Cameras for Christmas

Tomorrow is your last chance to get a camera for the Christmas holiday. You must come and see me in the English office at break, lunch or after school. I also have a free period 2 where I will be in the staff workroom. You will need to show me that you are very clear about what you are going to film and have appropriate plans to do so (see checklist below).

If you do not have a camera to film over Christmas you will fall behind with the foundation portfolio - it will also affect the mark you get for organisation.

Looking forward to seeing what you will make - have a good Christmas

Ms Kelley

Last lesson for research and planning

http://01thriller10.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

See example blog and complete checklist:

1. What genre are you emulating and why?
2. Genre research including list of conventions and examples of films and actors
3. Several textual analysis of relevant films
4. Treatment for film idea
5. Post the feedback you got from presenting your idea
6. Analyse your target audience - who are they? How would Rubicam and Young describe them?
7. Target audience questionnaires (post results on blog) Explain who your target audience are (use theories explored at start of course)
8. Photos of potential locations, props, actors
9. Storyboard
10. Script
11. Shot list – list of the shots in the order they will appear on film
12. What certificate will your film be and why? (sbbfc.co.uk)How will this target your audience?
13. Roles and responsibilities – who will be doing what during filming?
14. Plan for production – dates of when you will film and what you will film on that date

Year 12 Foundation Portfolio Mark Scheme:

Research and Planning:

Level 1 0–7 marks (F grade)

There is minimal research into similar products and a potential target audience.

There is minimal organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

There is minimal care in the presentation of the research and planning

Level 2 8–11 marks (D/E grade)

There is basic research into similar products and a potential target audience.

There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

There is basic work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

There is a basic level of care in the presentation of the research and planning

Time management may not be good.

Level 3 12–15 marks (C grade)

There is proficient research into similar products and a potential target audience.

There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

There is a good level of care in the presentation of the research and planning

Time management is good.

Level 4 16–20 marks (A/B grade)

There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.

There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.

There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.

There is an excellent level of care in the presentation of the research and planning

Time management is excellent

Storyboard template for you to print and complete and example

Monday 13th December lesson

You should have a variety of textual analysis and genre research on your blogs. You should also have a treatment and should have distributed questionnaires to gain feedback from your target audience.

Use this lesson to ensure you have presented the results of these questionnaires on your blog in the form of graphs and statistics. (see link in previous post for example) On the macs you can use the program 'Numbers' to do this.

Also use this time to work more on your storyboard.

On Wednesday I want to spend time with each group, checking your plans and ensuring you are ready to take a camera - this will mean having a complete and detailed storyboard.

Homework for Wednesday: Photos of any locations, props and actors that you are going to use - put these on your blogs.

Work to be completed for Monday 13th Dec

Most of you need to do some more textual analysis

You should also distribute your questionnaires

Start storyboarding, using the templates handed out last lesson

Goodluck!

Work to be completed for Mon 6th Dec

Follow the checklist and have everything completed for next Monday (We will be storyboarding next week so this must be finished)

Follow these thriller blog links for examples of location scouting and prop/actor photos:

http://01thriller10.blogspot.com/2010/02/planning-for-filming_02.html

http://01thriller10.blogspot.com/2010/02/this-is-location-we-decided-to-film-our.html

Follow this link to see the type of questions you can ask your target audience in a questionnaire:

http://benpearceg321.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-11-23T12%3A37%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=7

Goodluck

Information to be posted before 01/12/10

NB - Make sure you provide links to any film clips that you analyse.

Provide a list of films and their openings/trailers, which fit into your genre and have inspired you. (Analyse them for more marks!)

Write about your experiences with Garageband in Monday's lesson. What did you learn? How did it make you think more about creating a professional-looking practical production? How did the track fit in with your genre? What response did you get from the class?

Looks at the following blog to see how much detail you should be putting into your research:

http://01thriller10.blogspot.com/

Goodluck!

Work to be completed between 22/11 and 29/11

1) Post your prelim video and provide a detailed evaluation of it -

The examboard specification state: Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

You must discuss the above mentioned elements. (If you haven't included them in your film, explain why.)

2) Scan or type in the notes you have made from our opening sequence presentations - the more research evidence you can provide for the examiner the better!

3) Post a list of generic codes and conventions for the genre you are interested in emulating. (Make sure you think technically - which specific aspects of mise-en-scene do you expect?)

4) Post a textual analysis of a film relevant to your genre - see link below to give you some ideas on what to write about:

http://thrillerproject.blogspot.com/

Opening sequence presentations 17/11/10

Opening sequence presentations 17/11/10

Opening sequence presentations

Use the textual analysis sheets to present to us the specifics of an opening sequence from a certain genre.

As well as telling us how mise-en-scene, camera shots, editing and sound convey the character and situation, you must also think about how this fits into the genre. What are the conventions for this type of film? Consider the character, setting, shots, editing, dialogue and music and tell us how they are conventional for this genre.

This will set you up to begin independent research into the genre that you are interested in emulating in your practical production.

Goodluck!

Brief Encounters Film Festival

A film festival is about to hit Bristol and as budding new film-makers you should be taking up this opportunity to watch more than just the mainstream. Have a look at this link and take advantage of the thought-provoking films that are on offer. The shorts will give you an opportunity to take notes on a variety of film openings in preparation for your practical task.

http://www.encounters-festival.org.uk/2010-programme/brief-encounters.html

Miss Kelley

Evaluation of preliminary task

The examboard specifications state: Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

If you have not fulfilled all of these elements successfully then it is vital that your evaluation is very detailed so that you address why these weren't included and what you will do next time.

Use these questions to guide you:

Did you include all the elements required? (shot reverse shot, match on action etc.) Why not?

How well did you observe the conventions of continuity? (e.g. did you end up with a jump shot, were there inconsistencies in the order of events on film, did you break any rules, did it make sense?) Explain.

How will you ensure your main task goes more smoothly?

How well did you work within the group?

Were you well organised and in keeping with deadlines?

Incomplete blogs!

Mr Palmer and I are in the process of writing your first reports. We are commenting on your blogs so I would like to draw your attention to the posts that you are missing. The following students have incomplete blogs:

Dan
Aimee
Jordan
Josh (Cannot find your blog, can you give me a link?)
Larah
Mara
Jack
Natasha
Nyasha
Russell

For most of you it is just the posts about the active audience and the ethnographic model which are missing, but for others it is more worrying. Please check to make sure you have everything on there.

Rubicam and Young - The Explorer Audience

Rubicam and Young - The Mainstream Audience

Audience theories

You should have posted a summary of the hypodermic needle/effects theory on your blog. You now need to investigate what The Active Audience (signs and signifiers), Mode of Address and Ethnographic model mean in terms of media studies and the audience. Post this information on your blog.

Follow the yellow brick road...

Sam said:
Hey miss. Some of my pictures havent loaded up properly and i dont know why. All help would be greatly appreciated. Also for our exam question with Mr Palmer im confused. Would the ideology for the tin man for example be to get his heart? thankyou.

Hi Sam,
your pictures seem to be on your blog now. If you're having problems just click on settings and have a look through to see if some options have been selected in error.

With regards to the Ideology essay, don't think so literally. Think in terms of representations and metaphors. What does the tin man think of himself before Dorothy comes along? How, then, does he feel once Dorothy is there and they have sang their song? How is he treated at the gates to the Emerald City? Ideology is about a set of ideas for life... Karl Marx talked about these ideas originating from the powerful and influencing the public. What is the ideology for Oz and how do you think this has affected the tin man?

Goodluck!

Getting up-to-date with your blogs...

Everything that you have been asked to put on your blogs is posted below. The only things that are not are what we have done most recently in the lessons:

1. A movie poster (annotated) which displays the conventions of its genre, therefore demonstrating how genre can be used as a marketing tool.

2. A picture and explanation of a high profile person who demonstrates a certain ideology, e.g. Katie Price = glamour, sex.

If you are still not sure have a look at some of the other blogs - some of them are looking great!

Goodluck!

Miss Kelley

Goodluck with your first A-level Media essay!

Just remember, don't take anything for granted - question why Ridley Scott made the decisions he did. Then link these reasons to the theories you have learnt.

Looking forward to reading them.

Next blogging task...

You should already have a post about why you choose to study Media Studies and a post with all the various camera shots and angles.

Your next task is to post the notes you made on the theories/concepts that we have looked at these past few weeks. This includes:
Barthes' semiotics (signifier and signified)
Propp's roles of actions (characters)
Freud and Lacan's scopophilia and voyeurism (looking at others to gain sense of identity, pleasure from looking at people)
Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze (objectification of women in film)

If you can evidence your consideration of these theories/concepts during your practical production then you will be showing a high level of understanding of the media.
There are many articles about these theories/concepts to be found on the web and in books.

Goodluck!

If you are having difficulties posting...

Click on the 'settings' tab on your blog editor, scroll down to 'global settings' and the first option 'select post editor'. If you click the 'old editor' option, that should solve the problem.

Now there is no excuse for you not to be posting the work that you have been asked to do!

Your first blogging task....

You should all now have a blog named 'Foundation Portfolio G321'.

In Monday's lesson you began typing up your first, very short post about why you chose Media Studies. We will upload this in Wednesday's lesson.

Before Wednesday you need to upload the photos you took with Mr Palmer into several separate posts so that each one explains a different type of shot and its purpose/effect. Please see the blog below for an example:

http://benpearceg321.blogspot.com/

Remember - your blogs will be marked so make them look professional from the start

Goodluck!

Miss Kelley

Welcome to your 'hub' for the Foundation Portfolio!

Once you have created your own G321 Foundation Portfolio blogs, follow this one as it will provide you with useful resources to help you document your Practical Production.