An Introduction to the Cameras

To film my short film, I will be using one or both of the following cameras:

• Canon AVCHD Legria HF G40
• Panasonic AVCCAM AG-HMC41E

I have taken notes on these cameras as an introduction before using them, to see what features they have, and what they are capable of doing.

An Introduction to Editing and Using Avid

As a part of A2, I will be using a different editing software to last year's AS coursework. Avid is much more advanced than iMovie, which only offers basic features of an editing programme. The following are steps and tips on how to use the basic elements of Avid. 

Script Draft Two

In my feedback session with my teacher, he firstly suggested ways in which I could fix the punctuation errors that I made in the first draft.

I was told that the average page of a script was around a minute in a short film, and as mine was only two pages long, I needed to extend it.

In order to do this, my teacher suggested that I cut out the dining room scene in which she eats dinner, so that she becomes hungry and it makes sense that she would accept the caretaker's sandwich at the end of the film.

To build tension and extend the film, I have added in extra scenes in places around the school that perhaps pose danger to a young girl on her own, such as design technology and food technology. My teacher also suggested that I introduce the caretaker, yet hide his identity until the end, where the conventional caretaker stereotype is subverted. 

The following is my improved draft of my script:

Script Draft Two from aimeelee12

Script Draft One

Script Draft One from aimeelee12

An Introduction to Script Writing

The following image is the notes I have taken in order to gain further understanding towards the format of a script. 

I also found out about the strict margin rules for 

Headings and Description - 1.5" left, 1" right.  Headings and descriptions should be approximately 6" in width.

Dialogue - 3" left, 2" right.  Dialogue should stay around 3.5" wide

Character Names - 4" from left (up to 4.25" is acceptable)

Wrylies - 3.5" from left (up to 3.75" is acceptable)

Top/Bottom Margins - 1" top, 1" bottom

Page Numbers - upper right, usually .25"-.5" from top and 1"-1.25" from left

The screenplay and title page must be printed in 12 point courier typeface.

Description and dialogue blocks are printed using single line spacing.  Scene headings, description, and dialogue blocks are separated using double line spacing.

Synopsis Draft Four

Home time at a local Surrey primary school on a bright, winter's day. A young girl bursts out of the doors of her classroom clutching a sheet of paper with her masterpiece on it. Her face drops as her eyes, unfocused, scan the crowd of parent figures. After a short while, she ceases her search and fixes her gaze onto her classroom door. Still holding onto her picture, she heads back inside with reluctance. As she enters the classroom, she immediately drops her things in search for something else to preoccupy herself with. Striding over to the other side of the room, she picks out a box from a cupboard, and pulls out a plethora of fancy dress costumes. Out of the abundance of princess dresses and other colourful outfits, she settles for a woollen jumper, a scarf, and a handbag. Immersed in her own thoughts, she wonders the classroom looking at the walls plastered in childish scrawl, and occasionally stops to admire her own. Still carrying her hand bag, she proceeds on her journey through the school until she ends up at the kitchen. She potters around until she finds something to eat. She continues with her pretend game by pressing buttons and twisting dials. She manages toast, and with pride, she takes her meal and sits in the school's dining room to eat it. 

                       

Oblivious to her surroundings, the girl finishes her home made dinner, and leaves the messy plate where it is, neglecting the washing up. Meanwhile, the caretaker of the school begins to lock up the classrooms as the light outside is fading. The girl walks to the end of the hall, and exits through the door at the end. She steps outside on to the cold, hard concrete playground, and heads towards the classroom in which she started her school day, and her journey earlier on in the evening. Still in her grown up persona, she walks with purpose until she spots the caretaker locking the adjacent classroom to the one she’s walking into. Frozen in her tracks, she hesitates, and breaks into a run, she forgets her adult character and returns to her child self. Reaching the classroom door as the caretaker is still around the other side, she hesitates once more, and walks inside before being seen. Out of breath, the girl hides from view and listens for the lock of the door. Instead, from her corner, she hears the door open. The caretaker strides across the room with heavy footsteps, and sits down. The girl quivers in the corner. Pulling out a small parcel wrapped in brown paper, the elderly man places it on the table and opens it up. From the paper he pulls his sandwiches. He takes a bite, completely unaware that he is being watched. Meanwhile, the girl doubtfully moves out from her corner, making the man twist round to see the source of rustling. Startled, the man's face quickly changes from shocked to confused. Silently, he beckons the girl to sit with him, using gentle hand movements. She walks over, gaining confidence in her walk, and takes a seat opposite him. Holding one sandwich in one hand, and one in the other, he reaches across the table and gestures towards the girl to take it. She takes his offer as they exchange smiles.

Synopsis Ending Research Conclusions

Overall, the participants of my short qualitative research task all agree that my synopsis should end with the challenging of the stereotypical horror genre caretaker character. I also like this idea because he would then begin to fulfil the needs of the girl, and takes the narrative almost back to the start, when she is looking for a grown up to take her home and become responsible for her, making it almost cyclical. It would therefore emphasise the journey she's been on and the experiences she's had, but would also re-address the issue of the girl needing adult support.

Based off of this feedback that I have received, I will redraft my synopsis to cater for the endings that my peers and I have agreed on through the research that I have carried out.

Synopsis Ending Research Results

Synopsis Ending Research

Following feedback from my teacher about my third draft of my synopsis, I found that the first half created enough atmosphere to carry the story through to the bit that I added in the latest draft. The second bit required an ending that created a clearer meaning and was perhaps a little less dull. The main aspect of the new part of this synopsis that I thought was important was the return back to the dress up outfit and the grown up personality that the girl took on as a part of it, in which my teacher agreed on.

However, my teacher suggested that I should bring the caretaker character that I introduced to my latest synopsis into a more central role, and also to challenge the horror genre stereotypes of these types of characters, which would bring the social realism aspect of the film back into the narrative.

I have decided to carry out a small primary qualitative research task in order to gather ideas on how to end my synopsis. I altered it slightly from the third draft so that it ends very open, for people to give a wider range of ideas. I will give each participant in my research the following:

Initial Poster Idea

Synopsis Draft Three

As a result of my feedback session with my teacher, and the qualitative research that I carried out, I have decided to continue drafting my third synopsis, in which the young girl stays at school alone and creates an adventure out of it. The main thing that I was advised to do was to raise the stakes for the protagonist, as they were not as high as what could be to create an interesting short film. Therefore, I have redrafted this synopsis, keeping the first half, and adding an encounter/ experience for the girl towards the end:

Home time at a local Surrey primary school on a bright, winter's day. A young girl bursts out of the doors of her classroom clutching a sheet of paper with her masterpiece on it. Her face drops as her eyes, unfocused, scan the crowd of parent figures. After a short while, she ceases her search and fixes her gaze onto her classroom door. Still holding onto her picture, she heads back inside with reluctance. As she enters the classroom, she immediately drops her things in search for something else to preoccupy herself with. Striding over to the other side of the room, she picks out a box from a cupboard, and pulls out a plethora of fancy dress costumes. Out of the abundance of princess dresses and other colourful outfits, she settles for a woollen jumper, a scarf, and a handbag. Immersed in her own thoughts, she wonders the classroom looking at the walls plastered in childish scrawl, and occasionally stops to admire her own. Still carrying her hand bag, she proceeds on her journey through the school until she ends up at the kitchen. She potters around until she finds something to eat. She continues with her pretend game by pressing buttons and twisting dials. She manages toast, and with pride, she takes her meal and sits in the school's dining room to eat it. 

Oblivious to her surroundings, the girl finishes her home made dinner, and leaves the messy plate where it is, neglecting the washing up. Meanwhile, the caretaker of the school begins to lock up the classrooms as the light outside is fading. The girl walks to the end of the hall, and exits through the door at the end. She steps outside on to the cold, hard concrete playground, and heads towards the classroom in which she started her school day, and her journey earlier on in the evening. Still in her grown up persona, she walks with purpose until she spots the caretaker locking the adjacent classroom to the one shes walking into. Frozen in her tracks, she hesitates, and breaks into a run, she forgets her adult character and returns to her child self. Reaching the classroom door as the caretaker is still around the other side, she hesitates once more, and walks inside before being seen. Out of breath, the girl hides from view and listens to the door being locked. With great effort, she removes her costume and tires to a corner of cushions and blankets. She lies onto her bedding, and falls asleep almost instantly.

Magazine Review Draft One

Poster and Review Audience Survey Results Analysis

The following diagrams help to visualise the results I got back from my survey. The pie charts and bar graphs have helped me to analyse the statistics that I received from this piece of research, and to grasp a better understanding of my audience for posters and magazine reviews. Overall, 10 people took my survey.

The majority of my audience are between the ages of 16 and 24, which suggests I'm aiming towards a young audience that are usually up to date with current trends and are therefore attracted to these things.

Most participants of my survey were female, and therefore this implies that I'm aiming towards a predominantly female audience with my posters and reviews. Stereotypically, females are neat and tidy, and so I may consider this when drafting my poster and review page.

All of my participants were white, which suggests that reference to racial issues or other wider context within my posters and/or review may not seem as relevant to this audience.

The 'other' options were chosen by three other people. They specified that they lived in Woodmansterne and Lower Kingswood. These are all within local vicinity and therefore this might help me when thinking about the context in which my poster may be placed.

Most of the participants in this survey stated that they were educated to at least AS level or equivalent. This implies that my audience are mostly educated to a high level, and are likely to still be in education and completing A levels. This might help me when thinking about the register within my review and poster, as this audience appears to be intelligent.

My target audience for my poster and magazine review mostly agree that they are at least somewhat media literate. This means that I will be able to give thought to technical codes and other conventional elements of my ancillary tasks, knowing that my audience will be reading these.

Most of the people who answered said that social media was their favourite way to consume mediated content, followed by other online websites, such as news sites, and TV. This implies that my audience would understand references made to these areas, and will help to decide which context I should create my poster in.

My audience are mostly appreciative of posters, as they feel that it is an important part in the viewing of the film overall. This may hint that they are looking for posters that hint at events in the narrative, to raise questions and entice them to watch it.

Just under half of my audience view posters at bus stops on on the busses themselves. This was the most popular option and may imply that this were to be the best and most effective place to place a poster, and therefore suggests the purpose for which I should draft it.

Most of my participants aren't familiar with Sight & Sound magazine, which suggests that they would not understand the conventions of the magazine review page. Therefore, this might imply that I could experiment with the page structure of my review without endangering the audience that I draw in from it, as they are not aware of Sight & Sound review page conventions.

Again, my audience are not familiar with the magazine, and therefore have never read it. This might make it more challenging me to draw them to read my magazine review.

My audience mostly find reviews helpful when deciding to watch a film, as they get a better idea for what other people think. 

Most of the participants of the survey read reviews elsewhere online, such as on sites like IMDb.com, where mostly intelligent, film literate individuals go to share their opinions on film. Only one person views reviews from film magazines, and so I may have to adapt my review slightly to cater for the predominantly online audience.

Overall, my audience are likely to be young white females that are educated as well as film literate. They're not often familiar with Sight & Sound magazine, but read and view posters and reviews elsewhere, and understand the importance of both.

To compare my real results to my predictions, I was accurate in thinking that the majority of my target audience:

• do fall into the 16 to 24 age group
• do say they are somewhat film literate
• do prefer to consume media through social networking platforms 
• do think that posters are important in the viewing of a film
• are not necessarily be familiar with Sight & Sound magazine
• do think that reviews are important in making them more likely to watch a film

Poster and Review Audience Survey

The following is a paper based questionnaire that I designed to give out to my peers and other surrounding people in order to find out which context in which my poster would be best placed, as well as the audience I need to cater for for my magazine review page. The responses to these will be useful in gathering the knowledge to do so.

Poster and Review Audience Predictions

I was interested to see what my understanding of my target audience was like prior to the survey, so I made a few predictions based on the questions and answer choices that I included. Here are the following hypotheses:

I think that the majority of my target audience will:

• fall into the age group 16 to 24
• say they are somewhat film literate
• prefer to consume media through social networking platforms 
• think that posters are important in the viewing of a film
• not necessarily be familiar with Sight & Sound magazine
• think that reviews are important in making them more likely to watch a film

Once I receive responses from both my paper surveys, I will collate the data and analyse it along with these predictions.

Synopses Research Conclusions

Overall, my media literate peers gave positive feedback in the responses to my paper based survey. They all discussed the familiarity in the subject matter, the problem, issues and themes. 

I am happy with the familiar rituals used within the synopses, in that it is home time for the girl, and this can be related to by many.

Moreover, issues and themes were clear in portraying a meaning, and the problem was said to be the heart of the film, although I'd like to introduce the idea of internal problems as well as external. For example, the girl faces the external problem of being isolated by her parent figures, although she may encounter more personal issues, such as having the knowledge and understanding to care for herself, and the journey she will partake in to gain a greater independence and responsibility throughout the narrative.

As a result of this, I may need to raise the stakes to ensure the audience retention is as high as possible. 

To conclude, my most popular and effective synopsis is the third option, and so it is clear to me that this might be the best one to continue redrafting.

Synopses Research Results