃ Establishing Shot
⁃ Two Shot
⁃ Over The Shoulder

2. Common CLAMPS in the movie
·Costumes:
⁃ Throughout the movie, there were only two types of costumes. Casual clothing to match the setting of the house or either Halloween costumes for when the actors were at the frat party.
·Lighting:
⁃ Dark setting
⁃ A beam of life when the possessed girl appeared
⁃ Normal lighting when in the setting in the house
·Actors:
⁃ They weren’t any unordinary actors in the film, everyone incorporated as part of the norm. For example, the main character and her family, the frat boys and the people at the party, Madea and her friends, and the possessed girl.
·Makeup:
⁃ There wasn’t really any makeup shown in the film
·Props:
⁃ Flip Phone for Madea and her friends.
⁃ Trick-Or-Treat Baskets
⁃ Boxes
·Setting:
⁃ At the beginning of the film, the setting was at the main character’s house and the frat house. The setting then transitioned to the woods when the frat party was shut down. The characters then ended up to return to the house and fart party after the possessed girl appeared.

3. Common sound in the movie:
⁃ Dialogue
⁃ Sound motif
⁃ Ambient sound
⁃ Diegetic sound
⁃ Sound bridge

4. Common editing in this movie:
⁃ Cutaway
⁃ Insert
⁃ Dissolves
⁃ Eye-Line Match
⁃ Graphic Match`
⁃ Wipe

5. Elements of Horror, Genre in the movie:
⁃ Personally, the only thing that exemplified horror was when the kids were in the wood playing the game and the possessed girl appeared. The director incorporated both sound and editing to make the situation seem more surreal to enhance the scary effect.

6. Elements of the genre the movie had that I liked
⁃ Overall, the film was very amusing to watch. All factors analyzed above were incorporated into the film properly, this allowed the audience to have the true focus on what they were watching rather than focusing on errors the director could’ve made.

7. Elements of the genre that the movie had that I didn’t like
⁃ On behalf of myself, I don’t truly believe that this was a horror movie. Although the film incorporated the one scene where horror was exemplified, horror was not shown throughout the whole movie. The movie focused more on drama than it focused on horror.