Planning and Brainstorming

Planning and Brainstorming

I will be working with Tinika. We have chosen to work together because we get along really well and we also are also similar in personalities, so it's likely that we'll be similar in the way that we work and we can be more efficient. Tinika studies drama, which takes up a lot of her free time because of the controlled assessments involved. As well as this, I am studying exam based subjects as well, which require a lot of revision and going over such as psychology. We will have to make sure to set time aside in order to complete our media tasks so that we can stay on top of our subjects. Other than this, me and Tinika will work very well together, as I love editing and she is a great director. We also don't live that far from each other, so meeting up won't be a problem.

We have looked at many different film genre's and at first were discussing maybe choosing to do a crime drama or a teen drama. However, we soon discovered that the opening sequences to many drama films aren't very captivating and we want to make ours more exciting. This is why we have started to look into the thriller/horror genre. Although this is a very overused and popular option, it is a genre that suits us and we believe that we can pull it off quite well as long as we come up with a creative idea.

In regards to codes and conventions, we may be able to add a few things which won't be that much of an issue, for example shadows and masks. However, the genre we are looking at often uses props such as knives and guns, which wouldn't be safe for us to use in public, even if they are fake. things such as special affects are also included, which we don't have a lot of access to. If we do have any issues, we can always look more into the genre so that we can avoid them.

We are both going to create three logos together for three production companies. INSERT WORK ON THAT HERE

After discussing the genre and idea of the sequence, we have decided to do a thriller film. Here are the ideas that we came up with: INSERT FILM IDEAS and BRAINSTORM HERE

As this is a thriller film, which will include an unsettling tone and will keep viewers on edge, we have decided to settle on a 15 BBFC rating, this means we will have to follow these rules and use them as our guidelines when creating our sequence, taken from the BBFC website:

• Any of the following: strong violence, frequent strong language (e.g. 'f***'), portrayals of sexual activity, strong verbal references to sex, sexual nudity, brief scenes of sexual violence or verbal references to sexual violence, discriminatory language or behaviour, drug taking.
• We consider the risk of potential harm to impressionable teenagers. For example, dangerous behaviour such as hanging, suicide and self-harming should not dwell on detail which could be copied.
• There may be racist, homophobic or other discriminatory language, and the work could explore themes relating to this.
• However, at 15 the work as a whole must not endorse discriminatory language or behaviour.

The overall tone of a film/DVD can affect its BBFC rating depending on how it makes the audience feel. For example, our film is likely to be dark and unsettling, so it most likely couldn't be rated as 12/12A because it could make younger viewers uncomfortable. This is why we have decided on a 15. However, if a work has a positive and happy tone, it is more likely to be classed as a 12/12A rather than a 15.

Our film opening will only show three characters at maximum, however it will definitely establish the protagonist. This means that we won't have to rely on a lot of people to help us with our production and we can be more available to film. It also means that there are enigma codes because the sequence does not reveal too much. As this is a thriller, we want to keep the audience on edge so we want to keep them guessing after watching the sequence. We have already asked and gotten permission to use our actress in our task so we are currently just waiting to pick a filming date.

Specific Target Audience Member

The Specific Target Audience Member

Based on some secondary research that I have completed on the relationship between gender, age, and genre preference, which I have explored on a previous post, I have made an ideal audience member that best represents our target audience.

NAME: Jenny

GENDER: female

AGE: 55

SOCIAL: Middle class

RACE: White

EDUCATION: Smart, well educated, good job.

My ideal audience member would go to see the movie probably with their partner, who would be around the same age. She is matured and enjoys story lines of films that involve suspense and are not necessarily scary. The movie is likely to be released on a Friday, not in the middle of the week, so she would see the movie in the evening, after her work. She also enjoys thriller/drama films with gripping story lines e.g. Spectre. Her favourite TV shows include Revenge and Criminal Minds, which are both very dramatic series'. Her hobbies include, swimming, cooking, and reading.

Relationship Between Age, Gender, and Genre: SECONDARY RESEARCH

This table shows the film genre preferences for women and men of different ages. The genre that we are leaning towards is a thriller. This means that, according to this table, we must make our target audience women and men aged 55+, because these are the people who are most likely to view a suspense/thriller film. We may therefore, include characters that are older to attract that audience so they can relate more to the film. 

However, if we chose a different genre, such as a horror film, we would have a completely different target audience of men 15-24. This is because these are the people who preferred this genre and who are most likely to watch a film of this genre. This is in some ways the opposite of the thriller genre because women 55+ are the least likely to view a horror film.

This table has helped me learn the preferences of different film genres. Therefore, I can now decide more accurately what to include according to which genre of film I choose to use. This will essentially help me to attract my target audience and be more effective in making decisions on what to include in the film opening.

Animated Title Sequences

Technology today is always evolving, which means that we have the ability to create animated title sequences. These may have a high cost, however it may be worth it to make a good first impression on the audience and captivate them as soon as they begin watching the film. Creating a full length animated film would cost millions of dollars for example the Toy Story franchise produced a total budget of $320 million.

Over the years, animation has become a useful technique for movie directors to have the freedom to do and create what they like. Instead of building a set worth millions of dollars, it is easier to create it in an animation, which may not cost as much as paying for the actual props. For example, in Coraline (2009) there is a parallel world that is created, whereby various strange activities take place and the world eventually crumbles apart into a white screen. Creating this on a set may not have the same affect as the animation because this way anything can happen, which is something that makes the film what it is. With other films of this genre (dark fantasy horror), special effects, which may also be costly. As well as this, Coraline is based on a novel, so the director wouldn't want to change many elements of it. A good way to make sure that they can include everything they want is to make the film an animation. The audience can therefore feel as if they are watching the novel come to life and they can become more immersed in it.

However, animation is a very long process and it must be in order for the film to look realistic. Animated films take a longer time to produce than ordinary films. Pixar movies can take anywhere from 4 to 7 years to be produced. That being said, Pixar is a large subsidiary and so would spend a long time to produce as they want a good reputation.

If I had the option, I would want to create an animated title sequence, as I wouldn't be restricted by location or props and I could be as creative as I wanted. However we don't have the required equipment to carry this out and we have a very small budget for this task.

Codes and Conventions of the Thriller Genre in Film

BBFC Ratings Analysis

BBFC Ratings Analysis

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is a non-governmental organisation, which is responsible for the classification of films in the UK. It was established in 1912 for films by a few members of the film industry who decided to manage their own censorship rather than have the government do it for them. They wanted to establish their own system of self-regulation. The BBFC began operating on the 1st of January 1913 under the legal basis of the Cinematography Act 1909; cinemas were required to have licences from local authorities under this act.

Just before the Second World War, cinema became a socially powerful mass-medium and was feared because of the potential effects of its use for propaganda e.g. the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. Therefore, an unofficial system of political censorship was introduced by the BBFC for the Home Office of the UK. However, Hollywood films weren't treated as strictly because the BBFC assumed that audiences would recognise American cinema as representing a foreign culture so it wouldn't have a big effect. From the 1950s onwards, the BBFC focused more on depictions of sex and violence than political expression.

In 1984, the BBFC were given responsibility for classifying videos for hire or to buy and view at home as well as cinema. Home video and cinema are given the same certificate the majority of the time, however it can vary due to bonus features or extra content. In December 1986, the first video computer game was certified by the BBFC, however they do not have power over print media.

Here are the current certificates:

UNIVERSAL: Suitable for audiences of all ages to view. Use of infrequent mild bad language may be used ('damn' and 'hell'). There is no overt focus on sexual behaviours but characters may be seen kissing/cuddling and there may be undetailed references to sexual behaviour. Treatment must be appropriate for a young audience; works with this certificate will usually have a positive message and an overall tone of reassurance.

PARENTAL GUIDANCE: Suitable for general viewing but some scenes may be unsuitable for young children. Nothing should upset viewers ages eight and over. There may be mild bad language included in PG films ('shit' or 'son of a bitch'). Some films are given the PG certificate but aren't made with a young audience as their target. There is no direct focus or reference to illegal drug use and sexual behaviour. Parents should consider whether the content would upset younger or more sensitive children.

12A (CINEMA ONLY): No one under the age of 12 may see the film in the cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults taking a child to see a 12A film should consider whether it is suitable for that child. A cinema may lose its licence if an adult does not accompany a child under 12 seeing a 12A film at the cinema. Depending on the context in which it is used, strong language ('f***') may be used in 12A films. Sex may be briefly and discreetly portrayed and verbal sex references shouldn't go beyond what is suitable for young teenagers. Moderate but undetailed violence is allowed and some horror films are given the certificate. Dangerous behaviour (e.g. suicide or hanging) may be presented but not dewlled on or include detail in a manner for young people to be likely to copy.

12 (HOME ONLY): The 12 certificate is the same as the 12A, but the requirements apply outside of the cinema because accompanied viewing cannot be enforced in the home. The film can only be sold to people over the age of 12.

15: Only viewers aged 15 and over can view the films as they are not suitable for children under 15 years of age. there are no restrictions on the themes involved, provided the treatment is appropriate for 15 year olds. At 15, there is no limit for the amount of strong language used (e.g. 'f***') and there may be occasional uses of stronger terms (e.g. c***'). However, this is depending on the manner of which it is used, who is using the language, the frequency of the language, and any special contextual justification because continuous or aggressive use will not normally be passed at 15. A 15 rated film could include things such as strong language, strong violence, sexual nudity, drug taking etc. Any sexual activity or nudity presented will not be in great detail and there may also be a strong threat and horror, provided there is no sustained focus on sadistic or sexualised threat.

18: No one under the age of 18 is allowed to view or purchase the film, as they are for adults only. No themes are prohibited at this rating because adults can choose their on entertainment as long as it is not potentially harmful or illegal. Therefore it is a possibility that viewers could be offended at the content. Some issues involved in a film given an 18 certificate are strong horror, strong blood and gore, very strong violence, and strong portrayals of sexual activity. There is no limit or constraints on strong language, strong violence, horror, and nudity. Although drug taking may be shown, the work must not promote or encourage drug misuse. These themes may be shown, however, there is still potential for dangerous or criminal behaviour to be cut (e.g. explicit images of sexual activity that cannot be justified by context or behaviour which poses a great risk if copied). Sex works (only material which may be simulated) are generally passed at 18.

RESTRICTED 18: A legally-restricted category, used for explicit sex works or strong fetish material involving adults. Films with this certificate may only be shown in cinemas with special licences, and video works may only be supplied to adults in licensed sex shops. R18 videos may not be supplied by mail order.

Film Ideas - Opening Sequence

Since we had many different ideas for our opening sequence scenarios, we decided to come up with two final ideas that we would choose from. The first would be a horror/thriller that would scare the audience, and the second would be a thriller, which would interest but also be quite eerie so that the audience felt discomfort.

We are leaning more towards the second idea at the moment. We have watched a lot of as media opening sequences from former students in order to gain information, and the genre that a lot of people lean towards is horror. Therefore, if we were to do the thriller idea, we could still make the opening sequence sinister, but not horror/gore with a lot of blood, as we would like to create an original idea.

Ideas for Opening Sequence

In order for us to make an accurate decision, we decided to draw up a mind map of different scenarios that we could possibly use for our opening sequence. We previously have watched a number of opening sequences, and both decided that we wanted an idea that would draw in people's attention by being quite fast-paced and resembling a thriller or action.

We had similar ideas, so this was a reasonably easy task to complete; we decided to rule out any romance or drama films, because after watching a few openings we soon discovered that nothing captivating usually takes place within these opening sequences. Therefore, all of the scenarios we though of involve some sort of action or ways that we can include enigma codes.