Evaluation Question 7

LOOKING BACK AT YOUR PRELIMINARY TASK, WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE LEARNED IN THE PROGESSION FROM IT TO THE FINAL PRODUCT?
PRELIMINARY VIDEO

Throughout the filming, editing and planning of my group's preliminary task I learned and developed multiple skills that enabled me to progress in professionalism so my final piece could be as good as possible. 

CAMERA SKILLS:
Firstly I practised the basic camera techniques, zooming in a out at a constant speed was something that required a fair amount of time, but whilst shooting scenes for the preliminary task I managed to master this technique, meaning zooming in or out could be done smoothly if I chose to use a zoom feature in my opening sequence.
Operating the camera was something I picked up very quickly as it was a simple, basic camera similar to that of which I had used before. The equipment had some limitations, there was no way to stabilise the camera for the birds eye view shot that we had intended to do, rather than change the script we as a group had to learn to adapt. To do this shot we had a group member stand on a chair and learn over the scene. *PICTURE As you can see the shot lack quality both in that of the camera and the stability of the shot, as well as our group member not being able to get high enough to film the entirety of what we wanted.
Other limitation included the professionalism of shots, we attempted to use a handheld shot as a point of view, but the quality was not good enough, it lacked professionalism greatly. From using the camera not only was I allowed to understand how to use the camera to get good shot but also what the equipment did not allow us to do, this meant  could change the shot list pre-shoot rather than wasting the limited time we had at the location. 

EDITING SKILLS:
The ability to make a successful action match is key for our opening sequence, it was planned to be used on two separate occasions, once during the gloves smacking together, and again during the knockout scene. The quality in which I could action match was imperative as especially for the knockout scene it has to look professional. We chose to action match as it allows the fast paced editing to continue for a longer shot and makes the incident that is occurring important. We could also experiment with different transitions, we could see how different transitions effected the atmosphere of a action sequence meaning we could decide on which transition to use for our main sequence. As our title is 'One Two' we had to experiment with different text, although none was used in our preliminary task we originally had planned to use some but the nature of the quality of text meant we voted against this. From this we realised that text would not be added in final cut express but instead on an alternative editing software. We also attempted a vast range of shot type editing, or example the shot reverse shot we used to signify conflict managed to portray the intended effect when watched, this meant that as a group we knew a shot reverse shot could be used in our opening sequence to convey difference or conflict. We also attempted an unconventional editing technique for most films, and after evaluating it we saw why. We chose to break the 180 degree rule t signify disorder building up to the explosion n of anger y the soon to be convict but after watching it back this message is not conveyed as it requires too much deconstruction and instead jut makes it look jumpy and unprofessional. Our audience is one that would not want to have to deconstruct meanings of editing techniques as many of our target audience fall into the strugglers section of Young and Rubicam's audience classification theory who typically are lazy and would not want to deconstruct a piece so the use of the 180 degree rule would be redundant.

SOUND SKILLS:
The sound was something that needed to be evaluated extensively in order to achieve the best film. Although dialogue is minimal in our sequence it still had to be investigated as it still plays a crucial role. During the preliminary task we choose to film both partially memorized lines and fully memorized lines. This was so we could decide whether the partially memorized lines added authenticity without taking away from the effect of the dialogue as we want our dialogue to be as realistic as possible but still emphasised. From filming both we found the fully rehearsed lines were better as there was no stuttering and since it is an action film it took away from the immersion and the atmosphere. This experiment's outcome was that during our final sequence we will fully rehearse all lines. The sound quality of the camera was very poor, this caused us to decide to get an outside company to provide us with a boom mic. Also for the voiceover we would record we decided to use a professional sound booth so the voiceover can be heard clearly so the emphasis is strong.  SOUND BOOTH
As well as the investigation of diegetic sound, non-diegetic sound would also be investigated. The music would play a key role in our final sequence due to the small amounts of dialogue. Music is key as it can totally influence audience opinion of character and shape the atmosphere for the film, this meant we had to study how different tracks would effect our piece. We tested three different types of tracks against our preliminary task, firstly a high intensity track throughout the whole piece but this did not suite the calm start. Then we decided to try a tension building track which would explode simultaneously with the actor, however we opted for a dark mysterious piece which we felt would add layers to our convict character. After our review and some feedback we felt that this would not site our main sequence as the character is meant to be likeable and it does not build the adrenaline and immerse the audience in a way we would like. We instead chose to use high intensity music for our final piece as it matches the fast paced editing and causes the atmosphere to be tense and exciting as well as fuelling the audience with adrenaline which is what we aim for.

PLANNING SKILLS:
Time management was an issue me and my group were worried about, this is because we only had a limited amount of time at the location we have chosen. The shortcomings in our planning from the preliminary task allowed us to plan effectively our actual sequence. We found that as a group we were forgetting which shot we needed to film next, this inspired us to create a shot list for our actual sequence that one crew member would have on them at all times so we could move on to the next shot quickly. As I said time was something we were worried about, this was the inspiration for the shooting schedule, it contains the timings and dates for when would film certain shots allowing us to remain on track and not fall behind. Storyboards was also something that we produced for a planning resource, this was so we had an idea of how the film would look so each scene, each line could achieve its purpose. The storyboard was an idea that was not put into place for the preliminary task regrettably. The lack of a storyboard meant we could not match each shot a particular  part of the sequence again allowing our time to be used efficiently. We also had multiple copies of the script on hand just in case one was lost, these scripts were used to prompt and remind actors of lines if they forgot. All actors on the day had their lines fully rehearsed from the fore mentioned decision we made after experimenting in the preliminary task. 

LIMITATIONS OF TASK:
The variety of shot used was a weakness as there were few, the quality of the handheld shots attempted were poor, this did have some positive effect at it meant we did not plan to use an in our final piece, also the quality of the birds eye view shot was low as it was not stable enough.
The attempted breaking of the 180 degree rule also failed as it intended purpose did not come across.
The location choice of the preliminary task was poor, this is because we did not have man options as we had a limited time with the equipment it was not closed off meaning that anyone could interrupt the scene ruining the sound, visuals and causing huge continuity errors. The time management factor was also a weakness I meant we could no film all the shots we wanted meaning our film would not be at the highest standard possible.
Our final piece will not contain these weaknesses, firstly the problem of location has been solved by the planning. we have requested and received confirmation that rose hill gym will allow us exclusive use of their boxing area uninterrupted for 5 hours, this means their will be no one entering the location and ruining of shooting. The timing problems will be fixed by extensive planning, storyboards, scripts, shot lists and schedules have al been produced so time can be used effectively and we can film as efficiently as possible. We have decided to not break the 180 degree rule in our main sequence so this problem becomes obsolete.

DIFFERENT EQUIPMENT:
My group and I were very dissatisfied with the quality of equipment. In order for our film o be of the highest standard we needed tracking, a high resolution camera, lighting and a boom mic. Since we could not afford the equipment ourselves we decided to reach out to a company called 'the Bank' who, under the supervision of an employee, agreed to lend us the equipment that you can see if Paris' evaluation question. This equipment allowed to film otherwise unshootable shots like the walkout scene and allowed the quality to be high.

WHAT IS CRUCIAL FOR A GOOD PRACTICAL PIECE:
I believe that three things fundamentally result in a good opening sequence. Firstly planning, as you can see from what I have written without extensive planning we would not have been able to use out time effectively and film all shots. You also need the script to be written and checked over multiple times to ensure there is a clear narrative, and if there is not why so. You also need to have the atmosphere you intend you present decided in order for you to manipulate your actor, costume, sound, editing all around it.
Secondly I believe good equipment is needed, if we did not have the right equipment there are some shots that we would not have been able to use, such as the walkout scene. This would have taken away from the immersion of this film as all shots were designed specifically for a purpose most of which as to build adrenaline for the audience. Also low camera quality can take away from the realism of the piece which again takes away from the immersion which is crucial for a successful film a you need to be able to influence the audiences emotions.
Finally character, costume and location is a key part. In our case the protagonist had to be likeable and passionate, only certain actors can portray this so deciding an actor took consideration. We also needed to make the villain an unlikeable character and we chose to do this by using a ethnic minority as a challenge to social convention of equality and more of a stereotypical view. The location needs to be a careful decision as it allows audiences to become immersed as it can create realism if the location suites the narrative. It can also indicates a characters journey from a success to a failure or visa versa as seen in ours as the character starts at a gritty gym but then proceeds to be a world famous boxer.

Evaluation Question 6

Evaluaton Question (6)

Evaluation Question 5

HOW DID YOU ADRESS/ATTRACT YOUR AUDIENCE?

Audience research allowed my group and I to decide upon possible additions to our film that were previously undecided. We used a variety of mediums to obtain this information. Ultimately audience research allowed our film to be a good as possible as we could engage effectively with our target audience. As I said, undecided issues were resolved through audience research one of these examples is the possible addition of a flashback as we felt that the storyline of our opening sequence lacked narrative however we were unsure if this flashback would take away from the films atmosphere. After the questionnaires, focus group and interviews we found that the majority of our target audience did not feel a flashback was required. This is just one example however multiple decisions were allowed to be made which not only helped my group and I but made catering for the target audience easier and more effective. We also found that many features we had decided on ourselves were ideal for our target audience. 
This is seen from the choice of location,
 100% of people asked stated that our chosen location (a boxing arena) was best suited for the film after being presented with multiple options. This occurred numerous times and it allowed peace of mind for the group that we were on the right track to making a successful film. This peace of mind allowed us to be more decisive in the way we would produce the film making us more time efficient which in turn meant the film could be of a higher standard. Audience research also allowed us as a group to understand how the film should be edited and how we would film the opening sequence. We found that the people asked favoured fast paced action films over slow ones. This meant that during the shooting of the film we filmed from multiple different angles meaning the shots could be a sufficient length but still fast paced. When editing we made sure that kept all shots short, tis put emphasis on the actions of characters. We found this piece of information out through questionnaires. The audience research also allowed us to chose a fitting track for the non-diegetic sound that would be played. The original idea was to have a slow track that would build up tension slowing increasing throughout the duration of the piece. But due to research we adapted this and made fewer moments of high intensity such as the shadow boxing and the actual fight sequence. We also found from our audience research that our target audience expanded beyond possibly what we had originally aimed for. During the questionnaire stage a large number were filled out so I felt it worthy to ask some males outside the age ranges and three females. We found that both these sections of people were interested in the film so we can branch out further than expected. Also in the interview we spoke to a female and she stated that she was also interested in the film and would watch it. In conclusion the audience research allowed multiple issues to be solved and for our film to be more successful than it would have been without it.


The methods of research used allowed my group and I to tailor the sequence we would make around our audience, intending to make it as watchable, engaging and exciting as possible. Our film has been tailored in multiple ways for our audience. The first major way we have done this is through the amount of action used. During the script writing process my group and I made sure that there was a sufficient amount of action included in multiple parts of the total sequences. We shot the shadow boxing sequence for a number of reasons but the main one was so the ounce could immediately become engaged with the action that is very desirable for an audience such as ours. The other place in our sequence we have used action is the fight sequence at the end. 

From watching multiple films with the same genre as ours we know that conventionally opening sequences of an action genre end with a high intensity piece of action, such as never back down and blood and bone. 

 

This means the audience will have a recognisable convention of an action film, this will enable them to become engaged with it and enjoy it. We therefore have sided with the argument presented by Steve Neale's in his Genre theory as he states that audience enjoy seeing either a repetitive aspect of a film or a difference. We have chosen to follow the theory in the opening of our sequence as if an audience can identify genre early then this would cause the viewing experience to be better. Although we have sued with Niels' theory in the repetition aspect at the start of our sequence throughout the rest of the film we had planned to switch to the 'difference' side of this theory as I believe predictable endings cause the film to be worse. The way the film was edited and shot was all to cater to our audience. The multiple shots we filmed were so we could edit our film to be fast paced but still of a sufficient length so the audience would not get bored. This comes from the fact our target audience will typically be those who are sporty themselves, or are adrenaline junkies so by making a face paced film it means they will enjoy this the most. Our film has been tailored to appeal to a wide range of people. Firstly a vast age range is in our target audience description, this is because we want to be able to sell our film to the largest number of people possible to ensure maximum profitability. We have catered to this large age range, firstly by, even during he violent scenes, using minimal graphic content so the film would not have an age rating that exceeds our target audience. This was also taken into consideration whilst writing the script, we did not use any explicate language as this too would cause the age rating to be exceeded. From the research i have done independently away from my group I believe our film will be

  
This age rating means fairly young children can view our film as I believe it is something they will be excited by, tell their friends about it and be willing to view. On the other end of the scale we had originally aimed for a maximum age of 50, however whilst filming and editing I feel we could aim higher than this as the viewing of violence, action and sport is something that appeals to people, mainly males, over the age of 50 so there is no need for a cap of 50 years old on our age range. This vast age range means the marketability.
'Hidden meanings' in our opening sequence are non-existent and everything displayed is as it is. This is because I am in agreement with the Post structuralism theory, speaking from experience and conversations i have had with people the ability of audiences to deconstruct an opening sequence is rare as well as the willingness to do so, this therefore would make hide meaning redundant so all of the visuals are used for simple purposes, this way i believe the film will be the most enjoyable. Not only do I believe that the majority of all audience follow that hypothesis, but more specifically i feel even more of my target audience would do this. Since our audience falls into many of the classes proposed b Young's and Rubicam in theory audience classification theory all of these classes would especially not be interested in deconstructing pieces and more in watching them for fun. Our target audience is composed of 'strugglers', 'mainstream' and 'explorers' all of whom would not be interested in the so called 'hidden meanings' that  structuralist theories propose. This chosen approach by my group and myself means the audience can understand all aspects of narrative as they are clear, meaning the overall viewing experience is as high as it can be. In addition to signifiers of narrative making the overall narrative clear we ill also be following a linear narrative to ensure the film is as comprehendible as possible, so audiences don't get lost in time jumps. We will also have a closed narrative so the audience is not left questioning anything as generally, most notably explores, seek the answers to the previous enigma codes.


I believe that the audience ability to identify genre is key for a successful film. If a films genre can't be recognised then the storyline and narrative would have to be weak and it would be lacking in many vital areas. From these opinions my group and I decided to make genre as identifiable as possible as we believe that genre can always be understood. The first method we used to signify genre is visual iconography, this method is used multiple times. We first see the shadow boxing which displays the genre as action due to the recognisable feature. The boxing gloves are also used for the same purpose. Not only are the boxing gloves used to signify genre but also as an action code. They are a clear indicator to the audience that boxing will be a key element of our piece. These boxing gloves coupled with the shadow boxing gives an impression of narrative and genre all with in the first few moments of the scene. As i said the gloves are used as an action code, codes are something used frequently throughout our film, both enigma and action. The usage of enigma codes comes from analysing never back down as the questions posed by these enigma codes causes the audience, in that case me, to become involved and engaged with the film wanting to watch on. From that research I have chosen to use enigma codes in my opening piece in dialogue such as "you know what you are fighting for." These codes are a direct result of the study of both never back down and Roland bath's code theory. Codes are used so the media texts can be used to help audiences interpret texts and understand their narrative. We have also used audio to signify the genre, the heavy breathing at the start during the shadow boxing shows genre as the protagonist is shown to be determined, passionate and powerful. These features show the genre as they are specific to this particular genre meaning it is extremely identifiable. 


By using a repertoire of elements in our opening sequence it comes across very conventional. Like I previously stated a recognisable genre is key so by allowing the audience to identify genre in the opening sequence it means they can become engaged in the film and begin to think how they feel the rest f the film will pan out. By having an overly conventional start the audience would believe the rest of the film would follow this pattern, in this case the protagonist trains, fights and works his way to a victory he has been searching for. This was intended by my group as the audience would feel they could predict the ending, but we had planned to switch from a conventional start to an unconventional end as it allows the audience excitement as what they thought would happen does not occur. This is seen in films such as 'cool runnings.' 

 There are sometimes issues surrounding this, for example the audience could be dissatisfied with the ending meaning the film would loose creditability, but in certain cases it may do the opposite if the protagonist manages to find themselves, or achieve some kind of goal and take a 'moral victory.'
As well as enigma codes audience would want to continue watching for multiple reasons. The fact we  have used a restricted narrative means that the audience would continue watching in order to gain an understanding of the narrative and to know the character better.
The uses of are film coincide with the  Uses and gratifications theory, it can be used for entertainment as it relieves from the boredom. It is used for entertainment as it is a thrilling film that fuels adrenaline amongst the audience. Social interaction is another aspect of uses and gratifications that is met by our film, it enables people to watch it together. Generally the people is friendship groups are similar so that would enable all members or a particulate group to partake in the watching of our film.
Utopian solutions are also offered are also offered, boredom can be met with excitement as, what i previously stated, it is a adrenaline fuelled. This theory is very similar to uses and gratifications so again the social interaction aspect can be met.

This is a compilation of me asking members of my target audience what they liked and disliked about the film, as well as if they would watch it if the whole film was to be made.

Evaluation Question 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The target audience that my film is aimed at a young demographic. The age of the target audience would be teenagers 16 - 25 year olds. The reason for this age range is because my film is a boxing film so it is got scenes of fighting and violence, so this would appeal to this age range because 16 is when they start to become more independent and experience more of the real life. Also I didn’t want to have younger viewers watching these scenes as it can influence them in the wrong way and could cause them to follow a negative path of crime or fighting and violence. 

 

The Gender that I am trying to target would have to be mainly males just because boxing is represented as a very physical sport which is stereotypically perceived as a man’s sport. On the other hand women do follow and participate in boxing which does disprove the stereotypical views that it is too physical for women and proves that there is no clear dominate sex.

 

They will also have to have an interest in this type of fighting/ martial art based sports and also the competitive fighting way, as the target demographic would find it much easier to get into the film and enjoy it. The people that would probably enjoy it and want to watch it the most are actual boxing participants or again people who follow it will a passion and interest. They should have a very confident and power driven personality because these are key characteristics that boxers and athletes have. One of the main reasons why I say these are the interests they must have is because it will allow them to understand and maybe relate to the characters and be inspired by the story.

 

Social demographic for my film can range from A-E which I know is a very vast span because it can all depend on the storyline and the quality of the fight scenes. Because of the setting of the opening sequence and the storyline to follow this is where the large span of social demographic comes into play. The film opening sequences is about a low club boxer fighting in a gritty run down boxing gym; this is where the lower classes come into the social demographic range. He get knocked out in this and looses the fight so the storyline is how he turns his life and his boxing career around and gets to the championships in a world class ring. The championship match is where I’d assume the higher class would watch because it’s a typical box office hyped up fight, broadcasting internationally. Our main aim is for the social demographic would be C1 – D but that’s just because they are the more relatable class. The occupation of the C1 – D would be supervisors to unskilled manual workers which is a massive gap, not massive income workers mainly. 

[Interview]

[Focus Group]

We carried out a focus group and Interview as seen on my blog, to find out more about our target audience and what our target audience liked about our opening sequence, and the things we could have changed.

From Blumler & Katz's Uses & Gratifications Theory the function of 'escape' , 'identification' and 'entertainment'  is present in my film opening sequence. The reason for the first function 'escape' functions are because it is a boxing film this can act as a form of 'escape' for people who like boxing or use it as a way to relax. More often then not people can relate to situations within a film whether it is being in a fight, being bullied or even any family issues. Identification is also present within my film as Charlie is a boxer and he wants help to define himself as a person; to find some form of identity and meaning for his life. Lastly for the the Uses & Gratifications theory entertainment is provided from my film, this is connoted through the intense and intriguing opening sequence. For example when Charlie gets knocked out it is filmed in slow motion to gain a more intense effect denoting that Charlie stereotypical underdog.

Another theory that this linked is Young and Rubicam’s audience classifications system. This is an advertising agency which suggests that audiences can all be classified by their different personalities and behaviors. The category that applies to my film would be a succeeded as they will enjoy to be in control which is similar to the conventional boxing character.

Evaluation Question 3

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

First of all film distribution is the process in which is making a film available for the audience to view. This film distribution job would be done by a professional because there are many things that it includes. This can range from the marketing strategy for the film to any forms of media to exhibit a preview of the film and releases dates. When I talk about the film being exhibited through different media platforms, this is how the film will be circulated for the public to watch so either movie theatres or television etc. 

Film distribution plays a big part in the film’s success.  Distributors decided how the costs for advertising, this is crucial for the film because it is a way for them to get word out of their film. So this must intrigue and appeal to the specific target demographic which will make them want to see the film. Also they uses other marketing techniques that they believe will make the exhibitor believe that having an exhibition showing will give them financial profit by showing the film, early access screenings. Touching on where the distributors choose to show their film they also have to decide how many movie theatres they will be shown in, which ones and how long the will be up for. They also have to monitor the films as they need to see how many seats are in a particular theatre and how many showing times to see how popular it is in the first week to predict the outcome of the films reputation from the public.

Film distributors are even more important for the small and independent films because they are not know and usually do not contain big actors that studio pictures would, like Daniel Radcliff for example as he is a well known British actor. Therefore it is extremely important that they properly advertise and promote their film as best as they can. Ultimately the film itself is the biggest factor whether or not the film is successful, but distribution is nearly as important.

The two companies I am going to evaluate about their suitability to distribute our film are ‘The Walt Disney Company LTD’ and ‘Summit Entertainment LLC’. The first company I have chosen is ‘Walt Disney’ they are an extremely well known and established company, and have been around since 1923. This means not only have they had many years to develop as a company but they have also have had time to expand. ‘Walt Disney has built ten established studio entertainment producing companies. The main one would have to be The Walt Disney Studios’ the reason for this is because of the world’s most entertaining movie franchise and classic film saga ‘Star Wars’. The ‘Star Wars’ saga started in 1981 and is still going as they just released a new edition on the 18^th December 2015 last year, also there is another planned to be released at the end of this year to continue the story of the Rebels verses the Empire.

(Below is a montage of the star wars saga to see how they have developed over the years.)

 

‘Walt Disney’ uses ‘Walt Disney Studios’ when they want to distribute an action film, like some of their best sellers are films like ‘Star Wars’ and Indiana Jones’ because they are action packed thrill seeking films.  However with the ‘Star Wars’ saga ‘The Walt Disney Studios’ only have the rights to the digital distribution excluding ‘Star Wars - The New Hope’, whereas ‘20^th Century Fox’ retains the right for the physical distribution of the first two Star Wars trilogies. The genre in which ‘Walt Disney ‘tend to focus on changes as they have a very wide target audience base , this means they range from children’s animated films to sci-fi films. The majority of their films are more or less action related but it is just the level of action that is changed depending on the age of the target audience.

They would be a suitable distributor because of the years of experience they have in distributing action films as well as general films. They are a well known and internationally recognised company so for the marketing and promotion of the distribution they will have a larger audience that would actually take in any advertisements, because they know the quality of the films ‘Walt Disney Studios’ distribute. I would expect them to focus on digital distribution mainly as the use of technology is developing rapidly and everything is being done online. Also they will have access to top range equipment and software to use, this will put our movie at an advantage if the distributors market it as best as they can which will entice our target audience and views into watching the film. I also would expect them to give us a detailed plan as well of any specific marketing strategies they are going to carry out as well as having figures for the amount of screenings and theatres that the film will be shown in.

The second film distribution company I have chosen to consider distributing our film is ‘Summit Entertainment LLC’. Summit entertainment is an American distribution company which has an international office in London. Summit Entertainment is a subsidiary of ‘Lions Gate Entertainment’, which are a larger distribution company also based in Vancouver and British Colombia. Summit Entertainment has been around for 25 years and they have distributed many films and these have been international sellers. Some of the films that they have distributed are The Hunger Games, The Twilight Saga and also Never Back Down. These films are all action packed films, which is a suitable genre comparison to our film. The film that they have distributed which is most relatable to our genre is  ‘Never Back Down’, the reason for this is that this is a action, sport film and so it is part of a sport sub genre which is like my film. My film is a sub genre of sport as it is a boxing film and it contains a similar level of fighting which is the type of action that will be shown within the film.

As a company Summit Entertainment tend to focus distributing action films but also some of the films they distribute are kind of hybrid genres in a sense, for example The Twilight Saga is a bit of a hybrid genre as it has a lot of romance scenes yet it also has lots of fairly violent fight scenes, this implies to me that it can be a hybrid genre. 

I feel that ‘Summit Entertainment’ as a company would be suitable to distribute my film as they have a lot of experience in distribution of films in the same or similar genre. Also because they have a wide customer base and are a well recognised company in the UK as well as America they will be able to market to more people. In addition they are a subsidiary company of ‘Lions Gate’ which means that they will have the access to state of the ark equipment and software to market and distribute the film digitally and physically. Once again talking about how well know this company is , this allows the target demographic and other members of the public to recognise the reputation of the distribution company furthermore justifying the quality of the film with the quality and values upheld by the company of previous films distributed.

I would expect them to deliver the best possible distributional service, as I have chosen them above all other companies. These expectations would be similar to the ones I started above for ‘Walt Disney Studios’ , just that I’d expect figures , predictions , plans , business and marketing strategies. Making sure everything is fully planned and thought out so that there won’t be any faults with the distribution campaign. Furthermore I’d expect them to be able to utilise our unique selling point to the best of our advantage in the marketing phase. 

Overall to conclude I would chose Summit Entertainment as the most suitable company to distribute my film as they have distributed more relatable and similar genre styled films compared to ‘Walt Disney Studios’. It feels to me that they would just understand the best way to promote a sporty action film, even though Walt Disney have had some action film they tend to mainly do more child styled films to distribute.

Evaluation Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

This piece of text was produced by me (Paris).

There are various social groups represented in our opening sequence; this ranges from teenagers to middle-aged men. We have represented these particular social groups through the use of dynamic camera work, there appearance in the mis-en-scene, sound surrounding the character and editing techniques used to represent them in a certain way. All these aspects connote a specific social group appearing in our opening sequence.

Firstly, the main social group represented in our opening sequence is teenagers, both the protagonist and antagonist are teenagers a long with the coach whom of which is also a teenager. The social group of teenagers has been represented through the use of the mis-en-scene connoting that teenagers within the audience can relate and identify with particular characters. This links in with Blumler & Katz’s Uses & Gratifications theory whereby it suggests that audiences watch media for a reason. In this case, our target audience relates to this social group represented for the purpose of identification. Utilising the mis-en-scene is an effective way that we can represent teenagers in a specific way in order for audiences to relate. This can be achieved through the use of lighting, costumes and facial expressions. For example: implementing the use of high-key lighting executed throughout the duration of the opening sequence (more parts than others). This connotes to the audience that this social group represented (teenagers) are in a safe location and make the characters seem happy. This reflects the stereotypes of teenagers which are, dependant, vulnerable in certain respects and foolish. Therefore, the use of suited lighting in general has represented this social group in this way.

However, this representation and stereotypical perspectives of teenagers has been challenged through the use of the silhouette and the stage directions / script incorporated. The silhouette denotes chiaroscuro lighting for dramatic build-up purposes but could potentially connote this social group in a negative light. The use of low-key lighting conventionally connotes the character as untrustworthy, dangerous and unsafe. All of which is emphasised when the fight scene emerges and the social group in question start to actively and aggressively box one another.

    

Therefore, although specific representations have connoted this social group (teenagers) in a certain light; the boundaries of this representation are then further pushed demonstrated through carefully placed lighting and dramatic script writing.

The use of facial expressions and body language  is an effective tool when representing a particular social group as it connotes much detail. The facial expressions and body language used signifies the protagonist as determined and ambitious to win this fight. A stereotype surrounding teenagers could be that they’re ambitious. Therefore, through the use of facial expressions and body language it is clear that teenagers know what they want.

In addition, the use of editing has aided the effect of representing this social group in a particular fashion. There is a lot of short takes and therefore fast-paced editing has been included in this opening sequence which does in turn relate to some stereotypes surrounding teenagers. Teenagers are conventionally viewed as active, hyper and full of energy. This is connoted within our opening sequence due to the fact that the fast-paced editing implemented has increased the speed of the flow of the narrative and met certain expectations and particular audiences needs regarding the social group. By meeting the desired demands of audiences relating to this social group links in with Richard Dyer’s Utopian Solutions theory because it suggests that audiences only watch media texts as it can provide “utopian solutions” to the audiences problems. In this case, one problem that the target audience chronicle with this social group could be the sense of boredom. This is then solved through the elements of adventure and excitement connoted throughout this opening sequence and tie in with the stereotypes revolving around teenagers.

Another social demographic that has been represented in our opening sequence is the adult figure. We have represented him in a stereotypical way as he is in charge and has an authoritative figure to play in our opening sequence.  Reason for this is because the stereotypes surrounding adults is that they are in charge, authenticated and dependable. These stereotypes have been connoted through the mis-en-scene regarding his costume. The ref who is representing the adult social group is wearing a shirt and bow tie which reiterates he is in charge. This is due to the fact that the connotations surrounding professional clothing are that they’re legit and reliable.

Moreover, another social group represented in our opening sequence is the male figure played by all characters. Men are in there selves a social group and make up half the world’s population. Men conventionally associated with the sport, boxing and its aggressive nature that comes hand in hand. We have connoted these aggressive stereotypes through the use of various different camera angles and sound. For example: the variant use of tight and loose frame shots accompanied by angles that connote power and determination. This signifies the ability to explode if necessary (with the loose frames) and connotes the passion and determination with the tight close up shots.

In addition the use of the music included in our opening sequence really adds to the impact of the stereotypes surrounding this particular social group.  The intense and dramatic non diegetic sound relates to the aggressive nature of boxing and suits this social grouping of men. Also, the incorporation of ambient sound featuring the intense breathing of the characters emphasises the barbaric nature regarding the stereotypes of this social group. The reason why the intense breathing is ambient is because considering boxing, intense breathing is natural to this particular environment and therefore is considered ambient sound. Accordingly, this social group of men are represented through the use of major characters like the protagonist and antagonist. Considering Vladimir Propp’s character types theory conventionally the man is both the ‘hero’ and the ‘villain’ and therefore this social group contributes a lot to the developing of the narrative.

The stereotypical representations of these social groups explained above are all represented in the media in a certain way. The three main social demographics that are represented in our opening sequence are as follows: Teenagers, men and adults. Each social group has stereotypes surrounding them that the media portray. For example: the stereotypical view of men as a social group is that they’re powerful, dominant and in some cases more able then women. This is in fact misogynistic and does indeed link in with Laura McRobbie’s Gender theories whereby in the eyes of the media, women are seen as “virgins” who are subservient to men. Men as a social group are represented in our opening sequence as the conventional, powerful man.

In our opening sequence we have represented the majority of our social groups in a conventional way. Through the use of characters appearance and how they’re represented in the mis-en-scene. This includes costumes they’re wearing e.g conventional boxing gear. The dialogue incorporated represents the social groups in a stereotypical way, for instance: “I’m ready” connotes the determination the protagonist signifies and ties in with the social groups characteristics.

On the other hand, we have represented the social group of teenagers in both a conventional and an unconventional way as mentioned above through the use of the silhouette and as a result the lighting. This has lead to the audience becoming intrigued and engaged as the unconventional element links in with Young and Rubicam’s audience classification system whereby this unconventional representation aspect appeals to the ‘struggler’ category of our target audience relating to this social group. It suggests that audiences require escape from their own lives and demand escapism. This is why we have represented this social group in an unconventional light even though there are many conventional other ways in which we have represented this social group. The fact that we have both implemented conventional and unconventional aspects when considering and representing this social demographic it could tie in with Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs because whatever way this social group is represented whether it be conventional or unconventional; it still therefore will appeal to the target audience and fulfil the “love and belonging” need for active audiences.