ASJ BLOG

Evaluative feedback from Memory Box

2009-01-15T08:01:00.000-08:00

After completing our opening sequence, we screened it to members of our media class enabling us to redeem feedback. We were given numerous positive comments.

People told us that the plot line was effective and understandable. Also alot of people commented on the use of good continuity.

They also said that it was very emotion capturing. Although there were many positive comments, there were also some negative comments which we expected and are always expected.

People said that the music wasn't brilliant and effective. And not as sync.

08.12.08 - UPDATE

2008-12-08T06:31:00.000-08:00

At present we are using our media lesson time to prepare props to use when filming. As lessons are only short we are unable to film sometimes as the traveling takes a long time, so we are slightly behind on filming and use spare time after college to film. Lack of time is not only an issue but also the absence of group members delays filming.

2008-11-24T06:55:00.000-08:00

This is the new title that we will be using in the opening sequence, as we made a spelling error in the last title.

2008-11-12T03:41:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that we are awaiting the chosen main character to confirm that they are able to dedicate time to appear in our sequence. Man on fire	Memory Box
Company logo	ASJ production
Fox 2000 pictures + regency enterprise presents…..	Time production pictures presents…..
A Tony Scott film	A Dark Chambers film
Denzel Washington – main character	Jessica Daley
Introduced a narrative	None – just music
Man on fire – title of film	Memory Box
Dakota Fanning	Charlotte Mackley
Chris walken	Sara Middleton
Etc.	????
Casting by…	Amie Wood
Costume design…..	Jessica Daley
Music by….	Samantha Tait
Associate producers…	Lydia Martin, Thomas Evans & Amanda Douglas.
Film editor	Jessica Daley
Production designer…	Samantha Tait
Director of photography…	Amie wood
Executive producers…	Amanda French & Rebekah Day
Based on a novel	None
Screen play role	Samantha Tait, Amie Wood & Jessica Daley
Directed by….	Samantha Tait, Amie Wood & Jessica Daley

Basic list of props and locations.

2008-11-12T03:39:00.000-08:00

Props and location list- Memory Box

Props:

· Pictures

· Belt

· Newspapers

· Radio

· Box

· Bracelet

· House

· Chairs

· Bed

· Pens

· Letters - with addresses on

· Bag

· Car

. Television

. tinfoil

. Toys

Location:

· Detached house in Seaton.

· In the little girls bedroom.

· In a bedroom which looks older.

· In the living room

· In the street.

. Old fashioned spare room.

2008-11-11T02:04:00.000-08:00

Today we have decided to change the logo design, as the other one looked childish and was not suitable for the opening sequence, as it didn't look professional and presentable. we changed the purple background, to a gray colour and enlarged the camera lens to make it stand out more . we also made another title page, which has the dark chambers film title on it. For this we decided to use a candle and a darkening effect and for the text we used just a white font and placed it in the middle of the flame, so it stands out more.

A Dark Chambers Film Logo

2008-11-11T01:41:00.000-08:00

After completing the logo and the posting it upon our blog, we recognised that the name of the company had a spelling mistake, the logo will be edited when we have time, as this isn't one of our main priorities.

2008-11-06T07:51:00.002-08:00

Thriller/Horror

The babysitter
Abuses the child
The child rights about it in a diary, but doesn’t ever speak about it to her parents
The diary is the only thing she can depend on
Then crosses to when she is older
Its all over the radio and the papers that she has be let out of jail
The girl then plans a revenge attack
Meanwhile she is getting flash backs of the woman playing with her when she was younger and of her diary entries.
It has a overall effect on her mental health, causing her to go off the rails.

This is our rough idea of the story line that we will follow, when we do our scene.

2008-11-05T04:01:00.000-08:00

This lesson we have produced the titles order table and it is in our folder, but it still needs to completed, when we have thought about the characters in our film, also we have also completed the mind map of ideas. We are also in the middle of completing the target audience research.

Dirty Dancing analysis

2008-11-05T03:11:00.000-08:00

Dirty Dancing – Opening Sequence Analysis

In the opening sequence of the film the director uses medium close ups to show the intimacy of the dancers, this is significant as the film is called ‘Dirty Dancing’. The camera focuses on the characters by using extreme close-ups so the audience can see their facial expressions. The camera then follows different characters; the camera movement is very steady.

The opening sequence gives the audience an idea of a later enigma, as the closeness of the dancers later relate to the intimacy of the two main characters in the film. The opening sequence is also a montage of the full film.

The costume design, hair and make up are all symbolic as it represents the period that the film is set in, which is the 1960’s. The female’s costumes are very revealing, which reflects the sexual relationship that the characters have.

The edits during this sequence are rather slow which refers to the pace of the song, which creates the impression that music is an important convention involved in this genre of film.

The use of black and white also gives the pink text more effect as it makes it stand out and look visually appealing. The style of the writing is very feminine suggesting that this film shows the life of a young girl.

UPDATE 03.10.08

2008-11-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today we designed our logo and then created it using photoshop. We decided to use an image of a camera lense as it would represent our companies purpose using the camera lense to capture and record images and footage as well as a music note representing the fact that were not just using image but also sound. To make it simple but yet presentable, we used black and purple as our corporate colours and used them within the creation of our logo.

03.11.08

Film Analysis of Just Like Heaven

2008-10-22T04:08:00.001-07:00

Analysis of Just Like Heaven

The beginning of Just Like Heaven, begins with a non digetic soundtrack, this is a calm strumming on guitar, whilst the opening is a typical one of the company logo, which is DreamWorks, then it gradually turns into a birds eye view, of looking down into from the sky, during this it introduces the main character, who is Reece Witherspoon, it then starts tilting down to an eye level long shot of the main character, sat on an a chair, but it has a cloudy edit, to give the illusion of a dream, its set in a calm and relaxing environment, to add to the effect of this.
The editor then uses a cross cut, which puts the audience back into reality and shows that she was in a dream. They use a change in colour to show the change in mood from a relaxed mood into a shocked and stressed mood, we know this because they use a medium close up on her face to show the facial expressions. The Mise en scene, used in the opening sequence is the uniform, which is a doctors, this is also linked in with the enigma, which is she works in the hospital then ends up in one. During this the sound changes, to dialogue, with digetic sounds being used in the background.
The next camera technique used is a long shot from the back, which shows her using the coffee machine, with the digetic sound of it, it also shows the typical setting of a staff room with basic and minimal props used, this is to emphasis the fact that she is really tired as she is working in a busy and stressful environment. After a shot reverse shot is used, along with the dialogue and the digetic sounds in the background.
After there is a non-digetic soundtrack of flutes used which doesn’t really fit in with setting and the camera technique used is a track, of her walking along the crowded corridor, with a clip board which shows that she is really busy as she has to walk and talk about other patients. Dialogue is also used over the top of the soundtrack, as well as digetic sounds such as, footsteps, hospital trolleys and paper flicking.
There is then a rapid change in the non digetic music, this is a change to a fast bass music, over the top of this they use digetic sounds such as the coffee machine, a dislocated arm clicking back into place and the clicking of two key boards at once, along with this fast camera actions are used to show that she has numerous tasks to complete and is basically rushed off her feet. Some of the shots and techniques that’s are used during the fast camera actions, are a high and low angle shot, of the patient on the bed when she is clicking his arm back in place, a fast cross cut into a track or her holding a patients head with a bandage, then another cross cut of her on two computers typing away. They also use three fades into different jobs that she is doing, this again emphasises how busy she is.
To add to the emphasis they use three replays of her refilling and grabbing her cup of coffee, and coffee is a typical drink that people drink to stimulate them and keep them going.
The final technique they use is a number of cross cuts of her saying all these technical words over the non-digetic soundtrack and the finishing shot is of her at the coffee machine again.

Film Analysis of Love Actually

2008-10-22T04:04:00.000-07:00

Film Analysis of Love Actually.

The opening titles of the film tell us who the main actors are in the film, the font used is very complimentary and the some of the letters are written in red to emphasise the title `love actually’. On the menu of the film when we scroll the mouse over an option a heart appears which also relates to the film title.

At the beginning of the film extreme close-ups are used to show the facial expressions on the faces of the people starring in the film. The introduction of the film informs us that it is near to Christmas time by the imagery used and the text layered over telling us 5 weeks until Christmas Day. The expression upon the faces of the characters are relaxed and relived as they are meeting relatives in the airport to come and stay with them for Christmas as we are told in the narrative. The camera switches from extreme close-up showing expressions on peoples faces to medium close up showing people giving each other love and affection by cuddling each one another, seeing this links with the title of the film Love Actually as a title appears on the screen saying ‘love is actually all around us’ this information introduces us to what the film is going to be about. A cross-cut is made at the opening of the film we see Bill Nighy in a music studio recording a song, later of which we learn is a Christmas song this also informs us that the film has some relation with Christmas time and the love that is shown and given at this time of year.

The sound used at the beginning of the film is non-digetic as it is put there on purpose especially at the beginning as it is very jolly and reflective with the theme of the film. Over the top of the music we hear a narrative, a man talking whose voice we later recognise in the film to be one of the dominant male characters. The introductory music fades out into a man recording in a studio, the song isn’t festive but then the lyrics change mentioning Christmas.

At the beginning of the film we are shown a Christmas tree and a caption saying five weeks until Christmas, this is a great example of an enigma as the director uses a countdown by later on in the film regularly reminding us that Christmas is near. The use of this enigma shows the realism of how people do countdown to such an event. This also may excite the viewer. The Christmas tree used, the loving and caring affection and the festive song anchor the meaning of the film being festive. The costumes used are modern and this reflects the period of the 21st century that the film is made in, also the people acting in the film are dressed in wool clothing as well as winter accessories such as hat’s, scarf’s and gloves this may implicate the fact that it is winter. At the introduction of the film the man who is recording in the studio is dressed very uniquely maybe like an old rock star icon still living in the past era, even by the way he dances we can see that this may be true. The location such as the ice rink, the dull sky and winter weather indicate that it is winter and near to Christmas.