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A-S MEDIA EVALUATIONBy Sophia Basaratti

What were my roles throughout the production of ‘Cry To Me Cindy’?

My RolesMy roles throughout the film were cinematographer and production manager.Being production manager, I was involved with the planning, coordination and control of manufacturing processes. I had to ensure that the film was produced efficiently and that the correct amount was produced at the right level of quality. Being this, it meant that I had scheduled everything, and make sure that the film looked the way we wanted it to look. This include: how many and which actors are needed on which days; what locations are required each day; crewing requirements etc. I had to oversee all aspects of the day to day running of shoots and work closely with other members of production departments such as actors, and other contributors. Being this meant that I had to decide what locations were best fitting to our ideas so we could represent our film the best way possible.Moreover, as well as being production manager, I was also cinematographer. This meant that I was in charge of shooting the film, and meant that I had to shoot certain shots that would convey our issues. Within this film I tried to use multiple angles of the same shot to represent a rollercoaster life. I used high and low angle shot to attach and detach the audience to and from the character when it was best suited and also used tracking, panning and shot reverse shot to convey a journey that the character takes. All these shots that I was in charge of enabled me to create a connection between the character and the audience, and also enabled the change of emotions that the audience would feel towards the character.

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

To view my Prezi on social groups please click the video below this evaluation

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

Throughout my blog work, I have discovered and explored an array of knowledge concerning ‘real media products’ and how these professionals seize to perfection our targeted audience. In acknowledging this, our group has attempted to reflect these marketing techniques in ‘Cry To Me Cindy’.My media product uses, develops and challenges forms and conventions of real media products in multiple ways. I did this through paying attention to the conventions of a Drama and, in a slightly modified way applied this within my film. However, dissimilar to other case studies, ‘Cry To Me Cindy’ took a more realistic approach. Endeavouring to query the preconceptions of the modelling industry stripped of its glamour, and to indulge in the fascination that is questioned. Additionally, the lighting, costumes, sound, angles and shots chosen, reflected the conventional ideas of an independent film opening.

My media product develops the forms and conventions of real media products due to its innovative shots. Independent films normally consist of long tracking shots to appeal more documentary. However, we have taken this and used multiple shots to convey a journey; I believe this gives a more effectively stylish affect, but still conveys an edgy, gritty environment to mirror an independent film.Additionally, in comparison to films such as ‘Blow Up’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ our media product develops forms and conventions due to our title being presented at the end of the opening scene rather than in the middle. We have done this so the audience isn’t detracted from the scene and so that the title has more of an impact when shown. Consequently, this will make the audience want more due to the title having such a striking impact upon the audience; this will also make the narrative more hard hitting due to the title accentuating the previous shots.

Furthermore, ‘Cry To Me Cindy’ challenges the forms and conventions by distinctively depicting the protagonists characteristics from the beginning of the film. In doing this, it portrays the character in a more distasteful light, and therefore represents to the audience what type of film they are going to be watching. By firstly presenting uneasy topics, it infers that this is going to be a hard hitting and powerful film; challenging the audience to consider their culture.Moreover, the simple effects and editing applied, challenges ‘real media products’ due to the real social issues that these effects help to present. The substance abuse and alcoholism that occurs also are a daily matter for society today. The foremost issue presented throughout is substance abuse and the misuse of alcohol and physical appearance, which were repeatedly embedded throughout to create an accurate stereotype of the younger generation’s lives in the sixties. This universal topic creates a hard hitting narrative for the audience to view.

To view my video about forms and conventions please click the Youtube video below this presentation

To view my groups Youtube video please scroll down to the video below

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

Through my research and case study about media institutions, I discovered the best two appropriate distributing company Would be working titles 2 and film four

Working Title 2

A branch created from working title. In 1999, Bevan and Fellner opened an additional conglomerate called WT2 productions. This is an additional feature to the original working title company. Working title did this so they could produce independent films as well as blockbusters. This cooperation is an independent film production division managed by Natasha Wharton. Furthermore these films were not produced with everyone’s taste at heart, but were made to tell a hard hitting and emotional narrative. We have chosen this production company due to its more independent and striking films that they have distributed. Slimily ‘Cry To Me Cindy’ was never made for the mass market or intended to make a substantial amount of money, this film was produced to emphasise the reality of that psychedelic era that was ‘glorified’ and unravel the truths behind.

Film four

Film4 is a free digital television channel available in the United Kingdom It is owned and operated by channel four television corporation that screens films.Film Four is an independent British Film Company which is owned by Tessa Ross. The company was founded in the year on 1998.Film Four's philosophy is to experiment, innovate and cater for audiences not addressed by other channels. They tend to look for a distinctive films which will make their mark within a competitive cinema market. The company tend to focus on films which are based around social realism. One of Film Fours' huge successes was the film Slumdog Millionaire; this is not your typical film.

Summary of distribution company

The reasons being that we have decided to choose these two distribution company's over others, is due to their interest in promoting films that present social realism such as our own film ‘Cry To Me Cindy’. Both these distribution companies have distributed films such as slumdog millionaire; which entails a hard hitting narrative about a boy struggling to survive within the poverty stricken India. And due to this, we believed these distribution companies are best fitting to distribute our film.

Who would be the audience for your media project?

Audience

My main focus was to create a media project that would appeal to the younger generation of both sexes, this allowing our media product to intake a higher gross in profit. Our specific age group that we decided to aim at was the ages between 15- 20, this being due to the captured realism that our opening scene presents; we decided these ages appropriate due to the understanding and connection that this age group would have with our main character Cindy. Additionally, due to our group wanting to present an independent film that entailed a hard hitting narrative, we needed an audience who were at the age to be effected by watching this film; we believed that this was the right target audience to create more of an impact. However due to this media product referencing a highly influential era, it should also catch the attention of a more mature generation who, by watching this will recollect a time where social taboos were at its peak, thus creating a warm, comforting feel that a British film should consist of.

Furthermore, we addressed our audience further by the layout of the scene and the music that it entailed. By composing a piece of music that was fitting the 1960’s genre, it automatically enabled us to interest the minds of our chosen audience and allowed us to add a more spirited and uplifting tone to the overly hard hitting narrative. As above, the attraction was also the explicit use of alcohol and carelessness, which to the younger undeveloped minds would see it as exiting and thrilling to watch. The music adds to this rollercoaster emotion which theoretically should entertain and overwhelm them; the use of non-diegetic sound and no dialogue makes the tone of the film more easy going and initially more easy to understand which will attract and address the attention of our targeted audience.

Moreover, our opening scene entails an image conscious teenager who strives to become like everyone else due to peer pressure, which I consider a great element to charm the younger generation into the fixation with our character Cindy. This is due to the personal connection that she maintains with the audience. This controversial character, although appealing to a more youthful age bracket, will strike the hearts of many individuals due to the empathy created, but will also create a love/hate relationship with the audience to produce a realistic and powerful impression that will gross the attention of many; most importantly the ‘here and now’ generation.

The setting was minimalistic reinforcing the attitude and perspectives of Cindy alongside her thoughtless attire as she unwillingly gets out of bed. The actions presented in the first 27 seconds, engages the audience due to the suspense created when she takes another swig of a half empty bottle after a suggested hangover. The multiple shots convey a lack of organisation and present disorientation as Cindy paces over to her make-up desk soon after waking up and re-drinking, this will firstly, show Cindy’s normality in doing these actions regularly which should initially cause shock for the audience but dissimilarly create a ‘live fast, die young’ connection with the audience.

The variation of pace in the film keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Initially, the establishing shot last a lot longer than the shots after the light switch has been turned on. This is so the audience are subjected to a journey through Cindy’s mind. When she is asleep, everything is much slower and calmer, but as soon as Cindy wakes up, the audience is thrown into her rollercoaster lifestyle which is staged through hasty shots and impulsive movement.

The mirror shot is used to delay the audience’s judgement on Cindy as it is used as a metaphor to show how an innocent girl is whorl-winded into an image conscious culture. Addressing the audience through a subject that is universal.

The change in light indicates to the audience that something is going to change and symbolises that it is going to be a rapid change. This keeps the audience engrossed with the film due to them wanting more, and also grabs their attention as it acts like an alarm.

Looking back at the preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

When I first started, I went about presenting subject matters in the wrong way. I was too focused on heavily representing a matter that I ended up giving too much of the narrative away. As I progressed I realised that subtlety was the key and that an opening title should only hint about the narrative to make the film more inviting and understandable. By doing this in the final product we managed to create a journey so the audience could gain a connection and become engrossed with the character and narrative. By making the issues appear in a more subtle light, it enabled the title to have more of an impact due to it not being overridden with a complicated scene. This enabled the audience to grasp the situation and leave them wanting more.

When we gained more understanding of the forms and conventions of ‘real media products’ we discovered not to override the opening scene with lots of credits, as that would distract the audience from what we want them to see.

Furthermore, the most difficult thing to achieve was continuity. But after hours of paying attention to detail, we finally managed to create an opening scene where there were no continuity errors. Through the process of constructing my product I learnt that in order to acquire a perfect shot, you needed multiple angles of the shot, so you can have the choice of what looks more fitting for what you want to signify.

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this?

To view my video about new technologies, please click the video below this evaluation.