Tutorial Information

Tutorial - Youtube

When it came to when I wanted to split my screen to show two different things happening at one time on my trailer, when I was using Adobe Premiere Elements, I had trouble working my way around doing it, so went on to Youtube and searched for a tutorial on how to show two things happening at one time through using a split screen. I then showed on my desktop screen the Youtube video and my project up on the screen and had two practice videos and done step-by-step of the clip. I think this worked out quite well, as it did work.

9th December 2014

Blog Entry: 9th December 

Since my last diary entry, I have filmed the majority of my finished trailer, and am filming again today to get the last few scenes, I am also working on my magazine poster and film poster, these at the moment are just ideas, as I am currently researching the different magazines and posters. 

Teaser Trailer

With my trailer, being something like a teaser trailer the expected length of it is a bit shorter, therefore without putting too much information out to the audience, you can still have the same effect on the audience with use of having a cliffhanger, use of sound and cutting. 

The recent Hunger Games 3: Mockingjay part 1 was released on November 19th 2014, the teaser trailer that was shown at the San Diego Comic Con was only 53 seconds, however this teaser trailer, that was just under a minute, built up an absolute storm on social networking, on Twitter hashtags (#) were being used left, right and center, a few examples being #Katniss4Eva #hangintree and the more obvious #HungerGames. The use of the teaser trailer is what starts the build-up for the trailer to come out, the momentum for the film to then come out is carried on through the full length trailer which is also only around 1 minute 50 seconds, keeps the momentum going until the film release in November.

Another example of a successful teaser trailer is the new Star Wars, the trailer which was released on Youtube and in 72 hours, the teaser trailer had over 40 million views. The teaser trailer was released on November 28th. The teaser trailer is 88 seconds long, many celebrities have tweeted about it, some included Simon Pegg who tweeted "The Star Wars trailer is awesome, right?!" Anna Kendrick who has a lot of followers due to her main role in Pitch Perfect tweeted "Star Wars! Language and emojis fail to express what's in my heart at this moment,". At the moment this teaser trailer of 88 seconds is currently the only trailer that is out for the film, The film is out 2015 so the full length trailer is most likely to be out beginning of next year. 

Anonymous Actor

So due to some problems with finding the time to film my younger actor due to other commitments, I have planned my script around this, during this week I am filming everyday and editing on Friday and doing some at the weekend, however due to me working both Saturday and Sunday this will possibly not be much time spent on it, so therefor be doing a lot during media lessons next week and free periods, I have changed my script so that the younger actor is only featured as an image. My trailer will be more of a teaser trailer and will not be too long, looking at the trailers that have been released in the last month and more recently, the length of them is much shorter than they used to be, so I will be making mine this sort of time length to fit in with the type of trailers that are out/ released now. 

This is the younger actor, this is an image taken quite recently of her, I will be asking my teachers how to include a still image into my trailer and how to make it the best I can. I have come up with new edits I am going to feature in my trailer, and due to my deadline being next Friday (12th December 2014) I am going to look on Youtube, as they have many editing tutorials to do with the software I will be using, this will help me work with the time that I have left and use it to an advantage. I am also going to look at other tutorials with the software and practice the use of them on other videos, to make sure that the footage of my original videos cannot be ruined or edited to be a certain way when I may need to change it before my final draft is to be completed. 

24th November 2014

Blog Entry: 24th November 

Unfortunately due to bad weather on the 23rd, which is when I was meant to be filming my younger actor, there was very bad weather and too bad to film in, so am setting up another date with her to film, I have also moved forward the date that I am filming Evelyn Roberts, which will be tomorrow during my media lesson, I have done this because it is the only time she has a free lesson tomorrow, and would like to get her filming done as soon as possible. I want to get all my filming done by Sunday at latest. So will be making a timetable of my week to locate my time.  

Update of Timetable

This is the third time I have updated my timetable, it is really helpful when it comes to knowing what I need to do and have done, and look closer at the amount of time I have left to do it.

Location for filming the younger actor

I will be filming my younger actor on Sunday 23rd November and I will be taking more pictures of the location on the day and take into account weather, I am also going to be doing behind the scenes of every part of filming I do so if I have to re-film I know what I was thinking at the time, if I have any conversations with the actors I can go back and see what I said to them and think where I went from there. 

18th November 2014

Blog Entry: 18th November 

Over the last 5 days I have started to look at booking the main hall at my school, for my headteacher scene, this scene will be a short one, with the headteacher (Katie Morgans) talking to the 'students', however the 'students' will not be there, it is only a short clip, I have sent an email to Mrs Allen a member of staff at my school who organizes the use of the main hall, and asked to film at a certain time. 

I will also be getting Becky-Wynyard-Wright to play the part as the parent of the main character at the church location, and getting footage of the funeral, I will also be filming Evelyn Roberts for the news scene, these scenes will mix together, showing the news of the funeral and again the news.

Currently I am a bit worried about time, however am now starting to step it up and should have the footage all done by mid next week and start editing. Fortunately most of my actors are free around the same time as me, the only actor in my trailer and not in school is my younger main actor who I am still in touch with to get her part of the filming done. 

Shannon Barlow's script reading

When I looked at the different people who I auditioned for acting as the main part, Shannon Barlow stood out, she has done a lot of acting during her time at school and now outside of school. Here is a video of her reading from a script, I done this to see how she is behind the camera when I just come up to her and ask her to read something that she has never read before. 

Main Hall email

So after corresponding for around a week now, I have finally booked the main hall for the Friday 21st November, I have also recently sorted out filming my younger version of the main character. This will be happening on Sunday, unfortunately I work both Saturday and Sunday all day so have arranged to do this during my lunch break, this should be enough time although I have told my manager at work that I am filming and I have not worked with a younger person before so not entirely sure on how she will take directions.

Casting the main character

Becky Wynyard-Wright:

Information:

• Year 13 - 17 years old 
• Media student

Reasons for casting:

• Becky is in my media class, and has most of the frees that I do. 
• She matches the ideal look of the female in the genre.
• Understands how to present herself when I would use different camera angles. 
• Able to look through the work with me during a media class to see where we could improve. 

Shannon Barlow:

Information:

• Year 13 - 17 years old
• Drama student - took media studies in year 12

Reasons for casting:

• Has been the lead role in the last two school plays.
• Has been hired by the local theater (Wycombe Swam) to be the female lead role in their production of Footloose.
• Knows how to play many different characters.
• Able to understand and develop from directors ideas.
• Matches the look for the female role, and also looks like the younger actress I will have.
• Knows how I work in different situations, and understand what I imagine something to look like and how to develop it.
• Is comfortable and confident in front of the camera.

Emma Barraclough:

Information:

• Year 13 - 18 year old
• Has not studied drama or media studies before

Reasons for casting:

• Looks a lot like the younger actress that will feature in my film trailer
• Matches the look of the female role in the genre
• Takes directions well

Evelyn Roberts:

Information:

• Year 13 - 17 year old
• Has not studied drama or media studies before

Reasons for casting:

• Again she matches the look of the female for this genre.
• Studies photography so knows when something looks good or when she needs to move in a certain way.
• She shares a lot of the same free periods that I do.

Tuesday Bramley:

Information:

• Year 13 - 17 years old
• Media student

Reasons for casting:

• She also like the others matches the image for the female role in the genre.
• Able to look through the work with me during a media class to see where we could improve. 
• Since we are in the same media class again she knows how to represent herself on camera with use of camera angles.
• She also has many free periods that I do, so can work during these together.

Emma Brockwell:

Information:

• Year 13 - 18 years old
• Has not studied drama or media studies before

Reasons for casting:

• Matches the female image in the genre, if you look at the moodboards I have created I could see a link in their appearances.
• Has been used in friends art work and videos, shows that she is used to direction and works with it.
• She is comfortable in front of the camera and is relaxed.

Lauren Hallas:

Information:

• Year 13 - 18 years old
• Has not studied drama or media studies before

Reasons for casting:

• Again she matches the look of the female for this genre.
• Studies photography so knows when something looks good or when she needs to move in a certain way.
• She shares a lot of the same free periods that I do.

Eleanor Coy:

Information:

• Year 13 - 17 years old
• Has not studied drama or media before

Reasons for casting:

• Fits the look for the female role in the type of genre.
• Has many of the same free periods that I have.
• Knows how I work in an environment and when I tell her what to do, she knows and develops.

Melissa Perrin:

Information:

• Year 13 - 17 years old
• Studied media studies at AS level and studies Photography

Reasons for casting:

• Again she matches the look of the female for this genre.
• Studies photography so knows when something looks good or when she needs to move in a certain way.
• She shares a lot of the same free periods that I do.
• Understands how to present herself when I would use different camera angles.

13th November 2014

Blog Entry: 13th November 

Recently I have done more communicating with my location and with the students, adults and my younger main lead after casting them, which I have also recently done, I have published a blog about the different reasons for casting and then I will go on to post their head shots and talk about why I have chosen the people to be characters in my trailer. 

Equipment:

So after looking at the different skills and techniques that I am going to need to include in my trailer I had a look at what products I would need to do this. So  when looking on Amazon during a free lesson I was able to find a large tripod, a gorilla tripod, light diffuser and a backdrop with a black, white and green screen. 

 Konig Traveller Camera Camcorder Tripod

• when extended can go up to a height of 105cm 
• folded height is 35cm 
• weighs 660g

Neewer 43" (110cm) Collapsible / Portable Photographic Lighting Disc Reflector

Five surfaces: Gold, Silver, White, Black and Translucent

Size open: 43" (110cm)

Size collapsed: 15" (35 cm)

Outdoortips Black White Green Three Backdrops Photo Studio 2x3m Background Stand Support Photography Set 

2x3m Background Support Stand

3pcs 1.6x3m Non Woven Backdrops(White/Black/Green)

Made of high quality aluminum alloy with black matte surface

Location for Funeral Scene

The Funeral Scene is going to be located / set in my local church both inside and outside, when I was looking at different places to set I thought about timing and responsibility so when I looked at having it filmed at my local church I ensured Simon Cronk who I have been emailing about filming there that I will be respectful due to the circumstances of the location and I realize that this is a place of worship.

Email from older lead character

Email Content:

Hi Jess,

I am just confirming that I will be the lead role in your trailer. Thank you for this opportunity.

Thank you

Shannon Barlow

2nd November 2014

Diary Entry: 2nd November 

So after having a look at my blog, I have tried to be posting as much as I can, and have noticed a lack of audience research, before starting to film my trailer, I will go onto my social networking groups and messages and screenshot what has happened and who has replied and post this on my blog in the week coming up, also I have been looking at different ways to do my storyboard, after trying to use pixton and other online storyboard makers, I have found that almost all of them require you to pay in order to have more than six boxes, so for this reason I am going to be drawing them, this shall be posted up on my blog also by mid-week this week coming. 

Actors from young to old

Because my narrative has the main character going from younger to older, I have had to think of how I will show this, so I have asked for the permission from the parents of a next door neighbour to use their daughter who I babysit for to use as the younger version of my main character, however she has asked that I do not give away her name, but has given permission to have her in my film trailer, she will be put down on my trailer and on credits etc. as anonymous.

Email #2 with Location (Simon Cronk)

Email Content:

To Simon,

Thats is great news! Thank you again, I am currently in the stages of writing a script and working with getting actors and the planning process, however it will be in mid-November, if you had any specific dates you had that are free, if you could get back to me and I will then work around this.

Jessica Barron

So after recieveing the reply from the location, I realised how much I have to plan especially since my location will be holding a day and time for me to film, having this I have started to think more about my actors and other locations.

Storyboard using Pixton

When I signed up to use Pixton, at first it was quite easy to get the hang off, however when I started to add backgrounds and involve more characters it became harder and more time consuming, at first you would add one character and then change their expression and their body proportions and then adding more and more characters I started to get confused on what they are meant to be feeling and would want to show one emotion, but ended up showing the opposite. As you can probably see in the image above, the use of body proportions started to get a little harder and unable to control the movement of the characters, therefore I have decided to move on from the use of Pixton and try another storyboard creator, be it my own drawings and for them to be uploaded onto my computer or to find another online storyboard maker.

Storyboard using a PowerPoint Document

I have kept this storyboard very simple, given myself a key and a small written insert under each shot to explain what will be happening and sometimes the duration of the shot. I wanted to keep this simple because there is expected to be some change in the storyline and narrative. 

Narrative ideas

My first narrative idea:

A teenage girl is in a school lesson and a there is a knock at the door, an assistant walks in with police behind her. The next scene is at a church where a funeral has happened, we see a the girl standing in front of two graves, a woman comes up behind her and whispers something to her, she slowly turns her head away from the graves and sees a couple standing there. We see her walk into a room that is clearly for a younger girl, she looks around the room whilst holding onto a photo frame. The girl is later wearing very smart clothes, and starts to walk to a car. The next thing we see is a large shot of a church and people walking towards it. We see the camera focus on things around the church (crosses, paintings etc.) One day walking home from school, the girl in a school uniform, stops and looks at the church, we focus on her eyes and watch another colour appear in her eyes, she quickly blinks and walks away with a frown. We see a lot of flashing images, then her waking up in the church with a possessed look, looks at the paintings and crosses and burns them. Black screen and then the girl lying in the middle of the church on the floor and the camera shot on her eyes again showing the split of colour.

My second narrative idea:

We see a younger girl and whilst playing in a park a football comes rolling in front of her and she turns around to see her mum talking to her friend and not looking at her, she turns and walks towards the football picks it up and the next scene is flashing of the ball bouncing then landing on the ground. We then see a news reel showing that it has been ten years since the girls disappearance and a montage over the years of the parent the camera shot will zoom further and further onto the television screen whilst this is happening, once this is over the camera shot then zooms out and we see a dark room with an older girl in at a table the lighting is a swinging light above her, and the screen goes black. We then see her walking out of the room (so facing the camera and walking towards it) action shot to her leaving and walking around in a group of people and no one seeing her, the parents right next to her.
The location in this narrative idea would be the use of the park and also the parents are told that the young girl is most likely to have died, as they find a body of a young girl that matches the description of the girl as if she had been older this is when I will be using a church.

Update of Timetable

Location dates Email

Email content:

Thanks Jessica - some dates to avoid - Friday 14th Monday 10th. Let me know some dates when you might like to come apart from these dates and we will see if we can fit you in.

Simon

20th September - 17th October 2014

Blog Entry 2: Week Two to Week Four

So looking through at what I have done for the past few weeks, I have paid a lot of attention to theorists and doing research on my specific genre. By creating moodboards I have gone into further understanding of my genre and what aspects there are included in it. I have also started to do research on narrative structure not only on Todorov's theory and Levi-Strauss's theory but also looked on how it would be to write a narrative.

After getting feedback from my teacher on my blog's overall look I realized that the work that I had posted on my film trailer analysis and the work that I had done on theorists was not to a good enough standard, so have been going back and editing them to make them better. This has been quite difficult as I have been going back to do that whilst trying to keep up to date and complete my narrative work and start my storyboard, both which are needed to be finished by this next coming week.

I have started to do a surveymonkey to get some more feedback as Twitter and Facebook are not getting much feedback. My account is

Starting to look at filming I have sent an email to the vicar at the local church to ask if they are able to let me film and also sent an email to Shannon Barlow who I asked to play my main character, she will hopefully respond to my email as will the vicar and I will then go on to write my script and start to make plans on filming. If it turns out that I am not able to use this church, I will look on to other churches.

To understand my genre more I started to do some research on it, including looking up what sort of things I need to consider and have found that I need to consider quite a bit, here is a link to the blog entry which includes this Research On Genre.

Email for Main Character

Content of the email:

Hi Shannon,

To confirm our conversation about you being the main character of my film trailer, I am currently organizing a script and will be doing a copy for you. Concerning the starting date of filming I am currently not sure when this is, but should start in late October - early November.

I am also waiting to hear back from the location for the majority of the film trailer. So when I have I will let you know.

If you could please send an email to verify whether you are able to take part that would be great.

Thank you again.

Kind regards,

Jessica Barron

Confirmation of Location Email

Contents of the Email:

Dear Jessica

We would be very happy to help you in any way we can. I think the best thing to do will be to give me some dates when you might like to come and we can see if they are free?

Simon Cronk

When checking my school email, I saw that I had an email from Simon Cronk and was happy to hear that they would allow me to film at their location, I chose to send this early because I would be planning the camera shots and acting directions around the location, which most of the trailer will be filmed here as well as at a home location. I am now waiting for the response of the main actor, hopefully to hear she is able to do film it, I will then be looking to who will act as the foster parents of the main character and people to be extras.

However, since finding out that I have the location, this is still great news and will now be looking to plan my storyboard around it.

Location for Filming

I have recently sent this email to the Vicar at my local church asking him for the use of the location. Content of this email is:

Good Afternoon,

My name is Jessica Barron and I attend the Misbourne School in Great Missenden, but live in Hughenden Valley, I have been to your church before with Great Kingshill school but am now in year 13 and doing my final year of studies. For media studies my project is to create a film trailer, and sort out location, acting, sound, lighting etc. I am asking you if I could possibly use your church as part of the setting for my film trailer, if it is possible that you have a free date in which I can use your church.

It would be much appreciated if you could get back to me,

Kind regards

Jessica Barron
Year 13
The Misbourne School

Feedback from teachers on blog entries so far...

When I spoke to my teacher one on one, I was told what I needed to have on my blog by a certain time, so my goals by the end of this week are to...

• Submit another diary entry 
• make sure that all of my film trailer analysis are up on my blog
• create my narrative for my film trailer
• upload information from my social media questions
• research on film posters

From here I will then go on to apply my narrative to my storyboards, which will show the different camera angles used in my trailer, I will then start to plan, I will post another diary entry explaining how I will do this. 

Research on The Narrative Structure

When researching how to write a good narrative I came across this structure:

Image taken from SlideShare

Exposition - is where the audience meets the characters, establish the setting, and setting the tone. 

Rising Action - the main conflict is introduced and tension between the protagonist and antagonist begins to show.

Climax - this is the turning point, for the good or bad of the protagonist's future.

Falling Action - the major action has happened, this would show the aftermath of the climax, sorting out the major conflict in the trailer.

Denouement/resolution - conflict is resolved and a new conflict is resolved. 

The different ways that characters are shown:

• Flat - are minor characters who do not go through as much change throughout the story.
• Round - more fully developed characters who may experience change in the story.

A plot (syuzhet)

• The use of a plot is to show events that are in the story - it involves reordering events - so for example to show flashbacks or flashforwards. Re-positioning these events from chronological order are a good way  to not give away the outcome or to reveal too much to the audience.

The story (fabula)

• This is when the narrative is in chronological order, this also shows the characters back story. 

Pramaggiore and Wallis from Narrative Form said that 'The distinction between the fabula (the story) and the syuzhet  (the plot) makes clear that each event represented in the film has been selected for dramatization and has been ordered systematically - there are no accidents... The syuzhet need not chronicle every moment in the fabula, and it usually emphasizes the importance of some moments relative to others' 

Research on Genre

When writing my narrative I wanted to do some more research first, a website that helped me was Link to Website media studies website. I found that the genre I have chosen to do has:

•  a high production value
• a younger target audience
• a mainstream production agency - Disney or Warners Studio
• sometimes has an obsessive fan base - e.g. Twilight
• a lot of merchandise 
• often exaggerates life
• use of primary colours - e.g. red, blue, yellow
• high key lighting 
• use of a green screen 
• positive outcome 
• simple and linear narrative 
• Vladimir Propp's character theory can be applied
• quite mystical 
• often set in the past or in an imagined time period 

An image taken from 'Avatar' to show how a green screen adds the environment to a single person. In this example he is the only thing that is not in green for the effects. (Left)



However, another example in a film is in 'Alice in wonderland' where even some of the people and props are in green to have effects added later on. (Below)

Twitter Account

The photo above is showing how I had recently set up the account, and I got an email through to my school email asking me to follow a link to activate the account, since doing this I have tweeted two questions, which unfortunately do not get a lot of attention or replies to so I will be trying to post questions on Facebook.

Moodboard 4: Enviroments

There is quite a lot of similarities in environments in this genre, as you can see from the use of light in the areas, but also by the use of furnishings, tables, chairs and fireplaces are also very dark so you cannot see much in the environments that they are in, apart from if the camera shot wants you to see it in which the furnishing would stand out more. 

Moodboard 3: Make-Up and Costumes

Looking at make-up done in the genre of film, the use of eye make-up is highly used, be it to change the colours of the eyes or to have darker colours around them to make them stand out. The use of costumes are more varied to the accompanying genre, so if you look at fantasy / romance, they use lighter colours such as pastels. However if you look at fantasy / action, the costumes are darker and more layered with a small part of colour, usually in the make-up. 

Moodboard 2: Actors/Actresses

In this moodboard I was focusing on actors/actresses that show in the genre of film, fantasy-fiction, when looking at them in groups depending on gender, you can see many similarities, the girls are mostly brunette or blonde, they are all have quite a 'good looking' image. They are all very similar, you then go to the males, and you can split the men up into age grouping, so we have a few that are older than the others, for example in one group we have Robert Pattinson and Chris Hemsworth in the other we have Ian McKellen and Jeff Bridges, all able to do the same genre but of different ages. 

Moodboard 1: Overall look at the Genre

When I started to plan my moodboard I started with having one overall moodboard to show the genre on as a summary, I then will go off this into each sub-section.

4th September - 19th September 2014

Blog Entry 1: Week One to Week Two

This week in media lesson, I have started to look at different genres of film and have chosen my set genre which will be fantasy. In class we have been looking at both film trailers and music videos and seen how the genres differentiate. I have then started to look at theorists relating to film trailers, and found that since researching them I can go into more detail, for example on narrative in film trailers, Tzvetan Todorov, after reading about his theory in summary I then went to look at his structure on narrative, which is included on my blog. Within lessons I started to look at other theorists in certain areas of film trailers such as audience theorists and character theories.  

When I then started to look at different trailers, I then went to look at the actors in more detail, and found that some actors are used more in certain dramas, that they are more skilled in, but then I also found that actors such as Chloe Grace Mortex, has a more talented wider range of genres, and as used in my trailer analysis, is not only in a horror film but also in a teen romance film. I found that since I was looking at the trailers, it might help to go further in research and to look at their website, posters, and if they had any other type of media exposure. 

After looking at theorists I then wanted to go into my genre of film more, and have started to create moodboards for different aspects of a film trailer. Such as costumes, make-up, lighting, colours used and actors that in the trailers of that genre. 

Withing the next few posts I will have all of my analysis' up on my blog, and then am going to go further into analysis on the genre I am planning to do. I am also planning on setting up an A2 media Twitter account and get followers to comment on the questions I will put up (will be putting screenshots up on my blog when this is up and running). 

Timetable of Tasks

Genre Theory: Tom Ryall, John Fiske, Steve Neale and Rick Altman

Tom Ryall in 1978 believed that Genreprovides a framework of rules for structure, in the shapes of patterns/forms/styles and structures, which act as a form of 'supervision' over the work of production of filmmakers.

John Fiske defines genre as 'attempts to structure some order into the wide range of texts and meaning that circulate in our culture for the convenience of both producers and audiences'. 

Steve Neale in 1990 argued that Hollywood's generic regime performs two inter-relate functions:

1. to guarantee meanings and pleasures for audience
2. to offset the considerable economic risks of industrial film production by providing cognitive collateral innovation and difference.

Rick Altman also argued that genres are usually defined in types of media language (semantic elements) and codes (in Western films for example: guns, horses, landscape, characters and stars like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood) or certain ideologies and narratives (syntactic elements) and example would be in a zombie film and the main characters surviving, or two love interests coming together at the end of the film. In some ways this enables the audience to have an idea of what will happen by the end of the film, however when some directors make the trailer look like the genre won't fit or the genre is a mix, some audiences are more interested due to not knowing what is likely to happen. 

Understanding Claude Levi-Strauss Narrative Theory: Binary Opposition

Prezi Presentation on Levi-Strauss's Binary Theory

Above is the link to my Prezi presentation on Binary Opossitions by Levi-Strauss.

When doing my first presentation on understanding Propp's character theory, I decided to try something different to using Powerpoint, so I decided to use Prezi, something I have used before for other subjects that I study, I like the use of being able to move around the presentation and seeing the overall look of presentation. There are many different themes you could get as the background and text, I have decided to use something creative for this one, but when it comes to other presentations and I may use this again, I will try to link the theme to the topic I am writing about. After using this once, I will most likely use it again, but not too often and try something else. 

Understanding Propp's Character Theory