Evaluation

Institution

The film doesn't really challenge forms and conventions as it flows most stereotypes when it comes to crime films. For example it follows the correct structure a film usually would such as a beginning, middle, and end, with a problem and a solution. This, along with the stereotypes of 60's gangsters is the main reason this film does not challenge conventions.

The piece i have made will most likely be a film shown on a less serious channel such as BBC Three or ITV 2. These types of channels usually show comedy or more informal programs/films which cater to a more adult audience with a less serious preference. This is because my piece was intended to be serious and intense whilst making people smile and get them involved with the film. Although it will also attract younger viewers as it is not as serious as what may be shown on a more formal channel such as BBC One.

Audience

The films target audience was mainly adults between the age of twenty two to forty five who were fans of gangsta films such as Goodfellas and Legend because of the fact that we chose to pick a very serious genre of film and the complex language that the film contains and have used throughout. Also I decided to go along with traditional gangsta films with regards to the choice in our costume (suit and ties) because this will attract the audience from that type of genre that the film is attempting to emulate in our movie.

Narrative

The narrative of my film is the story of two men, one being a drug lord, buying and selling goods and just being all round "bad". And another man who is caught up in a bunch of dodgy dealing where he is in way over his head, putting his family at risk. This, along with some minor plot twist throughout, is the story of a man trying to protect his family by getting in with the wrong crowd. This all comes to a stand still when the men are meeting for one final time. The climax comes when the deal and meeting is seemingly done, one of the men has to make a big decision.

Representation

The film chose to represent our modern day gangstas as the gangstas of old where they wore suits and dressed smart like in films such as “Goodfellas” and “legendary”. There was 2 choices, one was to have our gangstas dressed in smart suits (which is what we chose to do) the other was to go for the modern day gangsta which consisted of black bandanas, long baggy T-shirts and low hanging jeans seen in films such as “Boyz in the hood” where ice cube stars as a gangsta who has just recently got out of prison and wanted to get back on the gangsta scene. Ice cube was mainly seen wherein baggy t-shirts, low hanging trousers and a Detroit tigers flat cap which is associated with Detroit which is a lot of the time thought of as a stereotype for a place of crime and gangs.

Media Language

Some of the shots also were used in some ways to try and represent the gangstas in the way we wanted the audience to see them. For example i chose to use a lot of two person shots to show how gangstas interacted of one another and close ups to show how gangstas looked at each other with intensity, in many cases hatred and respect. The film also chose to use a lot of low angle shots to try and make the viewer think of the gangstas in the movie as very powerful and scary figures.

Me and my partner chose many different aspects of media language such as the fact that when in the scene we chose to use the term “mug” which is a very well known term in the British language used for intimidation purposes and has been stereotyped over the years as a term used in British gangs and fight scenes which associates what me and my partner says with gangs.

Ideology

The iconography of the film is very important when trying to create the crime genre within it. For example the use of the gun (theoretically) is a big indicator which shows the danger within the crime genre. Also the use of stereotypical 60's drug dealer. But with no use of things relevant to horror or action, etc, it shows how the genre is predominantly crime.

Genre

My partner and me really thought that we would try to challenge the identity of the average gangsta and really show the comradely between the sets of gangstas by introducing a lot of 2 person shots and master shots to show the audience that these types of people are like wolves and hunt in packs in order to achieve they’re goals and need one in order to help the other and accomplish they’re goals. My partner and me also tried to incorporate a lot of low angle shots in order to present the gangstas as empowered and strong,

The genre of my film predominately would crime. Most of the movie is fairly slow paced, and focuses on words and props rather than fast paced action. This is so that most of the film, as explained before, is to do with a tense, business negotiation. There were minor things which i could of done to make this an action movie, adding in a fight scene instead of the gun scene, or to make it a horror by making the film more dark and ruthless. By making this film solely based on crime simply emphasizes the slow pace of the film adding extra tension and increased drama within the scene.

I also tried to incorporate a worms eye view of when one of the character stands over the other in an intimidating fashion as he shoots him in order to seem even more empowered in the other shots as if to say that this is when the gangstas are most powerful, when they are holding a gun and intimidating another gangsta. I also tried to introduce a lot of high angle shots of the dieing gangsta when he is shot in order to show the audience how such powerful people can fall because he was some one who was once so strong.

Me and my partner tried to introduce a gun that commonly signifies gangstas with the audience and then in the audiences mind makes them think of me and my partner in the scene as gangstas. Me and my partner also tried to show when situations had an aspect of danger by keeping our hands seen and on the table when there was none because a gangsta with his hands on the table and away from the gun has little aspects of danger.

What have you learnt from this project?

Who would be the audience?

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

This film itself represents the social group of teenagers. This is because the film was captured within a familiar environment, a school, and has two student character within it. But it also targets a higher audience with the costume being more formal and being of a higher "class". Although it does isolate the older generation as despite it being based around more classical gangsters, it was made to target the certain group of people, which obviously would end up causing big rating drops in the box office.

I have learnt how to set up, work and pack away a camera and all the necessary equipment. I have learnt how to use iMovie and use the advanced techniques and tools within the program. I have also learnt the different things that are needed to create a good quality film. The whole process was very helpful and i will be sure to take all the positives from into the next project i do and hopefully into the future beyond it.

The main audience which effected the way in which i made my movie would be teacher or examiners. Because after all, the projects main use is to be examined. So, therefore i made my movie to cater for the needs of the exam criteria trying to incorporate all things i need, to ensure that the mark i get would be the highest possible.

If it wasn't an exam piece on the other hand, it would be an adult audience with maybe a link to teens. This is because the content is fairly mature and formal meaning that the audience is older