Target Audience '12 Hours' -

Our active audience for '12 Hours' is mainly in the bracket of 16-24 yr olds. Our project should appeal to them in a similar way to that of Kidulthood & Skins this is due to it being clearly set around the lives of teens and their actions. Seeing as teens are represented a lot in our film this should be evedent even in the opening 2 minutes. Although it is aimed at 16-24 yr olds we feel the film would be better suited to an 18+ certificate, this is because we would like to achieve and almost gritty feel such as Kidulthood does. Seeing as the certificate would ideally 18+ we think that 16 & 17 yr olds would still watch it as the majority of them wouldn't care about this certificate, this fits in with the theme of rebellion that is evident in our film.

Mid Production Film Update -

We are currently half way through filming '12 Hours' opening scene. So far it hasn't gone particularly well due to issues with scheduling, a few technical difficulties and locations. However tomorrow we are having our 3rd attempt with completing the filming portion of the project so we can start with editing this Wednesday.
To brake down the problems we've had at first it was finding a time we were all free with a willing female actress. Once this problem was tackled and had our 2nd filming session however the footage was to dark in turn this led us to think we should have one final attempt at filming.
Hopefully tomorrow we will iron out the problems such as lighting and acting thus allowing us to finally complete '12 Hours' opening scene.
On the upside location, costumes and actors are now secure so we only need to film witch with all the planning shouldn't be to complicated.

Similar Opening To '12 Hours' #2-

 

Although this is a TV opening, thats used in every episode, SHOWTIME often use film tecnequies as they have very high quality openings and would fit in on the big screen as well as the small screen. The reason i like this so much is because of the morning routine aspect. Although i wouldnt copy this exactly i like the idea behind it. The way we see him as an everyday normal guy that nothing eventful will happen too because of the adverge Joe feeling we get due to his 'routine'. i would really like to achive this in our film however with a more film feel. On the other hand 'Dexter's' routine is fairly sadistic and this foreshadows the main idea behing the program, this is because of the almost threning sound of the boot lace's, the taught floss and the knife movments (this sadistic feeling is something i wish not to attain in my opening. 

Mine And Pete's Story Boards For '12 Hours'-

 My Story Board (No annotations or dialogue)

Pete's Story Board

Complete Plot '12 Hours'-

The film opens with the end. This is Joshua being beaten up by Seamus. Sharply we cut to black whilst also cutting back 12 hours. The viewer is immediately introduced to 2 of our main characters, also we learn more about WHY Joshua was beaten up. These 2 characters are Joshua the leading male and Ciara the leading female. The entire film is in a way about their relationship due to the ‘Montague’s & Capulet’s’ aspect of the relationship.

Once we are introduced to these 2 characters we establish how dysfunctional the relationship is, neither know where they stand. It almost seems like both of them are just in it to bide time. It soon becomes apparent this is partly true; we discover this once we are introduced to Joshua’s conflicting love interest Jane. She is far more similar to Joshua with similar upbringing and tastes. Despite this her and Ciara are still good friends through school, neither know of the others relationship with Joshua.

The relationships are beginning to cross paths and in an unpredictable series of events both Ciara & Jane turn up to Joshua’s little gathering (this is due to Joshua’s Mum leaving to visit her parents up north). The part gets underway and before we know it Jane and Joshua have found their way into his bedroom, the inevitable happens and Ciara walks in. She certainly wasn’t expecting this and is so distraught that she leaves quickly whilst in tears. Jane goes after her trying to explain all of the events however Ciara has already got home.

Once Ciara’s brother (Seamus) gets home to find his little sister in tears he turns vowing to get revenge for Joshua’s rash actions. Midnight is nearing and we are aware of what is soon to happen.

At Joshua’s party supplies are running low, this is what leads Joshua to leave his house and go to the shop. Seamus is waiting and as soon as Joshua leaves it’s back to the beginning.

Joshua is beaten up and we cut to the hospital where Ciara is waiting. She’s concerned and the two make up and end up getting together.

Profiles '12 Hours'-

Joshua:

Age-17

Ethnicity- White British.

Relationship- Sleeping with Ciara.

Costume- Black Harrington on a grey zip up with blue jeans and white Reebok Hightops.

Actor- Walter Righton.

Ciara:

Age-16.

Ethnicity- White Irish.

Relationship- Sleeping with Joshua. Seamus’ younger sister.

Costume-

Actor-

Seamus:

Age-18

Ethnicity- White Irish.

Relationship- Best friends with Scott & Adrain. Ciara’s older brother.

Costume-  Red shirt on a Black pullover hoodie and trackies with Reebok Sir Jams.

Actor- Jordan Goff.

Scott:

Age-18

Ethnicity- White British.

Relationship- Best friends with Seamus & Adrian.
Costume- Black crewneck and blue cotton trackies with a brown beanie and Vans.

Actor- Aaron Morey.

Adrian:

Age-18

Ethnicity-White British.

Relationship- Best friends with Seamus & Scott.

Costume- Grey crew neck and black trackies with a black beanie.
Actor- Joey Helsby.

Similar Film Opening #1-

     

This opening is from the film Shank (2010) it too is a film drama focusing on young people. I chose this as a similar opening because of the way we start by seeing an almost confusing situation. This is because of how the film has been edited so what we are confronted by a situation that needs explanation, much similar to our film. In our film opening we see a fight that needs an explanation just like in Shank, this is why time moves backwards in order to show us how the fight came to be in turn creating the bulk of the film.

Basic Plot And Timing For '12 Hours' Full Film-

Pre-Lim Opening.

For the pre-lim task our group wanted to stay simple and take on too much. To combat the complexity of some of the others pre-lim we kept to 2 rooms in school and 3 actors. Since it was most of our first attempt at practical use of sound (both diagetic and non-diagetic), cameras and editing we kept to basic but key skills that we knew would still have a strong effect.
The concept of the film was a loan gone wrong and how dangerous and sketchy the underground loan sharks are. The idea was to set up a opening that would leave the rest of the film on a cliff hanger and i believe this was done successfully. The way the debtor is abducted within the first minute of the opening not only shows how fast paced the plot could be. Another way we set up the rest of the film was though the dialogue and how each character spoke; we had the 'strong silent type' (both the guard and boss) witch shows how they are very professional and used to what they know do as an everyday 9 to 5, we also had the 'fidgety type' (dead man) who was careless and often un-aware (not to dissimilar to a child).
Below is a link to our groups film opening on YouTube-

Cherwell Media Pre-lim: Deadly Serious Debt. 2010

Key Words: Continuity, 180 Degree Rule and Shot-Reverse-Shot

Continuity- This is a technique used in film and TV editing. Its particularly useful to make sure the viewer isn't confused when either person, object or place is changed. For example if a character is moving room the editor needs to make sure the viewer understands that their entering thus to combat this issue a shot of a door handle being pushed and then a cut to the door opening on the other side makes it clear that the room is being changed. Without this the viewer might not assume that the room has changed this in turn could confuse them because the scenery has changed.

180 Degree Rule-

This is another technique that is designed to stop the viewer becoming confused. The camera must only ever shoot in the green section (180 Degrees) so that the characters aren't swapped round when the camera shot changes. If they are swapped round (seen in the picture <) the viewer can easily loose track. this is especially used in conversations between two people. This can be ignored if a sense of disorientation is wanted to be achieved (often used by Stanly Kubrick).

Shot-Reverse-Shot- Also an important method used in continuity editing. Once again its mainly used along side dialoge although not all the time. It aims to give us a strong over view of the conversation so that the viewer is almost part of it. The tecnequie its self is where for example two people are talking and the camera swaps from behind one to the other and back again. It in turn keeps the viewer focused on the conversation because they can always see the person who is talking. Over the shoulder shots are often used in conjuction with this tecnequie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gIdceyd1L8&feature=related (also uses 180 degree rule).

Analysis of a film opening.

The opening scene for Doghouse (2009) lasts 5:51; I think it’s so long because there is a lot that the viewer needs to understand about each character. The first shot we have is panoramic shot of London; this is also an establishing shot to show how the charters are from this vast city scope (very unlike Moodly (their next destination)). The next shot we have is another establishing shot of Vince's flat from outside, it’s almost as if we've zoomed in on our main character. Next we have a aerial shot of Vince's room its very dirty and messy, this is done so we have insight to his personality, then we zoom out giving us the first shot of a character it’s an medium aerial shot. Immediately we have a still of Vince with his name edited cross the bed, the style has also changed along with a few seconds of non-diagetic sound running alongside the freeze frame I think this is to give it an almost comic or cartoony feel but this quickly changes back to normal. On Vince's phone we now see Neil who's calling Vince (this shows there good friends however Vince blocks the call possibly suggesting he's in a bad mood). The shot we get of Neil is another medium shot with Neil central in it more non-diagetic sound has been edited in whilst the cut from Vince to Neil happens (this cut shows there quite different). The camera now tracks Neil keeping him in the centre of the camera whilst he moves around (this represents that he's quite self-centred) we then have an over the shoulder of Neil this is gives us a different perspective of him. Again we have the non-diagetic almost western noise edited over this freeze frame of Neil in an almost cartoony way. We soon cut to Graham and his partner who is looking very agitated (smoking & crossed arms) so far all we now of Graham is his voice but then we zoom out of the medium shot of his partner to  the entire room with 2-shot. Next we have a sequence of him in his partner with quite quick cuts from mid shot to mid shot of each of them. Graham now walks of the shot making the camera cut to just a shot of him, now he turns and we once again have the cartoon freeze frame with the non-diagetic western Esq. music. This quickly cuts to Mikey also having a row with his partner  as they walk out of the house with a slow zooming out medium to long shot, at this point his partner goes out of focus showing she’s not important. This long shot shows us his expression to his partner’s dialogue this cuts to another cartoon freeze frame but with another more electronic take on the once western music. Now instead of having a shot of both Mikey and his partner we have a sequence of cuts using close ups and over the shoulder shots. Now we hear a quite posh woman’s voice witch shortly cuts to a shot of Patrick (this voice was his partners) this shot is very short and before we know it we have another freeze frame but this time for Patrick. Next to a 2-shot of the both of them with her in background and him in the foreground we soon get a shot of his back whilst he puts head-phones in slowly the woman’s voice fades out and we hear what’s being played through the head-phones (which transpires to be a anti-stress talk). Back to Vince this time in a mid shot who is looking hopelessly out over his balcony (the non-diagetic western music is now back. We cut to this same long shot as we had at the begining of his block of flats but this time with Vince in the centre of the shot but in the background as well. We cut to a closer view of the upset Vince he turns his back whilst we have a voice being edited over the image of Vince. Whilst this voice talks about symbolic meaning we cut to a extreme close up zooming in on Vince’s lighter that has a Tigers paw print on it (symbolising Vince’s wildness) but the lighter is in tatters (showing how he isn’t anymore). Another cut leads us to this final introduction, this time it’s Matt. Matt is explaining to the child about the 'Evil Dead' (a comic at Matt’s store) whilst we hear the dialogue we see over the shoulder shots of both the young boy and Matt. In the corner of the room there is a plastic zombie woman which is fore-sight for later in the film. The camera however dismisses this plastic zombie and keeps following the dialogue by cutting to either the boy or Matt as each of them speaks. The camera now zooms in on Matt ending with a close up but quickly cutting to the comic which is on a page that has a zombie woman on it too. Now we see the why each character has been made to look like a comic book character in the freeze frame, it’s another way in which the plot is already being shown to us. Eventually we also get a freeze frame of Matt whilst the western music returns. After a cut to a close up of Vince going in to his house Mikey and Graham run down and almost kidnap Vince. As they run off the camera follows them into the distance until there out of the frame. Mikey Runs back on to grab Vince’s ‘Symbolic’ lighter immediately we cut to the boy from Matt’s shop. He’s throwing eggs at it but we cut to a close up of Matt shouting 'bastard' this leads to a sequence of all of the characters partners also shouting basted. Whilst the once calm non-diagetic sound turns quite heavy and rock like. At the end we cut to Neil’s one night stand who throws her shoe, the camera follows this shoe till it hits the ground then zooms in on it until the word 'DOGHOUSE' is edited above it. That final shot ends the opening scene and sets the themes of zombies, comics, brotherhood, women and violence.

Analysis Of TV Opening.

In this opening we are introduced to all the main characters from the first series of Misfits (2009), This first series focus' on 5 young offenders (Bottom right (Gary) dies in the first episode). The opening lasts a total of 45 seconds and though out the duration we have no dialog. Instead of dialogue we have quite a modern song, its quite new and electronic (this should appeal to the target audience of teens), this song could also appeal to the characters and this makes viewers relate to the newly introduced characters.
The first shot is of a young women's legs, this could have sexual connotations and relate to her character, then we use a pedestal movement moving up her legs and at mid thigh a cut-in is used to frame her face (the entirety of this lasts 6 seconds). Next we cut to a mid shot of a young man who is smoking this gives the impression he is scruffy and laid back, slowly we zoom in. Now to a close up of another young woman but this is very brief (4 seconds). Again to a different character (young man) who is framed in the middle of a medium close up he seems quite smart and well presented. Now to an even shorter medium close up of another young man this time quite Chav-y in presentation. Finally to the last young man in medium close up starting at his abb's now we have another pedestal movement upward (could signifie a bond with the first woman who also has a similar camera movement) (without a cut) to his face witch seems worried.
Through out the sequence of introduction to the characters we have an almost slow motion edit on all of them this makes the opening scene quite surreal but also lets us focus in on the characters. We go though 2 more sequences of seeing the characters but this time for a lot shorter although with very similar shots of each of then (the non-diajetic sound also speeds up along with the camera movements).
Another aspect that stays the same for all characters is the costume, all of them sport orange jump-suits which have connotations of danger and prison. Both prison and danger of course being a major theme through out the series. Other themes we see represented in this opening scene are sex, drugs, companionship and lonelyness.
The lighting is quite dull and seems almost boring however it acts as a great contrast with the jump-suits making the jump-suits stand out but the people blend in more (signifing there just jump-suits made for work not people).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMABaMyZOrc&has_verified=1 < Opening scene for Misfits.

Keywords: Polysemy & Anchors

Polysemic: 'Having a number of meanings, interpretations or understandings.'
Anchorage: 'Used in media to attach meaning to something through either the matching of words to images or the juxtaposition of two images which construct a meaning.'

Polysemy & Anchors

With out the text bellow the image explaining what it is this picture could be anything. The picture could be a group of students watching their home burn down or a group of pagans giving their fallen comrade a religious send off. This means the image is Polysemic (this means the signifier could be interpreted in a number of possible ways).
To make sure the viewer knows what the image is meant to show we use Anchorage to anchor the image to its meaning. This leads to the viewer what the image is supposed to be signifying.

'A Clockwork Orange' Video Analysis.

 In this clip of Stanley Kubrick's 'A Clockwork Orange' we see Alex and his Droogs fight an opposing gang. We begin by hearing Alex shout insults at his rival, these insults are very childish and have little meaning however we then cut to a shot of Alex's rival. This shot is a close up and shows the reaction of the rival, now the fight starts. The rival gangs costume is very different to The Droogs' because unlike The Droogs clean and co-ordinated outfits this gang have a very messy and dirty outfits, this signifies a contrast between the two gangs. The set is also very dark and messy this again makes the Droogs stand out from there fore-ground creating juxtaposition between the Droogs and the set. The fight its self seems to be very unfair because the Droogs are out numbered however the Droogs still dominate their rivals this signifies their power and strength. Lighting is very dim this has connotations of night which may signify the Droogs being a 'nightmare'. At 1:00 we get a long shot which shows the entire fight and the Droogs success we also get a sense of brotherhood from this shot. The non-diagetic music in the background makes this scene quite disturbing because violence is not something we associate with Rossini's music this in a way offers more juxtaposition and almost makes the fight seem worse and more violent due to the contrast of images and sound.

Film Poster Annotation: In Bruges

Key Word: Semiotics

'Semiotics is a tradition of thought known for calling attention to the formal structures of signification in culture. In so far as it can be used to reveal the arbitrary or constructed character of the meanings we use in our everyday lives, semiotics is also a form of social criticism.' 
Symbolic:  'Something that serves as a symbol for that attempting to be signified.'
Iconic:  'Something that resembles or imitates the signified.'
Indexical:  'Something directly connected to the signifier.'

Semiotics

We've been looking at Semiotics, the science of signs, and we learnt about what a signifier is and what visual and audio aspects of media may signify. Later we learnt about 3 symbolic meaning, iconic meaning and indexical meaning.

-Symbolic meanings are codes, numbers, letters, punctuation etc.
-Iconic meanings resembles or imitates the things that is being signified. For example photographs and realistic sounds.
-Indexical meanings are where the signifier uses something directly connected to the signified. For example smoke & fire.

 Ive made 3 logos for myself that show what each aspect of semiotics may represent:

 ^ Symbolic.

 ^ Iconic.

^ Indexical.

Key Word: Mise-En-Scene

'Mise-en-scene: ‘to put on stage’ or ‘staging an action’: 'the elements of mise-en-scene include the ‘contents of the frame and the way they have been organised’.

Elements of Mise-en-scene: 

Lighting, Sets and Props, Costume and Camera position.'

In this still from 'This Is Enland' Combo is in a plain and dull room which helps to add emphasis to the light shining on his back. His Position shows him in a God-ly way because he has his hands out in the shape of Jesus on a crucifix. His expression shows anger and the camera is in a medium shot so we can only see his torso, once more putting emphasis onto the position of his arms. His outfit is clearly skin-head Esq which is a huge part of Combo's character and whole belief system.

Mise-En-Scene

Mise-En-Scene is 'Everything on the Screen'. This can vary from lighting to costume. Mise-En-Scene helps the viewer to understand the full meaning behind a shot, it does this because it is a method of analysing Costume, Set & Props, Lighting, Camera Position and Performance.

Key Word: Juxtaposition

'In literature and film, juxtaposition is the arrangement of two opposing ideas, characters, objects, etc. side-by-side or in similar narratives for effect.'

                                                       Old & New

Juxtaposition

Today in Media we learnt about Juxtaposition, I learnt that when creating a Scene or Image you can change what each aspect of the Shot/ Picture signifies. As an example I used a still from 'Al Murry: The Pub Landlord', i chose this because it has connotations of fun and laughter, and a cut out from the 'Jarhead' advert , this has connotations of war and hatred. These two images created Juxtaposition because the background created a sense of fun however the foreground contrasted because it gave a sense of war.

1st lesson.

On our first media lesson we learnt which units what unit and what we have to learn to get a good grade in media studies AS.
The main things we learnt were 'IM RAVING' & 'CRAGED'. So far media seems quite interesting I'm looking forward to making the opening of our film and using the editing room.
For H/W we were set to create a blog with the aim of cataloging what were learnt in media and our ideas for the opening sequence.