Filming

You are nearly all in a position to start filming. Some things to consider :-

1. Use the review day next Thursday as a possible time to film.
2. Don't forget to set white balance
3. Consider how you will use lighting - beware interior shooting and silhoeted images against windows etc.
4. Shoot each shot several times
5. Make a sandwich - ensure a few seconds of waste either side of the shot
6. Log footage sooner rather than later to the network - make sure you label it clearly and place in appropriate file (ask technician)
7 Concentrate on your framing

Missed deadline work : Defining your audience

Many groups have not completed the work due by the deadline last Friday.
If you have not completed all of the tasks, you are in danger of losing marks for planning, where your completion of deadlines is assessed.

As part of this work, you should have defined your audience. Do this using the demographic and psychographic terms introduced in the magazines course. Consider the ways in which your film is most likely to be viewed, as this may constrain your audience (you should also have commented on this as part of the short film promotion task - see below and in booklet).

Check the deadline tasks again below, and add any missing material fully and within the next couple of days at the latest:

Deadline Two: Ongoing Research and Pre-Production Planning (this has now passed)
On your group blog by the date below, with everyone contributing equally, and all individual posts tagged, aiming for 1 post per day per group member:

- evidence of ongoing research into short films which reflect the ongoing process of your planning (embed links to more films the group finds inspiring, with comments)
- short statements (bullet pointed paragraphs) on initial group decisions in each of the areas for assessment in Unit G325: genre/style, narrative, representation, target audience, use of film language (eg ideas for key shots and dominant mise en scene). Remember that you will need to consult members of your audience for feedback later in the process!
- allocation of roles at this stage
- location research (photos taken and uploaded with notes)
- initial props ideas and photos with notes
- lighting notes (on animatic or as separate posting)- use examples from others
- storyboard as animatic (with or without commentary)
- outline script (either as part of animatic, or separate posting)
- initial ideas for additional sound (soundtrack, foley/fx, ambient)
- notes, images, links on initial research into short film promotion (advertising, reviews)
- some audience feedback on story ideas, proposed characters and scenes (can be gathered and presented through social networking sites), with comments posted

What to write for the section on key media concepts - G325 exam question 1b prep

Key Media Concepts
This is one of the areas you need to comment on for Friday's deadline. For narrative and representation, I have uploaded 2 handouts to moodle, under Media A2, Advanced Portfolio. Read these again to help you. Consult the glossary linked on the right for key terms. For genre, consider how short films use genre (very flexibly, hybridised) - short films do not use genres in the ways in which mainstream films do).
For short film promotion, show that you understand where (on the internet) short films are seen by audiences, reviewed in online magazines and promoted - make links to websites you have used, and also look at important film festivals where short films have their own category. There are links to related websites dealing with short film promotion on the right bar.

Terms you should use for your statement on representation

You have been studying a unit on collective identity (unlike many other students from other centres), so you should have a good idea of the sorts of analysis expected under the heading 'Representation'. Here are some terms you may find useful:

General Terms:
- traditional, contemporary
- dominant ideology
- mediation
- collective identity
- representation

- masculinity and femininity

You should also make some comments here about the ways in which you have represented key themes or issues (this is particularly relevant if subject matter includes things like domestic abuse, rape and other sensitive issues). Be clear about how you want your spectator to be positioned in relation to these issues - do you want the spectator to leave your film having specific views on these issues?

Help with genre

For genre, consider how short films use genre (very flexibly, hybridised) - short films do not use genres in the ways in which mainstream films do).

Consider your own film idea and draw parallels with existing short films that you have watched

Help with Narrative and Representation

For help in commenting on narrative and representation, Marion has uploaded 2 handouts to moodle, under Media A2, Advanced Portfolio.

Help with "notes, images,links on initial research into short film promotion"

For short film promotion, show that you understand where (on the internet ie Virgin Media Shorts BBC Films) short films are seen by audiences, reviewed in online magazines and promoted - make links to websites you have used, and also look at important film festivals where short films have their own category. There are links below to related websites dealing with short film promotion.

http://www.launchingfilms.tv/


http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/films/category/drama/page/4


http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/


http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/