Emma Devlin AS

It is important that when choosing the soundtrack for my film opening, I do not breach the copyright act. When music is copyrighted, it protects the artist's creation from being used without credit. Therefore, when choosing a soundtrack for my film opening, I had to either find non-copyrighted music, or ask an artist's permission. For the first method, I looked into different online sites such as Epidemic Sound. These websites list different tracks that are not copyrighted and are free for everyone to use. However, I failed to find a suitable song, so I went about asking an artist for their permission to use one of their songs. I thought that using Soundcloud would be the best way to be successful. On this streaming site, anyone can post their own music, and after I had found a track I liked,  having looked through several songs, this one worked best, delighted  I used the websites 'chat' feature to contact them and ask for their permission. The first, and only ar...

When choosing the locations to film in, I also took the safety of the actors and myself into consideration. The purpose of doing this is to protect and prevent them from any harm/danger by assessing the situation first.  The majority of the filming locations chosen are on open streets, with very few potential hazards. Despite this, I was still cautious of certain areas. For example, I would have to beware of any lorries coming to the area behind the Library, as the car could potentially block a particular entrance. Because of this, I decided that the car should pull up further down the road away from the entrances.  In one of the final shots, the actor who plays Murphy runs up the stairs out of the subway. To avoid any potential trips or slips, I will ask him to jog up the stairs rather than run up them. This hopefully will not take away any of the dramatic effect, and at the same time will be much safer.

Props: The only prop used in the opening sequence will be a brown package. This will be used when Murphy takes the item from Jordan in the subway.  Having a nondescript package leaves the inside contents to the imagination of the audience, as anything could be inside. However, due to the location of the exchange, it suggests that its contents are likely to be dodgy or illegal.  Character 1: Murphy Hassock The main character is a white British male. He is fairly tall and strong, demonstrating his power, and is also dressed in a smart/casual costume. The reason for this is because he is a police detective, and therefore does not wear full uniform, but instead dresses fairly smartly. His characteristics also meet the stereotypical conventions of a lead character, making him almost appear familiar to the audience, therefore making him automatically relatable.  Character 2: Jordan Standing against the wall of the subway, the actor who plays Jordan is dr...

The opening two minutes of Dichotomy was filmed in Southend. I felt that overall, it would be a good location to film in as there are lots of tall buildings and flats, as well as there being some more unpleasant areas. Following the conventions and stereotypes of crime films, I therefore felt these kind of settings would be suitable. There are three main locations in which the opening sequence will take place. The first area, seen in the opening 25 seconds, is located near to Southend's Forum Library. It is ideal as the road faces the back of several shops, and as this is the side not often seen by customers, it is more untidy. The next few shots that follow on from this are areas around a block of flats. I tried to choose areas that were most empty to ensure the focus is kept on Murphy, and not on any passers by. The main part of the film opening is shot in an underground subway. I chose this location as the litter and graffiti help to reinforce the typ...

Ways I would advertise my film As a result of analysing a range of different marketing methods, I think it is clear that the method used must relate to the film itself. For example, using a similar approach to The Blair Witch Project would not work with my crime film as although it is realistic, it would not be believable in this circumstance. As my film is fairly conventional, I would stick to more classic methods as they can still be just as successful if done correctly.  Why I chose to do a poster In reality, I would use cross platform marketing that would include the release of several trailers, along with information being published on social media, interactive social events to get people involved, and the use of posters. However, due to time restrictions, all these methods cannot be done. Therefore, I have decided to produce a poster that could be used in a variety of locations. How I made it As I did not have access to software such as Photoshop or Adobe Fireworks, I m...

Marketing plays a vital role when releasing a film, as the more people aware of its release, the more people are going to want to watch it. Production companies will often use more than one marketing method (cross platform) to try and make the film go viral through either technology or word of mouth. Some of the methods include: 1. Trailers - a preview of the film is usually released onto platforms such as YouTube, with some companies releasing a series of different teaser videos across the months leading up to the films release. This particular tactic was cleverly used when the Star Wars film 'The Force Awakens' was released. The first teaser trailer was posted over a year from its opening, with another three more trailers posted within that year, raising lots of questions amongst the Star Wars fan base, as they gave little away about the actual storyline. 2. Posters - as posters are so versatile and straightforwards to produce, it is a very common method to use. They are of...

To get a clearer idea of what I need to include and how I aim to do it, I created a storyboard for the opening two minutes of my film. This will therefore help me when I begin filming as I can check that I have used particular skills such as following the rule of thirds, match on match action, the 180 degree rule, as well as different camera movements such as tilts and pans.  Taking the conventions of my chosen genre and title sequences in general into consideration, I came up with a range of different ideas that I combined together to form my storyboard in the most creative and effective way possible. I also looked back to when I marked other students work, as well as relating my plan to my pitch, incorporating some of the ideas mentioned in my post on influences as well as keeping the wants and needs of my audience in mind too. Storyboard (part 1) Storyboard (part 2) Storyboard (part 3) Storyboard (part 4)

Inspiration can be found everywhere, and successful directors take this inspiration and implement it into their film in order to create something that appears to be original and unique, despite the fact it may be heavily influenced by something that has already been done. However, these initial ideas taken from a range of sources provide the starting point for something amazing.  Guy Ritchie is a highly influential film maker, producing well known films such as Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Sherlock Holmes. They all come under the umbrella of the crime genre. As his work is so popular, I decided to look into some of the work he has done to identify elements that may inspire me. Despite this, some of my main influences did not come from him, and below are different examples of both films and series that have had an impact on me and the reasons why. When set with the task to create the opening two minutes of a film, one of my initial thoughts went back to when ...

When choosing an institution to help produce my film, I wanted to ensure the company maintained a good reputation of high quality, to ensure my film is as successful as possible. I also felt that going with a bigger, more established company over an independent label, would be beneficial, as they are more likely to provide bigger budgets with money invested in better, and more advanced equipment. After researching different institutions, I found that Paramount Pictures had a wide range of crime films they have produced in the past, including Mission Impossible, Zodiac, Collateral, and The Wolf of Wall Street. The companies back catalogue of films can be found here:  http://www.paramount.com/movies/home-media Not only are Paramount Pictures successful at producing and distributing films, but they also help to support charities. They have their own ethos of 'giving back' through helping with education, the environment, HIV/AIDS and volunteerism. All of this information ...

Globe Productions is a company that produces media for the consumption of a range of different audiences. Its name is broad and simplistic - designed to represent how certain areas of media has become so big, it affects the whole population, no matter where you live. It also suggests how the media produced by the company is enjoyed and watched by everyone, as it is inclusive and not discriminating. This therefore matches the companies values of providing entertainment that is suitable for everyone. To create a good brand image and reputation, the company would get involved in charitable events to help support less fortunate areas of the world. An example of this would be holding an event to fundraise money for charities such as Water Aid. This would therefore meet the ethos of the company by including and supporting the global population. Despite this, the overall role of the company is to create films for people to enjoy. To ensure this happens, there are several departme...

Plot Outline My film will be based around a male cop, who, behind closed doors, works with the criminals he is supposed to be capturing. The gang of criminals participate in national drug trades, and as a result of this, violence and death accompanies their activities as the film will have strong themes of loyalty and corruption. As a result of the feedback received from carrying out a focus group and questionnaire, I will stick to the majority of the classic crime conventions, and keep it realistic by using genuine characters that the audience can relate to. Character Choices Murphy Hassock is the main protagonist. He is a white British male, aged 26, and he lives and works in London as a detective for the City of London Police. He comes across as confident and clever, however he is also a good liar. His detective partner is James Bastow, he is a well respected member of the police force, and despite his professionalism, he has a humorous side that is sometimes seen in the film to...

After collecting data from 20 different people, I analysed the information received in order to see if the results were similar to what I expected, and if it would actually be beneficial to me when filming. Question 1 70% of the people who participated in my survey were aged between 16 and 20. Question 2 65% of participators were female, with only 35% of the people being male. Question 3 The most popular sub genre was gangster. The second was action , with horror and comedy tying in third place.  Question 4 Philosophical questioning was by far the most popular reason for wanting to watch a crime film, as 7/10 of people chose this answer. However, someone chose the option of other, and answered with "it's good for action and interesting watching crime". Question 5 Over half of the people who answered, agreed that they like crime films because they enjoy the suspense of not k...

In order to think about what it is people want to gain from watching my film, I decided to get a group of people together to discuss a range of different questions that would help prepare me for when I begin filming. Asking detailed open ended questions would give me a clear idea of what people like to see in a crime film. The better my film suits my target audience, the more successful it will be as people will find it more enjoyable. Before meeting my focus group, I came up with a range of different questions to ask, that would hopefully get the best responses and most helpful information: 1. What do you believe makes a good crime film? 2. Where would you say the ideal location for a crime film would be? 3. Do you think the gender of the main character affects how exciting the film is? 4. What would you typically expect to see in a crime film? The five participants discussed each question in detail, giving me helpful feedback as well as other issues to consider. Below ar...

To further reinforce what I have learned from carrying out a focus group, I chose to back it up by asking a questionnaire. To get the most feedback, I created it online using 'Survey Monkey' - the link is as follows:  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2JH28LW I wrote out 8 different questions, all to gain further information about what my audience want. 1. What is your age? The reason for including this question was to establish the age demographic of my target audience. The most popular age group would show who is most interested in crime films. 2. What is your gender? Particular features of crime films may appeal to different genders, this was therefore fairly important to ask, as if I my film included extreme violence and action, it may steriotypically appeal more to the male audience. 3. Which sub genre of crime films do you most prefer? Choosing a specific sub genre will help to refine what people want to see, and how I can adjust that when establishing genre myse...

As discussed in my previous post about target audiences, it is clear how important it is to aim a film to the correct group of people, or otherwise the audience will not be able to connect with the events, therefore making it unsuccessful. This also means it is key to target the correct age group - something that can be aided by the system used by the British Board of Film Classification.  The bbfc is a privately owned company that is responsible for classifying and censoring media based on age. Their official website states the different certificates, and what qualifies for a film to be sectioned into that category:  http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification The different certificates used are as follows: 1) U - suitable for everyone 2) PG - parental guidance 3) 12A - no one under the age of 12 may see the film unless accompanied by an adult 4) 15 - suitable for those aged 15 and over 5) 18 - only suitable for adults The main reason for varying age certif...

Although films have an overall target audience, it is important to target a specific segment of this audience. This maximises the enjoyment gained from watching the film as it is tailored more to what they want to see.  One way of classifying audiences is through demographics. This is when data collected from a population is classified into different categories (for example, age, gender and employment status). A common way of doing this is using a lettering system from A to E, with A being upper class, B - middle class, C1 - lower middle class, C2 - skilled working class, D - working class and E - unemployed/casual workers. Another way of profiling the population is through psychographic information. This focuses more on peoples attitudes, personality and interests, grouping them more by their likes and dislikes. Psychographics are often classified into seven different groups: mainstreamers, who seek security, aspirers that seek status, succeeders who seek control, resigne...

The reason for marking other students work, was fundamentally to see what made a successful opening in relation to a mark scheme. Using the different categories helped to break it down into more specific areas to focus on. This will help me with my coursework as I now know the different areas I will be marked on, giving me a better understanding of what is expected. I then focused on specific areas I need to consider when making my own opening. One of the categories that scored the lowest out of all three examples was the material being appropriate to the target audience. This is because it is difficult to achieve within the opening two minutes, however, if the genre is established correctly, and actors of an appropriate ages are used, it will be clearer as to who the film is aimed towards. The costumes used are also important as it helps to create verisimilitude, and the more the audience believe what they are seeing, the more they will connect with the film. Therefore, w...

In order to find out what makes a successful or unsuccessful film opening, I chose to look at three different film openings on YouTube that were created by other AS students. Using the mark scheme, I divided it up into six different categories, each scored out of 10. I awarded each one the marks I felt were suitable, based on the following: Level 1: 0-2 marks - minimal creative and technical skills Level 2: 3-4 marks - basic creative and technical skills Level 3: 5-7 marks - proficient creative and technical skills Level 4: 8-10 marks - excellent creative and technical skills 1. Captive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93fH1fUQ-Lw Appropriate material for target audience: 8 - it displays the age certificate, and clearly shows it is directed towards young adults through the tone of the opening Conventional and appropriate titles: 8 - they are fairly basic, but used appropriately  Sound and technical editing: 9 - a good soundtrack and pleonastic sound is us...

The credits, typically displayed throughout the film opening, inform the audience of the most important contributors during the production of the film. Although there is no one set order in which the names are presented, there are certain rules that most films follow, f or example, it is well known that the director of the film comes last, as they are the most important person. Earlier this year, our Sixth Form visited the BFI in London for a talk about the AS media studies course. The day was run by Tom Woodcock, with other talks and discussions with special guest Dexter  Fletcher. One of the many things I had learned from this day, was the conventional structure of a billing sequence.  The structure suggested by Woodcock was based upon films such as Donnie Brasco and Gattica, that listed their credits in the following order: - production companies - lead actors - film title - star credits  - supporting cast - production credits - director When extending my...