Magazine Article - Design Research

Reffering to a past comment on one of the posts about the research towards a magazine article, this update post will be just going over the little structure points that are used in magazine.

This Website shows us on how we could generally layout our magazine article to give a proffesoinal standard compared to what our general idea would have been.

The website runs the user through a step by step guide allowing us to gain an easy understanding of how we could produce our magazine article via digital technology instead of by hand.

Storyboard - Rough Idea

Afetr a few days of planning a rough idea for the Short film, the group has a got a rough Storyboard of what is going to be filming.

Magazine Article

http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/article-11177-daniel-craig-returns-for-another-go-as-bond.html
This link is to a film article about 'Daniel Craig returns for another go as Bond', which talks about the latest Bond film 'Skyfall'. The way that this article starts is that it starts asking some rhetorical questions, so that the reader can see what the answer is going to be, if the reader reads on. So by doing this it tries to influence the reader to see what the article has to say about these questions. This article also goes to speak on about the last Bond film and how that film was and if there is any problems with that film. This article also talks about the actors, actresses, producers and the directors of this new Bond film and if there are any link between the two about the actors, actresses, producers and the directors. This article also talks about the plot of the film and some major parts of the film, it also talks about when the film is going to be released.

Ideas

VGHS (Video Game High School) Ideas

This short film is called VGHS (Video Game High School), which is the first episode of the nine episodes, which all roughly last about 14mins. The plot of VGHS is about a amateur gamer who's name is called Brian D, which he just loves playing the game 'Field Of Fire'. One day in a clan match the number one gamer called the 'Law' hacks into the clan match and just shows off to the world. While the 'Law' is killing everyone, Brian D becomes AFK (Away From Keyboard) and so the 'Law' tries to do a show kill to his fans but just in time Brain D comes back and then kills the 'Law', because this kill was televised Brian D gets invited to VGHS (Video Game High School). In VGHS Brian D tries to get to the highest level of the gaming world, while along the way he develops a crush and meets new friends. With this VGHS video clip there are a number of ideas that I have taken to create our short film. The first idea is that in the episode one of VGHS they are just playing a video game, which for our initial idea the players were going to cloned to get respawned into the game, whereas after I saw this video clip I know feel it is better for the players just to be playing the game. The second idea is that in the episode one of VGHS they didn't focus on just the game, whereas they also focused on the person playing the game, which for our initial idea we was just going to focus on the game and not ever see the people playing the game.

Research Film Poster

The Condemned

This feature film poster is about ten prisoners who will fight to the death and have only one prisoner left, which that prisoner will be set free and given a cash reward. While all of this is happening the world can pay to watch the prisoners fight to the death. All of the colours that are used in this feature film poster, are all near enough the same, which are white; grey; black and brown. The reason for the black, brown and green is because these colours are mainly found outside in the woods. So this tells the audience that the prisoners are going to take their last stand in the woods. The lighting that is used in this feature film poster is called back light. Back lightening is where it separates objects or characters from the background, to make them stand out from the feature film poster. In this feature film poster all of the characters are standing in one line, with the most important characters more to the front. The back lightening makes the main character stand out even more, from the rest of the characters. The layout of this feature film poster is that the characters are in-between the main text of the feature film poster. So when the audience read the top text of the poster, they will have to scroll down from the top to the bottom to see the title of the film. The character's costumes suit where they are, which is in the woods, but probably the most important reason why they are wearing those clothes is because they are prisoners. Another way that can be told that they are prisoners is that one of the characters is wearing shackles around her wrists. The main character that is in front of the other prisoners is holding two weapons, which shows that this film is mainly about fighting. Another reason is that it makes the main character more leading and powerful, then all of the other characters. The title of the feature film poster is all in capital letters, which makes the title, stand out. The colour of the title is a musty white, which could mean that the white is representing human beings and the dirt around the title, could represent that all prisoners have a dirty history. The target audience for this feature film is both male and female aged between 18 - 35 years old. The target audience is also people that enjoy action and adventure films.

Death Race

This feature film poster is about 20 prisoners half male and the other half female prisoners, where the male prisoners drive their way to victory, while the female prisoners assist their victory. The prisoners get their freedom only if they win three races in a row, but each car gets their own set of weapons and defences to try a secure their victory. While all of this is happening the world can pay to watch the prisoner's race to their death. All of the colours that are used in this feature film poster are all near enough the same, which are silver; red and black. The reason for the colour of silver is because the whole film is based around cars and cars are made from steel, so the poster is getting a metal look. The reason for the colour black is that it shows that death is upon them, as the main colour of death is black. The reason for the colour red is because it shows that the main character is linked to the car, so the main character feels at home with the car. On both of the characters in the poster, you can tell that side lightening is being used in this poster. Side lightening is used to light up a object or character of its side, in order to create volume or sometimes used as a fill light. By using the side lightening it shows that both the characters in the poster have got a good side and also a bad side to them. The layout of this feature film poster is that the characters are standing right next to the titles of the film, so anybody that notices the characters they will also capture the title of the film as well. The character's appearance of this feature film poster is that the two main characters are visibly seen to the audience, while the main car is the leader of the pack and the rest of the characters are behind them. The clothes of the two characters are simple but also show a deadly side to their racing style. The title of the feature film poster is that it is all in capital letters, which makes the title stand out from the rest of the poster. The colour of the title is a type of a rusty, bloody silver type colour. The reason for the rusty part is because it is based on driving, so if the title is rusting away so will be the cars as well. The reason for the bloody part is because the title is called death race, so the prisoners have got to kill to survive. The target audience for this feature film is both male and female, but probably more towards the male side as it is mostly about cars and the age range will be 15 - 35 years old.

Research Animation Software

In our short film, we are looking at using one of these programs, which will help us to achieve the animation look for when the main character gets placed into the game. As SFM (Source Film Maker) is alot easier to learn and it already has default maps for us, then SFM for us will propbaly be best for us.

SFM (Source Film Maker)

• Sound - Import sound, edit sound
• Puppertering
• Camera movements
• Import models
• Import maps
• Editing
• Manipulating
• Time selection
• Curves
• Facial animation
• Lighting
• Recording

UDK (Unreal Development Kit)

• Mapping - Phyics, Lighting, Terrian, Effects, Materials
• Fractured Staticmeshes
• Lightmass
• Setting up a Softbody

Research - Methods, Generic Converntions, Institutional Context and target Audience

Short Films

Methods

There are a number of methods of creating a short film. The first method is that you must have a story worth telling, which is the most basic method in creating a short film or any film. The second method is that you must get all clearances before you start shooting. The clearances could involve actors, locations or props, so by getting all of these cleared before shooting will keep you on time for your short film. Another method is that you should fix all of the problems that you have now, but not in post-production. The reason for this is because while you are in production you still will all have the actors, locations and also the props.

 

Generic Conventions

• Characters - Most short films tend to stick to two or three main characters. The reason for this is because short films don't have enough time to create a detailed back story about all characters. So by just having two or three main characters, you can use the time explaining the story of your short film.
• Twist - Most short films contain a twist in the story. The reason for this is because short films are short, so that they've got to make the story more interesting to their audiences.
• Budget - Nearly all short films keep their budget down. The way that they do this is by sticking to one or two locations, which could cost them money. Another way that they keep their budget down is by having actors that will do it for free or having very minimum actors.
• Situation - Most short films take an everyday situation that most people can relate to and then flip it on its head. The reason why they do this is because the audience will be more interested into the short film that they could relate to.
• Todorov - The Todorov theory of equilibrium is typically applied to most short films. The Todorov theory is that nearly every story in a film 'starts off normal'; 'something bad happens'; 'then goes back to normal'.

 

 

Research - Methods, Generic Converntions, Institutional Context

Target audience

There are two groups of people who are the target audience for most short films. The first group of people are students, who are seeking a future in the film industry. The second group of people are already successful in the film industry and is locating for another successful director, producer, writer, actor etc.

Demographics - These industry professionals and investors may be looking at the short films to find potential for a future director, producer, writer or actor etc; to work for them for their particular company. The student sector of the audience would be viewing the films for inspiration for their own work as a amateur film maker. Most of these short films would be viewed online, so both groups of audiences won't have to go and see these short films and the festivals. The way that this is good is because a short film could get loads of hits on 'You Tube', which would get loads of attention from students, industry professionals or investors.

Research - Methods, Generic Converntions, Institutional Context and target Audience

Institutional context

Reasons why short films have increased

·Digital Equipment is simple and easy to use, which makes it easier for amateur filmmakers without knowing much about the equipment. Digital Equipment has also got smaller, which makes the equipment more portable, so that you can just carry the equipment in a bag.

·Music festivals have allowed amateur filmmakers to show their short film, which then created mini-film festivals. There are now a lot of dedicated short film festivals e.g. 'Future Shorts' and 'London Short Film Festival'.

·Some cinemas now screen digital short films before the main film e.g. 'Virgin Shorts'.

·Money from the UK film council enabled the Digital Screen Programme, which gave cinemas Digital Screens for free, if they use one entire screen to show short films.

Why would people want to make short film?

·Technology has offered the potential for amateur filmmakers to be more creative with their short films. This allows for short films to look more like a main feature film on the graphics side of the film.

·Technology has become cheaper, which allows for amateur filmmakers to buy equipment at a lower price and still have a really low budget.

·It is easier for amateur filmmakers to show their short films because technology has got easier, also film festivals show a lot more of short films.

How can you promote a short film?

·Viral advertising, which could include social networking sites; websites advertisement; blog or 'You Tube'.

·Word of mouth

·Poster or leaflets

·local newspaper

·local radio

Auteur Theory – Freddie Wong

Auteur Theory – Freddie Wong

Freddie Wong was born on September 13 1985, he’s now aged 27/28. His occupations currently are Filmmaker, Musician, VFX technician and a competitive gamer. He maintains two YouTube channels “Freddiew” and “freddiew2”, He is also the older brother of a younger YouTuber known as Jimmy Wong.

Freddie graduated from lakeside school then attended and graduated from the University of southern California school of cinematic arts, to where he then went on to manage and own Overcrank Media, a media production company specializing in feature film and online video content. Freddie met his future collaborator Brandon Laatsch in college, which then went on to working and collaborating with bigger companies known in Hollywood.

Freddie has some outstanding accomplishments in his career already, before he was a well known Film maker he competed in Guitar hero championships for his living with his band and taking first place in World Series of Video Games in Dallas 2007. He maintains two YouTube channels his main one has over 735 million video views and 3.7 million channel subscribers and his second channel with 129 million video views and over 1 million subscribers. He’s also attracted the attention of mainstream YouTube people such as Ray William Johnson the most watched person on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/freddiew