Essay Plan: Creativity

Pre Production

• How did I come up with my Idea at AS and A2? – AS: Watched films of a similar genre and used class feedback to come fine tune the idea that we had. A2: Used inspiration from my own life, combined with inspiration for shots from other films.

Production

• Camerawork. AS: Limited shot use, lack of knowledge on how to use equipment such as steadicam. A2: Wide range of shots used, experience gained wit using the equipment and knowing what looks good and what doesn’t.
• Sound. AS: Just looked on website to see what sounded good with the film. A2: Researched music of my genre, then selected music carefully that would match the cut timings of my shots.
• Mise-en-scene. AS: Lighting – first time trying to film in dark areas, didn’t use appropriate lighting. Props – Didn’t use props. Location – Just used my own house for ease of access. Costume – was planned but not fine-tuned. A2: Lighting – to appropriately light dark areas. Props – Shovel. Location: Based the location on size, appropriateness and narrative. Costume – several different costumes based on genre

Post Production

• Editing. AS: Software used – Final Cut Pro X, pixelmator, didn’t colour grade, did I use effects effectively? A2: Using all the same software but at a higher level because of experience, now colour grading and using titles more appropriately.
• Score. AS: Picked music that loosley matched the theme of what I was going for. A2: Used a variety of music to complement mood and genre as well as matching the timings of cuts.

Essay Plan: Creativity

Pre Production

• How did I come up with my Idea at AS and A2? – AS: Watched films of a similar genre and used class feedback to come fine tune the idea that we had. A2: Used inspiration from my own life, combined with inspiration for shots from other films.

Production

• Camerawork. AS: Limited shot use, lack of knowledge on how to use equipment such as steadicam. A2: Wide range of shots used, experience gained wit using the equipment and knowing what looks good and what doesn’t.
• Sound. AS: Just looked on website to see what sounded good with the film. A2: Researched music of my genre, then selected music carefully that would match the cut timings of my shots.
• Mise-en-scene. AS: Lighting – first time trying to film in dark areas, didn’t use appropriate lighting. Props – Didn’t use props. Location – Just used my own house for ease of access. Costume – was planned but not fine-tuned. A2: Lighting – to appropriately light dark areas. Props – Shovel. Location: Based the location on size, appropriateness and narrative. Costume – several different costumes based on genre

Post Production

• Editing. AS: Software used – Final Cut Pro X, pixelmator, didn’t colour grade, did I use effects effectively? A2: Using all the same software but at a higher level because of experience, now colour grading and using titles more appropriately.
• Score. AS: Picked music that loosley matched the theme of what I was going for. A2: Used a variety of music to complement mood and genre as well as matching the timings of cuts.

Using real media conventions

https://atlas.mindmup.com/2015/11/56a56fc063150133232d057811df1edf/using_conventions_from_real_media_texts/index.html

Using conventions from real media texts

Today in class, as a group we began discussing “using real media conventions” as preparation for our end of year A2 exam. First of all we established the meaning of the word “convention” as a rule , method or practice established by usage. This is used in the world of film in order to meet or subvert the expectations of an audience.

We then identified five subgroups that would help us break down how there media conventions are actually created and used: symbolism, technical conventions, form/structure of the media, genre and representations used within it. After that we discussed as a class all of the techniques that can be used  within these genres to follow or subvert a convention.

Script Reading

Over the next few days I plan to do a script reading with characters of the same gender and a similar age of those who will be in my actual film. From doing this, I hope to get a feel for weather or not my script suits the personalities of the characters that I’m trying to create and weather it reads well and fluently over all.

Closer to the time I will do another script reading with my actual actors, but at this time they are not available to go through it. Running through it with my actors will allow me to make any needed amendments based on how the characters talk and deliver the words that I’ve written.

Going through the lines with other people including those who will be doing the initial script reading and my actual actors will also allow me to gather feed back on what works in dialogue and what doesn’t so that I can get it as close to real life as it can possibly be. I will also give my actors the opportunity to suggest how they would word the general jist of the conversation so that the dialogue sounds smooth and realistic as they say it.

My first script reading if all goes to plan will be this Saturday, 10th October!

“Media Ownership” Essay

January, 2013: What impact does media ownership have upon the range of products available to audiences in the media area you have studied?

Depending on who owns how much of a film and who the film is owned by a film can be broadly accessible or have limited access to by an audience. The film industry is largely dominated by conglomerates, known as “The Big Six.” These are the six main film production and distribution companies who provide most of the UK’s films, these companies are: Time Warner, The Walt Disney Company, Comcast, Sony, 21st Century Fox and Viacom. These conglomerates have adopted a vertical integration process meaning that they take charge of every element of the production and distribution process and in return also receive most of the profit that the film creates. However, smaller more independent production and distribution companies also exist, providing a small percentage of the UK’s film market in comparison to these major names. The number of films that they produce is no where near as mangy as the amount that “The Big Six” create just because the larger companies dominate so much of the market. There is no big competition for the six largest production and distribution companies.

The films produced by the large conglomerates are heavily advertised to their audiences, perhaps the reason for their success. Prometheus, by 20th century Fox had a $130,000,000 budget and was released on 513 UK cinema screens, from here the film made £6,234,812 on its opening weekend alone showing how massively popular and advertised the film was. Similarly another film released by 20th Century Fox, one of “The Big Six,” ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ also received high success rates despite being aimed at a relatively small audience compared to the larger Blockbuster movies. This is because of its promotion by a large conglomerate. The film was aimed mainly at women over the age of fifty yet still made $136.8 million from box office sales, DVD and Blue Ray alone. This is because films distributed by these major companies dominate the cinema screens leaving few showings for the smaller independent films.

‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ clearly made a hefty profit despite its small ageing audience. A factor to this is the fact that the film was so widely shown around the world on the big screens meaning that the audience didn’t have to travel far to see it in cinemas. In addition, director, John Madden was already an established director, encouraging audiences to go and see the film on tube basis that he has previously directed hit films and people assume that his following films will also be good.

However, smaller independent films such as ‘A Field in England’ have less opportunity to achieve success through the standardised distribution model so have to be creative when it comes to encouraging people to see their movie. This film adopted the idea of a day and date release allowing all of the hype around the movie to build up to a singular release weekend where the film made a large portion of its revenue totalling at £21,399 with 2213 admissions to PictureHouse Cinemas. Channel 4 were highly involved with the distribution of this film as they aired it on their TV channel, giving them access to some of the films profit, as well as real easing the film on their DVD branch, 4DVD. Cinema showings of this film we’re highly attended due to ‘meet the makers’ talks and question time with the Director Wes Anderson among some of the actors. In addition this film was available on video on demand services such as iTunes making it more accessible to audiences who didn’t catch the free screening on Channel 4 or want to go to the cinema.

Smaller, independent films therefore are far less available to audiences simply due to the fact that the larger conglomerate companies take up shelf space in shops with their blockbuster films, cinema screening times and are far more widely advertised.

“Media Ownership” Essay Plan

January, 2013: What impact does media ownership have upon the range of products available to audiences in the media area you have studied?

Paragraph One: Introduction

• Film industry dominated by “The Big Six” – conglomerates
• What are they?
• Vertical Integration
• How do smaller independent films fair up against this?
• No big competition for “The Big Six”

Paragraph Two: Domination of cinema screens

• Big films heavily advertised (Prometheus 20th Century Fox) (The best exotic Marigold Hotel 20th Century Fox)
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel aimed at women over 50 still made $136.8 from

Paragraph 3: How The Big Six Release Films (Prometheus)

• The films released by large media conglomerates are usually some of the most seen in the UK
• The estimated budget supplied by 20th Century Fox was $130,000,000.
• 20th Century Fox was the main production company behind the film and also distributed the film in the UK.
• 20th Century Fox is one of the ‘Big Six’ who are the media companies who dominate cinema screens around the world, most significantly the US and UK, meaning that many people will see the 20th century Fox logo and assume the film is good, increasing audience and therefore revenue.

Paragraph 4: ”        ” (The Best Marigold Hotel)

• Distributed by 20th Century Fox. Shown around the world on big screens
• Audience didn’t have to travel far – ageing audience
• John Madden already and established director

Paragraph 5: A Field in England

• See infographic

Project Wild Thing Case Study

Digital Distribution

-The film had a total of 113 screenings in 70 different cinemas, with 4,306 total admissions, making a box office profit of £22,305

-There were a total of 1,026 admissions to 12 pre-release screenings

-The DVD release was by Verve Pictures and had 1663 sales, making £16,630

-The film was shown after the UK premier in Sheffield Doc/fest in 56 screens on the opening weekend

-This is where Picture House cinemas booked to have the film shown on their screens

-On the opening weekend the box office took a gross of
£8,960 with 1626 admissions

Media Ownership

-The Kiickstarter Crowdfunding organisation raised £34,715 in November 1012 in order to complete the film.

-Some of the funding and marketing support was from the National Trust, The BRITDOC Foundation nad the NHS Sustainable Development Unit

– The companies who supported the release of the film had never been involved in theatrical distribution before. They publicised the film through editorials such as in the National Trust Magazine. They worked to harness the RSPB’s six million members, 86000 volunteers and sixteen million website views to help promote the film

-Green Lions worked with The National Trust, RSPB  and around 1500 other companies in order to raise awareness about the film and its campaign, This group of people were known as the ‘Wild Network’

-Green Lions wanted to self-distribute the film, so created an ‘impact distribution’ model: they used on-line communication to bring social and political change

New Technology

-The WildNetworkcreated a website, Facebook page (9,156 likes) and a twitter account (10,500 followers)

-‘Wild Wednesdays’ was a movement created by the group

-The film was awarded £32000 for an innovative use of partnerships in building  awareness of the social campaign highlighted in the film

-31% of the audience heard about the film from either Facebook or Twitter. David Bond created 50 blog posts about the film making process and its release

-The website has 213,715 visits

The Hunger Games Case Study

New Technology

-Between all of the Hunger Games’ social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Youtube) they have gathered over 6.5mil subscribers or followers

-In order to entice those with a distrust of the idea of a book to movie adaptation, Lionsgate created an interactive website in order to draw people into the world of the film

-This website included film clues and trails in order to create awareness of the film as a promotion technique

-Similarly to this, there was an on-line system for fans to register to a district and compete on-line against each other. Over 8000 went for this and it created enourmous hype around the film

-Cross media convergence was used in the promotion of this film as a Hunger Games app was released the day before the release of the film – The film was released on many download and streaming platforms

Media Ownership

-Author of the books, Suzanne Collins sold the rights for film production but also helped with the screenplay write.

-Colour Force originally owned both production and distribution rights over the film, but later collaborated with Lionsgate who then distributed the film throughout the world and to the UK

Digital Distribution

-Trailers for the film were released on-line and received many views very quickly due to a pre-existing fan base

-The film must have been expensive to produce as it was not filmed digitally

-This therefore must have also made it expensive to distribute

-The film experienced massive sales through VOD from iTunes and through xbox’s VOD service (Zune)

-Sales from DVD and BluRay totalled at $215,874,064

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Case Study