Media Evaluation

Jennifer Naulder

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

After watching so many films created in Hollywood you have a set idea on how a film should be and what to expect from the genre of the film. I wanted to do something different, I told my group my idea and we began to look at alternative genres then independent art house films. I looked at ‘en chien andalou’, ‘meshes of an afternoon’ and ‘city of god’. The films are of different time periods and all are incredibly different and interesting this is what I wanted to create. In terms of art house films ours is conventional we used a handheld camera using a variety of different shots trying to create a dream like/unusual atmosphere. I used continuity editing to add impact I also created jump cuts typically used in independent films.

Our film is made to look foreign instead of using French we decided to be different and use Albanian the title ‘enderr’ simply means dream . There is no dialogue in my film similarly to ‘un chien andalou’. To add to the foreign film idea there is an Albanian folk song ‘kenge labe’ playing diagetically underneath the ambient sounds of the setting.

I wanted the film to be quite intimate I chose to have only two characters . To create the feeling of a dream the young girl is wearing pyjamas and slippers. The figure of her imagination/old woman is wearing a black cloak and a headscarf. The black cloak contrasts with the bright colours of the pyjamas. And the headscarf can symbolise something hidden. There is a bracelet and a sandwich used as props. Each item is handed from one character to another significant to un chien andalou and meshes of an afternoon.

‘meshes of the afternoon’ ‘un chien andalou’ ‘enderr’ (my film)

• We used Regents Park as the location it is close to the college, the group agreed with this also. It is a wide setting, so we have a choice where to film for different sections of the film. Nisa (a group member) established that the elderly women should have grey hair and wear all black clothes with a black scarf around her head representing that she’s a widow. Sarah pointed out that the music should represent the elderly women’s life 1940’s (maybe folk music), where I added that a record scratch should be included. I then added that the ambience sounds to represent the park and its setting e.g. birds tweeting wind/trees blowing. We decided the Costume for the young girl was to be trendy with a trashy edge to show that she had a rough night which was a group idea. Later We then thought that we wanted to convey a dreamlike effect to add to the art house/independent feel to the film, so the girl is wearing pyjamas. This discussion had a good outcome as it allowed us to come up with early ideas that wasn't only about the target audience.

Regents park (where film is set)

Long shot of old woman

Close up of my face (young girl)

Facial expressions (confusion)

Low angle shot of sky High angle shot (girls feet) Over the shoulder shot

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My film is made to look foreign to relate to European foreign films, the use of the Albanian language can represent Albanians. The use of headscarf can relate to Islam and traditions in Albania. Only two female characters appear in my

film over time this can represent how women have gained power and independence. One of the characters is black another is white so that can represent society as a whole.

The film setting is in a park, this too can relate to the old and young, a child goes to the park to play and older people generally go to the park for walks. Also the contrast of using a young and an old character. The young character looks positive she wears bright coloured pyjamas her hair is down to symbolise freedom. However the old person is looked on as negative she is wearing a black cloak the cloak is hiding herself she looks mysterious. The colour imagery can symbolise the positivity of youth and the negativity of old age.

Old/ young woman optical illusion.

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Our group discussed who our film would be aimed at, because of the narrative we came to a decision that it will be aimed at a female audience. This is because female characters dominate the opening sequence plus the mood is seen as insightful and is made for the audience to sympathise. I then gave an idea that the age range should be from 18-30 but the other group member’s thought that it should be from 18-50 because one of the central characters is an elderly woman in her 70’s. My film is aimed at an educated audience , who enjoy independent art house films. The film has no real plot it is left to the audiences imagination. I have used an older and a younger character to attract a variety of age groups. My film has no dialogue so it can be viewed around the world, and the dialogue doesn't distract the audience from the film but the music carefully adds emotion I want the audience to feel.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES FROM THE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING THIS PRODUCT?

Using a camera requires careful planning our shots had to be carefully planned and it was crucial to create a story board so we can see what works and what doesn't.

The editing had to be unusual with the use of jump cuts. Some smooth continuity editing so that when a jump cut is used it can have an impact, and stand out. I Also wanted to use transitions to give the dreamlike atmosphere. I found using final cut very challenging. I had lots of ideas and finding out how to create those ideas on a computer system is time consuming and quite often doesn't come out the way I desired. I have learnt to be patient and to keep perusing and trying one idea can often lead to another

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression it to

the full product?• I have enjoyed working with other people we all have a role and its

nice to involve everybody's idea, more brains are better then one. The preliminary task enabled me to use a camera for the first time I found

it differ cult and infact its much more harder then it looks. The preliminary task wasn't carefully planned. We didn't do any research

or create a story board, we never listened and valued each others ideas.

• The full product has enabled me to understand and realise how important teamwork, planning and time managing is to create a full

product everyone is happy with.

Me playing the part of he young girl, as we took photographs for the blog.

Overall Evaluation

• I enjoyed working with other people and creating ideas. I learnt many technical and communication skills which helped improve my full product.

• I found it difficult to time manage as many members of my group had a different timetable to mine.

• I am very pleased with my film I enjoyed researching a genre I didn't know too much about (independent films)

• Overall I think my group done well we could improve our technical skills such as camera work and vary our editing to make a better a more individual product.