Evaluation - 7.) Looking back at your premliminary task (continuity editing task) what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

I have learnt a lot since the Preliminary Task mainly that continuity is very important if you want your audience to take the film seriously and to understand the story better. The continuity is very important if we continued our film on, Alex would be wearing the same clothing all the way throughout depending if she had to change for what ever reason within the film, as well as Michaela and Shasta will be wearing the same clothes throughout.

Camera angles are very important to keep with the narrative conventions and to make sure that the audience get every detail of the film as well has to stop it from becoming boring. With these different camera shots we would probably come up with more ideas on and off set just as we did when filming out on locations. I have learnt how different camera angles, positions and shots are important and how they are important to the conventions and to attract the audience. The long shot of Alex running sets the scene, where she is and whats she's doing. The close up angles show the important actions that are taking place, when Aaron picks up the scarf and we have a cross cut of him sniffing it. We don't see a long shot or mid shot of him picking up the scarf and we don't have his full face in the shot as we want to keep the stalker profile, keeping him mysterious to the audience. Zooming in was only used once at the end on Aaron, the girls within their Premliminary task had difficulty using the Tromboning technique but only using it once on Aaron was effective as we wanted to show that the girls didnt know he was there and also gives off the eary and ghostly effect adding to the stalker profile.

Although dialogue wasn't that much of an importance in our piece, the shouting of Alex calling her friends names was just enough to show the viewer who is shouting for and that she is looking for them. We had Shasta say her line of dialogue "I've forgotten by scarf" indicates that she left it on the bench, Aaron has already picked it up and the audience are still wondering what he as done with it and then they turn around as though to go back and find it, but scream which makes the audience wonder what they where screaming at either Aaron or somebody else.

Evaluation - 6.)What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

I have looked back on how to work and a camera and a tripod, I have already worked with this equipment before and now going back to it as allowed me to find new possibilities of the Camera and the Tripod.

The Tripod
I already knew how to assemble it and place the camera onto the panel but I also learnt that there was a device that you turned round; it allows the camera and the tripod to go higher to see a more higher angle shot or a wider shot of the scene.  I already knew how to pan and tilt but I found that the tripod was stiff and so I found that adjusting the handle it can help with the tilting, I found a wheel at the side, underneath the panel where the camera is placed, and by loosening it you can pan more easily.

The Camera - A Canon Digital Video recorder
I already have had experience with the camera and knew how to record (White slim button on the left) as well switching from live recording and playing back footage. I didn't know how to get onto the settings where I can turn down the volume when I didn't need it, when playing back. There is a button next to the display screen at the bottom and this allows you to adjust the functions of the camera by selecting volume and then using the control stick/button, slide it to the left or right to adjust volume.

The Keyboard - especially for Adobe Premier
I have never worked with this keyboard before and looking at its content I have figured out how I can use this keyboard to edit my film with ease, the shortcuts where also a great way to edit the film instead of clicking the actions/icons on the screen with the mouse.




Adobe Premier Pro

Adobe Premier Pro is the software we used to put all of our recorded footage together, edit, add sound, overlay, dip to black and add text. I have learnt a lot on how to use Adobe Premier Pro, I have used Windows Movie Maker in the past but this was much more complex and adds a lot more advantages to create a film. I have seen there is a similarity between Premier and WMM and the skills I have learnt from adobe premier can also help me when using WMM in the future, so I can get the most out of WMM. I have learnt new skills at the beginning of creating the film which have allowed me to create the process of the film quicker with ease.

Adding text was more advanced than adding it on WMM, on Adobe Premier you can have a variety of choices to what you can do with your text from its colour, Font, style and transition. You have better control over the text you are able to place the text over footage and place it where you want on the footage screen which would made it easier for us to put the names of the characters on the screen when they appear.

Through using Adobe Premier I have used a variety of other editing skills that I can't use within Windows Movie Maker. I have been able to overlap footage to make the ghostly effect, at the beginning where Alex wakes up and there is a repetition of that piece of footage overlapped within different times on the timeline. This was also used at the end where we see Aaron behind the curtain, spying on the girls.

We have used different pieces of music for the different times on the timeline. The first piece is the introduction music and then we had our second piece which is the one that sets the mood. This track could be anything else as this wouldn't be our main theme it would just be an additional piece of music that can be used to set the mood.

I have also been able to develop and learn new skills within learning different shots of the camera. I have been able to pan within different means, such as the panning of Aaron's feet when we walks behind the tree to go and collect the scarf. The tree was on top of a slope and by panning I didn't need to pan down as we see in the shot that Aaron walks down, we see a better shot of his feet and this allowed me to keep the camera still. I have developed and learnt new ways on using levels for the camera such as the close up on Alex and the close up Aaron picking up the scarf. I didn't need to do a zoom out on both of them to see the next action. By cross cutting to the next action made it more realistic. I have learnt how to use a wide angle shot effectively, where Alex is running over the bridge and shouting for her friends. We used this shot to use an effective and emotive response for the viewer, we slowed the piece down just like we did when Alex was running in the park at the beginning. The wide shot also shows the audience that Alex is running and shows them where she is located which adds to the variety of mise-en-scene we have used, to make it less boring and more interesting.



Photoshop

We made the Film logo through 2 different types of Photoshop software's the first draft of the logo in Microsoft Picture it! 9 and then the final logo was decided was created using Photoshop CS4. Photoshop is typically used to manipulate pictures where the creator can use different images and emerge them together to create different picture.
The Final Logo:

http://babybatchloe.blogspot.com/2011/04/final-stage-girls-logo-finished-process.html

Google & Deviant Art

We used these sites to search for resources/stock images for our company and film logo. By using two different search sites we can look at a wider range of pictures that have sometimes have to be looked at directly on the site it is uploaded to. Although sometimes some pictures on DeviantART can show up on Google.

Email - Hotmail

We used Email to send information to each other so we had the same information in our blogs. This a good way to contacting each other as some of use might have to add credit to their mobile phones and wouldn't want to risk a huge bill from using the house phone or using up all the credit.

Youtube & Facebook

We used Youtube and Facebook to share our film to other people and see what feedback we get, on how we can improve, what we could of done differently and what they liked about it. Youtube and Facebook are two of the most common sites and both of these are a great way to share our video with friends and the rest of the world so we can get a wide variety of audiences and feedback.

Blogger

We used Blogger to keep up to date on what we did each day including evidence, research and plans and ideas etc and uploading the video, this also allowed us to so other members of the group had put to see if we are up to date and saying the right information for the right days.

Evaluation - 5.) How did you attract/address your audience?

Here is a presentation slide show for "How did you arrtact/address your audience?"

Evaluation - 4.) Who would be the audience for your media product?

This is my friend Leisel. She is 17 years old and lives in Burnley, Lancashire with her Parents and two sisters; she is the older one out of her siblings. She dresses in normal top and jeans with trainers but wears a hoody or jacket that is brightly coloured.

For her Hobbies, she like to chat and go out with her friends and spend time with her boyfriend watching movies at the cinema or at home and likes to read, play her Trombone and have fun, she loves to have a laugh.

She occasionally goes shopping when she gets her spending money and shops at places such as River Island, George, Tesco (F&F) Top Shop, New Look and Primemark

She enjoys watching a variety of films, but her favourite types of movies are Horror, Thriller and Action. She likes to watch supernatural movies too and loves to watch a movie that involves her to think and solve puzzles as well as watching intense and heart jumping actions scenes. Her favourite foods to eat while watching a movie are Sweets, popcorn and any type of dessert. She likes to be scared, when a scene makes her jump she laughs because it’s only a film.

These types of audiences would watch TV Programmes such as these: Medium, X-Files, The Wire, Dexter, Oz, Supernatural, 24, Prison Break, Fringe, Lost, Criminal Minds, Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and Cold Case. 

Leisel listens to varied Music, from the 90's to the most recent and top of the charts.

Our film would appeal to Leisel, as she likes to solve puzzles and think about the film and its story, she likes to be scared and as she likes to be with her friends, she could appeal to the characters and know what she would feel and what she would have done in their position. She would love to see this at her local cinema as this would be a perfect opportunity to watch it with friends/boyfriend and eat popcorn and sweets as well has having the surround sound system to heighten her experience. This film would also appeal to her as the best films she as watched are: Pulp Fiction, The Prestige, Memento, Sin City, Children of Men, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Victim.

Evaluation - 3.) What kind of Media Institution might distribute your Media Product and why?

Our media product would be distributed by a company that isn’t popular such as Universal or Working Title but a company who would put this on TV, on a channel such as Film 4 or a channel that isn’t well known such as Warp Films. Some Distributor's own TV Channels, Radio Stations and Advertisements etc. Our product was made from no budget one camera and a high tech video editing Software, Adobe Premier. This shows that it could be another Paranormal Activity Film which was made by a director in his own home with a budget of £11,000 which shows that anyone can make a film from their own home but depending on how good the quality of the film is, how long it is and if there is a grasping plot then they would be a better chance that it would reach the cinema screen such as Paranormal Activity has done. Distributor's help and promote independent Film Makers as these directors want to become successful in making good quality films and become well known in the film making industry.

Warp Films is known for its typical British gritty films, such as This is England. Our Film is an example of British Gritty films, we don't have the luxurious locations or the huge studios that a bigger budget film would use. We have a typical British Mise-en-scene which attracts a British audience and would be suited for a company like Warp Films. Our film would appeal most to Warp Films, for the locations (The back path Michaella and Shasta walk down and the park) and a British audience would recognise it and appeal to it more because of the characters dress sense the fashion used is different to other countries, the locations and the British accent.

Many Companies such as Warp films, who distributed "This is England" would distribute our film because they are another companies who want to try and build a reputation and become a big distributing company such as Working Title. With these types of Distributing companies who aren't very popular, are supported through the National Lottery, who also help small film makers to make and distribute a film, but are limited to wear and how many they can show, so art houses are a source to show their film with only one film reel to show it at. Our film could have made money from the National Lottery and its UK Film Council, which also funds independent film makers and distributors.

Our Logo was based around an ironic and creepy style fitting to the Thriller Genre. Just like Working Title who are well known and successful in distributing and making Rom-Com’s they have stuck to that from the beginning as other unsuccessful films such as "The Boat that Rocked" didn’t do so well. So our logo was created with the first letter of each of our Names - M = Michaela A = Alex S = Shasta C = Chloe this gave the word "M.A.S.C" looking like the name "Mask" but in an ironic and creepy way. With the idea of masks, this can relate to Thriller conventions as Masks can give a sense of mystery and can give an identity to a villain e.g. - Scream - the villain with the Scream mask (Played by Roger Johnson)

As well has this our Logo had a connection to our Film Logo  - Stage Girls, the use of masks contain connotations to theatre, stage and performance.

Michaela said - "We decided to on the name M.A.S.C Productions because it was all our names put together, it was also a huge benefit for our theme as a mask is kind of a convention of the stage and shows."

Evaluation - 2.) How does your Media Product represent particular social groups?

Our film represents teenagers and young adults interested in Thrillers that have characters in the same age group as well as the friendship between teenagers and the dominant male over the females.



Alex "Normal/Typical Teenager fashionable" & Ariadne from Inception Normal/Typical and fashionable teenager



Alex is just a typical teenager who has style and a fashion interest. Many teenagers now are looking at Fashion and "what’s hot" and "what’s in" as does Ariadne, a typical teenager who wears fashionable clothes. Both characters wear a jacket, scarf, top with their own different pattern and style, both wear pants/jeans and shoes. We wanted to give a modern style to the film that they are typical teenagers but are put into a situation where danger occurs. Both Alex and Ariadne explore different areas, Alex in reality and Ariadne in dreams, but both have that exploration element.

Our character is in a much more serious situation than Ariadne's as she is in a dream and Alex in reality and the possibility that something could happen to her. In Ariadne's situation she can make anything impossible, possible. She can bend and move anything in her dream to her will, but Alex in a harder position where she can't find the answers instantly and can trace their steps, she has to go on foot and search for them, with an enemy lurking about and people are in danger.

Evaluation - 1.) In what ways does your Media Product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real Media Products?

Our film contains the conventions of a Thriller by using the title of the film "Stage Girls" at the end, by showing a link to attractive females on stage being watched and/or stalked by men. Our story line has a connection to this sort of situation, by having two girls who are performers, stage girls and being stalked by a man. This gives a tense and mysterious mood, to get the audience thinking several questions at once such as "What will happen to the girls?" "Who is the stalker?" and "Will they friend find them in the end?"

With this in mind, we decided that the title "Stage Girls" will appear in the last Frame, giving a sense of mystery and eagerness for the audience to know what will happen. It was created through the following steps (See Both ""Stage Girls" Logo - Finished - The Process - Original" http://babybatchloe.blogspot.com/2011/04/stage-girls-logo-finished-process-from.html & "Final "Stage Girls" - Logo - Finished - The Process from Original to Final" http://babybatchloe.blogspot.com/2011/04/final-stage-girls-logo-finished-process.html)

The mirror is found here - http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.halle.co.uk/siteFiles/images/p_theatre_mirror.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.halle.co.uk/p_sat17apr10.asp&usg=__Mya1odTYo7BUEDJsbfQq_FS4NDc=&h=420&w=361&sz=33&hl=en&start=18&zoom=1&itbs=1&tbnid=6cDjXUXO-zC1YM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmirror%2Bwith%2Blights%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26tbm%3Disch&ei=eo-VTcWjOI7Hswa2tKWZBQ  

To show that the typical mirror to find in a dressing room as well has keeping with the narrative of the Stage Girls link. It wouldn't be appropriate to have "Stage Girls" on a computer screen with the technical equipment that you will normally find at a computer; it doesn't fit the narrative convention or the plot.

The Font "Broadway" for the font and the text is big, overlaying the mirror to grab the audience’s attention. The simple Lips picture found here - http://browse.deviantart.com/resources/?qh=&section=&q=ohsheisgaga#/d3aj3ml

To add to the female symbol of the female characters involved in the film.

The background picture is from here - http://www.unsigneddesign.com/zenpaper/IMG_2008.JPG

Which makes it look like the mirror is actually in a room and hung upon a wall.

Although many Thriller use a darker and more unpleasant logo, however by giving a brighter and more attractive logo it catches the audiences eye and shows that Stage Girls isn't all what it seems.

Setting/Location

We used several different locations so we didn't make it look like a student made film. By using different locations we can show that the characters have been in several different locations that, if this film was to be made into a full length movie, these would be locations that characters would go back to or to be seen as key locations for other scenes earlier on. We used the Hospital scene to show that Alex's character as looked in possible locations to find her friends. By using shots of locations linked to the girls, such has the stage scene where Michaela is playing the piano, shows a key place where the girls usually visit often.

The different locations such as the Canal scene where Alex is unconscious, shows that Alex visits places too, to show her desperation to find them. By Alex waking up next to the Canal gets the audience wondering why she is there, how she got there and what has happened to her. This also shows another key scene where later in the movie characters can come back to.

These types of styles of different locations in a Thriller are key to show the audience a more mysterious feel, that this can keep the audience on their toes wondering what scenes are key and trying to put the puzzle together.

Locations also add to the key of the time of period it was set in. This sets the scene and gives also depends on what audiences like to watch certain genres in a certain time period.

Costumes and Props

Within films costumes and props are the most important element along side continuity; this shows a key to the time of period it was set in. The costumes used in ours are modern, showing the film was filmed in the current period/century. The costumes also add to the type of characters they is, all the girls are fashionable and stylish, that the stage girls are pretty and dress attractive to show that Female symbolism that Males will be attracted to.
The costume that Aaron wears, are dark, to show mystery and to give the audience something to identify this also gives him that Stalker status from sniffing the scarf and stalking them.

The use of props was a main key; as we had to use the scarf has a main item that the stalker picks up and sniffs to show his characteristics that he is a stalker. This links in with the scream of Michaela (Lucy) and Shasta (Jenny), where Shasta's dialogue at the beginning of the frame is "I've forgotten my scarf" and later on we see them walking in the park and sitting on a bench. The link is when Aaron picks up the scarf from the exact bench that the girls have left to show that the stalker has found the scarf and Shasta (Jenny) might not find it again and this also gets the audience thinking about what the stalker will do with the scarf.

Camerawork and Editing

The frames are mainly edited through Overlay, Cross fading and dip to black. The Overlay show the memories and other key elements of the characters, for example, Alex running over the bridge and the overlay of Michaela playing the piano, shows who Alex is looking for, that she is remembering them thinking about the memories what she knew them for and that this also shows that her friends are always on her mind that they are who she is looking for.

I choose to use the different types of camera shots and combine them with the editing effects to stick with the narrative conventions and to allow the audience to understand the story.

Title Font and Style

For both logos, fonts and styles are different. The Company Logo uses "Adobe Caslon Pro" and the Font Style is "Semibold" with a 4 colour gradient. This font setting is also used for the Producer, Director and Actors names, to keep with the style of the film. Our Film Logo is different from the company logo; we didn't use the same font. From my research I have found that some films don't use the same font from their film logo to their film or they don't use their company font for their film. I thought it was best to keep with the company's unique touch and to give the logo a different style, showing that if we ever did make any more films this would be a sort of trademark or pattern that we use in our films to make the film have a owner in a way, letting the audience know who produced it.

Story and how the opening sets it up

We see the first shot of Alex laying on the floor and waking up, then with an overlay of the girls screaming, showing that Alex is waking up from the screams and remembers she was looking for the girls. She starts to remember them from their performances, playing the piano. As she is running over the bridge she is remembering them from these memories, which shows the audience who she is looking for and makes them wonder where they have gone. Later on we see Aaron picking up the scarf at the location they have been, which indicates that he might have something to do with them going missing.

Genre and how the opening suggests it

Our genre of Thriller is used within the opening by using the narrative conventions of girls going missing, the mysterious awaking of Alex and remembering them, the stalker doing the creepy and disturbing things such as sniffing the scarf and stalking them behind the curtain. With this we have the Mystery and the puzzle that the audience as the figure out and identifying the good and the bad guys. The scarf is a key item and shows how the stalker tracks down his targets as well has Alex being a key character along side the stalker, her waking up suggests many possibilities of why she is unconscious and will she find them in time as well has what the stalker will do and what did the girls see when they screamed.

How Characters are Introduced

Each character is introduced in a chronological way. Alex is introduced first to show the main character, the audience will be following Alex on her journey to finding her friends; she is then running and shouting the names of her friends to show that she is looking for them. Michaela (Lucy) and Shasta (Jenny) are seen walking and then turning around after Shasta says "I have forgotten my Scarf" and then turning around and screaming. We then see them again as an overlay where Alex wakes up and they are walking through the park and sitting on a bench. We are introduced to Aaron as he is walking from behind a tree and is walking to the bench, picks up the scarf and sniffs it. We don't see Aaron's face in detail he is dressed all in black and as he sniffs the scarf this shows that he is a mysterious character and is portrayed as a disturbing person. We then see him again behind the curtain looking at the girls which shows that he is the stalker and he is identified as the bad guy.

Special FX

We didn't use Special FX as such; we didn't use Green screen or CGI not like the sort of Special FX you get in Terminator or Star Wars. We only used effects such as Overlay and adjusting the Opacity to make the audience see more than one clip clearly and to show which clip is more important or dominant than the other.