1. By Steven Bourner Media Evaluation Candidate Number- 3027

2. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? Our media product uses many conventions of real media products, the main ones being the music, titles and key shots. All of these make it look like a real media product and from this the audience will want to see more. They basically act like a hook to keep them attached to the film. I feel that the titles that we have used are essential because they make it look like an opening scene rather than a trailer. It makes it look professional, especially in the office scene when the shot is over the shoulder. That shot is quite long and the titles add that little bit more to the shot. Also the colours are red and white, this symbolizes England and the titles relate to the film because it is about saving England from a terror threat. I also think that the music that we chose was perfect for the film genre that we were doing, it was called the streets and the cities which is where the film takes place, as you can see by the opening sequence. It has been faded in and out during key parts e.g. the conversation and when Agent Morris hits the bollard, this was so that you can here the impact of the fall and it makes the viewer focus on Agent Morris as the music stops suddenly stops and makes you think that something is going to happen. During the filming of this opening sequence we filmed many key shots. We needed these to emphasize a point/part of the film a good example of this would be where Agent Morris hits the bollard, this is key because it is a part of comedy and this will show the genre. It is important that the audience can tell what genre it is. The tower bridge shot is also key because it draws in the audience as it is an iconic place and known worldwide. I think that our media product uses and develops forms and conventions of real media products so that the audience can easily tell the genre of the film and also be drawn in to watch more of it.

3. How does your media product represent particular social groups? Our media product portrays a few different social groups in the opening sequence. You can spot them fairly easily within the first minute. In that minute it shows that the secret agents of England are professionals and locate in well known buildings in London. They have dressed smartly and are extremely serious about stopping the threat. I think that we have portrayed England and the way they set up their organizations in a positive way throughout this opening sequence. However, I do not feel that the others group represented in this opening sequence have been represented in a positive way- Russians. The plot is that the Russians have planned a terrorist attack on London and Agent Morris is the one to stop it. Obviously this is just the plot and we do not feel that all Russians are terrorists. They have been represented in a negative way. In this opening sequence I think that we have represented both of the groups in a way that makes the film interesting and that will be believable.

4. What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? We have decided to start our film in a local cinema which is situated in Chelmsford, it is an independent cinema that will show our film in exchange for a percentage of the profits. This independent cinema is called “Chelmsford film club” and has shown films like Son of Rambow and happy-go-lucky. These films aren’t exactly the type of films that ours is like but they do show all types of film genres. I do not believe that there is a foreign distribution company apart from the USA that we would wan to distribute our film. We would want “Chelmsford Film Club” to show our film because they are local and have a good reputation in the area, their details can be found online so the advertising for the film is fairly good.

5. Who would be the audience for your media product? I think that the audience for our media product would mainly be the male audience as they are more into the action/comedy/spoof genre. We have found this out in some research because we wanted to base our film around a Johnny English style movie. From this point we then found out what kind of people have watched and enjoyed this film. Out results showed that males from the age of 6-60 would enjoy the film. This was what we expected because males are more likely to watch an action/comedy/spoof genre rather than women, however, there were women that have watched Johnny English and enjoyed it. The audience that we want to aim at also crosses with who we have represented because if we have represented someone in a negative way then they are unlikely to watch it. So by representing England and the way it works in a positive way, no English person will be offended and that means they would potentially watch it. As the Russians have been represented in a negative way they will not wish to watch it. But because Russians have been portrayed as terrorists then that may make people from other country want to watch it. In conclusion we have mainly targeted the British males as an audience for our film because of the genre and what happens in the film.

6. How did you attract/address your audience? We have attracted and addressed our audience in many ways such as: choice of music, location and genre. These are the main ones which will attract our audience because they are all powerful and what people will want. The music we have chose is quite quick and it has been chosen because it goes with our film very well. It is called the streets and the cities and it goes with our film because that’s where it takes place. I think we will attract an audience with this because it is actually quite powerful because it goes with our film. Location will also attract a big audience because it is filmed in London, which is the heart of England. Therefore we feel that London is loved by many people that they will come and watch it just for that. The scenes that we will in London very well known all over the world and I think that by filming in London instead of somewhere like Southend we can attract a much wider audience. Like I have stated in the previous task, I think that the genre will attract a lot of people because from my film survey that I conducted I found that the most popular genre is actually comedy. Although a lot of the audience will mainly be males I think that women will also be interested in this film as it is similar to Johnny English, which has been viewed by many women as well as men. I also think that the audience will feel that the smaller things like the mise-en-scene and editing which aren’t what people normally go to see a film for will attract some people to go and watch the film.

7. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? I feel like I have learnt a lot from the process of constructing this product. My skills in the Adobe editing programme, camera use, terminology, rules, blogging, forums and also skills on youtube have all improved massively during this project. I would say that the largest improvement would be on the Adobe editing programme because I had never used it before and learnt from scratch how to use it and I have ended up knowing all the parts and elements to it in order to create a successful videos/films and film clips. On top of this I think that my skills on using the camera have also improved a great deal. I did know how to use it before but not as in depth as I do now. I have learnt things like the 180º rule, match on action etc on top of lighting and all the shot types which must be followed in every shot. I have used and roughly known how to do the basics on blogs and forums but since this task my knowledge on it has widen. I can upload, browse and do all kinds of things to our blog to make it how we want it and to go with our film. I didn’t expect to learn so many things about technology from constructing this product but as I did more and more things about our opening sequence I gradually picked it up without much trouble. I now feel confident to take up bigger tasks with more elements after using all this technology and especially after being successful in constructing this product.

8. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? I only recently looked back at my preliminary task and after seeing that I feel that I have learnt and improved a vast amount. I was say that the biggest difference by a long way is the editing. The preliminary task has very basic editing and didn’t really have that much to offer. Since the start of the main task I have learnt how to edit and create meaning from it. My editing skills have got me to successfully create a good opening sequence and that’s because I have learnt all the little parts to the adobe editing programme. I have created meaning through editing by choosing the right shots and putting in the right music which matches the film along with the titles in the right place and at a certain point in the film. With all of this combined I think that our film looks very professional. A part in the film where we have included everything is after the office scene: the shot of the Gherkin building (famous part of London), along with the right music (Streets and the cities) and the titles staying from the top of the building to the bottom once the camera has fully panned down. This creates meaning because the iconic English building along with the English coloured titles and the perfect music for it all tells the audience from the beginning that it is all about England and London. As you can tell it is a massive improvement from the preliminary task. Overall I think that the opening sequence that we have created is exactly what we wanted and is very powerful because it shows it genre straight away, also from the feedback I received the viewers would definitely want to see more of this film. I think that I have learnt a lot since the start of the preliminary task the end of this one and have created a successful opening sequence.