Article about title sequences

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/1174230/the_importance_of_title_sequences_in_the_movies.html

Monday's planning presentation

As promised

Absent today (2nd December)

Due to the fact that my voice has not come back, I'm not in today. I would like you to undertake the following tasks, all related to the research and development of your final production:

• Decide who you are working with for your project (if anyone)
• Decide on the genre of your film
• Brainstorm ideas for at least 5-10 films from your genre (use the web to find ideas if you can’t think of any). If working in a group, you should look at 5-10 films each (although these could be the same films)
• Work out a schedule for the next two weeks (both in lesson and out of lessons):
• When are you going to produce analyses of your opening sequences - set yourself manageable deadlines?
• When are you going to complete your blog posts about:
• Audience
• Representation
• Institutions
• Your schedule should include daily goals
• Please note – you can use every lesson except Monday 12^th December
• By the end of the lesson, on your blog should be:
• Answers to the questions above
• A completed research schedule

Don't forget - you should also have completed your "movie opening" analysis by today

The answer is...

The answer to the question posed at the start of Tuesday's lesson is "research"

The articles for the first task can be found here.

The clips for the second task can be found here.

Opening Sequences and Title Sequences

Next week, we will be starting the final project. This will involve the production of the title sequence and/ or opening scene(s) of a movie. In order to do this, you will need to review and analyse the openings of a number of existent films. I have downloaded a selection of these, which you can access via my blog. You can find them here (opening scenes) and here (title sequences).

Your first step will be to decide which genre you would like to work in. You will then decide whether you want to conform or subvert your chosen genre. You might want to start thinking about plot/ characters etc. However, you should also make sure you research between 5-10 sequences in detail.

Your analysis should include a breakdown of the sequence (including screengrabs) plus comments on genre, representation and audience (all elements which will be important for your final piece). You should consider use of shots, camera-movement, text and editing. You should also go into detail about the content. Crucially, you should mention any elements which you intend to replicate and/ or subvert, explaining why and how they link to the genre/ representation/ audience of your film.

You might want to look at the similarities/ differences between some sequences (for example, between Soylent Green and Dawn of the Dead (2004). The vital thing is to make sure that your work links to the genre you have chosen. You will have a couple of weeks to do this, but remember that you can't access YouTube at school, so you will probably need to do some of your work at home. You can start planning now as well, but at this point the research is the essential task.

You are also advised to look at previous projects, to get an idea of the standard (although it should be pointed out that all of these were marked down a little). The two which are most representative of what you should aim to achieve are Jess Young's (Still Alive), Alahnna Gow/ Ruth Trigger's (Deception) and particularly James Corker, Lauren O'Brien and Craig Mullen's Animus Messor.

There is a useful Wikipedia article here which outlines the sort of credits which appear during opening sequences. There is also a site you could visit here which goes into some detail about the process.

James Corker, Craig Mullen and Lauren O'Brien - Animus Messor from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Useful website

Amir has pointed us towards a useful website which some might find helpful in terms of developing their film-making skills. To quote Barry, "Thanks, Amir!".

http://www.indymogul.com/

Evaluating continuity projects/ additional tasks

Some students have expressed a desire to structure their blog entries with links to the final evaluation. For reference, the questions you will be asked will be:

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
• How does your media product represent particular social groups?
• What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
• Who would be the audience for your media product?
• How did you attract/address your audience?
• What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
• Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Obviously, you can't answer the last question, but you could probably have a go at the others.

If you have finished your project, you could produce a director's commentary. You might also want to do some work on creating a credits/ title sequence in order to get used to doing this.

Deadlines

The deadline for the final edit of your continuity project is Friday 25th November. This gives you six lessons plus whatever time you want to use of your own.

Remember - you should also blog everything you do, particularly where you have had to deal with problems. You should explain what the problem was, why it was a problem and how you might have prevented it (or how you will prevent it from happening in the future...). You can (and should) illustrate your points with footage or images grabbed from your work.

I would like to see at least six blog entries posted over the course of this project.

Cameras

If anyone has Kit 4, can they let me know, please? Thanks.

180 degree rule

Wikipedia article here, for those who are interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/180_degree_rule

Also an article on continuity:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuity_editing

Out of school this morning (4th November)

Unfortunately, I will not be in the lesson today. Please find attached the instructions for the task(s) you need to complete. If you wish to borrow a camera over the weekend, you should find me after school this afternoon in my office next to music. Please make sure you sign the copy of the sheet on the desk at the front to show that you attended the lesson. I have also posted this on my blog. Please pass on this message to other students in the group who may not have checked their e-mail. Thanks.

Deadlines

Apart from the group who needed to reshoot their footage, please don't forget that your deadline is Friday 21st October.

Videos from today

OCR video (would not work in the lesson)

Uploading shots videos

Don't forget - you need to upload your completed "shots" video to your blog. If you are having trouble doing this, please let me know.

Bloghub

The bloghub is now active - you can look at, and follow, each others blogs by clicking on the link above.

Amir, Charlotte and Sean's shots video

Manny's Commentary

Here it is, Manny...

Manny's Commentary from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Evaluations - Block 3

Craig and James - Animus Messor Evaluation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Callum, Hannah and Emma - Evaluation of "Regret." from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Rachel and Hannah - Evaluation of "Out of Time" from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

AS Presentations

Craig, James and Lauren's Presentation - Animus Messor from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Hannah, Callum and Emma - Regret presentation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Hannah and Chloe - Funhouse presentation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Hannah and Rachel - Out of Tme presentation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Immy and Steph - The Unknown presentation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

James and Greg - The Lowest Majorty presentation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Manny and Beth - Linked presentation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

AS Finals

Here are the final projects, all in one place (hosted on Vimeo)

Callum Metcalfe, Emma Stinchcombe and Hannah Patterson from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Manny Varraich and Beth Graham - Linked from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

James Burton and Greg Wilson - The Lowest Majority from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Immy Moore and Steph Martin - The Unknown from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Hannah Tyalor and Rachel Mole - Out of Time from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

James Corker, Craig Mullen and Lauren O'Brien - Animus Messor from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Chloe Carr and Hannah Harvey - Funhouse from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Evaluations (Block 2)

Steph and Immy's Evaluation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Hannah and Chloes's Evaluation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Evaluations (Block 1)

Here are the first two evaluation interviews, hosted on Vimeo.


Manny and Beth's Evaluation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.




James and Greg's Evaluation from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Evaluation

Impending Ending

Just so that we're clear, the "opening sequence" project is due for completion by the end of this half term (including evaluations). You should check the coursework requirements tab to see what this will involve. Your final "fine cut" should be complete by Tuesday 22nd, with a few contingency days after that. Some of you still have a lot to do, so please make sure you get everything done...

 

The new deadlines are:

• 22nd March (moved back 7 days)
  Final edit completed and uploaded to blog and media server in order to gather audience response and feedback
• 29th March (moved back 7 days)
  15 min Group presentations of work, including initial evaluations and outlines of audience response 
• 15th April (not moved)
  Detailed blog entries answering the evaluation questions uploaded, coupled with a video commentary

RayRay Ident

Sorry it's late...

Ray Ray Ident from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Charlie Brooker

Charlie Brooker has a new series on BBC2 - "How TV Ruined Your Life". Well worth a look.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00y6mz2

More idents - Arrow Up and Hec

Arrow Up Ident from Chris Earl on Vimeo.


Hec Ident from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

The OCR Blog - a reminder

There is a link on my blog to the official OCR Blog. I would strongly recommend that you check this out, since it will give you a lot of information about the exam and the coursework. You can find this in the links section (or click http://getaheadocrmedia.blogspot.com/)

Studio Logo for Immy

Here's an idea for the Fyreon Studio logo, for Immy's group. Unfortunately, just after doing this my editing laptop broke, so I may not be able to do any more..

Fyreon from Chris Earl on Vimeo.

Request for information

I would like someone from each group to post a reply to this post including the following information:

1. Title of your movie
2. Name of your studio/ distribution company
3. Credits you intend to use
4. A brief synopsis of your opening sequence

You should also post a copy of this post on your own blogs. Please post this information by Tuesday 18th January. Thanks.

Deadlines

 

Just a brief reminder of your deadlines this term - please make sure you meet them...

11th January - All pre-production planning (including storyboards, production schedules, call sheets etc.) completed and posted to blog

1st February – All material required for project shot and uploaded onto media servers

• During the period 11/01-01/02, you are invited to periodically upload brief examples of the work they are shooting to their blog for peer and staff review

17th February – Rough edit completed and uploaded to blog for peer/ staff review

 

15th March – Final edit completed and uploaded to blog and media server in order to gather audience response and feedback

 

22nd March – 15 min Group presentations of work, including initial evaluations and outlines of audience response

 

15th April – detailed blog entries answering the following questions uploaded, coupled with a video commentary:

 

How does your media product:

1. use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
2. represent particular social groups?
3. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
4. Who would be the audience for your media product?
5. How did you attract/ address your audience?
6. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
7. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

 

 

 

Possible logo for Arrow Up Productions

Produced using Photoshop.