G321 Foundation Portfolio

How did you attract/address your audience?

I attracted my audience my structuring the narrative in away that appeal with them. I attracted my target audience by making it a 15 and a horror. Many teenagers like to watch horror films as the find them the most exciting. Also because the use of murder and supernatural behavior it attracts males but doesn’t completely seclude females from watching and enjoying the film.

The scenes that show the murder and showing the female victim who has come back to haunt the killer appeal to the audience. This is because the audience like to see murder and enjoy being shocked my ghosts.

The use of camera work in my product attract and keep the audience because I used many different camera angles such a high angles, close ups and point of view shots. This keeps the audience interested and stops them from getting bored by the constant use of one camera angle.

Low Angle

point of view

The audience are made to feel apart of the movie as the a positioned in points of view and when they can witness what is about to happen from a distance makes them feel anxious about the situation and immerses them into the film. This follows the conventions of a horror film as we see these used often in a horror film to create suspense.

Anthony Boagey. Aged: 18. Gender: Male. I find the film interesting and would suggest it to a friend to watch. I liked the use of camera and sound through the film as it kept a nice pace through the film.

Danny Collin. Aged: 16. Gender: Male. I watched this film and I enjoyed it. It was easy to identify the genre of the film as it used many things that a horror film would use.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process on contructing the product?

Strength

A strength of using the camera is used is that they are east to use, and when filming it allows you the pause and start quickly which is good filming.

Another strength is the size of the camera which allows you to use creative camera angles because it easy to position and move around the setting.

Weakness

The Camera isn’t good at using in low light settings; a result of this is that it affects the quality of the film.

New Equipment

During the filming of my film I got use equipment that I never used before such as a dolly. I used a dolly for a tracking shot that I never used before; I believed this helped enhance that sequence as it allowed e to have a smooth steady shot.

Editing Software

When it came to the editing stage I used iMovie to edit, it is very simple to use and I generally enjoyed using it. I used a few effect on movie that allowed me to enhance the feeling of a horror film. I was able to use ‘fade to black’ transitions that in kept with the visual style of a horror film. On one scene I got a warped transition that allowed me to smooth out the shot as the camera is focused on an empty space and the camera appears ten disappears. Because I had to pause the camera and un-pause it, the camera was unsteady and this allowed me to get around this.

Music Software

When creating my soundtrack I used Garageband. I find this useful to create the sound track for my movie. The only challenge that I was approached my was trying to create a soundtrack which wasn’t the same as everyone else’s soundtrack and to make sure that it fitted with what was on screen and the generic conventions.

Problems

The major problem of filming my product was finding a location, as many churches turned me down, as they didn’t find it appropriate to film a horror film in a church. I was lucky when I found a church which would accept me, this is because the priest was an ex drama teacher.

Another problem was trying to find a date when all the actors could participate, but I over came this by re-organising the dates with everyone.

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

The type of media institution that would distribute my media product would be an art house or independent studio. As my media product doesn’t cater for Hollywood cinema. My product would receive a wider audience and an independent movie a product like mine wouldn’t have much success in the Hollywood industry. My movie would be released because many people would enjoy my film that follow independent cinema.

My movie also has opportunities for a sequel; this would result in a higher total gross that would be beneficial to the studio. It allows for merchandise to be made such as posters, key rings and t-shirts. Also because my soundtrack is copyright free, I would be able to sell a soundtrack of the movie.

My mise en scene links to that of an art house film, with it being filmed in a church and the costumes used. The film A Search for a midnight kiss; isn’t a horror film but it is classed as an art house film because of the visual style used, they have filmed it in black and white.

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

In the planning stage I create an animatic, and I researched into the genre. I researched into the origins and conventions of a horror. I researched the ideology and visual style. This research allowed me to create a product that was distinct to the horror genre. I was able to include the right ideology for a horror film.

I also created the right visual style because of this research. My animatic allowed me to make sure that my filming process ran smoothly and to avoid any hitches.

Allow I didn’t actually follow my animatic it allowed me to think about the story and help make it better and use more creative camera angles than my animatic included.

Since my preliminary task my use of camera angles has improve I have been able to create more purpose with camera shots. In my preliminary task I didn’t follow the 180degree rule or use match on action. But I have now been able to improve on that, with more knowledge and planning for my task I was able to use more creative camera angles in my final piece.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience is 15-30 years old and mostly male. This is because younger people are most likely to watch a horror movie. Younger people are more censored to horror film so there for they enjoy them more and find them more interesting. The majority of people who watch horror films in the cinema are mostly male teenagers.

Films such as Haunting In Connecticut (2009) and The Sixth Sense (1999) are similar to my product as they both are supernatural horror films like mine, so they attract a similar audience to mine. The audiences for both of these films are mostly male teenagers, so my aiming my product mostly at this audience will result in a better review by them.

Haunting In Connecticut (2009)

The Sixth Sense (1999)

How does your media product represent particular socail groups?

My product represents gender, age and class. In my product I represent age but not in a stereotypical way as the main killer in my film is older, this shows reversal of roles, we would expect to see a young person taking the art of a serial killer. The ways in which I represent class is by using a priest, priests are usual middle to upper middle class, my product shows reversal of roles again as you wouldn’t expect a killer to be middle class.

My product represents gender in a stereotypical way, as the dominating character with in my film is male. The females within my product are weaker characters; this is a stereotype of female characters

This links to my target audience as my target audience is mostly male and they would expect a male to be a stronger character with in the film.

Rough Cut

Final Cut

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challange forms and conventins of real media products

My media product doesn’t challenge or develop on the conventions of a horror film. It follows the conventions of a horror film. My opening scene follows the same style as Halloween (1978). My product uses the same conventions as a typical horror film such as music and camera styles. I have adapted these conventions through my product in many scenes. In one scene where Father Sullivan is sat in his bedroom reading a book there is a point of view shot. This is a common camera shot to be used in a horror film.

I also used a typical soundtrack for my film. In this scene there is an eerie affect, this is a common convention used in a horror film. Another convention of a horror film is mise en scene. My mise en scene was typical to a horror film as I used religious figures that you would see in many horror films and especially in a film like mine which sub genre is a supernatural film.

I wouldn’t say that many films have influenced my work. I believe that films I have seen over many years sub-consciously influenced my work. I didn’t intentionally in have any references or influences in to my product.

G321 Foundation Portfolio

I feel more combatable with using the new software such as iMovie and Garageband as I feel I can use them successfully. I also feel more confident when using the cameras and the dolly.

Target Audience

Social Groups

Gender

I believe that my end product meets the briefing up to a good standard. I don’t believe that I have fulfilled the entire thing but I believe that I have fulfilled the majority of it.