1. EVALUATION QUESTION
ONE
IN WHAT WAY DOES YOUR MEDIA
PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR
CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS
OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?
2. THEFILMINITSENTIRETY One of the first stages of the my film making process was researching different styles of narrative, genre and
cinematography, this was something that really helped me to have a clearer understanding of the film industry before I
started to produce my own short film. Through this research I was able to learn about narrative, and how a storyline is
important in engaging an audience. I looked at varying short films all with different themes and styles to help give me
some initial ideas into how a professional short film would look and be set out.
Once I had chosen the style of film I wanted to create I knew that I needed to follow certain codes and conventions in
order to help make my film look as professional as possible however, when researching these I found that when it
comes to abstract/experimental short films the conventions are relatively relaxed. This is because experimental and
abstract short films use a style of filmmaking that re-evaluates cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative
forms and alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working.
I then moved on to look at mise-en-scene and how costumes can help enhanse a film, again the rules on this were
not very clear and I found that each abstract film had different styles and themes. I also looked at different styles of
editing for example, slow motion, sped up footage, hand-held footage or still footage as this seemed to be the area
where a lot of abstract films came their own and excelled.
When I was making my short film I had to consider all of these conventions, as vague as they were, to make my film
as professional as possible.
Another aspect I had to consider was who I wanted my target audience to be. I decided I would aim my film at
teenagers/young adults. Next I had to decide on the different mise-en- scene elements, how we would film (for
example what cinematography) and also where we would film in order to make my it interesting and keep the
audience engaged.
After filming, I uploaded all of my footage on Adobe Premier Pro and edited my short film, I added in different effects,
music and audio. I also edited my footage so that the audio flowed seamlessly and helped the story flow in a way that
illustrated the original premise.
3. CLIPONE:DANCESCENE I chose to dress Chanique in a subtle outfit as I didn’t want
the costume to be distract the audience from the
movements and shapes created by the dance. Therefore, I
chose a plain black unitard, this was a good choice as it
allowed Chanique to move freely without any restrictions.
As a location I chose the basement of an old basement I
chose this location as I felt it worked in harmony with this
section of the monologue which talks about how youth can
‘dance’ anywhere they want to. I also felt that the dark,
dingy basement would be a good contrast to the free and
uplifting dance moves.
I also placed a series of different sized and shaped mirrors
in the background of the shot. I did this for a couple of
reasons firstly, in order to bounce the light around the room
in different directions and secondly, to reflect the dance
and emphasise the moves created by Chanique.
For lighting I used one LED building site light I decided I
wanted the shot to be lit from one side to give a gradient
light effect therefore I placed the light on the right hand side
of the room.This lighting allowed me to create a large
shadow on the wall adjacent to the light which I thought
would create the effect of another person dancing with
Chanique.
Through my research I found that dance is often used with in
experimental short films as it is artistic, creative and
expressive and therefore can be used to show emotions,
feelings or even a narrative with outs using words.
Dance is an art that can be interpreted in many different ways
it is expressive and an audience will be able to connect to
it,and because of this I decided to make this a large part of
my film.
I allowed Chanique to create her own sequence as I wanted it
to look as personal, meaningful and spontaneous as possible
and I felt it create the atmosphere I wanted to.
4. CLIP2:SMOKEGRENADES Many abstract and experimental films will use various colours in
order to express a variety of emotions therefore, I decided that I
would use smoke grenades which produced bright, bold plumes
of smoke allowing me to create an uplifting, joyful, and vibrant
scenes for my film.
I chose to dress Chanique in a understated, ‘grunge’ style outfit
which I felt complemented both her and the location. It was a
simple contrast to the bright colours produced by the smoke
grenades however, much like many of the other costumes within
the film I believe would not distract the audiences from the main
focus of the scene which is the smoke.
For my location I chose Parkhurst Forest firstly, due to the health
and safety restrictions and secondly, because I felt that the
natural browns and greens of the woodland floor and trees that
surrounded the shot would make an interesting contrast between
colours produced by the grenades.I also like the contrast
between the tall still trees and the billowing smoke.
As I was using natural lighting when filming these scenes I
decided the best time to go out to film would be midday when the
sun was at the highest point. I felt that this lighting worked really
well as it was slightly shaded by the canopy above but there was
still enough sunlight to illuminate the colours of the smoke.
When editing this footage on Adobe Premier Pro I chose to keep
some of the scenes as they were however, others I chose to edit
in various ways including, inverting the colours, reversing or
changing the speed of the clip.
5. CLIP3:NATURESCENES Throughout my short film there are a series of nature
shots which were taken in various locations across the
island.
When doing my research on the conventions of scenes
such as these I discovered that, again, they were very
relaxed, each short film used their own style of filming
and editing however, they all seemed to use this kind of
shot as a transition from one scene to the next. This
was an idea that I really liked and felt work well within
the premise of my own short film.
There are no actors in these scenes as I wanted it to
emphasize the beauty of the surroundings.
All of these shots were filmed using natural lighting and
at various times of the day therefore, each scene has
slightly different highlighted and shadowed areas.
When editing these scenes, again using Adobe Premier
Pro, I decided to keep some of them in their original
format however, with other scenes I decided to edit by
either changing the colours to create a fun and unique
style or by introducing artificial light glares.
6. CLIP4:SWEARING
Swearing has always been regarded as a rude and profane
part of the modern language however, many people especially
younger people regularly use swear words in their everyday
lives. This could be to express an emotion be it positive or
negative. It can be cathartic and release pent up emotions, it
can be a substitute for physical violence. People swear to get a
reaction. It is often use in social situations, it can be use in
jokey manner to hide embarrassment or lack of confidence. I
felt this was an appropriate scene to include as young people
would identify with Stephen’s action and appreciate it as a light
For this scene I put Stephen in a basic ‘teen’
outfit of slim fit jeans, a sweatshirts with graphic
print sleeves and timberland boots, I choose this
outfit as I wanted it to look as realistic and
natural as possible as my film’s premise is
based around the lives of todays youth. This is
something that maybe goes against the
conventions of an abstract or an experimental
short film as costumes are normally slightly out
of the ordinary and unique however, I felt this
was the right choice for the scene and actor.
My location for this scene was Parkhusrt Forest
I chose this as I felt it was a good way of
subconsciously introducing the idea that young
people are still learning and exploring the world
about them. This environment can be both
beautiful and scary, always changing,
sometimes challenging. Adventurous an
peaceful. It could be easy to loose your way.
The path that Stephen is walking on is a visual
metaphor for the journey that all young people
take.
7. DOESMYFILMCONFORMTOTHEREGULAR
CONVENTIONS An abstract or experimental film is often characterized by the use of various abstract techniques—out-of-focus,
painting or scratching on film, rapid editing—the use of non-diegetic sound or even the absence of any sound
track. The goal is often to place the viewer in a more active and more thoughtful relationship to the film.
I feel that my film follows some of these forms however, because of the nature of the film itself it is hard to adhere
to a precise set of rules or conventions and the only way to make a film such as this is to make it into it’s own
piece of art.
Throughout the process of making this film I tried to experiment with different locations, lighting, effects and cast.
The experimental and sometimes spontaneous process allowed me use some of these different elements. I am
following the main ‘rule’ of creating an abstract film which is to use abstract and out of the box techniques.
I am really happy with how the film turned. I certainly experienced a huge variety of emotions whilst making it. I
believe that it is an interesting, unique and curious film that has good actors, lovely music and exciting locations,
one that people are able to connect with and has a narrative and premise that can be interpreted in a variety of
ways.
