For my A-level Media Studies coursework, I had to plan, film and edit our own two minute film opening.
1.
Before we started planning our film opening, we looked at several different films and how they presented the film within the first 2 minutes. We began by deconstructing and analysing films such as ‘Snatch’ and ‘Sin City’. From this, the two of us involved, were able to decide upon a theme and method for our opening. From our film deconstructions we were able to identify the different film convention and film genres. We chose to base the idea of our film opening on a Thriller/Film Noir. This creates a hybrid genre for our film. We began by changing our footage into black and white; we identified this as one of the main aspects of a Film Noir. From our deconstruction of Sin City, we felt that the use of only the colour red was extremely effective and hoped to create the same effect. We were unable to make the shoes, the focus point throughout the film, as we were not using the software able to do this. However, we were able to incorporate red into the titles and also the colour of the shoes in the final scene.
The use of shadows is a key feature of Film Noir. We managed to include shadows in our filming and it was extremely effective.
The shadows of the gun and the use of darkness and shadows on the stairs, created more suspense and mystery. The music we used in our opening was of slow pace and simple. Music and sounds are often minimal in Film Noirs as it creates the desired atmosphere. In addition, the use of vertical lines was included in our opening. For example, the low angle, close-up shot through the banister as the character walks up the stairs. This assists in creating a sense of foreboding as well as shadow and a different camera view.
As the other genre of our film opening is Thriller, we had to ensure that a thriller was also created. We did this by using dark interior to create uncertainty and a sense of mystery. Also, the types of shots and camera angles create suspense and a sense of realism. For example, a numerous amount of low angled shots and close-up shots are used. The actress used in the film created suspense and mystification as her face was not revealed until close to the end of the film. The only piece of speech heard is from the radio. By not revealing what has, and is, going on, enigma has been created and the attention of the audience has been captured. The radio host beings by airing the news, this helps to establish the crime element of the film.
2.
Our media product has only one character of which we tried to portray the femme fatale you typically find in a Film Noir. In the establishing shot of the character, the first things you see are the gun, the coat and the feminine hand on the banister. All of this instantly informs the audience that it is a woman who is sexually attractive and of certain questionable intensions. The Male Gaze theory suggests that women are filmed in such a way to view them as a male would, looking at them as a sexual object. Their sexual attractiveness would be emphasised over and above any other characteristics. This is evident through the camera angles used and the composition of the shots. These shots make the character appears to be powerful and very determined, despite the danger and power she holds within the gun. The clothing that the character is wearing shows her sophistication despite her being displayed as dangerous, as she is wearing a knee length dark skirt, a tailored coat and heels.
3.
I would classify our product as an ‘Alternative Thriller’ because it is not the typical Thriller that you would generally find due to it includes aspects of the Film Noir genre. I think that Channel 4 is a possible distributor of our film. Channel 4 has previously shown alternative TV programmes, made by smaller independent producers, such as Dead Set. Each style of these programmes has their own specific target audience. Another possible distributor is Film 4. This channel shows a wide variety of films and also does themed weeks where they show one specific genre of films, for example Thriller, Comedy and Romance. I believe that our film has a more niche audience and would therefore be made and distributed by more independent smaller film companies.
There may also be the opportunity of merchandising. This would easily be created from the film itself. Posters, t-shirts, figurines and bags are all possibilities for film merchandise. The red shoes would, most probably, be the focus of the products as they are the main focus of the film. However, larger scale merchandising is usually associated with big budget blockbuster films rather than with smaller scale, independent productions. The option of internet outlets is a possibility. Even though it would only be a small range and quantity of merchandise made, I think we could promote and sell our products on websites such as Play.com and our own film website.
4.
After a private screening with a cross section of male and female individuals aged 16-18, they were all requested to complete a critique. From this I had an indication as to who would be the general audience of my film. I believe that the film is likely to be given a certificate rating of 15 because of the potential scenes and violence that may occur once the film is shot to full length. Both the men and women were interested in our film, despite having different interests and lifestyles. The age range of my potential audience is likely to be from 15 upwards. I believe that even the older generation would view our film, so I would put the age range as 15-50. The use of a young, attractive woman helps draw in a section of audience and a range of ages. Even though it is a Film Noir, I think that our film would be more appealing to, and watched by, the darker, more thrill seeking audience.
5.
As our opening began, you instantly hear the steady footsteps; which are a focus throughout the opening. The soundtrack of the film is very basic but creates a lot of suspense; both this and the footsteps capture and engage the audience into the film. The soundtrack also creates enigma, as the audience are initially unaware of where the footsteps are coming from, who the woman is, why she has a gun or where she is going. This has drawn the audience into the potential plot to follow in the main feature film. The use of red as the title colour draws the audience attention as it is a bright and contrasting colour against the black and white film. The shot of the shoes, coat and gun at the end has an effective impact on the audience as the shoes transition from black and white to red. This is a strong edit of our film and captures the audience into the film.
6.
The process of the film has been long but worth it. I have learnt many techniques and skills I did not have previously. I now have experience in using the iMacs and the software it contains, including iMovie and Garage Band. I found Garage Band easy software to use and we easily create a soundtrack to import into our film opening. These are skills I can continue to develop throughout my A-Level media studies projects. I have also learnt a lot more about how the camera works and the importance of different camera shots and editing. There was a large amount of re-filming needed for such a small amount of final footage. Editing footage takes large amount of time, and the different effects and transitions can often make a big difference to the final film depending on the desired effect wanted. Before this, I was unaware of how much time and effort was needed in a film production. Lighting, steady camera and framing are also key skills that I have learnt over the filming process. Another skill learnt through my a-level is the use of Photoshop; this is how I created the black and white to red transition of the shoes. As we did not have the software I managed to improvise and edit the image of Photoshop. I took a photograph of the shot and began to edit. I first lassoed the shoes and created them into a new layer. The background was then changed into greyscale and the hue/saturation and brightness/contrast were adjusted to emphasise the shoes. This was saved and a complete black and white image was also saved. I then managed to import them both into iMovie and cut the length of the images to fit with the correct transition to get the effect I desired.
7.
From my preliminary task, I feel I have learned a lot. For a start, I've learnt how important decisions are. Changing our idea half way through was a difficult and risky decision, but worked out for the best. I had to make the executive decision to change ideas and glad that the idea worked alot better than our original. My understanding of the iMac software has improved dramatically from the amount of editing we did during our first attempt at filming, I now feel a lot more confident with the software and the cameras. I have learnt that the different meanings and framing & composition, of camera shots, are very important. The styling of the shots can have a significant effect on the atmosphere and emotion which is trying to be portrayed. Another key factor, which can determine atmosphere and emotion, is ‘mise en scene’. Before this course, I was oblivious to how precise film companies have to be when it comes to scenery and natural looking settings. I now understand why mise en scene is a very important part of preparation in film production. With all the time that I have spent editing compared to the preliminary task, I can see how I have developed my skills and understanding of film production. The personal progression between the preliminary task and my final film is amazing. I am very proud with how my film has turned out. I also worked out several things when experimenting with iMovie. The sound of the shoes, which is heard throughout the movie, was extracted, cut and looped from another filmed clip. This worked really well and gave the opening part of its eerie atmosphere.
Over all I am very pleased with how the final film opening turned out. At the beginning of production, I was very unsure about how it would look, due to lack of skills I possessed. However I acquired greater skills, better knowledge of production and a vastly more confident outlook as time went on, all leading to a high quality and professional looking film opening to a potential new film, “The Red Glitter Murders”.
Below is our final, finished film opening.
The Red Glitter Murders
Preliminary Task
