Update 3 - What I have been doing the past week

Recording of what I have been doing.

End of Module 2 review

I think that our group blog is up to a Level 3. I think that it is at an B1, this is because the group blog is incomplete, We need to upload the reece photos to the blog. As a result of this the group blog is at a B1.
For my individual blog, I have completed everything, however I need to polish off my inception spoiler review to make it more detailed. Therefore I would grade myself as a B2, as there is a task that is incomplete. I believe I am at a Level 3, this is because I have put a good amount of detail onto my blog and it looks nice and is at a good level of presentation. I take time in my work to complete it up to a good standard.
Overall I have given myself the module grade of B2.

This is a pie chart gaging what I think we are individually putting into the group blog work and how much we are individually putting in. There is also the number of posts each of us have posted onto the group blog so far.

Marking G321 films openings - Homework

I think that this opening title sequence is a L3, this is because:

• They had used titles, but there were not very many and they were not very clear
• The use of sound was not very good, it didn't build the tension for a horror like was expected
• I thought that the use of shots were good, also the walking in the street was effective
• The shooting material was appropriate for the task set, it was clear it was a horror.
• The font for the titles wasn't very Horror themed

I think this is a L4, this is because:

• It is clear it is a horror
• The titles and transitions are very good
• The sound effects and music are suitable for the genre
• The editing was so good, this is because the mirror shots were done so that the refection wasn't moving.
• The camera was nice and controlled, maybe a little too much control for a horror though.

This is a L4, this is because:

• It is clear it is a Horror
• The sound goes well with the images
• builds tension, makes audience jump when the cat emerges from the cupboard.
• Editing and cuts were used at the right time
• The camera was controlled
• Used quick close ups and cuts when the tension was building, also the quick cut to the cat gave more effect when making the audience jump.

Costumes

Pictures, being shown how to edit Parity Remake

I took these pictures when we were being shown how to edit parity, I took pictures so that if there was a step we forget we can just look back on the pictures to remember again. This will also help us with future things that we will have to edit.

 

Update 2 - What I have been Doing in groups

Last week in the groups we made some videos for what we have been doing and what we will do for the group work. We also have done the parity remake. To do this we had to get shown how to do it, therefore to help us to remember next time I took pictures of what we was being shown, and nico9le video recorded it. After we knew what to do we edited the parity remake together, taking in turns to edit it. Last week I done the timeline for the final idea, and started the costume list. I was going to the Asset list, however Nicole got confused and ended up doing the asset list instead of the costumes, as a result of this I have now started to do the costume list, I plan to finish it today. 

Group Video To help with Revision

Most Screen Space

Pace

Match on Action

Continuity

We done this task so that it would help us to remember some things about media and this would then help us when filming and in the exam. We can then look back on these and remember what each movement meant.

Update - What I Have Been Doing in Groups

The past few weeks I have been doing group work. Tom and myself have created a blog so that we can revise and take notes, then put them on the blog for both of us to see. This will then be helpful because we can revise from this and help each other with twice as much note taking being posted on the blog.

The group work with Nicole, Alex and myself, we have been doing the tasks needed to be done. 

So far we have done the final film brainstorm, the individual pitches, group pitch. We then gave each other tasks to do to get it done quicker, so I done the influences for the final film idea. Alex done the production company logo, and Nicole done the audience expectations vox pops. By doing this we damaged to get the tasks done quicker. Alex and myself done a rough draft of the scene walk through and now we are almost finished with the neater and correct version. We have filmed the parity remake, however we need to edit it now.

The media class went on a trip to London and had the privilege of meeting some important people in the film industry, such as the director from 'Attack the Block' and a film animator, who done work with big films such as The Kings Speech. Out of our group Alex and myself went on the trip, we made some notes and this helped us be inspired and pick up some tips for our film idea and opening film. Alex and myself decided to stay longer in London and collect some setting pictures for media, that way we would be ahead, gaining an idea of where we can shoot the scenes.

The following photo is of the schedule of the day up London

My Idea For a Psychological Thriller

• Title: Mexico City
• Characters: Bad people, Man and his wife, Police (The chief, and his workers)
• Sub-Genre: Crime/Action Thriller (This is because it is involving the police)
• Target Audience: 18-25 year olds
• Enigma Code: Why are they taking the couple, what for?
• Setting: Mexico City
• Plot: A couple go away for there honeymoon and they get kidnapped and taken away from each other. They then take him away and threaten to kill him and his wife if he doesn't do what they want him to do. Meanwhile, the police are setting out an investigation to find the missing couple, and why they have been taken. The man taken then does the tasks that are set out for him, such as drug dealing etc. This then causes more suspicion with the police and instead of the dodgy men getting done for it, the man with a wife does.
• Appeal to the audience: It creates suspense becuase they are in trouble and the audience will be tense at the idea that they may not get out of the situation.

Spolier Review 'Inception'

Dominick Cobb and his partner Arthur use a machine to enter people’s dreams and get the information they want from them. At the start of film we see them do this to Saito. In some cases they go into a dream within a dream, to wake there has to be a ‘sudden kick’, or they have to die in the dream. Each person in the dreams carries a small item that they know, this tells them if they are in a dream or not. Dominick’s item is a spinning top that will continuingly spin if he is in a dream and if he is in reality it stops. Domi has memory projections of his wife who died and she ruins there project within the dream. Saito then says to them he wants to perform inception, where you plant an idea into someone’s dream so that they actually believe it. Saito has a plan to use inception on Robert Fischer the son of Maurice Fischer, Saito’s competitor. To do this he needs Dominick’s help, if he done it Saito would clear a murder charge against him, so Domi can return to his children. Dominick accepts and gets a team of people to help him do it.

(need to finish plot)

Inception is a very good psychological thriller, it doesn’t scare the audience, and it makes the audience tense throughout the film. The film has many twists throughout, such as finding out Dominic’s wife is dead, that he used inception on Mal first, therefore he knew it was possible. And that Saito grew an old man in the ‘Green Space’ and that was who he met at the start of the film. Also, at the very end of the film the viewer doesn’t see Domi’s spinning top stop, just wobble, therefore he could still be in a dream, creating mystery even at the end. The narrative is restricted as the audience only knows what the characters do. The enigma code is, are they still in a dream? It is non-linear.

Sound edit for Falling Down

This task helped me to know exactly how to use garage band and how to make the sounds sound like they are coming from the images. I found it quite difficult to find the correct sounds to match the movements on the clip at first but as I got used to it, I downloaded a few more sounds and I could put smaller detailed sounds in too, just to make it more effective. Doing this task will help me for future tasks when I need to use garage band; this is because I will know exactly what to do.

Se7en Edit Opening Title

This Se7en edit helped me to learn how to edit and make and opening title sequence. I know know how to cut and put sounds onto a clip, then cut and put effects on each slate. This will prove useful to me when I come to make the proper thing.

Video Analysis

Crank beginning

• This film is non-linear, this is because it has dropped the audience straight into the film. Right at the beginning the audience is dropped into confusion and panic, crating suspense and tension.

• Narrative is restricted.
• The setting and location looks like its a flat in a city.
• the enigma code is, why has they poisoned him.

  
The Usual Suspects

• Non-linear, because the audience has know idea what is going on at this point, or who the characters are.
• Narrative is restricted, we don't know much, we don't even know who he is talking to.
• The typical scene is crime, because a fire has just been instigated.
• The setting is on a boat
• The characters are unknown, we are unable to see the man in the cloak's face, creating mystery and questions.
• The enigma code is, who is the man in the cloak

 Memento

• This film is non-linear, drops audience at the end of the film
• The setting is abandoned, unknown
• The film is restricted you only know what the character does.
• It has an enigma code is, who has just been been shot and why?
• The thriller is a crime, psychological thriller

Enemy of the state

• Is Linear, it has a beginning, doesn't confuse from the very beginning
• It is omniscient
• The characters are in formal, warm clothing
• The sub-genre is investigation
• Setting is abandoned, alone, but calm
• The enigma code, why are they killing him

End of Module Report, Self Evaluation

My Overall score is 13/20, which is a Grade C.

I have 7 out of 11 posts on my blog, they are all about a Level 3, to bring my grade up I need to...

• Add a few more details to each blog
• Add some pictures on my Fight club spoiler review
• Annotate in more detail, to a L4 standard
• Add the work I have done to my blog
• Do the tasks I am missing so far: Lock Stock

'Memento' Spoiler Review

The film memento is a story that confuses the audience from the very beginning. The opening of the film is a backward clip of him killing a man. Consequently the audience is already thinking why this man has just been killed and why it was shown backwards. He then takes a picture, for proof assumingly. The man who has killed this man wakes up in a motel room, he doesn’t know where he is but he knows his name, Leonard Shelby. The last thing he can remember is his wife being killed by two men, she was raped and murdered. He killed one but the other man got away at the same time hitting his head against a wall and Leonard having memory loss from then on in.

Leonard is determined to kill the man supposedly with the name ‘John G’ that got away, for revenge of his wife, in doing so he creates mementos of everything he chooses and thinks he needs, he does this by taking pictures and getting tattoos on his body. He meets Natalie who then tricks him into thinking she is trust worthy, but really she uses him to get rid of someone else car, and thinking that the John G he is looking for is his friend Teddy, this is because she knew he killed her boyfriend as he was wearing his clothes and driving his car.

The twist in the film is that when the audience finally thinks Leonard is getting to the bottom of it, that he has found the other man, his friend Teddy tells him that everything is a lie, his wife survived the attack, but Leonard cannot remember it. Also that the story of Sammy Jenkins was in fact what he done to his own wife, he overdosed her on insulin by accident. Leonard chooses to forget what teddy told him and writes the note ‘Don’t believe his lies’ on the picture of teddy, and the story in affect goes on from there, leading to how Teddy is then killed, the man killed in the opening sequence.

Memento is a thriller because of the setting used throughout the film, there is an abandoned building. Also, Leonard is wearing a suit throughout the film, suggesting the film is a thriller. And there is quite a bit of dull lighting such as, when Leonard is on the phone it is in black and white. The film also creates mystery and suspense for the audience, as they have to constantly try and work out what is going because the film is being played backwards. It is an investigation.

Self Evaluation Quiz

21-28 Impressive. You are thinking around elements we have discussed in class and have clearly been studying around the topic and applying your knowledge rather than just remembering. I'm expecting a good Thriller from you.

Now comment on your blog: Self evaluation

How many did you get?

I scored 25 out of 28.

Are you meeting the expectations of an A Level student by taking responsibility for your achievement/grades? 

I believe I am meeting the expectations for an A Level student. This is because I scored quite a high score for the quiz, this shows that I have learned the key aspects of what a thriller is. I am learning the key factors of thriller movies and I know what is involved.

How much do you know - how effective has your note-taking in class?

I know quite a lot now, my note taking has helped to remember key parts, for example the types of thrillers, how to position a camera in the correct direction, I know the rule of three. This helps when seetin up the camra and when filming as I know hwo where the audience focuses on the screen.

What was the activity that stood out that helped you remember (watching student work, making the se7en edit, studying own film examples, or the mind map)?

The activity that helped me remember the most was the mind maps, they helped t get an over summary of what a thriller is and what feelings that create. What I also found helpful was the practical learning, which involved for example, the class getting up and holding some tape, we would then move the tape to where it needed to be. This would represent rewinding the tape inside the camera.

How effective has your 3 hrs Independent Learning (H/W) been? 

The individual work has been effective in help me to know exactly what a thriller film is and what kinds of thrillers there are.

How will you improve?

I will improve by doing more revision and keeping up to date with my work, setting my self allocated time to do it in, like we have in lesson, that way I won't take to long doing one task.

Screen Shots of the Title Sequence Splice

This picture shows that the theme of this title sequence is in a lab, or some sort of medical location.

The Font on this screen shot, is green, giving a dirty, grimy kind of feel. It is showing that some sort of venom has being consumed by a body. the grimy impression suggests the film i going to be gory. 

The font of this screen shot has suggested that someone is typing in a Lab. It could suggest an old fashioned type writer. This screen shot also shows mutations of scales. 

The design of this picture is dark and grimy. All green the writing submerged into th

This shows a part of the body, suggesting it is about individual parts of the body.

This is suggesting horror/Thriller shown through the dar colours used. Black is like death and green in the body is not a good thing.

Every film is legally required to have opening an opening title sequence. This is for copyright reasons. The opeing sequence to a film has to be made entertaining whilst showing the names on each slate. This is becuase they want to keep the audience entertained throughout. The opening can also give a small insight into what the film will involve, and what will be in the film.e the body, showing its not human.

 

 



Evaluation First Shoot

Nichole, Nana, India, Molly's Group

Haven't Rewound the take, the editor is finding it very hard to find the footage.
Learned today that we have to put the tape back to the start before filming, shoot in order, and stick to the story line.

Blury 
Shot 2, slightly blurry


In and Out of focus
Shot 5, cant see details
Shot 2, Focus good, can see facial features clearly


White Balance
Shot 1, It is white balanced, there is no blue yellow or orange.
Shot 2, the shot looks yellow, no white balance.
Shot 5, white balance is good
Shot 2, White balance is done well, no other colours


Exposure
Shot 5, way to bright
Shot of the feet, Too bright because of the glare from the background

My group

Didn't rewind to the beginning of the tap, hard to find footage
Exposure
Good, a bit dark throughout
IN and out of focus
Good focus, can see it clearly
White balence
Shot 1, has white balance
Shot 2, his hand is an ill colour, not the right colour

Napoleon Dynamite Opening Credits Remake

Fight Club Spoiler

The thriller film 'Fight Club' is a strange film that makes sense at the start. The film starts of quite realistic. A man, who plods through life, suffers with insomnia. He is refused medication to relive it and so to help him sleep he attends support clubs where people are sad about serious cases, which then helps him to sleep. But Marla Singer joins the clubs he has been attending to, she does not have an illness either, therefore she reminds him of what he is doing, and his insomnia returns. They then negotiate days to attend the groups so that they do not see each other.

The main character then meets a man on a plane trip, Tyler Durdon, who makes soap. After the plane journey, he returns to his flat to find that it has been destroyed, as a result of this, he calls Tyler and they go to a bar, they then end up having a fight, after they then go to Tylers house. They continue the fights and end up making a 'Fight Club'.

Marla calls the main character at Tylers house, she has overdosed on drugs. He leaves the phone but Tyler finds it and saves Marla, taking her back to his house, having a sexual relationship with her.

More men join the 'Fight Club' and it ends up becoming 'Project Mayhem'. The main character becomes confused and tries to ask Tyler questions. This is where the mystery and suspense is starting. Tyler then disappears shortly after they have a car crash; this creates more confusion and mystery, keeping the audience on the edges of their seats.

The main character then attempts to shutdown the whole club, he then slowly realises that Tyler and himself are the same person with two different personalities. When the main character is sleeping, Tyler controls his body.

He then discovers that Tyler has a plan to destroy all the credit card companies in a city and tries to stop him. The main character ends up conquering Tyler by shooting himself and the story ends with Marla and him holding hands watching the buildings collapse.

The film was successful at being a Thriller because it had an unsuspected twist within it that confused the audience, therefore the audience had to try and work out what was going on as the main character was finding out too. This created suspense and mystery throughout the film.

My opinion on the film is that, it does thrill, it creates mystery and suspense by being confusing. I personally think that the film was messed up, and I was quite disturbed by the end of the film. But overall it was good becuase it fuffilled the purpose, and many people like the film.

Collage for Thrillers

This collage of pictures of thrillers, and things accosiated with thrillers, shows what films and themes are in a thriller. The pictures show, the kind of settings used, such as cities or dark ally ways, and the lighting used in thriller films. They also show what the characters wear and what kind of image they put across to the audience. This collage helped me to summarise as a whole what a thriller is and what they are all about.

Mind Map

 

This mindmap helped me to summarise what a thriller is and what themes, settings, characters and moods they create for the audience. It allows me to see at a glance what a thriller will envolve and what kind of props and themes they use to create mystery, suspense, and tension for the audience.

Splice Titles Timeline

This is a timeline for the each slate in the title sequence of the thriller 'Splice'. I done a timeline for Splice opening sequence, becuase I can then see from a glance what title goes where and when, in the exact order they are in. Every film is legally required to have an opeing title sequnce, to show the actors names and for copyright purposes. Actors also fight for their own slate, this makes them look more important, it is something they all want.

Splice Slates

00.04

00.10

00.14

00.20

00.28

00.32

00.40

00.49

01.07

01.20

01.33

01:43

01.48

01.53

1.58

02.03

02.10

02.14

02.18

02.23

02.27

02.30

02.33

02.38

02.41

02.46

02.54

02.57

03.03

03.07

03.15

03.24