Question 7

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

Basics - learning the basics gradually came throughout the whole project. To start off with I was unaware of what makes a really good strong successful overall project. So to start off with before the main project I was required to complete the preliminary tasks, this then allowed me to get to grips with all of the basic essentials. It also allowed me to learn about the media production and all of the rules such as to not pan then pan back again. It also gave me a key insight into using and performing several different camera shots. So overall during  the preliminary task I gathered a valuable amount of knowledge on the camera, editing software and planning as well as working in a team, therefore allowing me to produce a higher standard of film quality or my final piece.

Camera shots - The planning process and preliminary task heavily helped me to gather a large amount of key insight into a variety of different shot types and camera angles used within films that I have watched such as many thrillers I studied. This then enabled me to use and create several shot types that I knew would help to create suspense and tension key aspects I need for a good thriller movie. These camera angles consist of close ups used to create a sense of tension, over the shoulder shots for a insight into the antagonist and a first person view that shows everything the victim can see therefore placing the audience in there position, all of these shots and more engage the audiences emotions. The most crucially used shot being the over the shoulder shot positioning the viewer directly in the antagonists place, forcing the audience to endure a frightful and chilling perspective.

Planning - when we planned our thriller on paper and posted it on the blog it then enabled us to be able to refer back to it when we needed it for things such as storyboard details, listing camera angles and shots and the character details. Some of these things inspired us but really it helped to have visually details to each part such as every scene wrote down in writing as well as having detailed drawings to match as well. The most influential and important part that proved the most vital was the different types of planning methods such as the storyboard, this was key for me in creating new material for my final piece.
Group members - After having previous experience of working in a group of people I wouldn't usually work with for the preliminary task, this gave me key methods on how to work quickly and effectively to an exceptionally high standard. We agreed that from the previous experience, to work successfully as a group we needed to divide responsibilities and make sure everyone was contributing clearly. This made it so there was equal roles in the planning, filming and editing stages of production. Despite dividing responsibilities we all had large input into each part, such as sharing ideas and information. This helped produce key ideas and planning strength as well as a good overall product. From this also it made the filming go a lot smoother too as every piece was detailed. This worked really effectively without a doubt.

Any changes - From the planning it can be seen that there were a handle of changes that had been made such as the shot at the end to show the psycho's face we decided to take this out as it looses any suspense it gained at the start. We also cut out the part of the antagonist eating breakfast as it was a boring scene that lasted too long and was unnecessary.  There was also parts of the storyline we decided to change as possibly they lost the tension. Other then these things we tried to stick as best as possible to the plan that we had.
The things learnt - The best part of this whole project that proved the most influential was the filming with the camera as it has made me want to get out and film more along with take more pictures too. The editing process was very insightful, this enabled me to learn a lot of new skills such as using the transitions effectively, as well as adding in my own titles and sound. I also discovered how to cut down long clips to shorten them which will prove essential in future tasks and projects. I also found out how to alter the picture colour via the editing software from Colour to black and white. For the upcoming projects I am now throughly sure on how to use all of these techniques to the highest standard. At the start of this project lack of experience was a understatement but now after learning so much I can now confidently say I have successfully developed and used my key understandings and methods learnt throughly throughout this particular task.

Question 5

- How did you attract/address your audience?

There were many and multiple different things that could of attract my audience to my opening sequence film. These many things were down to great use of thriller conventions throughout as well as the likes of substantial character and narrative. Our audience could have been attracted too through the things we aimed for such as a specific target audience.

Firstly one of the things that attracted the audience we have was the gripping narrative, this attracted the thrill seekers and movie addicts as greatness was projected through the use of plot that compelled viewers to seek much more. The plot being based upon someone who doesn't seem who they are at all, ending up portraying a psychotic individual with some serious problems. The audience entering the film without expecting anything of this sorts gives our film an edge that attracts an audience, giving our film the correct title of a thriller, not knowing what's coming next, I think this heavily excites any thrill seekers along with just overall movie fans.

Another quality that has attracted the correct audience is the antagonist being almost stereotypical in the fact that he is male this engages our target male audience it almost puts them in his perspective as well as that, having a psychotic antagonist such as David is really pleasing to the viewer as someone as ordinary as that doesn't seem dangerous at all, this then takes a turn and allows the audience to guess what kind of mad and devilish thing he is willing to do next, this brings an excited element to the thriller. This perfectly castes the character in a light that is almost unexpected by the audience, he comes across as strong and powerful along with frightening edge knowing that something isn't quite right about him. This draws the audience to the edge of their seat as simply they have to find out exactly what is wrong with him or what he is plotting. Seeing the conclusion to each part of his plans ends in a spine chilling image but however the audience are attracted as they must find out who will stop this insanity.

The gender roles within this film play a major part in which audience is generally attracted to this particular film. As the antagonist is a male that typically engages a male viewership as it puts them directly in that position of the main character as well as this the victim is also male therefore drawing in more males due to this, it also allows them to relate further to the characters easier as well.  This particular gender within the film also attracts the opposite sex too as if the characters as attractive or offer a relatable characters as a male figure within their life that appears similar then this acts as a key feature also.

A key feature that attracted a wide audience to this particular film was the camera angles that directly placed the audience in the position of the antagonist and victim. Such as the many over the shoulder shots of the antagonist definitely engaged the audience to feel as if they were there in film following the antagonist or even being the antagonist themselves. This made the audience sympathise and relate to the main character with the emotions he displayed such as power and strength as well as cleverness and a poor mental state too. The first person perspective from the victim allows the audience to be attracted to this as it makes them feel equally as scared and frightened heightening the thriller aspect. From all of these aspects I hoped that our audience would appreciate these techniques used throughout.

To further this question I will also be conducting first hand primary research by asking three males and females around the target age group about this particular thriller after seeing it to gather their opinions and thoughts, this will be done in a questionnaire format. This will help me gain key insights into the minds of our target audience of what went well and what didn't.

Question 6

Q6 from RebuiltBurrito

Question 3

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



If I were to choose an existing company to distribute my film I would be likely to approach a company that either has already distributed a similar film or has an interest in the thriller film I have made. Ours present’s exploration into the psychotic suspense scene. This theme sticks to generic stereotypes however when it comes to the victim that’s where’s we have swapped it up substantially as the victim is a man rather than a helpless women like usual.  This therefore challenges the stereotypical gender roles played. I think that vertigo films distributions would be very good place for my thriller to be distributed as they try and discover a lot of talent, whether that is film makers or low budget teams consistently of several people such as directors and other exceptional people.

Vertigo films have distributed a film called Point blank and several parts of this film can be referred back to mine as it involves suspense and tense action when the main protagonists’ wife is abducted much like in our when we have a victim who has been kidnapped. Point blank being a French was a possible reason for not doing as well as others as it may put viewers off. Never the less with a budget of $16 million unfortunately this film still only managed to get $706,937 gross income from the box office and in the opening weekend through six screens it gained $41,031. This is supposedly quite an unsuccessful box office but however it has a multitude more of possible ways to earn money via other devices and systems such as iTunes.

But like that film we have also taken lots of different unique aspects from several films which can be compared to several films that vertigo films have distributed such as point blank gaining the kidnapped and person taken aspect as well as absorbing a chilling atmosphere through the use of intense terrifying scenes much similar to that of A night in the woods a film produced by vertigo films. 

These could be seen as similar to ours as both feature a male antagonist, not only this but they both follow similar style themes in many respects. These two films contains the thriller conventions as well as that they contain a violent tone and a glimmer of horror. The quality of a night in the woods is also very similar to our thriller being that it is low budget and similar cameras are used along with natural lighting. Another reason to approach Vertigo films in particular is that they support low budget films and companies, such as ours.

New technology enable audiences to watch and consume films and television through alternative services and devices such as the websites Netflix, Amazon prime and YouTube. Distribution can be helped by advertisements on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There is a multitude of different portable devices such as iphones and ipads. Websites and companies like Netflix can also be downloaded as applications onto games consoles like the PlayStation four and the Xbox one. If publicising our production we should consider making the film available to the audience using all the different methods mentioned to increase accessibility for all viewers with a selection of devices. Distribution methods such as these online digital services would be very beneficial in today’s world with this type of generation, compared to the methods of hardware materials such as DVDs; sales and consumption of film through DVD like beforehand as this has decreased dramatically due to the availability of film on the internet as well as the fact that films all other can be watched without spending a penny due to several sites.