Role allocation

Role allocation:

Director: Joshua Stanley

I will be in charge of directing the short film and therefore the camera angles used as I will be in charge of the camera person but it is also my job to control the dramatic aspects of the film and use my artistic take on the script to help better the film. I will also have a say in the productions locations and any designs integral to the set while also having to choose the cast.

Camera Person: Daniel Brown

Their job is to control the camera and move it when necessary in scenes that require a pan or for the camera to be hand held. They must also listen to the directors instructions and follow them accordingly.

Writer: Alessandro Cappuccio

As the writer they are in charge of creating the narrative for the film and creating the dialect for each character in this case the film is a comedy short film so they will have to create an element of amusement for the audience.

Editors: Alessandro Cappuccio and Joshua Stanley

This job requires us to put the film into sequence to create the narrative and add the effects to the green screen which will be used in the film. This requires the green to be removed from the background of the image and replaced with an image fitting with the film. It also means we have to control the volume of any sound and add any sound that may need to be improved based on the initial filming. Filters may also need to be added based on lighting or for visual effects on each scene.

Lead Actor: Alessandro Cappuccio

The lead role is the character that the story/narrative is generally based on, in this case it is an American student who has difficulty adjusting to life in England.

Supporting Actor: Joshua Stanley

This role is smaller than the lead role but is important and the supporting actor generally appears on print artefacts with the lead actor, examples of films may be Sherlock Holmes or Star Wars.

production schedule

Production Schedule:

Date: Friday 13^th January 2017

Location: Sixth form, class C07 with green screen set up

Scenes to be filmed:

Scene 1, Austin introducing himself.

Scene 5, Austin reacts to watching a football (soccer) match.

Scene 9, Austin doesn’t take well to English food and reminisces about pop tarts.

Scene 12, Austin cannot comprehend (some) British terminology.

Scene 14, Austin has an epiphany and realises England isn’t quite so bad.

Required cast: Alessandro Cappuccio.

Camera person: Joshua Stanley.

Director: Joshua Stanley.

Duration of filming: 09:00 – 10:30 AM (1 hour 30 minutes).

Date: Monday 16^th January 2017

Location: 39 Suffolk way, Tamworth

Scenes to be filmed:

Scene 2, Austin finds his way to Josh’s house.

Scene 3, Josh greets Austin at the door and invites him inside.

Scene 4, Austin realises that he is watching soccer and not American football.

Required cast: Alessandro Cappuccio, Joshua Stanley.

Camera persons: Joshua Stanley, Alessandro Cappuccio.

Director: Joshua Stanley.

Duration of filming: 16:00 – 15:00 (1 hour).

Date: Wednesday 18^th January 2017

Location: 39 Suffolk way, Tamworth

Scenes to be filmed:

Scene 6, Austin finds out about some English food.

Scene 7, Josh makes Austin some crumpets.

Scene 8, Austin tries his first crumpet.

Scene 10, Austin opens his own food instead.

Scene 11, Confusion as the pair disagree the difference between chips and crisps.

Scene 13, Austin finds out that he can legally drink alcohol in England at the age of 18.

Scene 15, Austin overreacts to the super bowl 50. 

Required cast: Alessandro Cappuccio, Joshua Stanley.

Camera persons: Joshua Stanley, Alessandro Cappuccio.

Director: Joshua Stanley.

Duration of filming: 15:00 – 17:00 (2 hours).

Casting

Casting:

Character: Austin – Played by Alessandro Cappuccio

Props: The costume is anything that a teenager would ordinarily wear and there are three props required. The first is a packet of beef jerky as it will be used as part of Austin’s lunch that he brings with him in case he doesn’t like any British food. The second prop is pop tarts, these will be used in the green screen sequence as part of Austin’s dream of food from home and they will be thrown to him as if his mind is giving them to him. The last is a phone, which is used to show how he gets to Josh’s house which is the main scene.

Character: Josh – Played by Joshua Stanley

Props: The costume is the same for Josh as it is for Austin as they are both teenagers in their free time, although Josh will need to have a number of props and similarly to Austin they are to do with food and drink as they create a lot of conflict between the two cultures. Josh will need crumpets, chips and crisps which are all to be used as they are either different to what they have in America or they are called something different which again will be used to create conflict. The other prop is beer again because the restrictions are different in the UK compared to the US. However should the actors be under 18 then there would be an adult present, however if both actors are over 18 no adult will be required.

December Feedback

A proficient risk assessment and digital storyboards

Analysis of existing texts is sound and uses terminology accurately showing proficient ability to analyse texts

Discussion of contingency plans due to unforeseen obstacles are discussed showing flexibility and a need to adapt. The creative journey could be expanded upon especially now that you are coming into the editing stage.

You are working at level 2 but are capable of moving into level 3 showing some signs of proficiency.

Targets

• Be realistic and change plans so that you can film as soon as possible
• Edit the footage
• Discuss the target audience in detail to get the higher grade using all the theories and put in screenshots.
• Storyboards are digital and sometimes limit you to the scene rather than the shot. Drawn storyboards will be more accurate.
• Try and make the script follow conventions.
• Production schedules and any other planning to get into level 3
• Use screenshots and images to present the web-log effectively.  At the moment it looks like copy and paste of word documents. Spend some time on presentation.
• Analysis of print artefacts.

Risk Assessment

Risk Assessment:
A risk assessment is used to identify and reduce risks while filming a media product, for ours we had a wide range of risks because we were using electrical technology as well as filming off site and using food in the video so we had to consider how all of these elements can be a hazard.


By making this risk assessment it reduces the chances of coming into contact with any risks and shows how we will deal with the potential risks.

Hazard:	Location of risk:	Risk severity: (1-5)	Risk likelihood: (1-5)	Overall risk: (S x L)	Actions taken to control risk:	Severity after precautions:	Likelihood after precautions:	Overall risk after precautions:
Wires from lighting equipment become a tripping hazard.	School premises: Green screen room.	2	2	4	Any wires will be taped down to the floor with high visibility gaffer tape.	1	1	1
By filming outdoors the camera needs to be kept dry as the electrical current can’t mix with water.	Off site: At home in the garden.	4	3	12	Only film when there is no rain or cover the camera with a waterproof layer, keep drinks away from camera.	2	2	4
Transport to Birmingham for filming can cause stress in a case of evacuation.	Off site: Using the train to travel to Aston.	2	2	4	We will stay in close proximity to each other as we evacuate any transport and will follow any instructions given by on site staff.	1	2	2
Using food in our production can cause allergies and food poisoning.	Off site: At home and in Aston	4	2	8	Check each person’s allergies before filming and follow any cooking instructions as well as checking expiration dates.	2	1	2

 

Contingency Plan

Contingency plan:

 

In the plan for the short film we have decided to film part of short film at a football venue, Villa Park, however before filming I have called the club to confirm their filming regulations as due to circumstances in the past, stewards at the venue are now extremely careful of what people can bring into the stadium and what you can do there. For example I know videoing the whole game or streaming it online is prohibited. Due to this I have called to check whether or not we can film, if there are only certain areas we can film in and what time the stadium will open to the public because if we do film there we want to be there as early as possible so that there are fewer fans there, this will reduce the noise pollution that the camera will pick up.

 

In the case that we are not allowed to film at the ground we have planned to alter the narrative to not attend a football match but watch a live match on television instead. In preparation for this possibility I have recorded a previously aired match ready for use if needed. The only differences would be location and potentially some of the culture clashes that the scenes are based around. An example of this is there is a scene where I am eating a pie, which isn’t common in America but is generic at a football stadium as a meal. Therefore if we do not attend the match we will change it for a different food clash in American culture, the most obvious to use is a mix up in vocabulary and have the different terms for chips shown.

Final proposal

I have decided that I am going to make a short film for my production and as my partner for this production is American it will be based on the cultural differences that are faced when moving to a new country. Due to this the working title for my production will be Culture Clash.


As the production will be a short film it should be shown at a film festival such as the UK film festival as it can then compete in categories for best British short film as well as the category for best student film. However if it were to be aired afterwards on television then it would suit a niche channel such as E4 as it is targeting a teenage and adolescent audience.


This brings me onto my next point of the target audience, because through my target audience research on yougov.co.uk I compared audience profiling's from existing television series that are similar to our short film idea. I used 'modern family', 'the office' and 'the office' US version. I used these three television series because they are comedies with an element of interview as the characters talk directly to the camera so it fits with the idea of what our film will be. When I looked at the age of viewers of the series it was mostly watched by teenagers, in secondary school, sixth form and university as well as adolescents (age 20 to 30). They also live in the south, north west and midlands in England as well as London. My target audience would fit with the idea of being explorers as they tend to live in large cities and would be drawn to a television series based on new experiences and therefore that is why I have targeted this young, liberal age group as my main target audience.


The genre for my short film will be comedy but with elements of a documentary, it may be classified as a mockumentary because there are times when the character will directly speak to the camera as if it were an interview despite it representing their subconscious mind.


The narrative for the film will be linear as it will follow a day in the life of the main character step by step as they change due to the experiences they have of their culture. However the narrative does skip to the dream sequences where the characters mind takes control but the ideas of their mind are fitting with the narrative so overall the narrative will be linear.

storyboard

Made with Storyboard That
Made with Storyboard That
Made with Storyboard That

Target Audience: short film

Target Audiences: In terms of our target audience we looked at the psychographics of our target audience and found that our short film was best suited to those categorised as explorers. They are defined as wanting to experience new culture and look at new frontiers as well as looking for an adventure. This fits with our film well because the storyline is an adventure for the main character to overcome a new culture so they will enjoy watching the challenges the main character will face. Explorers as a general demographic are younger, mainly students. This therefore covers teenagers in secondary school, sixth form and then young adults at university. As well as this other young adults fit to this psychographic so based on this we consider that 20-30 year olds fit the demographic of young adults as well. In terms of UK classification some young adults may fit the category of A04, those who are 20-30, ambitious and renting expensive apartments in highly commutable areas of major cities. Other groups that may fit into the adventurer category would be students at university so the people that would fit this fall into the mosaic UK classification as rental hubs, classified as O65 and O66 who are those who mix in the community as students and graduate students still living in the area or students living in halls at university or a high density location close to the university. I also used You-Gov to find out the demographics of people who watch similar television programmes to my short film. Due to the fact my short film is similar to television programmes such as ‘Modern Family’ I used the You-Gov data on this programme to determine my audiences demographic. In terms of ‘Modern Family’ the most popular locations for viewers are London, the south coast, the Midlands and the North West. If I look at that more closely it shows that the general viewers are from more heavily populated cities, the Midlands has Birmingham and the north west has both Liverpool and Manchester. When this is looked at more closely this then fits with our idea that our film will suit students as these areas mentioned all have a number of universities covering the area so they are areas that are heavily populated by 18-24 year olds. In terms of class it is more preferable for class ABC1 but despite this it is only marginally more popular with these classes as it is with C2DE so there is not a massive class divide on our genre so it is more likely to appeal to a wider demographic of class. Based on this data I feel that my main target audience will be 18-24 year olds because it tends to be young adults and students that want to explore the world and therefore will be more interested in the culture classes our characters experience in the short film. More evidence to show this is the fact many university students now decide to take a gap year either before or after university which highlights that young students fall into the category of explorers.

Reformatted short film script

Short Film Script:

 

FADE IN:

 

INT: LANDAU FORTE SIXTH FORM - MAIN ENTRANCE - MORNING

  

ON VIDEO: The main character, AUSTIN, is new to the sixth form as well as the country as he has just moved from America and meets RICHARD in his first week.

 

AUSTIN walks towards the first person he sees

 

AUSTIN       Hi, sorry, could you show me where the math

                  department is?

 

RICHARD     Yes sure, it’s just down the end of the corridor.

 

AUSTIN       Thanks, I’m AUSTIN by the way, I’m new.

 

RICHARD     I’m RICHARD. You don’t sound like you’re from

    here, are you American?

 

RICHARD examines the foreign student from head to toe as Daniel enters the scene but remains quiet

 

AUSTIN       Yes, I’m still just getting used to everything.

 

RICHARD     Yeah, the accent gives it away.

 

RICHARD turns to Daniel

 

RICHARD      Hey, watch this.

 

RICHARD refers back to Austin

 

 

 

RICHARD        I’m actually going into Birmingham on the

weekend to the football match, you should come.

 

AUSTIN          Great, I love football!

 

RICHARD precedes to hand Austin his address written on a small piece of paper

 

RICHARD        All right there’s my address then, just come   round on Saturday morning and we’ll get the train into the city.

 

FADE TO BLACK.

 

FADE IN

         

EXT. RICHARD’S HOUSE – EARLY MORNING

 

ON VIDEO: Extreme long shot establishes the environment as Austin walks up to RICHARD’s door with his phone in his hand following directions.

 

RICHARD          Alright mate, have you eaten yet?

 

AUSTIN            No not had chance to be honest

 

RICHARD          No worries we’ve got plenty. Have you had                         crumpets before?

 

Cut to talking head interview with Austin who carries a confused look on his face

 

AUSTIN            What are crumpets, maybe it’s a type of   cereal?

 

Cut back to real time

 

AUSTIN          You know what, I haven’t.

 

RICHARD        Oh, well trust me they’re good

 

AUSTIN          Ok then I’ll give them a go

 

AUSTIN bites into a crumpet with a repulsive face and nodding to hide dislike

 

Cut back to talking head interview

 

AUSTIN          Crumpets? Who needs crumpets when you have Pop Tarts?

 

Cut back to real time

 

AUSTIN          They’re not too bad.

 

RICHARD        Well come on, eat up. Otherwise we’ll miss the train.

 

FADE OUT

 

FADE IN

 

INT: VILLA PARK – TRINITY ROAD STAND – AFTERNOON

 

Scene Three: AUSTIN and RICHARD arrive at the football stadium in the afternoon and get some lunch before going to the stands.

 

Establishing shot of Villa Park before cutting to inside the ground.

 

AUSTIN          So what do you normally do before the game them?

 

 

RICHARD        Normally just have a couple of drinks and eat a Balti pie.

 

AUSTIN          A what sorry?

 

RICHARD        Just wait there.

 

RICHARD walks away

 

FADE TO BLACK

 

FADE IN:

 

RICHARD        This is what I’m on about.

 

AUSTIN stares blankly at the pie

 

Cut to talking head interview

 

AUSTIN          Curry? In a pie? Honestly the

British go too far sometimes. I would kill for a corndog right now.

 

Cut back to real time

 

RICHARD        Do you want one then?

 

AUSTIN          No, no I’m good, I’m still full from breakfast actually.

 

RICHARD takes a sip of beer before acknowledging AUSTIN.

 

RICHARD        Ok, if you want anything let me know.

 

AUSTIN’s jaw drops and he is speechless

 

RICHARD see’s this and reacts accordingly.

 

RICHARD        What?

 

AUSTIN          Dude your underage you can’t drink that. What if someone see’s

 

RICHARD        Oh of course its 21 to drink in America, it’s ok its 18 over here.

 

Cut to talking head interview

 

AUSTIN          This place is starting to grow on me (nods head in approval). I guess the British have some sense after all.

 

Cut back to real time

 

AUSTIN          Oh ok then, so who is your favourite quarterback?

 

RICHARD        What? Shall we go up to the stands then?

 

AUSTIN          Yes might as well.

 

AUSTIN walks out of the bathroom and up the stairs where

he realises he is at a football match rather than an American football match.

 

Cut to talking head interview

 

AUSTIN          Seriously. I mean seriously it’s not

football it’s soccer so call it soccer. Still it could have been worse, it could have been a cricket match.

 

Fade out to black 

 

 

EXT. RICHARD’S HOUSE – BACK GARDEN – NIGHT

 

Scene Four: As its bonfire night AUSTIN decides to join RICHARD in what he thinks will be fireworks, similar to the fourth of July but is in fact mistaken when he sees a bonfire being set and no fireworks in sight.

 

RICHARD        Oh I forgot to say, its bonfire night today, it’s a bit of a big tradition here, your welcome to stay for a bit if you like.

 

AUSTIN          Ok, what do you do on bonfire night?

 

RICHARD        It’s a bit similar to the Fourth of July with all the fireworks but we have big bonfires as well.

 

AUSTIN Sounds good then

 

Both walk into the garden where there is fire burning away

 

Cut to talking head interview

 

AUSTIN          Ok the fireworks might not be as good as at home but the big fires and marshmallows I can get used to. In fact this place is starting to grow on me (nods head)

 

Fade out to black. End of film.

 

Script

Short Film Script: Scene one: The main character (Alessandro) is new to the sixth form as well as the country as he has just moved from America and meets Josh in his first week. Alessandro (A): Hi, sorry, could you show me where the math department is? Josh (J): Yes sure, it’s just down the end of the corridor. A: Thanks, I’m Alessandro by the way, I’m new. J: I kind of guessed that from the accent, I take it your American. A: Yes, I’m still just getting used to everything J: I can imagine. Actually I’m going into Birmingham on the weekend to the football, you should come, and you can see some of the city then. A: Great I love football Josh hands Alessandro his address on a piece of paper J: Alright there’s my address then, just come round on Saturday morning and we’ll get the train in. Scene Two: Alessandro meets Josh for breakfast before going to Birmingham. J: Alright mate, have you eaten yet? A: No not had chance to be honest J: No worries we’ve got plenty. Have you had crumpets before? (Cuts to Alessandro’s sub conscious) A: (looking confused) What are crumpets, maybe it’s a type of cereal? (Cuts back to reality) A: You know what, I haven’t. J: Oh, well trust me they’re good A: Ok then I’ll give them a go Alessandro bites into a crumpet (Cuts to sub conscious) A: (Exaggerated) What is it, is it toast, is it pancakes, I don’t know it’s just weird, is it even a breakfast? (sighs) The things I’d do for a pop tart right now (shakes head). (Cuts back to reality) A: They’re not too bad you know. J: well come on, eat up otherwise we’ll miss the train. Scene Three: Alessandro and Josh arrive at the football stadium in the afternoon and get some lunch before going to the stands. There is a shot of Villa Park before cutting to inside the ground. A: So what do you normally do before the game them? J: normally just have a couple of drinks and a Balti pie. A: (Laughs) What? J: Just wait there. Josh walks away as the screen fades out The screen then fades in J: This is what I’m on about. Alessandro stares blankly at the pie (Cuts to sub conscious) A: (Angry and confused) curry. In a pie. Honestly the British go to far sometimes. (Pause and shake head) I would kill for a corndog right now. (Cuts to reality) J: Do you want one then? A: No, no I’m good, I’m still full from breakfast actually. Josh takes a sip of beer before acknowledging Alessandro. J: Ok, if you want anything let me know. Alessandro’s jaw drops and he is speechless Josh see’s this and reacts accordingly. J: What? A: Dude your underage you can’t drink that. What if someone see’s J: Oh of course its 21 to drink in America, it’s ok its 18 over here. (Cuts to sub conscious) A: This place is starting to grow on me (nods head in approval). I guess the British have some sense after all. (Cuts to reality) A: Oh ok then, so who is your favourite quarterback? J: (Laughter) What? Shall we go up to the stands then? A: Yes might as well. Alessandro walks out of the bathroom and up the stairs where he realises he is at a football match rather than an American football match. (Cuts to sub conscious) A: (Deeply unsettled) Seriously. I mean seriously it’s not football it’s soccer so call it soccer. Still it could have been worse, it could have been a cricket match. (Cuts to reality) and the scene fades out. Scene Four: As its bonfire night Alessandro decides to join Josh in what he thinks will be fireworks, similar to the fourth of July but is in fact mistaken when he see’s a bonfire being set and no fireworks in sight. J: Oh I forgot to say, its bonfire night today, it’s a bit of a big tradition here, your welcome to stay for a bit if you like. A: Ok, what do you do on bonfire night? J: It’s a bit similar to the Fourth of July with all the fireworks but we have big bonfires as well. A: Sounds good then Both walk into the garden where there is fire burning away (Cuts to sub conscious) A: Ok the fireworks might not be as good as at home but the big fires and marshmallows I can get used to. In fact this place is starting to grow on me (nods head) Fade out to black. End of film.

analysing modern family

Modern Family is a sitcom but has elements of a documentary as it often has the characters speaking directly to the camera. For the analysis it is hard to find a short film in this style that has elements of a documentary so therefore we will use a TV series and implicate the codes and conventions of this as well as the conventions of a short film. We decided to use this style of film because we are documenting the life of an American in Britain and by having them directly give their views to the camera will have the best effect. The sitcom modern family follows the lives of a father and his two children as well as the ever-growing families they have. During the scenes it will cut at multiple times in the episode to a selected character talking directly to the camera. They will address or explain a situation in different ways, it may be through less obvious conventions such as confessing to doing something or blaming another character. It has never explained that these scenes are actually reality and that they are filmed. They could quite simply be the characters subconscious dealing with a situation as well as their imagination. Like any other TV programme it will use a range of shots and camera angles in the scenes but in the direct interview scene the camera is always still and central to the scene. It also fits with the idea of ours as it is telling the story of a person’s life, although ours being a short film will be a small ‘slice of life’ but in a similar way the life events will provoke a different reaction to the main character in which his reactions may produce an element of comedy, but can equally create drama.

short film research 2: connect

Connect:
The narrative is linear in this short film but at the same time it does have elements of a non linear film. It is linear because there is a clear beginning middle and end but at the same time there are dream sequences in this short film where it completely leaves the narrative behind. the story is that the main character is on her way home in rush hour on a busy bus  and despite the world being an antis-social, silent place she connects with someone before the man she connects with gets off at his stop. However the dream sequences leave the narrative and focus on other characters and their feelings, one being the expression of a man on his way home having to stand up on the bus and when he looks at the woman on the seat the main character imagines him shooting her with a pistol and taking her seat, this reflects peoples attitude to other members of the public as people think this could be possible. Then at the end of the film she sees everybody on the bus dancing which reflects her mood as she has found somebody in the public who she can connect with and who isn't antisocial.


The sound used in the film is a combination of classical music and pop music but there are no lyrics to the music and relies on the acoustics of the music to create tension. The music is only heard by the main character as the music is playing from her headphones. The titles that are used are on a red background which is with reference to the location as it is filmed entirely on a bus which in most cities are red so the red background tells the audience that it is set on a bus. As well as this the text is white so against the background it makes the text pop and stand out but also suggests that it is set in England as it uses the colours of the fag as the colours for the titles.


There is no dialogue in this film because its aim is to show that people are disconnected in the public and will go out of their way to ignore others and their presence. Therefore peoples actions speak volumes in this short film as what they do is more important than what they say, for example the ending has a dance sequence which expresses the main characters emotions instead of her expressing herself through speech.


The mise-en-scene used in this short film support the idea of the public turning into an antisocial society. This can be shown through the use of headphones by the main character as they show that she wants to be disconnected from the rest of the world and defines the idea of antisocial behaviour. Then there is the gun used in the scene where the man in the suit shoots the woman on the seat. This again is used to show the antisocial nature of people by showing aggression to the public. This creates tension in the film as it gives the audience anxiety until it becomes clear that it is a dream sequence.


The sound used is all diegetic sound as it is all from the perspective of the main character who can hear the music through her headphones. The gunshot would be classed as non-diegetic sound because nobody hears it due to it being the main characters dream, although from her perspective the sound is diegetic as she can clearly hear the gunshot. The only other sound used in the film is also diegetic as it is the sound of the bus moving off and traveling, it is diegetic sound as it is something every character is aware of and can hear.


In terms of editing the film mainly uses continuity editing because its a very simplistic plot that requires very little editing to the film. However having said that sound would need to be edited because the gunshot for the scene where the woman is shot would have been added in after. In the same scene it is not obvious that make-up has been used to look like blood so there is also the possibility that special effects were used to create the effect of blood in that scene.


In the first scene there is no establishing shot of the scene but instead there is an extreme close up of a woman who is the main character and this is done to make us assume that she is the leading role. After a cut we see a shot reverse shot where we see the main character in a close up from a different angle cut to a point of view shot of the corner of a bus shelter and the bus headlights before cutting back to the woman. This is used to show the scene and to let the audience know what the rest of the film will be set on (the bus). For these camera angles the camera is hand held so it makes it seem as if we are seeing the story through the eyes of another character which is effective as it makes the
audience feel as if they are part of the film.


After this there is a mid shot of the main character waiting to get onto the bus as the doors open and it constantly cuts between the image of her from the drivers point of view and from outside of the bus. This is used to give two images, the first from inside the bus, that life is often a cruel and unfair thing based on the fact she is barged and pushed past and then the image from the outside shows her acceptance and her passive aggressive nature.


When the film moves onto the bus there are another series of shots, all from the main characters point of view, the first is a mid shot of a man and the mid shots pan between the two characters multiple times before moving on. This suggests to the audience that this is the connection that is being referred to in the title. Then there is a high angled close up of a man sitting down looking glum which is used to show the hostility and negativity that we face in the public but the angle suggests that we should also look down at them and condemn them for their negativity and ignore those people in society. After this there is a long shot of a woman sat at the back corner of the bus on her own. The image that is trying to be shown here is  made more effective by the fact that there are peoples bodies in the way because it is showing the empty seats around her and that people have got to a point where they are so anti-social they won't sit next to others. Finally it uses a mid shot of the three people in front of the previous shot which focuses on their statue like body positions and facial expressions which is showing the fact that people have become affectionless to others over time based on the attitudes  we have when living in cities.

Short film research 1: Standby

Standby:
The short film standby uses a linear narrative from beginning, middle to end as it tells the story of two police officers in the role of 'beat cops' starting from when they two officers are first put together as partners following through to the day one of the officers gets a promotion and leaves, while also showing what it is like for her ex partner after she leaves. In the beginning the two are tense and awkward and bond at irregular intervals while in the middle they have bonded and it is evident there is almost a father daughter connection between the pair as they seem to become inseparable before the ending where the younger officer takes a promotion and her older partner has to start this process all over again.


The titles are in white and come towards the beginning with police lights flashing against a black background as it fades to white. The credits at the end are the same as a black background is lit by red and blue police sirens and this makes the white text stand out on the screen. The music used in the film is used as irony because the film is about police officers who deal with crime yet the music that is used rap music which is stereotyped as being associated with crime so by using it in a film with police officers it breaks the stereotype while also adding a sense of comedy to the film.


The dialogue in the film is not used often and the film often has periods where actions are used or the silence of the film builds tension between the characters. In most cases dialogue is not necessarily vital because there is no explanation for what is going on in the scenes and the actions can explain the scene better in many cases. The scenes that involve more dialogue are when secondary characters are used as the two main characters will be in conversation with the criminals in the back of the car.


In the film there is only one camera angle used, it is all shot from the perspective of a dash cam in the police car so be only see the two main characters at in the two front seats of the vehicle. This is effective as it shows the growth of two characters through one perspective, allowing the audience to see their growth as friends in one scene in which they are closest to each other for the most of the time.


The mise-en-scene used generally depicts the police force, for example one main part is the body vests that have police written across them, this is clothing 'beat cops' have to wear while on duty and therefore tells the audience what branch of the police the two are part of. Another example would be the handcuffs on of the secondary characters as this shows again that they are part of law enforcement and have authority over members of the public. This is important to reinforce because the film is very effective in showing the friendship grow that the audience actually forget that they are police officers which is a major part of the storyline. Coffee cups are another important part of the film as it is one of the first things that the pair bond over and is referenced in the end when the older officer has to learn to get along with his new partner. It is also effective because it fits well with the police stereotype as to the general public people see the police as being stereotyped for eating donuts and drinking coffee so this fits with the image of the police that many people already have.


The sound used in the film is all diegetic as the rap music used in the film itself is part of the scene as the characters are aware of it and know that is coming from the radio. As well as this the only other source of sound are the police sirens which again are diegetic as they are part of the scene and the officers are consciously aware of them. However the sound itself for this would have likely been added after the production rather than actually being recorded in time with the scene.


In terms of the editing the film only uses cuts between the scenes for continuity within the film as it is very basic footage that requires little or no editing of the scene itself. The only other editing is used in the title sequence and end credits as the title screen fades to white and also adds the red and blue filters to act as flashing lights while the same effects are used on the post film credits.

Changing my production

Changing music video to short film: After discussing my synopsis in class it became apparent that my idea for a music video would better suit the role of a short film. However the image I had for a music video was clear but I could not fit that idea and image to a song. Due to this I concluded that I should use a short film to present my ideas. Although while another member of the class gave their pitch I could imagine more scenes for their synopsis than I could for mine so we decided to collaborate on one idea as it seemed most logical as we both felt we could develop the idea of an Americans conflicting view with Britain easier in a short film. Due to this the analysis and research has now changed to focus more on a short film rather than a music video. Despite this we did initially feel that we could use a documentary to show this culture clash but we then came to the realisation that Alessandro, who I collaborated with and is also the main character because of his American background, has lived in England for a year and if we were to follow his day to day life it would be more consistent with a normal English persons. Therefore we needed to use scenarios and exaggerate the differences between cultures to show our message, because of this the film would have to be scripted and therefore wouldn’t fit the concept of a documentary which is real life and unscripted so instead we came to the conclusion to use a short film.

music video synopsis

Synopsis: music video Life torn apart by bad decisions, crime seemingly the only option. It becomes a dark, lonely life when you can’t bear to look at who you’ve become. A life of crime in this world is seen as a failure and in this world that will be punished with the consequences deserving of the crimes committed. Is it possible to turn around this life? Is it too late? Once a person is drawn into that life it is hard to get out of. It is possible but usually it is not a happy ending. The music video itself will be non-linear but still follow the events of one character and the main event that changed their life and how they got to that stage in the first place. The inspiration for the style of video is from the director Quentin Tarantino, mainly his deconstruction of the normal sequence of film with a beginning middle and end, often changing the sequence to put the end at the start and use the rest of the film to explain the beginning. The idea of my video is to see the consequences of crime first and then see how people get to that stage in life in the first place.

Initial target audience: music video

Target Audience: Music video The target audience of my music video is going to be teenagers and young adults aged between 18 and 21 because this video should have an influence on them more so than the older generation. At the ages specified young people are more vulnerable as they have important life choices to make at that stage in their lives and the idea of my music video is to steer them away from a life as a criminal by showing the dark consequences of that world that up until now the youth of today have been sheltered from. It may have some relevance to an older generation as they may see it as something to reinforce the upbringing of their children and therefore teach them about how to protect and steer their children in the right direction. The dark theme of this video would make it unsuitable for young children under the age of 11 as the video will show some violence as a deterrent but to children under this age that connotation may not be understood properly.

Mind map of ideas:

research into existing products: documentary

Analysis of a Documentary: In a documentary there are codes and conventions that have to be followed and are used to make the documentary as effective as possible. In terms of camera angles/shots there is a master shot of San Quentin prison which is similar to the concept of using a master shot in a film, it sets the scene of where the documentary will take place. Then when it gets to being inside the prison the way the camera is used changes, it becomes hand held and this is obvious because of the way the camera slightly shakes in the documentary. This is effective because it can show that the camera man is uncomfortable or genuinely fears for their life, but is also more practical because in the context you cannot take a whole camera crew to a prison where you will be filming in a dangerous environment in a confined space, the crew would have to be to a minimal. On top of this it makes the whole programme seem as if it’s your point of view which adds effect as it gives the viewer the feeling of actuality or realism. Due to the fact the camera is always hand held then it allows for a lot of pans between the presenter, Louis Theroux and the inmates he interviews. Due to these pans it can also create some shot reverse shots by facing the inmate then focusing on Theroux’s question before panning back to the inmate to answer. The type of shot range is normally a close up or mid shot because generally the interviews are in close proximity in between cells. In the title sequence there is also a montage, this ranges the angles and shots of the inmates that you may see throughout the series between interviews and will general start as long shots as they film people in the distance and end as close ups because they are usually walking towards or past the camera. In terms of editing at the beginning it seems to fit the codes and conventions of a film with the use of a fade in as it starts form black before fading into the master shot of the prison, this again sets the scene by acting as a curtain raising to reveal the location. Within the documentary it uses cuts between scenes and in some short and quick conversations where the camera can’t speak fast enough then they are used their instead of a pan. The only other use of editing is of the fade out at the end where it acts as the opposite to the way the documentary began as it goes from light to darkness as he leaves the prison to signal the end , more like a curtain falling. In the mise-en-scene we can quickly identify the type of prison he is in based on the surroundings, for example in the first interview the bars around cells are an inch thick in metal and are ringed in barbed wire around the top which suggests it is more secure than most and then when the hook is used that says ‘500 years in prison’ it tells you that it is a maximum security prison. Another part of the mise-en-scene that we see is just before the title sequence as it shows the BBC logo which is the stamp of quality for the programme as it is universally recognised as a high quality channel known for good quality television. The title also contrasts the programme well because it is a cartoon which almost makes the programme seem more relaxing which helps to break down the idea that prison is a harsh and dangerous place and makes us accept that it is just another community, though it may be made up of criminals. The sound that we hear right at the start is that of basketball as it is the stereotype of yard time and sports and gives you a sense that he is in the middle of a prison. It fits with the image that most people have from films and television drama that prison pastime is filled by prisoners using gym weights and free weights or enjoying physical activity which is exactly the image that this sound creates. The sound used at the beginning of the documentary as well is non diegetic and is used at the end of the first scene to coincide with the title sequence, this particular piece of music acts as an oxymoron to the situation as we expect the prison to filled with depression and a lack of hope or ambition based on its ruthless reputation as housing some of the worst criminals in the USA but the music contrasts this image as it is positive and quite bubbly which gives the idea that the prison actually is in fact been looked at in the wrong way and that there aren’t hateful relations and separations but there is some harmony; proving to be true in some cases where inmates share some form of bond/ attachment to prison guards. So the music is used to breakdown the point of the documentary: Prisons are not as bad as we expect them to be and there are positive stories within them as well as people willing to accept their wrong doing and improve their life. To conclude all four of the main codes and conventions are used in a similar way to film in a documentary but instead of being used to create a story or stereotype of a genre they are used to break down the questions created by the topic that the documentary is based on and to give an insight to the chosen topic.