Post 10- Job Roles Research

Direction

There are many different departments under the title direction however; the most common role is director who is responsible for the creative vision and overall style of a feature film. The director has a number of supporters such as assistant director who job it is to make sure the directors artistic ambitions are achieved by providing logistical, organisational and time-management support. Most people start their careers working as a runners or junior assisting jobs, and from here they gradually process through the various directing departments roles.

•  Film director. They are the crucial link between the production, technical and creative teams. It’s their job too creatively translate the films written script into actual images and sounds on screen. The main duties include casting, script editing, shot composition, shot selection and editing. Although it’s not the director’s job to concentrate on the budget, the director must be aware of the budget and schedule. It’s down to the director to be responsible for a films artistic and commercial success or failure. 
•  First assistant director. This is the director’s right hand person; they are responsible for taking a number of important tasks so the director is free to concentrate on the creative process. During the pre-production tasks they work with the director to break down the script into a shot-by-shot storyboard, work on the shooting order and how long the film will take. When the film in is production they are in charge of making sure that every aspect if the shoot keeps to is schedule. They also have the important task of co-ordinating all production activities and supervising the cast and crew.
• The second assistant director is the first assistant director’s right hand person; it’s their job to make sure the second assistant’s orders and directions are carried out. They have two main jobs during production, which is preparing the call sheet, which documents a detailed daily filming logistics between cast and crew. They also have to over look the movements of the cast ensuring the principal actors are in make-up, wardrobe or standing by on the set at the correct times. In smaller film production there is no third assistant director and it would be down to the second assistant director to manage his or her jobs. The second assistant is also responsible for finding extras in large number shots, co-ordinating their transport and activities on and of location.
• Runners. This is the entry-level position within the film production. This is a basic on the job training, they can be asked to do anything that is required on the set or location to help the progress of the shoot. Their jobs and responsibilities vary greatly but usually involve conveying messages, organising props, looking after cast and crew, driving, delivering technical equipment and attending to directors needs.

Camera

The most important thing about camera work is creating beautiful and impressive images that will look good on screen. With the use of images it can tell us more about a character, location, dialogue and music. A lot of work goes into preparation as well as hard work in moving and operating the cameras. This department work closely together to create invisible camera moves. The department works closely together wit the Production Designer to help realise the Directors visions for the film.

•  Directors of Photography. They are head of the department on the film production and are requested by the Director, which they will work very closely with throughout production. The role of the Director of Photography is to provide a film with its unique visual identity, or look. Most Directors will work on commercials and promos as well as on feature films. They are responsible for being highly creative throughout production. They will work closely with the camera crew, lighting, production designer, costume designer and hair and make up to make sure the image on screen will be the best quality. 
•  Script Supervisors. They have the responsibility to monitor whether it is possible for each shot scene to be edited into a verbally and visually coherent sequence. During pre-production they check the script for any errors, prepare estimated running times, break down the script according to production requirements. They work closely with Directors to anticipate and solve any potential problems.
• Camera operators. They work closely wit the Director of Photography deciding where to position the camera, and what equipment they will need to use. The main responsibility of the Operators is to ensure that the camera and associated equipment are prepared for the required set-ups and must always be alert for last minute changes. They will also work closely with performers, guiding them on what can and cannot be seen by the camera.
• Camera Assistant 1. This is a very skilled job and is responsible for refocusing the camera lens as actors move within the frame of each shot. They must have a lot of experience and work using their instincts of judging focal lengths. It’s their responsibility to look after and prepare equipment such as lenses, filters and the assembling the camera as accessories for different shots.
• Camera Assistant 2. Its their responsibility to position and move the camera, loading and unloading film magazines, changing and charging camera batteries, changing lenses, operating the clapper board, filling out and filing all camera sheets. They will also work closely with Camera Assistant 1 and Camera Trainees

Lighting The lighting department has a missive role in all films whether it is working with natural or artificial light. There are many members in a light team that all work closely with the Camera crew trying to create the best images that are captured on screen. They set up a wide range of lighting equipment to achieve a variety of moods, atmospheres and effects in addition to helping to make the actors, performers and participants look right in their roles.

• Gaffers. They are in charge of all electrical work on production, leading a team of technicians who install the lighting equipment and arrange equipment to create the best effects. Gaffers work closely with the Director of Photography to visualise in a practical way the 'look' they are trying to achieve. One of the Gaffers' key responsibilities is Health and Safety. They conduct risk assessments and certify the electrical safety of the production. They must keep control of the lighting budget, and oversee the work.
• Best boy. This term is refered to as the best electrician in the team lead by the Gaffer. Best Boys co-ordinate the team of Lighting Technicians, and deal with all the logistics and paperwork relating to the role. Best Boys ensure that equipment is ordered, arrange its delivery, and ensure that it arrives in the right place at the right time. They are also in charge of dealing with any damaged or malfunctioning equipment. Best Boys have specific responsibility for liasing with other members of the production team, e.g., the First Assistant Director, the Special Effects Director or the Art Director. 
•  Lighting Technicians. They provide the relevant lighting and power supply for a film, either on a studio set, or on location. Lighting Technicians' responsibilities vary according to the size of the production, and the number of lighting technicians in the team. They are required to keep the equipment clean, and maintained in good working order. Some Lighting Technicians are responsible in setting up the lighting equipment before a shoot star and carrying out lighting tests

Production sound The job of the production sound department is to record all sounds on set or on location; this is done through Production Sound Mixers, Boom Operators, and Sound Assistants. They have to ensuring that the dialogue recorded during film shoots is good quality for editing.

• Production Sound Mixers. They are responsible for ensuring that dialogue recorded during filming is suitably clear Although much of the storytelling and the emotional impact of a script are conveyed through dialogue, most film sets are challenging environments for Mixers because there are often unwanted noises to deal with, or the required camera shots hamper the placing of microphones. Before production begins the Production Sound Mixers meet with the Producer and Director to discuss their creative intentions, (is the sound naturalistic or stylised, etc.), technical requirements and budgetary issues They also meet with the Costume Department and Visual Effects Supervisors to discuss the placement of microphones on or around the actors, and visit all locations to check for potential sound problems.
• Sound Assistants. Their main job is to provide general back up and support to the Production Sound Mixer and the Boom Operator. They are responsible for checking all stock, microphones and batteries and making sure that the sound department runs as smoothly as possible
•  Boom Operators. They are responsible for placing the microphone in the best position, without impeding camera operation, or hampering actors’ freedom to perform. Boom Operators assist the Production Sound Mixer and operate the boom microphone, which is either hand-held on a long arm or dolly mounted (on a moving platform. They are responsible for positioning microphones so that Sound Mixers can capture the best quality dialogue and sound effects. If this is done well, a great deal of money can be saved by not having to re-record (post-sync) the dialogue at a later stage.

Art department The Art Department is responsible for creating the visual world or setting for a film. The look of sets or locations transports audiences into the world of the story, and is an essential element in making films convincing and evocative. A great deal of work and imagination goes into constructing appropriate backdrops to any story. The Art Department usually employs the largest number of people on any film crew. Months before the beginning of each film shoot, the Production Designer works with the Director to decide upon the visual identity of the film, and draws up sketches which provide the inspiration for the subsequent work of the entire department. Since the work of the Art Department usually accounts for the biggest spend on films, the Production Designer also works closely

• Production Designers. They are the heads of department on film crews, and are responsible for the entire Art Department. They play a crucial role in helping Directors to achieve the film's visual requirements. Directors of Photography and Production Designers are largely responsible for informing and realising the Director's vision. Production Designers begin work at the very early stages of pre-production and are requested by the Director and/or Producer. After preparing a careful breakdown of the script, they meet with the Director to discuss how best to shoot the film, e.g. to decide: whether to use sets and /or locations; what should be built and what should be adapted. Production Designers must calculate the budgets, and decide how the money and effort will be spent. These discussions are followed by an intense period of research during which Production Designers and their Specialist Researchers source ideas from books, photographs, paintings, the internet, etc. Production Designers deliver their design sketches (detailing mood, atmosphere, lighting, composition, colour and texture) to Art Directors who oversee the production of technical drawings and models, which are used by the Construction Department to build the sets and to adapt locations
• Art Directors. They are responsible for the Art Department budget and schedule of work, and help the Production Designer to maximise the money allocated to the department. Art Directors are usually requested by the Production Designer, and are responsible for the Assistant Art Director. They have an important job to analyse the script to identify all props or special items that may require longer lead times. As the shooting date approaches, Art Directors liase closely with the Location Manager to negotiate when locations can be prepared and dressed. During filming, Art Directors continue to oversee the construction, dressing and striking (dismantling) of the remaining sets.
• Storyboard Artists. Their job is to translate screenplays, or sequences from screenplays, into a series of illustrations in comic book form. They are used to help Directors clarify exactly what they want to achieve, and to illustrate to all other Heads of Department exactly what is required, e.g., prosthetics for Make-up, Computer Generated Images and Effects, props for the Art Department. Storyboards are mainly required on films containing large amounts of action for example a complex chase scene where it needs to be carefully visualised and planned. It is used as a sensible way of avoiding overshooting and going over budget.

How we will use these roles when producing our own short filmsI think that we will use of these departments when producing our short film I don’t think we will have the same skills level or experience as some of the roles in the departments but we can assign the roles to members of our group. For example

• Direction. Within our group we will have one director whose script we will be producing. They will be the head of the team and will be in charge of all of the departments making sure tasks are being completed correctly and the overall product will be to the standard they expected. As a group we can break down the script into a story board and work on the shooting order and this is a to bigger task for one person to complete on their own. There could be a second director within the group to make sure when we are producing everything is running smoothly and we are staying on track. Within this department they would be responsible for casting actors that would portray the character realistically.
• Camera. Within our group we can’t focus on all of the different roles within this department however, I do think it’s important that we have a Camera Operator. There main job would be deciding where to position the cameras and what equipment we will need when we are doing different shots and scenes. I also think that we could have a Director of Photography who can work with the Camera operator to try and make the film look unique and visual.
• Lighting. Within our group I think the only role in this department that we will need is a Gaffer, they can be in charge of the lighting we decide to use and whether we can use natural light of will need artificial lighting. They can work together with the Director of Photography in a way that will make the actor and location look a good quality when it’s on screen.
• Production Sound. I think that we will need two roles for this department these are the Production Sound Mixer who make sure the dialogue recorded is clear and suitable for filming. They have to also make sure that in the location we film there is no unwanted background noise that will take away from the dialogue. We also need to think about the Boom Operators who’s job it will to make sure there will be microphones on our actors so we will be able to capture the dialogue and any other sound effects clearly and of the best quality.
• Art Department. I think the most important role from this department is the Production Designer, they will have to think about the best location to film is, as well as we will need and props for different scenes. We could also have an Art Director who would be responsible for overlooking the construction, dressing and marinating sets.

As we will be having small groups of 3 to 4 this means that we wont have enough people to take all of these roles. This means that each person will have the responsibility for one department, they will have to complete all the jobs and roles within that department. However as this is a large role to take on we can use other members from our group for their opinions and share ideas to make sure it will be completed to the best quality.

Post 3a- Target Proccess

1. In my first target I wanted to improve upon and learn how to use photos hoop correctly so that I could produce a good quality postcard. I have not completed this target so far and I will need more time to complete. The reason that I haven’t managed to complete is due to the fact we haven’t got this far in the course yet where we are required to produce our post card. When it comes closer to creating and using photo shop I will do some practice example and then possibly merge a few designs together. By creating a range of designs I will be become more confident in using the work shop, which will lead to my final post card being a good quality

2.My second target was to make sure that I follow our shot list during production of our short film. I again haven’t been able to complete this target, as we haven’t got this far along in producing and directing our short films yet. However when it comes to creating our shot list I would like to spend a good amount of time working on it so I will be to the best of our abilities and will take our film look as professional as possible.

3.The next target I had was to use good English language when producing a film review for our short film. This is another target that I haven’t completed yet as we haven’t got this far along in the course. I would like to spend a lot of time thinking about all the relevant information I can add to the review as well as having peers to read over my work to make sure that it is interesting to the audience and will make them want to read on and later go and see the film.

4.My next target was to make sure that I stay organised throughout to make sure I don’t fall behind on tasks. I feel that this will be an ongoing process throughout the course and year however, I feel that so far I am keeping organised and that I am completing work and posts on time while also putting a lot of effort and thought into what I produce. I feel that by keeping on task I am able to add much more detail into my work as it is still fresh in my mind and I’m not having to spend longer rethinking what we talk about in class.

5.My final target was to make sure I did a lot of independent research in my pre-production tasks such as looking at popular genres and their box office profits. I feel that have some a large amount of independent study this year. I have looked at a wide range of short films and the response that they were getting from film festivals and did they win any awards. I’ve looked why do producers create these short films and all of the different techniques they are using to try and capture the audience. When thinking about my own storyline and script I have done a lot of research into people characteristics and does there characteristics  reflect the kinds of drink they consume. As well as looking at different personality types and seeing if I can relate them to previous character or cartoons.

Over all I feel that my targets are very achievable and I will be able to complete them during the course of this year. I will make sure I remember the targets I have set when completing my postproduction tasks such as writing a film review, as well during production tasks as I have past experience of what its like to not follow a shot list during production. I feel that I could set myself one new target, which would be.

• To make sure I show and present my independent study on my Blog through post, this means the examiners can have a look visually at what independent study I have been doing and how it is relevant to the task we have been set

Post 7- Creating Your Own Script

Lesson One

In class we was asked to individually explain for 1 minute what we did the night before, as a class we thought that this would be an easy task as a minute isn’t very long however, when it came to our turn we all found out that it was a lot harder than it first seemed. For the most of us we rushed though our events that happen the previous night and only spoke about the events in which we saw were relevant. This only became clear to us once we had listen to our teachers one minute talk when she could have easily carried on talking way over the minuet while we had all finished after 30 seconds. It was clear from listening to her sequences of events she had put into detail her story and didn’t leave out any information. This is linked to Narrative that is defined as ‘is the coherence/ organisation given to a series of facts’ as well as ‘everything we seek a beginning, a middle and an end.’ We has all used narrative to help explain our events of the previous night and placed them in order of importance. This is supported by another quote that says narrative is ‘ we understand and construct meaning using our experience of reality and of previous texts.’ When telling our stories we chose to leave out what we thought was irrelevant for the audience to hear, this was done by using our passed experience (e.g. telling friends stories) and knowing what the audience will find interesting to listen to.

This task made us think about the different kinds of narratives that we see in different media texts, it also made us think of the difference between a story and a narrative in the way it is told. The definition to help explain this is ‘story is the irreducible substance of a story (A meets B, something happened, order returns), while narrative is the way in which the story is related (once upon a time there was a princess.’ When creating our scripts we had to think very carefully about the ways in which we want our storyline to be portrayed. The different ways in which the narrative can be interoperated is done through the audience. Julian McDougall warns us not to ‘clumsily apply a formalist model’ as it ‘does little in terms of understanding our roles in constructing narratives, and how narratives carry discourse that appear natural.’ From this statement I get the impression that audiences have an active role in interoperating the narrative. When looking at scripts however it shows that we can apply narrative in different stages e.g. the beginning, middle or end, Its down to our past experiences that narrative comes naturally to the audience as it what we know and expect in stories.

We also looked at the different models of narrative from Propp, Todorov, Levis-Strauss and Barthes, each had very different ideas into narrative and what is the most common form of narrative. Propp proposed that there are 8 different types of characters that is always present in fairytales. These where Hero, Villain, Princess, Helper, Donor, Dispatcher, False Hero, Princess Father, he further added that there is only ever 31 different actions that these characters can do. Todorov produced that there will always be equilibrium the normal narrative, dis-equilibrium something that will change the narrative and then new equilibrium the narrative will carry on but only because of what happened in dis-equilibrium. Levis-Strauss proposed that there is always Binary Opposites for example Good Vs Evil, Hero Vs Villain. It’s through these binary opposites that the narrative develops. Finally Barthes proposed that there is always Enigmas, a raising question and the audience will carry on watching to answer this question. However as an audience everyone will have a different interoperation.

In class we looked at this Power Point to help develope our ideas on Narrative and get a better understanding
http://klsmediadepartment.blogspot.com/2010/10/narrative-theory-powerpoint.html

Next in class we looked at another short film called Signs, a much more lighter and upbeat short film compared to ones we had looked at previously. To look at the narrative if this short film we watched it in sections and paused the film to try and guess what was going to happen next and as a audience what are we conditioned to think. We discussed this as a class and it was interesting to listen to the different opinions of what people though would happened next, some thought it would have a happy ending others thought the opposite. When looking at this short film we though about what makes a ‘good’ short film, there cam never be an answer for this question as everyone is so diverse and different everyone will have a different interoperation into what makes a good short film. Even though there can never be an answer its important to remember to keep it interesting or to add in a twist to the final scene


Lesson Two
In class we was asked to brain storm all the different places we could think of where we could get ideas for our own scripts, these where sonme of my ideas.

There are many different ways in which you can start to get ideas for your own script. You can uses the example which I have mentions above to get a starting point for you storyline however, these is also a number of different think that as a producer you need to think about. For example one of the first things you need to do is establish the World in which the character lives in, then the main Character what kind of personality and characterises are they going to have, then finally the Problem what kind of problem is going to get in the character way and prevent them from carrying out their task. Once you have created these three things you need to next think of another three things, the first is a Want (what is going to be their motivation throughout your story line), next we have a Need (this can be anything they feel they must have), then finally and Obligation (what must the character feel they have to complete or do).


Another way of writing a script is by completing the 4 Step to writing a script.

1. Find the ending of your story

2. Then find the beginning

3. Find the 1st turning point to your storyline, this will be the event that gets the story going

4. Then finally the 2nd turning point, this can swing the story around and sets up the ending.

The 3rd and final way in which you can start writing your script is to use the ‘Making Short Films Eight-Point Guide.’ Personally I find this the most helpful way to writing my script as its more in detail and gives you a lot more to think about while planning.
Eight Point Guide

1.Introduce the character, set the scene
2.Give the character a problem
3.Let character work out the problem

4.Before setting out to solve the problem , there may be a moment of doubt that will require the hero to seek advice. Let audience know more about the problem and weigh it up in own mind

5.With new resolve (oftener a magical gift from the mentor) Hero sets out to overcome the problem
6.Overcoming the problem, will meet extreme opposition from the rival will usually have greater or different strengths and will bear similarities to the hero
7.Hero will appear to fail in his quest. Glimpse defeat, even death, will require superhuman effort to overcome the daunting final task
8.Hero wins the final battle, the journey has made them a different person will never go back to the way they were.

An example of the 8 point guide when looking at a strory such as Goldilocks And The Three Bears is shown below,
1. An introduction into the Three Bears

2. The problem of the porridge being to hot
3. Try to solve the problem by leaving it to cool down and go for a walk
4. The introduction of Goldilocks, where there is a moment of doubt
5. Goldilocks eats the porridge, breaks the chair and sleeps in the bed
6. The three bears arrive back home and try to overcome the problem by telling Goldilocks to leave

7. The Three bears seem to fail in there quest as Goldilocks is still in their house and have broken the chairs

8. Goldilocks leave and the Three bears carry on

Post 6 What makes a good short film

From looking at a wide range of resources into what makes a good short film, I now have a good idea of the planning and thinking that goes into a short film before it gets shown to an audience. There are many different processes that you as a producer or director have to go though that takes up a lot of time and thought.

From the time spent with Producer Becky Knapp I now know that there are 3 different lengths of short films. The first is 5 minutes here the story line plays on the role of stereotypes and looks at a joke or a visual experience. This is supported by the independent research that I did looking into 5 minutes short films. I found the film called The Black Hole, the story lines plays on the role of a stereotypical office worker, and uses comedy as it genre as the man is given the power to steal and take wherever he wishes by using this black hole which in the final scene we see the man getting stuck in a safe. The second is 5-12 minutes, here the story line follows a character go through a dramatic journey and the audience can see the character change. And they don’t use the role of stereotypes. This is again supported by the independent research that I did looking into longer short films. I looked at a film called About a girl, the audience can understand the girl’s life and the background that she comes from and can go through the journey of the girl throwing the baby into the water. The final is 12-30 minutes, the story lines will have secondary stories as they have enough time to build up the characters and there will be complex characterisation.

From looking at two scripts that have been produced, it has shown me how much you judge what the film will be like just by reading and not actually seeing the film. The first script I looked at was called Donna produced by Rowan Walker, from reading the script I was clear that there was very limited speech and the script was mostly describing what visually was happening in the shot. I found it very hard to understand what the film would actually be about however I had a good mental image of what each shot would look like. After watching the film I still wasn’t very clear about what message the film was trying to give to the audience and what genre the film was. The next script I looked at was Does God Play Football produced by Michael Walker, I found this script a lot more interesting and understandable as it was mainly speech so I had a good idea of what was going on in each shot as well as what I should expect to see visually. After watching the film it was exactly what I had expected to see. When comparing the two scripts I think that is important to have speech from the character as it allows the audience to have a better understanding of the message the director is trying to put across as well as makes it more interesting to watch and follow.

Music plays a huge role in helping to recognise the genre of the film, for example in the short film Does God Play Football it starts with classical music with the sound of an organ which instantly tells the audience that the plot is based around a church and possible religion. It also helps build up tension when needed. I looked at the role of music for my independent study; I looked at the Disney film Mary Poppins where they had changed the music to low pitched, spooky music, which you would associate with horror drama films. Just by the changing of the music gave the film a brand new genre. This proves how its very important to think carefully about the music you add to your short film and it can instantly give away genre to the audience.

The book Get Your Short Film Funded, Made and Seen, published by The shooting people shorts directory 2007 has helped me the most in understanding how much time and thought goes into creating a short film. It describes a short film as ‘having an idea for a novella and then deciding to tell it as a haiku’ which I interoperate as you can have this amazing idea however you have to make it as short and simplistic as you possible can. When finding a story there are 3 important areas that you need to think about

• The World. Try to make the character world instantly recognisable e.g. a dinner party, Christmas party, first day at school. This means that you can start to explore the problem much quicker as the audience can relate to the situation they are in as its common. An advantage of setting the world in familiar surroundings is that it gives the story a defined time frame. This is supported by The Sunday Times article called How to Write a Good Script written by Marilyn Milgrom, script consultant published on Febuary 11 2009.
• The character and the problem. As a producer you need to think about who is the main character, what is their problem, how will the audience recognise the problem, are their high enough stakes, and finally who’s point of view is the story coming form. Its important that from the very beginning the audience know the film is about. Through out the film it must be following the main character want, need or obligation and obstacles in their way to achieving these wants and needs.

It’s also very important when we are writing the script how as the producer we are going to portray the message to the audience, which can be very hard. For example when we read books it’s much easier to understand what is happening and how they are feelings as we are inside the character head, but through film we need to see the character doing an action or by showing their emotions. In films rather than writing emotions down in the script it has a much bigger impact if it done visually to the audience, e.g. if the character is annoyed rather than saying “I’m annoyed and angry” simply rolling their eyes has the same or bigger affect. As well as making everything visual it’s important that you think about the tone of the film. The tone needs to be established straight away through the genre, in short films there isn’t enough time to make shifts in tone so the audience are looking for clues about the kind of story it is from the beginning, by the use of conventions. The last thing I would recommend would be to give the script to friends and family to ask for their feedback, as the message you are trying to portray might not come across as you hoped. This feedback allows you to change parts that they might not understand before it becomes too late. 


After looking at all of these conventions of what goes into making a good script, an important question to ask ourselves is who the audience of these films will be and why. Short films are mostly produced for one reason. Directors use their short films as a way to show off their talents in the film making industry, this in turn allows companies and investors to quickly get an understanding of the skills the director possess. In addition companies may see their short films and want to use the plot and story line to develop into a big budget feature film, linked in here is also companies remember shot films produced and wanting to use the director to help with a new idea for a film they have. Its not only the director that can be spotted through the production of short film, its also a place for Script writers, Actors, Lighting and Camera individuals to get noticed.   

Finally once you have created and thought about everything you would like to have in your short film and have finished writing your script you should use this step outline and make sure you can answer all the questions about your short film;

One sentences that summaries what happened?
· What is revealed that is significant to the plot?
· What is revealed that is significant to the audience understanding the character?

· Is there an identifiable theme?

Post 5-Audience Theory and My Short Film

In class we looked at 3 different approaches to audience theory. We where divided up into three groups and each looked at a different theory. The first theory that was looked at was by Philip J Hanes, some of his believes were that’s audiences are vital in communication, if it wasn’t for the audience media wouldn’t exist. He also believes that texts have many different possible meanings. The main theories that we looked at were

•  Uses and Gratification model, this is looking at how media affects audiences and the relationship that the audience has with the media. For example person reasons, to look for companionship. 
•  Screen theory, here we are looking at what meanings where made from the text and how it was achieved. For example the use of camera work and shot sizes.
• Mode of Address here we are looking at constructing audience’s thoughts and issues raised about the media.
• Hypodermic model. There we are looking at how the audience is passive and information that is transmitted is processed without any attempt.

By looking at these different theories and approaches before analysing short films was very helpful as I now had a much better and clearer understanding on what I was being asked to do. I now know the different ways, in which the audience receives and holds information for media texts, the ways media texts are used by audiences and the effect different camera work has on an audience.

This is a link to look at the presentation  that we did in groups in class. Our Student PowerPoints


Analysing short films
I will look at 4 different short films and analysing them for the following possible audience receptions
1. Preferred Reading / Dominant hegemonic position
2. Negotiated Reading / Negotiated hegemonic position
3. Oppositional hegemonic position
4. Aberrant decoding
5. Moral Panic
6. Mode of Address
7. Profile the Target Audience (this will be linked into the success of the film so check out how it did at festivals etc, and what these festivals represent, are looking for).
8. Consider the viewing environment

About a Girl
This short film was produced in 2001 by director Brian Percival and written by Julie Rutterford. Its is a short 9 minute film and follows the life of a 13 year old girl, looking at her personal life, dreams for her life and the troubles that she has to deal with.

Dominate Hegemonic
The audience start to understand and recognise the girl’s lifestyle and her background that she comes from, in addition to her lifetime dreams of becoming a pop star with her friends in a girl band. The most dominant message the audience receives is that the girl has been desensitised by her parents, which mean she doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. This is supported when she throws her baby into the water in the last scene.


Oppositional Hegemonic
The audience can understand her feeling of being neglected by her father and sometimes by her mother. She is seen as second best to her father and how his life if more important than looking after his daughter. We understand her ambitions to make something of herself with her life and move away however, the audience won’t understand and agree with her throwing her baby into the water.

Negotiated Hegemonic/ Aberrant Decoding
The audience can both agree and understand with the girl and the actions she has taken due to her life and upbringing. However this could turn the other way and completely disagree with what the girl has done, as it in today society such actions are seen as unacceptable. I also think that it’s exploring teenage pregnancy and what is their ability to become mothers at such young age.

Moral Panic
The closing scene of the girl throwing the baby in the water gives the audience an intense feeling. This is due to the actions being so unexpected meaning that most of the audience would disagree with what they have just seen. The message that is given leaves the audience psychologically asking questions about why she did it.

Mode of address
The relations between addresser and addressee are constructed in this text by looking at the Working class, and what it’s like coming from a poorer background. The messages behind the film are aimed for a Middle class audience, as they wouldn’t have experience of what life it’s like for the girl. The middle class are seen as outsiders and looking in to a different world and way of living. The short film starts with trying to get sympathy from the audience but the final scene instantly changes to shock tactics where its shows that she is no better than her parents. Which shows and reflects she has no regard for life.

Target Audience
This short film won many awards in the 2001 BAFTA for best short film, Edinburgh Prize best short film and the Turner Classic movie shorts top place. The Edinburgh Film Festival aims to present both UK and international movie premieres and to exhibit the work of filmmakers. I think the target audience is for older teenagers and adults directed at the upper class population.

Viewing Environment
I think this short film would be better shown in small groups, as it would make the film more intense and increase the shock tactics that they have used. However in larger groups you could discuss your own reason as to why she would have chucked her own baby away.



Frendo
Is produced by FourColourFilms and is an independent film company from Lincoln.

Dominate Hegemonic

From the short film the most powerful message that the audiences receives is how going out regularly drinking and taking drugs can have a Permanente affect on your life and health. In addition to the ways in which it can be affecting other people around you, which you may not realise.


Oppositional Hegemonic
The audience can relate to the man wanting to go out and have a good time with friends, but the audience may disagree with how much he had to drink and the actions that he took.

Negotiated Hegemonic
From a teenage point of view I think this film is very rateable as it’s seen as common behaviour in today's society, even though we as teenager/ young adults may not think at all about the effects it could be having. However I think to an older adult audience the film would have more of an impact and they would disagree with the way he is treating his body and people around him. This may be due to the fact they have more life experience and now gone through that stage have a better understanding of what its like.


Aberrant Decoding
The audience could get the impression that it wasn't his fault that he was drinking and taking drugs but he was being influenced by his friends to act in this behaviour.

Moral Panic
The audience can get the sense of unease when watching this short film due to the affects his lifestyle has on his body. As well as how his actions have lead to him being left on his own while at the same time driving everyone closes to him away.

Mode of address
The relations between addresser and addressee are constructed in this text is by the producer showing the audience what effects behaving in such way can have on your life. The producer may hope that by watching the short film it will make the audience think about what they are doing to their health, as well as how it makes people feel to be around them when they are behaving in a way that they don’t approve off.

Target Audience
This short film was the BBC winning short film in 2009. I think the target audience for this film would be older teenagers and trying to make them think about their own lives.

Viewing Environment
I think this short film would have a bigger impact on a large group of people where they can talk and compare their own story's as think of ways as a group they can discuss ways in which they can make sure the same think doesn't happen to them.



The Black Hole

Dominate Hegemonic

The message that the audience is given is that the man has been given this black hole on a piece of paper and now he has the power to take anything he wants by using this black hole. The most powerful message that the audience gets is that you shouldn't take what isn't yours, and to think about as a person how greedy are you really.

Oppositional Hegemonic
From the audience’s point of view we can understand why he is taking the money and chocolate with the new power his has but, we can disagree that he is being greedy and taking what doesn’t belong to him. Asking to ourselves and questioning is what the man is doing right or wrong?

Negotiated Hegemonic/ Aberrant Decoding
The audience can get the message that the man is getting what he deserves when he gets suck in the safe because he is taking what doesn't belong to him or they could get the message that he is being cleaver and wise with his new power by using the Black Hole.

Moral Panic
From the audience’s point of view we get a feeling that something bad is going to happen to the man when he is using the Black Hole, this is reinforced by the music that is continually played. As there is no dialogue the audience will play more attention and watch more carefully. This is shown on the last scene where he gets stuck in the safe by accident.

Mode of address
The relationship between the addresser and addressee are constructed in a text by the producer showing the audience what you could do if you knew you couldn't get caught out but, also makes the audience think about how greedy we as humans, as well as when should be say stop and go no further.

Target Audience
This short film was the winner of the Smalls Award in 2009, which is won by most votes from the judges. I think the film has a wide target audience and would appeal to a wide range of people. This is due to the fact that it’s comical and funny. But I think there is the hidden meaning of greediness that only an older audience would understand. The short film is very popular and has over 7 million views on You Tube.

Viewing Environment
I think that this short film would be better shown in large groups of people as it would become more comical.


DoodleBug
Produced by well know and successful Christopher Nolan as a university student.



Dominate Hegemonic

The most powerful message that the audience is getting is that a man is trying to catch some sort of bug running around his room, and him not being able to catch the bug, which is making him crazy. We see the man on edge and looking quite scared from whatever is making the noise as he doesn’t know where its coming from. Another powerful message the producer could be trying to put forward is don’t do others as you wouldn’t like doing to you, this is from the last scene when the man is shown hitting himself.

Oppositional Hegemonic
The audience can understand how hearing all the noises in his head and how annoying it is not being able to find and catch whatever is running around under him. The audience might not understand why the man would go to so much trouble to try and catch the bug.

Negotiated Hegemonic/Aberrant Decoding
From watching the film the audience might get a different meaning to what the producer is trying to say for example they might think that the man has a mental problem which is making him go crazy and mad trying to look for this bug around his room. The audience may not understand the ending when we see that the bug is in fact a small version of him and is just imitating what he is doing. I also thinking that the audience could be getting the message that you couldn’t like to be killed and squashed so why should you do it to a bug.


Moral Panic
From the music that they have used it creates a feeling that something bad or interesting is going to happen to man during the short film, however the ending is very unpredictable to the audience, which gives the film and edge. The black and white effect that they have used creates a feeling for the building and the bright lights across the room, which draws focus on the man and him moving around the room.


Mode of address
The relationship between the addresser and addressee are constructed in a text by the producer showing the audience that the man is starting to go crazy and lose him mind by the noises he can hear around him. This makes the audience feel sorry for the man as they can understand how he is feeling and how annoying it can be to hear noises and not know where it is coming from. Another meaning into what the director is trying to put forward could be murder, personally you are against murder however do you see killing an insect or bug the same as killing a human. Another example could be how in society the different social classes have an impact on the way people are seen. For example the upper class look down on the working class as so on. This is also seen in everyday life such as a teacher looks down on the children but the children then look down at the younger years. By using the bigger person it brings about may different views and interoperations.


Target audience
I think the target audience for this short film would be an adult audience as they can relate to how he is feeling and get a better understanding of the message the director is trying to put forward. I also think that an adult

Viewing Environment
I think that this film will come across better in smaller audiences or individual audiences as it’s an own personal feelings of understanding on how the man feels rather than something you would experience in a group.

Conclusion

After looking at the four different short films I feel that the films with a shock element behind them have the most powerful message/ Dominate Hegemonic message. About A Girl uses shock tactics in the final scene, I feel that this has an intentional impact on the audience and even after the film has finished the viewers are left curious and asking question. In addition I feel the short films with plots that follows problems and troubles that take place in todays society makes the audience feel they can relate and have a better understanding of the message behind the film. For example About A Girl explores what’s its like to live being working class and the effects it can have on your life and opportunities. Whereas Frendo is exploring the use of drugs and excessive drinking and the effect it can have on you as well as people around you. Both these short films have powerful messages and in turn leave the audience thinking in some way about their own lives. I did enjoy watching The Black Hole as it has a more comical to the audience and didn’t take much concentration to understand, this can also be seen in Doodlebug as its has a easy plot to follow only featuring one character and one problem. Overall I think that all short films have either have clear obvious message they are trying to convey to the audience or a much more serious in depth message that leaves you questioning certain aspects of the film. This is created through the use of different conventions as well as different genres that help reinforce the message of the short film.

When creating my own short film I also had to think about all these different conventions I wanted to use, and the effects they would have on the audience. When the audience was watching my short film I wanted it to be comical and entertaining for them however, I wanted the audience to come away with the message that there is always be someone watching no matter what your doing. In turn I wanted the audience to go away thinking about would they be happy and content with their behaviour, attitudes and outlooks of their selves if they knew someone was always watching. 

Post 4- Genre as a media concept

Genre theory is a concept that is widely used throughout the media world, however it’s not just a plain simple idea but also one that causes much controversy between many critics and audiences. Genre theory and concepts are widely recognised and nearly everyone has their own interpretation of what they think it means and the different ways they can apply it to their work. For example Chandler recognises genre as ‘ways to promote organisation but it has no way to classify works as it is always evolving’ where as work from Robert Symth quotes that genre ‘have patterns of fixity'.

From looking at many different texts it’s clear that genre is seen as a way of putting different media works into categories or lists. This can then be used as a way of analysing a text and making it easier to differentiate between two different genres,  For example in films today there are many different genres such as romance, horror, sci-fi and many more that all have their own conventions.  This is supported by Chandler who quotes that, '...by creating categories promotes organisation rather than chaos'. By creating these different categories (genres) producers can get an understanding of what  audiences are paying to go and see, by looking at box office profits. From looking at the genres that are in high demand by the producers this starts to  create more films of the same genre knowing from research that it will attract a wide audience, bringing in a large profit. McDougall quotes that ‘consider the reasons not only for the success of the genre but the conditions for the genre possibilities: that is, the interest served by it’s labelling’. I agree with this quote completely as within the different formats it gives producers and directors a chance to put their own personal stamp on their work in that genre. However ,McDougall could also be trying to say that producers use genre as a way to help market the film in a way the audience will understand. This is done through the use of conventions as the audience will have an understanding and recognise conventions from previous knowledge. Yet films also have to be creative and stretch the genre slightly to keep it original and interesting for the audience.  


There are many conventions within different genres that producers have to establish so they can become identifiable to the audience. Factors should be analysed to identify familiar conventions such as, narrative structure, themes, location, use of lighting, music and language. These conventions are quoted by Altman who says ‘the text in a genre share key characterises’. As long as a producer follows these conventions the film genre will become recognisable to the audience. Another quote from Altman said ‘the genres are defined by producers and are easily recognisable to audiences’.  This shows that as long as these conventions are seen throughout the film it should be appealing to a wide audience. However if all films had the same story lines, lighting and characters the genre would become boring to the audience and the genre would soon die out. To prevent this from happening genres have to be adapted and changed, meaning directors have to become creative and put a twist into the storyline to keeps people attention.



Producers have to be careful in what they would like to produce/direct, as they have to try and predict what they think the audience will want to see, yet, still keeping the traditional conventions. This statement is backed up by Neale whom quotes ‘genre theory is to do with circulation between industries, media texts and audience. This leads to regulated variety’. 


I can relate to this quote to when we created our opening sequence during the course work last year.  Our group tried to involve two different genres Horror and Mystery as well as promote it to two different audiences. The two different audiences where older teens as this was the age of our main character and could find it relatable, our second were adults who could have an interest in murder mystery stories.


The genres are 'ideological’ this is a quote from Altman which I agree with.  If I think of ideology, as have three points on a triangle; the idea, people and power, the people in the triangle have to be in a high class and have large amounts of power for example the producers or directors.  These people have the power and money to push their products to the biggest audience they can. In many films today we see many different genres combined in just one film. This is a very clever thing for a producer to achieve, as it will be appealing to a much wider audience and will bring in a much larger profit.
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After looking at many different approaches to genre theories and the different ideas that people have towards this concept, I now have much more in depth knowledge of how genre can affect a film production. When it comes to starting to think about my own short film that I will be creating I will think carefully about what genre I would like to produce and what kind of audience that will appeal to. I will have to think about the different conventions I will be using as well critically thinking about ways in which I can twist and change them to make the story line my own and not be copying any previous films of that genre. From thinking back to my previous task last year to create and opening sequence, I feeling that as a group we didn’t spend enough time thinking about what conventions we should be following and what kind of audience it will appeal to. If we had thought more carefully about these things I think our opening sequence could have been a lot stronger.

Post 3- Skills table

Skills Table
In lesson we was given the task to create a skills table which would be describing and evaluating our skills we have developed over the course from last year. We looked at 5 different areas which were Digital technology, Creativity, Research and Planning, Post production and finally Using conventions from real media texts. We then looked at the three different ways in which we had used the skills these where, Technical, Interpersonal, Cognitive and Creativity.

I think that after completing the two opening sequences from the course last year, as a group we are all confidant in the skills we have learnt and putting them into action when we produce our short film this year.

Smart Targets

1. To learn how to use photo shop correctly to produce a good quality postcard that could be distributed. To do this I will first make a practice postcard using photo shop so that i can become familiar with the different settings and find the best techniques to use when creating my final postcard. I have chosen to improve upon using photo shop as i have never used the programme before so don't have any previous knowledge about the software.

2. To make sure that we remember to follow our shot list during production. This mean that we should have a variety of different shots sizes and angles that will appear in our shot film. By following our shot list means that when we come to edit we wont find out we need to go back and re-film any shots. When i create a shot list for our new short film i will spend a lot longer on planning what different shot sizes and angles i will use and what effects they will have on the final product.

3. When producing a film review for a magazine that i use good English Language. I have chosen to focus on this so that the article will be attention gabbing to the audience and make it more interesting read. To make sure that my article will be the best it can be i will do background research into film articles in magazines. By doing this it will allow me to see what works phrases work well, and use their experience to help make my article successful and want to make people go and watch my film.

4. For all of next year i want to make sure that i stay organised throughout, making sure i don't fall behind with different tasks. I think this is a very important skill that you need in producing films to make sure you are staying on top of work loads. To do this i will make sure that i will wright up notes straight after completing a task when it is still fresh in my mind. This means that when writing up production and post production reports i will be able to write in great detail and i wont forget any important details.

5. My final target is to make sure that i do independent research in my pre-production tasks. E.g when doing research into popular genres and their box office profits. To do this i will use a wide range or sources other than the Internet, looking in new papers and other articles. By doing this i will gather a much wider range of information which in turn will help me to make decisions on what genre would be best for my film. This also means i will be finding out what the audiences are most interested in and want to see, so when the film will be distributed it will do well.