Final Film

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac2WwLNyXao

Filming locations

I have planned to shoot my film in my local area. I went round to all the locations to see if it was possible to film.

Here are some stills of my locations:

It is possible to film in all locations planned.

Storyboard

Evaluation 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing your products?

There are 3 stages of production; pre production, production and post production. My pre-production included online research where I used;

To research other title sequences and also to upload my final film and annotated version.



I used myspace to research music artists and to email 16bit for copyright permission.

To research ratings and work out the rating for this film.

For production I used a Samsung SMX-C10GP and a Velbon tripod. I learnt how to shoot shots from different angles and how to tilt and pan with the camera.

Post production:



Vegas Pro 8 is the editing software I used to edit my film. It was the first time I had used this software and I learnt how to add and edit sound, create titles, import clips from the video camera and also how to arrange the clips.

Created the titles and added key framing to give effects.

This site was used to find fonts for titles in my film.

Upload my final film and annotated version.

Where all my work and planning is.

Ratings

The certificate of my film is a 15.

The BBFC'S Guidelines state drug taking may be shown but the film as a whole must not promote or encourage drug misuse.
In my film drug taking is shown but not promoted or glamorised. It shows the audience how drugs can ruin life's no matter what the background of the person.

Language- There may be frequent use of strong language (for example, ‘fuck’). The strongest terms (for example, ‘cunt’) may be acceptable if justified by the context. Aggressive or repeated
use of the strongest language is unlikely to be acceptable.
There is no use of strong language present in my opening titles but because of the nature of the film there may be strong language in the rest of the film.

Violence- Violence may be strong but should not dwell on the infliction of pain or injury. The strongest gory images are unlikely to be acceptable. Strong sadistic or sexualised violence is also
unlikely to be acceptable. There may be detailed verbal references to sexual violence but any portrayal of sexual violence must be discreet and have a strong contextual justification.
In my film there will be scenes of violence; Fights, muggings etc. However there will be no sexual violence.

Imitable behaviour- Dangerous behaviour (for example, hanging, suicide and self-harming) should not dwell on detail which could be copied.

Music

The song I have chosen to play as background music on my film is 'Twice' produced by 16bit. 16bit are West London Dubstep producers Kidnappa ( Eddie Jefferys) and Drt (Jason Morrison).

'Twice' is a fairly unknown track which links to the indie style of the film. An independent film is a film that is produced mostly outside of a major film studio. By being an independent film it tells the audience that it is a low budget film and that the production value won't be as high as a multi million dollar film.
I believe the music I have chosen fitted in best possible way helping to portray emotion . I was given inspiration from films such as 'Kidulthood' and I wanted to give my film a similar tone.

The song creates a very dark tone and it tells you the film isn't going to be all laugh and jokes but serious and gritty which tackles real life problems. The music also suggests it's not going to be a mainstream film as the track is fairly unknown which reflects that of my film given that it is independent. You can tell it's a British film by the music as Dubstep is very UK Based.
I also feel that the song goes very well with the visuals.

Evaluation 7

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

For me I found the preliminary task in some ways easier. The preliminary task was completed in groups of 4 so the work was spread out between us. The final product was done individually so the pressure I was put under was immense.

What I learnt from the preliminary task in planning and research is vital and without it you can not produce a successful product. With very little planning done in the preliminary we came across several different problems; We shot our scene over a few days, one problem we had was continuity. Ollie's costume changes twice throughout the film which is quite noticeable.

Above shows that Ollie goes from wearing a stripy cardigan to a plain grey long sleeve top- Not purposely.
I said in my preliminary blog that 'if we were to re-do this task I would definitely make sure the characters have the same costume. This can be done by being more organised.' In my final product I ensured my character was wearing the same clothes by taking a picture of everything I wanted him to wear and at each shoot refer to the photo to make sure everything is the same.

Another problem we faced in the preliminary was with equipment. We were given one tripod between 3 groups so a lot of shots were filmed hand-held. A lot of shots looked shaky and unprofessional which did not fit into the theme of the film. Luckily I came across this problem early so for my final product I was able to shot with a tripod in order to give a professional look to my film.

I have taken what I have learnt from practising the 180 degree rule, match on action and shot/reverse shot and applied it to my film where necessary. I have also added a wide variety of other shots and angles for effect.

In the preliminary task I had no involvement in the editing process. Bearing that in mind I felt quite nervous when editing because I did not know how to get my ideas across and make my film look professional. However I found the editing software I used very straightforward. Vegas Pro 8 is the editing software I used and I learnt how to add and edit sound, creates moving titles, import clips from the video camera and how to cut shots down to the size I want.

I have had a chance to improve my editing skills with this new film and learnt new techniques as a result of doing the preliminary task

A copy of the preliminary task is found on this blog

My preliminary task blog

I feel I have learnt an awful lot from the preliminary through to the final product. From research, planning, filming, editing and just how the film industry works in general.

Evaluation 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-7PDP3C6NE

Evaluation 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

This is Odysseus Stone. He is 17 years old and lives in a semi detached house with his parents and sister in London. He attends a local 6th form college where him and his friends have got the nickname 'PWK- Posh white kids'. Ody lives life like a typical teenager who enjoys spending his weekend socialising at parties, raves and friends houses. Fashion means a lot to Ody and most of his pocket money is blown on shopping. He shops in places like Size, Carhartt, Uniqlo etc.

Ody enjoys watching films and some of his favourite include; Bullet Boy and Fight Club. Ody and his mates are big cinema fans but equally enjoy watching movies at home with friends. On Television Ody loves to watch Skins, Shameless and The Misfits which appears on Channel 4 and E4.

Ody is passionate about his music and loves underground hip-hop and dubstep. 16bit, Cage, Aesop Rock, Sub Focus, Borgore etc.

I think The Streets would appeal to Ody as I feel he could relate a lot to the content. The main character Sam Leach is very similar to Ody- Music, fashion sense etc.

Many teen dramas are very exaggerated and dramatic to keep with the stereotype of what most people are like at that age. However The Streets portrays the complex emotions of people on the brink of adulthood in a realistic and true way.

Evaluation 3

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TbwQpBXKow

Distribution is about identifying the target audience and developing effective means of reaching this audience. This process includes developing marketing materials such as posters, trailers, press, TV, radio and internet advertising.

Evaluation 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The social group represented in my film is teenagers. My central protagonist is played by Sam Leach, 17years old.


My character is very similar to Chris Miles played by Joe Dempsie in Skins. Both appear quite scruffy and dress in a similar fashion. Like Liam, Chris Miles had a difficult home life and

he finds himself homeless after he is kicked out by a squatter who is living in his stripped-down house, of which he had to sell the contents. Both are typical teenage boys who come from urban areas. Both characters have good hearts and have a lot going for them in terms of future prospects, however both find themselves following the wrong path. I think my audience will be able to relate to the character of Liam easily as it can be so easy for ones life to be turned upside down.

Teenagers who abuse drugs of any description are often portrayed very negatively and irresponsible in the media. However, my film shows one aspect of how many things a young teenager can go through that may lead to drugs.

I believe that my film reaches a niche audience, as very current youth language is used throughout, limiting the film to smaller cohort audiences.

Evaluation 1

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

Through creating my film I have tried to shed new light on a subject matter which is widely discussed in film, TV and other forms of media.

The genre of my film is a gritty teen drama produced in a documentary type style.

Title of the film:
'The Streets' is a very urban name which has a depressing feel to it. It has connotations of homelessness and neglect which mirrors the streets of London today. I have taken this idea from films such as Kidulthood, which I think represent modern teenage life in a realistic and contemporary way.
I have chosen to name my film 'TheStreets' because I feel that it sums up the narrative to the film brilliantly, it gives the audience a insight to what the film is about before having seen a trailer/poster etc...
The title of the film appears at the end of the opening which follows conventions of film title sequences.

Setting/Location:
Generally the opening shot of a film will be either an establishing shot or a blank screen with titles on. These title screens can be a way of building up suspense and also giving away the genre of the movie to the audience. My film begins with a shot of a house door which quickly cut to a side view of the house. The house is located in Queens Park which is considered to be a 'well off' and wealthy area. The setting in my film moves from a cosy home ( middle class) setting, (where he is asked to leave)to a dark and rundown housing area.

I feel that the urban setting for my film gives great emphasis on the subject. My film follows conventions of a British urban independent film in it's setting. Films of the genre such as 'Kidulthood' and 'Bulletboy' follows similar conventions focusing on gritty London 'street' life.

The iconography of a park bench has any meanings, one of which is solitude and loneliness which I believe I have shown through this shot.

Costumes and Props:
The clothing Liam wears gets shabbier and he becomes more and more covered up, like he is trying to hide. This highlights how invisible homeless people are to society. The costume is typical of what you would expect to see in a homeless individual wearing, this attires to the stereotypes society has created about the homeless community.

Camerawork and Editing:
Other genre conventions involve characteristics film techinques. I have shown this through close-up shots and establishing shots of my character.
I used establishing shots to show change in setting which parallels change in Liam's circumstances. I also used close-ups to show his mood deteriorating from concerned, to desperate, to helplessness- the process most newly homeless people must go through.

Title font and style:
The title font looks like a white-washed wall where the paint has peeled off over time. This has the connotation of neglect and abandonment. I believe this anchors the narrative as my main character clearly feels this is how his own life has turned out. The title is written in white which reflects the bleak and raw feel of the film. The basic font and titles reinforce the independent style of the film which follows the conventions of a British, independent, low budget films.

Story and how the opening sets it up:
I have chosen to open my film with one central protagonist as I believe that this breaks away from the norm of urban films which usually focus on gang culture and ethnic minorities. Because I am focusing the film on one character it gives the audience a much more intimate and personal relationship with the character.

How characters are introduced:
The main character is represented like every other stereotypical middle class teenage boy who becomes one of the many invisible homeless people in modern day society. The opening sequence shows how easy it is for someone to go down the wrong path. The natualistic acting style helps build up emotion in the issues rather than obession with the character or the script. This relates to the conventions of this genre as the film is based on social realism.

Genre and how the opening suggests it:
The opening sequence to 'The Streets' greatly suggested an teenage, urban film through use of certain key shots, highlighting the location

I believe my film has used, developed and challenged forms and conventions of title sequences.

Shooting schedule and staffing breakdown

Equipment Checklist

Camera:



Tripod:



PROPS

Rizla:


Grinder:


Tobacco:


Sleeping Bag:

COSTUME:

Denim jeans, Nike trainers, black coat with hood, green hat, dark grey jumper.

Copyright Permission Letter

Film Questionnaire

Market research is an essential part in film making. It can help shape a new product, identifying what is needed to ensure that the end product is highly focused towards my target audience and demand.
I created a questionnaire and gave it out to 20 people altogether; 10 females and 10 males.

How old are you?
A large proportion on my sample where between 14-26 years old therefore I have decided to aim my film at this age range.

What is your favourite genre of film?

The most popular genre of film was drama and teen with 12/20 people selecting one of the two. As a result I have decided to create a British teen drama.

What is your favourite genre of music?

Dubstep came out the highest with 33% for favourite genre of music. As this genre of music is the highest I have decided to play music from this genre as background music to the film so it appeals to my audience.

Where do you normally go to watch a film?

We have come up with 'The Streets' as a title for our film. Does this title appeal to you?

As all my sample like the title 'The Streets', I dont have to change it. 'The Streets' will be the title to my film.

Title Sequence Treatmeant

The film starts with a black screen which fades into a wide shot of a family house. The audience can hear the climax of an argument and, whilst focusing on the house, a teenage boy storms out, looking very unhappy and distressed. The camera follows his journey down the street and into the park using wide shots and close ups. Liam walks through the park and over to a bench where he lights up a cigarette, he looks very upset and angry. This is quickly cut to a wide shot of Liam walking up towards a block of flats- his mates house hoping to get a place to stay but nobody is in. Fast cuts and close-ups are used here to make the audience start sympathise with him.

Liam is now at another part of this journey, now looking shabbier and more depressed. A wide shot shows Liam walking in a different location, the camera pans with him as he walks through the streets. Again the shot is cut sharply to a wide shot of Liam on a park bench, he begins to roll a spliff. Close-ups of him rolling shows his desperation for his smoke. Liam looks over to a bin, a close up shows him thinking as he walks over in bid to find something to eat.

Liam is now waiting for a bus, a wide shot shows him waiting. He gets off and is now at the final part of his journey. He is still walking the streets like we first saw him but this time looking unhealthy, unclean and sleep deprived. We see him walk equipped with his sleeping bag through a busy London road. He walks over to a corner, his spot, where he sleeps, and the place he now calls home.

In the opening sequence we see a boy who was once living a life of luxury with his family in a terrible state on the streets. The contrast in his behaviour, appearance, and emotions is great. As an audience we are left wanting to know what has happened and eager for the film to begin.

Pitch

Tiverton Studios presents a teenage drama about the struggle of living on the streets. We plan to create a gritty British drama focusing on key teenage issues, which teenagers can relate too, in order to achieve the desired feelings targeted towards the 14-26 age group.

It follows the life of Liam, a young male aged seventeen who seemed to have his life already worked out, and on the right path. Unfortunately, everything comes tumbling down and Liam is left alone with nothing.

As the story unfolds, we see Liam battle through everyday life on the streets. The struggle for money, food, water and a warm place to stay pushes Liam down a rocky road of drugs, crime, and unhappiness.

Sam Leach is attached to play Liam. He has an energy and vulnerability that is essential for the lead.

Will Liam's unstable and damaging life continue on the streets or will his life of luxury he was previously living come and rescue him?

Research

In order to produce a successful product, research is vital. I wanted my opening to be the beginning of a teenage drama film so I looked at other similar openings to films such as;

The opening six minutes to the film "Kidulthood" is packed with many different themes. Although the film is very strongly sterotyped and stylised it gives a good example of what life for a teenager in a stereotypically "rough" area would be like. There are clear divisions between groups and in the opening, the older group headed by "Sam" appear very aggressive and abusive using street slang which the younger generation understand suggesting this film is aimed at teenagers. The other group with the main character "Trife" is less powerful and younger.

In the shots where the audience see conflict between these two groups there are lots of jump cuts to different shots that are usually very crammed full of the older boys. This shows that the younger group are not as powerful as the others and that they are in a helpless situation.

There are also strong scenes of violence between two female groups. These shots show the victim of the bullying from a higher angle to show her helplessness and that her bullies are in a superior position. The girl is a middle class schoolgirl being bullied by working class pupils. This contravenes the ruling class ideology as the working class are represented as having the power.

Some of the shots are handheld and jolty, to give the impression that it is from the characters' perspective.

Music used in the film falls in to the genre of hip-hop/grime, attracting the target audience of urbanites who experience similar situation as the characters.The music used is produced by urban artists such as 'Dizzee Rascal', 'Lethal Bizzle' and 'Shystie'. The music at the beginning is very mysterious which creates suspense as if something is going to happen.

The clothes worn by the actors is street wear commonly worn by the average teenager living in London. Teenagers can identify with the clothing and understand the ideology underpinning the text. Examples of clothing include; Hoodies, caps, trainers and jewellery. The majority of the actors are wearing school uniform. By doing this it makes the clip more realistic and believable.