Genre Decision

As there are four people in our group there was a lot of debate about which genre our film should be, but in the end we ended up agreeing on 'youth culture' genre as the main genre of our movie. There will be two main characters, a boy and a girl who are connected by music. This along with romance are the main themes. In an attempt to think of title we stumbled upon a word that can be associated with music and romance, 'sync'. As a musical term it is used to describe rhythm in a song, but outside of music it can be used the connection between two people, to be in 'sync'. This is a great portrayal of our movie's plot.

Trainspotting Opening Sequence

The Medium Close up/ over the shoulder shot to start already gives the audience an idea of who the main character is. This Opening Sequence is quite sudden and instantly causes the audience to question what is going on, by using the rule of thirds, main character at the left, sub character at the right and further back taking up much less of the screen showing his importance compared to the much larger figure to the left. This is a good youth culture opening sequence as it is unique.

Bullet Boy Opening Sequence

ESTABLISH LOCATION

Set in a prison, along with the title poster featuring character holding a gun, the audience is given the idea that the main character has committed a gun related crime.



INTRODUCE CHARACTERS

Character is in prison, on colloquial terms with female officer which insinuates he's not a hardened criminal, the character lying down in his cell shows he's quite laid back even though he's in prison.



SET UP NARRATIVE

The audience gets an idea that: the character is a deviant, about to be released and from the officers calm nature towards him, the audience is given the impression that character is not as bad as originally expected.


ESTABLISH THEMES

Located in a jail, an average audience would get from a black youth, in prison, who speaks like someone of working class, along with the titling showing him holding a gun that the theme of this film is crime.



ESTABLISH GENRE

Starts with  black youth in jail just about to be released into the outside world, his clothing (tracksuit)  gives an impression to the audience that this is a youth culture film.




PROVIDE INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION

Shows "BBC FILMS" logo
Shows "A Shine Production"
Shows "UK Film Council" logo



ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE

Ominous music creates tension, point of view camera shot giving an impression of an officer looking into the cell as if the audience was the officer.

CREATE EXPECTATIONS

Boy in dark space with a torch, gives an impression of mischievous behaviour. The audience is given the impression that something may happen to this boy.

            

Adulthood Opening Sequence

With the opening long shot of sam and the police officer, you get an idea of the situation sam has been in and the malice between sam and the police officer, the use of the dialogue by the officer "its been emotional" further signifies how hard and "emotional" the 6 year jail experience has been for Sam. With the Rule of thirds with Sam and the officer at each side of the screen, you get an idea of the bridge between officer's and inmates. This is a very good opening sequence for a youth culture film as police usually play a major part in them

Kidulthood Opening Sequence

Straight away opening with a panning long shot, the audience is given an idea of the setting and current situation, from this the audience is also given the point of view of a student walking over to different groups in the school to see what everyone's saying. Each group with a unique look, Using the rule of thirds, you can see the more important characters in each group but the rule of thirds is not as important in this films opening sequence. This is not my favourite opening sequence of the one's i watched as it is not unique or very interesting.

\/ What I learned \/

From my research, I've learned from the youth culture synopses that I studied that...

• The most popular youth culture films focus around at least one character and there is a recurring theme of surviving (Them trying to survive their surroundings). e.g ADULTHOOD  "Six years after Sam Peel is released from jail for killing Trife, he realizes that life is no easier on the outside than it was on the inside and he's forced to confront the people he hurt the most."
• The main characters always seem to go through some sort of hardship. e.g KIDULTHOOD "This British drama follows a day in the lives of four poor youths living in an impoverished neighborhood in West London"
• It seems quite common  that the main characters are from underprivileged backgrounds of some sort such as raised by a single parent (dysfunctional) , raised in a working class neighbourhood or they have someone (usually a sibling) in their family who is a gangster of some sort. e.g BULLET BOY "BULLET BOY tells the story of two brothers growing up in one of London's most volatile neighbourhoods, where a minor street clash escalates into a cycle of violence that has tragic repercussions."
• Another common factor of these films is the bad guy (villain), it tends to usually be someone older than the main character who is somewhat more developed. e.g ANUVAHOOD "When our boy starts selling weed to get himself out of trouble, local badman Tyrone is VEX, opening up a world of hurt for Kenneth and his misfit crew."
• There is a common aspect of a character with a struggle for identity. e.g BULLET BOY  "When 18 year old Ricky is released from a Youth Offenders Institute he desperately wants to avoid falling back into his criminal past. However, his claustrophobic world and the huge pressure to conform proves inescapable."
• Prison is usually a key aspect of youth culture films. e.g ADULTHOOD "Six years after Sam Peel is released from jail"
• There is usually some sort of violence involved as well as drugs of some kind. e.g ANUVAHOOD "When our boy starts selling weed to get himself out of trouble"
• There always seems to be a common break in equilibrium, an argument between family/friends. e.g MY BROTHER THE DEVIL "One eventful summer, Rashid's sexual awakening forces Mo to confront his own fears and phobias and threatens to tear the brothers apart."
• A common character is one desperate for change. e.g THIS IS ENGLAND "Finding a new lease of life; girls, parties, Ben Sherman shirts, Doc Martin boots and shaven hairstyles"
• Sometimes the main character is trying to get away from something they regret. e.g TRAINSPOTTING "focusing on Mark Renton and his attempt to give up his heroin habit"

Trainspotting Synopsis

A wild, freeform, Rabelaisian trip through the darkest recesses of Edinburgh low-life, focusing on Mark Renton and his attempt to give up his heroin habit, and how the latter affects his relationship with family and friends: Sean Connery wannabe Sick Boy, dimbulb Spud, psycho Begbie, 14-year-old girlfriend Diane, and clean-cut athlete Tommy, who's never touched drugs but can't help being curious about them... Written by Michael Brooke

This Is England Synopsis

This is England: Mods, New Romantics, and Skinheads are the major youth sub-cultures of this very English summer of 1983 and young 12-year-old Shaun is left wandering aimlessly alone and lost during the start of his school holidays, until his chance meeting with Woody and his fun and friendly Skinhead pack. Finding a new lease of life; girls, parties, Ben Sherman shirts, Doc Martin boots and shaven hairstyles young Shaun is welcomed, life during this summer holiday has got a whole lot better. That is until Combo arrives on the scene bitter, dangerous, racist, militant and psychotic life for young Shaun has just approached his first major crossroads. This is England is a look back at the early eighties of British working-class life through the eyes of young Shaun and his new gang, and dealing with the bitterness of outside influences such as racism and xenophobia, of mass unemployment and the fall out of the Falkland's War; Thatcher's Britain: Did we ever have it so good...

My Brother The Devil Synopsis

Mo is a young boy growing up in a traditional Egyptian household, but beyond the front door of the family's modest London flat is a completely different world - the streets of Hackney. The impressionable Mo idolizes his handsome older brother Rashid and wants to follow is his footsteps. However, Rashid, a charismatic and shrewd member of a local gang, wants a different life for his little brother and deals drugs hoping to put Mo through college. One eventful summer, Rashid's sexual awakening forces Mo to confront his own fears and phobias and threatens to tear the brothers apart. Written by Anonymous

Bullet Boy Synopsis

BULLET BOY tells the story of two brothers growing up in one of London's most volatile neighbourhoods, where a minor street clash escalates into a cycle of violence that has tragic repercussions. A powerful and moving tale of young men on the edge, it reflects an emerging modern reality within Britain's inner cities. The film explores themes of friendship, rivalry and revenge amid a generation of boys to whom guns have become a fact of life. When 18 year old Ricky is released from a Youth Offenders Institute he desperately wants to avoid falling back into his criminal past. However, his claustrophobic world and the huge pressure to conform proves inescapable. Ricky almost immediately gets caught up in a road rage incident involving his best friend, Wisdom, and a local rival - all for the sake of a broken wing-mirror. This minor confrontation quickly develops into a series of tit for tat reprisals that spiral out of control. Ricky's 12 year old brother Curtis is battling his own pressures and is caught between this world and his mum Beverley's competing aspirations for him. Ricky is at a turning point - his mum and girlfriend Shea are struggling to help him stay out of trouble but he owes a debt of allegiance to Wisdom who has already crossed that line. It seems inevitable Ricky will be dragged down with him, but it's also only a matter of time before Curtis - in thrall to the allure of his older brother - will be drawn in too. Bullet Boy inhabits a volatile world where friendships and loyalty are tested to the extreme, the interchange of fate and circumstance seems as casual as a coin toss, and the slightest flare of emotions can set off a devastating ripple of events. The film takes these two boys, their friends, families and enemies through a heady and emotional three days as one gun changes hands leaving in its wake a trail of destruction.

Anuvahood Synopsis

Meet Kenneth. He thinks he’s got the moves. He thinks he’s got swagger. He thinks he can spit bars. But in reality, he’s a WASTEMAN! With the bailiffs banging on the door, parents screaming in his ear, and finding no luck with the ladies, he needs to FIX UP, and fast. When our boy starts selling weed to get himself out of trouble, local badman Tyrone is VEX, opening up a world of hurt for Kenneth and his misfit crew. But he ain’t gonna go down without a fight. It’s time for him to get rich, or CRY TRYING! From the mind of Adam Deacon comes the UK’s first HILARIOUS urban comedy, with a BIG cast including Femi Oyeniran, Jaime Winstone, Ollie Barbieri, Richard Blackwood & Ashley Walters, and featuring hot tunes from Tinie Tempah, Boy Better Know, Wiley and Dizzee Rascal. This ain’t just any hood, it’s ANUVAHOOD!

Kidulthood Synopsis

This British drama follows a day in the lives of four poor youths living in an impoverished neighborhood in West London, where the pressure and desperation of poverty propels each of them towards the choice between a life of bleakness, violence, and crime, and the terrifying prospect of striving for a better life. ~ Cammila Albertson, Rovi

Adulthood Synopsis

Six years after Sam Peel is released from jail for killing Trife, he realizes that life is no easier on the outside than it was on the inside and he's forced to confront the people he hurt the most. Some have moved on, others are stuck with the repercussions of his actions that night, but one thing's for certain - everyone has been forced to grow up. Through his journey Sam struggles to deal with his sorrow and guilt and something else he didn't expect - those seeking revenge. As he's pursued by a new generation of bad boys, Sam sets about trying to get the message across to his pursuers that they should stop the violence, much like Trife tried to tell him all those years ago. Can Sam stop the cycle of violence and make something positive from the destruction he caused or will his journey into Adulthood end here? Written by Anonymous Not Straight Outta Compton, but straight out of jail and back on the mean streets of London. A story of retribution that has Sam Peel fighting for more than just his freedom. After a six and a half year stretch for murder, his troubles are just about to begin. This has his past conflicts catching-up with his plans to stay alive for the future. Written by Cinema_Fan

Movie Ideas

1.Two people, Two different social groups, Two different problems 2.Two people, Two different social groups, Their link is music 3.Two people, Two different backgrounds, One female, One male, Issues about their relationship

Preliminary Task Problems

In my opinion I believe we did not try hard enough in our preliminary task, we enjoyed being allowed to use the camera and did not really think about how we would be filming. For example our location was poorly chosen, the green walls for the bathroom ruined the white balance of the shots, this made almost every shot even more amateur than our filming techniques already did. Due to our laziness, we forgot to edit out the sound of our director giving instructions and at some points it almost impossible to ignore. We failed to pull focus as planned and with such a small space to work in our, our comedic dance scene hardly went as planned. Even our editing was not as good as usual as we cut some shots too late and some too early. Overall our preliminary task is simply a reminder as how not to film our final piece

Preliminary Evaluation Sheet

Quality of Summary	My honest evaluation- what was done well and what was not of good standard? Try to cite specific example and moments from your video	Examples of strategies, good practices and skills that my group and I will put into place and develop to ensure a main production of high quality.
Quality of holding a shot steady	We didn't have too many problems with steady shots but one shot which was a closeup of the phone wasn't steady and the table was moving. Another shot which wasn't too steady was when the characters were dancing the cameras moving too much. The opening shot was quite still and was panned well down the building.	To fix the problem of the moving camera while closeup we would have to use a tripod at a specific position. For the dance scene we should have done different shots at different angles.
Quality of the framing of shots	The reverse shot we have done while the conversation between the two characters is done quite well.  The shot of the character walking along the corridor isn't very well focussed. The last shot is shot over the shoulder of the character and we could've shot it from in front of him to improve the shot.	To fix the problem of focus we would just have to repeat the shot to perfect out focus. To improve our shots we could shoot it from different angles and see which one looks best.
Quality of shooting material appropriate to the task set- i.e. the content of your film pre and post editing was consistent with the exam directives	WE had a tick sheet of our script and we had ticked most of the boxes by the time we finished. We didn't track
Quality of selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;	The main setting of our opening sequence was painted green and we should have applied white balance to fix the colours. The light in the room was also quit dull. Our setting was quite different as we did it in a toilet which meant the objects around would be unexpected. I believe our figure was quite well done.	To improve this for startes we would have to apply white balance to the filming. We would use a different setting more related to the story line and use our own lighting to brighten the room when needed.
Quality of editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer	Over all i believe our quality of editing was decent but we could have had improvements to make it more obvious to the viewer. For example when the actors dance in the persons head it isn't clear as in the scene is actually happening or its the character imagining. We could have improved our over the shoulder reverse shots. Something i think we did very well was putting the scene of the pencil case being thrown into two shots.	We would have to show the actor thinking at first then the scene blurring into the dance scene to make the audience know whats going on. For our over the shoulder reverse shot we should have shown the Character standing from a high angle to make him look smaller to the main character sitting down.
Quality of using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;	We used sound quite well as the only sound we really used  was a song which is first heard with a music device on the screen and then it is used with the characters dancing. We also used a zip sound at the end which is reacted at by the character being shocked and running away, however this scene isn't very clear with the sound.	To make the scene better and clearer we could show the zip being opened on the camera with a reverse shot back on the other actor followed by his reaction to the zip opening.
Quality of positioning and movements of actors	The positioning was quite well as the "bigger man" was sat down while his agent was standing up. Movement could have been better when he is walking into the bathroom to show more of the actor and also in the dance scene one of the characters (the girl) at the back was barely visible.	To adjust the movement of the actor to look better we could make the camera man move a bit further to show more of his body language. For the dancing scene we could use wider space with the camera shooting at a different angle.
Quality of group planning, meeting targets, organization	We managed to plan everything together without any problems and we shot our film in two days with all members present so we didn't have any trouble with that. We didn't meet our targets of the quality of the opening sequence.	To meet our targets we could spread our filming out to a wider time so we can perfect everything. We could also ask people to help us with acting to improve our planning.
Group dynamics i.e. how did your group work together	Our Group very well together as we perfectly divided all our work between the 4 people and we had no trouble getting our work completed. We might of had some slight difference in opinion.	To improve we could have different people to do different things to see who does what best. For the opinion problem we could try both ways and see whats better.
Other points of evaluation  (E.g. equipment related etc)	We didn't have a hand pod due to which some of the shots came out to be a bit shaky. We also didn't have any additional lighting with us.	We could use a hand pod to shoot from better angles with a support making it easier to shoot. We could use portable lighting in any place lacking good light.

Preliminary Task Evaluation

Preliminary Task Evaluation

Quality of Summary

1. Quality of holding a shot steady
2. Quality of the framing shots
3. Quality of shooting material appropriate to the task set- i.e. the content of your film pre and post editing was consistent with the exam directives
4. Quality of selecting mise-en-scene (colour, lighting, figure, objects and setting)
5. Quality of editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer
6. Quality of using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set
7. Quality of positioning and movements of actors
8. Quality of group planning, meeting targets and organisation
9. Group dynamics i.e how did your group work together
10. Other points of evaluation (e.g equipment related etc)

Honest Evaluation and Strategies to make Real movie better

1. At some points are camera skills were shaky and wobbly. Use of the tripod is needed next time.
2. Overall we had some good variety and quality of shots but our use of focus was unsuccessful as we failed to bring focus to the character. We need to practise this kind of shot more before attempting it in the real project

  

     3. Some of our shots are really good quality and we were able to use right away however some we    had to film multiple times and even with editing were still not good when put up against we had to do, so next time we need to follow the script and storyboard more strictly.

   4. Overall our use of miss en scene was quite poor as we failed to use white balance and our costumes did not match the role we were playing, we had many problems with the props such as the toilet that wouldn't flush and the quality of the lights. A better choice of setting or basic idea on how to use white balance is necessary next time

 

   5. Our editing was quite flawed also as most of our editing failed to get our point across such as our transition from a group dancing to a confused character. next time we should use better transitions and spend more time on its editing

6. Our use of sound was okay but in need of improvement as we got all the sounds we needed but not all of them were easy to hear, next time enhancing sound at that scene would be best

7.Our actors worked well as they did everything as planned, it was more or less the recording of the actors that didn't work out so well, it would be best to use a tripod to its best abilities next time

8.Our organisation was the worst as we only got together once and we did not have much time to film, next time planning out our time better would be advised

9.Our group works together quite well as our previous projects have been much better and received much more applause, next time we should try to do something we can all agree on

10. We did not have all the props we originally wanted to use as one of our actors had been ill, next time we should be ready to adapt.

Preliminary Task Script

This is the script we are supposed to follow, however we do have freedom to pick our genre

HAVE YOU FED THE FISH

Have you fed the fish I learned a lot from this Preliminary Task, I have learned from the many mistakes and flaws this video has such as: .Giving directions at scenes containing diegetic sound .Failed attempts at focus .White balance error I Plan to work on these key areas in our real PROJECT