PLANNING: AUDIENCE THEORY

 

PLANNING: MY TARGET AUDIENCE

I needed to acknowledge who my target audience was going to be for my film and how to appeal to this group of people. I had to research age, gender, ethnicity and social class as well as popular genres and themes that featured in films that my target audience would watch.  

1. Who is my primary target audience?

Young British males and females aged 15-25 who enjoy watching movies with thrill and suspense. We set this age range as teenagers and young adults are most likely to watch horror films and enjoy them rather than older generations. We may attract a wider female audience due to our female dominated cast. 

2. What kind of films and television are they likely to prefer?

They are likely to enjoy thrilling television series and horror films that have gripping and realistic narratives as our film opening focuses more on real-life events with psychopaths and stalkers rather than a supernatural element. After doing some research, I discovered that the series 'You' is the kind of show that suits my target audience. It follows the narrative of Joe Goldberg, a bookstore manager in New York, who upon meeting Guinevere Beck, an aspiring writer, becomes infatuated with her. He feeds his toxic obsession using social media and other technology to track her presence and remove obstacles to their romance. As well as this, films such as 'Greta' and 'Secret Obsession' would have similar  I think the audience of this series will enjoy our film too because we also aim to include the themes of obsession and realism in our film opening. 

3. What platforms do they choose to watch films and where are they likely to see information about films?

Due to our younger target audience, they are likely to watch films on streaming platforms they can access from their phones such as Netflix and Amazon Prime. They would most likely find information about film through various social media sites, for example, Instagram and YouTube. Therefore, we will put lots of emphasis on social media when we are marketing our film as this will be the most effective way of engaging our audience.

4. What brands do they prefer?

Brands that target a younger age demographic such as social media brands like Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok as well as fast food brands like Nandos, McDonalds and KFC. They are likely to prefer clothing brands such as Topshop, Urban Outfitters and (due to the sport element featured in our film) Nike, Adidas and Puma. 

 

Audience Profile

5. What makes my film stand out from the competition?

Out film includes very realistic concepts that are effective in heightening the emotion for the audience as they can immerse themselves into the storyline and picture themselves in the same situation as the protagonist. We have also decided to challenge the stereotype of having a male predator to make our film stand out from the competition and not seem so cliché. Instead, we have chosen a female stalker which means our camera will not have the 'male gaze' that many films in Hollywood have, according to Laura Mulvey in 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema'. 

6. Why should my audience watch my film? 

It includes many popular features of a horror/thriller film as well as elements of psychological thrillers and contains a strong sense of realism which helps to intensify the action happening on screen and make the audience emulate the feelings of the actresses.  It also includes a female lead and female dominated cast which promotes female power and feminism in the film industry.  

PLANNING: AUDIENCE PROFILE

RESEARCH: AUDIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe5gw3XixXF8-2-Z-ehrFVnztca7H8vaLLH_EZ4zSk7wovibg/viewform

I designed and distributed via Google Forms, an individual audience questionnaire to investigate our target audience's preferences. It is useful as it allows me to collect a variety of data from different genders and ages, telling me about their preferences when it comes to films. I intend to publish it on social media in order to reach a wider audience and gather a wider range of results. 

Some of the questions I asked were their age, gender and where they would prefer to view a trailer. I wanted to research the preferences of my target audience so I could work out what would please them most and make them want to watch my film. 

The questions I intend to ask are as follows:

What age are you?

- 20 and under

- 21 and over

What gender are you?

- Male

- Female

- Prefer not to say

- Other

What genre of film do you prefer? 

- Action

- Thriller

- Horror

- Romcom

- Comedy

- Drama

- Literacy adaptation

- Historical

- Sci-Fi

- Documentary

- Mystery

Do you tend to watch the trailer before deciding whether to watch a film?

- Yes

- No

- Sometimes

What platforms do you use to find out about films? 

- Cinema

- Social Media

- Website

- Television

Are you influenced by any of the following?

- Reviews

- Recommendations

- Social Media

- Interviews

- Trailers

Do you like any of these trailers?

- If yes, why?

Do you like any of these posters?

- If yes, why?

PLANNING: CHARACTERS AND SOCIAL GROUPS

I used Mark Dixon's Media Theory for A Level to research stereotypes and discovered that they are universally deployed by the media. Stuart Hall states the 4 reasons why stereotypes are used by the media are as follows:

• To help audiences understand characters. Stereotypes act as a visual shortcut for the audience as they can instantly decode a character through the use of their body language, costume etc. 
• To help audiences build character relatability. Audience empathy, sympathy and antipathy are achieved quicker when stereotypes are used so it emotionally connects the audience faster. 
• To signpost audiences. Stereotypes help audiences gain a sense of the potential direction of the story. For example, the princess will find love, the hero will defeat evil etc.
• To reinforce genre expectation. All genres contain stock characters and audience's may be attracted to a movie due to these characters.

On the other hand, stereotyping can also be deemed as negative and dangerous. This is because it can create 'groups' who are identified through negative features and their 'otherness', together with the implication that the negative traits are 'natural' qualities. Examples of this are the stereotype that black men are naturally lawless or that blondes are dumb. This leads to what Stuart Hall calls 'power circularity', that is, the groups with power get to create the stereotypes and exclude other groups from the elite list. 

'When They See Us' and 'Legally Blonde' 
Examples of when these negative traits have been used in film

We analysed the different social groups and stereotypes that we wanted to include in our product so that they were recognisable to audiences. I used Pinterest to find various pictures that represented these social groups and created various boards so we could clearly see the contrasting styles and emulate them in our film opening. The social groups we researched consisted of  stalkers and sporty school girls. 

By researching these stereotypes, we were able to conclude that things associated with stalkers were cameras and photos as well as dark lighting and so when capturing the stalker in our film, we will make sure to use low-lit lighting and create lots of shadows to emphasise the eerie feeling and mystery. 

Our protagonist's main characteristic that we wanted to focus on was sports. We found the best ways to reinforce this would be through her clothing. Therefore, we will make sure that we choose our costumes wisely to fit the stereotype and will dress our actress in sportswear including clothing by well-known sports brands such as Nike.

RESEARCH: SCOOPIT!

 I created my own Scoop.It account (here) so I could research film openings to help brainstorm ideas for my own project. I aimed to look at film openings from thriller and horror films to match the genre of film I wanted to create with my group. We were not as keen to include the supernatural element in our production and so most of our inspiration came from films that revolve around the concept of psychopaths and murderers rather than ghosts and monsters. 

RESEARCH: TITLE SEQUENCES

 Thor Ragnarok (2017)

• Production Company - Marvel Studios
• Distribution Company - Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
• Director - Taika Waititi
• Writers - Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher L. Yost
• Producer - Kevin Feige, p.g.a 
• Executive Producers - Louis D'esposito, Victoria Alonso and Brad Winderbaum
• Executive Producers - Thommas M Hammel, Stan Lee
• Co Producer - David J. Grant
• Based on -  Mavel Comics by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby
• Director of Photography - Javier Aguirresarobe
• Production Designers - Dan Hennah and Ra Vincent
• Editors - Joel Negron and Zene Baker
• Costume Designer - Mayes C. Rubeo
• Visual Effects Supervisor - Jake Morrison
• Visual Effects Producer - Cyndi Ochs
• Music - Mark Mothersbaugh
• Music Supervisor - Dave Jordan
• Casting - Sarah Halley Finn
• Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins

Finding Dory (2016)

• Production Company - Walt Disney Pictures Pixar Animation Studios
• Distribution Company - Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures 
• Director - Andrew Stanton
• Co Director - Angus Maclane
• Producer - Lindsey Collins, p.g.a
• Executive Producer - John Lasseter
• Associate Producer - Bob Roath
• Writer - Andrew Stanton
• Screenplay - Andrew Stanton and Victoria Strouse
• Music - Thomas Newman
• Story Supervisor - Max Brace
• Film Editor - Axel Geddes
• Production Designer - Steve Pilcher
• Supervising Technical Director - John Halstead
• Production Manager - Becky Neiman-Cobb
• Supervising Animators - David Devan and Michael Stocker
• Directors of Photography - Jeremy Lasky and Ian Megibben
• Character Art Director - Jason Deamer
• Sets Art Director - Don Shank
• Character Supervisor - Jeremie Talbot
• Sets Supervisor - Colin Hayes Thompson
• Effects Supervisor - Chris J Chapman
• Rendering Supervisor - Humera Yasmin Khan
• New Technology Integration Supervisor - David Ryu
• Global Technology and Simulation Supervisor - Patrick Coleman
• Crowds & Additional Animation Supervisor - Paul Mendoza
• Crowds Technical Supervisor - Paul Kanyuk
• Sounds Designer - Tim Nielsen
• Casting - Kevin Reher and Natalie Lyon
• Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill, Kaitlin Olson and Hayden Rolence

DIGITAL STORYTELLING

I watched an informative video where Frank Ash, the creative consultant from the BBC talked about digital storytelling - how to connect with an audience emotionally. This can be done by creating a storyline that they can relate to as well as maximising the sense of anticipation and suspense throughout the film. 

With this in mind, when planning my own production, I will devise a top line (one elegant sentence which sums up the film opening) and focus on the big question (what will happen next?).

I used the information from the video and turned it into a comic strip using ComicLife:

RESEARCH: DISTRIBUTION COLLAGE

 I watched a presentation on the FDA website by Kezia Williams, head of theatrical distribution at Pathe. She talked about how distributors work to create a successful new marketing campaign for each film, on the film distributors' association site. It was also explained by Chris Besseling, Director of Marketing at Pathe, that distributors market a film's USP (Unique Selling Point) such as its star cast, its provenance, its awards and good reviews to bring positive attention to the film.

The film I decided to research was 'The Lion King'. This popular live action film was released on July 19th 2019 and was a remake of the original that came out June 15th 1994. The storyline follows the adventure of the young lion Simba, the heir of his father Mufasa. Simba's wicked uncle plots to usurp Mufasa's throne by luring father into a stampede of wildebeests. Simba manages to escape and only Mufasa is killed. Simba returns as an adult to take back his homeland from Scar with the help of his friends Timon and Pumbaa. 

I investigated the different aspects of a marketing campaign and film distribution for this film. This consisted of film posters; the film website; film trailers; social medias such as Facebook; Twitter and Instagram as well as news articles; interviews; award ceremonies and cross promotion.  

Film Posters

The film had multiple film posters for the marketing campaign in order to capture the audiences eye and make them remember to watch the movie. This film had various film posters - some of which included individual character posters. These posters are greatly effective as they introduce us to the characters of the movie whilst also using famous movie talent to boost the marketing campaign like Chris Besseling talked about. Stars such as Beyoncé have a massive fan base and by placing her name on the poster, it automatically grabs the attention of any fan of hers and will make them want to see the movie that features their beloved celebrity. As well as Beyoncé, the film features more well-known actors such as Seth Rogan, who is famous for his role in Neighbours as well as Chiwetel Ejiofor who performed in Doctor Strange. These actors both have a relatively young fanbase as their other works have been in movies with a predominant teen/young adult target audience. This means that it is likely that younger generations will watch the film as there are cast members that they recognise. Equally, this remake of the well-known original that came out in the early 90s also attracts an older fanbase because James Earl Jones, who played Mufasa in the original, also plays Mufasa in this renewed version. By casting these actors and placing their popular names on the film posters, it entices a wide range of viewers to see The Lion King as they know it will be a good quality film with a-list actors and celebrities. 

Trailers

The story of The Lion King is already very well known to most and therefore the trailer aims to entice the audience by highlighting the top quality CGI. The teaser trailer was released in November 2018 and focuses on the main concept of the film - 'the circle of life'. There is a close-up shot of Simba's paw stepping into an imprint of his fathers which clearly shows the audience that the film will be based on the life of Simba as he grows up to take the place of his father as king. In the official trailer that was later released in April 2019, it reveals a little more about the film but not so much that it gives everything away and so the audience is still eager to watch it. It is also filled with dramatic music that helps to heighten the emotion happening on-screen as well as includes songs that the audience can sing along to such as 'Hakuna Matata' and 'In the Jungle' highlighting the upbeat and comical moments within the film. The trailer is an extremely effective way of advertising the movie, especially by introducing a teaser trailer first, followed by an official trailer as it keeps the audience interested. 

Online and Social Media

The film does not have its own website but because it is produced by Disney which is such a huge franchise, it is more effective and efficient to use the official Disney website to promote the film. The website provides some information in a clear format which makes it easy for the audience to learn about the film. For example, there is a section with a simple synopsis of the film and the genre (Adventure, Drama), the age rating (PG) and the head producers' names. You are also told the various platforms that you can view the film and links that will take you to a choice of retailers where you can buy the movie. Finally, it also includes the several trailers for the film which is helpful as everything can be found in one place. It is also a subtle marketing strategy as by using the Disney website, it also promotes other Disney movies such as 'Mulan' and encourages visitors to subscribe to Disney+. 

The film is also promoted via social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. By using various platforms, the announcement of the film was able to reach a wide range of people of different ages. These social media accounts features updates of new trailers, posters and images that get released. A Spotify official playlist was created to further entice audiences even after they had watched the film. 

Advertisement and Publicity

Most of the first news about the movie came via casting announcements supplemented by various comments from Jon Favreau (the director) about what drew him to the movie. The big first publicity moment came when Disney bought footage from the "Circle of Life" sequence to D23 (The Official Disney Fan Club) in 2017, two years before the scheduled release date. This footage was chosen as the public's first look as it highlights the amazing quality and CGI used in the film. 

More clips were offered at CinemaCon 2019 which drew very positive reactions from industry and press. By releasing small clips at a time, the production company were able to create anticipation and excitement leading up to the official release of the movie. 

Earlier in July, a number of promotions for the movie were released such as interviews and talks with the cast. One of which included a chat and performance by JD McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph (the voices of young Simba and Nala). Later on, behind the scene footage was released and published on YouTube which allowed audiences to see how the movie was put together with the voice actors as well as organised press conferences that boosted the film's publicity even more . 

Press Conference on July 10th in Beverly Hills

The film had plenty of promotional partnerships such as:

• Dole - which put sticker promotions for the movie on its fruit and made a series of themed recipes available coupled with tips on healthy eating.
• McDonald's - which offered customers that bought Happy Meals exclusive movie toys. Each toy connected with the others so customers could collect them and recreate scenes from the movie. They also ran TV spots to promote those Happy Meals
• Pandora - offered a line of jewellery inspired by the movie that was supported by in-store promotions and TV spots. 
• Google - which included The Lion King as one of the three audiobooks read by Kristen Bell accessible exclusively through Google Home Mini. 
• ASOS- which released a collection of clothing inspired by the iconic sights, colours and charactes from the film.
• Luminess - which offered a collection of movie-inspired make-up in collaboration with Sir John.  

  

  Cross-Promotion
  

Since this film has been released, the social media accounts have been revised to suit and promote the new film by Beyoncé "Black is King" which is designed to showcase the beauty and richness of the cultures in the African continent. This film serves as a visual companion the the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift which was a tie-in album curated by Beyoncé for the Lion King movie. There are central themes from The Lion King that are repeated throughout Beyoncé's film which she links to the concept of how the world could thrive when Black men step into kingship. This allowed the movie The Lion King to be viewed and interpreted in another way with more solemn themes that could be linked to the Black Lives Matter Movement that was circulating globally at the time. 

Overall

The marketing campaign for The Lion King was incredibly successful and despite the fact that it had to top the original movie which would be hard to do as it was so popular, it still received amazing reviews and earnt a 4.5 star rating. 

It won several awards including a Guinness World Record for the highest-grossing remake at the global box office in 2020 at $1.6 billion, surpassing Frozen. It is the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time. 

PRODUCTION PRACTICE: MONTAGE/TABLETOP SEQUENCE

"WHOLE WORLD IN A TABLE TOP"

Our brief was to create a title sequence using only a table top and props with a small part of live action at the end of it, using a given soundtrack. 

For research, in class we watched Delicatessen and To Kill a Mockingbird which both use table top sequences. The camera gets placed in a birds-eye-view shot and pans over a cluster of overlapping props to suggest a certain narrative. 

Preesha, Charlotte and I worked together to produce a title sequence that revolved around the story of a mother of two (Olivia Blake) who has gone missing and an investigation is taking place.

In session 1, we set up our table top, placing a black cloth over the table to use as a background. We arranged our props - which consisted of lots of newspapers; a briefcase; an investigation board; a passport; lots of dollar bills and a screwdriver. We used fake blood and smeared it onto the dollar bills and coated the end of the screwdriver in it to infer the idea that she had been murdered. We organised our props and guided the camera in a specific order so that the end shot would be of the main newspaper article with a printed picture of Olivia's face which was effective as we then placed the screwdriver down on top of it to heighten drama and tension. I also marked my hands in fake blood and as the camera was panning over the investigation board, I placed a pin into it.

We then uploaded our footage to iMovie where we added our soundtrack - 'Moonlight Sonata' by Beethoven which added to the creepy ambiance we were aiming for. We also added in credits and used a fade in and out effect to add mystery. 

FILM OPENING CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Film Opening Codes and Conventions from JessFoster8

CONTINUITY EXCERCISE

Brief account of the making of our continuity exercise and problems we faced. 

Our task was to make a short clip with continuity editing in order to put into practice, the camera angle techniques we had learnt. In our groups, we had to create a storyboard, assign roles and edit our clips together at the end on the iMacs. Our continuity exercise is set on the show of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?' on the final question with Tom as the host and Charlotte acting as the guest. 

Some of the challenges we faced were that our set with the green screen was not wide enough to film over the shoulder shots from both sides. Instead, we had our actors swap seats and when editing had to reverse the shot so we would not break the 180 degree rule and this gave the illusion that they had never moved. 

We also had to deal with ambient noise of other groups and so we had the studio cleared so their voices would not interfere with our recording. 

ON THE SET

Brief account of learning how to handle a camera, terminology to use on set and good practice in editing. 

Camera and Tripod: In a group, we passed the camera around so we could practice how to handle it, insert the memory card and place it on the tripod. When passing the camera from one person to another, you should say 'yours' and 'mine' to minimise the risk of it being dropped. When using the tripod, you use the spirit level to make sure the camera is level and secure. I learnt how to adjust the focus of the camera, which is done by turning the dial up and down as well as how to zoom in which is done by twisting the lens. 

White Balance (WB) is the process of removing unrealistic colour casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in the photo. It allows the camera to acknowledge what the colour white look likes (the colour temperature) and therefore display all the other colours correctly resulting in a more realistic effect. To adjust this, you select 'WB' on the camera and it will display the different colour tones that are used in different lights. 

180 Degree Rule: This is a cinematography guideline that states that two people in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to each other. There is an invisible axis that connects the two characters and if the camera 'crosses the line', the shot becomes what is referred to as a reverse shot. 

On Set: I learnt about film terminology whilst on set. Once the camera is in focus, the director shouts "Standby" to alert everyone filming is about to start. Once they are ready, they reply with "Standing by". Once the director has said "rolling", everyone on set must stay quiet. Actors wait for the word "action" before they start moving and getting on with the scene. 

Following this, at the end of the filming session, the director will say "strike the kit" which indicates to the film crew, it is time to pack away equipment, take the batteries out of the cameras and put them on charge and ensure that the footage is uploaded. 

Good Practice in Editing: The software we are using are Final Cut Pro and iMovie which are downloaded on the iMacs in the media studio. When uploaded footage, the shots should be saved into a folder. These folders are called bins and the unedited footage from cameras are called rushes. 

RESEARCH: ART OF THE TITLE - GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL.2

Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2017 sequel American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics produced by Marvel Studios. In the movie, Peter Quill and his fellow Guardians are hired by a powerful alien race to protect their precious batteries from invaders. When it is discovered that Rocket has stolen from them, they dispatch their armada to search for vengeance. As the Guardians try to escape, the mystery of Peter's parentage is revealed. 

I chose to study this film opening because I enjoyed its colour and sound aspects and I wanted to research a variety of genres before I made my decision as to what style I was going to give my own film opening. 

The creators have successfully created a comedic opening that highlights the genre and style of the piece. This is achieved through several techniques, for example, the use of shot types. Throughout the opening, the creators use an all-in-one shot in which the camera follows Groot around the scene. This is effective because we are able to see Groot in the foreground but behind him are the Guardians fighting against an enormous octopus-like alien with sharp teeth and long tentacles. The audience are able to laugh as Groot is oblivious to the scene surrounding him despite being right in the middle of it but they also understand the superhero themes of the movie through the action happening in the background. As well as this, the focal point of the sequence is Groot and his dance moves which not only reiterates a cheery and humorous emotion for the reader as he is so unaware of everything going on around him and the danger he is in but also is effective in character development. The audience can understand Groot's role within the Guardians as well as the other characters qualities such as Gamora, Rocket and Peter Quill who look out for him showing their bond with each other. 

The audio codes are what directs the sequence and has the most effect on the audience. Numerous sound techniques are used the most important being the non diegetic sound. Baby Groot initiates the start of the music when he plugs in a speaker, which is followed by the track 'Mr Blue Sky' by Electric Light Orchestra. This track is very upbeat and dance-like and does not match the scenario going on in the background - making it contrapuntal sound. This is effective as it reinforces the light-hearted style of the movie and makes the audience feel joyful and want to dance along with Groot despite the violent action going on simultaneously. Furthermore, the creators also make the audience feel as if they are in the scene because they use diegetic and synchronous sound. We can hear the sound effects of the battle such as explosions as well as the noises coming from the guns, the roar of the monster and the dialogue from the characters. Because the audience can hear both diegetic and non diegetic sound, they can fully immerse themselves into the movie. 

Mise en scene is effective in presenting the location and style of the movie because instantly, from the start of the film, we can tell it is not set on earth. This is hinted through the extreme colour palette for example, the ray of colours that come out of the monster's mouth and the actual monster itself is not the kind of concept we would see if this were set on Earth. Equally, the set on screen consists of gold structures with revolving lights and shiny, metallic platforms which hints at a very futuristic theme set in space and adds to the atmosphere of the scene. This theme is further developed through the font and style of the credits on screen. The producer and cast names appear in a cyan blue which looks lit up like a light. This visual element adds to the space-like atmosphere as it creates a pop of colour whilst adding to the ultramodern style.  

RESEARCH: ART OF THE TITLE - SHERLOCK

Sherlock is a British crime TV series created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat that is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective stories. The series follows the story of detective Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his assistant John Watson (Martin Freeman).

I chose to analyse this title sequence because of the power of its visual style which helps to enhance it's genre of a contemporary Victorian TV show. I also took interest to its different shot types and visual codes that I want to emulate and use in my own work. 

The first thing we see is a birds-eye view shot of the streets and sights of London which instantly tells the viewer that the series is primarily set in the city. The scenes of London are sped up much like a time lapse which is effective in making the audience feel excited as the pace of the sequence is increased. As well as this, because there is no diegetic sound, the fast-tempo action acts as a substitution in order to show the hustle of London life. 

The style of the piece is developed and further explored through the simple colour palette. The murky dark tones of grey and brown infer realism onto the audience which emphasises the style and genre. This is because it makes the scene of  London look very bleak and full of crime highlighting Sherlock and John's relevance in this city and their importance within the show. 

Furthermore, throughout the title sequence, the creators use a low opacity to allow the fast movement of images and clips to overlap each other and fade in and out, giving the title sequence a mysterious effect because the blur of images makes it is hard to focus on one thing and analyse it. Equally, it also creates a manic and busy feel as everything is happening at once, making the audience feel frantic and overwhelmed. I also found this technique effective because it is almost symbolic of the main character 'Sherlock Holmes'. This is because in the second shot, we are shown is a close-up shot of his eyes which is followed by the overlapping images. Therefore, it is as if the audience are entering Sherlock's brain and seeing the world from his point of view and all the images are various thoughts and visions in his head. This gives us an insight into his character and we can appreciate his remarkable intellect as he can deal with all these overwhelming thoughts and pieces of information, store it and then use irrelevant and small details to solve crimes. 

The audio codes in this title sequence consists of non-diegetic sound and it is effective in creating a sense of adventure which is achieved through the upbeat tune and quick rhythm of the music because the pulse matches the pace of the various images throughout the sequence so the whole piece feels faster and exciting. Also, the melody of the music is very mysterious as the instruments play lots of sharps and flats, giving the tune a sense of uncertainty as you aren't sure where it is going to go which compliments the crime-drama genre of the series. As well as this, the theme song is a full orchestral piece and is therefore loud in volume, making the title sequence bold and powerful unlike the kind of quiet and suspenseful music you hear in horror films.

Press here for audio codes of Sherlock Title Sequence

RESEARCH: ART OF THE TITLE - MINDHUNTER

I used the website Art of the Title to explore how various companies present their movies/series to their audiences. Mindhuter is an American crime thriller web television series created by Joe Penhall. It is based on a true-crime book written by Jon E.Douglas and Mark Olshaker that explores how the Serial Crime Unit attempted to catch criminals through the science of profiling serial killers.

 I chose to analyse Mindhunter because I took interest to its success in creating a dramatic build up of tension and I aim to follow similar steps when I work with my group to devise my own film opening. 

Throughout the title sequence for Mindhunter, there are clear visual codes that indicate the style and genre of the series and influence the audience to feel a certain way. A build of tension is successfully created through the cross-cutting of clips from the recording devices to dead bodies. The momentary flickers are effective because they show distressing images that may shock the audience but the cuts are so quick that the audience does not have time to analyse the pictures and get a full understanding of what they are viewing. As well as this, the close-up shots of the bodies eradicate any feelings of comfort the audience may be feeling because the image is very distressing and you cannot see the whole picture. This adds to the mystery and this lack of context, leaves the audience full of questions and confused.

The recording device and the man setting it up is a focal point in the title sequence which infers that he has a large significance within the series. When this is followed by the broken-up glimpses of bodies, it questions whether this man and the bodies are linked - perhaps they are flashbacks from his memory?  This  results in the audience feeling intrigued about the story and role of this man in the show. Furthermore, the man seems very calm when putting the device together despite the flashes of gory images. This contrast from calm and monotone movement to sharp and violent pictures develops the audience's questions about the plot and relevance between the two clips. 

In addition, the title sequence presents achieves an eerie and sinister tone through relatively plain and simple elements.  For example, at the start, a sense of tension is instantly presented through the dull and cold colour schemes. The lack of warm colour gives the audience the indication that this series is going to follow a darker and intense theme and makes the viewer feel on-edge and slightly cautious. Also, this realism adds to the ominous feelings that the shots of the corpse have implemented into the viewer expanding on their distress and puts them on edge. 

The simple audio codes in this series opening plays a big part in producing this physiological-thriller and adds to the tension dramatically. This is achieved through the repeating motif played by the piano which is based on the F minor chord. This minor tonality emphasises further the sense of unease depicted in the sequence. The non-diegetic sound includes music played by the piano and the violin giving it a very thin texture. This helps add to the eeriness as it makes the viewer focus more on the action of the recording device which solidifies its importance. Digetic sound includes the sfx of the recorder starting up which is very effective because it increases the atmosphere and tension, reinforcing the psychological-thriller genre. 

FILM SOUND TECHNIQUES AND THEORY

I studied the different terminology used to identify sound in films through the presentation Film Sound Techniques and Theory I learnt that you can use various techniques to influence the audience to interpret a scene in a certain way. 

Rhythm

-  a beat, pulse, pace or tempo

- used in music where the pace matches the action to create a specific effect e.g. tension

- used in speech to encapsulate the audience's attention e.g. speeches

- used in sound effects to change expectations

Fidelity

- when a sound fits the source it came from 

- expectation linking what we see to what we hear e.g. if we see a gunshot we expect the sound of it firing

- you can have a lack of fidelity which is where there is a disparity between the image and the sound which can make the audience feel disorientated. 

Parallel Sound

- when the music matches the image on screen

- used in horror films e.g. suspenseful music 

Contrapuntal Sound

- when the sound doesn't match the image on screen

- sound you wouldn't associate with the scene 

Synchronous Sound

- when you hear the sound at the same time the sound is produced

- used when characters talk and their lips match the sound we hear

Asynchronous Sound

- sound that is not produced from the narrative space e.g. when someone screams but the sound you hear is a train (The 39 Steps)

- used in flashback scenes

Diegetic Sound 

- sound that we expect to hear from a certain place e.g. background noise

- used to create atmosphere and reinforce the location

Non-Diegetic Sound

- sound that comes from outside the narrative space e.g. music 

- used to show action from a various point of view e.g. if someone is listening to music with headphones, only that character can hear it

Volume

- how loud or quiet the sound/music is

- it is mainly the alterations of volume that create the effect e.g. crescendos or sforzando 

- can make a scene more intense if there is a dramatic contrast between volumes throughout

         

PRODUCTION PRACTICE: MONTAGE/TABLETOP SEQUENCE

"WHOLE WORLD IN A TABLE TOP"

Our brief was to create a title sequence using only a table top and props with a small part of live action at the end of it, using a given soundtrack. 

For research, in class we watched Delicatessen and To Kill a Mockingbird which both use table top sequences. The camera gets placed in a birds-eye-view shot and pans over a cluster of overlapping props to suggest a certain narrative. 

Preesha, Charlotte and I worked together to produce a title sequence that revolved around the story of a mother of two (Olivia Blake) who has gone missing and an investigation is taking place.

In session 1, we set up our table top, placing a black cloth over the table to use as a background. We arranged our props - which consisted of lots of newspapers; a briefcase; an investigation board; a passport; lots of dollar bills and a screwdriver. We used fake blood and smeared it onto the dollar bills and coated the end of the screwdriver in it to infer the idea that she had been murdered. We organised our props and guided the camera in a specific order so that the end shot would be of the main newspaper article with a printed picture of Olivia's face which was effective as we then placed the screwdriver down on top of it to heighten drama and tension. I also marked my hands in fake blood and as the camera was panning over the investigation board, I placed a pin into it.

We then uploaded our footage to iMovie where we added our soundtrack - 'Moonlight Sonata' by Beethoven which added to the creepy ambiance we were aiming for. We also added in credits and used a fade in and out effect to add mystery. 

ON THE SET

Brief account of learning how to handle a camera, terminology to use on set and good practice in editing. 

Camera and Tripod: In a group, we passed the camera around so we could practice how to handle it, insert the memory card and place it on the tripod. When passing the camera from one person to another, you should say 'yours' and 'mine' to minimise the risk of it being dropped. When using the tripod, you use the spirit level to make sure the camera is level and secure. I learnt how to adjust the focus of the camera, which is done by turning the dial up and down as well as how to zoom in which is done by twisting the lens. 

White Balance (WB) is the process of removing unrealistic colour casts, so that objects which appear white in person are rendered white in the photo. It allows the camera to acknowledge what the colour white look likes (the colour temperature) and therefore display all the other colours correctly resulting in a more realistic effect. To adjust this, you select 'WB' on the camera and it will display the different colour tones that are used in different lights. 

180 Degree Rule: This is a cinematography guideline that states that two people in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to each other. There is an invisible axis that connects the two characters and if the camera 'crosses the line', the shot becomes what is referred to as a reverse shot. 

On Set: I learnt about film terminology whilst on set. Once the camera is in focus, the director shouts "Standby" to alert everyone filming is about to start. Once they are ready, they reply with "Standing by". Once the director has said "rolling", everyone on set must stay quiet. Actors wait for the word "action" before they start moving and getting on with the scene. 

Following this, at the end of the filming session, the director will say "strike the kit" which indicates to the film crew, it is time to pack away equipment, take the batteries out of the cameras and put them on charge and ensure that the footage is uploaded. 

Good Practice in Editing: The software we are using are Final Cut Pro and iMovie which are downloaded on the iMacs in the media studio. When uploaded footage, the shots should be saved into a folder. These folders are called bins and the unedited footage from cameras are called rushes. 

CONTINUITY EXERCISE

Brief account of the making of our continuity exercise and problems we faced. 

Our task was to make a short clip with continuity editing in order to put into practice, the camera angle techniques we had learnt. In our groups, we had to create a storyboard, assign roles and edit our clips together at the end on the iMacs. Our continuity exercise is set on the show of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?' on the final question with Tom as the host and Charlotte acting as the guest.  

Some of the challenges we faced were that our set with the green screen was not wide enough to film over the shoulder shots from both sides. Instead, we had our actors swap seats and when editing we had to reverse the shot so we would not break the 180 degree rule and this gave the illusion that they had never moved. 

We also had to deal with ambient noise of other groups and so we had the studio cleared so their voices would not interfere with our recording. 

PRELIMINARY EXERCISES: CAMERA TECHNIQUES

I learnt different camera techniques by reading: The Grammar of Television and Film by Daniel Chandler. 

By studying this website, it gave me insights into how I can vary the sizes and angles of my shots to focus the viewers attention onto specific objects and/or people and depict certain emotions and feelings.

The camera I used to explore different camera techniques was an iPhone XR.

HIGH ANGLE:

- angle from above, aimed down at the character

- makes the viewer feel more powerful than the character and suggests detachment

LOW ANGLE:

- angle from below, aimed up at the character

- exaggerates the character's importance 

CANTED ANGLE:

- aimed at the character at a rotated angle

- helps to create tension and a sense of unease, suspense and mystery 

BIRD'S EYE VIEW:

- view from above the character

- allows the viewer to have a full range of the scene as it is above all the action

OVER THE SHOULDER:

- angle shown from over the shoulder of the character

- shows a point of view of the character, exposing their view in front of them

WORM EYE SHOT:

- angle from below the character, aimed up

- highlights power and authority in a character as the viewer is looking up at them.

CLOSE UP:

- zooms in, focusing on head to shoulders

- shows their face in great detail and exposes their reactions and emotions in a scene

EXTREME CLOSE UP

- zooms in and focuses strictly on the face

- allows the viewer to see the emotion of the character and cuts out context in the background

MID SHOT:

- frames the body and face of character

- gives a greater view of the character, whilst still showing detail in their face and emotion 

LONG SHOT:

- shows most of character and some of surroundings

- allows the viewer to have some context as to the location of the character

EXTREME LONG SHOT:

- captures the character and its surroundings

- provides a sense of distance to the character

TWO SHOT:

- a shot in which there are two characters

- gives a view into the relationship and feelings between the two characters