Evaluation question 6

For my Question 6 of my evaluation I have decided to present it as a prezi, The link is below.

http://prezi.com/0acdmke6l1xz/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Evaluation Question 5

Whilst watching this video it may be necessary to pause at times in order to give you enough time to read all of the annotations.

As discussed in the previous question my target audience is people aged 15 to 30, which meant that I would be able to use social media sites to create an advertising campaign that targeted my primary audience on platforms they frequently used. Whilst not spending any money as there was no budget. I am yet to create any accounts on any social media sites for the film and its advertising, however, I have decided to use the following sites to upload my marketing and distribution campaign in order to attract an audience: Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and maybe Tumblr.

On these sites you would see what you expect to see. We should follow the generic style of simply promoting our film as much as possible using many different methods. We would create a trailer for the film which is common used method to attract potential viewers to watch your film. This trailer would be uploaded to each of the sites where it can be potentially viewed by millions of people. I have also decided to utilise the hashtag feature in which all of these social media sites have also. The hashtag would simply be #Abridged 

which would allow the potentialality of a trend with regards to my film.

Evaluation Question 4

We have decided to go for a 15+ BBFC rating as it enables us to include all the necessary content we need to make our film effective and it allows the biggest range of audience suitable, to watch the movie providing them not to be offended or distressed from the scenes. I have retrieved the following criteria from the British Board of Film Classification Website:

What might I see in a 15 rated film or video?

Any of the following:

•   strong violence
•  frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***').
•   portrayals of sexual activity
•   strong verbal references to sex
•   sexual nudity
•   brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence
•   discriminatory language or behaviour
•   drug taking

The above criteria is what we believe our film falls into allowing there to be clear distinction to who can watch this movie or not.

In terms of our primary target audience, we have decided to go for the age range of about 15-30. Usually a film's central protagonists reflect that age of the primary audience which in our case is a 19 year old male and an older 40-50 year old male. After intense research into target audience within British cinema on the bfi.org.uk website I found that in 2014, 15-24 year olds made up the largest proportion of the UK cinema audience, at 31%. This will therefore enable our film to cater for as big of an audience as possible allowing our film to be more successful as a result.

The film is more likely to be intended for a male audience due too the gender of the protagonists, however with the added bits in regarding relationships and emotional attachment it might also cater for a female audience within this age category. The audience will be expecting from the nature of the film a hard hitting moral providing film which creates a sense of understanding of the working class societies embedded in todays Britain. The audience will be expecting an emotional rollercoaster which will hook them immensely to the film allowing them to truly explore the themes and ideas being represented.

In terms of our secondary target audience we are intending this film towards the older population of 30+ as we believe that many adults will enjoy watching our movie due to the adult and mature films it will present. Also I believe that within this group of people not all will want to watch our movie therefore we have made the decision in not marketing it directly to them as it would not be financially efficient.

Ethnically this film will contain a cast from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Therefore this will cater for a range of culturally diverse people expanding the potential audience even further than intended.

We will market this film according to the primary target audience of 15-30 years olds. We will market this film through means of social media which is heavily used by people of this age group especially which will therefore stimulate a level of awareness of the film itself. 
Also in terms of marketing I believe that already film fanatics will be suitable for the viewing, 
therefore I believe that advertisements on T.V will be effective in increasing awareness of the film. In order to attract our potential viewers we will need tho use things such as trailers to entice the viewer. The use of reviews also allow people to make an opinion on your film once it is backed by someone else.

I believe that we will need to represent the themes and ideologies which our target audience can potentially relate to. For example with regards to social class, our film explores both working and middle class lives which will allow people from both demographic social groups to internally relate to this. We have placed emphasis on this through the use of many factors. For example we chose specific locations to add emphasis in situations such as the houses used at the start of each introduction of the character to demonstrate the contrast between the two lives. We also used a tunnel which was full of graffiti to try signify the working class element of the film. We also used nice parks and walkways to help express the extent of the older mans middle class lifestyle. In terms of props and costumes, we followed the stereotypes closely with regards to social class. For example Kieran was portrayed in an Adidas tracksuit which signified clearly the socio-economic background in which he belonged to. Also with regards to Mike's outfit he was seen as being dressed in nice, smart clothes which connotes a level of affluence.

In terms of mainstream audiences in comparison to the niche audience of this film there are major differences. Big 6 companies such as Working title focus their films to the mainstream audiences through widening the audience appeal by catering for the needs of as many people as possible. This done through having a lower BBFC rating ,allowing it to seem more appropriate, than most indies. Working title also follow the stereotypes of Britain which allows international consumers to be enticed into watching the film. The stereotypes include:  Caucasian, middle class, southern english and a quiet little village.

I believe that this film, due to the nature of the film providing a philosophical outlook we 
believe that this film will cater for intellectually inclined people across the country and entice 
those who want to increase their own understanding and knowledge about working life in general.

Evaluation Question 3

Evaluation question 3 from Milo Davis
With added regards to the company who we would want to distribute our film, we have mutually decided that Studio canal (optimum releasing) would be a suitable distribution company for a film specifically of this nature and genre. I think this as they do not need to invest a huge amount of money into the distribution of the film which is a positive for them and also because they have distributed very similar films such as 'This is England' which they could use as a model to base the distribution campaign around. The company wouldn't even have to introduce the film to cinema as they own a DVD and Blue-ray disc company (Optimum home entertainment). This would allow the film to make more money on dvd.

Evaluation question 2

"How does your media product represent particular social groups?"

With regards to representation, our film and the budget of our film is very closely linked to the level of social groups being represented in our short film opening. As our film is of the social realist genre, we believe that to follow all the big companies such as universal with our representations and stereotypes then it wouldn't be as effective in portraying a true representation. 

Kieran (Counter type)

The second character to be introduced into the film opening is Kieran. After seeing the first few scenes involving this character, Kieran would be stereo typically regarded as working class, delinquent, criminal and a 'chav'. We have reinforced these stereotypes by using things such as props, costumes and locations associated with this specific character. The first signifier of Kieran being identified with this working class lifestyle is before you actually meet the character and see his house which is a stereotypical council flat which can be often associated with the working class segment of the population. Other signifiers included the props which we used to associate with Kieran. For example the fake drugs we used when Kieran wakes up signifies his level of criminal involvement which will allow the viewer to create a perception of a bad person. The use of Kieran's costume also adds to the stereotypical portrayal that the viewer will have of the character at the start of the opening. The tracksuit is a black Adidas originals tracksuit with is very often associated with gang culture and the working class lifestyle. However despite all the conventions and stereotypes regarding the UK's working class culture, which has been followed and reinforced, we believe that our character is actually a counter type of this negative image. As the viewer will see, in the last scene of the opening before the main title, Kieran actually goes out of his way too help the old man to come down from the bridge in which he is threatening to jump from. This random act of kindness fights and stereotypical assumptions of this character in the sense that he is not a self indulged and delinquent individual which he might be perceived to be.



Michael (Stereo type)

With regards to our other central protagonist, we believe that we have created a character in which follows the conventions and stereotypes of a middle to upper class male. These stereotypes are reinforced by many things so that the viewers get a universal understanding and perception of the character. These reinforcements include things such as the house which is in the first shot of the film. This house is the house in which our upper class protagonist lives. The house is of a big size and is made from nice aesthetically pleasing stone. This itself connotes a vast amount of wealth which helps show the viewer an insight into what the character is essentially about from the offset of the opening. Another reinforcing factor in which we have used is the use of the smart attire in which the character is wearing with a nice blazer and shoes etc. This also creates a sense that the character is wealthy and allows the viewer to understand this quickly.

Age

With regards to age I believe that our film represents an age between our intended primary target audience of 15 years to 30 years of age. This is because I believe as our characters fit within this age ,with the exception of mike being slightly older, it will allow the viewers to more easily internally relate to the film and the themes in which it explores such as poverty or even wealth.

Gender

In terms of gender, we admitt that our characters and film in general can be seen as unadventureous due to the lack of female characters and involvement in the film in general. The chance for female parts to come into the film at a later stage however is definate. This means that if we were to make the whole film a 90 minute production then we would be able to use many female characters which would then allow our film to represent both genders equally. 

Nationality/Regional identity

With regards to nationality, it is blatant that it is filmed in a town based in the UK which is reinforced by language spoken and the accent of the speakers. The accents which are spoken are both of a regional identity which belongs to Yorkshire. However both accents are of a Yorkshire sound, They are both different in the sense that Kieran uses a more broad accent as Michael uses a more posh and well spoken accent. This can be concluded to being due too the difference in social class in which the two characters belong to. This is also a clasical example of binary opposition in which both protagonists are the opposite. Another identifier that the character is of a Yorkshire background is the flat cap in which Michael is shown wearing. This signifies Yorkshire as it represents the level of agriculture and the farmer style of clothing here in Yorkshire.

Socio-Economic class

We believe that with regards to social class, our film represents both sides of the spectrum, poor and wealthy. The poor side is represented through Kieran and his delinquent and criminal activities such as drug dealing and violence towards others. Our other protagonist however represents the upper side of the social class spectrum as Michael's character is from a stately home in a affluent area. This allows our opening to represent all kinds of people economically throughout the country which will disregard any ideas that suggests the film isn't intended for a social group.

Sexuality

With regards to sexuality we believe that our film is not necessarily the most adventurous as relationships are not really a theme which is explored in our film. However you learn that Michael was once married to a woman who tragically died but apart from this you don't see any other exploration into intimate relationships between characters.

Ethnicity

In terms of ethnicity our film can again be argued to be unadventurous due to a prominently Caucasian cast which suggests the film is mainly representative of the white population. 

Evaluation Question 1

Social Realism by definition is an international art movement which draws attention to the everyday working class lifestyle. This movement is also critical to the social structures which maintain these oppressive conditions. With regards to films specifically, social realism is its own genre which is becoming widely recognized and ultimately accepted. The conventions attached to this genre is also very specific as it is easily distinguished from other genres. The ideology behind the genre is to provide a sense of realism hence the name of the movement. The directors and producers involved in creating these films often subject their audiences to harsh, sinister and even dark themes which would often be avoided in conversation. These themes include things such as: Drug use and addiction, Rape and violent crimes and prostitution. As these themes are often considered to be of a taboo nature, it often draws in an audience as people are enticed by the themes unexplored by other genres.

With regards to titles our film follows the conventions of social realism. This is due to the simplicity of the titles being in a plain white font. These titles also follow the conventions of a documentary which from the off set places emphasis on the 'realism' element of the film as the film is trying to provide a realistic interpretation on the working class and middle class lifestyles within Britain. The titles use however a nice transition to allow a sense of professionalism and fluency within the opening of the film.

With regards to the opening shot of this production we have decided to use the shot of a big stately home which is the setting for the first scene. This home allows the viewers to immediately identify the social class of the protagonist as it connotes a high level of affluence and wealth. The first shot uses a low camera angle which forces the viewer to look up to the house. This itself has added connotations attached as it forces the viewer to feel small in comparison to the size of the house which further signifies the wealth attached to the house. 

The final shot of this opening is the bridge Mike tried to kill himself on, this bridge also allows the viewer to identify the title with the film itself and are able to make any links between the two. The last shot is a time-lapse which can be connoted to signify something out of control as the fast pace water moves under bridge at an alarming rate. This can therefor signify the fact that people do and always will live within social classes and there's nothing that can be done to stop this. We decided to add our main title on the bridge in bigger writing then the last to allow our users to signify its importance as a title.

In terms of shot types we believe we have used a large variation of shot types to allow the film to have a high level of professionalism and to allow our opening to look aesthetically pleasing. However, this can be seen as challenging the conventions of our selected genre as it goes against the non commercial realistic intentions in which social realistic films have. This therefore might inhibit the level of realism represented in this case.

With regards to the protagonist of the film with emphasis on the younger protagonist, Kieran, we believe that the film both does and doesn't follow the conventions of social realism. I believe that with regards to presenting a working class youth we have very closely followed the stereotypes attached to that type of person. Examples of this include things such as the costume in which Kieran wears (Black adidas tracksuit), the house he lives in and even the locations in which he visits. However with regards to the deep personal features of the character, we have allowed the viewers to interpret Kieran in a different light and against the stereotypes which he literally carries on his back. We allow the viewer to see a good and kind side of Kieran going out of his way to save a life. We believe that this does fight the conventions of standard social realism films as it goes against the idea that all working class people are the same.

The film 'The Guvnors' relates to our film opening because it shows to contrasting people and lifestyles. Old and poor, rich and wealthy. Although, in our opening the two protagonists come together where as in 'The Guvnors' it is the opposite. This film is about the protagonist that a has turned his back on casual violence. Similarly, our film focuses on the working class protagonist defying his progression of drugs and violence by turning his life around.

The music in our film, I believe, is there to represent the emotion being emitted by the protagonist and it almost acts as a guide so that the audience is able to identify the emotions of the characters through the specific atmosphere in which the non-diagetic audio is creating. For example in the first couple of scenes which explores mike and his identity the music to go with it matches his deep emotional state which is low and depressing. The music matches this by playing at a slow tempo and with a low pitch. This therefor follows the conventions of social realism as it helps portray realistic aspects of the film which are often displayed in real life scenarios.

The editing in our film is used with the conventions and also against the conventions of social realism. The fact that there is no use of animation or the use of transitional effects follows the conventions of this genre as it allows a realistic portrayal of the world to be perceived which is primarily the goal of any social realism director. However the fact that we have produced a fluent film in the sense that it looks professional suggests that this can also inhibit the level of realism portrayed by the film.

Rough cut No.5

This is probably our final rough cut as we know that all we need to do is add the company dents at the start of the film opening in order for us to establish the opening as a completed project. We have come along way since starting this project and have made many improvements along the way.

Evaluation question 2 - Plan

Representations:
- Youth
- Socio-Economic Class
- Gender
- Region

This question boils down to:

• tackling each of these 4 areas/identities (just don't state 'these are the important areas of representation'; they simply coincide neatly with your exam!)
• discussing use of binary oppositions, arche-/stereo-/countertypes
• before tackling any area, brainstorm the stereotype/s for this; you're always assessing representations against their reflection and/or challenging of stereotypes (eg youth as immoral thugs, 'hoodies') 
• putting your choices into context of budget, genre, narrative, and especially target audience
• applying specific media terminology (shot denotation, semiotic terms, narrative theory) as you do so
• in this context, direct (audio-)visual evidence is vital; as images within your post, or within a video
• its vital you provide detailed denotation of your characters, and analyse/justify WHY you made the choices you did
• its just as vital to make clear links to existing films using pics of characters from other films 

Discussing representation within any text, whether created by you or someone else, involves:

1. initial denotation of character under discussion
2. note the aspect/s of representation under discussion
3. note the common features of the main stereotype/s for this (eg male homosexual: effeminate; Northern English: unsophisticated, rural, relatively poor; female gender: emotional, physically weak, victim, needs rescued [think Propp here] by heroic male, passive)
4. assess the representation/s against this - you may find a single character has many stereotypical but some countertypical elements - discussing what factors might have influenced this depiction (eg genre, format, audience, production company, budget)
5. at every stage, precise and specific denotation is vital; without this you're merely speculating
6. make it clear WHY you've chosen to represent in this way
7. consider whether your target audience successfully followed your preferred reading 

Evaluation Question 1 - Plan

Introduction-

Definition of social realism and the conventions attached to the movement.

Main-

How my film follows these conventions and what films relate to mine (Harry Brown, The Guvnors)

How my film challenges these particular conventions and why?

• idents
• titles (which, when, animation?, where on screen - leave consideration of fonts to later analysis of genre)
• opening shot (ELS? fade in?)
• final shot of opening sequence (do more titles/main title follow? fade out?)
• shot types + variation
• continuity editing (eg following 180degree rule?)?
• focus on a main character ['mode of address']? (pro/antagonist?) PoVs?
• mise-en-scene + verisimilitude 
• sound/music (non-/diegetic)
• editing
• narrative (which part/s of Todorov's structure: equilibrium, dis-equilibrium, new equilibrium?); use of binary opposition; exposition (dialogue, titles on screen, mise-en-scene etc); stereo/arche/counter-typical characters