Evaluation Task 7 - Looking back on your preliminary task (the continuity editing task), what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Since filming my preliminary task I have learnt a lot about filming and editing. During my preliminary task I learnt about the 180 degree rule and shot reverse shot. These are both used when two characters are having a conversation. It is important to consider both of these things when filming two people having a conversation so that it flows nicely and makes sense when editing the footage. Using the 180 degree rule means that the audience can follow the conversation easily. If the 180 degree rule was not used it would be not be easy for the audience to follow the conversation and it would look backwards. The use of a shot reverse shot allows the audience to see the faces of the characters that are talking and follow what the characters are saying. Also, while filming me preliminary task I learnt what math on action is. This shot would be used when a character is walking through a door. One side of the door is filmed and then the other side so that when editing together it flows nicely and the audience can get the idea of what is happening and the footage makes sense. Additionally, while editing my preliminary task I learnt how important it is to get enough footage. We did not get enough footage when filming therefore, when it came to editing it was a lot harder to edit it fluently. The match on action shot that we tried to film was very jumpy and cuts from one side of the door to the other, and doesn't flow nicely like it should. Although I practised filming these shots in my preliminary task I didn't use any of them in my final film. However, while filming my final film I did come to realise how important framing was. I made sure that there were specific things in frame to enhance the genre of my film and cropped or moved other things out the frame. Also, during the editing of my final film I learnt how important the use of intertites are. They give a feel for the sort of film it is going to be and I didn't realise this until I looked into in and tried different styles and colours of font in the editing process. 

Evaluation Task 6 - What have you learnt about the technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Evaluation Task 5 - How did you attract/address your audience?

Evaluation Task 4 - Who would be the audience for your media product?

My typical audience member would be a girl or women between the ages of 15 and 24. They would like to spend a lot of time hanging out with friends either going shopping or having sleep overs. They would shop in high street stores such as Primark, H&M and Topshop. Music would be a big part of my typical audience members life. They would often be listening to music whether that be through headphones, live or at parties they are attending. They may even play an instrument themselves. They would listen to a lot of love songs. They would love artists such as Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. A large part of my typical audience members evenings would be spent watching TV, more specifically soap operas. Their favourite soap operas to watch would be Eastenders and Coronation Street. They may also like American TV shows such as Gossip Girl and 90210. When they wish to view a more entertaining programme they may turn to streaming sites such as Netflix. In situations such as sleep overs they may choose to watch other romantic comedies or romantic dramas much like the one that I have produced.

Why would they watch mine?

They would watch my film because they want to escape form their mundane life. My film is light hearted and is easy to watch. It doesn't involve a lot of thinking and is something that can we watched at all times. They may also watch it because they are lonely and want to feel like real love is possible. They would be a hopeless romantic so wouldn't be able to help themselves when it came to watching romantic films. They may have also been through a heartbreak themselves so films like mine will draw them in and make them believe that 'the nice guy' can still exist and is real or that they can help to change a man to be a specific way. They would also watch my film because it make them feel like anything is possible.

Evaluation Task 3 - What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

A production company is an organisation which produces films, plays, television or radio programmes. The production company I have chosen to produce my film is Screen Gems. Screen Gems is an American Production company and a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group. I chose them to be the production company for my film as they have made other films that are similar to mine. They have made romantic drama films such as Dear John and The Vow, along with other romantic comedies such as Friends With Benefits, Think Like a Man and The Wedding Ringer. I therefore thought this was a relevant production company for my film as I analysed some of those films in the research and planning part of my coursework.

A distributor is the company that is engaged in the general distribution or marketing of the film. The company that might distribute a film like mine is Columbia Pictures. Columbia is a film production and distribution studio of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In 1968 Screen Gems merged with Columbia Pictures, which means they are vertically integrated as a production company and distribution company.

The money for a film like mine would have come from the production company. This funding would be vital to make sure that it was the best possible production that it could be. Without the funding for a film it would be near impossible to produce the film at all.

Various people are mentioned in the opening titles of films. This is normally kicked off with the name of the production company. It is then followed by other names such as the director, who produced the music and the people that designed the costumes. They are all mentioned in the titles to give the a special recognition for all of the work that they have put into making the film. I have reflected this in my own film by analysing opening two minutes of films, analysing the titles and using these as a structure when producing my own film.

Evaluation Activity 2 - How does your media product represent a particular social group?

Freddie Prinze Jr is an actor who plays Zack Siler in She's all that. She's all that is a romantic film that has some similarities and differences to the film that I produced. The character Zack also has similarities and differences to the male character in my film. One similarity that they have is that they are both men that have to fight to get back the women they have lost due to them acting like a douche. Zack makes a bet that he can get any girl at school but ends up catching real feelings for the girl that gets chosen. After finding out about the bet she wants nothing to do with him. He then has to make an effort to get the girl back. That is similar to the husband in my film. In the full narrative to my film the husband loses his wife and child due to the fact that he his more interested in work and the other things going on in his life, not his family. Zack and the husband in my film are also similar as they are both very important. Zack is the most popular guy in high school. He is seen as an important guy as he is captain of the school football team and is the front runner for prom king. The husband in my film is important as he is high up in his job and is respected by all of his colleagues. Additionally, Zack and the husband in my film are similar as they both realise that the people that they thought were their friends are not and used them. The husband in my film realises this when he meets Homeless Jack. After getting no help from his 'friends' to help him in the situation. It's only when the husband in my film meets Homeless Jack that he realises that they were using him. This is much like Zack. Zack realises that the people he thought were his friends aren't his real friends when one of them tells the girl he likes about the bet, so that she wouldn't like Zack, and he could then take her to the prom as his date. Furthermore, neither of the female characters are interested in the male characters popularity. Laney is not interested in Zack's popularity at all and couldn't care less that he was the front runner for prom king. She just wants someone to like her for who she is. This is much like the female character in my film. She doesn't care that her husband goes to work and makes lots of money. None of that means anything to her as her husband is not there when her and her daughter need him the most. Lastly, both Zack and the husband in my film are similar as they are both willing to give up everything to get the girl that the love back. The husband in my film is willing to quit his job and make a completely new start with his wife. This is similar to Zack who after winning the title of prom king is willing to sacrifice this when he runs out and to Laney's house to get her back.

However, the husband in my films and Zack do have some differences. Zack only gets with the girl at first because it was a bet and not because he truly loves her. This is different from the husband in my film who aaas already with the wife but managed to ruin their relationship with his own mistakes. Another difference between Zack and the husband in my film is that there is another love interest for Zack, but my husband is only ever interested in the wife and no one else. Zack has love interest from his ex girlfriend Taylor. If he isn't morning over them breaking up, she is trying to win him back so they can go to prom together. This is in contrast to the husband to my film who has only ever had an interest in the wife. He just didn't have his priorities sorted so that he gave his family the time they deserve. As well as this Zack and the Husband in my film are different as Zack is in high school and the husband in my film is older. Zack being in high school means that the consequences of his actions aren't that serious. The most that is going to happen is that he will end up without either girl and then has to find a completely new girl, or try and win back Taylor or Laney. This is very different form the husband in my film. He has everything to loose when he is making the decision of what to do now. His jobs is in jeopardy as well as his relationships with his wife and daughter.

Evaluation Task 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real medis products? (i.e. of film openings)

Title of film
The title of the film is typical to romantic drama films. The title of the film relates directly to the main aspect of the whole film. It is similar to some of the films that I analysed in my research and planning. For example The Vow is the title of a film that is primarily about the vows made between a couple while they get married. Another example is Dear John. This is a film about the letters being sent between a soldier and his love. This therefore, makes the title of my film typical for a romantic drama. The title of my film is also typical as it appears over a shot of the setting. This is how the titles for most of the films I have analysed have been introduced.

Setting and Location
The location of my film is two different houses, one for my female character and one for the male character. I think this can be typical of a romantic drama film. It is typical because quite often romantic films start off with the main two characters, stereotypically one female one male much like the ones I have used, in separate houses thinking about their lives and/or getting ready to go to work or getting ready for something. Therefore the location I have chosen for the opening two minutes of my film is typical as I have chosen a house as the location for my two characters to get ready for their wedding.

Costumes and Props
The costume for my female character is not very typical. She is getting ready for her wedding and is sitting in her dress. However, her dress is not very typical. It doesn't strike the audience as a wedding dress, instead it is a slim fit elegant white dress with a black pattern on it. I prefer this dress to a typical wedding dress as I think it suits the actress in my film better. I also think it is a better representation of what a character that looks like my actress would actually wear to her wedding. This was important to me when think about costumes and props as I wanted to try and make my film as realistic as possible. Alternatively, I think the costume for the husband in my film is very typical. He is wearing smart black trousers, a plain white shirt and a black tie. This is an outfit that I very much associate with a man getting ready for a wedding, which is why I chose for him to wear this. I also hope that it will be easy for my audience to make the same connection. I didn't use many props for the male character. I only used a mirror, hairbrush and some hair gel. This is then contradicted with the props that I used for the female character. For the female character I used a dressing table, mascara, lip balm, jewellery and much more. I think this is typical as it represents different gender stereotypes. I think it shows the stereotype that men are quite minimal while getting ready, contrastingly to women who have lots to do and take a long time to get ready.

Title font and style
I think the font and style of the title of my film is both typical and non typical. It is typical as it is 'girly' just like the audience would expect from a film like mine. I think my title represents the romantic side to my film. However, I don't think it is typical as other films that I analysed that are the same genre as mine had used a font that was more straight and looked more strict. I think that kind of font portrays that something dramatic could happen in the film. My font is more fun and flowy, which represents the romantic element but not the drama element. I think this is good as it still leaves a little mystery for the audience and it also doesn't seem like every other romantic film already out there.

Story and how the opening sets it up
The story for the opening two minutes of my film is a husband and wife getting ready for their wedding. This is typical for a lot of romantic films as the characters are getting ready. This is how a lot of romantic films open and how the mood for the film is set. The opening sets this up in a typical way of them being in their separate houses. This is also seen quite often in romantic films.

How the characters are introduced
The female character is introduces when making herself a cup of tea. I think this is quite typical as in a lot of romantic films the character makes themselves a cup of tea or coffee or go to a coffee shop in a rush and get themselves a take away cup. The male character is introduced when he is doing his hair in the mirror. I don't think this is very typical as he is not in a rush and is making an effort to make sure he looks nice for his big day. This breaks the stereotype that men are late and always in a rush after waking up because they slept through their alarm, like in a lot of romantic films.