Storyboard

Shot sequencing

Initial planning

Props and costume analysis.

Actor planning

For my production, actors I could use are Owen (Far left), Tom (middle right) or Jake (far right) as my main character. These would be suitable for a action/outdoor, army style role.

Others:

Mitchell

 Ernest

Vicki

I am looking for a older male character I think, so Ernest would be most suitable for this role, however any in the top photo would also fit the sort of character I am trying to create.

Sheffield Location Planning

Audience Interviews

Would you watch a film in the comedy genre?

T: Yes
R: Yes

Why?

T: Because I enjoy funny things and I find them more entertaining than sad films.
R: Because I like to be amused and I enjoy watching funny films.

What do you want to see/expect to see from an opening title sequence?

T: The backstory and find out who the characters are.
R: I would expect to be introduced to key characters and maybe see the setting of the film.

Is there any other types of films you enjoy watching?

T: Action/adventure and Sci-Fi
R: action

Which would you rather see, comedy or your option, and include an example?

T: Action/adventure such as Indiana Jones.
R: Comedy such as Grown Ups.

Media audience theories

Shot composition analysis

Video transcript:
The perspective lines, highlighted in red, give the image depth and a sense of enigma by not showing fully what is around the corner.

Size for significance – The South Street Park sign, evnen though it is not in focus still has a sense of power by being a main feature in the image. The sign has an importance of setting the scene for the shot. This can link in with the mobile audience theory.

Contrasts in brightness – The foreground is darker than the background, this gives the scene a sense of enigma, perhaps hinting that something bad is going to happen or giving the background a sense of optimism.

Rule of thirds – this keeps the image looking tidy and focuses the audiences’ attention on the midground as it is the brightest so appears highlighted, this could make the audience question the foreground.

Narrative – This image adds to the narrative by having the iconic South Street Park sign, this sets the scene and reveals a real life location for the story. 

The natural imagery in the foreground suggests a floral scene, hinting how the city may not be as scary or uninviting as the scene first appears to portray.

Genre – This image could conform to the comedy genre as it uses bright natural light, commonly found in comedy productions to add a sense of optimism and happiness to the shot, suggesting a light side, enhancing the light-hearted comedic value. Also, the way the image is split into thirds, with the middle third being the most eye catching could suggest that the next scene will be there.

Audience response/theory – A primary response I would hope to evoke through this location would be to intrigue the audience through the enigmatic foreground, both by it being in the shade and that the path leads off around a corner into what could be anything.

This supports Barthes’ Enigma Code theory which suggests how media texts need to leave unanswered questions to engage the audience.

By being set in Sheffield, using the South Street Park sign, the audience may want to visit the location after seeing this. This fits with Couldry’s Mobile Audience theory, that audiences want to visit places associated with the media production.

Location Research

Four Lions (2010) - location

The location fits in with comedy genre conventions as it gives you a close encounter with the main characters, introducing them right from the start. This intimate setting is used widely in the comedy genre to allow the audience to 'get to know' the characters. This moves the narrative on as it introduces key characters to the film.

This establishing shot of the setting moves the narrative onto the second scene, set inside Meadowhall (the shopping centre) and introduces it from a distance, zooming in on it from afar, from Tinsley, where the first scene was set. This gives a sense of perspective and allows them to make a map in their mind of the setting.

After this, the shot shows inside the shopping centre, establishing the scene and giving the audience more detail about the scenery allowing them to build up their mental map of the film's setting.

Media audience theories

Active Audience Theory
Audience actively constructing interpretations and meanings from the media texts they encounter.

They bring their own individual experiences, values, ideologies and identify to each text.

Interpreted differently by different people.

Media Producer's Power

• The audience can only participate within carefully constructed and framed spaces
• The programme's host's or expert's views are dominant 
• Use of voiceover and narration emphasises producer's power
• Editing
• The narratives and scenarios

Audience participation needs to be encouraged as it generates money and audience loyalty. However, the debate is whether audiences are actually empowered or not.

The Hypodermic model - Frankfurt School (1920's/30's)
The messages in media texts are injected into the audience by the powerful syringe-like media.
The audience is powerless to resist - The media is like a drug.

Gerber (1956)
Messages do not simply flow from the text to the audience.
The audience discuss, debate and challenge the texts - reduce power.

Texts can be seen as polysemic - deliberately constructed to be read in a number of different ways, to appeal to a wide number of people.

Morley (1990)
Saw media as an object that carries a meaning and a value.

Silverstone (1994)
Argued that television provides a sort of sense of security and reassurance for many adults and young people.
The internet can also be seen in this way, as; 'the continuities of sound and image, of voices and music can easily be appropriated as comfort and security because they are there.' - Not alone - reassurance

Couldry (2004) - Mobile Audience
Audiences can visit places related to the production, like go on tours of the set or visit locally filmed scenes.

Abercrombie and Longhurst (2005)
There has been a shift in the audience's experience, allowing the boundaries between them and the producers of the media become more fluid through the use of social networking and TV voting.

Uses and Gratification

Katz and Blamer (1974) 
Audiences choose particular media products to satisfy their uses and gratifications (needs), these are to be:

• Entertained
• Informed
• Social interaction
• Personal identity

Mcquail (1997)
Motivations for using a media text are for:

• Information
• Learning
• Personal Identity
• Social Interaction
• Entertainment

Shaun Moore (1998)

Media texts allow the audience to perceive themselves as part of an imagined community.

The audience feel they have something in common with other imagined members of the audience.

Criticisms of the Uses and Gratification theory

It doesn't explain why different members of the audience interpret a text differently.

Ang (1985) identified gratifications of identification and fantasy.

Hill (2005) explored how gratification from reality TV emerge from discussions around to what degree the programme has been staged.

Clapham's theory - Selective Filtering

Selective perception - Audience only like something if it is aligned with their own views.

Selective retention - Audience only hear aspects of a media text that align with their own views.

Selective exposure - Audience only watch/engage with media texts that align with their views.

Morley - Decoding Model

Audience interpret media using their key ideologies/beliefs.

This will impact our production because the opening title sequence that I produce will need to satisfy some of the uses and gratifications.

Demographics mood board

Stereotypes (of men & post-feminism)

 

 

Actor research

 

Actors in the film can identify a films genre. This is known as star association.

Examples of this include:

Adam Sandler

His films are comedy films, and they all show him as the main protagonist, showing his star power and star association with the genre. His films tend to be popular, proving how having him as the main character aids advertisement and marketing of the film. Having built up this façade may be problematic for Sandler, as it may be hard for him to move into a different role if he wanted as he is iconic in the comedy film scene so could find it hard to migrate to another genre.

Special effects explanation

Special effects (SFX) are used in the film/entertainment industry to create special effects which cannot be achieved by normal means, such as travel to other solar systems or huge explosions.




Why would a producer choose to use special effects within an opening sequence?

• Set genre
• Set production values
• provide entertainment and escapism for the audience

Films which use special effects

• Avatar
• Fast & Furious
• Batman
• Star Wars
• Iron Man
• Man of Steel

Special effects analysis - Guardians of the Galaxy/Kingsman: Secret Service

Guardians of the Galaxy.

The director would have chosen to use special effects as the film is set in a distant galaxy, so special effects are needed to portray the relevant setting for the action/comedy film.
The special effects denote genre by setting the scene, and showing life forms from the planet where it is set.
The audience therefore get a sense of context of the film and where it is set.
The special effects which are used are conventional of the superhero/action/comedy genres, showing a anchorage to the genres it falls within.



Kingsman: Secret Service.

The director would have chosen to use these special effects to represent the attack on the building in shot, so special effects are needed to portray the attack and show it in a fair amount of detail in this action/comedy film.
The special effects denote genre by setting the scene by being in the first few seconds, whilst being in the establishing shot. This sets the production values as being quite high, right from the off. The audience therefore get a sense of context of the film and where it is set.
The special effects which are used are conventional of the action/comedy genres, showing a certain anchorage to the genres of which it falls within.

Shot composition

Shot composition

• What kind of shot is it?
• Rule of thirds
• Background/Foreground
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Symmetry

Shot sequencing
Allows you to control the pace
Titles
Order that the shots are placed in to create a storyline
Links between shots

Wide shot - establish
Medium shot - Single out important aspects
Close up - The most powerful shot - significant detail
B-Roll - Secondary footage that adds meaning/connects shots

Shot sequencing intro

Wide shot, medium shot, close-up & B-Roll examples

Shot uses

Chess match - pace example

Gender representations

Sexual objectification and the male gaze (Laure Mulvey)

• Definition of voyeurism: Erotic pleasures gained from looking at a sexual object (who is unaware of being watched)
• Presence of women solely for the purpose of display (rather than narrative function)
• Female on display is passive and objectified for a male gaze regardless of viewers gender
• Voyeuristic treatment of female body in 'male' videos - use of dancers as adornments to the male ego
• The inclusion of women for display is a staple element in music videos - across all genres
• Women connote to-be-looked-at-ness and are the object of the male gaze

Post-feminism and the female gaze (1980's)

• A re-appraisal of feminist values
• Does not strive for 'equality' as this assumes men are 'the best' - they wish to surpass male achievements
• Objected to theories which position them as objects of the 'male gaze'
• Identifies a 'female gaze' - women actively desiring men
• Women began to assert their right to dress and be sexually attractive

Masculinity and violence

• One area that has been the focus of much study is the relationship between males and violence in the media
• Earp and Katz (1999) studies male representations in the media and found "a widespread and disturbing equation of masculinity and pathological control and violence"
• They claim that the media is responsible for a steady stream of images that define 'manhood' as connected with violence, dominance and control - and create it as a normal and accented part of masculinity

Types of cuts/tranisions

B-Roll.
Video footage that doesn't add anything to the storyline but fills in any gaps by showing more detail in a scene to hide a cut.

45 degree rule.
When swapping camera angles, make sure it is by at least 45 degrees so that there is a decent size jump between the two, so they are not too similar.

Cut on motion.
Motion distracts the eye from noticing cuts. Cutting from a turning head to an opening door looks smoother than a still head swapping to a opening door.

Change focal lengths.
It is good to occasionally change focal lengths during long scenes to make them more interesting. It also allows edits to be more subtle by 'covering them up'.

Cut on similar elements.
Where the first scene is cut to a secondary scene with a similar object on screen, for example, in Apocalypse Now, a rotating ceiling fan cuts to a helicopter.

Wipe.
By using a subject walking across the screen to wipe from one scene to another is a good way of hiding the cut.


*Will add examples at later date

Title sequence analysis - 4 comedy films.

Four Lions, Ted, Elf and About a Boy. 

What is titling and why is it important?

Titling shows us the name of the film, actors, corporations etc. It is important as it shows you what genre the film is through font and colour schemes etc.

For example:

Shaun Of The Dead 

white  - simplistic font 
           - binary opposition
           - doesn't give too much away
font - military style

Lighting mind maps

Audio Advice.

• Pick the music early on.
• Draw inspiration from others.
• Use sound effects.
• Let the music guide you.
• Use music to create contrasts.
• Use rhythm to match the visuals to.

Sound analysis - Four Lions (2010)

Glossary.

Non-diegetic sound - Sound added 'post-shot'

Diegetic sound - Sound that occurs during a scene being shot

Shot composition - How a shot is created - foreground/background etc. Negative space/symmetry/levels/rule of thirds

Iconography - When a prop has a symbolic meaning that is closely associated with the genre

Barthes - Enigma code - Mystery & unanswered questions to engage the audience.

Katz & Blumler - Uses and gratification theory - audiences choose particular media products to satisfy their uses & gratification (needs). Needs to for-fill: Entertained, informed, social interaction, personal identity

Strauss - Binary opposition

Audio.

Background music.
 + Emotion
 + Rhythm
Usually not meant to be noticeable.
Provides a tone or emotional attitude toward the story/character.
Foreshadow a change in mood.
Aid viewer understanding by linking scenes.

Dialogue.
 - Authenticates the speaker as an individual or a real person.
 - Tell the story/express feelings/motivations of characters.

Diegetic/actual sound.
Non-diegetic/overlayed sound.

Synchronous sounds.
Matched with what is viewed - see what is making the noise.
Makes it more realistic.
Different volumes in order to direct the audience to certain sounds.

Asynchronous sounds.
Not matched with the viewed source.

Production companies.

A production company is directly responsible for the production of a film. They are in charge of costs/budgeting, scheduling, scripting and hiring film crew and actors. They are the ‘big boss’ of the production, who the director reports to.

A distribution company is responsible for getting the film out into the public eye, getting it into cinemas or VOD (video on demand) services such as Netflix and iTunes. They are also responsible for the marketing/advertising of the film, they set the film up with different platforms and handle the press.

Warp films is an independent production company based in Sheffield. They are a relatively low budget producer. They have produced films such as ‘Dead man’s shoes’ (2004), ’This is England’ (2006), ’Four Lions’ (2010) and ‘Arctic Monkeys at the Apollo’ (2008). Their productions have won numerous awards –their debut film, Chris Morris’ My Wrongs #8245-8249 & 117, won award for best short film at the 2003 BAFTA awards, and their ‘This is England’ won many awards, including best film at the British Independent Film Awards and best British film at the BAFTAs (the companies third BAFTA). ‘Four Lions’ was nominated for two BAFTAs, winning one – the ‘Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer’. They have gone on to produce three sequel TV series’ of ‘This is England’ for Channel 4 and they are currently working with Channel 4, the BBC and Sky to bring television shows to these channels.