Evaluation question 7

Looking back from my preliminary task I feel I have learnt a number of different ways of editing and filming. This has aided me in the production of my film as it has allowed me to experiment and incorporate new ideas and techniques that have been learnt. It has also allowed us to develop my editing skills using the MAC computers and iMovie. As there was more research and planning put into the final product there was going to be a better title sequence and a better use of camera. We also knew more shots that we could use and this would help to create a higher quality and more professional piece. After using the equipment more I feel I am more confident and more used to using the camera and editing software.

Overall I feel that the final product was very successful in creating an opening sequence. I feel it has hit all of the criteria needed top create an opening title sequence.

Evaluation question 6

What have we learnt about technologies.

Through this we learnt different techniques on how to film different types of films using the different shots and angles. The cameras we used were able to focus and zoom in on different aprts of a scene so we were able to create a more dynamic effect in our film. In our film we had a series of very simplistic shots that didnt require any special devices i.e. dolly. This allowed us to experiment with more ways and techniques with filming.
Whilst editing we used iMovie, which is a fairly standard piece of editing software. However there is alot of different ways to edit using different techniques to get a better quality product. Although we have managed to create a fairly good looking piece, there is still alot that we can learn from the software. We could also learn how to use Final Cut Pro, which is another editing programme on the MAC computer.

Our group worked well as a team. We corrected each-others' mistakes and we helped each other with the understanding of how to create films. When we were editing we each explained to each other hhow we thought each cut should go, we listened to each other and built on each others comments to create in our opinion a good quality piece.

The equipment we used was rather simple to use however it did take our group a while to learn to use the editing software on the mac computers. However once we had learned how to use it we soon were able to edit more efficiently. The editing skills we used became more complex and the flow of the film was improved.

Whilst filming there were several problems that we had to overcome, which were the fact that we couldnt lower the tripod to a low enough level so we had to go freehand with the camera and lay on the ground which created a good looking shot, but it did cause the shot to be a little shaky as we couldnt hold the camera still.
 Using blogger to log our work was very helpful as we were able to retrace our steps if we misplaced a storyboard or shotlist. This helped us to keep on track with our film and get it done in as short a time as possible and still be able to create a high quality piece.

 

Evaluation question 5

My film is a crime drama and it appeals to people who enjoy a film where it makes you think about the situation.
Drama films usually follow these conventions:

• Involve aspects of law enforcement – police/ detectives / psychologists / lawyers
• Involve a resolution to a mystery
• There is a question of morality
• Debates about guilt and innocence
• Often include ordinary people in everyday environments
• Teamwork to solve crime
• Struggles with bureaucracy

These aspects will appeal to different sectors of society for different reasons as different audiences will have different appeals.

The certificate of a crime drama is usually 15 or above, so that is where the target audience can range from. The audience is usually a mature audience because of the content and possibly the language.

If the crime drama centres around teenagers this would be more likely to appeal to a younger audience.

Both sexes enjoy crime dramas as there is not usually and sexist stereotypes to which only one sex will be favoured (typically the males are favoured and the females are subservient).

Men stereotypically enjoy the crime/ mystery element as this evokes masculinity. Murder and crime is often seen as involving men. Men are attracted by the action and pace of the drama.  They enjoy the sense of power. Often there are females in the plots which also encourages male interest. This incorporates the male gaze theory where the camera is the male's eyes.

Females also enjoy crime dramas. They enjoy the unravelling of the mystery and enjoy trying to solve the plot. They want knowledge and understanding. Often women are portrayed in a very positive light in crime dramas. They may be a detective or forensic scientist and females may watch the film as they aspire to be like them. this follows the same pattern as the TV show Prison Break 

People may watch a crime drama as a form of escapism from their normal everyday lives. This would apply across the sexes and across age ranges.

People involved in real life roles in law or in the police may watch as they are interested in the topic.

My crime/drama film is going to appeal to males in the age 15-30 where its mature themes can be understood and appreciated.

evaluation question number 4

This is a picture of my target audience. They aren't very young but they aren't too old.
They are old enough to understand the themes present in my piece. Some members of the audience may be active or passive in which there are two types of theories that will apply to them.
Hypodermic needle theory will work on the passive audiences where they will take on subliminal messages without realising. The uses and gratifications will work on the active audiences who will look for meanings and ways to escape their normal every day life and will try to create a link between them and the film actors.

Evaluation question 3

Evaluation question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Our media product doesn't represent many social groups in stereotypical ways which stays true to the drama generic conventions. This adds a sense of realism to our product which makes it a more appealing and more successful product.
Gender-In our opening we do not portray gender in either biased form, however in the rest of the film we intended to use the male hierarchy as our guideline. This would mean that the male actors in our films would be less dominant and the males would have more control. This will create a positive stereotype for males but a negative one for females. This means that our product is going to appeal to more males than females. In our opening we used several low angles on our male actor to create a sense of his power and dominance, if we were to have used a female in our piece then we would have used slight high angles on her to create a sense of insignificancy. We do have some representations of age in our piece but there are no stereotypes of age e.g. older men/women are wiser or more clumsy. Sexuality, ethnicity and disability are not portrayed in our piece as we felt that this would be a stereotypical view on the film institutions where there is a stereotypical  view on all social groups.

Evaluation question 1