Evaluation Question 4

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

"Never before in history has innovation offered promise of so much to so many in so short a time."
- Bill Gates - Co-founder of Microsoft

My last evaluation point focuses on the modern technology I have used to create my film, poster and double page spread, as well as the software I have used to evaluate and research for each task. The progression from AS to A2 has helped me developed my skills further by allowing me the opportunity to work with additional software such as Garage Band and Final Cut Pro. 'Generation Next', a term for my own generation, have grown using and learning technology as it too has evolved, whereas just a few decades ago, simple tasks such as taking a photo would have mainly been carried out on film and then processed. This prezi shows the vast opportunities to create professional and creative productions through the use of modern technology.

Evaluation Question 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

"It is essential to know who your audience is and deliver to them" - Lee Kynaston - Ex deputy editor of Men's Health 2010

 

When devising any media product, audience research is essential in getting to know the audience and the needs and interests we need to target. This is especially the case in the film industry, which has such extensive conventions in genres and narrative used to attract a niche or mainstream audience. Throughout the production we carried out research to make sure we were still targeting our own niche audience.  One of our most informative pieces of research was a  screening our film to a group who would fit into our target audience, who then gave us their honest opinions.





From our feedback, we can see that the audience enjoyed the experience of watching the film most of all. The variety of angles and editing were pleasing and the performance was a believable portrayal. However, from our feedback, we also learned that our target audience incorporates both a younger and older generation. The 16-24 category can relate to the character of the story more (media effects, insecurities) however, and older, cultured audience enjoyed the performance and the narrative of the short film. Initially, in our first pitch of the idea to an audience, the audience were confused of the concept of the short film, however we took this on board and worked especially hard to make sure the narrative made sense, as well as the ending. This is confirmed to have worked in our new feedback. If I could do the project again, I would take more care of the ending scene with the appearance of the child, which although short, is an important element to the film and the story.

Evaluation Question 2

How effective was the combination of your task and ancillary tasks?

As a group, I was involved in discussing our overall production of the film and production work as a team, as well as our individual ancillary tasks. During the video we will discuss the audience we have targeted and how, how we have kept a consistent house style (especially within the ancillary tasks) and how we have used conventions of our genre within the narrative and production (cinematography/editing) of the film.

Evaluation Question 1

In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Below I have included the link to our final film but with additional notes, explaining how we have used and challenged conventions throughout the production of our film.

Film Analysis

Audience Feedback - Poster and Double Page Spread

After creating my film poster and double page spread, I once again collected audience research to see if I have kept the promotional material to my audience. The feedback I received was from 16 - 20 year olds, which fits nicely with my target audience. I asked the audience to comment on the productions on  social networking (Facebook) and e-mailed people who fit into my audience, asking if they liked the promotional material and if there is anything they think I could have changed. From the feedback I can see that the audience have recognised conventional features of the poster and most of all find them appealing. Above is some examples of the feedback I received. 

Double Page Spread

Double Page Spread Plan

Below is a basic drawing of how I plan to layout my double page spread based on other movie magazines, particularly sight & sound. The plan should help me to stay focused on how the overall layout will appear whilst I concentrate on finding images and text to fill their place. 

 

Poster

 

 

Art House Film

Our short film narrative is based around the psychological stresses of a little girl projected onto a doll. Although some children may have grown with a happy care-free childhood, there are many that could relate to the insecurities portrayed by our character. Due to this appeal to a niche market rather than a mass market, and the seriousness of the story-line, our short film is classed as an Art House Film as well as a psychological thriller. An art house film also tends to be experimental, which I think our definitely is because of quite a sensitive issue and the quite creative approach to presenting it.

One such film I have researched is 'The White Ribbon' due to it's disturbing focus on the psychological damage of children and the gruesome consequences. The story takes place in a small German town on the brink of World War 1. A series of murders, "accidents" and other crimes take place, with no lead as to who or why. The school teacher is the one to identify that the children who suffer dark thoughts and can not control their need for violence who are responsible.

I think the way the children are influenced by what is taught to them (even if unknowingly) is what links it to our own narrative, where similarly, we have presented the consequences of a child who has been effected by people they are surrounded by and the media which very much surrounds modern day life.

Example of Film Magazine (Double Page Spread)

To get inspiration of conventions for my own double page spread, I have looked to two film magazines which share a similar target audience but have a unique approach to reviewing films.The first is Little White Lies:

Photoshoot For Poster

For question 3, we conducted audience research by screening our film to a group who would fit into our target audience.

Poster Research - Black Swan

 

 

For my film poster, I have chosen to go with a similar design to 'Black Swan', which too is a psychological thriller. What I find particularly interesting, is the crack along her face, representing her crack in emotion and loss of personality. I think this would also be an accurate representation of our own character, especially whilst our film is centred around the reflection of herself, even featuring a cracked mirror at one point our film. As well as this, other features such as the flawless skin and pink lips (society's perception of beauty), would also be a feature of the poster I would like to include because of it's artificial tone and reference to a doll. The overall composition of the photograph is also attractive to an audience, as the direct mode of address draws the viewers eye, and the close up consumes most of the poster. The overall colour palette is quite plain with much of it remaining close to white or black apart from the splash of pink from the lips. Overall, I think the simplicity of the poster is what makes it most effective and most disturbing and would make a good design for my own poster.