Evaluation of my thriller opening: Question 3

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

The main distributors for my media product would be internet based. This is because it is easy to target the youth audience that would be attracted by my film, as this age group are familiar with the internet.

Websites, YouTube.com in particular, that specialise in video sharing would be a predominantly good way to distribute my thriller film. 

This is due to the website’s vast popularity, and the ease of uploading the video as it is free and simple to use. The website can also be accessed easily by smart-phones, such as iPhones and Blackberry models as well as many iPod models, which are becoming more and more popular.   

Short film competitions are a great way to distribute my thriller, because it has been specifically targeted at films such as mine. An example of this would be the British Short Screenplay Competition by KaosFilms, and Virgin Media Shorts which allows the 12 winning films to be shown in independent cinemas such as the Norwich based Cinema City. 

Evaluation of my thriller opening: Question 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

The characters in my thriller opening are all of the 16- 18 age range, white and British. Because of this, my media product immediately relates and appeals to this audience, who will identify with the skateboarder and the two girls. The representations of this age group vary: they’re presented as dangerous thugs by the character Will Block, who is unemployed. This is a common stereotype of teenagers. However, Eve White, Will’s first victim is a hard working, ordinary, law abiding citizen. Teenagers are also suggested to be overwhelming in number, because the cast is made up of teenagers. This could emphasize the fear and intimidation of this age group, therefore reinforcing specific stereotypes – the male aggression and female victim.

Males are presented negatively by Will Block as he is the only male character. My media product suggests that males are greedy, obsessive and have bullying personalities. In contrast, it presents females as male prey. The character Eve White reinforces the traditional idea of women being the victims in film. She presents women as vulnerable and weak in contrast to men. However, the second female character, Scarlet Fraser, challenges this traditional view. She out-stares Will as he hovers around, lurking, waiting to pounce. The cliff hanger connotes she will outwit him and refuses to be intimidated. This character adopts a contempory femme fatale image of a strong, independent woman, reflecting the progression of attitudes towards women in society. 

Evaluation of my thriller opening: Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Eval1

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Final Shot list

Shot list:

Scene 1: Eve White using the ATM machine, with Will Block stalking her

High Angle of Eve White arriving at the ATM machine just about to put her card in

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Close up of card going into the ATM machine

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Over the shoulder of Will looking at Eve White at the ATM machine

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Over the shoulder of Eve looking around her, suspicous that someone is watching her

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Close up of Eve typing on the keypad

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Close up of Eve's hand going into her bag to put her purse away

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Close up of Eve walking away from the machine, putting card into her purse

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Close up of Will following Eve down the road

Scene 2: Flashback of Will Block in his bedroom, angry that he has no money and creating a plan to mug someone

Close up of Will on his bed

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Medium shot of Will on bed, opening wallet

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Close up of empty wallet

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Close up of Will’s face on bed, he gets up

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Close up of Will’s face as he looks out the window. He walks away.

Scene 3: Will Block mugs Eve White in the city underpass

Long shot of Eve's feet walking/running

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Low angle of Eve running down the ramp towards the camera

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Medium shot of Eve looking bewildered in subway.

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Long shot of Will rolling down the ramp fast on the skateboard
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Low angle shot of Will’s skateboard rolling slightly right to the camera at speed

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Medium/Long shot of mugging of Eve

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Handheld shot of mugging

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Medium shot of Eve shouting at Will as he rides off, too fast to catch up with

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Close up of Eve sitting down in the underpass, head is hands, looking distressed

Scene 4: Will Block is back at the ATM machine having chosen his second target, Scarlet Fraser

Close up of Will, back by the ATM watching Scarlet Fraser

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Close up of Scarlet at the ATM

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Close up of card entering the ATM

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Close up of Scarlet as she looks at Will, suspicious

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Close up of Will, looking back at her, waiting

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Close up of Scarlet using the keypad

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Medium shot of Scarlet

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Close up of Scarlet looking intimidating

END

Thriller planning - FINAL

Thriller planning final

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Mock Exam Essay Unit G321: Independent research into the thriller genre

Cinema Survival: Compare the ways in which cinema city and Vue/Odeon attract audiences.

Cinema Survival: Compare the ways in which cinema city and Vue/Odeon attract audiences.

Over the past decade, cinema has had to change and adapt in order to survive. Cinemas, and the cinema experience, have had to become more attractive to audiences in order to compete with the new ways of consuming film that have become available to the public.

The availability of DVD has been a major competitor of cinema as it offers another way to view films other than visiting the cinema. Its ease makes it a more comfortable option for viewers, as they are able to view the films they want to view in the comfort of their own homes and as many times as they want. Often people will choose to, instead of visiting the cinema to watch a film upon release, wait until that film is released on DVD and buy it. My research supports this as it showed that a large number of people prefer to wait for the DVD release to enjoy the comfort of watching a DVD, than watching the film at a cinema. This increasing availability in DVDs means that cinema has to adapt in order to compete with DVD and attract audiences.

One example of adaptation to tackle this problem is the new partnership that Vue Cinemas has with ScreenSelect.co.uk. This particular partnership has been made to tackle the effect that DVD availability has on audience for cinemas, as it combines marketing activities from both companies in order to increase both cinema attendance and DVD rental, thus benefitting both companies. Vue has launched a new online DVD rental service called ‘Vue At Home’, involving promotions such as vouchers for 5 free DVD rentals at Vue At Home, to customers of Vue cinemas. This method has been introduced in order to increase attendance at Vue cinemas, working with DVD instead of against it.

Another competitor of cinema is the availability of film on the internet. It offers a fast way to view films after their release, and like DVD it offers the ability to watch the films in the comfort of the viewer’s home. As well as this, the films can often be watched anywhere, given an internet connection. This new technology offers an advance in the freedom of film, no longer confining it to cinema and home viewing.

They have also needed to increase their viewing experience. A lot has been done in order to modernise the cinemas. Independent cinemas have installed digital projection in their cinemas. They have done this to enable benefit from small distributors being able to distribute more copies of independent film digitally, rather than using and copying 35mm prints. This brings costs of copying down and makes it much faster and simpler.

Mainstream cinemas have also installed digital projection into their cinemas, however, in contrast to independent cinemas, they’ve done this is order to keep up with the 3D revolution. An example of this technological advancement is Vue Cinemas’ deal with Sony to install 4K projectors in its network of cinemas. The 4k projectors offer four times the resolution of full HD, thus delivering the best cinematic experience possible, giving audiences another reason to get out and visit the cinemas. More 4k projectors mean that more of Vue’s screens are able to show 3D films, giving audiences a greater choice of film.  Odeon cinemas, too, have begun the transaction to a new generation of digital projectors, in preparation for new 3D film releases. The mainstream film industry is upgrading the projectors so that viewers can watch 3D films, with a greater cinema experience, and also so that they can charge more for the 3D tickets.

It is not only mainstream films, but opera too that are requiring 3D screenings at cinemas. By introducing opera to the cinemas, a wider range of audiences can be attracted. With this increase in viewers, more money can be made as tickets often more than double in price.

Cinemas have needed to adapt their venues, to increase comfort and keep their cinemas modern. Cinema City is also an example of an independent cinema that has increased the number of screens in order to keep up with the demand for more showings, so as to attract more audiences to visit the cinema. The cinema now has 3 screens, so more people can see the films, that along with upgrading to digital projection, installing comfortable seating, the restaurant and bar, and the selling of alcohol, increase the cinematic experience for the visitors. 


Because of these features, Cinema City has an older, more mature target audience. The schedules of independent cinemas have adapted to suit audiences. Although Cinema City is part of the PictureHouse chain, it controls its own schedule. By doing this, it can mould which films it shows and when to show them around the local area. Cinema City does this because it knows more about local audiences and what they want to see. This gives the benefit of attracting the local audiences, and specifically the older target audience that the cinema has.