Question 7: Looking back at your preliminary task, what have you learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Looking back at my preliminary task, I have learnt that hard work and dedication is the way forward. I have learnt a lot whilst making my film. I learnt how to make background noise fade, how to cut from one scene to the other smoothly, how to add  appropriate background music at the beginning of my film and how to add some background music to the film. I have learnt how to use a camera properly and how to use the settings; also I have learnt how different camera angles have effect on target audiences. For example a camera angle I have learnt, and won’t forget Is the extreme close up. I learnt that it is used to show emotions and feelings. In my personal opinion I think I have made a huge progress from my preliminary task to my final edited product.

Question 6: what have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

During the filming of my opening sequence I found it quite difficult using a tripod because when I played the scene, the tripod made a lot of noise. To overcome this problem I decided to use my hand to hold the camera. This was a lot better because my hands were quite steady which made it better to film and the background noise reduced. I used an Apple Mac Computer to edit my opening sequence. This software was really hard to use but I played around with it for a while then I got used to it. It was really helpful because I was able to cut some of the unnecessary background noise out, I was also able to use the effects such as “The Ripple” to help create emphasis on my the scene. I produced the music that I used in my opening sequence using “Garage Band”. Whilst I was making my film I had to make sure that there was no obstacle in the way, I also had to make sure my location were in a safe area, and shooting all my scenes during daytime, this is so my characters are safe and no accidents happening during filming.

i used a Canon Camera to video my opening sequence.

<i  used the editing software on a Mac computer to edit my film.

Question 5: How did you attract/address your audience?

Before I filmed my opening sequence I had to do a lot of research to make sure I attracted& address the right target audience. I had to make sure that my film was exciting and I had to make something a teenager would be interested in, and something they would want to carry on watching. Having teenage characters also helped in attracting and engaging the right target audience, it also helped the teenage viewers feel involved. I wanted to make an opening sequence that the audience would watch and think to themselves “I know that feeling”. Attracting the right target audience to suite my film idea I had to, create a questionnaire, this allowed me to see what different people of different age groups preferred watching. I didn't make my film according to the results of my questionnaire this was because I had a lot if adult response. I also had complete a task for our Blogs on our favorite movie genres, this helped  me in making the decision of making a “Coming of Age” drama as my opening sequence. My personal favourite Movie genres are: teen drama/comedy Movies. This is because I can relate to them, and also understand the message they are trying to get across.

Question 4: who would be the audience for your media product?

From doing my research on the BBFC and watching my opening sequence piece, my film will be rated 12. The narrative of my  “Coming of Age” drama focuses on a female teen character who is 18 years of age, therefore my film will appeal to anyone in their teenage years and now growing up into adulthood. I think the BBFC I rated my film is appropriate, because I wrote the film from a teenager’s perspective. My opening sequence piece hasn’t got expensive cameras used to video it, so it didn’t come out top range like other coming of age films such as: 16 wishes, but the storyline can help my teenage target audience relate to whatever it is that’s happened to them or if they haven’t experienced such thing, my media product can give them an insight on what others that have been through it really feel.

Question 3: what kind of media institute might distribute you media product?

It is very unlikely that my film will get distributed to a big media institution like a cinema. This is because it doesn’t have the level of quality to be shown/distributed by a media institute of high standards. My chosen film genre has already been produced and released to high quality; releasing another “Coming of Age” drama into cinema with poor quality wouldn’t seem appropriate. On the other hand I would like to see my media product launched on social networking sites such as: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter & MySpace. By doing it creates a hype, enigma and buzz for the audience. It would also be easier for my target audience to have access to. Reason being; technology is the new way of everything, especially with teenagers. My media product being on networking sites will allow my target audience to access it anytime during the day. Teenagers don’t spend time watching TV anymore, they would rather be on their laptop socializing with friends. And from if a teenager sees the advertisement, they can pass the information to their friend and they can pass it on from there as well.

Question 2: How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product represents a particular social group through Gender& Age. It represents teenagers growing up and leaving the childish ways, and experiencing the feeling of reality hitting them hard. In my opening sequence piece I have a female character as my main focus. The film starting with a female character in some ways creates a sense of vulnerability. In some films women are presented to be weak, passive rather than active. In my media product I presented the characters to be friendly, caring and fashionable. They are shown to be matured, independent, and respectful. The main character in the film is turning 18, this shows that that’s the age where leaving the childish ways behind is essential. As we see in the last scene sometimes girls can’t handle reality and rather than facing it head on, like some boys do, girls tend to breakdown. It follows on with chick flick movies such as; Mean girls and Clueless. They all use female characters to play the main character because they present them to be strong physically but shown to be very weak and vulnerable inside.

Question 1: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The title of my two minute opening sequence is called “The Unwanted Wish”.  The title was inspired by a major event that happened on my 14^th birthday. On the morning of that day I made a wish, I got out of bed and everything from there went downhill. In the early afternoon of that same day I found myself in the middle of a huge water fight. I was soaked, and dripping with water from head to toe. It felt like a dream I couldn’t wake up from.

I got the opportunity to make my own short film; this made me think hard on what I would want this short film to be based on. I then decided to make the film similar to the event that happened on my 14^th birthday. My opening sequence piece falls under the category of the “Coming of Age” genre. My chosen genre is quite common as it engages my target audiences, which are mainly Teenagers. This is because my opening sequence piece is based on what goes on in the modern society and in teenage life now. Often teenagers make wishes for the future, but sometimes theses wishes don’t always come true and sometimes they can go terribly wrong and backfire.

I have had a lot of influences on teenage drama/coming of age films, examples of my influences are: twilight, fish tank, freaky Friday, 17 again, 13 going on 30, 16 wishes and finally 16 candles.

I had a laptop and a broken white candle as props for my opening sequence piece. I chose to use the laptop as one of my props because it shows how modernized the film is, and it also show how technology has changed from when they made films in the 1980’s till now. The broken white candle in the last scene of my film represents her confusion and how incomplete she is, this could have been the reason she made the wish.

I used Diegetic and non-Diegetic sounds in my opening piece.

Diegetic:

·         At the beginning of the film we can hear the character talking to her friend on Skype and als0 when she spoke to her brother, when he came to wish her happy birthday.

·         Footsteps, door opening, can be heard in the film

We know its Diegetic sound because it’s within the frame and within context

Non-Diegetic:

·         I used different background music to help create a foreshadowing of what’s going to happen in the next scene.

We know it’s a non-diegetic sound because it’s not happening within the frame or context.

I decided to make the costumes for my characters in my movie modern and in trend with the fashion sense going on in this generation. This is because it will appeal more to my target audience.

As my opening sequence is a “Coming of Age” drama I decided to use basic camera angles such as; close up, over the shoulder shot and a 360 shot. These shot were kept basic because if I made it too complicated my target audience wouldn’t be interested and they would lose focus in the film.

In making this opening sequence I achieved a lot. I learnt how to use different camera angles and how to incorporate them into different scenes of my movie.