Vivian's Group Feedback 29/04/12

Planning and Research

Mid Level 2  10 marks

Planning and research evidence may be partially incomplete;

There is basic research into similar products however no reference made to the potential target audience (nor to the Ring movies which are an obvious inspiration); M2

There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props; choices not always clearly accounted for, though a very detailed costume analysis increases this mark L3

There is no evidence of work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding; L1

There is a basic level of care in the presentation of the research and planning; some posts cover too much information and would be better broken down into smaller posts. Blog is difficult to navigate with some posts having more that one post and no archive visible to indicate how many posts and when they were made. M2

Time management is basic. M2

Construction (Production currently incomplete)

Low Level 3 – 36 marks

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:

Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task;

Proficiency in producing material appropriate to task, though no apparent acknowledgement of target audience. The opening scene, shot with a fish-eye lens to create an extreme looking POV perspective, works very effectively to create the unsettling dream imagery. M3

using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions;

Use of titles appropriately - minimal. There should be no end credits as the “film” is not technically over. M1

using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

No sound available. Unmarked.

shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene;

An excellent use of the camera for the first scene; the nature of employing a fish-eye lens determines that certain framings and shot distances will be altered/distorted. Eg. The shot of the feet. The students have used this to their advantage, creating a quite disturbing sequence, which, though having obvious antecedents, is nonetheless still effectively rendered. Limited shot types in the following scene limits the mark though. It might’ve been more appropriate to come out of the dream sequence on to a close up of the main character, simply so we get a clearer look at him, Overall the mise-en-scene, in terms of framing and composition, to include and exclude appropriate elements do however show a reasonable level of proficiency. Opening establishing shot feels somewhat out of place, since we do not cut immediately to action inside the school, but more precisely, inside a character’s head. M3

using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.

Proficient use of editing creates clear meaning for the audience. Proficient use of transitions - white-out transition from dream to reality works well. Very cold, muted colour grade on dream sequence clearly establishes that audience is seeing something out of the ordinary helping to establish the unsettling, horror movie feel from the outset.

However, since the clip is currently unfinished the overall meaning isn’t entirely apparent. M3 (finish it effectively and it will be higher).

Jahura Group Feedback 29/04/12

Planning and Research

Low Level 2  - 8 marks

Planning and research evidence may be partially incomplete;

There is some basic research into similar products but no evidence of research into potential target audience M2

There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props; M2

There is basic work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.L2

There is a minimal level of care in the presentation of the research and planning; little on the blog to illustrate choices made in any area of the production.  M1

Time management is basic. M2

Construction

None available to view.

Rene's Group Feedback 29/04/12

Planning and Research

Mid Level 2  - 9 marks

Planning and research evidence may be partially incomplete;

There is some basic research into similar products but no evidence of research into potential target audience M2

There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. Scant detail in any of the assessed areas L2

There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding. They did use teacher feedback. L2

There is a minimal level of care in the presentation of the research and planning; M2

Time management is basic. M2

Construction

Mid Level 3 – 42 marks

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:

Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task;

Proficiency in producing material appropriate to task, though no apparent acknowledgement of target audience. M2

using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions;

Proficient use of titles, with the adoption of the freeze frame to introduce cast credits having many antecedents in real media products, though it could be held for slightly longer in order for the audience to clearly read them. The production company name should carry the text “Duality productions presents”. M3

using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;

Heavy use of classical music is made for much of the clip in an ironic contrast to the violent imagery. This has the desired effect. In the following scene the sound is less well combined with pictures and this obvious camera mic audio lends the clip an amateurishness which was absent from the initial scene. M3

shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene;

An excellent use of the camera for the first scene with an appropriate variety of shot types and distances employed (with especially good use of POV shots. Second scene, somewhat rougher in execution, felt less well considered with the camera being a little too shaky on a couple of shots. Overall the mise-en-scene, in terms of framing and composition, to include and exclude appropriate elements showed a good level of proficiency. H3

using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects.

Proficient use of editing creates clear meaning for the audience. Proficient use of transitions - white-out on contents of bag nicely masks the shot change. Heavy colour grade in the first scene works well to convey the murky world of the story. However in the first scene there is a very brief cut which is somewhat jarring. H3

A2 Exam date

Unusually late at:

15 June

So stay focused on getting the coursework done for the deadline.

AS EXAM DATE

Unusually early at:

15 May (PM)

But then I'm sure you all were revising hard over Easter.

Level 4 Blog for Planning and Research

http://www.a2coalition.blogspot.co.uk/

This is a high quality blog in almost every regard.

Something about the content of the blog:

Note the frequent use of visual references both still and moving; screen grabs, audio references, links to other clips, related webpages etc. All of these posted with a comment which identifies (and where appropriate analyses) their relevance and relation to the group's media product.

Something about the layout of the blog:

Note how, down the right hand side of the page there is the BLOG ARCHIVE, which list all posts by date of entry, month-by-month.

Once you click on the respective month another menu drops down listing individual posts.
If you have given a post a title then it is clearly displayed here.
YOU MUST GIVE YOUR POSTS A TITLE because this provides much easier navigation for the viewer (me and the moderator).

If you want to make it super user friendly then use the LABEL function just below the post window (where you write your entries).

Give each post one of the following labels:

PRELIMINARY TASK
PLANNING
RESEARCH
CONSTRUCTION (when you're making it)
EVALUATION (to be covered by the answering of 7 specific questions - 4 for A2)

Dating your posts:
What you don't want is to have 40 posts all made in the last two weeks of April. You can do this but it won't look good - after all, you don't RESEARCH and PLAN after you've made the film. However, help is at hand. Using "post options" located just below "labels" you can reset the dates on your posts. Doing so will at least make it look, like you've been organised and followed a process to get to your finished product.

ALERT!!!! FINAL DEADLINES!!!!

Final deadline for the completion of PLANNING and RESEARCH part of blog and MEDIA PRODUCTION is:

Friday April 27th.

This will allow me to give feedback and suggest further changes to be made over the following week.

By this time we will have explored the EVALUATION questions, which will need to be completed by:

Friday 4th May.


The projects will be marked and sent to the moderator by the following Friday 11th May.

It is essential that you manage your time effectively between now and then or you will not be able to complete the projects to the best of your ability.

A2 Evaluation Questions

Marking Criteria for Evaluation
Each candidate will evaluate and reflect on the creative process and their experience of it. Candidates will evaluate their work digitally. The format of the evaluation has some flexibility and its form can be negotiated between teacher and student: it may take place with individual candidates or with the production group as a whole, or each individual candidate or production group may make a formal or informal presentation to the whole class. The teacher must allocate a mark according to the contribution/level of understanding demonstrated by the individual candidate. Each candidate should give a clear indication of their role in any group evaluation and the presentation must be evidenced by the Centre.
The four questions that must be addressed in the evaluation are:

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Jahura group feedback

JAHURA, FARJANA & IBTISSAM feedback

Nothing for me to look at film-wise so I can only comment on the blog:

Currently the blog is insubstantial to say the least. I have reiterated many times the importance of keeping up to date with the blog and you all have a lesson set aside with Ms Shillingford every Monday, so there is no excuse for not posting something relevant, at least once a week.

As I have said before the blog should contain about 40 short-ish posts covering the PLANNING, RESEARCH and PRODUCTION, and to be finished off with the EVALUATION based on 7 specific questions, which we will be addressing in the next few weeks.

You need to look at another blog to see how it’s done; though you should’ve already done this weeks ago. Check this one out;

 a2coalition.blogspot.com

In its current state (unwritten though admittedly unfinished) the blog would be marked with the following criteria.

Level 1 0–7 marks

Planning and research evidence will be incomplete;

There is minimal research into similar products and a potential target audience;

There is minimal organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props;

There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding;

There is minimal care in the presentation of the research and planning;

Time management may be very poor.

I would probably give it approximately 5 or 6 marks out of a possible 20.

You need to include picture references for things like costume and props, location stills to show that you put some thought into planning. References to other films to show that you have done some research into the kind of film you’re trying to make.

The blog is supposed to show you have gone to considerable effort to make the film as good as you, in order that, if it is not creatively on the level of Citizen Kane, then at least you will have some record of your intentions and be able to still get a reasonable mark.

If you complete the blog along the lines that it currently stands it will get no more than a basic mark (8-11 marks).

NB: You need to create a menu down the side of the blog page so that your posts can be organised into the months they were posted and be collected under headings such as RESEARCH, PLANNING, PRODUCTION and EVALUATION. 

RENE group blog

RENE GROUP FEEDBACK

First a note on the blog:

The blog is worth 20/100 marks.

You need to organise your posts with headings that relate to PLANNING and RESEARCH so that they can be easily accessed.

At the moment there is little to suggest much thought or analysis has gone into this.

Check:    a2coalition.blogspot.com   to see what it should look like.

Check:    mrmmediastudies.blogspot.com   for a reminder of what the blog should include.

You are leaving yourselves a lot to do, at the moment the blog is very weak and also contains no information about what the film is either about, or what it is called. No treatment, no outline, no storyboards, no shot list. No visual references, no movies you were inspired by. It’s as bare as a pauper’s cupboards at Christmas. It looks like you just got some masks and went and did – shooting from the hip as they say. If your blog does not clearly show that some planning and research went into it, the blog will receive a very low mark and it will also reflect badly on the mark of the overall finished piece. Currently I have very little to help me gauge whether you are succeeding in your aims, because I do not know what your aims are, or how you planned to go about them. Anyway, I’ve told you this enough times, you ought to have done something about it by now.

Here’s the marking criteria for a level 1 blog:

Level 1 0–7 marks

Planning and research evidence will be incomplete;

There is minimal research into similar products and a potential target audience;

There is minimal organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props;

There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding;

There is minimal care in the presentation of the research and planning;

Time management may be very poor.

A blog in the current state would get you maybe 5 or 6 marks out of 20.

Production

Overall note on the production:

In simple terms I like it. Though I’m still not sure who or what it is about.

The what isn’t massively important because I can tell that it is a violent, sinister thriller, which has been influenced by A Clockwork Orange, amongst other things and therefore has a darkly humorous element.

The who is a bit of problem because it means that there is no one for the audience to connect with.

If you are going to start off with a POV (which is very intriguing for the audience) it is a convention of cinema that when the hood is removed, the character who is the source of the POV is revealed in the next cut, in some reasonably close shot. The audience must at least have the opportunity to at identify him, if not identify with him. 

The music is good – but you must show in your blog that you have at least tried to clear it – a letter asking for permission from the record company is required here to be posted on the blog.

I’m not sure if works to have the music for the whole sequence, but I don’t know what else you’ve got – any usable dialogue from Femi? I think you’re going to find yourselves undone a little here by the lack of planning.

Editing:

As a general rule you could trim a bit off most shots to tighten things up. The bit over black/hood seems especially long.

Stephen takes too long to get the gun out of his pocket. Tighten that. Just get him to pull it straight out, that shut cut up easily enough.

If you do that with a few shots it’ll add a lot more pace to it.

It’s currently also 40 seconds too short but I think you’re shooting something else anyway.

The bit with the teacher in the background; do you not have a shot you can cutaway to? A close-up of Femi maybe? And then just cut back to the fella in the hat.

Caption:

The caption is confusing. The font is too thin and I’m expecting to see the name of the distribution then production company first, then the film title, cast names, crew names etc (if you choose to include all of these, it is not strictly necessary but remember, you are being marked on the use of titles). Remember there are conventions that apply to all these things, to get these things right shows planning and research has been done.

The time caption gets lost at the side, centre it.


Music:
Despite what I said about the use of music, I have re-consulted the spec and have reached the conclusion that such a track would not be permissible. It is too well known and even if you did apply for the right to use it from the record company, you'd never get it. I suggest you use some copyright free music or perhaps something you've made yourself Rene.


Type copyright free music into google for a list of sites. 

Below is a break down of the mark structure and how you would be graded:

Level 3 36–47 marks

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:

Producing material appropriate for the target audience and task; H3

The nature of the images suggests a darkly comic, violent thriller. This has been achieved with proficiency. Material has been shot in an inventive way to create tension and play with audience expectations.

No indication of what target audience might from blog however (I’m suspecting young men).

using titles appropriately according to institutional conventions; L2

Titles under-used and currently a little confusing.

using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set; M3

Editing is proficient (with some trimming could be excellent). The use of the music track sets up a darkly ironic tone quite proficiently though it is perhaps overused.

shooting material appropriate to the task set;, including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot distance and close attention to mise-en-scene; M3

material generally proficiently shot, with some interesting visual images created. Eg. the whip pan shot to give a visceral sense of a violent punch. Various shot sizes used to quite proficiently. Framing occasionally inconsistent – cut from unmasked handheld POV to side angle tripod mid-shot, somewhat jarring (this is where you need the close-up of Femi as a reaction shot – he’s surrounded by men in masks, who are going to hurt him – you need this close-up, the audience needs to see and feel his terror). This is an issue of mise-en-scene also.

using editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions and other effects. H3

The editing is proficient but a lack of coverage has left only limited options. This does slightly affect the meaning of the piece because we are never really fully connected to the protagonist. See all the earlier comments. The time caption currently feels surplus to requirements. Unless you are intent on using another one in the last little bit. A colour grade has been used to make the image very contrasty and dark and moody which feels entirely appropriate given the subject matter. No transitions used, none were appropriate.

This comes out as a just about a Low level 3 with 36 out of a possible 60 marks.

That’s 60%, which scrapes a C. However there is no reason why this should not be a B.

Not bad but if you don’t get your blog in order and do a decent evaluation (20 mks)  the mark will be badly dragged down.

With the blog as it is you’d be left with 42 out of a possible 80. That’s 52.5%; a D.

You have much to do. Get to it.

IMVK – FEEDBACK

IMVK – FEEDBACK

Blog is woefully underwritten and currently has no evidence of Planning or research for main media product, apart from copy and pasted material that I myself have posted.

No evidence of media product posting.

Wholly unacceptable given the time you have had to do this – including a Monday session with Ms Shillingforth.

You have a huge amount of work to do on this, which I felt sure you would’ve been on top of given the good work you had done for the preliminary piece. Currently it looks like you may have put all you eggs in that basket.

You have much to do.

HD feedback

HD Feedback

Unfortunately since your video is listed as private I cannot view it. But I can tell you that your blog is in a poor state despite me repeatedly telling you put it in order.

There are is as yet, no evidence of ancillary pieces.

From what I remember of the film I would currently mark it as follows:

Level 3 (24-31mks)

The candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

·        shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene. M3

Generally proficient use of camera and appropriate variety of shots employed for the genre (documentary). More care could’ve been taken with the framing in certain set-ups. Mise-en-scene not entirely relevant as with documentary, the filmmaker is largely constrained by the “found” shooting environment. Locations selected appropriate.

·        editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of shot transitions, captions and other effects M3

Editing has allowed an interesting story to emerge from the rushes and it has been shaped quite proficiently by the filmmaker. The use of captions and transitions is appropriate for the stated target audience (teenagers/ BBC3 viewers).

·        recording and editing sound with images appropriately. M3

Sound and editing generally proficiently handled with use of clip on mics lending the piece the necessary sound quality for interview set-ups and links to camera. Occasional lapses in this.

This would give you a Mid Level 3 – 28 mks out of a possible 40. (This works out as 70% which would be a B though this is very much dependent on how well you complete the other 60% of the tasks).

Blog is worth 20

Ancillary pieces 10 each

Evaluation 20

If you get everything else in order, you could finish well.

Galaxy Media Feedback

GALAXY MEDIA FEEDBACK

Research and Planning

Level 4 16–20 marks

Planning and research evidence will be complete and detailed. H4

There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience. H3

There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding. H3

There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props. H3

Time management is excellent. M3

There is excellent skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation. M4

There are excellent communication skills. M4

When you post a new version of the trailer always write a comment on how it has been improved and why changes were made to the previous cut.

On the whole the blog is excellent and detailed. However I see no evidence of research into a target audience, so perhaps drop in a couple of backdated posts on this. Perhaps a questionnaire about how some of your story ideas appeal to your audience. You could have the questions based on ratings:

1 – Strongly agree

5 – Strongly disagree

That sort of thing.

Also might be useful to have some overhead camera plans for some of the locations where you had more difficult setups.

Is there a script or storyboards you could stick on there?

Currently you’ll probably get about 16/20 for this, which is a low 4.

Production

Level 2/3 (15-23 mks) / (24-31mks)

The candidate is expected to demonstrate basic ability/proficiency in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

·         shooting material appropriate to the task set; including controlled use of the camera, attention to framing, variety of shot sizes and close attention to mise en scene. H2

Much of it still feels quite thrown together and a bit amateurish, which, given the time you’ve had, isn’t really acceptable. There are some good shots intermingled in, but the lack of coverage (different angles of scenes and different shot sizes etc) and a repetitive aspect to the chase scenes drags it down because you end up having to linger on most shots too long. There would not appear to be much attention paid to the mise-en-scene, throughout really.  

·         editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer and making selective and appropriate use of

shot transitions, captions and other effects H2

Unfortunately the meaning is not clear throughout. “Why did we do it?” It isn’t apparent, especially when there is clearly only one sinister character in a gas mask. Perhaps this is covered in the missing scene, but I think there is a requirement for some sort of flashback that actually suggests some bullying took place and to whom and by whom. Avoid cheesy transitions and see below for comment about caption.

·         recording and editing sound with images appropriately. H3

This has been done generally well, with music changing in appropriate places. The voice over is clear (though you might need some more of it). There is one point were they’re talking at the start where the audio cut sounds quite abrupt though.

Where a candidate has worked in a group, a proficient contribution to construction is evident.

I think at the moment I can only give it a Low 3 – 24 mks. (This might even be a little generous).

A couple of things still aren’t entirely clear:

1.    That this group of boys have previously bullied another student.

2.    Why Wilson just gets up and goes off down stairs. He said what, “was in the basement”?

3.    There seems to be quite a lot of unmotivated wandering and running about. Why do they go looking for Wilson? There is little suggestion that there might be anything wrong.

4.    There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of urgency in the acting.

5.    The editing is somewhat confusing in terms of establishing some kind of continuity.

6.    Though the shot with the phone is nice, it is unclear what it is telling the audience. Has the killer taken this off one of the other students? Is the boy in the gym trying to call him. Does the killer use it to lure the student away.

Change opening title. The blue doesn’t work and the way it flies on is just cheesy. Something like a dissolve up might do it.

On the whole it still suffers from what I’ve been saying all along and that is, that for a trailer, the shots are simply too long and you don’t have enough coverage.

It’s not really enough at this stage to have just that one shot of the guys in the common room talking. You needed some cutaways to close-ups, so we get some reaction about their concern about where Wilson has gotten to. However I appreciate it will be difficult to get this at this stage.

Suggestions:

If, we the lads get up to go look for Wilson they find themselves looked into the common room, this will set up the idea that there is someone there to get them, and indeed is there trying to pick them off one-by-one.

An insert of a hand turning a key the lock will do this. Then one of them through the glass trying the door handle. There is currently a sense of the tension ramping up.

Not sure how you get them out though, possibly just have someone else enter the room, as if there was nothing wrong with the door, and then they all rush out knowing that something is definitely wrong with Wilson.

To use the phone shot better, perhaps you could’ve had a reverse over the gym boy’s shoulder, the phone sound effect then the gym boy following the sound of the phone, to his DOOOOMMM!!!!

Ancilliary Pieces

 Within the section of the main task, centres should consider the relationship between the tasks and ensure that a sense of brand identity across the package is evident. This should be taken into account at this stage.

Level 3 / 4 (7-8) / (9-10)

The candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

·         awareness of conventions of layout and page design L4

·         awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size L4

·         accurate use of language and register L4

·         he appropriate use of ICT for the task set L4

·         appropriate integration of illustration and text L4

·         framing a shot, using a variety of shot distances as appropriate M4

·         shooting material appropriate to the task set; selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting L3

·         manipulating photographs as appropriate, including cropping and resizing. L4

Generally speaking the ancillary pieces are quite well rendered though I would consider experimenting with a little bit of colour.

I would also say that in the poster the headshots look a bit soft (out of focus), as the focus appears to be on the wall behind.

Apart from this both pieces follow the conventions of poster and magazine cover rather well and there is sense of brand identity of the product.

I would give a High 3 overall – 16mks

Without the evaluation completed (worth 20mks) you have a total of 52mks out of a possible 80.

Even if I am being generous here, this is already a D. An effective evaluation should make it a decent C. If you are able to make suitable changes to the film itself, a B is still possible.