Q7 Looking back at the preliminary tasks, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

The intricacies of research, planning, filming and editing

Research is always a vital part to any project. To get a full understanding of the film you are working on, you need to have a thorough understand of the principles of a certain genre or, in this case, a film opening. However, in both of our preliminary exercises, there was minimal research and more concentration on skill involving editing and filming.

Planning, however, was a central aspect to the continuity tasks. For the first exercise 1, which involved re-making a clip of Life on Mars to match the audio, there was a lot of planning on how long each shot was required to be, and the correct angles needed to re-make the clip. We created a lengthy shot-by-shot timeline which listed timing and where the shot was set. We also noted down what effects and transitions were used for each particular shot.

Filming was hardly an issue, although the locations did not precisely match up to the original clip. We used a variety of locations such as the school grounds and the school car park for the beginning shot of the part by the car. Luckily, the sun was also shining that day which made the lighting in the footage perfect and more effective for the wooded parts.

Editing was pretty basic and easy to do since we used iMovie.

For planning on the continuity tasks, we created storyboards which illustrated shots and how long they were supposed to be. This helped greatly for organizational purposes.

Your use of technology

The preliminary tasks used a range of filming equipment such as a video camera, tripod and dolly. The editing was simply done using iMovie, which was a very basic and easy to use program regarding the arrangement of clips and transitions. The dolly was a tricky device to use with the limited space we had because we had to do a 360 shot around a character. We overcame that though through practice and a rearrangement of objects in the room.

The use of technology put us into good practice of the use of the equipment, so we knew exactly what to do for certain shots when we went to London to film our film opening. Also, the base functions of iMovie is similar to Final Cut Pro, so we applied the basic knowledge of iMovie into the film opening when we were using Final Cut Pro (splitting clips, overlapping audio, placing the clips at the right place on the timeline.)

The importance of organization, time management and effective teamwork

I felt that both of our preliminary tasks were highly organized and we used time well whilst planning out location, actors to use and the shot lengths. I believe we worked very efficiently as a team and put in a number of ideas and strategies to help us overcome certain obstacles such as the lighting in a certain shot or better locations for a more effective sequence.

I think working together on the preliminary task made us feel more comfortable with suggesting ideas later on in the process when we created the film opening. We felt much more confident to suggest what did work and what didn't, letting us self-improve along the way with constructive criticism and new stances on techniques.

Organization, like mentioned before, is vital and I believe that our group worked really well on hitting the deadline for our film opening. We mapped out our free periods and spare time to arrange filming days (as half of our film is set in London and at a friend's house) and we stuck to our schedule very efficiently. We knew that we could trust ourselves to put in the effort when required, and I think trust is a very vital part of teamwork.

The different roles within the creative industry

Our group have all dabbled in different roles regarding to make a film opening and we were always able to bring ideas on different aspects, whether it was costume design (the outfits required for each scene) or lighting and angles.

The eminence of cast and crew required for a full feature length film is overwhelming and a film opening is the perfect chance to portray that as the opening credits illustrate a vast variety of names. Some of these roles are:

• Writer - writes the script, commentary and dialogue
• Producer - raises money and is responsible for the overall production
• Director - interprets the script and directs the actors on how to act during filming
• Cinematographer - sets up shots according to the director's wishes
• Composer - composes theme music for the film
• Assistant camera - sets up camera, keeps it at the required angle, cleans it, loads film, operates the clapperboard, is in charge of the camera report sheet
• Art director - can create atmosphere for the film through set, lighting, costuming etc.
• Actors/actresses - play the characters needed in the film
• Sound editor - synchronizes the sound for the film

There are many more roles involved of course, but these are some to list.

Q6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Regarding technologies for the process of creating Turning Point, there was a number used:

Filming

• Tripod
• Video camera

Editing

• Final Cut Pro
• iMovie HD
• GarageBand

Stage 1:

Filming was a fairly easy task once we mapped out a schedule for filming days and locations. The video camera and tripod were both things we were familiar with and the use of it was highly basic and straightforward. There were hardly any problems apart from hiking up the tripod a little higher, and we needed a much higher angle for some of the shots. If we had "craning" equipment involved, then that method of filming definitely would have been used. A dolly wasn't necessary for any tracking or panning shots since we did not require any movement shots in the film opening as the atmosphere in the film opening was already quite fast-paced itself involving movement in front of the camera.

Stage 2:

When it came to technology involving editing, it was a new venture for our group as we had very little used Final Cut Pro. In the past, iMovie has been the editing program we have always used, and the functions of iMovie is very basic.

We first uploaded our footage (via firewire) onto iMovie HD and then imported those clips onto Final Cut Pro. The program was difficult getting the hang of since it is much more complex than iMovie and there is a wider range of options for editing audio, video and other aspects. Eventually, our group got the hang of the program and the editing process started to pick up it's pace.

The problems we faced involving Final Cut Pro was according to a various amount of factors. These were things such as fixing audio levels, applying certain video effects and using the freeze-frame feature. This was all overcome with the handy help of Google, which outlined step-by-step guides on how to get the required effect applied to our film. Also, some things such as title-effects and downloading new fonts were things we simply figured out on our own.

Stage 3:

Another editing feature we used was GarageBand. On GarageBand, you can create your own tracks which pre-made beats, guitar riffs and other musical aspects to create background music for our film opening. We needed two pieces of music and I feel that this was a very tricky task, as I spent quite a few lessons fiddling around with the program to get the perfect sound. Sound is a very important factor to films as it can entirely set the atmosphere. For the dream sequence I used an upbeat percussion and acoustic piece to set a very lively upper-class urban setting as Jane ventured through London's Oxford Street. The morning routine was a much more chilled out track as I carefully started it off with piano sequences and eventually built momentum as it kicked off into Jane's blurry morning routine. I think the music I made for the film played almost a leit motif for our character, and it mirrored the actions of what she was doing.

I found GarageBand very easy to use and had little trouble regarding the functions. The only hard thing about the task was to create the post perfect track to fit with the film's footage.

All in all, I think that the effort put in from the all three of us in the group to try to overcome the obstacles concerning technology was brilliant for people who had never used two of the programs before!

Q5. How did you attract/address your audience?

Mise-en-scene in a film is vital, not only to establish character and setting but to address certain elements relatable to the target audience.

Romantic comedies genuinely consist of very stereotypical objects:

• Pink - clothing, curtains, bed-sheets, nail varnish, cars
• A cell-phone, laptop, other forms of technology that might clearly establish a modern-day life of a female character
• Fashionable clothing - whatever is latest on trend
• A typical suburban middle-class/upper middle-class family house - (often in Hollywood films, representing the "American Dream")
• Typical feminine objects: mascara, pocket mirrors, blusher brushes, fashion magazines, photo frames of friends and loved ones

And many more to an endless list.

Turning Point has very clearly established these certain factors for the film.

Jane's bedroom is a perfect example of the mise-en-scene elements listed above. There are pink curtain, floral bed-sheets and magazines strewn all over the place, easily establishing Jane's character as girly. However, as well as magazines, there are white sheets of paper, indicating a less "fun" side of life, as paperwork can be matched up to a boring working life. I feel that there is a good mixture of character portrayed simply for this mid-shot, indicating Jane's quirky, "fashionable" character and her boring work life. This steps out of the stereotypical representation of women in romantic comedies for a while and focuses on the more realistic side of things; materialistic things cannot be attained without a work-life, or alternatively, an extremely wealthy background. The earlier is much more applicable to Turning Point.

This screenshot shows the first hint of our main character, and the pink nail varnish immediately establishes a "girly" and very "feminine" character. Although the stereotypical use of pink is not regarded entirely as "fashion-conscious" at this time, it is still used in many romantic comedies as it is still a traditional factor of "fashion" in that genre. It is likely that the target audience may be fashion conscious or just like the idea of a girly chick flick.

The props used in the film opening during the dream sequence and the morning routine have been clearly distinguished in their differences. For example, in the dream sequence, Jane is equipped with a flashy, more expensive phone and then during the morning routine we see a change; she has an old Nokia phone. The phones are angled in opposite directions, showing the contrast between the dream and reality. A Blackberry would be very common amongst the target audience, and therefore has props which relate to what the audience is in possession in.

Oxford Street is globally known as shopping-haven for those who are highly interested in fashion. Oxford Street is the home to as many high street and designer stores a person could think of and this immediately triggers interest to female teens and young adults who have a passion to shop.

Q4. Who would be the audience for your media product?

I have interviewed my friend, Jordan Ralph, who would be the perfect audience member for my film, Turning Point. I quizzed her on things such as favourite music, film, TV shows and other interests and hobbies. I have created a collage to represent these factors.

(Click to enlarge collage)

Jordan has a range of interests presented here. She states that "although Topshop has really nice clothes, I prefer New Look because the clothes are just as nice and much more affordable."

Jordan also says that she likes to listen to a range of different types of music, but she mostly like pop musicians such as Miley Cyrus, who inspires her. "I think Miley Cyrus gets a lot of media abuse, and I think it's unfair considering she's only young and everyone is bound to make mistakes in their lives. When we make mistakes, only a few people hear about it. When she makes a mistake, the whole world hears about it, and it's unfair. I think we should concentrate more on what she's succeeded in instead of focusing on the negativity."

She also likes a lot of pop/rock bands such as All Time Low, Hey Monday and The Summer Set."I love seeing bands live, there's such a thrill to it! Nothing beats live shows. They're all such lovely people to meet as well."

When interviewed on TV choice, Jordan said: "I love watching Glee! I have a huge interest for music and hearing their covers of songs is so interesting. I also like the way they target problems that a lot of teenagers go through."

Jordan also enjoys watching Gossip Girl. "I love how stylish they are, and they wear such amazing clothes all the time. Blair and Chuck are the perfect couple and the whole drama involved in the show is so tense!"

Jordan loves all kinds of genres but she's always liked watching romance films/rom-coms. "I loved Emma Stone in Easy A. Her character was smart and funny and I think the film has some very good life lessons in there. Dear John is amazing too, it makes me cry every time!"

When asked what Jordan does in her spare time, Jordan had quite a bit to list. "Long walks are the best, there's something really nice about it. Living in London means there can be a lot of traffic and the busy life can be nauseating. I like to go to a park and walk around with my iPod and get some fresh air. I really like shopping too! My friends and I go to Oxford Street often and then head off to a restaurant or café to get some food. I love Italian and Mexican, those are my favourites."

Jordan is also a huge animal lover. "I can't bare to see anyone abuse animals. I think it's disgusting and animals are no different to us. I can't imagine someone hurting my dogs, I love them to bits. I often help out at dog shelters in my spare time and I'm hoping to get back into horse-riding lessons."

Q3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Film distributors such as 20th Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Paramount are extremely vital for releasing films to the public; whether it is theatrically or for home viewing (DVD).

The focus on this question is particular on British films and British distributors that release films into the UK. Recently, Oscar-winning film, "The King's Speech" was funded by the UK Film Council, and the company also does distribution as well. UKFC have also funded films such as "Nowhere Boy" starring Aaron Johnson and "Man On Wire", also an Oscar-winning film.

However, on 31st March, UKFC closed and many of it's working functions were passed onto the British Film Institute (BFI), located in Southbank, London.

The top ten British films that the UKFC have funded are:

• The King's Speech
• The Arbor
• Another Year
• Made in Dagenham
• Brighton Rock
• Africa United
• Streetdance 3D
• Tamara Drewe
• Neds
• Son of Babylon

Particularly similar to our genre out of the ten is "Tamara Drewe" starring Gemma Arterton (St. Trinian's, Quantum of Solace) which is about a young newspaper writer who returns to her hometown in the English countryside, where her childhood home is being prepped for sale. This film is rated "15" and could be more watched by young female adults, similar to our target audience for Turning Point.

Alternatively, another British film production company/distributor is Film4. They have helped fund and distribute many films, ranging from 127 Hours, The Lovely Bones, The Last King of Scotland and Slumdog Millionaire.

Similar to Turning Point's rom-com genre, there is How To Lose Friends & Alienate people, starring Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) and Kirsten Dunst (Spider-man films, Marie Antoinette) and Megan Fox (Transformers, Jennifer's Body). It is about a British writer struggling to fit into a high-profile magazine environment in New York. It was based on British writer Toby Young's memoir with the same name. Although the protagonist is male, I think there are similarities in the concept of this film and Turning Point as both people involved are comical people.