Thursday 26 March 2015

Evaluation: Part 8

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


Looking back at this project, I felt I have leant many lessons, which have made us create a good title sequence. There have been many disagreements but eventually we managed to pull everything together. This has all helped me develop my skills as an editor, producer and cinematographer. This project was split into two section, research and planning, and production.

The research and planning stage was about looking into title sequences and finding research and inspiration for our own. This has helped me learn the codes and conventions of a title sequence and what they should look like. Initially I looked at horror title sequences to start with (e.g. Zombieland), as they are the easier ones to analyse due to the iconography. I then looked into more sequence to do with my chosen genre (e.g. Forest Gump). This I found quite difficult has its hard to spot the iconography for a feel-good drama, but I managed to get it in the end. This all helped lead toward the development of our title sequence.




Using my research and planning previously, we manage to make a title sequence from it. This taught me that planning and research is key in making a successful title sequence. What was successful about my preliminary task is the postproduction side, as without it, we would have no idea what we would be doing. We changed our storyboard multiple times to suit our narrative until which we finally found success. What I thought was unsuccessful was our animatic as we didn't put lot of detail into it and if I had more time I would redo it.



The production side was the film, editing and exhibition side of the coursework. The filming part of the coursework was very time consuming, as we had to redo shots and film in different locations multiple times due to lighting, shots, etc. which left me not a lot of time to edit the whole sequence. However, I worked around it and managed to finish everything in which I think the sequence is a huge success. The exhibition of our film to our target audience I thought was hard in a way as I did not agree with some of their criticism, however I took everything on board which helped me complete the improvements that needed to be don't to make our film a success. 



If I were to do this project again, I would consider working by myself as, even though it would mean more work, I think it would be less stressful and would have more choice in what I want to do.

Evaluation: Part 7

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?


Evaluation: Part 6

Saturday 21 March 2015

Evaluation: Part 5

How does your media product represent particular social groups?



Wednesday 18 March 2015

Evaluation: Part 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?



Evaluation: Part 2

Who would be the audience for your product?


Evaluation: Part1

Brief

The brief for our media studies coursework was to create a title sequence of any genre, around two minutes long. It needed to have at least ten different shots, sound and editing. We also need proof of the development of our title sequence which you can see on this blog. We were allowed to work in groups no more then four. I worked with Michael for the project.

Before we started designing the title sequence I looked at a few title sequence designers to see different types of sequences to me an idea of how they should look like and the codes and conventions for them. I looked at Saul Bass and Richard Morrison who are both renowned title sequence designers. Morrison has done multiple sequences in the feel-good drama genre which I found most inspiring as it the same genre as I am doing.

Sequence From Richard Morrison

Sequence from Saul Bass


The title sequence for my coursework is called ' The Journey of Self-Discovery' which is a feel-good drama. We came up with our film idea by looking at films such as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Eat Pray Love.  These films inspired us to come up with the narrative of our title sequence. We research into the genre and found that most of these films have a sub genre of romance (convention of genre). We added this element into our narrative my adding a love interest for the main character (Louise Brown).



The basic narrative for our film is the equilibrium; Louise Brown, an average everyday woman, leaves her dead-end job and travels to India. There she befriends a young Indian girl who she empathetic to as she cannot get an education due to her gender. Louise then decides to help up and sets up a school in the village she lives in. She faces multiple challenges but overcomes them. She also meets a missionary who she has a relationship with (convention of feel-good drama). The new equilibrium is that she stays in India and set up an organisation there to get girls an education, with Matthew (missionary). this film is suppose to show how Louise discovers her true self, i.e. the title name.


The title sequence opens with Louise Brown in an office doing work, her facial expression show she is sad and she is solemn and frowning. This tells the audience that she hates her jobs which coveys part of the narrative. Whilst at the office, a pop up appears telling her about a tip to India. this then cuts to a globe spinning when the title with India on the globe behind it. from then on, the scene cross cuts back and forth her at the office and at home, showing how the urge to travel overthrows society mean of normality. the sequence end of Louise leaving with a suitcase, hitting to the audience that she has left for India.






Tuesday 17 March 2015

Convention of a Feel Good Drama: My Film Vs TBEMH

Throughout this project, I always had to remember the codes and convention of a feel-good drama when making my title sequence. That is one of the reason what I analysed other films relevant to my chosen genre. I have decided to compare my film with The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (TBEMH), which is the film most similar to mine.


The first thing I looked at was the cinematography. In this genre, one convention is to have multiple close up in the film, so the audience can tell how the character is feeling. Both my film and TBEMH have done this.





Another thing I looked act is the iconography. As both of these film have a theme of India, they have to have objects to do with the country. One thing TBEMH used is the buggies, which is a popular mode of transport in India. My film used multiple objects such as an a floaty dress which Indian colours and patterns. orchid (Indian flower), Indian travel guides, etc.




Title Sequence - Final Cut

Improvements Completed

We filmed the new shots for the title sequence yesterday for me to edit in today. I remedied the lighting problem by using massive photography lights to help the scenes get brighter and cover over the top so it looks more natural; compared to before where it was all natural lighting. the shots look much better and now you can see everything. However, when we did the elevator shot it was much darker then before so the lift had its own light on; this meant we had a bright yellow glow at the back of the lift which we could not remove. We were also going to have a close up of my face as well as the lift close but unfortunately some all those shots were unfocused; however my target audience said I should still add the shot in as it finishes the sequence off, whereas the long shot makes it look like it is still going.  Overall it looks much better then the previous one and now it is finally finished.

Saturday 14 March 2015

Film Log Review

Looking at the shots we did yesterday, I think they looked much better then before. The lighting is much brighter which meant the shots looked clearer. However, as we did film later in the evening, the light in the elevator came on automatically which gave some shots a yellow glow which we could not remove. The shots were good so were still going to use them. What I plan to do now is edit the new shots into the sequence to make the final-cut.

Film Log

Filming: Monday 16th March 2015

Target: Re-film shots of Louise packing suitcase and getting into the elevator.

Times:
Home scene: 5pm-7pm


Equipment needed:
Camera
Tripod
Costumes
Light
Props

Friday 13 March 2015

Feedback From Improved Title Sequence

When we showed our improved title sequence to the class everyone thought it was much better. They liked the colour of the typography and how it is not all the about the tickets to India. They also thought it looked much better without the bus scene at the beginning. However, The new shots we did they thought was too dark, even with the brightness changed; also they thought the end shot of the lift was slightly wonky. What we plan to do now is quickly reshoot these scenes on Monday so we can edit the in ASAP. Overall the class thought it was a massive improvement from the rough-cut.

Improved Title Sequence

Editing From Feedback

I have now started to make the improvements for our title sequence. I have now removed the bus at the start of the sequence and went straight to the office scene. I have also added sound for when the pop up comes up as I think it looks and sound better when both is paired together. The sound I used was on Sounddogs and called 'interactive alert tone 26'. I have also changed the colour of the typography to a yellow gold colour as the audience thought the bright yellow was a stereotype of india and 'too bright'. We have redone the checklist shot so it was more clear to the audience and redid the closeup so my whole face is in shot. I have also added extra shots of me packing a suitcase and leaving the house, which I think adds a bit more of the narrative to it.


Tuesday 10 March 2015

Film Log Review


From filming yesterday, think the shot we redid looks much better from the ones previously. We managed to redo the shots at home of her packing and leaving for India. Unfortunately, some of the shots are dark so we might have to refill them at a later date. We have got a lot more shots up Welling to choose from of me travelling to work. What I plan to do next is to sleet what shots to use in the sequence and edit them in.

Film Log

Filming: Friday 6th March 2015

Target: Re-film closeup at home scene, film shots of Louise leaving for India and film Louise travelling to work.

Times:
Home scene: 9am-10am
Welling High Street: 10:15-11am

Equipment needed:
Camera
Tripod
Costumes

Monday 9 March 2015

Feedback From Title Sequence (Rough Cut)

From the feedback we were given, we have now removing the start of the sequence with the bus and replacing it with the main character getting on it which actually shows her travelling to work. I am going to change the font colour to gold as people thought the bright yellow was too gimmicky and redid the shot of Louise reading as some of her chin was cut out. People thought the ending was abrupt. To resolve this, we are going to add shots of Louise leaving her house, implying she is finally leaving for india. we are also going to redo a few other shots to make the sequence look better.














Rough Cut of Title Sequence

Monday 2 March 2015

Update on Editing

I have now finished the editing process of the title sequence and have added sound and text. We are now ready to show the rough cut of our title sequence of exhibition to the class. We will be doing this on Wednesday 4th March.

Soundtrack Addition


Whilst editing the sequence, I realized that there was no sound for the office scene; and needed to find a melancholy soundtrack to show how miserable Louise it at work, without the audience feeling depressed. The soundtrack we have chosen for the office part of the title sequence is called "Way of Life", which Michael help find. It is a gentle, soft and quiet piece, which creates a sad atmosphere, which we feel would suit the office part of the sequence.

Smile Productions




The production company for our film is called Smile Productions. We have chosen the name of Smile Productions as it suits the genre of our film, which is a feel good drama.  I have chosen the background as black and the text as yellow as they are the colours contrast each other, making the logo stand out more. There is a curve below the words "Smile Productions" to resemble a smile, as if the logo is a face.