Initial sketch for my poster

storyboard for film

My article (please click on link or copy and paste into search bar)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/28760216/Pre-Lash-Screen-Shots

Text for article...

The world of cycling is a funny one. It’s run by middle-aged men with high blood pressure gambling on the success of future protégées. To become a successful cyclist you have to be willing to make sacrifices and give away a part of yourself. In the depths of winter, Wiltshire becomes virtually uninhabited. Everyone hides from the cold outside and huddles by the fire. Jack however has no time for an easy Sunday morning lie in. His routine begins early and by that I mean really early. For him the alarm sounds at 5am. He has just enough time to wolf down his cereal before he hops on the bike to battle against the elements. His coach has warned him of the consequences of failure. He has no time for that. In the end he has had do the inevitable. He is isolated by his friends. The clash of their lifestyles means they fall apart. This film explores the rift in youth culture. It is about the minority who want to succeed and the majority who fail and are in search of escapism.

The real success of this film is the narrative which dissolves you into Jack's world. Director Tom Bridge has successfully reworked the ending of the film to incorporate a dramatic twist. A real success to this film is some excellent cinematography. The opening establishing shots are simply breathtaking with some lovely shots of wiltshire countryside at dawn. Parts of the film are shot in black and white too which brings out great definition and picture quality. Black and white is also, according to Bridge, used to help the audience differentiate between the two separate worlds but this isn't especially clear because a lot of it is shot at night. However the film's unique selling point surely has to be credited to some spectacular editing. The transitions are silky smooth and complement the rhythm of the music, which feels well suited to the film. The famous song “Sinnerman” by the legendary Nina Simone is used in the final sequence and gives it meaning as well as maintaining the fluidity.

Despite the positive aspects of the film does have its downfalls. The film appears under developed and there is to little exploration of the characters. The fast pace of the film allows little time for insight into Jack's profile which is an essential component for any film. Nevertheless its downfall is the reason for its success. It will certainly appeal to those of us with a short attention span and love to be kept on our toes. The film is literally action! Action! Action! Even the pleasant establishing shots at the start feel a little hasty which contributes to the fast pace of the film.

In a recent interview Bridge told Box Office about how his childhood fascination with cycling inspired many aspects of the filming. “I clearly remember going to see the tour de France as if it was yesterday. It was an unforgettable experience and at that point I truly appreciated what it takes to become an athlete. The amount of motivation and energy those men have is mind boggling. I really wanted to capture that aspect in my film”. In essence this film does exactly that. Having said that this film isn't just for die hard sports fans. In fact it appeals to a broader audience, one that appreciates good narrative and stunning cinematography all captured in a pacy five minutes.

Evaluation part 2

2. How effective is the combination of my main product and ancillary texts?

In my film I have tried to capture this idea of youth identity. The narrative itself is dramatic and has a powerful twist at the end. I aimed to grip my audience by incorporating great sound, editing and composition into my film. Initially I carried out research into short films to get a grasp of the forms and conventions. One of the most useful films I found was a Nike advert based around cycling legend Lance Armstrong. The use of panning across beautiful countryside scenes really inspired the beginning of my own film. I felt that it was successful in gradually building pace across the film. Another feature that really worked well was the use of close ups focusing in on his face and legs. It emphasised how hard he was pushing himself. That was an aspect I also wanted to capture in my film. Another really powerful scene in the film was a still shot of Armstrong cycling towards the camera. You get a sense of speed and helps maintain the pace of the sequence.

I also had to gain an understanding of the forms and conventions of short films. The lack of time obviously means there is little time for character development. In fact my main character doesn't even speak. However I feel that helps the audience develop their own ideas about character and their personality. The fact that my film is an action drama means that I have to maintain the pace and create the suspense throughout. To do this I used fast paced electronic music in the opening sequence. In the final sequence I also use another upbeat, high tempo soul tract by Nina Simone. I drew inspiration for the use of the song from the climax of the film “The Thomas Crown affair” a famous crime thriller. Thomas Crown, played by Pierce Brosnan is on the run from the police after stealing a valuable painting. The music works well with the high tempo. I wanted to incorporate the “thriller” element into my own film. The lyrics too are semantically linked to the action and the feeling I want to get across to the audience.

The use of black and white in my film is also based on my research into film technique. Levi Strausse' theory of binary opposites suggests that in all media texts there are conflicts between opposites such a good and bad or happy and sad. The use of black and white in my film makes the distinction between the two worlds of the characters. The black and white connotes images of evil and mystery. I use black and white for scenes involving the drunken group of lads. I did this to create a sense of suspicion and mystery around the group. In contrast I use full colour in all scenes involving Jack. This is to provide the opposite representation. I also made the decision to base some of my characters in accordance to Propp's character theory. Jack is the hero, Tony, the coach, is his donor and the rest of the characters play the role of villains.

As mentioned my target audience is 16-26 year olds. With this in mind I made attempts to make my article to appeal to them specifically. Colour scheme therefore was the first important issue to be addressed. I wanted it to be bright bold and enticing which left me choosing a light green and white background which I felt would be particularly attractive to my audience. I then chose a purple and white colour scheme for headings, captions and page numbers. The colours worked well with one another and help the key words stand out. For the headings I used “serpentineDBol” font which is quite a funky youthful font. Although the font wouldn't necessarily be noticed by the reader it adds to the vibrant feel of the page. I really tried to focus too on the composition of the images on the page.

The images also play a massive role in grabbing the reader's attention. I have three images of me in action as director. I have positioned these images in the top right of the page roughly shaped in a semi-circle. The top image is a shot of me pointing across the photo. I have deliberately positioned the image there to draw the reader, via my arm, to the centre of the page and the callout. The bottom image was taken on the diagonal and also helps draw the reader's attention to the centre of the page. Another feature I incorporated was a reference to the website at the bottom. This gives readers the chance to get more involved in the interactive aspect of the magazine where they would be able to access further reviews, opinions and further information on the film. From a business perspective this would also provide the magazine to make greater revenue. If a film magazine can attract more visitors to their website then they can generate greater revenue from advertising.

Like my article I tried to apply the same approach to my poster but I went about it differently. I wanted to use an image that would really stick in the reader's mind. I really wanted to make the audience capture two key elements of the film; the drink and the cycling. The image itself was taken at a low angle with the empty vodka bottle, sick and helmet in the foreground and the bike in the background. I edited the image using iPhoto to create more contrast and reduce the saturation. My reason for doing this was to make the image much darker and generate more negative connotations. Increasing the contrast also makes the wording stand out much more clearly. I particularly wanted to focus the reader's attention on the vodka bottle which has deliberately been positioned directly in the centre of the page. I also want them to focus on the helmet which stands out mostly because it is such a bold bright colour in comparison to the rest of the image. The purpose of the poster is to leave the reader questioning the connection between the drink and the cycling. I want this to spark an interest in the film and a desire to find out what the link is between the two.

The text also plays a key role in raising this question. My subtitle reads “Focus on the road ahead”. This has double meaning, which becomes clear for those who see the film, and is designed to leave the reader thinking “what does that mean?” I want to leave the reader with a sense of mystery and give them enough ambition to see it. In order to make the text hand out I have used a very dtrong colour scheme of yellow text and black background. This also flows with the contrasting colours in the poster used to represent good and bad. Jack and his cycling as the good and the lads and the drink as the bad. For the title I have decided to use a graffiti style font. My decision for this is because I feel it connotes youth culture, dark alley ways and underage drinking. It is a subtle message that adds to the image I am trying to create in the poster.

Evaluation of short film, article and poster

The completed film; "Pre-Lash"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkdLwU3NjLo

Please click link to see wide screen version of film.

Forms and conventions of Film review pages

A couple of key terms...

BLEED- where the image covers two pages. Normally positioned centrally to catch the reader's attention.

CALLOUT- text lifted from the article and then enlarged to grab attention. It usually attempts to hook the reader in to reading the article.

In "EMPIRE" magazine many of the pages contain references to their website to encourage readers to visit. "EMPIRE" has a lot of interactivity which means greater profits from advertising.

-Opposite colours are used to make headings to stand out. For instance black and orange is regularly used throughout the magazine. Neutral, white, background also helps the colours stand out.

-Bordering adds a more professional look to the page and makes it appear neat and tidy.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/28448634/PRE-LASH

http://www.scribd.com/doc/28448634/PRE-LASH

please copy and paste the link to see my poster...

Questionnaire Results...

I gave my questionnaire to people in my media class. The reason for this is because they will have a more developed opinion and understanding of the forms and conventions of short films. In total I gave my Questionnaire to 12 media students. Another reason I chose this group is because they represent my target audience of 16-26 year olds. My reasons for choosing this target audience is that they will be mature enough to handle the concepts in the film such as underage drinking. It also revolves around characters of a similar age to them so they will be better able to relate to them.

The results:

-The majority thought the music worked really well with the film. One participant wrote "I feel the music really fits well with the pace of the film". Many participants felt that the song "Sinnerman" helped develop a sense of fear and anticipation at the end. The lyrics too added particular meaning to the plot.

-Many participants felt the connection between the main characters wan't clear. One participant wrote "The sound bridge, in which the lines of action changed, didn't effectively make the link between Jack and the group clear". Others mentioned that the connection between the two was confusing. I needed to establish the link better.

-The use of black and white in the film was highly praised by the participants. They felt it helped separate the two lines of action and made the two distinguishable. However they didn't understand its purpose to separate the two opposites; good and bad.

-Many thought the montage sequence was too long. One participant wrote " more time could be spent focusing on the characters."However the majority agreed that the sequence was successful in grabbing their attention and maintaining the fast pace of the film.

-The establishing shots at the beginning were thought to be too short. One participant said "They seemed to quick. I wanted to enjoy the scenes but they just flashed by". However I believe the pace of the sequence reflects the urgency of the film. It also represents Jack's eagerness to get on the bike and train.

The crash sequence at the end was appreciated by my participants. The majority felt that the sequence left them feeling disorientated and made the ending more of a surprise. They felt that the pace of the sequence and the music kept them gripped and left them eager to watch more. One participant said "the music worked really well! I thought the pace was just right too. Really well done!"

Poster development

This is my original image for the photo. Obviously it needs a bit of retouching but I think it has the right effect. Th low angle gives an interesting perspective. The words also jump out at you. From this poster I want my audience to establish the connection between the bike and the drink.

Post viewing audience questionnaire

I would be grateful for your participation in this questionnaire. I would like to gauge your personal experience of the film. What bits worked well and what didn’t. Please write or circle your answers.

 

 

What are your thoughts on the use of music, both in the montage sequence at the beginning and the crash sequence at the end. Do you think the music was appropriate?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was the relationship between the main character (the cyclist) and the group of lads made clear? Could you suggest another way in which the relationship could be made clearer?

 

 

 

 

 

Do you think the use of black and white has the right effect? Did you understand that it was used to differentiate between the two separate story lines?

 

 

 

 

 

What did you think about the length of the montage sequence? Do you think it was too long? Please explain your answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the opening sequence did you feel the establishing shots were too short? Please explain your answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the opening sequence, in which Jack prepares for his bike ride, did you feel that you had a clear understanding of what was happening?

 

 

 

 

 

Did you feel the ending worked well? Did the crash sequence work well or did it leave you feeling confused?

 

 

 

 

(analysis) EMPIRE, Avatar review

Initial ideas collage for film poster

This a collage for my initial ideas for my film poster. The idea is to portray the darker elements of the film and generate a sense of fear to attract my target audience. I hope to have the main character stood up against his bike surrounded by his mates. I intend to have his friends surrounding him faded out, almost ghost like drinking beer and laughing.

(analysis) "Forrest Gump"film poster

Although this film is a very different genre to my own film I think this poster is very successful and I can adopt some of the ideas from it. It is very simple. The audience are left asking various questions. For instance, why has he got his suitcase with him? His posture makes him appear uncertain and leaves us questioning what events have lead him there. The subtleties in this poster really capture Hank's character perfectly. The use of shadow emphasises his lonilness. He looks almost abandoned. This is particularly what I want to try and capture in my poster; the isolation of Jack,the cyclist, who is moving further away from his friends.

(analysis) " ShawshankRedemption" film poster.

This poster is extremely effective for several key reasons. The iconography is particularly impressive. There is a lot juxta position used in this poster. For example the use of light and dark shades. It clearly relates to the sub-heading. For example the first line reads "Fear can hold you prisoner". This relates to the use of the darker shades in the poster. The rain anchors this and represents sadness. The subject's body position has connotations of desperation, exhaustion and possibly hope. The subject's upper half is covered by orangey light. In contrast this links to the second line in the sub-heading "Hope can set you free". The poster success is the fact that it leads to intrigue. The audience wants to know what is happening to the man in the image, why is holding that pose and what circumstance is he in? The use of light and dark also hints that the film is exploring the highs and low points of life and of this character in particular.

(analysis) The use of black and white

When the group of lads are brought into the film I use black and white in all the scenes they are in. This is to create a sense of suspicion around the group and makes the audience question why they are portrayed in this way. The use of black and white also connotes good and bad. There is a conflict between the fact that the lads are just trying to have a good time but they are also doing something extremely dangerous by drink driving.

(key decisions) Change to film title

I have decide to change the name of my film from "Velo" to "Pre Lash". The reason for this is that I feel it appeals better to my target audience and is more catchy. Pre Lash describes when a group drink heavily before going out to a party or event etc. It has connotations which suit the film perfectly. It has connotations of rebellion and of drinking to excess. It also suggests a sense of danger and tragedy. This perfectly captures the essence of the film.

(key decisions) The new scene 3.. Drinking and driving

late at night with the glow of street lights. Two pieces of action are happening at the same time with the soundtrack of Sinnerman by Nina Simone.

-Opens with a wide angled shot of a car flashing by the screen. Cut to wide angled shot of cyclist coming towards the screen. Slightly darker at night.

-Cut back to car turning corner and accelerating. Lighting is limited so the car can only be seen by the headlights. The orangey glow of the streetlights fill the background.

-jump cut to Jack slowly moving up to the camera on the bike and is overtaken by a car. Loud road noise.

-Cut to tracking shot of the lad's car on deserted side road. Only headlights can be seen and there is a flash of the rear brake lights.

-Jump cut to high angle on board shot of the cyclist pedalling and pans up to the handlebars. Close up of the wheels spinning round.

-Cut to give way sign. Jump cut to rear indicator flashing.

-Cut to close up shot of Josh driving the car and slamming the brakes. Extreme close up of the speedometer. Non diegetic music fades temporarily.

-cut to Black screen with the sound of screeching brakes and crash sound.

-cut to jack's unconcious body. He is thought to be dead.

The new scene 2... "drunk and dangerous"

Scene 2 (“drunk and dangerous”)

The scene starts with a discussion between a group of teenagers, who are all friends with the cyclist. It is all filmed in black and white to intensify the feel that what they are up to is wrong. Black and white has connotations of good and bad. The whole scene is aimed to capture the youth drinking culture and a life of excess

 

-At first there is a sound bridge in which one of the teenagers says: “Where is Jack tonight?” Another member of the group replies by saying “oh yeh he said he’s off cycling again tonight. He’s turned into such a loser, he barely comes out any more.”

The first teenager says “anyway, screw him, lets get back to the game!”

 

-black screen then opens to a head and shoulder shot to the group drinking and playing cards. As the game continues there are panning shots across the group. There is particular focus on the driver (Josh) . As the game continues he ends up losing the game and as a result has to drink the heavy cocktail of alcohol, mainly vodka. In this sequence there are lots of close ups as the alcohol intake increases. One of the group (Luke) says to Josh (the driver) “I’ll hope you’ll be alright driving?”.

 

- final shot involves a close up of the other three downing their beer. There is then a close up of Josh picking up the car keys. The camera then zooms out as the four of them leave the room single file ready for a night out.