Past Student Example 1 - Charlie

Lewis, Chris and Declan

The way this group have presented their evaluation is good because every question is on one Prezi in order. This is a very good idea as we don't have to search through different PowerPoints and videos to get the right question. 

Question 1 is laid out very well as we can clearly see what each section of the Padlet includes. They have written a lot for each part, how they used Mise en Scene effectively with the Thriller Film conventions. They speak about their use of lighting and sound etc. and how they are also conventional of a thriller. They have included clips and images on the padlet which break up the text and help them explain their points more.

Question 2 has its own large section on the Prezi talking about how their media product represent social groups. They have written a lot for each section and laid it out very simply, splitting up each section.

Question 3 is presented using PowerPoint presentations, this is a great way to present the answers to this question as they are easily divided and you are able to include images and videos to help express your point.  This group have included images of the company logo to show which companies they do and don't think would produce their film. The thing I like the most about this answer is that they have thought of alternate was to distribute their film such as YouTube. They have mentioned this as it is free to upload and anybody can view it while you are able to see how many people and what age group have view it.

Question 4 is rather like question 1 in the way it is laid out. They have split the text up and added images and video to make it more interesting so we don't have to sit and read one massive block iof text. However, the way the text is laid out is fairly confusing as there is no real order to the sections so we don't know what to read next.
Question 5 is laid out like question 3, using a sort of powerpoint style software. In this they talk about their use of sound and shots and how they are effective. They include screenshots from their film to help us understand better what they are talking about. They not only talk about the surveys they carried out, but also where abouts in the film they used certain techniques.
Question 6 is presented using a video podcast. This is effective because we can see what they are talking about while they say it to make it easier for us as we don't have to flick between image and text. This question is about the technology they used in their film and they not only talk about they editing software etc, but also the camera and social media they used to carry out their research.
Question 7's layout is confusing at first but is a very exciting and interesting way to present the work while splitting it up into sections. However, they have not included any images or videos in this one so it is a more boring read.

Past student evaluations

Past Student Evaluations

Charles Level 2- One of the weaknesses of his evaluation is his use of technology programming for each question. The fact that he used bubbl as his technology for question 1 meant that he limited his options as he wouldn't be able to add any screen grabs or images and given that question 1 is one of the longer questions this is a mistake that we will definitely try to avoid. One of the strengths of his evaluation is that he has managed to use a different form of technology for each question, despite using a blog post for question 7.

Molly Level 4- This groups evaluation is done to a really good standard, they have used a variety of different technologies for the right questions and have managed to put thorough detail into all of the questions. They also ensured most of their questions were easy to navigate and were visually interesting by including features such as images screen grabs to back up what they were talking about. This is an evaluation that we will definitely be taking guidance from.

Joe Level 3- Whilst this group do manage to use a variety of technologies, a lot of the questions lack a response detailed enough to gain a level 4, particularly the longer questions such as question 1. One other positive of this groups evaluation is that they do make it interesting to read by using lots of images, backgrounds etc which we will be looking to implement within our evaluation to make sure its interesting for the viewer to read.

Zombieland Title Sequence - Charlie

ZombieLand Title Sequence Analysis

I really like the title sequence for ZombieLand. I love the way the titles arent just displayed on the screen without purpose, they are used effectively and move with the action of the shot. E.G. When the man smashes the glass and the title smashes with it. The titles are also in interesting places in the shot and it changes with each title to keep the audience entertained. Also, throughout the title sequence there is slow motion action shots of zombies attacking humans. These shots entertain the audience as they are funny and also tell the audience a little bit about the film before it even properly starts.

Production Schedule

Production Schedule

Our production schedule was very hard to create as we were all very busy over weekends. However, we did manage to get a day in the half term to film all the outside shots so we could make sure the lighting stayed consistent throughout the film with little changes in weather etc. On that day we managed to get all the shots we needed with little hassle, only a few sound issues which we were able to sort out in post production. We then were able to have one more filming afternoon to film all of the indoor shots. However, the time we filmed this was nearing winter so the evenings got very dark so we  were not able to re-film any outside shots. This wasn't too much of an issue as we had planned for this in advanced by filming all outside shots in one day. The indoor shots took between 3-4 hours of filming in the warehouse, we were able to keep constant lighting throughout as it was electric lights.

Post production was the main chunk of work we had to put in to the creation of Deception. We spent every media lesson for the best part of about 5-6 weeks editing our film to the best of our ability. We had some experience with editing due to doing a preliminary task before hand where we were able to learn the basics of Final Cut Pro X. In Post Production we were able to fix all the sound errors we could and cut all the shots together to make our first draft. We would spend some lunchtimes and free periods editing the film too to create the best outcome we could in the little time we had. Our main challenge was keeping the film under the 2 minute and 12 second time limit.

Past Student Example #3 - Charlie

PlanetEclipse - Sequence

Camerawork: 

-Starts with a wide angle shot which pans around to show the guy walking alone. Sets the scene and shows he is alone.

-Long shots used throughout the walking scene to show he is alone and also his location.

-Close Ups used to show is facial expressions when drinking the water.

-A zoom from mid shot to close up on his face is used at the end to show to shocked/confused facial expression.

Editing: 

-Cuts are used to implement the title into the film halfway through. 

-An action match is used when he opens the door from one side and closes it with the camera the other side. 

-The editing is continuous throughout the walking scene as it shows where he is going without skipping parts so the audience isn't confused.

Sound:

-The only sound that is used in the film other than natural sounds is the voice over. This is a commentary about faith.

Mise en Scene:

-The man is wearing normal everyday clothes to show he is just an average guy.

-The lighting used is natural which looks typical as it is quite dull.

Strength:

I like the use of the continuous editing in this film as it all seems to slow very well without many jump between shots so we know where he has been and we aren't confused.

Weakness:

I think the narrative was very unclear as I couldn't tell what was actually happening throughout it. Also I was unsure how the voice over was very relevant to the film itself.

The Dark Knight - Opening Analysis

The Dark Knight

Camerawork:

Close up on masks, creates mystery - who's behind them?

High angle, long shot on man going across the zipwire - shows how tiny he is compared to his surroundings, this creates suspense which is key to thrillers. - Will he survive?

High angle point of view looking at the man on the floor from the jokers POV, this shows his vulnerability and how little power he has.

Editing:

Cross cutting between opening the vault, in the car, and on the roof. This creates tension as we don't know whats happening to the other groups.

Slow paced at the start, this builds up tension for the climax.

Gets fast paced as the gun sequence is happening, this makes the film more exciting and keeps us on the edge of our seats.

Sound:
Dialogue used creates mystery as the characters don't even know who they're working for.
Deep, slow music is used to build up the tension at the start.
Sonically enhanced sounds - Gunshots are used to keep the audience awake.

Mise en Scene:

Clown masks used which makes them appear more scary and creates mystery, who is behind the mask?
Guns are used as props as they are very dangerous but not gory which links in to thriller films.
Antagonists are wearing black which links to thriller conventions however, they wear silly clown masks which breaks stereotypes of antagonists in thriller films.



The Dark Knight uses lots of techniques to create tension and mystery, these are key elements of thriller films as thrillers are usually confusing and very exciting. So using mystery and tension supports these conventions.

Audience Feedback

Audience Feedback

We have showed many people our Thriller film Deception. The feedback is generally very positive, saying they really like the camera work with the 'cool' angles such as the point of view of the boxes falling on him or the one with the camera on the door as it goes down. Feedback on the editing was also good, saying that the visual effects we used to make the lighting duller to match thriller conventions works well and looks good. Also, comments on the acting were made, saying that it was also very good for a group on inexperienced media students. However, we did get some criticism on the narrative saying that it wasn't very clear what was happening and why it was happening. To fix this we added in a voice over and the flashback scene at the beginning to inform the audience of what was going on and what the story behind it was. Although we need the audience to understand a little bit, we didn't want to spoon feed the audience the narrative as it is only supposed to be a 2 minute opening to the thriller film. If we were to give the whole story away then the rest of the film would be pointless.

Past Student Example #2 - Charlie

MDB Productions - Revenge

Camerawork: 

-Close up used when putting knife into bag creates mystery and emphasises the action.

-Long shots used when she is walking shows she is alone.

-Close up used during the interview shot to show her emotion when telling the story

-Long shot used from behind a tree to create the feeling that we are spying on her like we are the person following her.

-Mid shot used to show her reaction to the man behind her without showing too much of him.

Editing: 

-Visual effects are used to create a strange feeling to the film and shows us that it is a flashback. 

-Slow paced editing most of the way through, this makes us surprised when something happens as we are not expecting it.

-Cross cutting between the interview scene and the flashback scene.

Sound:

-High pitched sounds are used to create a creepy feel to the film

-Voice over used to tell the story so the audience isn't confused

Mise en Scene:

-The girl is wearing very normal closed for a girl of that age to be wearing which makes the audience think this could happen to them

-The man wears all black which fits the thriller conventions of a antagonist.

-Props used are knives and bats which also fits the stereotypes of thriller films.

Strength:

The title sequence at the end is very well done, it is a really good idea as it is a creative way to add the titles into the film without having to add a tacky effect on the video in the editing process.

Weakness:

I don't really like the visual effects added to the flashback scenes as they are too distracting for the audience and they don't seem necessary other than the fact that it is a flashback scene, although there are much more subtle effects to use for a flashback scene.

Past Student Example #1 - Charlie

Incognito Productions - Hannah

Camerawork: 

-High angle on the man shows he is weak/vulnerable. Also shows he is alone. 

-Close ups used on the book show the importance of it to the plot.

-Long shots used on the girl to emphasise how small she is compared to her surroundings - vulnerable

-Close ups on the mans face show his emotion.

Editing: 

-Slow paced editing used most of the way through makes us feel kind of hypnotised.

-Slow motion used when she is spinning on one of the pieces of play equipment shows her having fun          before she dies.

-Flashback used to show how happy they were before.

-Crosscutting between the flashback and the man in the room show the opposites of mood, situation etc.

Sound:

-Loud thunder sounds at the beginning grips the audience as they are quite scary.

-Deep music for the first scene creates a depressing and scary feel for the whole film

-High pitched eery music used for the flash back to create a mixture between happy and creepy feelings.

-The voice over when the two girls are sitting at the table informs the audience of what has happened without having to show it.

-The scream at the end makes the audience jump and makes the film seem much spookier than it is.

Mise en Scene:

-Lighting at the beginning is dull - fits thriller conventions.

-In the flashback the lighting gets brighter with brighter colours to show happiness. 

-The clothing is pretty normal which makes the audience feel like this could happen to anyone. The girls clothing is bright which suggests she is happy and innocent.

Strengths: 

The soundtrack was used very effectively in this example as each sound fits the mood of what is happening perfectly.

Weaknesses: 

I feel that they could have used more interesting camera angles. Granted, they used point of view shots etc. but they could have done some more creative shots.

Taken - Opening Scene Analysis

Thriller adverts: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Advert

This is the second film, and I found that this had a very strong trailer. This is mainly because it doesn't give away the plot however they use teasers often; for example when ceaser (the main ape)whispers 'the war has already begun' at the end of the trailer. This is also has major part of the films ending. As seen in the trailer it shows violence which then reaches to the target audiennce of older teen e.g. 15-30.Both music and editing was slow to start with due to no action, however the music builds up and gets fast paced once the action erupts. I also found that there alot of closeups of the main characters to show their emotions, and then confuses the audience about who are the protagonists and antagonist. Overall I think that the trailer is very powerful as it show alot of action, however it show emotion and mystery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq1sTNGDXo0

Codes and Convensions of Thriller Films

Codes and Conventions of Thriller films

A thriller usually consists of a battle between the protagonist and antagonist. The story shows a chain of bad events which build up tension for the climax. The protagonists goals are to restore peace while the antagonist seeks to destroy it.

Camerawork

There are a lot of close ups and extreme close ups of the protagonist, this is to show emotion and reactions to the situation they are in. It also creates tension and suspense.

Low angles will be used to show the antagonist. This makes them seem very big and intimidating.

Editing

Fast paced editing is used during the action sequences and the climax, this creates tension and gets the audience excited as to what will happen at the end of the fast sequence.

Lots of jump cuts are used to create confusion throughout the film, thriller films are usually quite hard to understand until the big reveal at the end, so jump cuts are very useful to create this effect.

Sound

Music is a crucial part of thriller films in particular as it creates effect in every action that is being shown. Thriller films usually use low tempo music which creates suspense, then throughout the film as the action gets faster, so does the music. 

Dialogue used is usually fairly short sentences so the plot isn't easy to understand. Short sentences also create confusion and tension because not a lot is given away to us until we are physically shown it, not just told.

Mise en Scene

Clothing in thriller films are usually very dark to create mystery and dampen the mood of the film. 

Guns are used as props in thriller films for weapons rather than knives or a bat. This is because a gun is less gory which separates thriller films from horror films.

The Walking Dead - Title Sequence Analysis - Charlie

Title Sequence 

We were inspired by many opening title sequences but The Walking Dead title sequence was our main inspiration. This is because we think it is a very creative way to present actors and directors names without it being boring. This style of title sequence is also very good as it shows some of the locations which we will use in our film. For example, we could have four shots with each of our names on them, one could be of the factory from the outside, one could be of the inside, one could be the roof and one could be the car. Each shot would have some kind of significance to our films opening. This is good as it gives the audience a feel of where the place is shot without having to watch the whole film. It also makes the audience think they have seen the place before when they see it in a scene of the film, when in actual fact, they have only seen it before in the title sequence.