Screen Grab 1

Advanced Portfolio

Evaluation Questions

You need to answer the following questions in order to evaluate your finished products:

· In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

· How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

· What have you learned from your audience feedback?

· How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Deadline: Friday 30th April 2010

A2 Advanced Portfolio

Key Deadlines

Main Task

1. All principle filming to be completed by Friday 5th March 2010
2. Editing to be completed by Friday 12th March 2010
3. Trailer to be finished by Friday 19th March 2010

Ancillary Tasks

4. Film magazine cover – Friday 12th February 2010
5. Film Poster – Friday 12th March 2010

Research and Planning

6. Blog – Keep up to date. Final Date for entry: Friday 30th April 2010

Evaluation

7. PowerPoint Presentation – Completed by Friday 23rd April 2010

Main Task

Filming

You should begin filming the scenes for your trailer during the week beginning Monday February 1st 2010.



You have until Friday, March 5th 2010 to complete all your filming for the trailer.



Analyse the example film trailer from one of last year's Year 13 group and look at the teacher's write up to see how the students gained marks. The overall mark was 51 out of 60 for the leader of the group, which the moderator agreed with, so it is a good example of level 4 construction.



Try to make your trailer even better!

Planning – Comments and mark out of 30

The production was well planned by the candidate who made an excellent contribution to the research and planning stage of the project displaying good leadership qualities. There was clear evidence of organised use of time and equipment, and the candidate's involvement with the development of an appropriate brief and storyboard was very good. The candidate carried out relevant individual analysis of appropriate genre films and identified key codes and conventions of trailers during group planning activities. The candidate also created the initial five hundred word plot synopsis which was adapted by the rest of the group for the finished trailer. The actors were well organised during the project and the candidate was responsible for selecting the location for the setting. The gun props were also supplied by the candidate who was given permission to use them by his parents on their private land. All internal deadlines were met successfully during the research and planning stage of the production. Overall, the candidate's contribution to the planning was excellent and he played a key role during the development of the storyboard and script.

Planning – 26

Construction – Comments and Mark out of 60

The candidate was the main creative leader within the group during the construction of the project. He played a major role during both the filming and editing phases of the trailer and displayed excellence in most of the technical skills at the lower end of level 4. The majority of the material is appropriate to the genre of the film and shot effectively. The candidate shared responsibility for the camera work which is consistently good throughout the trailer with a number of steady, well framed shots. There is little in terms of unnecessary footage, although some of the shots of the “soldiers” walking through the forest are a little repetitive. The group has used actors very effectively during filming; costumes and props have been used skilfully to represent the soldiers within the narrative. The key themes of conflict and isolation are constructed clearly. The candidate shared responsibility for selecting the soundtrack at the start of the trailer which works well with the shots of the soldiers walking in the forest to create a sense of equilibrium. The candidate helped to create the titles which create exposition effectively by stating that the soldiers are carrying out “a mission on the other side of the world”. A code of enigma is also created with the title, “They didn’t know what hell was” and phrases such as “there is a bigger threat” and “enemies unite against evil” address the audience appropriately. The candidate made a significant contribution to the diegetic sound effect of the walkie-talkie over the black screen which creates a suitable disorientating effect and suggests danger effectively. The reference to the production company is conventional and acknowledges the institutional context of the product. The composition of the establishing shots of the soldiers in the forest is good and the shots are steady, if a little long and repetitive. The candidate helped to create the “radiation” sign which is an effective home-made prop that connotes danger effectively and is framed clearly with an effective reverse zoom that establishes the soldiers in the dangerous environment. The “fade to black” transitions are used conventionally and each of the scenes has been scripted and choreographed effectively. There is also a good variety of camera angles within the trailer. The shots of the monster are fairly effective, with deliberate use of low lighting. The shot of the “victim” being dragged into the bush is also well framed and steady. The final shot of the monster rising behind the soldier is a conventional “reveal” and is handled well. The transition of the soundtrack is subtle and the fast paced montage of shots is edited in time to the music. The candidate created the “alarm” sound effect used over the title of the film which anchors meaning effectively. Film credits have been used appropriately and the time of release is clear. Overall, the material has been filmed and edited so that meaning is clear to the viewer. The candidate's contribution to the construction of the trailer displays evidence of level 4 for the majority of the technical skills outlined in the syllabus.

Construction – 51

A2 Advanced Portfolio

Key Deadlines

Main Task

1. All principle filming to be completed by Friday 5th March 2010
2. Editing to be completed by Friday 12th March 2010
3. Trailer to be finished by Friday 19th March 2010

Ancillary Tasks

4. Film magazine cover – Friday 12th February 2010
5. Film Poster – Friday 12th March 2010

Research and Planning

6. Blog – Keep up to date. Final Date for entry: Friday 30th April 2010

Evaluation

7. PowerPoint Presentation – Completed by Friday 23rd April 2010

Anciliary Task 1 - Film Magazine Front Cover

Ancillary Tasks

Film Magazine Covers

You have one hour to re-create the layout of the text of an Empire magazine cover using Adobe InDesign. You can use the most recent edition (pictured) or one of your own choosing.

You should include frames instead of images in order to create a basic layout.

Choose appropriate fonts, text sizes and colours.

Pay particular attention to the layout and design of the page.

Deadline: Tuesday 26th January 2010

Film Magazines
Textual Analysis

You should analyse the front covers of at least two film magazines in order to develop your understanding of the relevant codes and conventions of the media form.

1. What are the functions of a film magazine?

· Discuss the function of the different sections of a film magazine.

2. How do film magazines target an audience?

3. What are the key codes and conventions of the front cover of a film magazine? You should focus on the following:

· The masthead
· The strap line
· The sell lines
· The main image
· Subsidiary images
· Mise-en scene
· Captions
· The flash – reference to competitions
· References to films
· References to film directors, actors etc.
· References to “specials”
· Lists of actors, etc


4. Why are film magazines an important aspect of the film industry?

5. What is the relationship between film magazines and readers?

6. What is the relationship between film magazines and the film industry?

7. How do film covers represent social groups?

8. What is the mode of address of the front cover of the film magazine?

Deadline: You should update your blog by Tuesday 26th January 2010

Animatic Task

Remember to update your blog during the completion of this task. You could focus on the following:

• How did you develop the 500 word overview for your imaginary film?
• How did you create the storyboard for your trailer? - What were the key decisions that your group had to make during the storyboarding process?
• What is an animatic?
• Why do you need to create an animatic?
• How do you create an animatic?
• How will you use the animatic during the pre-production of your trailer?

Deadline for blog updates: Friday 18th December 2009.

Production Tasks

1. Complete your textual analysis of the film trailers that you have selected.

2. Post the 500 word plot summary of your imaginary film.

3. Complete the storyboard for your trailer.

4. You need to explain why you have created a storyboard and how you created it.

• Focus on how decisions were made during the development of the stroyboard.
• You should also explain how you intend to use the storyboard during the production phase of your project.

5. Create an animatic of your storyboard.

• Use a digital camera to photograph an image that represents each of the pictures of your storyboard.
• Download the pictures into Premier Elements and edit them into sequence.
• Add any relevant dialogue or music to give an idea of what the trailer is going to sound like. These do not have to be your final decisions about sound. This is part of the drafting process.

The deadline for the above tasks is Friday 11th December.

Film Trailer - Textual Analysis

1. Make a list of the key codes and conventions of film trailers that you have identified in the texts that you have analysed.
2. Which of these codes and conventions will you use in your own trailer?

Film Trailer Analysis

G324 Advanced Portfolio

Promotion Package for a New Film

Main Task
· Construction of a film trailer (Group)

Ancillary Tasks
· A film magazine front cover, featuring the film; (Individual)
· A poster for the film. (Individual)

Research and Planning

Before you begin to plan your film trailer, you will first need to carry out important research in relation to the following:

· The codes and conventions of your chosen film genre.
· The function of trailers as a promotional device.
· The codes and conventions of trailers.
· The structure of trailers.
· The expectations of the target audience for your chosen film genre.
· How do film trailers work?
· Where are film trailers most commonly found?
· Why do film studios use film trailers?
· Are film trailers effective promotional devices?
Research – Textual Analysis

Analyse three or more film trailers by answering the following questions:

1. What is the genre of the film?

2. How is the audience able to identify the genre of the film?

3. How does the trailer target an audience?

4. How long does the film trailer last?

5. How many shots are used in the trailer?

6. What transitions are used in the trailer?

7. How is diegetic sound used in the trailer? – Focus on dialogue and sound effects.

8. How is non-diegetic sound used in the trailer? – Focus on music and sound effects.

9. How does the trailer represent characters and their relationships?

10. How does the trailer create a sense of narrative?

11. What does the trailer reveal about the plot of the film?

12. How does the trailer create a code of enigma?

13. How does the trailer use titles to communicate with the audience?

14. How does the trailer establish the mood and expectations of the film?

15. What types of camera shots and angles are used most commonly in trailers?

16. How is mise-en-scene constructed in trailers?

17. Why has the film studio used the trailer to market its product?

18. How successful is the film trailer in targeting an audience?

19. Make a list of 10 codes and conventions that you have identified in the film you have analysed.

20. How effective are film trailers as a promotional device for films?

Advanced Portfolio

Preliminary Exercise 2

Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue.

Evaluate your finished film.

Advanced Production Preliminary Tasks

A2 Portfolio

You must learn how to use the technology before you begin your film trailer.

Complete the following tasks in order to develop your filming and editing skills:

Camera Skills

Take a 5 second shot using each of the following camera distances:

1. Medium Long Shot of a character inside

2. Close up of a female student

3. Extreme close up of a male or female student’s face

4. Two shot of a male and female student


Take a 5 second shot using each of the following camera angles:

1. High angle shot of a female student

2. Point of view shot of a character looking around a car park


Take a 5 second shot using each of the following camera movement:

1. Pan left – exterior

2. Crab left – interior

3. Crab right – exterior

4. Zoom in on a female character

5. Tilt down – female character outside


Editing Tasks

Task 1
Use Adobe Premier Elements to edit the shots in your film timeline into the following order:

1. Extreme Long Shot of the Blorange
2. Medium close up of a male teacher
3. Long Shot of three characters on the field
4. Zoom out on a male character
5. Tracking shot of a character walking
6. Big close up of a male student’s face
7. Bird’s eye shot of a male and female student
8. Extreme close up of an object
9. Close up of a hand on a door handle
10. Tilt up –male character inside
11. Canted shot of a male and female student
12. Low angle shot of a male teacher

You should remove any unnecessary footage from the timeline before moving onto task 2.

Task 2
Remove any footage of the clapper board by cropping each of the shots.

Task 3
Add the following transitions to 5 of the shots on your film timeline.
· Cross Dissolve
· Dip to black
· Dip to white
· Wipe
· Zoom

Task 4
Add the following effects to 4 of the shots on your film timeline.
· Black and white
· Old Film
· Line Drawing
· Lightning

Save the completed video as a Windows Media Player file when you have completed editing the footage.

Welcome Year 13!

Welcome to the King Henry Viii school blog for Year 13 A2 Media Studies students.

This blog will be used to record the research, planning and evaluation for your G324 Advanced Portfolio unit.

The first posts on this site cover the preliminary film work that we have covered since September 2009. Make sure that you keep a detailed record of all the research and planning decisions that you make during the construction of your trailer.