Evaluation Question 7

Evaluation Question 6

What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Camera

We originally planned on using a panasonic lumix camera however found it more convenient to use the school's digital camera. It was a better camera to use in terms of filming as the panning was more fluid, was easier to use and was easily available to us.

Websites: Blogger

I have learned to utilise this format to publish and organise my work. I have also developed my coding skills to embed links for sound and prezis, also ensuring they are fully functional and look presentable on my blog. 

Editing Softwares

I have developed my editing skills using the Premiere Pro editing software. Prior to using this software, I used Movie Maker for my preliminary task. I found that Premiere Pro made my end product to be of a higher quality and produced a smoother-looking finish. Although it was more complex to use, I found that I could edit my film in greater detail, giving it more depth and narrative through sound and effects. I have also learned how to manipulate the audio so that it is in sync with the visuals.

Evaluation Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

A thriller’s typical audience is usually appealing to both sexes and ages 15 and over. Our film’s violent nature, psychological issues and mature themes could be too much and emotionally demanding of the younger viewers however is apparent to be intellectually challenging for the older audience. Our film being presented with the 18+ certificate, we wanted to work towards appealing to the young adults (18-25) of both genders. Taking the interests of our target audience into account we needed to consider the editing, mise-en-scène, cinematography etc.

One of the key elements to attracting our audience is relatable character(s). Pulling the audience in with characters they could develop connections and empathise with grasps their attention and maintains their interest for the entirety of the film. Our product lists extremes of each typical teenage stereotype. The group consists of characters who are socially awkward; extroverts; ethnic minorities etc. Having a variety of personalities for the viewers to identify with draws in a wider audience. This also gives the audience emotional involvement acting as an incentive to watch until the end to see what becomes of the character(s). 

In addition to this, mise-en-scène is also an important attribute to consider when it comes to thrillers as it adds depth and mood to the film. Props such as bladed weapons, dangerous objects etc. often make an appearance in psychological thrillers as the exhilaration created by the gore element appeals to our target audience. We challenge this convention with the use of ordinary, everyday objects (we used shot glasses, a spade etc) being utilised with malicious intent. Spatial awareness is key in generating an atmosphere of uneasiness and discomfort. We considered this in our film and created an open space with limited objects/furniture which appears quite uncomfortable contradicting the idea of a home – a place where you should feel comfortable. In this shot, the use of negative space around our characters is a reflection of their antagonistic personas as they appear quite aloof and unapproachable. We also used an extreme close up of the antagonist’s (bottom half) face; this creates a feeling of uneasiness and gives the audience a view from the victim’s perspective. Their body language and outfit choice also communicates this to the audience. 

Another key element to draw in our audience is the editing, as this is essential to setting the overall tone of our film. It’s also a significant component in the openings of films as it helps the audience to determine the genre. Sticking to conventional editing traditions of thrillers, such as jump cuts, we produced a product that would appeal to people (young adults) who enjoy excitement and thrill. This is quintessential of young adults who are attracted to elements that capture and maintain their interest. Our target audience are drawn to products that are new and are usually compelled to explore ideas that are unorthodox so we also introduced elements that aren't conventional of this genre, such as the split-screen and reversed gender dominance. 

Evaluation Question 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The audience of my film would be appealing to both genders aging 18 – 25. The reason being that my film is centred on the psychological and violence aspects in which would be unsuitable and disturbing for my younger audience to view. Its complex structure and fast-paced storyline also appeals to this age group as they are attracted to excitement. Most of the violence in my film is presented on screen to portray the extent of my characters’ psychological state.

It has been shown in research that psychological thrillers appeal to females more so than males due to taking an interest in finding a meaning within the plot. On the other hand, males look for instantaneous excitement so are more attracted to action and violence in films as shown in these demographics of films that focus heavily on violence. My film provides both violence and in-depth narrative so would largely appeal to both genders.

I looked into the demographics of a film that is similar to mine: Black Swan. Similar to my film, Black Swan appeals to a wide variety in audience in age and gender aspects. It appeals to the age group 18 – 29 which is fairly typical of a psychological thriller. 

However, this film appealed to the males more overall as there are mature themes involving attractive women that appeal to men of all ages. This is shown here as statistics show the reasonably large difference in males and females aged 30-44 and 18 – 29, it is favoured by the men more.

Evaluation Question 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product & why?

Coffee Films is an existing British award-winning independent film production company. Almost 20 years prior to becoming officially incorporated in 2003 then recognised in 2004 as one of Europe’s leading young production companies, Coffee Films specialised in short and experimental films working with just a camcorder on a zero-budget. Currently, they primarily produce documentaries and drama/thriller films, working with a seven-figure budget and better resources. A film that they are currently working on that is similar to mine is 'Lucid', a psychological thriller.

Coffee Films is an ideal company to market my film due to the products it produces and would give small British films such as mine an opportunity to become successful. This company is small and isn’t well-recognised however has a loyal fan base which is steadily growing.

I would expect trailers and short clips of my film to be released on YouTube and on social networking websites to reach my target audience. This is an ideal platform to market my film as the internet is a fundamental part of young people’s lives. This also gives my film the opportunity to get more recognition as for those who have viewed my film would most likely share it out across to other sites. This is a cheap way of advertising my film, which is ideal as we were working with a low budget. Like Coffee Film products, I would assume that my film would also be shown at film festivals.