Vital parts of the introduction to a film are required to entice the audience to continue watching, as it is the most important part of the film. Our introduction has complied to the codes and conventions of thriller films with the use of:
-Crime in the centre of the plot
Our media project uses hints and suggestions that something most unfortunate is about to happen to the female victim. Excessive stalking is conventionally paired with the crimes of murder, rape or kidnapping.
-A complex narrate structure
Within just the introduction that we filmed it is apparent that a complex narrative structure is used. The switching between both the note writing and the stalking sequence is proof of this as seen below.
-Themes of voyeurism
Our film contains the use of voyeurism, in an interesting way. Our protagonist, the stalker, has an obsessive compulsive disorder in which he is obsessing over watching and following young teenage girls.
-Narrative pattern which establishes enigmas which the viewers expect to be resolved
During the few shots of the stalker at his desk writing a note the audience can see a picture of the girl being stalked. This links the two characters together creating an enigma which an audience would expect to become resolved by the end of the film.
-Features in the Mise-en-Scéne of the film which reflect the protagonists (or characters within the scene) state of mind
At the beginning of the stalking sequence a long panning shot is used from behind some black railings.
This symbolises the entrapment of the girl in the shot being stalked, as she cannot escape the clutches of the stalker.
Although our film does not challenge forms and conventions of real media products, I feel that both myself and Hannah could of done this to create cinematic effect.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
I believe our film represents the victimisation of working class individuals and is focused upon mainly a mature film-going audience – people of all ages and gender who would enjoy a serious crime thriller. Hannah and I decided to cast herself as the female victim as she is young and blonde, both key features to what we were originally looking for. We then decided, after comparing numerous possible actors, to cast myself as the stalker. Although during the introduction we filmed you do not see the stalkers face, my face would have suited the role as it depicts an older, sun-deprived and anonymous person who is likely to stalk somebody. As there are no lines in the introduction there was a minimal amount of acting talent needed, and as Hannah and I live close to one another it made filming very simple.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
At first I thought a fairly large distribution company would distribute our film production. This was because the film is of thriller genre and could potentially have a large target audience. However, as the film, if completed, would have been made by unknown directors and unknown actors and so, would most probably not even interest big distribution firms. It is more realistic that a less known distribution company such as Icon would take our film on board. Icon have distributed films for EM Media who are known for making films with unknown actors, actresses and directors.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
Referring to the Questionnaire both myself and Hannah conducted at the beginning of the coursework, I can deduce that from the peers in our college (aged 16-17) our audience would be person(s) interested in seeing a murder or crime based thriller in which the main protagonists would include both a young female and a male character in his mid twenties to early thirties. This would be alongside an interesting narrative structure and use of dingy alleyways and rundown buildings in the introduction of the film to intrigue the audience into continuing to watch.
How did you attract/address your audience?
We addressed our audience by complying with their requests of dingy alleyways and main protagonists being a young female and a male in his mid-twenties to mid-thirties and sticking to the thriller genre as set at the beginning of the coursework project. To attract a larger audience I would advertise on the web mainly on social networking websites as the targeted audience frequently use these websites. However I would still use conventional posters and television advertisements as well. Possible competitions could be entered by Joe public to entice more people to see the film. Advertisements in newspapers and popular magazines would seemingly attract a larger audience as well.
Within our film Hannah and myself decided to use a female victim in provocative clothing. This should not only add to narrative enigma but also attract a male audience that would enjoy watching scantly clad women in films.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I have personally learnt that with using the cameras there should always be a check to see that everything is where it should be, especially before a long trip to a filming location. The majority of my technological learning has been from using Adobe Premier Pro editing software, as I had limited experience with it beforehand, the practise using it quickly advanced my skills. Specifically I've learnt about adding effects and that each clip may have more than one effect and (or) transition attached to it. By creating numerous different edits both Hannah and I managed to decide upon an excellent final edit. However we did not attempt to use every different effect or transition, as this would of taken up too much needed time. The new and different skills I have learnt from much experience with using Adobe PP should prove very useful in future jobs or university interviews.
Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
I have learnt that a frequent use of interesting shot angles can be very effective in contrast to long shots of stable angles. Looking at how ineffectively my previous group (including myself) had planned the short piece it has occurred to me that arranging who researches what and how much research is needed. This is also true tot he fact that there were one too many people in the group. After decided to go in a pair with Hannah it seemed a lot easier and simpler to plan and research possible outcomes for the film. Originally I thought the difference between filming and editing a 30 something second short and filming and editing a 2 minute introduction would have been minimal. It turns out that there is such a huge difference that it, at first, made filming and editing quite tiresome. However after getting to grips with the new technology, editing became interesting and fun in comparison. Working in a pair come into good use when having to look over different objectives before filming, for example the lighting, white balance and camera checks. As well as to do different sections in editing; whilst I did the introduction Hannah worked on the ending, and vis versa. I have learnt that the different, sometimes minuscule, aspects to a piece of film can change the meaning of it dramatically. Taking this into consideration I feel the whole pre-production aspect to film making is imperative and without it, filming will become pointless and very stressful.
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