3. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?






The preliminary task was a fantastic way for us to learn the basics of camera angles, scripting, editing and acting. When replaying the preliminary we were able to realise things that could be improved in our main thriller and also things that should be repeated.

continuity

During filming we found that continuity is hard to perfect. In the preliminary we accidently filmed objects that were not there in the shot before. When this happens it diverts the audience’s attention from the actors and losses the sense of realism that has been created. We were therefore more careful when filming our actual thriller sequence. The props were kept together in-between filming sessions so we could easily locate them. We took photos of each of the actors at the beginning of the first shoot so we could remember exactly what clothes they were wearing.


Match on Action Shots

These shots required a lot of concentration to detail. We found when filming the preliminary that every difference would be highlighted when the shots blended together. For example when shooting a hand opening the door it would have been very easy to distinguish the hand of the actor in the previous shot and the hand tuning the handle. Timing was essential when creating match on action shots, if the actor is to quick or slow in his reactions then the entire sequence will not work. Lighting can also cause difficulties, often match on action shots take place in different rooms or even completely different locations so it is vital that the lighting is the same, this can be achieved by saving the white balance to the camera.

180 degree rule

We learnt the importance of the 180 degree rule when filming our preliminary. If the camera strays over 180 degrees from where the actor is positioned it will look wrong to the audience, the entire shot will look wrong which will distract the audience from the realism of the peice. We had to be particularly careful of the 180 degree rule when filming our main thriller sequence. This was because half of it was a conversation between two characters with each other. The camera needed to be either in front of both of them or focused on one from an opposite angle.

Storyboarding

The storyboarding enabled us to have a clear idea in our minds of the outcome of the film. When we arrived on location the first thing that we did was study the storyboard. For the majority of the time we were able to keep our shots fundamentally the same however there were some instances where change was inevitable. This occurred when we realised that the location would not be suitable for a certain shot type or movement. The script was also followed perfectly for the majority of the time however during shots an actor would occasionally add an extra word or phrase that suited the character and situation incredibly well. If this occurred we would continue shooting and keep the adaptations in.

Time management

Time management was esential when filming our main thriller as we had limited time to spend shooting in our location. To make sure all our actors and crew were at the correct location when needed we created a filming schedule

Filming schedule

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

Our media production mainly represented white teenagers living in cities. From the questionnaires we distributed before filming showed that characters aged 17-20 were the ideal age group for our target audience. However although the characters social representation is very limited the location enabled us to appeal to a wider audience. A large variety of people drink in pubs and live in the same urban environment that our film was set. Likewise the situation was not specific to age or colour, arguments occur between couples in all races and ages, and murder is certainly not limited to white eighteen year old males.

Despite the fact that the location and storyline could represent any type of social group the film itself was focused mainly on the younger generation. Public arguing is less common in older couples as they are more reserved in public areas.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The overall genre for ‘Reflection’ is undoubtedly a thriller; however we were careful when mentally constructing our ideas to include elements of romance and mystery. We were keen to include most of the elements that are related to the thriller genre including fear, excitement and violence. However in order to create a successful production we felt important to focus on sub-genres. The argument between Tom and Amy provided a romantic hint. In addition to romance another sub-genre was mystery. The audience is unclear as to who the killer truly is (due to the fact that his face is covered for the entire film). This gives the rest of the film a purpose, as none of the characters or the audience know the killer.

The idea of displaying multiple stabbings without actually witnessing the knife enter the body was influenced by the film Psycho




We used the same technique of shot-reverse-shot on the killer holding the knife then onto the victim. This enabled us to display the murder without having to deal with the complications of showing the knife enter the flesh, something that if not done properly could be disastrous.
The particular scene (the shower scene) was particularly inspirational to us as it clearly contained all necessary thriller elements. The bathroom setting, which is part of the mise-en-scene gave the audience a false sense of security. A bathroom tends to be the last place people fear attack. When creating our thriller we too wanted to surprise the audience with the location of murder and realised a public toilet would be more unsuspecting than a dark alley or basement.

Mirrors - 2008



The mirror scene in this trailer was incredibly inspirational for our thriller. The fear created by the sudden image was something we wanted to replicate.

We used various aspects to create a sense of realism in our film. To us making sure the mise-en-scene was as realistic as possible was incredibly important. The location was a huge part of that. This was why we were adamant from the very beginning that whatever story we ended up filming it would be set in a realistic location. This involved us viewing several locations including boxing rings and sport centres for a previous idea. Creating the timing was incredibly difficult. The plan had been for the film to be set at night, however the only time we were able to secure our location was between nine and eleven in the morning. Our solution to this was to film in locations where natural light was at a minimum. We were incredibly lucky in that we found a suitable area of pub were there were no windows and fairly low lighting. We filmed in the knowledge that once editing we could darken the lighting. Making the murder scene in the bathroom realistic was more difficult. We really wanted the scene to look realistic but limited funds and resources meant a lot had to be improvised. For example we used watered down ketchup as a substitute for blood.

When casting actors, we were focused in presenting the production as realistic so in regards to the ages of the characters (18-19) we decided that we would only use actors with a minimum age of seventeen and a maximum age of twenty. The dialogue between the characters was suited to the age group that they were portraying. It was a balance of finding the words that fitted the scenario we were trying create yet not making the conversation too young for the characters or too old.

By starting with a Point of view shot it allows the audience to enter into the story through the eyes of an unknown character. The audience is unsure what events will take place once inside so it creates suspense. The journey from the outside to inside the pub gives the viewer a sense of the location they are in. They are aware that this pub is situated in an busy urban environment. Once in the pub we use a medium shot + two shot which allows the viewer see the expressions on both the boy’s faces. Once the argument between Tom and Amy begins the angle changes and it becomes Matt’s POV shot, this shot not only allows the camera to get the best possible angles but makes sure that Matt’s presence is not forgotten during this tense moment.
The bathroom scene is a combination of POV and Match on action shots.

How to edit

1. Open Adobe Premier and create a 'New Folder'

2. Insert the tape in which the footage has been filmed into the machine.

3. At the beginning of the footage click the In/Out button and at the end click it again. This now means all the footage has been captured onto the computer.

- At the bottom of the screen there is a long bar. Once you have captured the footage it appears under the title you have given it on the bar. On top of the bar is time line. Clicking on the time you want allows you to see the shots that amount of time into the sequence.

4. Using the 'razor' slice the different shots - this allows you to move them around individually

- Once this is done you can play around with the sequence, changing the order of events to suit the purpose. This means that everything does not need to be filmed in order.

- By clicking the scroll button on the keyboard at the same time as the up/down button the bar at the bottom of the screen stretches or shrinks, this allows you to make more accurate cuts down to a tenth of a second.

Sound

In order to change sound elements you must separate the sound from the visuals. The sound has its own bar at the bottom of the screen and can be cut and sliced using the ‘Razor’ tool exactly like the visuals. The cut bars of sound can then be moved around in a different order, not necessarily in going in tune with the visuals. This is used to create sound bridges.

Importing sound: Download the sound onto the system, once there it can be used in the same way as the sound captured by tape.

Research For our Thriller

At the very beginning of our project we came up with two vague ideas that we could base our thriller around. They were 'A part situation' or 'A sports situation'. We also focused on our ideal age group, deciding that 15-20 year olds were ideal targets for cosumption. From these decisions we created a questionaire which we distributed to people of that age group.

Sample Questionaire

The Questionaire contained a combination of open ended, closed ended and multiple choice questions. The questions focused on themes and genres enjoyed by the participant in adition to the type of characters and senerios they relate to and enjoy.

The Results

In our planning and in our final product we tried to include many of the elements enjoyed by those who filled out our questionaire. This included romance, murder mystery and surrealist qualities. It of course was not possible to include all ideas given by the participants but those we choose really helped to enhance the film.

The Boxing Pitch

The results concluded that a large percentage of the people we asked would enjoy a sports themed thriller. We began to work out an idea which centred around boxing. We began to map out a storyline in which our central character would be murdered just before he enters the ring to fight.

In theory this was a good idea, in practice however it had unseen complications. Our first problem was finding the ideal location. We used websites to find suitable boxing rings in which to film, for example: http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/boxing-gyms-in-london-recommended-london-499.html.

We made several visits to Boxing clubs in a bid to find a suitable location however two factors made this job impossible.

1. The price of hiring a boxing ring for an hour was incredibly expensive, many costed as much as £300 per hour which was out of our bugdet

2. The locations in which the boxing clubs were situated meant that getting there with the equiptment would have been a near impossible task

The Party Pitch

Having failed to find a suitable location for the boxing idea we moved our thoughts to the party idea however we faced similar problems when finding a location. Another problem that arose was the amount of extra actors needed for a party. We would need a minimum of twenty 16-18 year olds, which was simply not possible.

The Pub Pitch

Filmining in a pub seemed like the perfect choice. We combined many of the ideas that we had brainstormed when considering our first two pitches into the pub situation and found that the idea worked perfectly.

Location:

Choosing the location was extremely complex. Once we had decided on our storyline we were faced with the challenge of finding a suitable set in which to shoot it in. There were a variety of locations in which we could have fitted the story into, for example abandoned warehouses and houses, however after negative responses from their collective owners we began to look at other alternatives. Shooting the sequence in a pub had never pictured in our initial plans however after a brainstorming session it became clear that it was the ideal location for us. We then researched the pubs in the area surrounding where we live, so we would be able to access them easily. After searching online we found our ideal location. It was a pub called ‘The change of hart’ located in Edgware.

Later that day we visited the location and found that the pub had a distinctive tone, the lighting was very dark, perfect for us, as it meant filming could take place during the day whilst still giving the illusion that the action was happening at night. The outside of the pub was surrounded by old slightly odd looking buildings which were perfect for our establishing shot

Having decided on our location we wrote a letter to the manager asking permission to film in the establishment:

We then followed up on this letter with a phone call in which we were granted permission to film provided it was between 9-11am when the pub would be empty of customers

Upon arriving on location to begin filming we presented the Manager with a Risk Assessment

This is a list thrillers which we watched when researching ideas for our thriller sequence

Halloween - 1978
Psycho - 1960
Mirrors -2008
Dead Calm - 1988
Reservoir Dogs - 1991
White of the Eye - 1986
Don't Look Now - 1973
Double Indemnity - 1944
Cal - 1984
Marnie - 1964
Shallow Grave - 1994
Scream - 1996
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - 1974

Setting up the camera for filming

When filming our preliminary and full thriller sequence we used the digital camera 'Canon XL1s.'
Once unpacking the camera we inserted the battery into the back of the camera. We then inserted a new tape into the cassete player. We had to be careful to wait for the outer case to open (this happens after pressing the eject button) and then the inner case in which the tape is slotted into. It is also vital to close the inner case before the outer as there is a risk of damaging the inner case if this is not done.

The first thing we did when preparing to film was to White balance the camera. There were two options for doing this. The first being the auto-saved method - this is when you press the white balance selector knob until it pops out. The user can now chose between the three different white balances already saved to the camera. The second option is to create the white balance manually, this is the option that my group took. To set it manually you press the white balance button and select the number (you wish to save your white balance too)by turning the knob to the right. The second stage is to point the camera at a white object, preferably a piece of paper and adjust the lens until it fills the entire camera screen. Once this is done the user needs to press down on the WHITE BALANCE SET button. When this is done turn the white balance knob back to the auto setting and push it back in once finished. The white balance has been set. There are many advantages in setting the white balance manually instead of choosing one of the already set options, for example the rapid changing lighting conditions mean that very few locations will have the exact same lighting and will make the completed sequence look strange due to the fact that the different scenes will have lighting not suited to their location.

Life on Mars

Synopsis:

Life on Mars follows the story of DCI Sam Tyler. In 2006 whilst hunting for a serial killer Sam is involved in a car accident which leaves him lying unconsious in the road. When he wakes he finds himself transported to 1973. He has no idea how or why he got there but is desperate to return home. Unfortunatly for Sam he has no idea how to do this, so until he figures out a way he must continue to live thirty-three years in the past. He joins a group of 70s CID police officers who's policing tactics are very different to those used by Sam. His prinicples are tested to the limit as the series continues and his fight for survival reaches terrifying heights.

Mixed Genres:

Life on Mars mixes action and science fiction to create an incredibly succesful series. The element of 70s cop-shows is attractive to those who enjoy action sequences and witty one-liners, however the entire story has an underlining, unhuman mystery which is greatly appealing to those who prefer much darker, more subtle, surrealist qualities in their television programmes. The combination of the two not only attracts a wider audience but makes the entire programme less two dimensional. It disuades the creaters from of the usual sterotype characters that often occur when creating single genre production and therefore creates a more realistic and human story.

Opening Sequence:



The opening sequence to 'Life on Mars' is extremely interesting and complex. It uses a variety of techniques including split screens and multiple moving images. The voice over is incredibly important as it gives a complete overview of Sam's situation which allows first-time watchers to understand the story up until that point.



'My name is Sam Tyler. I had an accident and I woke up in 1973, am I mad? In a comma? Or back in time? Whatever's happened its like I've landed on a different plannet, now maybe if I can work out the reason I can get home'



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qukVEWv3t_4




Shot-by-Shot anyalisis

Shot 1:

Medium Shot: Allows the viewer to see a clear vision of Sam, in addition to parts of the car

Information: Sam standing outside his car in 2006

Shot 2

Medium shot:

Information: Sam in 2006 being hit by a passing car. The collision isn't seen as the action happens incredibly fast hence the blur.




Shot 3:



Medium shot: Allows the viewer to see the location where the incident took place



Tilted Frame: The frame is tilted at a 90 degree angle, giving the illusion that Sam is standing, it takes the viewer a second to understand that he is actually lying on the ground


Information: Sam is lying on the ground after he was hit by the passing car


Shot 3



Medium Close Up: Shows Sam's detailed facial expressions. Also shows enough of the surrounding to make it clear to the audience that it is simply a larger version of the previous shot

Information: Sam is lying on the floor after he was hit by a passing car



Shot 4




Close Up: The close up of the car's side mirror allows the camera to pick up Sam's reflection

Information: Now awake in 1973 same checks his apperance in the side mirror of a car and realises the changes in his clothes. The distortion of his face in the mirror replicated the confusion and disorintation felt by Sam at that particular moment.



Shot 6





Long Shot: Shows enough of the surrounding for the viewer to realise the changed location in which the action is taking place

Information: Sam walking confused along a road in 1973. The old fashioned car and period dress of the other characters indicate the different time period


Shot 7

Medium Shot: Shows enough of Sam's facial expression to make the viewer understand his confused emotions, in addition to his clothing and location

Information: Sam stepping through the door of his new police station in 1973

Shot 8

Long Shot: Shows vast space and numerous characters who are visible to Sam

POV shot: Shows Sam's prespective of the situation

Information: Sam's view as he enters the 1973 police station, confused and disorentated from the crash

Shot 9

Medium Long Shot: Shows majority of Sam's body but not clear facial expressions or body language.

Low-Angle shot: Makes Sam look taller and more powerful

Information: Sam looking towards the sky

Medium long shot: Shows the majority of Sam's body, no facial expressions as he is faced away from the camera. The building in which he is walking towards is also visable to the audience.

Low angle shot:

Information: Sam walks towards a building in 1973


Shot 10

Split screen: Shows the audience multiple facial expresions of Sam

Extreme Close Up: Camera is only focused on the eyes and nose

Shot 11

Split screen: The checked squares cannotate prison bars - The programme is focused on police officers

Extreme Close up

Text: 'Life on 1973' - The numbers scroll from 0000 incredibly fast until they reach 1973 - this is the year in which Sam finds himself.

Shot 12

Split screen:

Extreme Close Up and Close Up: Each line shows Sam in a different position.

Text: 'Life on Mars' - The title of the programe, the numbers 1973, which were used in the previous shot fade into the letters M-A-R-S

Shot 13

Medium long shot: Shows image of Sam lying down on a bed, Has clear facial expressions in addition to a good view of his surroundings

Text: 'John Simm' - The name of the actor who play Sam - His name appears infront of the image. The viewer immediatly connects the name to the face.

Shot 13

Medium Close Up: Ability to see facial expression and police warrent card

Information: By showing an image of his warrant card the viewer is alerted to the fact that he is a police officer.

There is still a frame of other close-up and extreme close up images of Sam.

Shot 14

Medium Close Up: Shows facial expression

Information: Name of the actor connected with the face alerts the viewer of the connection. Borderline of Sam's face reminds the viewer that the although a different character is the main focus of the shot he is still the main character.

Shot 15

Medium Shot: both characters can be seen although the shot is crowded due to the large border surrounding it.

Information: Sam throwing a punch at Gene Hunt (his boss)

Shot 16

Medium Long Shot: The car is the main focus of the shot

Text: 'Liz White'

Information: The car is used throughout the series and associated with the programme.

Shot 16

Medium Close Up: Fairly nondescript surroundings, viewer focuses on the characters face.

Text: 'Liz White' - Viewer connects the name of the actor with the face of the character

Shot 17

Medium Close Up: Clear Facial expression, Clothes worn indicates the type of person and job he has.

Text - 'Dean Andrews' - Actor who plays the character of Ray

Shot 18

Medium Shot

Text - 'Marshall Lancaster' - name connects with the face of the character

Information - The character is noticably younger than those shown prevously in the sequence

Shot 19

Medium Shot: Shows contrast between the three characters, their age, costume and facial expressions

Information: Obvious conflict between Sam and Gene with Chris (Marshall Lancaster) in the background.

Shot 20

Medium Shot:

Information: Still shot from the programme. The women is in handcuffs being pulled by Gene Hunt who it seems has arrested her. This shot highlights the police-show nature of the programme

Text: 'Co-Created by Mathew Grahman

Shot 21:

Same shot type and information as shot 20

Text: Co-Created by Tony Jordan - by using the same background when crediting the co-creators they seem of equal importance.

Shot 22

Shot: Medium Shot

Information: A closer, more direct and clearer version of shot 20 and 21

Text: 'Co-created by Ashley Pujrolm

Shot 23

Medium Close Up: See basic facial expressions of the characters

Over the shoulder shot: Shows the other two characters from the thirds point of view

Information: Still shot from the programme - the border has again increased making the shot smaller and less significant

Text: 'Written by Chris CanonBall'

Shot 24

Medium Close up: See clear facial expressions of the two characters

Two Shot: Their closeness and body langauge suggest that they are comfortable in each others presence.

Information: Shot of Sam and Annie - their romance becames a key feature in the programme.

Text: Produced by Cameron Roach

Shot 25

Medium Close Up: Clear facial expression of the character.

Information: Shot of Character Gene Hunt. The shot has the same text as the previous shot. The fact that the producer is worth two shots higlights his significance to the programme

Text: 'Produced by Cameron Roache

Shot 26

Medium Shot - See enough detail to establish the type of car in the shot

Information - The car is iconic throughout the series. The previous shot shows the character Gene Hunt who appears to be driving. This shot establishes that this was the car he was driving

Produced by Cameron Roach

Shot 27

Medium Shot - The characters detailed expressions and clothing are harder to see the further away they are from the camera

Information - A line of the four most important characters in the programme. Standing so close together creates a sense of unity and trust in each other.

Shot 28

Medium shot: Clear sight of both character's backs

Information: Sam and Gene are standing close together which shows a sense of companionship. Sam's right hand is clenched in a fist which cannotates violence of some sort.

Text 'Directed by Sj Clarkson

Shot 29

Medium shot

Infomation: The body language of Gene and Sam suggests that they have just thrown a punch at the man falling towards the camera. Their unity in this violent action suggests a bond between the two characters.

Text: 'Directed by Sj Clarkson

Creating a Programme

In groups of four we were given the task of coming up with storyline for a TV drama. Using our knowledge of past successes we decided to base it around a group of first year university students and the conflicts that they endure whilst living together. This idea was largely influenced by Hollyoaks which largely focuses on the lives of the students studying at the local university HCC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZcaAe3mbRI&feature=related

Much like Hollyoaks we wanted to have a verity of characters, this would allow for greater conflict during episodes. The first thing to decide on was the subjects that each character would be studying. Once we had chosen we begin to create the characters personalities around their subjects. This made it easier for us to create more detailed personalities. In the majority of the characters we used stereotypes, for example the fashion student was superficial and the medical student was extremely studious. This formula is one that the viewer would understand and relate to.

A diverse range of race, religion and views would also allow us to appeal to a wider range of audience so each of our characters had different religious and cultural views. As the programme would be a either a one-off two hour drama or a short series we were limited to the ideas we could use. Creating something with too detailed a storyline would be difficult to fit into such a short space of time. By creating a space where all the characters are introduced immediately saves time, as the viewer does not need to be introduced to the characters one at a time.