Genre (Media Language)

Genre:

For my A2 Media short film, the genre of it is a Pshycolgical Thriller with elements of Sci-Fi. I took a direct inspiration from The Twilight Zone, and expanded on it's traditional Sci-Fi aspects and converged it with Pshycolgical Thriller. As Pshycological Thriller was the per-dominate genre out of the three, I decided to catagorise it as a Pshycogical Thriller.

Hegemony

Hegemony 

Hegemony is the predominate influence over other groups of people. An example of this is richer, higher classed people's actions have an influence over the poorer, lower class people. There is a dominance, however no one is forced to do something. If you don't like Football, you're are not forced to watch or associated yourself to Football.

The majority decides what fits in with society and cultural views, whilst the minority keeps their opinions and objections quiet. Hegemony is about consent, and one the things it consents to is inequality - us and them. Hegemony captures the struggle between powerful and subordinate groups in society.

Stuart Hall states that the media hegemonic represents of reality that serve powerful interest.  

Behind the Scenes - Filming location: House

Intro theme

Seeing as most music and film prior to the 60's are public domain, there is no copyright in regards to the theme song. Therefore I'll be using the original score as the music for my film.

Storyboard

Film Narrative

Narrative for short films is essentially a fancy word for how the story is told. The structure for short films is that the ending either has a specific meaning or that there is a twist in the end. The enigma of a short film is often set out in the opening minute, and it entices the audience to pay attention throughout. The best type of short films have an 'unexpected' twist in the end, where the audience is caught completely off guard, although some of the best short films around often have a message or value that they try to put across. Both ways can be very effective and keep the audience interested.

The making of Short films.

The actual production of short films is essentially the same as feature lengths. The way that they differ, is the short film are half the time funded by the people making the film, and the other half made by aspiring directors, hoping to break into the mainstream film industry. People can still go to companies and pitch their ideas in order to gain donations for their short films. However this way will almost guarantee a lost for the companies, as short films don't make a lot of money.

The post-production is different as well as the way they are distributed. Short films are either posted online or sent off to film festivals in order to gain feedback and an audience, whereas for feature length films, the rights of the films are bought out and played at designated cinemas or specially bought for locations. A lot more work in distribution has to be done for short films, in comparison with feature length films.

Distribution of Short Films

The audience for short films are different to feature length films. Feature films are aimed a lot more towards Mainstream audience, and are often shown in multiplex'. Since the demand for short films are nowhere near the same as feature length film, the ways of distributing these films have only been limited to specifically licensed film festivals. At these festivals, film makers from all around are able to send their film's in for audience feedback and to see if they can generate some sort of money for their work.

Due to the creation of the internet, distributing short films have become so much easier and simplier. Websites like Youtube are a primary example of anyone can create and upload their short film in order to generate an audience and feedback. Also with the invention of social media sites like Twitter, it's even easier to generate and audience.

Who Are The Target Audience For My A2 Short Film?

A2:

The demographic for my up and coming short film will be the C1 social grade, with people aged between 30-49. The reason for this is because my short film is a homage to the old Sci-Fi masterpiece, Rod Serlings 'The Twilight Zone', and that most adults of whom grown up with this television show are now aged between the for mentioned age bracket. Seeing as this is a very iconic and much influential type of television, many people are interested in it and as the topics that Serling focuses on are very representable to many people (Eye of the Beholder is very specific in this), many people can relate.

My secondary target audience are students, preferably film students, but any students that are in college till Uni. The reasoning behind this is because Serling set the landmark for the modern day Sci-Fi, and to an extent Psychological thriller genre, and the themes presented in each episode are to such a significance that any viewer can relate to it. Students that are learning their trade in the film industry should take 'The Twilight Zone' into consideration for the reasons presented above.

Script

Script

Intro scene (no acting), intro music plays:

Scene 1

NARRATOR

Have you ever wanted to dive into the realm between fantasy and reality? Through this door is a different dimension, a dimension of sight, sound and mind. Once you go through this door, there’s no going back. There are things that you can’t explain. You have gone into...

The Twilight Hour

Fades to black

Scene 2

Establishing shot, Ext shot, Day

Characters are sitting around and on the bench in focus, laughing and giggling. Title comes up “What are your thoughts?” by James Robinson.

NARRATOR (off screen)

Here we have a group of friends, but not all is as it seems...

Pause...

Camera pans to the left, NARRATOR is shown and comes into focus whilst characters go out of focus, wearing a suit with his hands in front of him

NARRATOR

 ...See, there is some stuff that we, the beholder, cannot see. One of these kids has a secret that only he knows about, and is he the only one? Find out from the eyes of MICHAEL, here... On the Twilight Hour.

Camera turns back to original position and zooms into the characters on the bench.

Cut to character 1 (JAMES) talking to the group, close-up,

JAMES: Hey guys, you want one of these?

JAMES hands out a bag of sweets and passes it around to everyone, leaving MATT till last

JAMES: Oh, umm, here you go MATT

MATT takes out some sweets, looking depressed.

JAMES' thoughts: Oh God. MATT is such a freak, why did Sir have to make us look after him?

Camera cuts to MATT looking down

MATT: Thanks

Cuts to SHANE at the back, talking to MATT

MATT: So, umm yeah. We’ll do this...

SHANE interrupts

SHANE: Hey (pushes MATT on the shoulder), look who it is

Cuts to group of 3 girls walk over to the bench

GIRL 1: Hey, any of you guys got the sheet?

SHANE: Yeah MATT has

GIRL 1: Umm, yeah thanks....

Cuts to MATTl pulling a sheet out of his bag, then handing it over to ... the camera pans along with the paper

...: Ha ha, yeah thanks

... Thoughts: MATT is such a weirdo.

Group of girls walk off, then cuts to MATT again, wiping a tear from his eye

MATT: Umm guys... *Sniffs*

The group turn towards MATT

MATT: I’ve got to go now. I’ll umm *sniffs* see you all tomorrow

GROUP ALLTOGETHER: Yeah see ya mate

Camera follows behind Michael walking away, end of scene.    

Scene 2

Establishing shot, EXT. Night, outside House

Camera pans up the house to a dimly lit window, then cuts to Michael in he’s room, looking distraught, with his knees into his chest, high angle shot

Shouting from downstairs

MUM: I don’t know what’s wrong!

DAD: Well neither does his teachers!

MATT turns his head; see a tear go down his eye, camera cuts to a stair

Case

Mum and Dad mumbling, can’t really make it out

DAD: ...Fine I’ll go check on him

Dad walks upstairs, see his shadow on the wall, camera cuts between shadow and Michael between conversations      

DAD: MATT, are you alright?

MATT: Yeah, I’m fine thanks

DAD: Are you sure?

MATT: Yeah, I’m sure. Thanks Dad.

DAD’S THOUGHTS: I really don’t know what’s up with him

Camera cuts the MATT, turning the lights off.

Scene 3

INT. Classroom day, close up of teacher

HARRY: Okay everyone, we got a new student today. He’s name is...

JACK: JACK

HARRY: Oh yes, JACK. Take a seat next to MATT, JACK

Camera follows JACK to he’s seat. Cuts to MATT, and JACK take his seat next to him.

HARRY: Alright class, we have a test today. JACK, guess you picked a bad day to join eh’? Don’t worry, just try your best.

MATT (THOUGHTS): Ah, why does the

New kid have to sit next to me

JACK (THOUGHTS): Well I don't really want to sit next to you either

JACK and MATT both realise that they read each other’s minds

BOTH: Woah...

Scene 4:

INT. Hallway, day, mid-shot of MATT and JACK

MATT: So you can read minds too?

JACK: Shush. I’ll tell you outside

MATT and JACK walks.  Camera cuts

Scene 5:

Ext. Day, mid-shot of MATT and JACK

JACK: So yeah, I can read minds

MATT: I thought I was the only one

JACK: so when did you first realise?

MATT: When I was a lot younger, I could hear my

Parents saying things about each other, bad things

JACK: I’m sorry about that man

MATT and JACK walk over to the benches, MATT notices JAMES and SHANE

MATT: Oh hey guys, JACK this is JAMES and SHANE

JAMES and SHANE: Alright mate

MATT: Well, seeing as you two are here, I’m going to go

Get lunch

JACK: Can we get you guys anything?

SHANE: Umm...

MATT: Don’t worry... I’ll get the crisp...

Camera cuts to SHANE with a shocked expression on his face

Fades to BLACK

Narrator: So... even if you think you’re alone. There’s

Always someone out there like you... Always...

Credits.

Pitch

List of Potential Short Film Idea's and Genre's 1#

Psychological thriller - 

Example 1 - The Cleaner:

A single women, early to mid twenties, works as a part-time private cleaner in order to provide for her young son. Everyday after school she drops her son of at her Sisters to do job for any paying customers. She usually works till quite late so her son usually stays at her sisters house, and the mum picks him up in the morning. She normally works in the evening  people of whom want to go out in the evening. After working and coming home late one night, she opens the front door and notices a letter on the floor. The letter stats that an elderly women wants her to clean her house as she has overheard that she is the best in the area. She left a phone number, an address and a time and date. After a couple of days, she makes her way to this house, and is astonished that this women is waiting outside for her. She gives her the keys to the house and specifically tells her to do her room last. After cleaning every room in the house, and the time is reaching 11:00, she makes her way up to the final room. She notices that the door is adjacent though she hasn't been anywhere near there. She slowly creeps the door open and flicks the light on. When the light light's up the room, she notices that the room is full of photo's of her and her kid! She walks around a bit and notices a picture with her sister and her kid taken from this afternoon. She pulls her mobile out and attempts to call her sister, telling her to call the police. She doesn't hear to door open. She's whispering down the phone to tell her sister to get out and call the police. Then the door slams open but don't see who opened it. The last scene is of the mum, an extreme close-up of her face with an expression-less face. You hear the phone drop with her sister calling out. The phone cuts out and fade to black. DUH DUH DUHHHHH.

Planning and Research Checklist **In Progress**

Research 

• Key concepts analysis (prompts on the blog hub)
• Industry and Audience investigation (prompts on blog hubs)
• Case Study of a short film maker (prompts on blog hubs)
• Textual analysis of a short film (Camera, Editing, Sound, Mise En Scene)
• Target Audience Research
• Target Audience profile
• Major Influences (collection of feature film extracts/short films/art/TV/Visual media with discussion of how they might influence your production work)
• Short film analysis X2 (use key concepts)
• Short Film magazine article/review X2

Planning/Progress

• Pitch (made up of treatment, genre/narrative research, target audience research, major influences and any other sketches or drafts of key shots and film style)
• Treatment (the whole idea written down)
• Step outline (write down the narrative in shot by shot sections - prep for storyboard)
• Location Recce (photos of each location with notes on how they'll be used)
• Storyboard (digital photography - 20-30 panels)
• Test Shots - edited and colour-corrected to experiment with various looks/style
• Costume designs (can be photos/downloads)
• Production Schedule 
• Sound design - investigation into soundtracks and sound affects
• Production notes and up-dates (if relent)
• Paper edit - evidence of correctly logging and naming each clip
• Editor's journal
• Article script
• Poster photo-shoot 
• Poster drafts
• Article layout 
• Poster/Article production and post-production updates

Media Key Concept Analysis: Media Language Code and Conventions

Media Language Code and Conventions

Camera shots:

Cinematography is pretty much the same in short and feature length films. The same camera shoots and techniques that are primarily used in feature length films and used in short films. Basic camera shots consist of; Extreme wide angle (establishes the area), Wide angle (shows the entire person or area), Medium shot (shows the characters from the waste up or down. Most common shot used), Medium close up (shows characters in more detail and mostly shot between the shoulders and the head) Close Up (shows a specific part of the characters/objects in further detail than the Medium Close-up) and Extreme Close-up (close-ups in much, much more detail). 

Editing:

Media Key Concept Analysis: Representation.

1) Representation

Short films are distinctly different to feature length films. Other than the actual time of the films, there are still many more differences between the two. The narrative of a short film is not as descriptive and the movement between dates and time periods are very quickly. Short films usually have a specific thing that they mainly focus on, like a specific theme or message (alcoholism, drug use) or, they have a plot twist at the end. As shown in; 

Feature films are mostly mainstream. Obviously some aren't like Independent films and Art House films, put primarily they are. Short films aren't. They are often shown at film festivals and on online specific websites like Youtube and Vimeo. 

Stereotyping is something that is vastly used in short films. Because of the limited amount of time to show the narrative, stereotypes are used to emphasis characters. For example if the film wants to show 'Gangs in London', then all of the characters that are situated in the gangs will be wearing hoodies and speaking in slang. 

Short films in different countries are similar to feature films in different countries. They both vary from country to country. For example a Belgium film compared to an English film...  

Short Film - Horror Film Example

Horror short film Still Life, is about a man whos taken some drugs, stumbles into a town in which he causes an accident. To him, everyone in the town seems to be mannequin's, and he is deeply freaked out by this. The film follows on from this to a twist ending.

This is my favourite short film to date as its very cleverly done, and the idea is very creative. It has a very unique atmospher which is hard to describe other than the word "Creepy". I feel it's a very good short film in both terms of the actual movie and how the camera work and editing is done.

Short Film - Example Music Video

Muse's Knights of Cydonia is an example of a music video made into a story. I chose this, as Muse is my most favourite band, and that this sort of take of integrating ones song into a fall length short film is very intriguing to me. 

College Blogger.

http://haveringa2mediacoursework.blogspot.co.uk/