Coursework: Working Progress

Due to the amount of coursework changes and dedicated time to my other subjects I haven't had a lot of time to post on my blog about a range of different media related topics.

So to show you, my audience, how my coursework is progressing.  Below is the 3rd draft of my poster. I still have a lot of work to do on it, however I like the overall idea of it and the way it looks so far :) 

Genre - Mixed Signals

This is another link post (sorry), so i'm going to make this post short and sweet
 ( well try to anyway :) )

I know most of my blog posts have a link or reference to the media edusite website , however it gave me lots of information on how to classify my coursework into a genre.

When deciding on the genre I went straight into thinking about my idea. Using this method I confused myself so I went back to stage 1 in the planning process and got into researching different types of genre, to work out which ones are the best suited to my coursework idea.

The link below is a television  drama genre , however it give a list of why drama's are classed the way they are.

http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/television-drama-codes-conventions/

From using this link I decided that my idea may have drama, however it wasn't enough for my film idea to be classed in the drama genre.

Although the link didn't help me, I hope you , my readers, do find it useful :)

Script: Sneaky Peak

Previously Unposted

When I started to think about writing my script I decided to write the whole script out first and then change it after I had a basis to work on.

Reading through my script I wrote down a list of things I would like to change and try writing differently.

Below is a typed out list of the things I wanted to change to make my script look professional:
* Change protagonists age to 6 years old.
*Add in INT. and EXT. to every scene
* Capitalize important words e.g. actions/props
*Capitalize all characters names.

Here is a snippet of my script:

INT- LIVING ROOM- DAY

 4 YEAR OLD LAUREN is KNEELING on the LIVING ROOM LAMINATED FLOOR, playing PEEK-A-BOO with LEWIS her 1 YEAR OLD BABY BROTHER.

The faint sound a RAISED VOICES can be heard.

LAUREN’S MUM, TARA, SHOUTS up to her from the KITCHEN.

TARA

‘LAUREN, change LEWIS’ NAPPY FOR ME PLEASE’

LAUREN

‘YES MUM.’

LAUREN RUNS to the TOP of the KITCHEN STAIRS and takes the BABY CHANGING BAG, and DRAGS it back to where LEWIS is on the FLOOR.

LAUREN

‘LEWIS, your big sister is going to change your nappy.... again’

LAUREN starts to change LEWIS’ NAPPY, and the RAISED VOICES start to get LOUDER. SECONDS later the DOORBELL RINGS and the RAISED VOICES immediately STOP.

LAUREN finishes changing LEWIS and RUNS to the FRONT DOOR to answer it.  She PULLS OPEN the DOOR and SMILES at the MALE FIGURE STANDING OUTSIDE.

LAUREN

‘Hi Uncle John, Mum and Dad are in the kitchen’

UNCLE JOHN WALKS through the FRONT DOOR and into the LIVING ROOM. LAUREN SHOUTS down the STAIRS to her parents.

LAUREN

MUM...DAD... UNCLE JOHN IS HERE’

UNCLE JOHN, looks at LAUREN and gives her a SMALL PINK GIFT BAG.

UNCLE JOHN

I thought you might like to borrow this book. I have just finished reading it and I thought you might like it. 

I hope this sneak peak of my script helps any of you media fans to either create your own script or to see how a script can be put together :) 

Comments and E-mails welcome. 

BARB: Evaluation Links

Previously Unposted

Using the internet has become a very easy way for me to collect all of the information that I need. To help me write up my coursework evaluation I used a range of different websites. Some of them I have already added to previous posts. However here are a few that I have only just recently used.

http://www.barb.co.uk/whats-new? 

The link below is a massive internet database that collects weekly and monthly viewings of all television shows. The website is called BARB and it stands for Broadcasters, Audience and Research Board. I did check with my teacher that it would be a trusted source to use within my evaluation. I was informed that this particular website is an excellent source to use because it is trusted by all examiners and gives up-to-date information. 

Hope these websites help you find the information you need :)

Media Studies 2: Coursework Research

Previously Posted on 17/3/13
When looking at true story films, I looked at the target audience for ‘The Lovely Bones’, which is mainly the female population, ages 13-20+. It would also target crime/mystery lovers, true movie fans and fans of the original book.

Using the website http://www.barb.co.uk I found that ‘Call the Midwife’ had a ratings of 10.18 million viewers on 30^th December 2012 and 10.85 million viewers on the 3^rd February 2013. This shows there’s a huge audience out there that enjoy watching films/TV programmes based on real life. This research helps with my marketing campaign as it shows that I need to persuade a wide audience range to see my film.I also found the last ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ rating was 42,000 viewers on 28^th March 2010, which again shows there is   a wide audience range.

Questionnaires for my focus group

I undertook primary research through a focus group by asking them questions about my idea, noted down their answers and adapted my work towards their responses. From this I decided to target my film towards the female population aged 12 +. Using the website http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/12a-and-12 I looked at the requirements of the 12 age rating. I kept this age rating as it allows me to retain most of the real story, without offending the audience. 

As my film covers a range of genres, it will appeal to the general population. My primary target audience is the female population aged between 12-30 years old, as the protagonist is shown through the stages of her life as she grows up, and true movie fans as this is a different type of true story. My secondary target audience would be fantasy-drama lovers (mentioned above), and would appeal to them through the concepts of the film. 

I went on the look at audience demographics. Using; http://www.howtodothings.com/business/a3607-how-to-identify-a-target-market.html helped me to justify my target audience clearly. Everyone in the world is categorised into a ‘class’ which are:  upper class, who are the very rich e.g. The Queen, middle class who have enough money to live a luxurious life style e.g. Manager, and working class, who are average/everyday, people e.g. shop assistants. Due to this their incomes are considerably different which would affect my target audience of my film.  My target audience involves the working class more as they would understand the plot line more and are more likely to have gone through something similar/ know someone who has. I’m going to target mainly the female population, as the film is female based, aged between 12-30. This is my primary audience. I also looked at the psychographics for my film.The personality of the audience is significant as the more ‘timid’/shy person is more likely to watch my film than a ‘bold’/outgoing person. The interests/hobbies of the audience is significant as not everyone likes true story movies.

Knowing  target audience, I researched audience theories. The one that applies to my work is the uses and gratification theory because it reflects my work and it shows how an audience relates to what they see, which is how I want my target audience to react to my film.

Media Studies 2:Starting the Investiagtion

Previously Posted on 12/3/13- 

As part of my coursework I had to write an investigation to show how I researched the genre of my film idea and how I used my research within my production pieces.  Below is the first part of my investigation. 

My coursework project required to come up with a film idea and make it come to life. I decided to create a script for my pre-production and a teaser poster and a DVD cover for my production tasks. I chose this option because through my practice task, I enjoyed experimenting with the dialogue, which lets me be more creative.

My film idea has a range of genres combined into one plot. The main genre is true story, which means that it is non-fiction and factual. I chose this genre as a friend of mine had an unpleasant childhood and I wanted to show how, not everyone has the ‘perfect life’ and how they deal with these imperfections. To ensure anonymity, I altered the characters names and situations so more people could relate to the idea. As this story is close to my heart I studied the codes and conventions of the genre, to ensure my information was correct, shown opposite.

Using http://www.filmsite.org/subgenres2.html I looked at other genre types and chose fantasy-drama as they interlink with my main genre. The fantasy part interlinks as the protagonist has a fantasy world that she uses as an escape from the harshness of reality. The drama links in through the storyline, due to the domestic abuse/psychological references.

I conducted secondary research on the main genre by looking at true films such as 'The Blind Side’, 'Titanic', and 'The Lovely Bones'. I analysed film posters to get a better understanding of what my poster should convey, e.g. images/ typography. Creating a mood board of the film posters/ DVD covers helped me to compare/ contrast the colours/ layouts/ typography used. (images below). I also used: http://www.imdb.com/list/2xHGLzvIkzA/ and http://www.rottentomatoes.com/ to study the types of non-fiction films to get a better understanding of story lines and to see how audiences rated certain films e.g. The Lovely Bones.  

Titanic DVD Cover analysis 

The Lovely Bones DVD Cover analysis

The Blind Side DVD Cover analysis 

The Blind Side Poster analysis 

The Lovely Bones poster analysis 

Titanic Poster analysis

Mood Board

Researching my sub-genre on http://media.edusites.co.uk  helped me understand the codes and conventions, shown opposite. I also looked at types of fantasy-drama T.V. Series to help me construct my characters e.g. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

Researching my sub-genre on http://media.edusites.co.uk helped me understand the codes and conventions, shown opposite. I also looked at types of fantasy-drama T.V. Series to help me construct my characters e.g. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

For script assistance I studied different types of scripts (websites below) and used Google to look at different types of script layouts. Relating back to my practice task also gave me inspiration.

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/newtalent/writing/bbctapedsitcom.pdf 
• http://web.mnstate.edu/johnsdan/dtv/ScriptLayout/ScriptLayout.html
•  http://www.filmscriptwriting.com/samplescripts.html
•   http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8702988_handle-flashback-screenplay.html
• http://www.imsdb.com/

Script Links

Previously Unposted
For help writing my script I searched all over the Internet to find bits of information that would help me to make my script the best possible grade on my script.

I found some website links that gave me different information about scripts.
http://www.sellascript.com/Source/column.cfm?mode=display&columnid=5
http://thescriptlab.com/images/SampleScript/FeatureScreenplayFormat.pdf
http://www.simplyscripts.com/WR_format.html

All of the links above do work if you click on them :)


The first one gives hints and tips on how to start a script.
The second link is a sample script template to show the best layout of a script and how long it should be,
The last link gives the dimensions of the margins and the other important punctuation etc. that needs to be added, to give your script the professional look.

This link below is the original script for the film 'The Blind Side'. This one is the most important to me whilst creating my coursework because I chose this film as one of my comparison examples.

http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Blind-Side,-The.html


The IMSDB is a very well known website within the film industry as it holds a range of samples from film franchises such as Harry Potter etc. It also has sample scripts from Television shows such as Futurama .

Media Tips and Links

Previously Unposted 
When looking at films and their genre, it an sometimes be difficult to decided exactly which genre category some films fit into. 

As part of the Media Studies Course my teacher signed up to a site called media edusite which I believe ,was paid for as part of a package. My class and I were given individual log in details and passwords to access all of the content. 

I found this site very useful in understanding genre and helping me to construct my DVD cover and Poster by looking at genre conventions and the examples that are given. 

I would recommend this site as it give simple information with diagrams/images and written examples to back up the information. It also includes a range of different information that you may need and uses (and explains) proper media terminology. 

I hope you ,my readers, find this link as helpful as I did :) 

Below is a link to the one page that I used when deciding on a film idea and genre to place it in. The link does work if you click on it and takes you straight to the fantasy genre page. 

http://media.edusites.co.uk/article/fantasy-genre-codes-conventions/ 

Please Note: The whole page may not show up because the link is not logged on. To view the whole page and the whole website, you would have to sign up  :) 

Another link that I found that helped me make my script the best it can be is stated below 

http://screenwriting.4filmmaking.com/script-format1.html 

To help me save time when creating my DVD cover I also decided to start to plan the written content , as I am writing the script, so I thought I would ' kill two birds with one stone' as they say.  I used this website to give me an idea of how to right the blurb for my DVD cover.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8506705_write-dvd-cover-content.html 

Exam Prep.... Another Theory

Previously Unposted

http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=audience



The link at the top of this post is a very well know website, that was given to me and my media class by my media teachers.

The link takes you straight to a media page that explains about the different types of audience theory , with diagrams to show how the theory works. It also explains where the theory came from and who came up with the theory.

There are other websites that give you the same information , however I found this website to be the best for me to learn from as it does have diagrams and all the information is condensed down onto just one page. From the website I have used this website to create my own revision spider diagrams.


I hope that you find this website as helpful as I did.
(unfortunately the link does not work, however if you type it into your search engine it will go to the correct page.)

Typography...Script...Typography...Script

Previously Unposted

As my media lessons have been split into focusing on coursework and my exam , these blog posts are starting to jump from one topic to another. I do apologise for this,as I am trying to update you (my audience) on what I am doing within each lesson.

This post is going to be short and sweet , as I am focusing all my attention this week on my coursework.

After deciding on a storyline for my coursework, I decided to push myself and aim to find a suitable font for my poster and DVD cover, whilst still writing up my script.


The deadline for the script (the pre-production) is closer than the deadline for the DVD Cover (post-production). However I thought that I would make things a little easier on myself by planning ahead and making sure I had all of the research I needed to create all of my coursework quickly and efficiently so that I would have time to make corrections if needed.

Taking a break from script writing, I decided to create a word document of all the fonts (Typography) that I could potentially use on my production pieces.After asking around my peers and both my media teachers I narrowed the options down to three . All 3 of these fonts I found on the website
www.dafont.com .

The reason I chose to use this site, is for the simple reason that the fonts are easy to download, there are a range of different designs to choose from , and you can even try out the font in the title that you want.

Below are the 3 fonts that I have to choose from for my production pieces. The links show my film title in the 3 fonts that I chose.

http://www.dafont.com/kiss-me-quick.font?text=Losing+Reality
http://www.dafont.com/from-me-2-you.font?text=Losing+Reality
http://www.dafont.com/alertse.font?text=Losing+Reality

Exam Practice: Avatar Analysis

Previously Unposted 

As a class we all watched the full film together, and our homework was to write up a detailed analysis of the official trailer( found on YouTube). 

This is not the full essay that I wrote.. I have written out snippets of my answer from the start, main body and ending of the essay.  In the original essay I included a lot more detail and print screen images from the trailer to back up my analysis.  Originally the essay is around 19 paragraphs long , which typed is around 3 pages of A4 .

My teacher made up the title to help ease us into exam questions and answers. This was originally set as homework, but it was also used for individual revision purposes, setting us up for the exam.  

Because I have only posted snippets of the essay , to show where there would be more paragraphs I have placed a long line of dots E.G. ............................................................................................................................................................................................................

As this is is not a  previous post , I do welcome any comments on my work and I hope it helps you to understand analysis better, the film a little bit better , and even how to construct an essay. 

So here it is folks .. the essay  :) 

Watch the following trailer and analyse everything that you can see from the starting credits to the ending credits, using media terminology.

The trailer that I am going to be analysing is the Avatar Movie HD trailer. Within this essay I am going to be analysing the trailer, commenting on the visual codes, genre, characters and settings/Mis- En-Scene.  I will also be analysing the Persuasive techniques of the trailer, the music used and how the clips of the film are structured together.

Even before the film clips actually start the two company logos that are producing the film are flashed on the screen. This is to show the audience who is responsible for the making/producing of the film yet does not take up any of the actual film trailer or the time.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The next part of the trailer shows an army of soldiers, running down a ramp that is connected to a gigantic spacecraft, and in the middle is the main character. All of the soldiers are wearing gas masks which, again hints that they are not on planet Earth. It also hints that this is the main characters mission. This is a persuasive technique because the soldiers give a sense that there is going to be a fight/battle/war within the film and this entices the action lovers out there to watch it.

....................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The clip below shows a giant piece of technological machinery, which is similar to a bulldozer, crashing through a forest and knocking down all the trees and foliage in its path. This conveys to the audience that there is a considerable amount of destruction within the film Avatar.

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

 From about half way through the trailer till the end there are short and snappy persuasive techniques to make the audience want to watch the whole film. The very first one that flashes across the screen is the directors name ‘James Cameron’. The next 5 techniques are names of famous films that he has directed and nearly everyone has heard off/ seen. This is a persuasive technique because if the audience liked his other films it may make them want to watch Avatar. All of the film titles are split up by different clips from avatar that are showing a lot of action, destruction and violence. The backgrounds are black to make the information stand out more and to make the font look more futuristic to tie in with the genre of the film.

...............................................................................................................................................................

Overall the avatar film trailer is persuading the audience to what the film throughout, from start to finish by using techniques such as the colour schemes, lighting, and distinctive snapshots of the movie.

Extra Coursework Research

Previously Unposted 

Research 

True Story Films 

• Flowers In The Attic 
• 8 Mile 
• Born on the 4th July 
• The Social Network
• JFK
• Saving Private Ryan 
• To Catch A Killer
• The Blind Side 
• The Lovely Bones 
• Titanic 
• Pearl Harbor 
• Brace Heart 

True Story Books 

• Flowers In The Attic Series 
• The Boy No-one Loved
• Against All Odds 
• Exploited 
• Shattered Dreams 

Codes and Conventions of True Movies/ Films.

• ·         Drama/tragedy
• ·         Sometimes a happy ending
• ·         Based on real time events
• ·         Mostly starts from the past and pans out over the time of the event
• ·         Crying/Kissing/Hugging
• ·         Emotional/plays on the audiences emotions
• ·         Tend to have a long screen time.
• ·         Focus on the ‘victim’
• ·         Opens the audiences eyes to the bigger picture of what actually goes on in the world
• ·         Shows the audience a different perspective 

Courswork: DVD Analysis

Previously Posted on 11/3/13

As extra research I also analysed the film's DVD covers as well for comparison.  These are shown below(From top to bottom)

1) The Blind Side

2) The Lovely Bones 

3) Titanic

DVD Cover Analysis of The Blind Side

DVD Cover Analysis of The Lovely Bones

DVD Cover Analysis of Titanic

Coursework: Poster Analysis

Previously Posted on 11/3/13

Below are the three posters that I analysed for my coursework research. The 3 posters are (From top to bottom) 

1) The Lovely Bones

2) The Blind Side 

3) The Titanic

The Lovely Bones Poster Analysis

The Blind Side Poster Analysis

Titanic Poster Analysis

  

Print Images: Analysis

Previously Unposted 

As a way to help us analyse print based images, My teacher gave the class an activity where we were given 5 DVD covers , and we had to identify the main icon within the image and the explain why it is the main icon/what makes it so iconic. 

The list of DVD covers that I analysed is : 

The Hurt Locker 

The Vow 

The Departed

The Bounty Hunter 

Avengers Assemble

The Hurt Locker- The main icon present that I can identify is the explosion at the top of the DVD Cover. This is iconic because you can see the light of the fire and the black billowing smoke that covers half of the scene being shown. Another icon is the types of transport being shown such as the army vehicles being shown. This is iconic because the colour of them and the actual form of the vehicle hints at the army being present within the film.  The genre of the film in my opinion is action/war purely because the scenes that are shown on the cover hint at a lot of different events taking place and the picture of a clock at the bottom of the cover shows that there is a time limit for the plot, and also hints that it is going to be a fast paced film. Also the use of the explosions in the background and the men wearing soldier uniforms gives away the idea of a fight/war happening, so yes it is easy to identify the genre.  The genre is also an important message to the customer as it will attract an audience that loves that certain genre. The actors’ names on the front are also important because it lets the audience know who stars in the film and whether they will enjoy the film based on their reputation etc. At the bottom of the cover there is a star rating that shows the audience how critics rated it on a scale of 1-5 stars. This cover has a 5 star rating which tells us that the film must be a really good film and that is a possible 'must see'. Overall the most important consumer message that the cover shows is the star rating and the genre, as the rating makes the audience want to see it and the genre would also appeal to a certain type of audience which is who it would be targeted to.
 
The Vow- Within this DVD Cover, the icon that stands out the most to me is the poster of both characters and the way they are positioned. It shows that they are a couple or at least going to be and that they are in love, which is shown through the facial expressions of both characters. The genre is romance/ or rom-com and you can see this through, again the facial expressions but also the colour of the background as it is bright and cheery. The film title also hints at the genre through the actual words. This is because 'THE VOW', hints at a marriage/ love/romance. The border also shows the genre through the colour, pink to highlight fairy-tale and the actual design which has little flicks which are made to look like vines to also make it look 'girly'. The words in the corner of the cover say ‘Inspired by true events’ which could also mean that the genre is true story as well. This shows that the genre is easy to find, however it could be either one or both.  The genre of this particular film is vital as the cover portrays a very ‘lovey-dovey’ scenario/film sequence, so it is targeted towards a very select audience (mainly girls/women who like chick flicks). The actors names are important to because they are the main characters, which mean you, would have to like them to watch the film. However, they could be new to the film industry and never been heard of before so the names on the front would help to further their career.
 
The Departed- Straight away, I can see Leonardo Di Caprio on the cover, which is an icon because, even though his name is on the cover, his face is very distinguishable. The only other icon that I can identify is the landscape of a bay with tall buildings, which hints at a place within the USA. I would say it is New York because of the shape of the buildings. Looking at it, the cover doesn’t really convey the genre of the film, which, in my opinion, is a good thing because it makes people curious to know what the film is about. However the colour used for the characters faces, shows that the film could be set in the past or, as I originally thought, a gangster film. The use of the buildings ties in with my gangster thought because most films of that genre have been centred around New York or America in general. The quote at the bottom of the cover tells the audience that the genre of the film is crime. This then ties in with the facial expressions of the characters, which tell you that the one on the bottom left is a detective of some sort due to the hint of clothing we can see. Overall the genre of this film is not very easy to identify if you don’t look hard enough.  With this DVD cover, the genre is not the main message, but the actors are. This is shown through the well know actors names going first and the names are all in one place in a list, which draws the audience’s attention to them. The quote and the star rating are also important on this DVD cover as it shows that the film is a ‘must see’ and it gives away the genre of the film.

The Bounty Hunter- The generic icons on this DVD cover would be the main characters as they are well known /famous and are easily identifiable from their looks. The other generic icon is the fire ball in the background which hints at an explosion through the red/orange/yellow light that shows there is a fire and the smoke that it emitting from the car. Looking at the background I think that the film is an action/comedy film because the background stands out as being happy and cheerful. The background also makes the characters look slightly cartoon like, which again shows the genre is a comedy or it could suggest the age of the film through the graphics not being merged properly. Also the characters faces give it away, as in my opinion it looks like they are trying not to smile. Another factor is that the actress ‘Jennifer Anniston’ tends to star in comedy/chick flick films. However generally looking at the cover, the genre is not really reflected other than the use of the explosion and the handcuffs around the actors wrists. Again on this cover, the actors names are the most important as they convince the audience whether to buy it or not based on whether they like them or not.  The quote at the bottom is also another important factor in conveying messages as it tells the audience the genre of the film, but without actually saying what the genre is.  ‘From the director of Hitch’ also gives the message that if you liked that film you will like this as well. It also gives the message that maybe the film follows the same route that the ‘Hitch’ did.
 
Avengers Assemble- There are many different icons present on the cover of this DVD.  The main one that probably everyone will notice is the different superheroes at the foreground of the cover.  This is an icon because through the different appearances and the distinctive dress/weapons, for example we know which one is the Hulk due to the colour of his skin, the facial expression and his type of dress/ or lack of, and Captain America can be identified through the colours he is wearing and the shield he carries. Another icon is the Empire state building at the very back of the cover, which shows that the film is set in New York.  The explosion to the right of the cover is also an icon because the colours and the fire ball, give the audience that impression. The parts of flying glass also help to boost that idea of an explosion.  As the genres of this film are fantasy/ superhero/action. This is shown through the use of all the marvel characters at the foreground of the cover. However there are other ways of figuring out the genre such as the use of the colours/lighting shows that the characters are cartoon –like or based on cartoons. All the debris at the foreground of the cover hints at the action/destruction which shows there is a battle/fight that ties in with the action part of the genre. The fact that all the characters are standing together in the middle of New York shows the fantasy side of the genre as, superheroes are imaginary and seeing them in New York is a fantasy. The message of the genre is conveyed very strongly through the image on the cover because ‘MARVEL’ is a very well know company and everyone knows that it is linked with superheroes. The use of the ‘MARVEL’ logo is also a huge selling point. However the actors names are also important in attracting the customers attention, because they are all well-known and would persuade the audience whether to buy it or not.

Extra Links

Previously Unposted

After yesterday's post, I remembered that I had a a few more links that helped me with my pre-production work. 

Pre-Productions- This is the work that has to be completed before any filming can be started. This stage includes, writing scripts and storyboards for the setting of the film and the actors.  The film idea also develops more within this stage.

http://www.shapingtruestory.com/ 

http://screenwriting.4filmmaking.com/script-rewriting.html 

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scripts/ripper-street-episode-1.pdf       - This link here is from the BBC website. It is the first part of the 'Ripper Street' script. I used this link because it helped me with the layout of my script and it also showed me how to introduce new characters/ settings etc. I definitely found this link to be helpful .. and I hope you (my audience) do to :)  

Coursework: Links

Previously Unposted

To help me create the best possible coursework piece, I decided to do some of my own research by looking at different links on the internet to help me write my own treatment to pitch my film to the rest of my media class.

Below are some website links to the information that I researched.

The first link does not work properly, so you have to type it manually into your search engine. This one is a
a guide on how to write a script.

The second link does work and is a guide on how to write a treatment.

The last link is a step-by-step guide on how to create a storyboard.  (  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storyboard) This link explains in better detail than I every could what a Storyboard is  :)


LINKS 
http://www.writersstore.com/how-to-write-a-screenplay-a-guide-to-scriptwriting
http://www.movieoutline.com/articles/how-to-write-a-treatment.html
http://writersgateway.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/8-easy-steps-to-create-a-storyboard/

Game Trailer Analysis

Previously Poster: 29/4/13


GAME ADVERTISEMENT-VISUAL , AUDIO AND TECHNICAL CODES

BIOSHOCK -INFINITE VISUAL CODES

•  USE OF COLOUR- the use of colour within the film trailer is a bit misleading because they are bright and bold whereas the action actually has violence involved. the colours used are dark and grim which hint at danger within the narrative and also show the action involved.
• CLOTHING- there only seems to be one woman in the advert that is dressed feminine by wearing a dress.
• 
  

TECHNICAL CODES

• CAMERA MOVEMENT- the camera movement is in first person point of  view , as if you are the character within the game, and the image is what you see.
• EDITING- When the action starts to 'heat up' the editing speeds up to show the action involved and to hold suspense.
• CAMERA ANGLES- this advert uses a lot of panning shots to show the setting to the audience. The shots are slow paced which shows the audience that this game is one of stealth and patience.

AUDIO CODES

• SOUND EFFECTS- The sound effects are shown through out the advert, mostly for the numerous explosions.
• MUSIC- the music sets the mood for the plot-line of the game.
• VOICE OVER- to start with the  female character is humming , and then and the main character starts to talk about the story line of the game, which is non -digetic sound. There is also a sound bridge where the humming carries on into the next clip and then turns into the music.

TOMB RAIDER
TECHNICAL CODES

•  TRACKING SHOTS- this advert uses a tracking shot because it follows the protagonist through the action of the game. This lets the audience get involved with the game/action.
• CAMERA SHOTS- the most common type of shot within this game advert is the close up shot to show the characters face and the facial expression.
• EDITING- when the  protagonist starts running through the ship the editing starts to speed up slightly to create suspense for the audience to see if she will make the jump or not.

AUDIO CODES

•  SOUND EFFECTS- the sound effects within this game advert are used to add drama/suspense to the advert ,which is a good way to appeal to the target audience. 
• VOICE-OVER- the voice over is the protagonist talking about herself and hinting at the story line of the game. The voice-over is non-digetic.
• MUSIC- the non-digetic music helps to make a dramatic effect and keeps tempo with the  scenes. 

VISUAL CODES

•  CLOTHING- the clothing that the protagonist is wearing are not really practical for the setting/situation that she is in, however this also makes her look ' sexy'/ 'appealing' to the audience.
• USE OF COLOUR- the colours used are dark and grim which hint at danger within the narrative and also show the action involved.
• EXPRESSION- the expression of the protagonist is serious and 'set straight' , which makes the character more 'realistic' and also hints at the plot line of the film.

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPSVISUAL CODES

• CLOTHING- the clothing of the protagonist show that the game involves combat through the body armor and the khaki colours also hint at the fighting aspect of the game.
• GRAPHICS- these are showing different types of war e.g explosions, bombs,fighter planes, and also gun fighting. This also hints at the violence of the game. the graphics used are also very life-like and hint at war in the real world.
• EXPRESSION- the expressions of the protagonists are grim and stern, which shows that they are determined,and their minds are set on one thing, and one thing only. Their facial expressions also show that they are constantly thinking of the next 'move'  within the game they are going to make. 

TECHNICAL CODES

•  CAMERA MOVEMENTS- There are a lot of tracking shots used to follow the action and to give the audience a taste of the actual game. 
• CAMERA SHOTS- Within this game advert there are a lot of close-up shots used, because this allows the audience to see the action up close and shows a range of different things happening. 
• EDITING- Looking at the editing, it shows different shots happening in slow motion , which gives the audience the chance to watch the action with out getting confused. the editing also adds effect to the advert by adding a slight suspense through the slow motion. 

AUDIO CODES

•  DIALOGUE-The dialogue within the game advert is very informal and , also engages the audience , as the protagonists are talking at the audience. The use of the actual words sound similar to what army soldiers would say in combat/war.  The line 'guess who brought a jet to a gun fight' is also used as a reference from another moving image.  
• SOUND EFFECTS- The sound effects are used mostly for the graphics e.g the bombs , and the noise of the explosions. This allows the audience to have a close experience of what war sounds like, without being in a dangerous situation. The volume of the effects also hints at the sounds of war.
• MUSIC- The music within this game advert is non-digetic and is only played half way through the advert. The music type sounds rock and roll which adds a war like effect on the audience and it is also used as a way to show the audience that this is just a game.

Film Trailer Analysis

Previously Poster: 24/4/13

This task was to help us all with analysis of moving images e.g. film trailers.

The trailers that we had to analyse were :
Iron Man 3
Get Smart
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

This was a start up task that later was used as a revision task to make sure we still understood what to include within an exam answer.

This is my answer in a list of bullet points. I used this method to help me get the important pieces of information written down so that I could expand on them ,when revising .

FILM TRAILERS- VISUAL , AUDIO AND TECHNICAL CODES

IRON MAN 3

VISUAL CODES

• CLOTHING- the use of the Iron man costumes at the beginning of the trailer.
• ICONOGRAPHY- the use of the landscape and the buildings 
• IMAGES- The images within the trailer have been placed for a reason ( mis-en-scene)

TECHNICAL CODES

• EDITING- the editing is fast paced as it gets closer to the end of the trailer
• CAMERA MOVEMENT- panning shots are used a lot within this trailer 
• PRODUCTION VALUES- this trailer shows that the production values were very high for this film

AUDIO CODES

• MUSIC- The non-digetic music builds up suspense
• VOICE OVER- the main character seems to be a voice over to explain the plot of the film- this also leads into digetic sound and part of the dialogue 
• SOUND EFFECTS- sound effects are used to highlight the action that is happening within the trailer.

GET SMART 

VISUAL CODES

•  EXPRESSION- The expression of the characters is either grim/ serious or overly happy.
• GRAPHICS-The writing on the screen is the main actors names and the characters they play
• USE OF COLOUR- the use of colour highlights the genre of the film and the lighting changes throughout the trailer to show the time span of the film.

TECHNICAL CODES

• EDITING- the editing of the trailer is quite a slow pace to start off with but gets slightly faster as the trailer progresses to show the action involved.
• CAMERA SHOTS-within this trailer there are a lot of still shots used to
• CAMERA ANGLES- there are low camera angles on the characters to show authority and birds-eye-view angles to show the audience the whole picture.

AUDIO CODES

•  VOICE-OVERS- this is used to introduce the film and to add a little humour to the trailer
• DIALOGUE- the way the characters speak  introduce humour to the trailer and conveys the codes and conventions of the film 
• SOUND EFFECTS- these are used to highlight the explosions and the 'hi-tech' equipment used

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS

VISUAL CODES

• USE OF COLOUR- using dark,dim colours highlights the genre of the film and also shows that there will be sadness and maybe even death.
• EXPRESSION- the facial expressions of all the characters seems to be very serious and in some parts scared.
• ICONOGRAPHY- the iconography used is the images of Hogwarts school and the images of London.

TECHNICAL CODES

• TRACKING SHOTS- there are a few tracking shots that show the action of the film, especially in the woods.
• EDITING- the editing in this trailer is apparent for the 'magic' and for the pace of the trailer as it gets faster towards the end to hint at a climate and creates suspense.
• GRAPHICS- in the sense that the title of the film , was shown bit by bit but by the typography of the first letter the audience could tell what film it was before reading/being shown the rest of the title .

AUDIO CODES

•  DIALOGUE- the dialogue hints that this is the ending, and it also shows the characters in their true light as well. It also gives away the genre of the film through the actual words that are spoken. A sound bridge is used to bring in music from the dialogue and to make both the scenes flow nicely together
• MUSIC- the music is non-digetic and also creates suspense for the audience.
• SOUND EFFECTS- the sound effects of the explosions and the 'magic' that was happening.