Our media product uses, develops and challenges the forms and conventions of a real media product in many ways for example; the camera is used conventionally in our short film by using the distance of shots to create atmosphere and a sense of entrapment. For example, we used lots of medium shots and close ups to suggest how the main character feels trapped emotionally and physically, having nowhere to go, while being stuck in her house, and trapped in her life. These shots became a contrast to the connotation of the title.
The camera was also used in a less conventional way. For example, we used a high angle medium shot above the wine glass. The camera viewed the wine being poured in, and when the wine first hits the glass, the music track begins. This helped us realise how the conventions can be used together effectively to set the atmosphere. The wine and music together suggest the beginning of a party. This creates a contrast to the distance of the camera shots used as a party is a more open and free atmosphere. However, this is also ironic as we come to know that Vicky isn’t even going out to a party or anything. This could relate to the feeling of entrapment but also depression and loneliness.
We used a typical five part narrative structure; however, we did not complete it with a resolution. This is unconventional as we built our film following the structure carefully towards a climax, leaving an unpredictable ending. This helped us surprise the audience as they were given the impression that everything was fine with the character. However, this gave them an alternative ending to think about and also could help them to understand reasons for the previous shot types not fitting with them emotion she was showing. For example, she looked happy, but the shots suggest entrapment and loneliness. This climax therefore became more effective and surprising for the audience leaving them with the question, and wondering what will happen next.
We challenged this convention by not completed the five part structure and giving our short film no resolution. We wanted to do this to just show a subtle message and not to patronise our female viewers. For example, leaving the ending unresolved, the viewer can have a sense of hope. It also can tell the viewer that even when times are bad, there is a way out and not to give up on life. I think this ending is effective because it raises the question about how the film ends and creates a debate for the audience.
Quiet ambient sounds are used conventionally as they give the film a sense of home life. The film only has diegetic sounds like the laptop slamming down in the characters anger and irritation. This shows how the sounds used are helping to convey the characters emotions. On the other hand, we used the sound to challenge the conventions by using no dialogue and a non diegetic soundtrack. Having no dialogue helps to support the views of the character feeling trapped. For example it suggests she is blocking out the voice of her relative, while she is being fussed over before going out. The situation then becomes uncomfortable as we realise the character is uncomfortable and feels trapped by her family. Although she is putting on a smile, she is also blocking them out mentally. The soundtrack is upbeat and fun. This supports the thought of the character getting ready for a night out. “Fingerprints” by Katy Perry is a typical type of song which young girls would get ready to, as it is lively and girlie. This could help her feel better, however the lyrics could mean different. For example, the lyrics read “I want you to remember me I’m leaving my fingerprints.” This gives a hidden message to the audience about the characters emotions, and creates a debate about how the film will end.
We wrote a copyright letter asking for full permission to use the chosen song in our film.
The mise en scene is used to support the story conventionally. For example, the audience comes to know that in fact Vicky has just been getting ready, but has nowhere to go. The costume used is a nice dress and heels. She has her make up and hair done perfectly and looks as though she is ready for a night on the town with her friends. This becomes unusual to the viewer when she is finally ready but has nowhere to go and she is just sitting in her living room and watching the television. This is effective as it shows she is putting on a front, and pretending everything is fine, when clearly she is alone.
The conventions of mise en scene are challenged in the performance given by Vicky. For example even when she is alone, she still puts on a smile. This could mean that even though she is unhappy she is trying to fool herself as well as everyone else. It also could mean that she is so used to pretending, that she even does it when she is alone, suggesting its been going on for such a long time. Also, to create a sense of realism we kept props like the television and cluttered bags an coats hanging off of the bed. This created realism as a typical young girl’s bedroom would not be perfectly tidy.
Editing is used conventionally in our film because we used many dissolves to show a passing of time. For example a series of dissolves are used while Vicky is changing her outfits. This suggests the long process of getting ready that Vicky has taken. We wanted to use a quick succession of cuts to portray to the audience a feeling of a real photo shoot. This is ironic however, because she is alone and nobody is interested in her. It also suggests her undecided mind about her life. She is confused about everything as by the end of the film we become to know that she is getting ready just to sit in her living room and watch the television.
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?
The combination of our main product and ancillary task are effective in the way that the ancillary task links to the main product. The design and colour scheme of our film poster show that the genre is not a chick flick because the colour scheme doesn’t really fit the typical connotations of a chick flick. For example, we have used red and white for the title. Typically we could have used a more girly colour like pink. But the red adds contrast and suggests danger or death. The design of the poster is effective because it shows a young female in her bedroom looking into her mirror. This is a very feminine image suggesting to the audience again that the genre may be a chick flick.
The content of my magazine feature enhances the audience’s understanding of the film because the image used is a casual image of Vicky. It has not been airbrushed and mise en scene shows that she is not fake or anything different from anyone else. The image focuses on her face. This makes the reader wonder what she is thinking, as she has a blank expression on her face. This is a contrast with the mise en scene as the feminine bedroom suggests a chick flick but the facial expression and body language of Vicky suggests a more serious genre, with a mystery within the storyline.
The language used in the magazine feature is effective in helping understand the storyline because it is easy understanding and simple. For example it reads, “A short film is exactly that: short and to the point. Like a poem, it should get across an idea or an emotion in a short space of time.” This helps to gather an understanding of why our film was made and what it means. For example, it tells the reader that Vicky is trying to portray her emotions in a short space of time to the audience.
What have you learned from your audience feedback?
We had a group of pupils from the school view our film and fill out a short questionnaire. From this I analysed the collection of finished questionnaires to assess how our film was portrayed to an audience.
We asked what genre they thought the film is.
This pie chart shows how 80% of the audience had the correct idea of what the genre was.
The audience were asked what they thought the film was about and if they managed to follow it easily. 80% of the audience understood it well.
The next question was asking what they thought the ideologies message was to our film. 75% of the audience were correct in thinking that the message was not to kill yourself over a boy.
The audience understood the reason why we chose this song, as the lyrics reflected how Vicky was feeling. For example it says, “I want you to remember me, I’m leaving my fingerprints.” One audience member commented “The music was good. It kept the storyline going.”
After the screening the film, the audience thought that the most effective camera angle was when Vicky was changing her clothes. This was because it made it look like a fashion show, using transitions to show much time spent on choosing an outfit.
Overall I think that we did well in creating a drama genre film, however 15% of our audience thought that it was a chick flick. Although they were wrong, we were happy for them to believe this as it brought in a wider audience. For example, people that enjoy drama genres but also chick flick genres. Our statistics showed that 80% of our audience understood it well and 75% managed to realise the message in which our film gave out. Just 2% of the audience felt that the sound was ineffective because they thought it was inappropriate. I think they may have felt this way if they didn’t listen to the lyrics and realise the link between the song and the situation in the film. I feel that from this audience feedback I have learnt that having a hybrid in the genre wasn’t necessarily a negative as it brought in a wider audience. I also found that we could have made the message and the music clearer so the audience could understand clearly why we used them.
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?
I found that the editing process using the Adobe Premier software was negative because, I found it difficult to learn how to usethe software. For example adding transitions into the film was confusing and a complicated process. I found that in the process of adding transitions, they either were not working properly, or flashing a black screen during the edit. This was negative as it then took much more time to learn the software so that it would work correctly to make our edits and transitions smooth and effective. Also, I have previously used APPLE software for the editing of a film and found that this was a lot easier and better quality to use.
For example many special effects are available to add the shots. Also it was much easier to use and understand, bringing the film quickly and easily to a finish.
We used blogger.com to create a blog showing our research and planning. The blog was effective because it allows group sharing as it can be viewed by anybody. It was also effective because it is used like a diary format, therefore I could look back and read quickly to help me with the evaluation as it can refresh your mind on the process of making your film. I could read it quickly as diary format is showing more than telling. This means that I could insert images and video clips etc. to show a more technical approach to the blog. It is also more effective because as it is not in essay form it is easier and more interesting to read.
However, Blogger.com was negative because, when adding video clips, depending on how it was uploaded to youtube, sometimes they didn’t not show the full size of the clip on the blog. This was annoying as the full screen could not be viewed. Another negativity of using blogger.com was that a fuller explanation could not be used. This could however be an advantage to our blog as it will be to the point and easy understanding. This is because it would then look like essay format, which is boring and less technical. This meant that nothing could be explained properly leaving the reader to have their own interpretation of the blog and film. This affected my ability to be creative in the way that the blog was presented as I was limited in how I could layout my blog and how it would look.
