My name is Monica Aghadiuno and my candidate number is 9365. I am in Group 3 with Godgift Emesi (9044), Angela Chen (9025) and Thakshana Yogeswaran (9179). To see my work please use the following three labels on the right: 'A2 Research and Planning,' 'A2 Construction' and 'A2 Evaluation.'
Group 3 - Music Video
Group 3 - Digipak
Our Digipack, top left - back, top right - front, bottom left - inside panel, bottom right - inside panel (CD)
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The bond that develops between inflatable robot Baymax and prodigy Hiro Hamanda, who team up with a group of friends to uncover a criminal plot. Set in San Fransokyo.
Themes: good vs bad, friendship, coming of age, superheroes.
3. Global and UK release dates? Where and what formats?
Theatrical release dates range from 23rd October 20124 (in Japan) to 11th February 2015 (in France, Netherlands, Belgium). UK: 30th January 2015, USA: 7 November 2014. 59 countries.
Staggered release dates on a global scale. Advantage: builds excitement worldwide. Disadvantages: piracy, negative feedback.
3D formats
Will also be shown at film festivals including: Tokyo International Film Festival, Philadelphia International Film Festival
5. Institutions behind the film's production and distribution? Where are they based?
Production: Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures.
Distribution: Walt Disney Motion Pictures (with various bases worldwide inc: Argentina, USA, France), Forum Hungary (Hungary). The different bases for WDMP means there is expertise in different areas which is good because markets vary.
Starring: Ryan Potter as Hiro Hamada, Scott Adsit as Baymax, Jamie Chung as GoGo Tomago, Damon Wayans, Jr. as Wasabi and Génesis Rodríguez as Honey Lemon.
Reflection of events in Paul Varderman's life, leading to his death. Gets involved with outsiders 'The Freaks' and the bully, Roth. Pressure from both groups - he has to choose where his friendship lies.
Casting call for role of Paul posted on October 26 2011 and for Yorkshire based teenagers January 9, 2012.
Casting director: Jeremy Zimmermann.
Starring: Jack McMullen as Paul (best known from Waterloo Road), Reece Dinsdale as Paul's dad, Jamie Shelton as Roth, Haruka Abe as Serena and Oliver Lee as Shane.
1. Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?
This is my group
My partner for the task was Amy, however, Alistair helped out with the acting. For the planning, Amy laid out the foundations for the task, as she created a shot list and she typed up the dialogue that we had both previously discussed. I then drew up a storyboard based on Amy's plan. We collaborated via Facebook to ensure that we both contributed to the task and met the deadline. I think that sharing the storyboard and shot list online was a good idea as it enabled to make a storyboard. Regarding the shooting of the sequence, we had very different roles. Amy and Alistair acted, while I filmed and directed. Despite this, Amy still had a say in what shots had to be redone. In the editing stage, Amy took over the task first as I had never used Adobe Premiere Pro before. She showed me the basics and I picked it up fairly quickly, and as a result we ended up editing about half the sequence each. Overall, I believe the task was managed evenly.
2. How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?
Our storyboard
Our shot list
The first thing we did was brain storming ideas. It began with a simple conversation about two people having a conversation about a video one was watching. However, there was nothing particularly exciting about this story line so we pushed for more ideas. Ms Blackborow suggested we take advantage of the male actor, Alistair and we decided to put a romantic twist on it. The next step was to come up with a script which was a very quick process and as it was only a short lesson, we had to do the rest at home. It was the best order to prepare for the task because shot list and storyboard could only be incorporated if there was a script, or at the very least, a basic story line. On Facebook we discussed what we needed to do and then shared the work (consisting of a shot list and storyboard) with each other. Facebook is one of the best websites for this, as you can instantly share pictures and you can do it privately. The storyboard was important as it would help the director to achieve the 'look' of the film by visualising the camera shots. An extra step we could have taken would be to write a schedule so that we could refer to it if necessary. Nevertheless, we did meet the deadlines. Three main theories we tried to take into account were the 180 degree rule, the narrative and the genre. The 180 degree rule was important as it would make the shot between the two characters make sense to the audience. The narrative adds to the continuity of the sequence as it established an order and a flow. Lastly, the genre helps the director to create a believable film which makes it more realistic.
3.What technology did you use to complete the task and how did you use it?
Camera, tripod, earphones
Adobe Premiere Pro
We used a professional video camera, the make was Canon HFG30. Also for the filming we used a microphone, a clapperboard and earphones. This is a simplified version to what is used in the film industry so I think it was useful to get a feel for how films are made. The tripod played an important role as it allowed the shots to be steady and the film would not have worked if the camera had been hand held. We did not initially use the clapperboard and earphones as we thought it was not necessary for the task. However, when we did use it, we realised the method would have been better to use from the beginning as the shots would be kept in order. The editing program that we used was Adobe Premiere Pro.
4.What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
We had to think about timing; when we would plan for and how much filming we could do in one lesson. Also, as two groups needed to use the lobby we had to plan when we would use it and when they would.
We also had to think about location as this would affect processes such as the storyboard. We had to use the media block and so we had to think about which room we would use to come in through the door. One factor for the shooting was lighting. If we filmed into the window, the light may affect what we could see and so this had to be avoided. Furthermore, the actors had to know their lines as they knew it was possible that they would have to say them more than once and they did in fact have to repeat the scene several times. Another factor was having the camera and the sound ready. I always began recording after I said "action"to avoid missing out on anything. After all, this could be cut in the editing.Additionally, when we knew the bell was about to ring we stopped filming to avoid hearing the bell in the shot. However, I should have also taken into account that not every shot would have been perfect and so I should have double checked every single
shot to avoid the error I made. In editing, we had to remember to keep the invisible aspect, matching up the cuts to make sure it flowed properly. Our attempt to achieve continuity editing can be seen with our shot order, which allows the audience to make sense of the scene. 5. How successful was your sequence? Identify what worked well and in hindsight, what you would improve/do differently?
Overall, I think the sequence was successful as it shows a fairly high level of continuity and that was the aim. The story line and acting were some of the strengths, the actors knew their lines which really helped. The planning went well, as we were all set for the filming on Monday. Furthermore, I have achieved the criteria: the opening of the door, crossing through the room, shot/reverse shot and the dialogue. This shows that I have followed the instructions for the task. The majority of shots worked, I believe there was a large variety, from an establishing shot, to an over the shoulder and I was able to practice different camera movements for the first time. For example, panning. I also think the editing went well as we made sure there were no jump cuts which resulted in a good sense of narrative flow. There are also things that went wrong. There were a few 'match on action' errors. One was with Gift in the background and another was when Amy walked too fast past a table in one shot, and did not do the same in the following shot. These could have been avoided by looking over each shot again before filming the next one. Another thing I can improve for next time is the 180 degree rule. The over the shoulder shot was not completely correct as Alistair changes the direction he looks at Amy. For continuity, it is important that the line of vision is not crossed, or it may be confusing for the audience. Luckily, the errors were fairly minor as they are not extremely noticeable.
6. What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework?
The task has taught me a lot. I can learn from the errors for the next filming tasks and so hopefully the same mistakes will not be made. I have also learnt that there are many unprecedented obstacles that you face each time you film, such as other people using the same space. Additionally, I learnt how important the clapperboard and earphones are in producing the best quality film. A final thing I have learnt is how to use the equipment: the camera and the editing program which will be essential for upcoming practicals. This task has increased my confidence for the next task, now that I have used the main things for making a film. Therefore, I can begin each new piece of coursework, with more confidence and more experience, which I will apply to my work.
1. The name of our film is 'MINE' and it is a crime thriller. In the film opening, a young woman is walking to work whilst being watched by a kidnapper. The kidnapper appears from his hiding place and kidnaps her by putting his hands around her mouth and shoving her into the boot of his car. The film would then progress onto the hunt for the kidnapper and the detective leading the investigation is the husband of the woman who was captured.
2. Some information that is revealed in the film opening is two of the main characters in the film. The kidnapper in particular looks like he will be an important character and this is highlighted in the last picture which has his mask. There is the idea that the kidnapper hides behind the mask to conceal his identity. There is a hint of the genre due to the events taking place in the opening. A kidnapping is automatically associated with the thriller genre. Finally, the titles give information about who is involved in the film: the two actors' and the director's name can be seen.
3. The last title excluding the name that can be seen is the name of the actress who plays the kidnapper. This highlights that the kidnapper will be the central character that the film is based around, as it is essentially about the kidnapper and how he manages to keep his location and the location of the victim secret. Secondly, the title 'MINE' suggests that the woman belongs to him and so that is why he kidnaps her. She becomes his property. The title of the film implies the narrative of the kidnapper's desire for the woman.
4. The audience should be in suspense and anticipation for what will happen next. As so much has happened in such a short time, it may be shocking and exciting to them. Also, the fact that it is in broad daylight may frighten them as it shows that it could happen to anyone, at any time. By the end of the opening scene, you would expect the audience to be thinking negatively of the fate of the woman and that it can only get worse for her, now that she has been kidnapped. I believe the opening is very clear in depicting the basic narrative, especially with the stills of the woman in the boot of the car and the one where she has been prevented from screaming. Even though they do not know specific details, they can follow what has happened in the opening sequence.
5. One thing we included in the grid which is important for constructing an opening is titles. We had the name of the director and the actresses who play the two characters that can be seen in the grid. The titles are essential not only as a matter of interest for the audience but also for required legal reasons. In an opening sequence, at least one main character should be introduced and we have successfully done this. Two of the main characters feature in the opening and this helps to set the scene for the film.
6. Overall, I believe our film opening is effective. Firstly, it establishes a narrative, and there is nothing particularly obscure about what is happening. A woman is walking to a destination and gets kidnapped. Secondly, a setting is created, as the surrounding landscape appears to be buildings which could indicate a school or and office. Another positive aspect of this opening is that it evokes various emotions for the audience. There is a sense of drama and tension which excites the audience but also fear which may make the audience want to close their eyes. Finally, I think it is a good thing that the opening sequence does not reveal the rest of the story, such as the kidnapper's identity; that it will unfold as the film goes on. This creates suspense as it is effectively an early cliff hanger. Something that perhaps could have made it more effective could be the colour of the stills: it could have been edited to give a darker look and feel to the film, to make it seem more scary.
1. We used various techniques to aid the narrative flow of the sequence. One example of how we did this was to shoot in steps, of a particular order, and the six different shots taken creates a fundamental sense of narrative. Secondly, the different camera angles used gives the audience points of view and results in them being at the centre of the action. The first shot is a good example of an establishing shot and it successfully sets the scene for the story. Another technique we used was the 'match on action which can be seen in shots 2 to 3.' The ball was being held at the same angle, with two different camera angles. This has made the action seem completely realistic. Another technique we tried to abide by was the 30 degree rule between shots so that there were no jump cuts.
2. In hindsight, some things could have been done differently to help the continuity of the sequence. The first change I would make would be to make it more of a master shot at the beginning, by including a full length picture of the actress' body. The next change would be to eliminate the second zoom at approximately 8 seconds in the video. This is so the continuity error can be fixed which shows the lift being closer than in the next shot. Another improvement to be made is to eliminate the hesitations of the actress, who is clearly waiting to be directed. The two examples of this are right at the beginning and when she stands too long before the ball drops on her head. She should be walking before the record button is pressed so it looks more natural. There is a timing error where the ball can be heard dropping in the shot before it falls on her head and to prevent this from happening again, the recording should be cut quicker, Another continuity error is when the ball can be see bouncing in the last shot but not in the 5th one. The ball should be in view in this shot. Finally, the angle of the tilt is too vertical on the 5th shot and this could disrupt the point of view of the audience.
I have chosen to analyse the opening sequence of 'An Education' (Lone Scherfig, 2009). Overall, the title sequence hints at a particular genre, however, at first, a different genre comes to mind. When we see characters for the first time, a girl can be seen with a serious expression on her face, which is almost humorous as the audience know how hard she is trying to balance the book. The fact that she is the only one in the line that has to re-position the book reinforces this idea of a humorous genre. Nevertheless, the predominant genre soon becomes clear by acknowledging what is going on in the scenes. The balancing of the books, the dancing and the cooking all indicate that this film is going to be about maturing; the transformation from a teenager into an adult. This could be a genre within itself: a coming of age drama.
The story appears to mainly take place at a school as the sequence shows various features including a classroom, a playground and a hall, all of which you would expect to find at a school. We can expand on this as we only see girls in uniform which implies it is an all girls school. The time scale is not made very clear but the diversity in weather patterns suggests that it has definitely not taken place in one day. The story from the title sequence is likely to be happening in a week, perhaps in winter or autumn, as there is snow and rain.
The sequence begins with animations based on theories and instructions, before moving onto girls carrying books on their heads. This is followed by dancing lessons,cooking and a girl walking down the road supposedly trying to remember Latin. These each confirm this idea of having an education. The events link with the initial animations as there are denotations of learning new information and skills. Apart from the last scene, the order of events is random, which may be intentional, to set the scene for the film. The main purpose of using these scenes is to highlight that they are learning to be young women but they are not matured yet and the shots of them giggling and writing on the windows reflect this. The last scene, on the other hand, is significant, as it is when dialogue begins for the first time and it stays in one place:-a classroom.
The first person who looks like a main character is the girl who has to re-position the book on her head. I think this because she had the first action and also because later in the title she is seen to be day dreaming. Another main character is likely to be the girl walking down the road by herself. It implies we will see her again and we do, right at the end of the title sequence. Hers is the last face we see before the picture fades which tells the audience, there is more to come from her, and gives them the impression that the film is going to be her story.
The title sequence does not reveal a lot of story information. It establishes the setting (a girl's school) and suggests that it is likely to be about girls maturing. Apart from this, we are yet to find out what else will happen in the film, as the scenes have given limited connotations. One thing suggested if you look closely enough is that there may be a love story due to the animations of hearts throughout the title. I think the possibility of having any characters other than girls i.e. boys , is deliberately withheld as the audience is not supposed to know of the experiences the girls are going to have.
There are three main things the audience need to know at the start of the film. Firstly, that girls are likely to be the main protagonists as it is set in a girls school. Secondly, they need to remember that as they are at school, they are not yet adults and the uniform is perhaps a reminder. Thirdly, they need to be aware that the girls are preparing to be young women and so the audience can expect to see aspects of growing up in the film.
Narrative
The actors portraying the slaves are wearing ragged, dirty clothes which connotes poverty and helplessness. It suggests that something awful has happened, or is happening at that moment. The solemn looks on their faces further highlight this narrative; they look tired and in despair, which implies they are suffering .The framing here is important as it shows a large ship in the background, close to where the slaves are sitting. The clarity of the object may be intentionally reminding us of the long journey that the slaves have endured, or are about to endure. This image is a long shot of the slaves and it highlights the relationship that they have. They are squashed together, perhaps for comfort, but it is ambiguous and could also mean that they are outsiders and so have to be grouped together. The man on the right is a fair distance away from them and wears distinctly different clothing. The distance symbolizes a metaphorical divide and the clothes signify a social divide.
Genre
The facial expressions carry a sorrowful, lonely feel, which in turn could be familiarized with the genre of tragedy. However, in these same expressions, there is a foreboding sense that untold stories within these characters, from the past and the future, are waiting to be told. Therefore, the film seems more likely to be a drama, as it looks as if it will be telling stories of someone's life, and the various experiences they have had, including the one we can see from the still. Another hint from the still for the film being of this genre is the subtle conflict shown between the white man and the black slaves. The racial prejudice theme fits into the genre perfectly. As it is likely to be of this genre, the audience may well expect to see upsetting scenes as some people would have knowledge outside of the film about the harsh realities of slavery.
Audience
The slaves would instantly catch the attention of the audience. Whether it be due to their seemingly uncomfortable positions or their looks of utter despair, it is likely to produce an emotional and sympathetic response from the audience. The fact that there is a young girl on the end may surprise the audience as the surroundings do not seem appropriate for a child. This could cause them to question why there is this one child; she seems out of place. Finally, at this stage, it is likely that the slaves are about to venture onto a different kind of life which may excite the audience, as they want to know what happens next. The man coming towards them suggests this; he is the symbol of their new life, which is likely to unfold as the film goes on.
The shot clearly depicts a dark and mysterious looking figure which signifies both the genre and theme. The shadow resembles darkness and evil which further enhances the idea that the shot is from a horror or thriller film.
The ghostly shadow effect was created by directing the light in front of the actress. The frightening profile was achieved by positioning the actress' body in a certain way; the unnatural arrangement of her hands resembles claws and they are extremely noticeable as a result. The medium close up has added to the dark theme as we can see a little but not enough to know completely what the character looks like, creating tension.
The dominant reading of the shot is that the character is evil and his/her/its intentions are bad and that they are up to no good. The character is likely to commit some sort of crime, or cause trouble but as the audience do not know what is coming, there is a sense of foreboding and anticipation. The image hints at a horror based narrative.
The main reason why the shot is successful is because it is simple and blunt and therefore there is no need for confusion when interpreting it.The framing of the shot is successful for a collection of reasons. The only object in the frame (excluding the wall) is the shadow which means this will be the ultimate focus of the audience. Instead of having a mid shot, the character is positioned to the right, which implies they are in the process of an action. For example, walking to murder their target. Thirdly, as it is a close up, it seems particularly chilling as the audience gets a sharper and more detailed view of the character. The artificial lighting enabled the shadow to look as scary as it does and suggests it is a summer night. Finally, the body language is good as it heightens the ominous atmosphere.
In hindsight, a darker room as a set may have produced an even better shadow as the blue coloured wall in the background makes the setting softer and less scary due to it not being very dark. The lighting effect was good to an extent, however, it could have been more subtle to avoid it showing so brightly on the wall. Finally, I could have had stairs in the background or a door so that it is more obvious to the audience that the character is going to do something.
