Audience Profile

For this task I created a presentation to show the target audience for our film. It also helped us think about how different social groups would be presented in the film, depending on who it was targeted at.

Preliminary Task

In this task we had to film, and edit, a short piece to show how well we understand different camera angles. The storyboard bellow shows a person walking into a room, having a short conversation and leaving again.

Whilst doing this task I tried to include new rules in my filming techniques;
          -180-degree rule (where the filming should only take place on one side of the axis, if this line is crossed, it would seem like they aren't looking in the right direction.)
          - Match on action (where one shot shows an action taking place, and it cuts to the action following through.)
          - Shot/reverse shot - (when characters are having a conversation, the first shot is of the person speaking and then it cuts to the next persons reaction.

Learning comment

In this task I have learnt the different techniques to filming and editing a scene. I have learnt that a lot of planning needs to go into every shot. When filming (especially for speech) you need to leave about a 2 second gap before any action takes place, and then the same at the end to leave space for editing. 

I feel like the editing of this task could have been smoother as well, for example I could have used different techniques, such as a fade or swipe to make it more engaging and to make it flow better.

Representation of Social Groups

In this task, I have identified how different social groups are represented in the opening sequence's of 2 films. The representation of certain social groups will be key in attracting the target audience, for example, if a coming-of-age film, were to present teenagers in a negative light, then that would turn away the target audience.  The two films I have chosen, Clueless and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, are different opening sequences, in the sense of Clueless being a montage, and Ferris Bueller being the first scene of the film, because of this, i have presented them slightly differently, the first is grouped to do with the elements of a scene, and the second, chronologically.

 

Learning comment

From looking at how these two coming-of-age films, and how they represent their target audiences, I have realised that simple things, like camera angles, can effect the way an audience member receives characters. In both opening sequences teenagers are represented as being energetic and rebellious.   

Narrative Structure

For this task, I looked at 2 films that I have watched, and analysed the structure of the narrative, focusing on what is disclosed to you in the opening sequence. You can see this research in a mind map I made.

Learning comment

I have learnt that in an opening sequence, it is important to show, or hint at, what the disruption of the equilibrium is, as that sets the tone for the rest of the film, and keeps the narrative fast passed. It is also important to show a very obvious and clear equilibrium as it exaggerates the disruption. Showing binary opposites are a clever way of giving away parts of the narrative without obviously saying it, which keeps the target audience (of teenagers) engaged as it doesn't make them feel patronised as it gives them something to look out for.