Evaluation ;

A2 MEDIA EVALUATION on Prezi

My Finished Products :

Movie Poster                        

Movie Magazine

Movie Trailer

Theory Of Representation :

Mediation -> Everything in the media has been mediated, it is only someones construction of reality, not the truth.

This is reflected through the filming process in 3 key stages :

1. Selection : Series of events or film.
2. Organisation : Arangment of shots (Editting)
3. Focusing : Concentrating on one aspect of the material.

This can also be reflected through 3 key areas in which the media is mediated :

The Reflective View  is trying to re-create a replica of a meaning, or, a reflection of reality.

The Intentional View is the view in which the news or media chooses to convey.

The Constructionist View is the view which takes into account audience response to a representation.

Richard Dyer's Star Theory :

Richard Dyer's star theory argues that irrespective of the medium, stars have something in common.

According to Dyer :

1. A star is an image that has been constructed out of a range of materials, not a real person.
2. A star is a commoditie produced and consumed on the strength of their meanings.
3. Stars depend upon a range of subsidory media to be marketed to their target audiences.

Fundamentally, the star image is incoherrent, that is incompelete and 'open'. Dyer states that this is because it is based on two key paradoxes :

1. The star must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary for the consumer.
2. The star must be somebody the consumers can aspire to be like.

According to Dyer the star must be simultaneously present and absent for the consumer and the consumer forever attempts to complete the story.

In conclusion i believe that this theory holds truth in only certain aspects of the media, however in others it is sometimes difficult to link the star to each and every one of Dyer's proposed factors, although most stars do convey a strong sense of Hegemony.

Idents In Movie Trailers

Idents are the animated logo of the production company, commonly featured at the start or end of trailers. The ident will usually represent the genre of the movie it is played before, adapting the Mise En Scene or colour scheme of the movie. Below are some examples of Idents from different Genres :

This Lionsgate Ident is usually featured before a Horror Movie, this is evident with the dark and black colour scheme often featured in the Horror genre, along with the red smoke which is representative of what appears to be Hell Fire. The creaking door which un masks the logo and the eerie soundtrack itself also provide further indication that this ident is suited to the horror genre.

The pixar ident is displayed before Disney Pixar films and suits this genre well. It has a bright colour scheme which immediatley indicates a happy/light-hearted family movie.  This assumption is then backed up by the playful pixar lamp with an amusing sound track and sound effects, the ident perfectly opens up a family movie.

The studio canal ident is an ident typical of the horror genre although it does feature in other genres also.  The eerie soundtrack immediatley indicates that this ident belongs to the Horror Genre, the loud dynamics that build untill the logo is un masked provides an un-nerving jump to the audience.  The black and white colour of the Ident font also confirms the Genre it is proceeding.

The icon ident is typical of Action Movies and period drama movies, usually set in Roman/Medivel times.  The action genre is immediatley reflected through the lightening strike at the start of the ident, then the period drama theme is addressed with the trojan looking eye with cracks to show age, it is then zoomed out to show the full movie ident in silence...the perfect opening for any drama/action movie.

The Dark castle ident is clearly suited to the horror genre as it opens with the face of a demon and clasps with a soundtrack of thunder and lightening to reveal a Gothic castle surrounded by smoke, creating the perfect mise en scene for any horror movie. 

In conclusion, for my movie trailer i would use the Dark Castle ident as it has an un-nerving sound track and colour scheme which would be perfectly suited to my chosen genre.

Movie Font/Logo Analysis :

Shown above is the signature font/logo for my movie which will be included on all my media products (Trailer/Poster and Magazine cover).  The font features a torn texture which is representative to the genre of the movie, the torn edges of the text resembles un-easiness or something supernatural, it can in fact be moderatley associated with tearing flesh.  The colour scheme of the font (Red and White) is typical of the horror genre and so perfectly conveys what genre the movie is, however it also adds emphasis to the torn lettering, the red lettering representing blood on the contrasting white lettering which represents the flesh.  The cross between the "O" of home clearly illustrates the gothic nature of the movie genre and is commonly featured in "Exorcism/Demon" movies, communicating to the viewer that this movie will explore the dark side of catholoism and include a Demon theme throughout.

Movie Poster Mock Up :

Above is the mock up for the "My Last Home" movie poster.  The tag line "Move In, Settle Down, Never Leave" will be displayed at the top of the poster, this will be the first thing the audience of the poster will notice and immediatley establish the genre and therefore draw the viewer in, wanting to know more. The font will be the same as the main movie title, featuring red and white colouring.  The background of the poster will be black as this colour is associated with my chosen horror genre and will attract fans of that genre. The main image will take up most of the poster and will be positioned in the centre, this will give the image the main location according to the "Rule of thirds" and therefore attract the viewer to read the release date which will be positioned below.  Reviews of the movie will be displayed in a smaller font above the title to show the viewer that it is going to be a movie worth seeing, i will give emphasis to the stars, ensuring they stand out in white.  Below the reviews will be the main title which will feature a cross through the "O" in "HOME" to again create synergy with the conventions of the horror/demon genre.  Below this will be the release date in clear, bold font so the viewer will know exactly when to see the movie and be enticed to do so. Finally, to give a professional look, at the very bottom will be the cast and production block along with production logo and website address, theese features are commony seen on most professional movie posters and so are included to ensure my poster looks professional.  In conclusion i believe my poster design will ensure that the poster looks as captivating and professional as possible.

Magazine Cover Mock Up :

Above is a mock up for my Film Magazine front cover.  The Masthead will be positioned on the top centre of the page and read the name "Total Movie" (My own creation" in a bold, white font, in contrast to the black background, in order to stand out and establish the house style of the magazine.  The standard magazine features such as date, bar code and issue number are all included to give a professional look and will be positioned in the standard places you would expect to find them in most movie magazines. The colour scheme (Black,White and Red) will match that of the feature movie "My Last Home" in order to create synergy, however the magazine will maintain it's usual house style, the use of crosses instead of bullet points will add further synergy to the feature movie. The main image will take up the entire background and be an eye catching image that reflects the genre of the feature movie and therefore entices the reader.  Reviews from famous directors will obstruct the main image on the right hand side, enticing the reader further, showing the importance of the feature movie.  In the centre of the magazine obstructing the main image will be the title "MY LAST HOME" in it's feature font, again to create synergy and entice the reader. Below will be a rheotrical tag line, possibly "The best movie since the exorcist?" to communicate directly with the potential reader of the magazine, enticing him further to purchase the product. On the bottom left of the page will be an over-view of other stories inside the magazine, featuring crosses for bullet points and a colour scheme matching that of the feature movie. On the very bottom will be further details on what is inside the magazine again in the colour scheme of the feature movie. Upon choosing the components and features listed above i remain confident that my decision to use the selected features will ensure the magazine cover is professional,effective and eye catching.

What Went Wrong And What Worked Well In Each Take :



PHONE SCENE

  This scene went according to plan and came out looking exactly as intended, a variety of shots were taken and the best selected in order to ensure maximum effect.


PHOTO BURN SCENE

  The photo burn scene worked well during shooting, however the camera angle had to be moved closer to enable the audience to see the image.


LOFT SCENE

  The loft scene was extended during shooting to show a ladder and the main character climbing into the dark, and then again later with the jump cuts. Filming was not an issue here, however lighting had to be adjusted to ensure the loft looked dark.


GRAVE YARD SCENE

  The Grave Yard scene was also extended to show the main character being stalked by the demon whilst walking through, however the storyboard shot worked perfectly, the use of a tri-pod was essential here.


PRIEST SCENE

  The Priest scene was filmed identical to the storyboard except with a new location which i decided would be a more effective use of Mise En Scene. A tripod low angle was used here.


SHAKING SCENE

  The shaking scene was filmed identical to the storyboard and was filmed exactly the way i pictured it. No issues were encountered during the filming of this scene.


NEW SCENE TAKE 1

  This new scene was added in the Grave Yard location as it was decided that it would enhance the powerful gothic element to the trailer, it worked well, shooting with various angles on a tri-pod.


NEW LOCATION

  This new location was added to enhance the Mise En Scene of the Priest scene, a release form was signed by the venue. The scene was filmed without any major issues, one noteable issue was people walking in and out the scene, however this was tackled eventually.


BED SCENE

 The bed scene was filmed at a closer angle than on the story board due to the room being smaller than anticipated however upon filming it was realised that this enhanced the scene, giving it a more chilling edge compared to the original drawing.


WINDOW SCENE



The window scene was filmed as intended in the original storyboard, lighting was an issue here but was tackled by turning the light off in the room. 

In conclusion all scenes were filmed as intended, the filming experience was enjoyable and an educational experience. All the new scenes and locations added look great on the screen and i am pleased with all the shots i have to begin the editting process.

Venue Release Forms

Contributor Release Forms

Risk Assesment Forms :

Costume List :

Luke Daly Groves :

1. Jeans
2. T-shirt/Shirt
3. Hoodie (Black)
4. Black Outdoor Jacket
5. Fake Blood

Nick Cropper :

1. Black shirt (white collar)
2. Black Pants
3. Bible
4. Cross

Jessica Parry :

1. Halloween Face make-up, fake blood.
2. Black costume

Chris Lillie :

1. Black Clothing ( Non-specific, out of focus effects used)

Production Schedule :

As youy can see, above in my production scheduelle i have included details on what props i will be using and when, actors required, and the date and time i will be filming, i have also  listed the requirments for each day.

Venue/Location List :

Venue/Location List :

1.       My House

2.       St.Andrews Grave Yard

3.       Park Lane Farm/Studio

4.       Balls Wood

5.       Various public areas (No release forms required.)

Images courtesy of Google Maps tm.

Character Patterns within Horror Movies :

The portrayal of specific characters in the horror genre has for the most part been generic over the past three years. Whether it is a torture/slasher horror or a haunted house cliche, the character patterns always appear to be the same. The issues of feminism arises in most modern day horror movies as the female is more often than not portrayed as a damsel in distress, usually clothed less than the male characters. It is very rare to see a male shower scene in a horror movie for example, and it always appears that the female characters are present only for male pleasure. This is the theory of feminism to it’s purist form, the “Eye candy” which is there only to quench the desires of the “Male gaze” is astoundingly forever present in the modern era of Horror movies. One example of this would be movies such as the 2011 horror indie cult “The Orphan Killer”, the female character in the movie receives more torture than anybody else, showing male domination and also has a shower scene which is not necessary to the plot line of the movie at all, it clearly could be left out, but is there to appeal to the “Male Gaze”.  It is very rare in modern Horror for the female to be the heroin character, usually she is the victim to a sinister male, and saved by a heroic male, a shocking reflection of sexism in the 21^st century media perhaps? The ideology that females are their to feed the males desire, be treated as an object by the male and then saved by the male. Movies which emphasise this point within the past 3 years are :

1.       The Orphan Killer (2011)

2.       Womb Ghosts (2010)

3.       Halloween 2 (2009)

That being said there are some exceptions such as “Insidious” and “Paranormal Activity” within 2010-2011 that have broke free of this pattern, in which both the male and female characters fall victim to the psychological tortures of the enemy, although it is hard to think of any movies were  the male character alone falls victim to the evil character and the female has to save them  within the past 3 years.

 The male role in a horror movie is usually that of a Hero or Villain but can sometimes be the Victim, dependent on whether the movie is aimed at predominantly male audiences (Which most Horror movies are). It is clear that in most Horror movies (With the exception of movies such as 'Alien' and 'Resident Evil' the male is portrayed as superior to the female, usually taking the final decision in dangerous situation and generally all around leadership. If a male in a movie is playing the victim, you would expect him to be weak, fragile and a typical example of somebody you would expect to be defenseless, however this is not the case. For shock factor, horror movies tend to cast strong, dominant males to play victims as this creates fear to all Male's in the audience, if a stronger male than the audience can fall victim to the obstacle in the movie, then so can they. In contrast, the Hero Characters and often the Villain Characters tend to be weaker males, somebody who you would not expect to be able to commit an atrocity, generally, this rule is patterned in mostly the villain role.