Monday 23 March 2015

What have I learnt? (EVALUATION PART EIGHT)

I think I have learnt many lessons throughout this task that will help me with what I want to do in the future. I believe that this task involved research and planning, production and exhibition that was all beneficial to me.

Research and Planning was very beneficial as it gave me guidance into what type of title sequence I wanted to make and how the title sequence would be structured. I looked at several title sequence just to make sure that what I would be creating would fit all the typical codes and conventions they share. I would then use these in my planning for creating the title sequence. This also helped my overall knowledge and understanding about the importance of a title sequence in a movie. Overall I believe research and planning was very successful and I couldn't find any particular fall back that I had made personally when trying to research and plan the production of the title sequence. In hindsight I would of probably researched further into cinematography used but I believe that my title sequence was up to standard and I would of made a stronger planning log.

Production was a mixture of ups and downs. We were faced with many tasks in production making the title sequence difficult in parts to make. We had to find many props for the title sequence which meant having to go to shops and find exactly what we wanted and to see if it fit. Some props such as the globe was very difficult to find as we wanted one a particular size and shape. We had some issue with angles and movement on some shots which made it very difficult for us but once re-shot it was ok. I've now learnt that I need to get fully prepared and know if i will be able to do or get something before I have already scripted it in.


Exhibition was taken with mixed remarks. Many people found the narrative good although slightly confusing in parts. They disliked some of the idea's so we amended it around them. I have learnt from exhibition that everything we do is for the audience and the audience is most important because if the audience dislikes it will be very bad. Now I know to make adjustments and to understand exactly what everyone says.

Technogies in Construction of TJOSD (EVALUATION PART SEVEN)

Attracting the audience (EVALUATION PART SIX)

Saturday 14 March 2015

Textual Analysis of Title Sequence and Codes and Conventions related with it (EVALUATION PART FOUR)

This part of the evaluation involves me demonstrating I have a clear understanding of how to make a title sequence including codes and conventions of the genre. The codes and conventions that I deal with in my title sequence is of drama. I need to know what makes a drama title sequence.

The narrative was established with codes and conventions in mind. It involves a woman who is unhappy who progressively becomes happier. This is relevant for the genre of drama. Performance with facial expressions is used to show how she is unhappy. The screenshot below shows an example of how we used facial expressions to show codes and conventions of drama.


I also used editing to make the scenes look dim and gritty. This is a typical code and convention of drama to show how the characters who are in the scene's are feeling. The above screenshot is a close-up, these are used regularly to show emotion in drama's. In the shot we see a woman who is dressed in formal clothing. This is used to show the audience who she is and adds to the location of an office.

The sound used in the office scenes are sad and dramatic. It is a slow piano tone with light notes representing how Louise, the main character is feeling. The sound which is used when Louise starts to travel to India is uplifting with a bollywood style. This is to represent how Louise is feeling happier now.



The above screenshot shows a scene which looks like it is in a council estate. These are known to be grim and horrible places which represent depression with people who live in them. This is a typical setting for a drama as it shows how the character begins in a council estate but ends in a nice comfortable place that they like. The below is the setting from the film Kidulthood.



I used lighting to show codes and conventions of drama to show the conversion from being dark and dismal to bright and happy. This binary opposition is to show how Louise is unhappy because of her job at the start but happy because she is going to India at the end of the title sequence.

As part of research, I looked at The secret life of Walter Mitty, Forrest Gump and Eat Pray Love. The most similar narrative wise to TJOSD is The secret life of Walter Mitty. In both film's we see a person at work who dislike what they are doing so goes on a journey. They both concentrate on one character throughout showing their story.


This shot from The secret life of Walter Mitty shows how Walter is unhappy in his job and he has managers who he dislikes. this is very similar to Louise's story.

Drama's usually exhibit a realistic side to life which my title sequence does. It shows how not everyone loves their job but if you try you can do what you want in life. This is what the title sequence wants to show. This is very similar to other title sequence of a similar genre.

Distribution for TJOSD (EVALUATION PART THREE)

Choosing the audience of TJOSD (EVALUATION PART TWO)

Friday 13 March 2015

Brief of Title Sequence (EVALUATION PART ONE)

The brief that was set for this media studies project was to create a title sequence that was from 1.30 minutes long to 2 minutes long. The title sequence could be of any genre that we wished and could be about anything we wanted. We would have to film the title sequence and edit it to the highest standard that we want.

To begin the filming project we had to research title sequence's by famous title sequence designers such as Saul Bass. We wanted to do this so we could decide on a style for our title sequence. This would influence what we create. We then looked into title sequences of the genre which we had decided on. My particular genre being feel good drama. This meant I looked at the films of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Forrest Gump and Eat Pray Love. A feel good drama is where the storyline involves dark points but the ending is good making the audience happy.

After much research we decided on the title "The Journey of Self-Discovery". We chose this title for several reasons. The main character, Louise Brown takes a journey to India. Whilst on her journey she discovers that an Office Job, which she just quit, was not for her and actually helping others is what she truly wants to do with her life. Thus meaning she discovers herself.

The title sequence opens with Louise Brown being in an Office doing work. We see by her performance that she is unhappy. Whilst doing work a pop-up appears on her computer telling her about a life-time holiday to India. We then see a globe spinning followed by a shot of India on the globe, suggesting that she wanted to go here. There is then several shots of her at work researching India. We then see her booking tickets to India. She packs a bag and leaves her house with the sound of an airplane suggesting that she is going to India.


The task for The Evaluation







Final cut of TJOSD

Improvements

We filmed the new shots for the title sequence yesterday to edit for the deadline. We used lights from the media department to help the scenes get brighter, compared to before where it was all natural lighting. The shots look much better and now you can see everything clearer. However, when we did the elevator shot it was much darker then before but the lift had its own light ; this meant we had a bright yellow glow at the back of the lift which we could not remove. We are also going to have a close up of Amina's face as well as the lift close.. Overall it looks much better then the previous rough cut and now it is ready to present.

Final draft of Title sequence

Feedback from final draft of title sequence

When we showed our improved title sequence to the class everyone thought it was much better. They liked the colour of the typography and he changes we made to the final scenes. They also thought it looked much better without the bus scene at the beginning. However, The new shots we did they thought was too dark, even with the brightness change. They also thought the lift scene's were slightly out of place. What we plan to do now is to re-shoot these scenes on Monday so we can edit before the ultimate deadline on Thursday.

First draft of Title sequence

Monday 2 March 2015

Update of editing

We have now finished the editing process of the title sequence and are ready for the first draft of exhibition to the class. We will be doing this on Wednesday 4th March.

Soundtrack to the title sequence idea 2

The best sound we have chosen for the office part of the title sequence is called "Way of Life". It is a gentle,soft and quiet piece which has notes of sadness about it which we feel would suit this more saddening part of the title sequence.

WAY OF LIFE -https://audionetwork.lgfl.org.uk/production-music/way-of-life_67665.aspx