This document provides a critical review of the film "Surface" produced by Lavaya for a media studies course. It discusses the conventions used in the film including various shot types to portray emotions and establish locations. It represents the issues of mental health like depression and anxiety without stigma or romanticization. The elements of the film's production, including the website, postcard, and film, work together with a consistent color scheme to create branding. The film engages audiences by showing different perspectives and making characters relatable. As a real media product, it would be promoted on social media and released worldwide in theaters and streaming services. A variety of software, hardware, and online tools were integrated in the production, including Final Cut Pro, Phot

1. Lavaya, A LEVEL - Media studies
Critical Review

2. 1. How do your products use or challenge conventions and how do they represent social groups or
issues?

3. ● ‘Surface’ uses the conventional method of shooting.
● I’ve used various shots including mid shot, long shot, over the shoulder shot, pan shot, close up shots
and track shot and a tilt up shot.
I’ve used mid shots in the counselor scene to project the emotions of the protagonist and give an
impression of the subject.
● The long shot was to establish the location, subjects, and the entrance to the room where the scene takes
place.
● The over the shoulder shot was to show what the protagonist was viewing on their phone. The pan shot
was used in the office scene where the camera was directed towards the co workers in the shot.
● The close up shots were mainly to project the emotions of all the protagonists in the film.
● The track shot and the tilt up shot was to define the location of the upcoming shot.

4. ● “Surface” represents mental health, mainly - depression and anxiety.
● “Surface” shows mental health when it is an issue stigmatised by so many and is not portrayed well in
mass media. It represents two groups of mentally ill people (depressed people and anxious people)
accurately and they aren’t shown in a demeaning way and the issue is not romanticised.

5. 2. How do the elements of your production work together to
create a sense of branding?

6. ● The three elements of my film’s production, that is - my film’s official website,
my film’s post card and my film come together to create a sense of branding in
several ways.
● The colour scheme that can be recognised in the font of my film's title has been
repeatedly used in the font of my firm's website and the same has been done in
my film’s post card, as well as in my critical review.
● The colour scheme I had chosen to best bring out my film in, was turquoise and
black. I had chosen these colours as I had felt that it goes with my film’s theme
and aesthetic.
● My film is neither a comedy nor is it a very, dark and gloomy product. All in all,
it does share a serious message, so I chose my film’s colour scheme accordingly
to best bring out my film’s aesthetic.

7. ● By sharing a similar colour scheme, the elements of my film’s production work,
it over-all sets an appropriate mental image into the audience’s mindsets about
my film.
● The blog further goes into detail about the final, end-product, taking into
account of all the stages that were required to get to the end product - the
pre-production stage, production stage, and the post-production stage.

8. 3. How does your product engage with the audience and how would they be distributed as a real media
products?

9. The Target Demographic is anyone and
Everyone in the nation as it addresses
a common social issue - stereotyping.
Thus, becoming relatable to anyone and
everyone.
The genre of my film is a blend of both a social realism film
and a docufiction as my film goes
against everyday stereotypes. I think at some point or the
other in the film each person in the audience will find one
or more characters relatable.

10. As my film is bringing awareness into issues such as depression without
romanticizing it, it is portraying it as it is. The bitter truth. This way, the audience
will be faced with the bitter truth in a rather blunt way making them aware of our
society and our stereotypes.
I want my audience to feel a connection to each and every one of my characters on
screen.

11. I want my audience to understand where they are coming from and understand why
they portray themselves the way they do, in the film.

12. ● As the overall film has a serious plot and revolves around the lives of 3
individuals who lead 3 entirely different lives, the film showcases multiple point
of view’s.
● The film showcases 3 different types of people who come from entirely different
backgrounds, this way the film will engage the audience on a direct, personal
level and will also have an individual effect as each member in the audience will
find one or more characters in the film, relatable.

13. ● lm help to bring out the mood of the film which will in turn help build a stronger
connection with the audience to the characters in the film.
● Also, the use of a dramatic background score throughout in the film help to
bring out the mood of the film which will in turn help build a stronger
connection with the audience to the characters in the film.

15. ● As a real media product, ‘Surface’ would be promoted integrating both aspects
of media, that is new media as well as traditional media as the film targets
everyone in the nation.
● The promotion for the film would include making a huge appearance on social
media platforms that would target much of the audience. Social media platforms
such as - Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook.
● The film would be released worldwide as it targets everybody and can be
relatable to people from all over the world.

16. ● Posters of the movie will be put up on billboards to reach a wider audience.
● Shortly after the release of “Surface” in theatres, Surface would also be
available on Video on demand sites, such as - iTunes, Amazon, Amazon Prime
and YouTube as it becomes much more accessible for the people.
● Much later, ‘Surface’ would eventually be available for streaming on sites like -
Netflix and Hulu and also be screened on Television to reach a much wider
international group.

17. 4. How did you integrate technologies - software, hardware
and online - in this product?

19. ● Final Cut Pro , garageband
● Google Docs
● Photoshop
● CANON EOS 700D
● Props
● Costumes

20. ● Wix Website designer

21. This film involves a beautiful mix of software, hardware, and online technologies.
● This project involved a beautiful blend of software, hardware and online
technologies.
● This is the second time I’ve used Final Cut Pro to edit my film. Last year was
my first.
● I realised how crucial editing is to bring together all of your film's footage for it
come out seamlessly, in the end.

22. ● I used Google Docs for the initial stages of my film, while writing my script as
well as doing my storyboard and plot.
● I used Photoshop CC 2017 to help make the front side and back side of my
film’s post card. It was my first time using Photoshop.
● With the help of the online software - Wix Website Designer, I created my
film’s official website. I picked out a template that suited my colour scheme and
put together several pages in my film’s website to promote my film in it’s best
way possible.

23. ● Later on, during the actual shooting stage, I used hardware such as my camera,
props and costumes, as well as, a tripod to help steady my camera and reduce any
shakiness. I used a CANON EOS 700D to shoot my film with along with its
tripod.
● As per, online technologies, my blog helped me keep track of my entire progress
and kept me updated on the amount of work I had.

24. ● I also used Youtube to access copyright free music for all my background music
for my film to add more excitement to my film.
● I used the online Wix web designer to help build my film’s website and give it
all the necessary content to help promote my film better.
● With the help of Wix website designer, I picked out a template that shared a
similar colour scheme to that of film’s theme.

25. ● Thus, the combination of using software, hardware and online technologies in
my product, comes together to bring out my film in the best way possible.