Joel Beckford: On The Run

Evaluation 7

Question 7 media from jack rundle

Evaluation 6

6) What have I learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Due to an increase in digital technology, we as a group have had access to a variety of different types of software such as Blogger so that I could keep up write about what we had done in each lesson and keep up to date with different types of feedback to make my work better. I was also easily able to search for new information such as genre history and different conventions. I had access to different media platforms and was able to use non-copyrighted music from YouTube and transfer it into an mp3 format so that I could put it onto our opening sequence. By doing so it has made our clip so much better. I learnt how to upload and use YouTube effectively and it also helped me with font ideas, sound and music research as I could actually watch clips from different spy films such as Casino Royale, Skyfall and James Bourne. It has also helped me to construct our film with much better developed ideas for mise-en-scene. It also allowed me to review different clips from other opening sequences such as Jason Bourne and other spy films. I could also take screenshots to analyse them and so that people could understand what I was talking about.

During filming we found that we needed to take many clips from different angles but it also needed to be the same shot. Therefore, we used three different phones to film the same clip at one time and the when editing we dissected different clips and integrated them to create three different angles. We also used tri-pods to create a steady shot and because the shots were very short and fast this created tension within our clip. We used many jump cuts from the hostage and bodyguard running towards the elevator to a normal civilian going about their day and then they finally meet in the elevator. The reason this is effective is because we watched this and saw this type of work used in many opening sequences and then we just re-invented it to make it our own style.

When filming the preliminary tasks this allowed our group to practice using a camera and tri-pod accurately and also to use a collective of different shots from different angles and put them together so that they flow together. We also filmed our focus group with a phone as we were able to set it straight using the tri-pods which school provided for us. It created a solid shot and was highly stable. We were able to just cut out the start of the clip where we were getting ready using final cut pro on the iMacs at school. In order to show off our piece we uploaded it to YouTube and this allowed other students to see our work.

Evaluation 5

Evaluation 4

Evaluation question 4 from jack rundle

Evaluation 3

3) What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

In order for our film to be successful and also make a vast amount of money, the media institution is very important thing to consider and when distributing it. If we do not have a popular or a good media institution, then unfortunately it will mean that we won’t make any money as people will be unwilling to spend their hard earned money and watch the film. I think that Columbia pictures is one of the most suitable media institutions to distribute our product as they are part of the Big 6 major distribution companies and have also distributed the 3 latest James Bond film. Due to our film as being part of the spy genre this would be highly beneficial. All of these films were spy thrillers and made millions in profit.

Moreover, when people see our film being distributed by one of the Big 6 they may associate it with a James Bond style film which was undoubtedly very successful, making the audience think very highly of our film. Our film also fits in with the same target audience as the James Bonds films which will make people want to watch it as they will be familiar with these institutions. Due to there being a huge rise in digital technology to distribute our film, we would release a teaser trailer and images of our set through social media platforms such as: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This would inevitably get the audience talking about the film creating some sort of ‘hype’ for the film. In order to increase our final profits. After DVD and download release, we would further distribute the film in Netflix and there it can be accessed on a variety of devices. If a film is much more easily accessible on n iPad or iPhone people are much more likely to watch it if they do not want to go to the cinema to watch it or download. 

Evaluation 2

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In our opening sequence we have portrayed three different types of classes: Working class, middle class and upper class. Firstly, the bodyguard is the working class – we can say this due to the fact that he is hired by the villain to work for him, protect him and also to make sure that the hostage does not escape. Secondly, the hostage is middle class, the audience will be able to establish this due to him having very smart clothing and being casually dressed. The upper class is represented by the villain, as he is wearing a well-fitted suit with his shirt tucked in and looking very smartly dressed but he also creates dominance and power when he walks into the room which suggests that he is rather wealthy. We used a low angle shot on the bodyguard to emphasise his strength and size. 

At the end of the chase scene the hostage is seen to challenge the stereotypical strong male by escaping from the bodyguard and the villain. Joe Beckford is a strong independent as he can be seen working independently and being a dominant character in the spy-thriller scene. We have made ours different to other films as the protagonist does not get caught. This also creates enigma for the audience as they will wonder how has he been able to escape so easily and proved to be so strong. 

          

On the other hand, to help the costume of our characters, I researched into the film Jason Bourne to which Matt Damon is dressed in his own clothes and the people whom are trying to capture him are dressed in suits. Additionally, from looking at several James Bond films and seeing Bond portray his masculinity and class through his suit. We decided to dress the Villain in a suit to show his power and authority over the other characters. We did this so that he is representing James Bond as a stereotypical powerful male character and someone of a high class.

Evaluation 1

preliminary task

2nd Editing session

During this session we had to match all of the clips together and make sure that they all fit together. We had to make sure that all the clips would match and also that there was no clips which jumped from one shot to another. We also made sure that there was continuity within our clip so that our backing track would fit with our whole sequence. During our second session we added many short shots in between long shots such as Josh and Luke speaking so that it split some of the clips up and made them shorter.

During one of our final clips,we had to shorten each clip as it made the final sequence really long and in order to build tension. We added some of the shorter clips into our final sequence to make it longer and also to space out some of the shots. We also tested our backing track in this session to see if it would actually fit in with our final piece.

3rd Editing session

During the 3rd Editing session of our new clip we linked together many clips to see if they would all run smoothly. We have not started Editing the sound yet, but we are making sure that all the different shots are fast paced and don't jump from one scene to another. In order to do this, we have tracked our movement from one shot to the next so that it runs fluently during the course of our clip. We have nearly finished putting all the clips onto our new movie but we still need to thoroughly check for errors and mistakes which we may have made when working on the film.

Additionally, we have also made sure that the clips are much shorter this time instead of massive long clips and at the moment it is all coming together very well. Next lesson we will be getting our final clips together and making sure that all of the sound is the same - so that one clip is not louder than the other. We will also be adding in our background music and see if it actually works with our piece

New production schedule

New schedule due to encountered problems that we faced

Sunday 17th of February 2017

·         Arrive at the car park at 3:30 pm meet.

·         Set up tripods and cameras.

·         Film chronologically.

·         Review product and see what needs improving.

Friday 10th of March 2017

·         Meet at 1:05 pm in common room and head to location.

·         On arrival prepare tripods and cameras as well as props for correct placement.

·         Film the main scene first and do shorter scenes afterwards to make sure shots fit together.

·         Check if produce is good to use

problems that we faced

Problems

Problems that we faced during filming where some of the tripods and the fact that they would not move or stand up the way that we wanted them to. During our time filming we got into a group to discuss how we would go around filming this for the second time and include more shots and create more tension. Many of our phones started to turn off due to the cold weather which was a major problem as this meant we had to stop filming on one phone and switch to another. Another problem we faced was lighting - for many of the shots  we just used natural lighting. However, for the last couple of shots when it started to get darker we had to use artificial light from our cameras such as a flashlight and background lighting. Lastly, the biggest problem we faced was making sure that all of the shots fitted smoothly together so that it would enable us to edit more easily. This is one of the major problems we faced last time as most of the shots jumped and did not fit together. Here as some of the pictures we took during our time discussing and when we started filming. 

Call Sheet

Shot List

Editing

continuity
blade
transitions
timing
cut
decisions
framing
issues about tripod

Firstly, our editing has continuity so we made sure that all of our clips link together in order to create a solid sequence. If all of our shots did not fit in we would have to re-do them however we made sure that they all flowed when filming. I used the blade tool when filming to break up our clips and also so that the shot can change from one angle to the other in a simple and smooth transition. We made sure that our shots fit together by staying in the same positions and moving the camera angle. We even brought tape to put on the floor so that we knew where we were exactly standing and sitting in the previous shot so that it all fits together.

The timing of our shots had to be perfect so that they did not look out of time - in order to get this smooth transitioning look we had to cut our clips so that they would fit together. When we cut the clips we had to watch them whilst looking at the other clips so that the clips fit together even when we change angles. I had to make many decision and overcome some tough barriers whilst filming. The biggest decision

Filming

Firstly, we started filming our opening sequence at the vue cinema in Altrincham. Myself, Luke and Josh were the three main characters. During our filming we encountered a few problems- such as: our camera would not focus and also the tripod would not stay steady. We overcame these barriers by filming some segments of our clips without the use of the tripod and we had to manually focus the camera so that it created a focusing shot.

The main struggle was remembering what positions we were in and making sure that all the clips would fit in together so that we could easily edit it and the clips would all fit together. This was extremely hard as we had to make sure that there was nobody in the background and no excess noise. We filmed our opening sequence at around midday on the 17th of December. We did this in order to enable good lighting and also the dark gloomy sky made sure that it gave a gloomy spy effect.

I filmed a video of Luke walking away from the camera towards Josh. I did an over the shoulder shot to ensure that Josh was seen in the shot. It has enabled me to work on my technique and how to get a better angle. Due to me being one of the main characters in the sequence I did not gain was many opportunities to film but every-time I was off camera I was helping the team and filming different shots. I also filmed the shot of Josh talking on the phone at the start.

Firstly, we have decided too use this soundtrack due to the fact that it has a very high-intensity and as the speed of the music increases so does the intensity of our filming. This therefore builds up enigma and inevitably makes it much more exciting. The music which we will be using is no-copyrighted so that we can incorporate this into our opening sequence.
The non-diegetic music at the start builds up tension

Font ideas

JOEL BECKFORD – ON THE RUN!

JOEL BECKFORD – ON THE RUN!

 JOEL BECKFORD – ON THE RUN!

JOEL BECKFORD – ON THE RUN!

JOEL BECKFORD – ON THE RUN!

We will be using these fonts to display our  credits and also to present the title of our opening sequence. I think that it is better to use bright colours such as red, orange and green to make it bold and more appealing to the eye. The first two fonts are  very boring and do not portray what we are trying to present and also does not build any enigma at all. However, the bright colours and bold  font will create mystery as well as excitement and people will be able to see and read the title perfectly.

Sound research

Sound in our opening sequence.

In our opening sequence we will include dialogue as well as diegetic and non dietetic sound. The dialogue will come from the two bodyguards interacting and talking to each other about what they will do to the hostage. The dietetic sound will come from the actual scenery- for example when Jack shouts to Josh "everything alright?" this is a use of diegetic sound. On the other hand, a use of non-diegetic is the music in which we will play in the background of the opening sequence.

We will also encounter diegetic sound through the footsteps of the bodyguards and also from the bang which can be heard. We will increase the sound of the footsteps to make it more dramatic and also to build enigma.

Our storyboard for the opening sequence

Casting for our spy film

Casting: In our media opening sequence we only have 3 main characters due to the fact that it is only short and we can't possibly include more people as it would not work. It is also because we are shooting a hostage scene therefore the less people works better and also little speech is used to increase enigma and also adds the suspense to try and workout how Joel Beckford ended up there.

Jack Rundle- Joel Beckford

In this opening scene i will play the main character as Joel Beckford. In my opinion i think this is a good idea as i am a fairly confident character and serious about creating a great opening sequence. We as a group have also made this decision through feedback from our target audience\

Jack Davenport - Bodyguard 

Jack will play a bodyguard as he is a very confident and enthusiastic character but also very serious when we need him to be. From the feedback we have been given we have concluded that both Jack and Josh will be perfect for this role. He will also be wearing a suit to assert his dominance over the hostage.

Josh Worrall - Main Bodyguard

Josh will play the role of the bodyguard for the hostage scene in our opening sequence as he is tall and an intimidating character. This will work well as it will make the hostage feel under threat. Josh is also good at staying in character and being serious. He will also be wearing a suit alongside Jack as it adds to the whole spy convention and also the smartly dressed theme which is used in many spy films.

Filming location

We have chosen this location to film our Media clip due to the fact that it compliments the whole spy genre as it gives it the whole "abandoned house" feeling. At night, when it gets dark this will be a perfect location due to the fact that it will give it a more scary feeling and therefore build enigma. We will be taking many different clips which incorporate the background of these pictures. We took photos to see whether the location would match what we were trying to portray and thankfully it works well and will be a prime location to film our end piece. From asking many of our target audience 'where is the best location for a hostage to be held?' - they said either an abandoned building or a car park. Therefore this place is just right for what we are trying to present.

Analysis of credits

The credits of the main stars 0f the production are normally the first to appear, after the introduction of the production company. The most important stars always appear first in an opening sequence as it shows them who will be the main character and if it is a well known actor this will create interest from there on the names descend in order of importance. For example - in James Bond, Daniel Craig's name will appear on the screen first as he is the main character and so on. Big name actors are used to draw in an audience to a film, raise its profile and essentially acting as synergy to promote the film mainly through their massive social media platforms. The film credits are cut with the non-diegetic sound track, fading in and out of the beat. However the film does follow the conventions of an opening title sequence through the use of introducing main stars.

Spy film conventions and codes

Film openings will usually show logos or identification of the production companies and also the distribution companies which are involved in the production of the media text. These are anticipated by the audience in many ways as it sets an expectation and what they are likely to see. For example if they see a warner brothers logo within the start or end of the opening sequence they will expect a high budget and action packed film.

Enigma codes are used during the opening sequence of a film to get the audiences minds ready for the film but also to make it more intriguing. The enigma rives the audience and therefore is the ice breaker between whether they find the film interesting or not. A good example of this is in a horror film where a shadow comes flying towards the audience - leaving them in shock, this also creates questions such as 'why did that happen?' and 'who may that be?'

Establishing of characters is one of the key conventions in a film opening as it is where the audience generally see the main character and understand their importance within a film. The establishing of characters helps the audience identify the genre of the film as some actors are usually associated with one specific genre.

My Focus Group

We decided to put together a focus group to collect many different views of what both males and females think about the spy convention. The participants which can be seen in the video are between the ages of 16 and 17.

Opening sequence analysis

In this opening sequence tension is increasingly built as he gets closer towards the edge of the Clift but also how the other skiers become closer and closer towards him. In the first segment of this clip  we can see that the male is making love to his wife but suddenly stops as something comes up which he has to deal with. We can tell that he is now serious due to his facial expressions and his quick change of clothing. Suddenly the tempo of the background music changes and becomes faster. Suddenly the camera shots become faster in order to build suspense by switching from different environments. e.g. the clip will diverse from a view of the mountains to an extreme close-up.

Secondly, as the diegetic sound becomes louder the shots starts to pan and editing is used to incorporate many different angles and shots types in order to make the film much more interesting and different. The use of extreme long shots is introduced to make the film seem much more unique and realistic as it inevitably makes you feel a part of it. A Crane shot is used to create height and look down on the characters but it is also used to show how close they both are together. Lastly, the 'villains' are dressed in black outfits which is stereotypically associated with the 'bad' characters and on the other hand the man skiing away is dressed all in white which is associated with the 'good' guy.

Rule of Thirds - When setting up a shot we will use the rule of thirds to create space, interest and balance in our shots. By using the rule of thirds we are basically putting emphasis on the central character - which will also be our main character within the opening clip.

Headroom - It is the amount of room in which we will leave between the top of the camera and the top of the actors head. For example if we are using a close-up shot the space between the head and the top of the camera will be very small.

Looking room is the amount of space left in the direction the subject is looking. During a shot when one person is talking to another—the person on the left will be framed to the left of centre and the other person to the right.

When we take a video of the main character talking directly to camcorder—we will place the subject to the left or right of centre.

Lead space refers to the space in front of a moving subject, for example when our main character is walking or in a moving vehicle. This is also be referred to as nose room, or look space. Without adequate lead space, the frame will look awkward therefore we will need to introduce this into our opening clip to make it much more intrigung

Perspective - We will use perspective creatively to draw our audience towards a certain image. It is also a great way to change and enhance the mood

Natural frames - This is where will shoot our main characters from within the frames—for example, a building through an archway or a person in a doorway