Evaluation - Activity 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (i.e. of film openings)
-Select 9 distinct frames(screengrab)
-Post and evaluate
-Aspects to consider - Title, Location, Props, Editing, Title Font/Style, Story set up, Genre -how suggested), introduction of characters, special effects.

These are my nine screen grabs of our final piece that I have chosen to evaluate and write about how they are typical or not of opening sequences of the same genre.

Frame 1 - The title of the film: Our title of the film is set on a black screen, like the majority of urban films i have evaluated, i believe starting on a black screen allows the audience to be drawn in and want to see how the film starts without giving it away to early, i believe this technique builds tension towards the actual film and allows the audience to focus on the title of the film, in our case helping them to understand the storyline, without giving away anything interesting persuading them to keep on watching. The red styling of the '2' gives the sense of blood, fright and danger between both brothers.

Frame 2 - Setting/Location: Our screenshot is of 'Williams house' to help illustrate the wealth of his lifestyle this long shot of the house establishes the paralell editing of two very different, diverse lifestyles allowing the audience to identify with the setting. Establishing shots are very popular when setting scenes and locations especially in drama genres helping the audience to identify with the story.

Frame 3 - Costumes and Props: This screengrab is of an 'ipod' an easily identifiable object worldwide to show wealth which plays a major role in our opening linking the two brothers and illustrating the differences between their diverse lifestyles of wealth. This prop is highlighted as a major object.

Frame 4 - Camera Work and Editing: This shot is of William dipping his shoulder as to enter the room, the editing of this was carefully done, to enhance the 'match on action' as William's shoulder dips into the room immediately as it is picked up. When doing this we had to mark out how big the steps taken were going to be and which foot and shoulder (left or right) would enter first. By constructing a smooth match on action, by this adds to the proffessional finish of the film. In this shot we used the tripod to enhance the stability aswell as using hand held due to the awkward positioning in the entered room, i believe we have tweaked this shot to the best of our ability and used the camera positioning and transaction editing to the best we could.

Frame 5 - Title Font and Style: I believe this screen shot identifys the title font and styling in which we decided to use to help illustrate the genre film, incorperating a bold basic font, commonly used in drama films then adding a glowing shaded effect around the words to emphasise the unaccompanied production company, highlighted with the black background to be clear, simple but an effective use of title styling to stand out to the audience.

Frame 6 - Story and how the opening sets it up: This screen grab in which i chose; i believe represents the story and how the opening sets up best contrasting two types of characters, one deprived and one wealthy, unfortunately there is no scene in the opening two minutes in which both brothers meet, although i think this is the shot that best illustrates the story - The deprived boy steals the wealthy boys ipod this outlines the main story, of the contrasts of lives, almost as though the deprived boy steals off the rich boy to stay alive, by buying food and drink, at which point the wealthy boy doesn't realise how he is supporting his long lost brothers' life starting to link the brothers in the opening two minutes. Now leading on with the rest of the film, to show both brothers growing up in completely diverse lifestyles and how they come across each others paths positively and negatively.

Frame 7- Genre and how the opening suggests it: The screenshot which i chose best identifys a contrast in lifestyles as this is the second two-shot of both characters.
I believe this helps illustrate an urban, drama style film, relating to reality and the ups and downs of life it self. Mise en scene also helps suggest the genre by using costume i.e. Wealthy boy - smart/casual clothing, Deprived boy - Scruffy hoody and jeans. Both with very different body language, a polite, well postured walk from the wealthy boy, suggesting his wealth and upper class lifestyle, whereas the body language given off from the deprived brother is almost opposite; bad postured walk, head down, hood up, rough expression. By incorperating a prop (the ipod) this helps to give the audience an even clearer understanding of who's who. As an ipod is not a necessity but a luxury only the wealthy character would have one, suggesting a life of luxury.

Frame 8- How characters are introduced: I have chosen the screen grab of Jack in the shop, putting a chocolate in his pocket, i believe this best identifies his introduction into a deprived lifestyle, illustrating theft as a way to get by. Immediately identifying one lifestyle, therefore soon to come will be an introduction of a different lifestyle, able to help the audience contrast and compare the differences applying positives and negatives and the obstacles in which the long lost brothers have to deal with, crossing the paths of one and other, dealing with life in their different ways. An introduction of paralell editing is often used in urban, drama films to clearly identify the differences between up to several characters.

Frame 9- Special Effects: The screen grab i chose which i believe best shows our effects is after the wealthy boy (William) gets mugged for his ipod, left against a fence shook up and bloody, the blood we used was fake fortunately as i didn't fancy getting beaten up, whilst playing the character. As a low budget film, very little 'special effects' were used, consequently i found it hard to find a suitable screen grab. The effect of blood, is commonly used in films, to illustrate empathy or shock to the audience, suitably as the average audience member may be drawn into the attachment of characters and fight scenes suggesting social hierachy of the characters commonly used in urban, drama films.

In our opening two minutes, media product, i believe we have used many tools and techniques to help support and clearly suggest the urban, drama genre.