KateKestell

1) Well written. Some good points about conventions. Good on introduction of character. Not sure about mix of shot types point 2) Good stuff on the white male  and demonisation of mental illness. Women as victims? 3) ' freedom with the control of the films running' I think this is a good point but it needed a little more explanation 4 ' cultural capital of audiences'??? Again a good point I think but you've over-complicated. 5) Some evidence of an understanding of marketing but more explanation would have been better. 6) Fairly basic points but covered all 7) A good post made much better with the addition of a director's commentary. The binary opposites of your two pieces...weirdo. Level 3 12–15 marks  • Proficient skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.  • Proficient understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms and conventions in relation to production.  • Proficient ability to refer...

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product? Planning. My preliminary task was painfully unplanned, and it was blatantly obvious. I'm a perfectionist, and it killed me to submit that video under my name. But my poor time management forced it through and I have no-one but myself to blame.  Besides learning to understand the importance of time management and how extensive planning aids projects significantly; I learnt a number of cinematic skills in progression from my preliminary- how to reduce white noise and background sound, how to enhance lighting features, how to follow the 180 degree rule accurately. I.e. not placing my character directly against the wall so it becomes virtually impossible to carry out an over the shoulder shot. Exhibit A:  But rather allowing plenty of access to the characters blind spots to get the best angles for different shots and therefore different meanings and impacts...

 What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? Access moodboard here  

How did you attract/address your audience? I designed an Instagram account for my film  as  studies have shown  that Instagram is one of the most popular platforms to reach young people.  My poster advertises the film in a very subtle manner, leaving it open to interpretation. The only suggestive comment in regards to content is its credit to fictional novel writer 'Analee Thompson' in the fine print. Drawn attention to by the diamond technique in the form of the characters tie, blood red, pointing down to the fine print credits as the title connects them.  The fictional writer being a woman is intentional, as well as being a nod to successful female director Mary Harron. I hoped that mentions of female names in the credits would aid in attracting young women to the film. 

Who would be the target audience for your media product?  In the long term context of the film itself, I feel the BBFC would give 'Patterns' at least a 15 or possibly an 18 rating. I designed the main character with Bateman in mind, and sadomasochism will likely be a recurring theme in the contextual nature of the piece. Obviously elements of sex, violence and meticulous murder are heavily censored in most areas of cinema, and it is highly likely 'Patterns' will be no exception in regards to 'light' certification. The characters featured are generally white, upper class, and usually straight, although there is freedom to experiment with that element of sexuality. I feel therefore that generally middle class teens, between 17-21 in the ABC1 demographic will enjoy 'Patterns' for its element of artistic capability- its a film for film buffs. Similar to iconic films such as Reservoir Dogs, American Psycho (have I mentioned that?) and Se7en, the equal...

Level 4 48–60 marks There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills: • material appropriate for the target audience and task; • using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions; • using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set; • shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene; • using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects. I really like this! The material is clearly appropriate. I like the pace of this and the surprise of the body towards the end. Clearly some kind of crime thriller- I'm going to guess serial killer-very Dexter! The titles are well done- conventional and unobtrusive. I like the way the actors name is timed to appear as we meet him for the first time. The music...

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?  I designed my own media institutions in the credits of my film , Astraea Distributions and Open Blind Productions as I felt their connotations of nightlife and shedding light were appropriate to the contextual nature of my film. Had I not chosen to create my own production and distribution industries, Regency Enterprises would be an excellent choice as a production company as its private nature will allow for more freedom with the control of the films running. They have produced some incredibly successful drama films, such as Gone Girl, Fight Club, 12 Years a Slave, A Cure for Wellness and The Big Short; all of which, conform to a different subcategory of drama. Psychological, mystery, historical, economic and paranormal. The institutions experience with the drama genre would be intensely beneficial in regards to aiding my films production.  20th Century Fox would be excellent in terms of d...

How does your media product represent particular social groups? My film opening is not the greatest in regards to diverse representation of minorities, the portrayal of an able-bodied white male, killing a female is painfully typical of the drama genre and in the long-term running of the film I felt my character would have a lot to offer in terms of personal development, as well as representing psychological disorders in the least demonising way possible.  The mentally ill are often represented in a negative light, with the main plot of their films focusing on protagonists defeating the evil within the antagonists, or antagonists embracing their disorder and spiralling out of control, embedding fear upon the audience in real life. Films like 'Split and 'Hannibal' demonise mental disorders greatly.  'Patterns' will gradually bring the audience into the mind of Charles Winters, not excusing his sadistic actions, but shedding light onto the psychological implica...

       In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?         My film is titled 'patterns'- the inspiration for this title came about based upon the contextual mannerisms of a conventionally popular 'murderer'- often following a pattern like lifestyle in regards to killing sequences. The title itself has connotations of a never-ending cycle, in this case a violent one, thus suggesting the characters' inevitable downwards spiral. The setting of my film is essentially meant to be a sort of 'bachelor pad'; generally connoting a sense of  the solitary lifestyle and independence, suggesting the character works alone in isolation. A control freak, his habitat must constantly be spotless. This is conventional of drama films such as American Psycho and Psycho, where traits of OCD come into play in regards to their mentality and relationship with sadistic tendencies. The costum...

Ella Barringer said: 'WWW: the use of music was effective as you made it seem like everything was just normal, which made the audience question what may be wrong as it was too normal, good use of enigma, nice range of camera shots EBI: Maybe fade the music so it's lower towards the end so you can hear the guy speaking, the ending was a bit abrupt, maybe fade it out.' Deana Kent said: 'I really like the range of shots (especially the close ups while shaving and getting ready!) and how you managed to convey what was happening and the characters personality with very little dialogue. I cant really think of any even better ifs, expect for maybe making the Open Blind Productions bit a little bit shorter? It was really good!' Emma Devlin said: ' what went well: - I liked the slow pace as it gave the audience time to focus on every detail - there was an excellent range of camera shots (especially the extreme close up of the character shaving) - I en...

Kate's mood board work was not exactly what I had in mind yet still showed remarkable insight on occasions. The still images were used as the starting point of several analytical pieces which could be excellent (the pier) but over-complicated in places too (her comments on neon lighting in Drive). Kate's post on title sequences seems to chart the evolution of her idea rather than demonstrating a knowledge of the variety of title sequences and an understanding of their effects. Her entry on David Fincher is frustrating in that, although some truly insightful points are made, they are often buried amongst points that lack any relevance or don't make sense. The fourth slide of Kate's American Psycho analysis is an example of a good point almost lost due to over-complication. Kate's post on year 13 advice demonstrated a thorough approach to preparation for this task and her youtube clip on experiments with lighting demonstrate an incredible dedication and attention ...

I created an Instagram to market my film, its address is 'patternsfilm18'. In the long term plan of the media account, I would aim to post teasers and trailers to engage my audience and keep them informed. I felt that Instagram would be the most suitable media platform as it is easily accessible and the act of hashtags and following features allow you to reach a wider audience.  The poster is simple and stylistic; use of the diamond technique through the tie draws the audiences eye to the fine print credits, and a finger subtly points to the title. 

I accessed uncopyrighted, royalty free music through  Epidemic Sound , a site which allows you to download music that corresponds to key words entered in the search bar. In my instance, I entered 'drama' and 'classical piano', again, inspired by American Psycho. Here I found composer Jonas Elander, and after exploring his 'Mysterious Grand Piano' themes, I chose number 3 as most compatible with my title sequence. 

Accidents that could occur:  - Cut with razor - Burn with hot coffee - Slip on blueberry juice (blood) - Consume medicinal products Precautions to take place:  - Use dull blade on a disposable razor (clean)  - Use lukewarm water - Use minimal juice in confined area to reduce hazardous space.  - Use mild painkillers and empty the capsules

'Open Blind' productions acts to shed light on deeper meaning. Whereas 'Astraea Distributions' signifies night activity and the return of dark and evil, juxtaposed with the title Astraea, goddess of purity, also a known 'star maiden'. Open Blind was shot myself, and Astraea was designed on an app called 'intro maker'. I added the text over the animation on iMovie as they didn't have the desired font accessible. 

'Patterns' is a psychological drama film following a male lead, 'Charles Winters'. The opening follows Winters as he fulfils his morning routine, before calmly walking past a dead body in a pool of blood, as if it is nothing. The rest of the film is ideally going to consist of portraying Winters sadistic personality as he struggles to control his blood lust and violent outbursts. As 'Patterns' gives away its killer from the first three minutes, there will ideally be an inevitable plot twist at some point within the film, expressing a sincere moment of character development, unconventional to the psychological drama genre.  I was heavily influenced by American Psycho and the characteristics of lead Patrick Bateman, who Winters is loosely based upon. The morning routine title sequence is also inspired by TV series Dexter, where close ups of culinary devices are used to look sinister in the most patronising way imaginable. This is largely expr...

Research based on this study.   Questions to ask my focus group.  Question A : Which sub-category of drama films do you consider to be most successful with mainstream audiences.  Probe A : Can you explain why you think this?  Question B : Story lines in drama are generally gender neutral; however the Bechdel Test suggests that a staggering amount of films feature a male lead. What impact do you think this has on female audiences?  Probe B: In an advancing society, with the rise of feminism; should the roles inevitably be reversed, do you think men will be as willing to watch female led films? Question C: What conventions do you feel are necessary for a drama film to appeal to young women?  Probe C: Why do you think this?  Question D: In your opinion, can you name three drama films you believe to be the most successful and influential films of the 21st century.  Probe D :To what do you think they owe their success?...

I have taken influence from directors such as Nicholas Winding Refn, David Fincher, Alfred Hitchcock and Mary Harron as their respective works, Drive, Panic Room, North by Northwest and American Psycho have all influenced by creative inspiration in some definition.  Refn's perfectly quadratic framing in 'Drive' was a huge influence in how I chose to frame and shoot each scene in my title sequence to achieve my much desired 'aesthetic gratification'.  Fincher's use of tight, compacted shots created a claustrophobic atmosphere and again influenced my decisions regarding framing which are also respectively constricted in order to maintain a sense of captivity.  Hithcock's colour palette in some scenes of North by Northwest were a huge influence in regards to lighting and mise en scene of my scenes.  Harron's design of Bateman's apartment inspired the design of my character's habitus as the generic 'bachelor pad'. The prop...

'The BBFC is required to consider whether material submitted for classification is in conflict with the law, or has been created through the commission of a criminal offence. Licensing legislation lies behind the BBFC's powers to regulate film in the UK while the  Video Recordings Act (VRA) 1984  is the basis upon which the BBFC applies the test of whether a work is suitable for viewing in the home (taking into account the potential for under-age viewing). Linked with this is the consideration of potential harm, whether to the viewer, or to society through the viewer's behaviour. In particular, works involving the depiction of criminal behaviour, illegal drugs, violent or horrific behaviour and human sexual activity are given special regard under the 'harm' test. All digital works that are submitted to the BBFC for age rating are subject to the same level of scrutiny under the VRA as DVDs and Blu-rays. Other legal considerations include indecent images o...

Definition: Psycho-graphics refer to  classification of people according to their   personality , values,  opinions ,  attitudes ,  interests , and lifestyles. Demographics refer to the classification of people in regards to their education, social background and economic status. Typical target audience of Drama films: Drama films typically appeal to the upper and middle class categories of ABC1. This can generally be put down to the fact that conventionally drama films contain narrative that references complex intellectual issues such as crime and law. Most 'conventional' drama films are slow and overwhelmingly cinematic, as if they were designed specifically for the gratification of 'film snobs'. For example Gone Girl and Boyhood, films that appeal to somewhat niche audiences. However, C2DE audiences can enjoy drama films for the gratification of entertainment as well as relation. For example, Forrest Gump an iconic and arguably essential fam...

'Missing'  - Level 3 . Is the material appropriate to the target audience? 8/10, uncomfortable footage for an uncomfortable horror sequence. Are the titles conventional/appropriate? 6/10 dull and unclear, not overly visible to the eye, slightly half-hearted. Sound, images and technical editing. 10/10 Excellent use music stings and pleonastic sounds. Camera work, framing, variation of shots and mise en scene. 7/10 shaky at times, but a nice use of quadratics and relatively in frame. Editing for meaningful effect, transitions and effects. 7/10 good continuity editing and match on action, nice dark tonality obviously finished in post-production. Overall feel. 7/10, felt too much like a short film/trailer with use of flashbacks and irrelevant backstory squeezed into two minute sequence, just create strong enigma. 'Hemlock' - Level 4 Is the material appropriate to the target audience? 10/10, very tense and endearing to watch. Are...

American Psycho Title Sequence Prezi Presentation

filming diary The scene I designed for my film opening was set in the early morning, therefore time constraints limited hours in which ideal natural 'golden light' would be available, a close eye had to be kept on the weather forecast, and I scheduled my filming days based around this. I attended a workshop at the BFI where Dexter Fletcher advised that as a director you must always film when you are scheduled to, no matter what the circumstances or weather may be. I conformed to this rule strictly, and it worked in my benefit, as the whole shoot was completed comfortable under five hours. I have some issues with the footage, one being that my actor isn't wearing shoes, which I didn't realise until I looked at the footage, and he had gone home. Also we had a slight technical difficulty with the 'blood', which is a not-so-convincing mixture of ketchup and blueberry juice. As the footage was recorded on a camcorder, edited in iMovie on a MacBook, ...

Of all of David Fincher's films, and their respective title sequences, 2002s 'Panic Room' will always hold a firm position in my list of favourites. The first Fincher film I ever saw, Panic Room's title sequence is visually totally unrelated to the context of the film, yet subconsciously, so connected- its absence would destroy the films enigmatic nature almost instantly. The 'North by Northwest' feel is demonstrated through a use of perfectly aligned typography, classically silver against the cold grey of the city landscape, indicating the icy nature of the films subjects. The music is typical of Fincher, one way or another, it's classic- in reference to Panic Room, it is quite literally classical, however, the term 'classic' is used loosely, as with Fincher, it can mean anything from iconic hit, to legendary anthem. Anyway, the classical music used in the title sequence of Panic Room act well alongside the serif font used to portray the credits...

I attend a new sixth form at FitzWimarc, and so access to year 13 students is limited, as we don't have any. However, I was able to gather some memoirs from general friends I have that have taken media studies at college or other sixth forms, and even at University. Also access to Shenfield blogs have granted particular assets in gaining peer advice and experienced opinions. 'Set your scene up the day before the shoot, this saves time and helps you mentally prepare.'   In a way I feel this may be the most valuable piece of advice I have received, ever. One of my key flaws as a creative is my hatred of setting things in stone. I am the human embodiment of juxtaposition as I simultaneously maintain the most spontaneous control-freak persona, constantly - and it shows. I may try to convince myself the lie that 'I can pull it off in time' or 'the idea will hit me eventually'. But after hearing this I feel I may need to get over my slight fear of permanently s...

Prezi Presentation   Mean Streets - Martin Scorsese Fonts are important as they host the words that seep and embed themselves into the audience's minds. The text in title sequences is often blown up loud and proud on the screen, demanding to be noticed, they are the punchy statements that are impossible to pass unnoticed when executed accurately, and so the font choice is vital in casting a good first impression and setting the tone to your audience. Elegant, floral fonts establish an aura of sophistication and classic atmosphere, most commonly used in drama for the context of literary or historical works. Serif fonts are clean and professional, creating an atmosphere based on intellect and almost sociopathic nature; the serif asks audiences questions while they read them, are you on the same level of power as me? Would you question my authority? This is an intensely effective way of establishing character types, and is executed to great effect i...