Film 'Mr Smith'

1. In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms of conventions of real media products?

Question 1

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2. How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

There is a strong link between our film, radio trailer and poster; our poster helps create an effective visual for our film. The poster would really support our film if it was to be shown in cinemas.

To create our poster we used Photoshop, we had taken pictures whilst we were filming to use when it came to this stage. There are two main images on our poster, the background is the graveyard/church that our character walks through every day, on top we have a silhouette of our character. The reason why we have used the image of the church is because it is one of the main locations in our film, this image also reflects on the film – spooky. We decided to have our main character as a silhouette because we thought that it helped make the poster look scary, we also thought that it’s reflective of how the character is in the film. Mr Smith is a very quiet man and does not say much in the film, the silhouette suggests that may be he is a dark character, hiding many things.

The colours in our poster are very dark and creepy looking; we had done this because it helped create that eerie atmosphere which links well with the film. The branches in the poster are more visible when the image is darkened and the darker blue help give it that sinister feel. The colours reflect the film very well as throughout the film it is very dark and eerie. There is also an outer glow on the main character as well as the text, the outer glow on the character suggests that there is some innocence of the man, it makes you think that maybe he isn’t the bad/evil one; the outer glow on the text again helps create that creepy and eerie feel which links well with the film.

The font used in our poster is called ‘Cracked’, I think that this is an amazing font and is perfect for our poster/film. We used this font because there were cracks in each letter, it gave that horror feel – we wanted to make sure that the audience knew straight away that the film is a horror film and I think that the font is one of the main things that help achieve that, and this font had done an amazing job in doing so.

The text on our poster is bold, we decided to do this because we wanted it to stand out, we have used the rule of thirds as our tagline ‘an ordinary man an ordinary day an extraordinary set of events’ I think that this tagline is effective to the audience, what helps create that fear to the audience is that the font gets bigger and bigger, we have done this because again we wanted to create that creepy feel. ‘MR SMITH’ is also in capital letters and is at the top of the poster, we decided to put that text at the top because firstly it is the characters name and we wanted to place it above the silhouette, also because it stands out more at the top... shows that it is important. This text also has red outer glow instead of the white, this is because we wanted to ensure that the viewers knew the name of the film and also because it gives a hint to the audience that something is going to happen to him.

Typically the BBFC rating are usually on the corners of posters, we decided to place it at the top right hand corner, this indicates the level of horror the audience should expect of the film. We decided not to add text saying ‘coming soon’ or the release date because we thought without  that it creates a more mysterious feel to it, and the audience will be eager to find out when it actually releases.

What makes our poster effective are the images and the colours on the poster, if the images had not been darkened down it would not make the poster as effective because it did not give that horror feel that we were searching for. I think the image of the church is what makes the poster, it is the whole background and very effective because of how the branches stand out and how old the church actually looks.

When creating the radio trailer we used the digital editing suite A.K.A The Studio. Recording our radio trailer in here made it sound extremely professional and the quality of the sound was great. We had a male voice over in our radio trailer, we done this because we wanted it to be very dramatic and it was. We also added background music which was used in our film, we got these from royalty free websites. The reason why we used the same music in our radio trailer as well as our film is because we wanted our ancillary text to link in with the film. We had first started off with eerie music which then lead on to it getting faster, which is quite typical for horror film radio trailers. We also had sound effects which we took from the film, they we’re the loud door noise, this is because throughout the film the loud noises are usually the door, we thought that it is an important sound from our film. 

Our trailer support our film because we have included our tagline ‘an ordinary man an ordinary day an extraordinary set of events’ , if you was to hear the trailer then you would immediately link it with our film poster as it has the tagline on it. We also have ‘Coming soon’ in our radio trailer, when this is said it is silent and there is no music playing, I think that by doing this it is very effective as it will hopefully excite the audience and attract people to watch our film.

Creating a poster and a radio trailer is very effective, as it can reach out to many more people, we can feature our poster on many magazines, newspapers and billboards which are seen everywhere, a large amount of people look at newspapers and magazines and advertising our poster on them would attract more audiences to want to see the film. The radio trailer would have only been played on specific radio stations and it would not have been heard very much so it is important that our poster is everywhere.

Overall, both my ancillary texts are effective and create a very strong link between them and my film.

3. What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Question 3

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4. How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Mr. Smith - Radio Trailer

Mr. Smith Film Poster

The Film poster was created in Adobe Photoshop

Editing

We had used FINAL CUT PRO to edit our film, we had used this application because we thought it would be best to use to edit.
At first it was difficult to use, how to create different effects and adding transitions were quite hard to do; but after a few tries I had become more familiar with it and it became a lot more easier to use.

There are many tools which we used whilst editing, on of which is the RAZOR TOOL. This allows you to cut up different parts of the clip. This was used to remove unwanted parts of the scene.



 The title of our film 'Time Films... Presenting Mr Smith' was also created on Live Type i struggled with it at first but after alot more attempts at working with it i got the hang of it and  became familiar with the application very quickly.

BLOOPER REEL

Final Day Filming - Re Filming Shots

This is the shot when Mr. Smith is locked out of the school, when we first filmed this shot we filmed it with the headmistress, but the sound quality did not come out right because her voice was to low. therefore when we refilmed this shot we decied to cut her out of the scene as time was running out.

Day 3 - Filming

We managed to film the climax scenes (Mr Smiths disappearance) and a few more office shots and walking shots, as well as the present scene shots in the new building which did not make the final cut of the film.

  

Day 2 - Graveyard Filming

I was responsible to try and find my group a location to film in, we had done some research on local graveyard that were near our school so that it will benefit us we it came to carrying equipment. when researching i found the location of the church and behind it was a graveyard. Furthermore when i had to book a time for filming there were many complications because the day we had been given to film at the graveyard, when we turned up there was no one there to open the gates and when i called the caretaker for the graveyard no one was picking up. this resulted to us wasting a day of filming and our actors time. the following day i went to see the caretaker and him and i rescheduled a day for filming.

Today we filmed the graveyard scenes, we managed to get most of it done but towards the end it began to rain, and our camera also died luckily we had had taken enough shots so we did not have to go back to film.

    

Day 1 - Filming

 

Day 1 at filming went really well, today we filmed Mr. Smith in school teaching, marking work in his office we manage to film all the scenes we had scheduled on the agenda.

Film Schedule

 

Audio Sound & Music

We use many royalty free sounds from many websites such as sounddog.com and others from incompetech.com and soundwashed.com.

The music used in our film, many of the were from incompetech.com.

Actor Contract Signed!!

Above is a the actors contract, as our film only consists of one character this made filming time less difficult because we only had to fit our timtable around one person.

Costume List

Above are a list of costumes and props that will be needed when filimg our film, it is necissary to know all the things needed and also have them when filming so that I & the rest of the group are prepared to film the scenes planned without stopping because the actor or location is missing something.

Editing

we used final cut pro to edit our movie

Actors Film Contract

Story Plot Change Decison

Lighting Plan

Graveyard scene (on his way to school):

Low key lighting - because we want to create a dark eerie feel to it.

Silhouette lighting – the path in front of the school, because the characters face is yet to be shown. Create a spooky atmosphere.

Office Scene (marking work):

Low key lighting – because we want the atmosphere to be scary, you can tell that something is not right and something is about to happen.

Return of Mr Smith:

High key lighting – because Mr Smith has returned after many years want this moment to be bright and in with the present day.

Generally, throughout the film we want the lighting to be dull and gloomy because it is set in the past and we want to create a dark and eerie atmosphere.

Lighting Technical

Low key Lighting -Low-key lighting is a style of lighting for photography, film or television low-key lighting often uses only one key light, optionally controlled with a fill light or a simple reflector.


The term "low key" is used in cinematography to refer to any scene with a high lighting ratio, especially if there is a predominance of shadowy areas. It tends to heighten the sense of alienation felt by the viewer, hence is commonly used in horror genres.

Mr Smith Script

Research on Question 1. Conventions

Question 1. Conventions

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and convention of real media products?

 

Conventions – is a typical or traditional in your media product also known as a standard procedure.

   

·      Audience

·      Expectations

·      Genre

·      Narrative 

Film elements	Conventions	Used/challenge	Explanation
Narrative	Our film uses the typical convention on ending on a cliffhanger.	USE	Many horror thriller films always finish with a cliffhanger or the unknown will have followed this convention.
Characterisation	Our opening scene hides the characters identify we do this through the use of camera shots.	DEVELOP	In many horror films the use of hiding the character suggests that he is the antagonist where as we have developed this idea and formed it to base our protagonist.
Characterisation	In our film the victim is a man.	CHALLENGE	Usually in many horror films the victim tends to be a child or a woman our film challenges this convention because our victim is a middle aged man.

 

Opening Scene

What is narrative?

The opening of doors begins with the audience unaware of the full description and features of the main character Mr. Smith; furthermore this gives an eerie feeling that the audience are to expect the unknown.  This method of narrative is also known as the enigma code where by Barthes believed that some films/movies often began with a mystery. Past movie productions that have followed Barthes theory is inception, where the main character Leonardo Dicaprio is on the beach and the audience are confused to why he is there or and what trouble he has gotten himself into? 

Our reason for this chosen method instead of others like Torodov's theory of Equilibrium - Disequilibrium - Equilibrium  or Strauss theory of binary opposition is because we wanted our audience to think for themselves as active audience and not to give the whole plot/story away in the first opening scene.

Exposition – rising action – climax – falling action – resolution

Our Film Location: Graveyard/Chuch (ooohhhh Scarrreeyy)

 

above are two pictures of the famous church/ graveyard in which we have booked and signed contract to film in for the creation of our film.

Audience Survey

 

Above is our group audience survey to find out more about our audiences likes and dislikes on a horror film. eg what to feature?  above 38.9% of or audience said that they wanted the horror film to be filmed in a forest followed by 28.7% who wanted a church. both location are used in our film but me and my group members decided to  develop these ideas and include a graveyard which is set in an old church on Morgan street on Mile End Road.

Our Institution LOGO

Using Camera - Techniques

Today me and my group members are in the steps of creating our film. but first we are to learn the basic techniques of a camera and how to use it in order to make our film in the best quality.

Head Room:  The space between the top of a subject’s head and the top of the frame. Headroom must be carefully apportioned so that there is not too much or too little, especially if shooting for transfer to video or for blowup, where the frame will be cropped in a little on the top and sides.


Macro: It’s basically close-up photography where the image projected on the camera sensor is relatively the same size as your subject. Super Macro allowa people to see more; what this means is that,  your sensor sees closer than the human eye which leads to some unusual photography.

White Balance 

 Why would you need to get the colour right in your shots?

White balance (WB) is the process of removing unrealistic colour casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in your photo. Proper camera white balance has to take into account the "colour temperature" of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light. Our eyes are very good at judging what is white under different light sources, but digital cameras often have great difficulty with auto white balance (AWB) — and can create unsightly blue, orange, or even green colour casts. Understanding digital white balance can help you avoid these colour casts, thereby improving your photos under a wider range of lighting conditions.

When using a camera there are symbols that indicate to illustrate what effect you intend to use in your picture or when filming. 

The picture above is the difference between when white balance is applied and when its not!!!

Film Theory

Rule of thirds

By placing interesting components of your image at intersecting points, such as people, buildings, animals, or your main subject, you can make your image well balanced and help viewers naturally move through your image. The rule is based off of a subconscious movement throughout artwork where a viewers eye pauses at one of the four intersecting corners longer than it would in other such areas such as the far edges.

Roles and Responsbility of Film Industry

• Producer > film producers create the conditions for making movies and film producers initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters for example raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors. in addition film producers are  involved throughout all phases of the film making process from development to completion of a film.

• Director > responsible for overseeing the creative aspects of a film, this includes controlling the content and flow of the film's plot, directing the performances of Actors, organizing and selecting the locations in which the film will be shot, and managing technical details such as the positioning of cameras, the use of lighting, and the timing and content of the film's soundtrack.

• Executive Producer > executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making process, but the executive producer is still responsible for the overall production. generally the executive producer handles business and legal issues

• Production Manager > production manger supervises the physical aspects of the production and not the creative aspects this includes personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling. the production mangers responsibility is to make sure the filming stays on schedule and within its budget. in addition the production manger also helps manage the day-to-day budget by managing operating costs such as salaries, production costs, and everyday equipment rental costs.

• Production Coordinator > responsible for organizing all the logistics from hiring crew, renting equipment, and booking talent. The production coordinator is an integral part of film production.

• Post-production Supervisor > responsible for the post-production process. therefore during filming they maintain clarity of information and good channels of communication between the Producer, Editor, Supervising Sound Editor, the Facilities Companies such as film labs, CGI studios etc and the Production Accountant.

• Production Assistant > assist in the production office or in various departments with general tasks, such as assisting the First Assistant Director with set operations.

• Screenwriter > responsible for script. screenwriter may be involved in varied degree with creative aspects of production.

• Script Supervisor > keeps track of what parts of the script have been filmed and makes notes of any changes between what was actually filmed and what appeared in the script.script supervisor also make notes on every shot, and keep track of props, blocking, and other details to ensure continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene. the notes of the script supervisor are given to the Editor to expedite the editing process and the script supervisor work closely with the director on set.

• Stunt Coordinator >arranges the casting and performance of the stunt, working closely with the Director.

• Casting Director > chooses the Actors for the characters of the film.

• First Assistant Director > assists the Production Manager and Director. first assistant director mainly ensures that the film comes in on schedule and maintain a working environment in which the Director, principal artists (Actors) and crew can be focused on their work. first assistant director is also responsible for directing background action for major shots or the entirety of relatively minor shots, at the Director's discretion.

• Second Assistant Director > helps carry out those tasks delegated to the first assistant director. the second assistant director also might direct background action and extras also they might help the first assistant director with scheduling , booking etc. the second assistant director is also responsible for creating Call Sheets that let the crew know the schedule and important details about the shooting day.

• Location Manager > responsible for final clearing a location for filming

• Production Designer > responsible for creating the physical, visual appearance of the film - settings, costumes, character makeup, all taken as a unit.

• Art Director > art directors oversees artists and craftspeople, such as the Set Designers, Graphic Artists, and Illustrators who give form to the production design as it develops.

• Illustrator > draws or paints visual representations of the designs to communicate the ideas imagined by the Production Designer.

• Set Designer > Architect, who realizes the structures or interior spaces called for by the Production Designer.

• Set Decorator >responsible for the decorating of a film set, which includes the furnishings and all the other objects that will be seen in the film.

• Set Dresser > responsible for applying and removing the "dressing", i.e., furniture, drapery, carpets everything one would find in a location, even doorknobs and wall sockets.

• Construction Coordinator > responsible for the construction of all the sets

• Prop maker > responsible for building the props that are used for the film. responsible for finding and managing all the props that appear in the film.

Narrative Stucture

Narrative

In media terms, narrative is the coherence/organization given to a series of facts. The human mind needs narrative to make sense of things. We connect events and make interpretations based on those connections. In everything we seek a beginning, middle and an end. We understand and construct meaning using our experience of reality and of previous texts. Each text becomes part of the previous and the next through its relationship with the audience.

Most of the films we see at the cinema are narrative films, films that tell a story. Even films which are factual often employ story methods to get this point across, for instance a documentary may follow the 'story' of a group of environmental warriors over a period of six months in their fight to prevent a road being built. We are so steeped in the narrative tradition that we approach a film with certain expectations, whether we know anything about the story or not. For example: We expect the opening to give us information about whom, what and where. To see a series of incidents, which are connected with each other? Problems and/or conflicts. The ending to resolve the action or cast new light on what has happened As the viewer watches a film, they pick up cues, recall information, anticipate what will follow, and generally participate in the creation of the film's form. The film shapes the particular expectations by summoning up curiosity, suspense, and surprise. The viewer also develops specific hunches about the outcome of the action, and these may control our expectations right up to the end. The ending has the task of satisfying or cheating the expectations prompted by the film as a whole. The ending may also activate memory by cueing the spectator to review earlier events, possibly in a new light. As we examine the narrative for

Narrative Theories

1. Claude Levi-Strauss - constant creation of conflict/opposition propels narrative. Narrative can only end on a resolution of conflict. Binary oppositions.

Levi-Strauss looked at narrative structure in terms of binary oppositions. Binary oppositions are sets of opposite values which reveal the structure of media texts. An example would be GOOD and EVIL - we understand the concept of GOOD as being the opposite of EVIL. Levi -Strauss was not so interested in looking at the order in which events were arranged in the plot. He looked instead for deeper arrangements of themes. For example, if we look at Science Fiction films we can identify a series of binary oppositions which are created by the narrative

2. Tvzetan Todorov - suggests narrative is simply equilibrium, disequilibrium, new equilibrium.

Bulgarian structuralism linguist publishing influential work on narrative from the 1960s onwards) Todorov suggested that stories begin with an equilibrium or status quo where any potentially opposing forces are in balance. This is disrupted by some event, setting in chain a series of events. Problems are solved so that order can be restored to the world of the fiction.