Evaluation Question 2

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

Modern Descartes Trailer

Modern Descartes Trailer- 2nd Draft

From the feedback that we received from our first draft our group tried to focus on the most frequent points that came up on the what we can improve list. These points included:

• Incompleteness of the trailer
• Title and Release date 
• Sound 
• Fluidity of shots

Our group was able to complete the trailer, the last draft that we created finished at 1 minute 18 seconds but now our second draft finishes at 1 minute 45 seconds. However when uploaded our second draft onto YouTube we saw that the video lasts for 5 minutes 13 seconds. The reason for this is because we forgot to g=cut the music down to fit the timing of the trailer. So even though our trailer may have finished the music continues but nothing is on the screen. To improve our group will make sure that next time we will cut the music so that it fits to the trailer.

In our last trailer we did not include a title our release date. So in our second draft we made sure to included the title of the production. However instead of putting a release date our group put 'COMING SOON' however, later on whilst discussing the further plans for the trailer our group decided that by putting an actual date it would be more professional. As we already have put the date on the poster as May 15 so this is the date that we will use on the trailer.

Our group went through the trailer and took note at the shots that were not fluid so we tried to edit the shots that there would be fluidity. However upon loading the trailer I found that there are more shots that we have to edit in order to have a fluid motion.

We gave our class and teacher another response form, so they can give us helpful criticism in order to create the best trailer that er possibly can:

 Teacher Response:

What do we have to improve?

• The first point that our teacher said that we have to improve is sound. When we asked if she could expand she told us that the sound grainy towards the end of the trailer, this included the soundtrack and the voice overs. This may because in the last trailer we could not really hear the voiceovers so our group increased the decibels of the voiceovers and the soundtrack. To improve on this our group will reduce the decibels so that the music and voiceovers do not sound grainy.
• The next point that we have to improve is the 2nd film company identity. This point came up previously on the response forms that we received back on the first draft. The reason why our group has not improved this feature is because we have been on schools holidays so our group has not been able to access the program that we used to create the identity at home because the program only exists on the schools computer. So when school vacation is over our group will improve the film identity on the school computer then add it to our trailer.
• The next point that our teacher said that we need to improve on is fluidity of shots. In the response forms that we received back on our first draft, one of the most frequent points of things that we needed to improve was fluidity of shots. So our group sat down and reviewed all the shots that were not fluid. We used serif as the program to edit our trailer and it is a bit slow and jumps a lot so it was hard to distinguish which shots were not fluid and what shots jumped because of the system. Now we know the shots that are not fluid our group will edit them.
• Our teacher said that we needed an actual release date rather than coming soon as it is more professional to have a date. To improve our group will use the date May 15.
• The last point of improvement is cutting the music so it fits the trailer as trailer finishes and the music continues. To improve our group will cut the music.

Student Response:

Our classmate has the same points of improvement as our teacher, so we are going to list what he liked about the trailer:

• Our classmate liked how we changed the beginning of the trailer. The reason why our group changed the beginning of the trailer is because we thought that it will be more suitable as we wanted to slow down the pace of the beginning. When we slowed down the pace with the old opening scene it looked grainy so we thought that it would be more suitable to change the shot
• Another point that are classmate liked is the song selection.. As a group we decided that it would be more suitable to choose a different song. The reason for this is because the previous sound was too, so deliberation we thought that the new song was had a good beat but was still uplifting.

What have I learnt?

Through this feedback we are able to realise what we have to change to make our trailer successful. We find the feedback forms useful as they allow us to understand how another perspective when critiquing our trailer.

Response to First Draft

After completing the first draft and looking back over the response forms from the rest of the class our group has realized that there are 4 main points of improvements that seems to appear on majority of response forms. That is sound, fluidity of  shots, the incompleteness of the trailer is and also the title and release date.

Even though I believe that are group did a good first draft there is still a lot of improvements that we have to make in order to reach our final goal of having a successful trailer.

The three main points that we will be focus on for our 2nd draft. This is Fluidity of shots, incompleteness and title and date release.

The reason why we are not focusing on sound as much is because at the moment the school has been dismissed for school holidays therefore it is hard to get individuals for sound so we have to wait till we are back at school to record them. 

Even though we have to improve on these points there are features of our trailer that I really do like. One of these features is the format and sequence of the shots, it makes our product look like a trailer rather than a film opening sequence which is important. 

One thing that i personally disliked about the trailer is that we have not finished and included the common features of a trailer such as BBFC rating and release date. This is will the main focus in our second draft, that we include all the common features of a trailer so that we can create a successful trailer.

WHAT HAVE I LEARNT?

This personal evaluation of our first draft has allowed me to understand what I personally feel about the trailer and allowed me to come up with some ideas that will enhance the performance of the trailer.

Modern Descartes Trailer- 1st Draft

Our First Draft:



To know what to improve our group gave a response form to our class and teacher to fill out, so that we will be able to understand the perspective of others when viewing our trailer and gain constructive criticism in order to create a successful trailer.


Here is an example of one of the response form that we received back:

Our response to student feedback:

• Emily stated that the trailer seemed incomplete. This is true due to that when we were filming we were using someones iPhone and as a result we were not able to get the footage from the phone and edit it before the deadline for the first draft. To improve in our second draft we will makesure that the footage is complete.
• Another criticism that we received is that our trailer has no title or date of release. This is very important as the audience wont know the name or when the movie is coming out which is bad marketing. The reason why we had not done this is because our group was not sure on the font and design that we should do for our trailer so we did a questionnaire to find out what other people thought. We did our first draft before we did the questionnaire. As a result we did not know what we wanted to do foe the title. However, our group does recognize that we should at least included the title.
• Emily stated that one thing that we could improve is the sound. The reason why our sound is irregular and not fluid is because many of the shots that we had filmed had a lot of background noise, so we had to mute the shot and dub sound over the shot. Our group has not completed the sound yet as we are still figuring out the sequence of shots and moving things around. Once this is completed we will start on the sound.
• On the response form Emily said that one thing that we can improve on is the fluidity of the shots as some scene cutty. I wanted to know more so I asked if she could stay back so i can ask some questions and she said that at the beginning of the trailer with the graveyard scene she thought that the shots were to fast and too sharp they were not fluid also she said because it is a sad moment we need to slow the pace down. To improve we will go over that specific part in the trailer and use some animation techniques in order to slow down the pace of the trailer.

Our response to teacher feedback:

• Our teacher had the same outlook as Emily on our trailer as she she said that the trailer was incomplete, there is not title, or release date. She also said that the sound was not good and that we need some voice overs to complete the trailer.
• Another criticism that we received is that in the shot were the protagonist is being chased we here someone speak but it is cut short. To improve on this our group is going to extend that particular shot so that we can hear everything that they are saying.
• Another thing that the teacher said that we need to improve on is our second identity. When on full screen we can see when the images are cut cropped correctly and as a result you can see a shadow. To improve this I will crop the images correctly so our film company identity does not give of a shadow.

Editing

Before starting filming I went back and had a look back on my research and planning into conventions of a film trailer to truly understand what to include when editing our film trailer. This previous research helped me to recognize what I need to include to create a effective trailer. 

FILM PRODUCTION LOGOS 

When analyzing other trailer I came to the understanding that film production logos came at the very beginning of the trailer before we see any footage. However when I researched further I found that some trailers allow the audience to see some of the trailer before the production identities in order to set the tone for the trailer. An example:  If you watch the beginning of the Queen of  Katwe trailer you can find that the first thing that the audience is introduced to is an inspirational quote setting the tone fore the rest of the trailer. It shows that the audience that the purpose of this trailer is to inspire them . The audience is also introduced to the setting and the protagonist before we see the film production identities. 

I really like how the beginning of this trailer is formatted therefore I thought that I can apply some these concepts to my own trailer. In my own trailer I made sure that the audience is introduced to the Protagonist and his sisters situation, letting the audience know that their parents have died before we see the film production identities. By doing this it sets the tone for the rest of the trailer allowing the audience to sympathies with the protagonist. I also used a cross fade animation technique in the opening scenes to slow down the pace of the trailer and allow the audience to contemplate the circumstance of the protagonist and one of the reasons why he went into selling drugs. The opening scene will only last for 14 seconds then we will see the  film company identities. Furthermore by placing the company identities after meeting the protagonist it gives the audience the impression that the beginning part of the trailer is more like the prequel to the actual trailer,as you are gaining knowledge into the protagonists past and not the actual story line. Then by introducing the film company identities it shows the audience that the story line of the trailer is now beginning.

FILM TITLE

In all the trailers that I have seen the film title always comes at the end of the Film Trailer. So in our film trailer we placed the film title at the end. However, we wanted to make sure that the design for the film title fit the personality of the trailer therefore we did a questionnaire and found that majority of the group liked the design format of Cold Spaghetti BTN Therefore we decided to use this font, as the design fits in with the themes in the trailer, and because it was chosen by the majority. Our group liked the font as we believed that the rough rugged writing reflects the hard life of the protagonist, and the title looks handwritten which makes it more personal to the audience. We decided to do the colour white on a black background as it will standout more and grab the attention of the audience, but at the same time due to the simplistic colours it is not brash and too loud which our group wanted.



MUSIC

My co-director Ellie D'Sylva was in charge with selecting the track for the trailer. However, when applying the track to the trailer I found that the track is not long enough for the whole trailer so I have to double the music so it can last till the end of the trailer. The music is a dramatic beat which emphasises the dramatic situation of the protagonist. The music starts 5 seconds into the trailer after the quote in order for the audience to reflect the quote and make them think how this quote might apply to our trailer.

Additionally, in certain shots we had to mute the shot and dub sound over it. The reason why we had to do this is because when we filmed the shot and played it back there was a lot of background noise, so to deal with this situation we decided to mute the shots that have loud background noises. So the actors that were in that particular shot would sit down with me and we would both look at the screen and he would say their line so they are in time to when they say it on the screen. I would record their voice on a separate device such as a phone and add it on top of the shot.

TIME LENGTH

The average time length for a film trailer is 1.30-2.00 minutes. This is why I tried to edit the trailer so it stays between these boundaries. This aspect of editing is what I found the most difficult, as I was struggling to condense the trailer below 2 minutes. When I began editing it started to look like a film opening rather than a trailer, so to help me I looked into our past research into the codes and conventions of a trailer and applied the concepts to our trailer therefore it made it easier to edit. When editing the trailer I cut lots of the shots that we have filmed in order to reduce the time length. We also positioned the cuts so that they were in order but in a way that it does not give away too much of the storyline in order to introduce enigma codes which will entice the audience to come and see the trailer.

WRITTEN SLIDES

In the editing process I thought that it will be beneficial to add some written slides to the trailers as they seem to be a common feature. I was not sure what to add so I added the basic captions such as based on a true story and critic reviews. By doing this it makes the trailer more authentic.

WHAT WENT WELL

The main thing that went well with filming is that in year 12 I was not given the opportunity to edit before  to edit our opening sequence because we appointed the duty to my co-worker. So this is my first time editing so I think that through the experience of editing it has helped me develop as a designer and creator.

Furthermore through editing it has allowed me to have a better understanding into how to edit the movie poster and magazine. Even though we would use different programs as this is a video and they are images, this experience has allowed me to understand the basic principles of the process to completing the final product.

Music

Music is a very important of a feature of a trailer, as it changes the atmosphere of the trailer and how individuals perceive our media text. As a result our group wanted to pay close attention to the music and make sure that it is appealing to our target audience and that they can identify with the music. To make sure that our group picked the right song we conducted a survey on 30 boys who are the same age as our target audience. We asked them what was there favourite genre of music out of pop, rock, hip hop, indie and R&B. Here are the results.

Hip hop was the most popular genre of music, therefore our group tried to find songs that would fits the genre of hip hop. We narrowed it down into two songs.

WWW: Our group really liked this song because because of the lyrics, the lyrics portray a man trying to find his way out, and is looking for a light. This is just like the protagonist who is trying to find a way out of the situation that he is in, and to provide for his family. Additionally the song has a very good beat and it is easy to edit the trailer so it matches the timing of the song.

EBI: A limitation of this song is that when we tested it on some footage it keeps jumping and skipping,this makes the trailer seem patchy and not fluid.

WWW: The main thing that our group liked about this song is that  the beat to this song is phenomenal. We really believe that it captures the protagonists life, this is because the tone of this song is harsh so it reflects the harsh situations that the protagonist is ging through.

EBI: A limitation of this song is that it has no lyrics, as a result our group believes that it is not as effective than the other song.

Consequently our group decided to use the song 'Lights On' however if the song continues to keep jumping we will use the song 'Get Lost.'

Nonetheless our group believes that both of this songs reflect our target audience as the younger generation is more likely appreciative towards the style of hip hop, which will make them more engaged in the trailer, therefore they are more likely going to watch the movie.

The history of film scores

Before the 1930's all movies were silent. In fact, between the 1900's-1920's accompanists either pianists or whole orchestras were hired to drown out the noise of the projector during the silent film viewing. Accompanists were either given books of musical ideas and suggestions or list of songs to play. The music will have a affect on the mood of the movie.

In 1927 the 'Jazz Singer' was the first featurette film with synchronised dialogue and song sequences. Majority of the songs were jazz as it was in the jazz era. The film even included some Jewish prayers

In the 1930's, due to the arrival of talking pictures music was a vital component in talking films. Sound within films were usually western classical which, would be played over the film. However original scores have started become a normal thing. Max Steiner was the person to write a original score for King Kong in 1933.

In the 1940's composers starts to develop their work, one of the most influential is Bernard Hermann who is best known for his work of 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' and 'All That Money Can Buy.'
In the 1950's jazz music was very popular in the movie industry. Fewer musicians are needed making orchestration less expensive.  The use of Jazz carried on into the 60's. In this decade there was a greater acceptance of new music. This linked to the scoring of INSERT HERE, the first movie to use a rock soundtrack.

Not much happened in the 1970's, this decade was mainly used for perfecting techniques used. People like John Williams created scores using techniques that are highly memorable even to this day. John Williams is best know for scoring the Star War movies.

In the 1980's the first widespread use of synthesized sounds in films and film scoring underwent a major revolution. For the first time, it became theoretically possible to score an entire film with only one performer – using the synthesizer to produce the sounds of many instrumentalists. This has caused popular films to be produced and used as film scores.

Today, with the daily development of new technology and the general knowledge gained from a century of experiences, film composers have the ability to create scores the perfect movie score which can be used to enhance a movie and transform the experience of the audience..

The reason  why our group researched into the history of film scores is because we were interested in how music has developed in cinematography over the years. Through this research we have learnt how important music is in cinematography, and how we have to put more of our focus on the music for our trailer, as it seems to be a factor that contributes to how successful the trailer is.

Sound Research

Sound Research

Sound can represent social groups in various ways: 

• Language and accent of a character 
• Use of music can tell you about a character 
• Ambient sound can suggest the setting 

KEY: 

• DIEGETIC – all sound which characters can hear and originates from the films diegesis. 
• NON-DIEGETIC – all sound added in that characters can’t hear and doesn’t belong to the films diegesis. 
• DIEGESIS – constructed/fictional film or TV word which we see in films and tv. 
• SYNCHRONOUS SOUND – sound where the origin can be seen on screen. 
• ASYNCHRONOUS SOUND – sound where the origin can’t be seen. 
• PLEONASTIC SOUND – exaggerated sounds which match an image. 
• VOICEOVER – when dialogue spoken by a narrator or character is heard by the audience while they see an image but the character isn’t speaking. 
• AMBIENT SOUND – background sounds of everything going on around a character while they’re speaking. 
• DIALOGUE – speech spoken by characters (language, tone, accent, volume, pitch). 
• SOUND BRIDGE – sound which continues across one or more cuts/scenes. 
• SOUND MOTIFS – sounds which are associated with a certain character or setting/location. 
• FOLEY – artificial sound created in a studio to replicate real sounds e.g. footsteps, punches. 
• PARALLEL SOUND – sound that matches an image. 
• CONTRAPUNTAL SOUND – sound that goes against an image. 
• SOUND MIX – the way different sounds in a scene are mixed together. 
• DIRECT ADDRESS – when the actor speaks directly to the camera. 

Through this research our group was able to have a deeper understanding into the effect that sound has on a production. Therefore it will be one of our main focuses as it effects the way individuals view our trailer.

Lighting Research

Lighting is very important as it defines the moment that the characters are in. For example, In a Romantic Genre you are more likely going to see Natural and soft lighting as it goes with the romantic atmosphere.

In a horror movie you are most likely going to see low key lighting as it creates a tone for the movie and adds an element of terror. It makes the audience aware when the action is about to take place as it usually gets darker.
The three types of lighting that we are going to focus on are:

• High Key Lighting                                            
  

• Low Key Lighting

• Soft Lighting

• Natural lightening

Low Key Lighting: Low Key lighning used for a overall darker picture
Natural Lighting: Light supplied by the sun, as opposed to artificial light from light bulbs

High Key Lighting: High Key Lighting means an overall brighter picture



Soft Lighting :A lighting approach that avoids sharp shadows and harsh bright areas creating a gradual blending from highlights to shadows.


As our main task is going to be an inspirational crime drama, so the most appropriate lighting that we will use is natural lighting. The reason behind this is because most of the shots that we are going to shoot will be outside in the daytime. Even though low key lighting is effective in producing a tense atmosphere, our group we have decided not to use low key lighting, albeit we will be trying to create a little tensity in some of the scenes,but we do not want our trailer to turn dark and into a thriller, as we want our trailer to be inspirational. As a result we will use natural and soft lightning in order to bring a light atmosphere to our inspirational movie.

Camerwork

Camerawork can be used to represent characters in a range of ways:
High/low angles and tilts to show dominance or inferiority
Point of view/over the audience to encourage the audience to identify with the character
Camera movements to suggest the character is fast paced and energetic or chaotic, anxious, lazy e.c.t.
Two shots to emphasise the relationship between characters (proxemics)
Zooms for emphasis
Close up to show emotion/reaction
Long/establishing/master shots to show setting or costume

KEY:
ESTABLISHING SHOT – often the first shot seen in a film and establishes the setting of a scene (often long shots).


MASTER SHOT – shows where characters/objects are positioned in a scene.

LONG SHOT – shows characters’ whole body and provides clear view of the setting.

MID/MEDIUM SHOT – shows character from the waist up/waist down.

CLOSE UP – shows one part of a character’s body (usually their face).

EXTREME CLOSE UP – shows a certain part of a character’s face or a prop to convey information.

WIDE SHOT – shows a wide view of the scene.

TWO SHOT – shows only 2 people.

OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT – used in dialogue or to conceal an identity.

POINT OF VIEW SHOT – shows the audience a view from a character’s perspective.

HIGH ANGLE SHOT – positions the camera above eye view, looking down at a character.

LOW ANGLE SHOT – positions camera below eye view, looking up at a character.

EYE-LEVEL ANGLE – positions camera at eye level, looking directly at a character.

BIRDS-EYE VIEW – camera raised above the action (using a crane/helicopter).

CANTED ANGLE SHOT (oblique or Dutch Angle) – tilted camera so nothing in the scene is horizontal or 
vertical (sense of instability, drama, crime, mental illness).

PAN – camera moving horizontally.

TILT – camera moves vertically.

STILL – camera doesn’t move.

TRACK – camera placed on a wheeled platform which is placed on rails to form a movement.

CRANE – camera on a crane is able to move both horizontally and vertically in the air.

STEDICAM – camera placed on a stabling mount isolates the camera operator’s movements, enabling a 
smooth shot even when the operator is moving.

HANDHELD – camera held by a person and not positioned on a tripod or crane. The camera shot often 
appears shaky.

ZOOM – camera zooms in or out.

SHALLOW FOCUS – a technique incorporating a small depth of field. In shallow focus, one plane of the image is in focus while the rest is out of focus.

DEEP FOCUS – a technique incorporating a great depth of field, using relatively wide-angle lenses and small lens to render near and distant planes in sharp focus simultaneously. A deep-focus shot includes foreground, middle-ground, and extreme-background objects, all in focus



This research has been beneficial as it has acted as a reminder of the different type of camera shots that we can use for our main task. When our group is going to discuss the camera shot list we would print of this research to remind us of the different shots, camera angles and movements that we can make sure that we use the right type of camera shot that specific scene.

Costume

Costume:

SCENE 1

The Protagonist

The Protagonist Sister

In this scene the protagonist and his sister will be mourning the loss of their parents at the graveyard. Therefore, as a group we though that it is appropriate for the protagonist and his sister to wear black as it is the customary color to wear when you go to a funeral. Additionally black connoted death and sadness, and reinforces the sorrow that the protagonist is feeling. This will make the audience more likely to empathize with them. 

SCENE 2

The Protagonist

The Protagonist Mentor

In this scene the protagonist is meant to be in sixth form, as a result both costumes have to be smart. We wanted the audience to see that there is a difference between the protagonist and his mentor. This is why we gave the mentor a blazer and the protagonist just a sweater.  This was done to show the different levels of authority, as the mentor will appear more responsible than the protagonist. Therefore they are not class mates, but teacher and student.

We chose the color blue to be our main color, as it  is simple. It also changes the atmosphere of the trailer. This is because in the previous scene we see the protagonist wearing all black, showing the audience that he is morning which created a sad atmosphere. However, as the protagonist is not wearing black it represents that the morning period is over, which stimulates an uplifting ambience, as it gives the impression that things are starting to look up. 

SCENE 3

The protagonist

The Drug Boss

In this scene the protagonist meets the drug boss. We wanted our drug boss to look smart and rich.
This was done to show the audience the result of dealing drugs, and how it has benefited the character, so the audience can compare and contrast how drugs have affected each of characters, as some have profited from it and others have had loss because of it. Additionally, by wearing smart clothing it shows that the drug boss is a character who needs to be taken seriously. Rich clothing connotes wealth and status, and as a result he is respected.

The protagonist is wearing simple clothing consisting of jogging bottoms and a body warmer. The head phones,and trainers highlight the youth of the character whilst the brown overcoat shows the maturity of the drug dealer. This tells the audience that the drug boss has had more experience than the protagonist.

Furthermore, The protagonist clothes are not as fancy as the drug boss. This was done to show that trying to live a good life, going to school like the protagonist may not be as rewarding financially as selling drugs. Even though the protagonist has more morals than the drug boss, and is trying to make a life for himself through education, the drug boss is respected more even though he is selling drugs because of the benefits he has reaped from it.

SCENE 4

The Protagonsit

Bullies x 3

In this scene the protagonist is getting beaten by 3 white sixth form boys. Our group wanted Caucasian people to be the bullies to give the audience the impression that the protagonist is getting bullied, due to the fact that the he is black and intelligent. As both of the costumes are smart it indicates that these boys are from the protagonists sixth form, and this is a school brawl.

SCENE 5


The Protagonist

The Mentor

The Headteacher

The next scene is in the headmasters office. The headmaster is wearing a smart blue pants suit. In movies it is very typical for the headmaster to be a man thus we wanted a female to be the head teacher. However, in movies when a female is depicted as a professional they usually wear a skirt suit. This is why our group has decided that the headteacher should wear a pants suit to break the stereotypes of a female in cinematography. Additionally as the female is wearing a bright blue suit it shows her authority as the other suits that the males are wearing are mellow colours. We also chose the colour blue for the female headteacher. The protagonist and his mentor is also wearing suits to accommodate the school setting.



Scene 6

The Protagonist

The Drug Recipient

The protagonist is wearing a body warmer ans some jeans. This is to reflect the everyday situations. The drug recipient will also be wearing casual clothing to tell the audience that drug dealings happen on a day to day basis and it is unfortunately considered normal.


What Have We Learnt?
By planning the costumes for our main task our group has been able to really think of how image is important in cinematography. We learnt that the clothing does effect the way the audience views the character, so we have to be careful in what we allow our characters to wear so that they can be perceived in the way we would like them to be.
This has contributed to our main task as this research has broadened our perspective on what to dress our characters in so that they can be identified with the audience and relatable.
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