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

My media product utilises many different established forms and conventions of the genre. However, it also challenges many different expectations which were raised by the audience which I found in my research and planning stages of my product. Exploring real media products was extremely beneficial to the production of Flight as it allowed me to gain an insight into what audience members expect of the particular genre which Flight fell into.

Upon beginning the planning and research stages of creating my short film, I explored many different short films and one music video which fitted into the social realist genre. This gave a clear outline as to what I should follow upon creating my own film production, yet also allowed an insight into conventions were available for me to break in order to effect audiences and viewers most efficiently. This meant that, through exploring films which dealt with many of the same themes as Flight, that I gained a wide view on how the themes which lay within many social realist films are presented. Different shots and ideas were used as inspiration for my own product, as I wanted to ensure that the film looked as professional as possible. However, many ideas were challenged - and shots which dealt with the same theme as my own were not used.

I also looked at many different posters and magazine review pages which were professional-looking and informative. This meant that upon creating my own ancillary products that each of them would look professional and would be able to be displayed individually - as opposed to being shown as a trio. Looking at the professional products meant that my products would be as effective as possible, and that I would be able to challenge established conventions that they held, to draw as much attention to the products as possible.


'Flight' - Short Film.

'Black Swan's location shown on the left, 'Flight's shown on the right.

One of the most influential films to my product was the award-winning film 'Black Swan'. Although not a short film, analysing this product greatly helped the production of my own. 'Black Swan' dealt with the two key themes as my own film - a struggling dancer who resorts to drug use. The most beneficial part of analysing 'Black Swan' was the use of location. We used a similar location to the one portrayed in 'Black Swan' as we felt that for a ballet dancer, the expectation convention would be for our protagonist to train in a professional-looking dance studio. Because of this, we used the dance studio on-site at Sandwich Technology School, to give the desired effect of a practising ballet dancer. I also noticed that much of the shot in 'Black Swan' (shown above) was dominated by the use of mirrors. Because of this, I, as cinematographer, decided to include numerous shots of the wall of mirrors on location. However, I decided that the lighting of the shot should be substantially lighter and perhaps more colourful than 'Black Swan's' dance studio, as this would make it more visually appealing to the viewer and it appeals to a younger target audience, as typically the brighter colours appeal to teenagers and young people.

                            

'Flight' shown on the left, 'Black Swan' on the right.

I continued to analyse the dance scene within 'Black Swan' further, as this would benefit my production even more-so. When the protagonist began to dance in the film, the camera movements seemed to follow her movements, and focused the framing entirely on her. Because of this being effective at allowing the viewer to connect with the character, I too centred most of the framing around Sophie - the protagonist of 'Flight'. Because of this I purposely centred Sophie within the frame for the majority of the dance sequence. This clearly shows that audience who controls the narrative of the short film. However, one convention I noticed was that the face of the protagonist of 'Black Swan' was continually shown throughout the sequence. I also explored many different short films which focused on a struggling dancer, and this theme appeared frequently. This showed that audience members expected to see the protagonist's face throughout the production. I thought that Flight should challenge this convention, to make it stand out against similar films and short films. Because of this decision, much of the dance sequence focuses on Sophie's silhouette-like legs. This raises a sense of ambiguity about the character as the audience are yet to have fully seen her face. Challenging this established film convention, I feel was effective and beneficial to the overall production as it engages audience interest early within the film.

'Black Swan' shown on the left, and 'Flight' on the right.

There was one particular shot within the film 'Black Swan' which I felt was particularly effective. This is the shot shown above. The camera tracks the dancer's movements as she travels across the dance floor. I explored other films which focused around dancing, and they too used repeated fragmentation of the dancers' bodies to portray their aspirations. I repeatedly used this within Flight as it showed Sophie's determination and struggle at becoming a successful ballet dancer. However, unlike in 'Black Swan', the camera in my own production remains stationary, as the editing cuts to different shots of Sophie's attempts of dancing. This showed the repetition of Sophie's lifestyle, and how determined she is to achieve her dream. Another convention which was discovered upon watching 'Black Swan' was the costume in which the character is dressed. She is dressed in a typical ballet leotard and ballet shoes. From looking at many other ballet films - such as 'Ballet Shoes', it was clear that the dancers wore the expected costume. However, to contrast the expected convention of costume to show that Sophie is only an aspiring dancer - not a successful. Also, breaking this established convention creates a different effective on audiences and makes sure that the film itself is remembered after viewing due to the differences of expectations.  

Above is 'Fish Tank' on the left, and 'Flight' on the right.

Lens flares are used in a majority of social realist films. I noticed that this method of cinematography was used repeatedly throughout this film. The lens flare looks visually appealing to the audience and effectively mixes the two locations used throughout our film effective - the nature scene by the river and the urban scenes with the drug exchange. I decided to include some blinds into the shot to portray the theme of imprisonment and to portray Sophie's trapped environment. However, our characterisation is completely different to the one portrayed in 'Fish Tank'. The contrasting light and darkness in the frame is also effective, as it portrays Sophie's blending of two lifestyles. This framing - as shown in the real media product 'Fish Tank' - was effective, so I decided that it should be included within our own short film. 

To the left is 'Fish Tank' and the right is 'Flight'.

We used the technique of blurring the footage. This was found in 'Fish Tank'. The blurred lights of cars behind the protagonist - Mia - show the urban lifestyle which Mia leads. I thought that this looked visually appealing and also showed the urbanised area within which the film is set.  Due to this being both pleasing to the eye and showing the themes which lay within 'Flight', I decided to use this technique upon analysing my own production. The lighting within the shot is also relatively low, showing only the protagonist and the slightly blurred background. This shows who progresses the narrative and allows the audience an insight into whom they are expected to connect with. However, I wanted to use a darker colour pallet than the one portrayed in 'Fish Tank', as it shows a contrast between the first and second half of the film. Using contrasting ideas if also a convention within social realist films, as they portray a contrast in lifestyle. 

'Fish Tank' on the left, and 'Flight' on the right.

The real media product 'Fish Tank' used lots of locations which featured nature within the film. The river/lake scene was particularly effective and visually appealing. It also holds connotations of the protagonist within the narrative taking a different path in her life, which is an effective tool of promoting the narrative. The silhouette effect also looked visually appealing, as it shows the contrast between man and nature, and the conflicting of lifestyles and identity within Sophie that the narrative of 'Flight' deals with. Because I liked this effect, as cinematographer, I decided to include a river within my own production. This convention within a real media production benefited the creation of my own short film,  as this location was very effective, and successfully portrays the scene within the film where Sophie is contemplating purchasing drugs. The trees within the shot also emphasise the nature location which I found was occasionally used within the social realist genre, and allows me to mix the urban and natural lifestyles. This represents an extended metaphor of the choices of lifestyles that Sophie faces. Binary opposites are a key convention of the social realist genre, particularly in regards to young teens, as it shows the difficult realities that young people have to face. Therefore, I felt that this was necessary to include within my own film. As you can see, however, the colours are drastically different. This is because I wanted the purple colour to represent information through the form of mise-en-scene. This adds a surreal element which links to the theme of the potential drug use which takes place at the very end of the narrative. 

The location with Ed Sheeran's 'A Team' on the left, and 'Flight' in the right.

Within the music video 'The A Team', I found that the camera positioning of the young woman on a bench was effective. The bench helds connotations of homelessness and inner reflection. The framing was also in the centre of the shot, with a bright light above the character. I felt that this shot looked visually appealing and given an insight into the lifestyle of the character in question. Because of how effective this was in a real media product, I decided to implement a similar shot into my own media film. The trees on either side of the shot also portray the mixing of urbanised and natural lifestyles, showing a binary opposite within the film. However, unlike in Ed Sheeran's music video, I decided that it will not hold the theme of homelessness, as it was not relevant to the narrative of my film. To combat this issue, I had the character sitting in an up-right position. 

Ed Sheeran's A Team Music Video shown on the left, and 'Flight' on the right.

One key conventions of the social realist genre is to portray an isolated character - particularly if that character is a teen or a young adult. This shows the state of youth within society today, and how this issue needs to be fixed. Upon viewing Ed Sheeran's 'A Team' Music Video, it was clear that isolation was a key convention which was used throughout the footage. As you can, I used a shot of our protagonist walking down a street - similar to that of the one within the 'A Team' video. I felt that this was effective as it shows a literal distance from the audience - portraying Sophie's isolation. However, although the black and white images used in the music video is effective, I felt that it would be more beneficial to my production if colour was used. Many social realist films use colour within their productions, so I used decided to conform to what audiences would expect. The colour within 'Flight' also makes the film more visually appealing. Due to these reasons, upon editing, we decided to keep the film in it's original colour. We used a mix of urban and natural locations within 'Flight', which was also a theme found within Ed Sheeran's music video. I decided to blend these two locations as urbanised areas are a key signifier of the social realist genre. However, I felt that nature shots, as shown in the music video in my research, was effective, although it may not necessarily be what audiences expect from the social realist genre. This will mean that the viewer will remember the film after it due it the unique aspects which it holds. 

The drug exchange for 'The A Team' on the left, and 'Flight' on the left.

The  drug exchange scene within 'Flight' is one of the most pivotal scenes within the entire short film. Because of this, I decided to analyse the shot used within the music video 'The A Team'. As you can see, there is a high contrast between the hands and the background, which portrays the importance of the scene within the narrative. However, the difference between 'Flight' and the real media product, is that I show the two characters - Sophie and the drug dealer - as silhouettes, and make the main focus the transaction of the hands. Although the bad of drugs is visible within the scene, it is not as blatant as the transaction within 'The A Team'. This is because I wanted to ensure that the film remained within it's 15 certificate, so that youths - who the film is collectively aimed at - will be able to view it in art-house cinemas. The dark lighting and dark colours within an urban location are a key convention of the social realist genre, which is found in many short films. Due to this, I decided to comply with the conventions which would be expected by viewers and audiences. This would mean that they would not be alienated by the shots and lighting within the film.

'The A Team' on the left, and 'Flight' on the right hand-side.

There is one key difference between the real media product 'The A Team' and my own short film is that the drug use is not explicitly shown, whereas in the music video it is. I decided to keep the idea of drug use ambiguous, as this would keep audience's questioning the ending of the film. Another reason for not using the convention of showing drug use and the effects is that I wanted the film to be seen by young audiences, as to raise awareness for the issues of drug culture. The shot of the door slamming shut with the red sign on the door adds a sense of finality to the narrative - letting the viewer know that it is over - yet it also remains ambiguous in regards to the drug use theme within the film. However, the use of the colour red on the door does conform to the idea of danger, used throughout many films and short films - not just in the social realist genre. Using this use of mise-en-scene allows the audience to connect with the themes which lay within the film and see the dangerous effects of drug-use. 

Below, I have used to technology available to me on the website 'Youtube' to analyse the final draft of my short film. This means that as you watch the film, the annotations depict the conventions which my film conforms to or challenges.

'Flight' - Poster.

Above is a screen shot of two film posters which fall into the drama/social realist genre.

The two real media products shown above - the poster for 'Tideland' and the poster for 'The Red Machine', both use conventions within the social realist genre, although 'Tideland arguably falls more into the drama genre than social realist. Each of the films deals with themes which reflect a true eye on society, despite other themes being involved. As you can see, each of the real media products deals with the idea of contrasting images/colours. 'Tideland' has a distinct difference between the two halves of the poster. The top half uses dark colours, primarily black, whereas the lower half is light blue. However, despite the lighter colour on the lower half of the poster, it still holds negative connotations, as the tree appears to be dead. This portrays to the audience the dark themes which lie within the narrative of the production. I used the convention within this real media product upon creating my own poster for 'Flight'. As shown below, the top section of my poster is dominated by light purple colours, whereas the lower section is completely black. Not only does this make the film visually appealing (the white text on the black background looks more appealing to the eye than if it was on the purple section), it also shows to the audience that binary opposites will run throughout the short production. The shows the two colliding themes of both the ballet dancing aspirations and the temptation of resorting to drug use. I also used the convention of using the dead tree as a signifier to the negative connotations that drug culture has. However, unlike in 'Tideland', I decided that there should be more of a blend between the two sections of the poster. This will make it more appealing to view and will show the blending of the two lifestyles that Sophie may chose to lead. The logos on both 'Tideland' and 'The Red Machine' contrasts with the colours on the background. This allows the audience to immediately see the logo, and it grabs their attention through the use of contrast. I decided to use this convention upon creating my own poster to ensure that it is effective. 'The Red Machine' also has a contrast in colour, as there is a difference between brown and black. This is still effective, although not as much as 'Tideland' as the colours themselves are both quite similar. Another convention of the social realist/drama genre is that they show the main character on the poster itself. This is portrayed in both of the posters shown above. Putting images of the main character on posters allows the audience to immediately see who they are expected to connect with. Because of this being effective, I decided to use this upon creating my own poster. However, I wanted to use an artistic image that also represented the themes which resided within the film itself. Because of this, the silhouetted image shown below was chosen. Although not a convention of the social realist genre, this raises a sense of enigma about my protagonist. 

Above is the poster for 'Flight'.

Overall, I am pleased with how my poster both utilised and challenged conventions of the social realist genre. To ensure that I was aware of the expected conventions upon creating my own product, I analysed a range of poster products. I feel that challenging these conventions was effective, as my poster has a darker feel than many real media products. However, it uses the same ideas of having a large logo and showing the protagonist.

'Flight' - Magazine Review Page. 

Upon creating my magazine for my short film 'Flight', I ensured that I followed the conventions which the reader would expect to see upon reading a review of a film. The layout of the film strongly followed the format which was shown frequently within the 'Sight And Sound' magazine, which is where I wanted my review page to be show-cased. The use of one or two images was shown frequently within review sections of magazines. Because of this, and because I wanted to give readers a small insight into the film itself, we decided, as a group, to put a large image at the top of the review. This meant that readers could look at the image first, and then read the review about the film afterwards. This seemed to be a convention that was shown in many different real media products, so I decided to utilise this to it's full potential by choosing a moment within the film that was both visually appealing and that had an impact on the narrative to choose as the image to use. One convention within many 'Sight And Sound' reviews was to have the title of the film relatively small. However, upon looking at a more widely popular film magazine, such as 'Empire', it was clear that the titles of the review pages were much larger. I preferred this, so I included it within my own magazine product. Having a larger title would grab the reader's attention more effectively and would ensure that they remembered the name of the film. Another convention used within the 'Sight And Sound' magazine was to right about not just the narrative of the film, but also the cinematography and mise-en-scene used throughout. Because of this, upon writing the review of the film, I decided to focus particularly on individual shots and scenes that had an impact on the over-riding theme of drug use. As shown below, a particular quote was embedded into the review. This was used in many different magazine review pages, particularly within 'Sight And Sound'. The quote selected in each of the reviews tended to be one of the most in-depth quotes throughout the review, yet also promoted the film (or had the opposite effect) to the reader. 

My Magazine Review Page:

A magazine review page for a real media product:

It was also necessary to ensure that the content of the magazine review page followed the conventions presented by 'Sight And Sound' magazine. To do this, I ensured that I conduced an extensive amount of research into real media products which focused on magazine review pages. I focused on the review of the short film 'Karma' which was found within an issue of 'Sight And Sound' magazine. It was clear the the information about the short film was given at the very beginning of the review. This information included the director, the release date, the film certificate and the length of the time that the film ran for. I thought that this convention of the real product was effective, so I decided to include it within my own review page. This meant that the reader could easily see the basic information about the film, and that the reader would see what they expected within the review. 

The next convention I explored of the magazine review page was the introductory paragraph. From looking at the very first paragraph of the 'Karma' review, it was clear that it held all of the relevant information that would intrigue the audience. For the real media product, the text included information which generally focused on naming the director and giving the reader some narrative information. I followed this convention upon creating my own review, although I tended to focus more heavily on narrative. 

As shown by the comparison of the two images above, the magazine review page for 'Flight', uses many of the same conventions as real media products. Primarily, the main use as the use of a large image at the top of the review itself. However, the review page also challenged some conventions, as the credits listing (shown on the right hand-side of the image above), was significantly smaller within my own product. This meant that there was a larger amount of space for the review on the page. 

Overall, I am happy with the amount of research which was conducted into real media products. Doing extensive research in my planning and research stages meant that upon producing my own products, I was able to have a wide range of knowledge into the media industry available. This meant that I could choose within each area what conventions of the product I could utilise or challenge to my own advantage. I feel that this allowed a greater effect to be produced from each of the products, either individually or as a trio. 

Evaluation: What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Audience feedback has been a key feature of the development of 'Flight'. It has shaped the way we have created, produced and edited the film and the ancillary products. Throughout the production process my team and I have sought opinions and feedback from a wide range of people through various methods. Audiences were invited to glance a critical eye over our products, giving constructive criticism when necessary which was then taken on-board to improve the film and the surrounding products. Doing so has greatly benefited the film, magazine review page and poster project due to collective opinions which were previously not thought of.


Teacher Feedback
Throughout the course of this project my two mentors have given me their thoughts and ideas about how we could improve our production. The advice was given throughout the whole production, even when we were brainstorming ideas and developing storyboards. Showing the hand-drawn storyboard to my teachers resulted in advice given, some of which we took on board, others we discarded. Upon showing the first draft of the film to my teachers, Mr. Cunningham suggested that we deleted the shot of Sophie walking to the ballet studio as it was unnecessary and had no impact on the narrative. When we looked at the revised footage without the clip, we noticed that it flowed more smoothly and had more of an impact, so the clip remained out of our production. However, other pieces of advice that were given were not followed. An example of this is when Mr. Cunningham suggested that we made the ending of our film more finalised and less ambiguous. However, as a group we decided that we preferred our film with an ambiguous ending. Also, our audience research suggested that ambiguous endings were effective, as it gave them something to ponder on after the film had ended. Due to those reasons, we decided to keep the final sequence of 'Flight' open-ended. Another piece of criticism mentioned by our teachers was that the narrative seemed to be in two segments - one where Sophie is a failing dancer, and the other when she turns to drug use. The drug-taking scene located at the end of our narrative seemed to be separate from the rest of our film. Due to this criticism, we decided to add a flashback sequence where it shows Sophie handling cocaine. This adds a sense of distortion and enigma to the film, yet it also links it effectively. Without this audience feedback it is unlikely that my group and I would have realised that the film did not flow effectively. This shows just how beneficial audience feedback was to the production.

Feedback from our teachers has been impacted the way in which 'Flight' has progressed due to the fact that other opinions and views were given. This allowed myself and my group to decide on important decisions that we faced with a wider range of opinions from audience members. Although not all advice was followed, we still had a larger view on how our film could be changed.

Tumblr Feedback
Tumblr is a social networking site centred around uploading photos and videos to a selection of 'followers' who can follow your progress. As our film and poster fitted nicely into these two categories, I decided to use this website to gain opinions on 'Flight' and its ancillary products. Many of my followers fitted into the target audience of our film - teenagers and young adults - so I felt that it was crucial to gain their opinions on our film. I continuously updated my followers with the progress of 'Flight', which kept them interested with the progress of our film and resulted in the audience giving more relevant opinions. This communication with the audience also meant that later in the production, when I began to ask questions about our film and ancillary products, they would be more likely to engage.

Above is my Tumblr page where I updated my followers with 'Flight's' progress.

Gaining audience feedback on Tumblr was crucial to the success of the production. I communicated with my audience frequently, asking their opinion on certain aspects of our film, poster and magazine review page. Over the course of the production, I gained many different views and opinions on the products, mainly when I asked direct questions to the audience. Many people chose to leave feedback anonymously, which meant that they could truly express how they felt about our film. 

Using Tumblr was beneficial to 'Flight' as it was used when problems rose within our production that we were unsure of how to rectify. An example of this is the use of StopMotion. As a group, we were unsure as to keep the alternative ending which used StopMotion technology or to keep with the style of our original ending. I received many different views and opinions on the matter, some responding positively to the idea, others more critical. I showed my audience the two endings and then asked them which one they preferred. The main opinion which I received was that the use of StopMotion felt out of place in our film, and that perhaps if we used it earlier in the production it would link more effectively. Due to this feedback, we decided not to use the StopMotion ending. I feel that using Tumblr to reach this decision greatly helped our production, as if we did not gain opinions from our audience we may not have created a production which they thought was effective or professional. 

The image above shows some of the feedback which I received on the first draft of 'Flight'. Some of the feedback was positive, whereas others was negative. We took all pieces of feedback on board which greatly helped our production look professional and fit comfortably within the social realist genre. 

Facebook Feedback
Facebook is the largest social networking site on the planet, used primarily by teenagers and young adults. Due to the fact that it is used by such a substantial amount of teenagers and young adults, we decided to update Facebook users with the progress of 'Flight' and it's ancillary products. Facebook allowed text, photos, links and videos to be uploaded, meaning that we could upload our film, poster and magazine review page with ease. In turn, this meant that opinions could be given about every aspect of our film, and that our audience could follow our progress.

Above is a screenshot of me communicating with my target audience.

I began by asking my target audience about the name of our production, as shown above. We gained an overwhelming positive response to the name 'Flight' for our production, with many people saying that it suited the themes which resided within the production. Doing this meant that we were able to decide on a name for our production more quickly, and that our previously halted production could go ahead.

Using Facebook granted a wide range of opinions, as some people had different ideas to others. This widened choice for 'Flight', as it allowed us to see what different members of our target audience wanted. However, this resulted in a large amount of differing opinions on the website, which was difficult to manage and decide upon. Although most of the advice given by our target audience was beneficial, some opinions differed too wildly, resulting in conflicting views and ideas. Despite this, we harnessed the information given to use by our target audience as best as we could, collecting opinions on the first draft of our film to improve it when we reshot certain sequences. Contacting our target audience allowed us to discover problems within our first draft that would have been left un-thought of by myself and my team.

Above is a screenshot of Hannah, our editor, consulting our target audience directly to gain views and opinions which helped the development of our magazine review page. Many people pointed out the strong aspects of the magazine which we kept, to make it appeal to our target audience as effectively as possible. 

Youtube Feedback
The free video hosting website Youtube was where we uploaded all of the footage of our film. Youtube is used by many different film-makers, so we thought it would be beneficial to use to upload our footage onto the site. From Youtube, we could then share it on websites like Facebook and Tumblr with the hit of a button. We mainly used Youtube to host the first and final drafts of our film, the proposed different types of music and sound used, and the experimental footage which we shot. However, although we were only using Youtube to host our footage, we also gained some feedback from Youtube users.

Above is a screenshot of a response on our first draft. The criticism which was received was implemented into our second draft, meaning that the audience feedback here was extremely helpful. It allowed an insight into ideas that we did not previously consider.

Twitter Feedback
My group also used the social networking site 'Twitter' to track the progress of 'Flight'. This allowed for an easy way to track our progress, showing different shots within our film. Twitter was also used to communicate with viewers audience. However, users of Twitter tend to have a wider age grouping than Tumblr and Facebook, meaning that we were not hitting our target audience directly. Due to the change in audience, it meant that we were able to gain differing opinions, views and criticisms to those offered through Facebook and Tumblr. The new feedback was beneficial to our film and ancillary products as it gave us a fresh way to look at our film. An example of this is the flashback sequence. it was suggested to us to use bright colours to show a sense of distortion. We followed this advice and found that it greatly benefited our production. The way in which Twitter can be used makes it easy to communicate with your followers. This meant that as our progress continued, we were able to continuously question our followers and ask for feedback and advice. This was done at each stage of production, whilst creating our short film, poster and magazine review page. The quick responses given meant that we were quickly able to alter any issues that users spotted. A suggestion made on Twitter was that our original logo, whilst it matched our poster, did not fit in with the background of our film. We reviewed the logo on the footage and soon realised that they were correct. Without advice like this we may not have had as a professional-looking film as possible. From reviewing the feedback given on Twitter I have learnt that I need to cast a more critical eye over my products to ensure that they are all professional and convey meaning.

Above is a screenshot of Hannah sharing our film and updating our followers on Twitter. The link given meant that users could click on it and then respond with feedback. From this feedback we learnt of some issues which we quickly corrected.


Above is some feedback which we received on our Twitter site. The advice given to 'add more key information' was implemented to give audiences more of an idea as to what our film was about. Receiving feedback on Twitter like the example given above greatly helped our production.

In conclusion, the feedback which has been given to us has been extremely useful for our production. I am pleased that we decided to use many different websites to communicate with audiences and users as it meant that we got as many opinions on our film and other products as possible. Many scenes and shots within our film have been changed due to the feedback which we received, which was extremely helpful. I ensured that all feedback given was explored effectively, until my team and I made a final decision on how to change our film. The changes which we made include: changing the logo in our second draft, changing the sound so it did not become repetitive, removing the sequence where Sophie is walking to the dance studio, cutting down the nature sequence, choosing not the use the StopMotion sequence, and choosing the alternative ending for our film. Without contacting our audience through these social networking sites, our film and ancillary products would not look as professional as they do now, meaning that they each had a huge impact on our production.

Evaluation: How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

I feel that the ways in which my products link and contrast each other compliment the overall production. It was of the utmost importance that each of the creations portrayed the genre of 'Flight' effectively, so that if the audience saw one of the products individually, they would instantly be able to recognise which genre it belongs to. This meant that I had to give each product it's own unique feel, yet still compliment the overriding themes which the short film dealt with. We firstly created the film itself, and then focused on linking it with the poster and the magazine review page.

 From my research into professional film products it was clear that posters which were created to advertise films effectively portrayed the genre of which they belong to. This allows audiences to immediately make links and connections in regards to the film before they have even had the opportunity to see it. This raises anticipation and gives a more professional-looking film and ancillary products.  This method is clearly shown by the film 'Black Swan' and it's poster, as shown below:

    

The 'Black Swan' poster clearly shows to the audience who the protagonist of the film is, which immediately  allows the audience to connect with them. The poster also holds connotations of drug use - due to the surreal make-up used on the character. The eye make-up in particular emphasises this idea. This makes the audience who view the poster feel slightly uneasy as the character within the poster looks unnatural. All of these themes given are in the film itself. From looking at this production it was clear which route I should follow upon creating my own products.

Upon reviewing our short film 'Flight', it was clear that the colour purple dominated most of the shots. This created a fantasy-like sequence in the centre of our film, which foreshadowed the impending hinted drug use. Due to the connotations that the sequence had, and the fact that it looked visually appealing, I decided that the use of purple should be the key factor which linked all of our products together. This creates a house-style which can be instantly recognised by the consumer, and allows them an insight into what themes 'Flight' deals with. Once I had decided on the linking theme that connects the film and the ancillary products, my group and I then had to choose a key shot from the nature sequence which both looked appealing and portrayed 'Flight' effectively.

From extensive research into conventions of real short films, it is stereotypically the poster which is shown first to audiences.  This meant that it meant that the poster had to be as effective as it could possibly be, as it would be the key feature which would raise interest amongst our audience. The second item that audiences would see would be the magazine review page - to gain a professional insight into the film itself. We ensured that this furthered the interest for our audience. Finally, the viewer would see the short production itself. Now, however, due to the immersion of Web 2.0 this has all changed. The marketing environment has now gone viral. The products can be shown on the internet and on social networking sites such as Facebook at any stage and in any order - meaning that each of the products had to have been as effective as possible. I feel that my products link together strongly enough to do so.

To effectively promote the magazine review page I have decided that it will be placed in 'Sight And Sound' magazine. Sight And Sound gives in-depth analysis of theatrical film releases from all over the UK. The magazine also gives information about film-makers, giving in-depth interviews with those involved. Due to the fact that the magazine focuses on a range of films and is renowned for it's success, I felt it was the perfect magazine to review 'Flight'.

The poster will be displayed not only physically, but also on social networking sites such as Facebook and Vimeo. On these websites there will be a link to the 'Sight and Sound' website where customers can purchase the edition of the magazine within which 'Flight' is reviewed. This will link our products together effectively, and will mean that a large number of people will be able to see all of our products easily.

As mentioned previously in my evaluation, one of the key links which combine my main product and ancillary products effectively is colour. Shown in the images above, the colours of black and purple link  the three items effectively, showing a house-style between the three. There is also the use of silhouettes which is harnessed throughout, adding an element of mystery and enigma to the film and it's products. It shows that the protagonist of the film is female, but other than that little information is given about the character, which will mean that audiences will be intrigued to view her story. The fact that the images in each of the three products are taken from the same scene further strengthens the combination between the film and the ancillary products, as it only gives a small insight into the entire production. The magazine review harnesses the techniques of 'Sight & Sound' well, sticking to the conventions of the magazine. The poster and film also conform to the conventions of each form of media.

However, although the products link well together, I do feel that there is one weakness that does not strengthen the combination of the three, and that is the logo which is used. In each product, the logo differs, as shown by the images below: 

Although each logo works effectively within it's own individual product, they do not collectively give a linking theme. To make the film and ancillary products more effective I would consider changing these logos and selecting one to strengthen the already established links between the three items. 

In conclusion, I am pleased with the ways in which my film and ancillary products combine together, despite the differing logos. I feel that they could be effectively shown individually and be effective at portraying the tone and genre of the film to the audience, yet combined they work even better. The colouring used effectively weaves the three items together, which shows to the audience a sense of professionalism which surrounds the production. I am also pleased with the way in which only one scene is visually shown in the poster and magazine review page, as this will entice audiences to watch the short film.

Evaulation: How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

   
 

Please click above to begin. Then use the right arrow on the presentation above to  progress.

Final Magazine Product with feedback

Below is the final magazine review page for 'Flight'. 

Overall, I am pleased with how the review page for 'Flight' ended up. It looks professional, yet also provides all of the information necessary for the reader. This means that it would fit perfectly within the 'Sight and Sound' magazine.


I decided to update my Tumblr followers with the final product of 'Flight' - the magazine review page. I did this as my followers have been tracking my progress since the beginning of the production, so I felt that they could offer the best insight into the product which I produced and give any ways in which it could be improved to enhance the overall effect. Below is a screen shot of me updating my followers with the final magazine review page and asking them for their thoughts and opinions on the product.

Below are some of the responses I received in regards to the review page for 'Flight':

As you can see from the feedback shown above, the review page gained an overwhelming positive response. No feedback was given, showing that my followers on Tumblr thought that the review page was effective. I am pleased with the response that I received from my followers, as it shows that they find that it was a professional looking ancillary product. One of my worries about the magazine review page was that perhaps it was too focused on text, yet the responses given do not seem to focus on this matter. This shows that the magazine review page worked well, and that it was both informative and visually appealing. However, due to the fact that the review page is being in 'Sight And Sound' magazine, it may be that the responses given were not received by readers of the magazine. This may mean that a difference in opinion may arise upon publication of the review, and that film critics and academics may not agree with the responses given.

Final 'Flight'

Above is the final draft of 'Flight'. 

Second Draft of 'Flight'

Above is the final draft of my short film 'Flight'. I uploaded this draft, as I did with the others, onto the video-sharing site Youtube. This allowed me to gain any feedback or insights into the film itself. Overall, I am pleased with how the film turned out. This is because the shots, mise-en-scene, sound and editing used throughout are effective and compliment each other well. All of the feedback which has been given to me over the course of production has been greatly beneficial to the film itself, as it meant that viewers were able to communicate with me effectively.

Below are some comments which have been given to me by my peers about the final draft of 'Flight'.

• Abi Jones: "I really loved the final ever draft of your film. I think that it has progressed really well since when you first started, and it's good to see it all come together. I really like the sound used, as it matches the visuals on screen well."
• Alex Cowan: "The shots within the film look really nice, and I particularly like the colours in the nature scene. The purple sky reflected in the water was one of my favourite bits of the whole thing. I haven't even got any improvements to give you - sorry!"
• Edward Stow: "Wow, I'm really impressed with 'Flight'. It looks very effective, and throughout watching the short film I was glued! I really wanted to know what happened to Sophie and I really loved how you left the ending ambiguous. This meant that I was wondering what happened to the girl within the film after I had watched it."

I then shared my film on Tumblr to gain some responses as to what they thought of the final version of my film. This seemed like an appropriate choice of website as I have been continuously updating my followers with the progress of my film. The responses received can be found below:

As you can see from the image above, I received a high amount of praise for my short film through the social networking site Tumblr. Most of the feedback received was positive, pointing out the stronger aspects of the film such as the colouring and sound. However, one criticism was received, saying that some of the shots lasted for a higher duration of time than necessary. I disagree with this comment, as I feel that the shots are the appropriate length of time to show the themes within the short film.

My tutor noted some issues with the sound of the film. Some of these included that the beginning sequence had a long silence of around 40 seconds, and that the sound needed to be more original. Because of this, we decided to bear this in mind upon creating my third and final draft of the film.