Tuesday 27 April 2010
Thursday 22 April 2010
To make sure we recieve the best possible grades and are not disqualified for any use of copyright or unlawful use, i have placed this in my blog to show we used the music in the appropriate way.
Any use of music in any films and or film trailers complies with 'Fair Dealing' under the 1988 Copyright Designs and Patents Act (UK), Sections 6(i) and 6(ii); Fair dealing is a term used to describe some limited activities that are allowed without infringing copyright. Briefly these are as follows:
Section 6
i. Research and private study
Copying parts of a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work or of a typographical arrangement of a published edition for the purpose of research or private study is allowed under the following conditions:
· The copy is made for the purposes of research or private study.
· The copy is made for non-commercial purposes.
· The source of the material is acknowledged.
· The person making the copy does not make copies of the material available for a number of people.
ii Instruction or examination
Copying parts of a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work or a sound recording, film or broadcast for the purpose of instruction or examination is allowed under the following conditions:
· The copying is done by the student or the person giving instruction.
· The copying is not done via a reprographic process.
· The source of the material is acknowledged.
· The instruction is for a non-commercial purpose.
Thursday 15 April 2010
My Final Evaluation On the Coursework Process.
Now that we have finished the coursework process and this last part of the AS Media course, I am able to look back on the preliminary exercise and compare it to our main exercise to see how far we have improved from our first ever briefing. This includes all the pre-production, filming and editing process which our group went through well.
To answer an evaulative question from the required blog, our film is based around two 'social groups' as such, which are the zombies and the humans. Although there is little dialogue or chance to get a deep understanding of our characters it is clear to see how they are in different groups. We did this by trying to make sure the humans ran together, mkaing sure they were all safe wheras the zombies ran seperately for themselves but had a shared ideology. Its audience could also be how we split social groups, as we wanted to aim for one paticular age group rather than a broader demographic.
We decided very early in the planning of our main exercise that our audience would be teenagers/youth over the age of 15 as that was our chosen age certificate to put on the film. We stuck very closely to this by making sure we had a copy of the specifications and requirements for a paticular rating, which we found on the the british film website.
In the planning we aimed to go for teenagers who already had an interest in horror and zombie genres of film, because this way it would be easier to attract to something which we know they already like. Due to the filming process, and the props on hand on the day of filming and the actors we were using, it turned out that they were all similarly dressed with an 'emo'/ 'goth' theme which helped keep the continuity in that they were all the same social group. Due to this I think it would be best for us to push this film towards a niche audience of that particular idealogy as then there are characters they can relate to and so want to spend their money on seeing it.
Before starting the whole coursework process I had no experience of using a camera for anything professional only for recreational use and so had never needed to know all the techniques and extra equipment such as tripods and hardware devices which I now know about. I had only used windows movie maker a few times, and even though the editing wasn't my role I was still able to understand how the shots were being cut so as to have the perfect continuity and also the addition of music over our images.
The technology itself was not as difficult as I first thought it would be and I remember finding it daunting at the time. However with our groups co-operation and teamwork we were able to play on each others strengths and assign the right job to each person. Such as Holli, Phil and Ash all do photography and so have used cameras before, and also Phil is good at using computers to edit. As english language students, Me and Holli were able to make sure all paperwork was in order and were mainly in charge of research. Newer technologies such as Google Earth and Google Maps has made it easier for us to display our filming location in a quick and digital way and so in this way the proliferation of these modern software has helped our project.
Looking back to my preliminary task I feel that I have an overall better understanding of the knowledge, techniques and skills needed to create the opening sequence to a film, and how to use your research and pre-production findings to help guide you as to how to stick to the specific codes and conventions. Although I wasnt camera operator, I still felt involved in the filming process and am confident that if it had been my role I would have been able to use the equipment fine just from observing Holli.
One of the main things I think Ive learnt is how much work and effort goes into such a short production. The preliminary required significantly less paperwork and planning than the main exercise which even then only last a maximum of 2 minutes.
Overall I am pleased with how our main exercise turned out as we managed to actually capture the specific shots we were looking for. The weather conditions have affected our filming processes twice and both in very different ways, one that helped and one that hindered, however its something we have no control over and I feel that our film also reflects the way that we chose to carry on and hand in a piece of media ie our film that we are proud of because of the effort put into the whole exercise.
To answer an evaulative question from the required blog, our film is based around two 'social groups' as such, which are the zombies and the humans. Although there is little dialogue or chance to get a deep understanding of our characters it is clear to see how they are in different groups. We did this by trying to make sure the humans ran together, mkaing sure they were all safe wheras the zombies ran seperately for themselves but had a shared ideology. Its audience could also be how we split social groups, as we wanted to aim for one paticular age group rather than a broader demographic.
We decided very early in the planning of our main exercise that our audience would be teenagers/youth over the age of 15 as that was our chosen age certificate to put on the film. We stuck very closely to this by making sure we had a copy of the specifications and requirements for a paticular rating, which we found on the the british film website.
In the planning we aimed to go for teenagers who already had an interest in horror and zombie genres of film, because this way it would be easier to attract to something which we know they already like. Due to the filming process, and the props on hand on the day of filming and the actors we were using, it turned out that they were all similarly dressed with an 'emo'/ 'goth' theme which helped keep the continuity in that they were all the same social group. Due to this I think it would be best for us to push this film towards a niche audience of that particular idealogy as then there are characters they can relate to and so want to spend their money on seeing it.
Before starting the whole coursework process I had no experience of using a camera for anything professional only for recreational use and so had never needed to know all the techniques and extra equipment such as tripods and hardware devices which I now know about. I had only used windows movie maker a few times, and even though the editing wasn't my role I was still able to understand how the shots were being cut so as to have the perfect continuity and also the addition of music over our images.
The technology itself was not as difficult as I first thought it would be and I remember finding it daunting at the time. However with our groups co-operation and teamwork we were able to play on each others strengths and assign the right job to each person. Such as Holli, Phil and Ash all do photography and so have used cameras before, and also Phil is good at using computers to edit. As english language students, Me and Holli were able to make sure all paperwork was in order and were mainly in charge of research. Newer technologies such as Google Earth and Google Maps has made it easier for us to display our filming location in a quick and digital way and so in this way the proliferation of these modern software has helped our project.
Looking back to my preliminary task I feel that I have an overall better understanding of the knowledge, techniques and skills needed to create the opening sequence to a film, and how to use your research and pre-production findings to help guide you as to how to stick to the specific codes and conventions. Although I wasnt camera operator, I still felt involved in the filming process and am confident that if it had been my role I would have been able to use the equipment fine just from observing Holli.
One of the main things I think Ive learnt is how much work and effort goes into such a short production. The preliminary required significantly less paperwork and planning than the main exercise which even then only last a maximum of 2 minutes.
Overall I am pleased with how our main exercise turned out as we managed to actually capture the specific shots we were looking for. The weather conditions have affected our filming processes twice and both in very different ways, one that helped and one that hindered, however its something we have no control over and I feel that our film also reflects the way that we chose to carry on and hand in a piece of media ie our film that we are proud of because of the effort put into the whole exercise.
I think we worked really well as a team, and this helped us to carry on and attempt a second shot at filming when our first had not recorded, which ultimately left us with no film and very dissapointed. This is where we also had to say a thankyou to our actors who were willing to film twice on seperate weeks both times in unfortuante weather conditions. Out of our whole media class we had the largest group of actors with one time having a group of 16 which we had to guide to the location, dress into the appropriate clothing and makeup to accompany the dress code for the mis-en-scene and then talk them through the shots one-by-one. I think this is a real positive accomplishment from our team in that we were able to control that many people and come out with a good edit from the film.
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Editing Process
As our roles state on our production call sheets, I am not part of the editing process, as the chosen editors were Holli and Phil because it was their role in the preliminary and they have further experience than me and Ash. Although we are not taking a hands on role, we are checking with each other that we like the shot or what changes need to be done to a specific part of the clip.
However as a group, or even a whole class we have experienced a problem in the form of the music to accompany our videos. Lee has spoken to the examining board who are concerned with the copyright materials for the music, and that we cannot use any with copyright unless we buy our own or create it. This was our original plan with both Holli and Ash having friends in the music department who would view our opening sequence and create a sequence of music to match it. However know after more thought and a team discussion we have decided to use cd's from the library as they provide all the relative information that can show where we resourced our music from so as to not drop grades or be disqualified.
We are still in the process of editing, and are planning to email Lee into coming into college over the easter period to finish off and make sure all coursework is up to date.
However as a group, or even a whole class we have experienced a problem in the form of the music to accompany our videos. Lee has spoken to the examining board who are concerned with the copyright materials for the music, and that we cannot use any with copyright unless we buy our own or create it. This was our original plan with both Holli and Ash having friends in the music department who would view our opening sequence and create a sequence of music to match it. However know after more thought and a team discussion we have decided to use cd's from the library as they provide all the relative information that can show where we resourced our music from so as to not drop grades or be disqualified.
We are still in the process of editing, and are planning to email Lee into coming into college over the easter period to finish off and make sure all coursework is up to date.
Thursday 25 March 2010
The re-filming of 'Unearthed'
As was planned on the 24th March we re-filmed our main exercise. We had decided that because we were being given a second opportunity to do our film we wanted to use everything that went wrong last time to help us to gain extra effects this time. As we had done it all before we knew the shots, movement, and positions of actors. Hopefully the filming will run quicker and smoother than last time because we have already done it before, however we will be starting at a later time due to some members of cast having other obligations too. As we already knew the location and where and what shots to use we knew that the filming process would be in some ways more successful as we have more skill at the camerawork.
Everything started off well even with the change of actors. Some of our previous actors from the week before couldn’t come to this week which was disappointing as they had done so well on our last filming shoot however once the new actors had been made up into either zombies and humans and briefed onto what they will be doing the filming began.
However we had an immediate problem in the form of the weather and the ground conditions. In some ways the rain was hindering any decent progress as our actors were lacking effort however it also helped through the use of pathetic fallacy. Thinking back now we were pretty lucky that it wasnt a sunny day as that would be a juxta position and completely ruin the atmos we tried to create. Rain and the foggy weather from our previous filming date is all part of the codes and conventions used in zombie films,amongst mise-en-scene and camerawork,like in our initial ideas.
Our previous route through which our close ups and head shots had taken place were far too muddy to run through and if used would cause a major hazard to the actors. We quickly found a new route through which would not affect our intended 180 degree rule. The actors were really good at coping with the mud and with the weather itself which only got worse as we got more into the filming. However as the rain got worse, the group and the actors all started to lose enthusiasm, which was only to be expected.
As a result people got cold and the field got slippy which could then result in a hazard. However they persevered until the end of the shoot and we thanked them for their help, especially to those who had volunteered to help both times. However even though the weather conditions were worse and this as a result had affected the actors performance or drive to do well, we were pleased in the fact that the camera had filmed everything as we checked on numerous occasions. As we’ve been waiting for nearly two weeks, our whole group are eager to see and edit our film.
Everything started off well even with the change of actors. Some of our previous actors from the week before couldn’t come to this week which was disappointing as they had done so well on our last filming shoot however once the new actors had been made up into either zombies and humans and briefed onto what they will be doing the filming began.
However we had an immediate problem in the form of the weather and the ground conditions. In some ways the rain was hindering any decent progress as our actors were lacking effort however it also helped through the use of pathetic fallacy. Thinking back now we were pretty lucky that it wasnt a sunny day as that would be a juxta position and completely ruin the atmos we tried to create. Rain and the foggy weather from our previous filming date is all part of the codes and conventions used in zombie films,amongst mise-en-scene and camerawork,like in our initial ideas.
Our previous route through which our close ups and head shots had taken place were far too muddy to run through and if used would cause a major hazard to the actors. We quickly found a new route through which would not affect our intended 180 degree rule. The actors were really good at coping with the mud and with the weather itself which only got worse as we got more into the filming. However as the rain got worse, the group and the actors all started to lose enthusiasm, which was only to be expected.
As a result people got cold and the field got slippy which could then result in a hazard. However they persevered until the end of the shoot and we thanked them for their help, especially to those who had volunteered to help both times. However even though the weather conditions were worse and this as a result had affected the actors performance or drive to do well, we were pleased in the fact that the camera had filmed everything as we checked on numerous occasions. As we’ve been waiting for nearly two weeks, our whole group are eager to see and edit our film. Our first attempt to film
We had originally planned to film our main exercise ‘Unearthed’ on the 17th of March. The plan was for the rest of the actors and Phil and Ash to meet at the front of college at 1:30 and then from there they would meet me at Debenhams bustop ready to go over to our location which was at Grove field, Portland. I had arranged to meet them at the bustop because I was still in town getting extra props needed for our costuming,as seen in our prop list.
A big difference from last time was that we had good communication between the group. Phil and Ash were still at the college collecting our camera, case and tripod and then Holli had already met some of the other actors and had got an earlier bus over to Portland so as to allow for more time for filming, saving time on the makeup and costuming.
We regrouped at the bustop and on the bus journey over we talked through the location and tried to decide timings and how long it would taketo film, as Phil and Ash would be travelling home from Portland later than usual. As Phil and Ash had never been to Grove field or even Portland before they were very much relying on my knowledge of the area to get them to our desired location. From our recce we were able to show Phil and Ash the location. We got off the bus and walked up to grove field and on arrival found that many of the zombies were already made up by Holli and one of the actresses Steff who really helped out with the costuming. On the bus journey over we had seen that the weather was deteriorating and by the time we got up to Tophill we found that it was so foggy which was a great added effect because it could create a eerie effect and add to the mis-en-scene in the shots. As a use of pathetic fallacy the fog creates a feeling of mystery that we wanted to create in our opening sequence. It also created a shield and was very useful at hiding children playing in the park, people walking their dogs or just general use of the field at the time we were shooting.
The day before filming me and Holli had gone to town and collected various props for making the zombies look ‘realistic’ but also the ingredients that were needed for our infamous ‘Gore Scene’. We had studied the specifications of what should be put into a 15 film like from the British Film Board and so knew that we had to be careful with the length and content of this scene. We decided to go for a quick scene in which one person is left behind and succumbs to a quick zombie attack. To create the blood and guts of the persons stomach we used a recipe by a fellow media student of raw mince meat, red food colouring, maple syrup and water. This turned out to be a great mixture which Ash made the night before, and during filming worked well.
A big difference from last time was that we had good communication between the group. Phil and Ash were still at the college collecting our camera, case and tripod and then Holli had already met some of the other actors and had got an earlier bus over to Portland so as to allow for more time for filming, saving time on the makeup and costuming.
We regrouped at the bustop and on the bus journey over we talked through the location and tried to decide timings and how long it would taketo film, as Phil and Ash would be travelling home from Portland later than usual. As Phil and Ash had never been to Grove field or even Portland before they were very much relying on my knowledge of the area to get them to our desired location. From our recce we were able to show Phil and Ash the location. We got off the bus and walked up to grove field and on arrival found that many of the zombies were already made up by Holli and one of the actresses Steff who really helped out with the costuming. On the bus journey over we had seen that the weather was deteriorating and by the time we got up to Tophill we found that it was so foggy which was a great added effect because it could create a eerie effect and add to the mis-en-scene in the shots. As a use of pathetic fallacy the fog creates a feeling of mystery that we wanted to create in our opening sequence. It also created a shield and was very useful at hiding children playing in the park, people walking their dogs or just general use of the field at the time we were shooting.
The day before filming me and Holli had gone to town and collected various props for making the zombies look ‘realistic’ but also the ingredients that were needed for our infamous ‘Gore Scene’. We had studied the specifications of what should be put into a 15 film like from the British Film Board and so knew that we had to be careful with the length and content of this scene. We decided to go for a quick scene in which one person is left behind and succumbs to a quick zombie attack. To create the blood and guts of the persons stomach we used a recipe by a fellow media student of raw mince meat, red food colouring, maple syrup and water. This turned out to be a great mixture which Ash made the night before, and during filming worked well.
Filming went really well and the whole experience was really exciting. We ran through most of our shots 2-3 times and decided we would decide the best shot at the time of editing. Our team of actors were so enthusiastic and got really into character some of them even suggesting they retake a scene that they didn’t feel went as well. Through the whole filming process we didn’t ever think that there was a problem with the camera. In our first shot we tried to rewind and play back what we had done but it wouldn’t play. We put this down to us having little knowledge of the playback and decided that it would be easier to carry on and film the whole opening sequence rather than turn everyone away, especially as some had come from Weymouth and even further such as Bridport. We also didn’t think it was such a problem and was sure that once we had transferred the film onto the computer to edit we could then play it back. Apart from that the filming went really well and the whole group were really keen and excited to see it on a larger screen and start creating our final piece.
In the lesson when it came to transferring onto the computer, we found out that the running time was at nothing meaning the tape was blank, which obviously meant that everything we had done on that Wednesday hadnt been filmed. The group as a whole with myself included were extremely dissapointed that the film hadnt recorded and even other members in our media class said how gutted they were for us. After a chat with Lee, we decided that we would re-film the following Wednesday and Holli was able to get in contact with every actor there and then to tell them the situation. To our delight they all agreed to help out again and so we planned to refilm on the 24th of March.
Thursday 4 March 2010
The First Reflective Main Exercise Blog Entry Thing!
From our briefing on the main exercise I knew that my team were very excited for the project because we had been thinking up intial ideas since we had finished our preliminary. When it came to research which I took a lead role in, I found that there were much more aspects to consider than in the preliminary exercise. I think this because we had such a stong specification to stick to in the preliminary and this one we have almost complete creative control, apart from filming an ‘opening sequence and not a trailer’. We knew straightaway that we wanted to do some kind of horror film as they're are many codes and conventions that can be displayed depending on which genre of horror chosen.
After our initial ideas blast and lots of research we decided to go for a zombie film and everyone in the team had there own aspects which we have agreed to include. As part of the planning and aswell as our research, a difference from our preliminary was thinking about our dates and times of production due to the number of actors we are wanting to include, as oppose to our preliminary where two were easy to involve. As it’s a much bigger production we have found that there is far more paperwork and overall work and effort needed so everything can turn out the way we want it to in the finished piece. However because we have stayed in the same group throughout and know each others strengths we can use them to create the right planning to aid us for production.
When thinking about our SWOT analysis, one of the first stumbling points that I first thought of was our chosen location. Me and Holli decided on Grove Field on Portland which could have been a potentially bad idea because our other team members Phil and Ash had never been there. However we overcame this by showing photographs and by working through the RECCE together so that they could see how it was a perfect location and very much in keeping with our zombie film setting. We have also looked into times when the field is in use as this could be a stumbling point if someone not part of the cast is in the frame, which would potentially destroy the mis-en-scene created. From thinking about the SWOT analysis we found that many of our stumbling points centre around our choice of location because of it being such a large and public place to use, however because of our research we are confident that these stumbling points will be avoided.
The first thing that I think would immediately improve my performance in the main exercise is being present at the production, as I was unable to attend the preliminary due to poor communication. Im really excited for our production date and being the location manager with Holli, means that we will be specifying the date, time and area for filming. This means I can take more of a hands on role and have independent and a team responsibility which I enjoy. I think that being responsible for more aspects of the task will also boost my performance as I like to have a role in the team which means I can finish work independantly aswell as group tasks. In the first lessons I have been taking a more focused role, in researching audiences, and the genre of film we are using.
Although we all have our own roles, I think that sharing other smaller roles will boost our whole performance as a team, because we can look at everything that needs to be done in detail and share our own opinions on how it can be approached. It also means that I can help with camerawork at the production which is something im keen to try seen as I didn’t get the oppurtunity in the preliminary task. In this main exercise I intend to share my opinions more and give more of my personal input into what happens in the planning, production and editing stages. I think this will improve my performance as Lee will see that we as a team can co-operate and work together to achieve a good result.
After all the pre-production paperwork such as ( Script, Recce, etc) had been completed, we emailed Lee to say when and what time we would be needing the camera and tripod for our filming. The paperwork took alot longer than expected because of needing to get the details perfect in case of accidents that could occur and so everything we do is well documented. Example of this is how the Recce took a few drafts before the final one was finished because we wanted to make sure that all the information needed was present.
After our initial ideas blast and lots of research we decided to go for a zombie film and everyone in the team had there own aspects which we have agreed to include. As part of the planning and aswell as our research, a difference from our preliminary was thinking about our dates and times of production due to the number of actors we are wanting to include, as oppose to our preliminary where two were easy to involve. As it’s a much bigger production we have found that there is far more paperwork and overall work and effort needed so everything can turn out the way we want it to in the finished piece. However because we have stayed in the same group throughout and know each others strengths we can use them to create the right planning to aid us for production.
When thinking about our SWOT analysis, one of the first stumbling points that I first thought of was our chosen location. Me and Holli decided on Grove Field on Portland which could have been a potentially bad idea because our other team members Phil and Ash had never been there. However we overcame this by showing photographs and by working through the RECCE together so that they could see how it was a perfect location and very much in keeping with our zombie film setting. We have also looked into times when the field is in use as this could be a stumbling point if someone not part of the cast is in the frame, which would potentially destroy the mis-en-scene created. From thinking about the SWOT analysis we found that many of our stumbling points centre around our choice of location because of it being such a large and public place to use, however because of our research we are confident that these stumbling points will be avoided.
The first thing that I think would immediately improve my performance in the main exercise is being present at the production, as I was unable to attend the preliminary due to poor communication. Im really excited for our production date and being the location manager with Holli, means that we will be specifying the date, time and area for filming. This means I can take more of a hands on role and have independent and a team responsibility which I enjoy. I think that being responsible for more aspects of the task will also boost my performance as I like to have a role in the team which means I can finish work independantly aswell as group tasks. In the first lessons I have been taking a more focused role, in researching audiences, and the genre of film we are using.
Although we all have our own roles, I think that sharing other smaller roles will boost our whole performance as a team, because we can look at everything that needs to be done in detail and share our own opinions on how it can be approached. It also means that I can help with camerawork at the production which is something im keen to try seen as I didn’t get the oppurtunity in the preliminary task. In this main exercise I intend to share my opinions more and give more of my personal input into what happens in the planning, production and editing stages. I think this will improve my performance as Lee will see that we as a team can co-operate and work together to achieve a good result.
After all the pre-production paperwork such as ( Script, Recce, etc) had been completed, we emailed Lee to say when and what time we would be needing the camera and tripod for our filming. The paperwork took alot longer than expected because of needing to get the details perfect in case of accidents that could occur and so everything we do is well documented. Example of this is how the Recce took a few drafts before the final one was finished because we wanted to make sure that all the information needed was present.
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