S2-55 Film Opening Sequence Evaluation - Chris Izatt

S2-55 Film Opening Sequence Evaluation

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
This media product, a film opening sequence, relating to the genres of ‘ensemble-cast crime caper’ and ‘British social realism’ uses typical/common conventions of these particular genres, that would be used in real media products. For example, from the genre ‘British social realism’, the film Trainspotting, manipulates the conventions of social class, drugs, and crime, in addition to having an ensemble cast, established in the opening sequence; My media product displays all of these conventions in a more modern, yet less graphic approach, designed for a teenage audience, while Trainspotting is aimed at an older audience. My product, Street uses less graphic, and less harsh methods of these conventions, for example, vandalism and ’mugging’ (spray paint cans and street theft, while Trainspotting manipulates theft on a larger scale), small drugs deals (unspecific drugs used, however Trainspotting uses Heroin, a class A drug, highly demonised by the public), Lastly the convention of social class, Trainspotting uses deep lower class, a group of people living in a derelict flat with very few assets, while my media product has youngsters of a slightly higher class, as one character, at the beginning, exit’s a fairly sophisticated place of residence, and the majority of the characters have expensive clothes.

2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
While there is little evident division between various social classes, there are minor details which depict elements of particular social classes. For example, the character leaving the house, at the beginning, is of a middle-class background, as they live in a fairly sophisticated, yet well-populated area. However then there is the contrast as that character collects a bag from a rather derelict building, gets mugged, in quite a sophisticated park, and then delivers further goods to another character, in a vandalised car park. While social class isn’t depicted within the characters of this media product, it is conveyed throughout locations within the city, where the story is based, as there is an establishing shot, taking place at the very beginning.

3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
A media institution supporting such films as Kidulthood, Adulthood, Green Street, Trainspotting, This Is England, and Football Factory, would be the most suitable institution for distributing my media product. While the majority of the aforementioned real media products are rated 18, as they contain certain conventions which are unsuitable for younger audiences, this media product would convey similar conventions, of lesser extremities, making it more suitable for younger audiences, possibly 15, to view. This media product’s appeal to younger audiences, in addition to older, (as it would contain similar values, as to that of Green Street, therefore viewers who enjoy such a genre of films, would still find pleasure in viewing this media product) would benefit the media institution, by selling well, as there would be a wider audience.

4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
As mentioned in the previous answer, the audience would most likely span from people aged 15 to an older audience. While the media product may contain values of a media product rated 18, it would be infrequent, and therefore appropriate to younger audiences, in addition to the characters being of younger age. This may allow viewers to relate to characters.

5. How did you attract/address your audience?
I maintained the interest of the audience by adding a slightly comical element (for example the music) to a serious selection of footage. In addition to postponing the introduction of the characters, while adding suspicion and suspense as to what the characters are doing, and what they are in relation to each other.

6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?
Amidst construction of this media product, I particularly enhanced my ability to manipulate the soundtrack, provoking a particular emotional response form the audience, during particular sections of footage, for example, comical elements, and sinister elements, such as when the intro soundtrack closes, with a sinister, suspicion provoking guitar sound, as some kind of drug deal is soon to take place.
Also, I learnt about particular camera angles, and how effective an establishing shot can be, from a very high perspective, and although there are many examples within the product, we found it very difficult to keep the camera steady, for some footage, where we used the camera as handheld, despite the importance of keeping the camera steady, for a professional effect.

7. Looking back to your preliminary task, what do you feel that you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
I have learnt that sometimes it can be very difficult to stick to original ideas, as some ideas are just too complex, while other ideas seem simple, yet ineffective of establishing the conventions and messages that are trying to be given across.
Also, while I managed to maintain all of the conventions, throughout the product, they aren’t established in the same way we had originally considered, also camerawork plans had changed, and as we decided that one of the locations we were considering using, appeared to be ineffective, and didn’t set quite the right mood.
Overall, I have learnt, in progression from the preliminary task, that the more planned-out things are, the easier it is to construct a much clearer media product, as a lot of ideas, good and bad, tend to either work really well, or not work as well as you’d have hoped, and therefore is important to not rely too much upon certain elements and ideas.

Animatic

This is our animatic, outlining our ideas, followed by a soundtrack which begins, in major, suggesting the hopeful anticipation of the character when they arrive, following minor, which embodies all of the bad events which occur on his journey home.

Genres of Film

We have decided to use the 'British Social Realist' genre, as a way of furthering our opening sequence, which will also contain some elements of the genre 'ensemble-cast crime caper'. We've decided to embark upon these genres sticking, as our initial ideas, to the british criminal underworld, focusing mainly on drugs. We can manipulate the majority of elements regarding mise en scene, lighting, camerawork from the British Social Realism genre, such as dark, unlit shots, with naturalistic editing, and dark alleyways/dark walls.

logo

Our logo uses the contrast in styles and reflects the difference in class explored in our film. First of all we have used very traditional font with the posh element of the crowns, with the clasical music to show the ironic upper class convention being shown in the opening sequence. This is matched by the bassy music and the fast drum beat with the handwritten graffiti for to represent the lack of respect in the neighborhood.

mood board ideas-

Trainspotting Analysis

Trainspotting is a very strong example of a 'British Social Realist Drama'. It follows a story of five main characters (Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie, Tommy, and Spud) which explore the drug-based underworld of Glasgow. Renton, Sick Boy, and Spud are all addicted to herion, while Begbie is an alcoholic, and Tommy is 'straight-edge', for the moment.

The lighting is very naturalistic, which is a common convention throughout the genre of Social Realism, as it emphasises the dark, dull atmosphere, reflecting the mood, otherwise known as pathetic fallacy.

The editting is fairly naturalistic, apart from the title effects, and the camerawork tends to follow Renton and Spud, as they collapse from the effect of the heroin. Also it follows the chase, at the beginning, from the front, giving a view of the chase, so that you can see Renton's face. Whilst all of the characters are getting ready to take the 'hit', there are a frequent number of 'over the shoulder' shots, following pointless, nervous conversation.

The sound is mainly narration from Renton, about his and his friends' addiction to heroin, attempting to justify how it isn't as pitiful as other things, whilst, he is telling the viewer to "choose life" and many other things, opposed to heroin, despite being in the midst of taking a 'hit'. and there is 'Lust for Life' by Iggy Pop played, which is ironically appropriate to Renton's message to the audience, and completely condratictory to what they're doing.

The mise en scene, is very dark and negative, with an essence of happiness, as all of the characters are feeling very positive, which creates a false element of happiness within the mise en scene, which, of course, is completely ironic.