G321 film openings teacher guidance

1. Steering the OCR Film Opening Task

2. www.petesmediablog.blogspot.com

3. WARNING!
this is not an OCR policy slideshow,
but a summary of best practice
based on my experience of teaching
and seeing the work of other centres

4. Targets
• 60 posts on individual blog, each illustrated with a picture
and/or a video
• a structured process with constant (formative) feedback
• students knowing how to work the equipment
• a film opening which looks like one
• a critically reflective evaluation on the blog with seven
different creative tasks
• every student achieving their full potential

5. who you gonna call?

6. Vygotsky!
“The zone of proximal development is
the distance between what children can
do by themselves and the next learning
that they can be helped to achieve with
competent assistance”

7. Step 1: assess
• what’s the task?
• what’s the assessment?
• what’s the timeframe?
• what’s the equipment?

8. Task and assessment
• Titles and opening of a new fiction film
• up to 2 minutes
• 20 marks Research and Planning
• 60 marks Construction
• 20 marks Evaluation

9. timeframe and equipment
• time to build skills
• time to research and plan
• time to shoot and edit
• access to cameras, edit program, online
resources

10. Step 2: structure
• set up blog hub
• set up class blogs
• set up class youtube and vimeo
• set out timeframe
• structure series of tasks- mini-deadlines

12. http://candiasthriller11.blogspot.com/
Blog hub

13. week 1 learning to blog; exercise with camera,
moodboard activity
homework: blog activities so far;
week 2 audio exercise; make production company
logo, learn edit program,
homework: audience/institution research;
analyse real film opening
week 3 film openings analysis; old student films,
frame by frame re-make
homework: prepare for frame re-make;
analyse old student film
week 4 frame by frame re-make, film titles research
activity; scenarios inspiration
homework: reflection on frame task and
titles research work
week 5 25 word pitches and feedback; moodboard
2 with titles
homework: prepare pitch for scenarios
week 6 post-it storyboard and animatic; peer
feedback; plan all audio
homework: write up responses of others to
animatic
week 7 planning, scripting, rehearsing,
experimenting, recce shots, risk assessment
homework: planning and blog all work done
week 8 shooting into editing homework: shooting
week 9 shooting into editing homework: shooting and blog process
week10 rough cut deadline, feedback, make changes homework: blog feedback
10
week11 final deadline; set evaluation tasks work on some evaluation tasks
1
week12 work on evaluation tasks work on some evaluation tasks
week13 deadline for evaluation tidy up blog
Sept 12-Dec 16 or Jan 9- Mar 26+ April 16-27

14. Step 3: activity
• teaching students to use the equipment
• camera exercises
• editing exercises
• audio exercises
• make their own production company logo/ident
• (b)logging evidence and reflecting critically and creatively

15. Step 4: investigate
• structuring research activities- classwork and
homework
• film openings: narrative, genre, audience, institution
• looking at examples of other student work-
critiques and criteria
• film titles research timeline activity
• film language: storyboarding and re-make activities

17. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=opening+scene&aq=f&gl=GB&hl=en-GB

18. what could be better?

19. what could be better?
• audio
• direction of actors
• camerawork
• editing
• mise-en-scene
• titles

21. Step 5: helping the idea
• give some possible scenarios for treatments
• 25 word pitch
• moodboard pitch
• peer and teacher feedback
• realistic expectations

22. The Pitch
• 25 word pitch
• Keep it simple
• Know the film but make the
opening

23. A mainstream action film that will appeal A supernatural thriller that will
to 15-25yr old males appeal to female audiences
Your film should appear to be based on a "fictional" Your film should appear to be an international
comic book co-production
possible scenarios
A remake of a late 50s/early 60s An independent movie featuring a young
Hammer film protagonist
Your film should offer a take suitable for the Your film should appear to be financed through
modern media-savvy audience regional funding

24. Step 6: Planning
• experimenting with camera and editing
• recce shots of locations
• examples of shots, costumes, props, etc
onto blog
• post-it storyboard, animatic, moodboard
• logistics planning- including risk assessment

26. Feedback
• On pitch, moodboard,
storyboard, animatic, rough
cut and final video
• Keep evidence of feedback
and note your response to it

28. Step 6: production
• limiting timeframe for camera loan
• ensuring process is recorded
• extra audio capture e.g. voice memo on phone
• students becoming directors...

29. The Shoot
• Check your equipment
• Plan people, places, props and
costumes
• Practice
• Rehearse your actors
• Pay attention to your audio as
well as visuals

30. Step 7: edit
• all having a voice/hand in it
• screengrabs of process
• importance of audio and titles
• foley - not just music
• rough cut deadline and peer feedback

31. The Edit
• Start with the big picture
• Do fine detail later
• Titles could all be done
first

32. Step 8: evaluation
• time to do it properly
• structure and opportunity

33. The Evaluation
• Seven tasks, not just seven written
answers
• www.petesmediablog.blogspot.com

34. Media Evaluation

35. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms
and conventions of real media products?
My media product is a video 1ilm which has been created to 1it in with other horror 1ilms, however at the same time it
has been made to challenge conventions of real media products allowing it to be considered as unique. There were
various aspects which in1luenced our decision to create a 1ilm based on the horror genre. It was important that our
audience were satis1ied by the 1ilm and all there expectations of a horror 1ilm were met. Looking at the typical
conventions of a horror 1ilm, such as blood, killing, violence and screams helped us to consider the aspects of a typical
horror 1ilm that we did and didn’t wish to include. We knew that to create a good 1ilm we needed to incorporate some
of the elements from an ordinary horror 1ilm, causing us to place our focus on a range of similar 1ilms and pick out
ideas which we felt would also 1it into our own work. Films such as ‘Scream’ and ‘Blair witch project’ were considered
and ideas which we liked were considered for our own 1ilm. By using blood, violence and screaming we allowed our
movie to 1it into the same category as general horror 1ilms, however using a slight twist as in Blair witch project by
creating a similar setting and style of 1ilming we were able to challenge the conventions of real media products. We
used a completely new storyline however used old and previously used ideas to put he storyline together creating a
new and different type of 1ilm. By then using iMovie to help us with editing we were able to create effects to make our
1ilm more scary and 1it into its speci1ic genre.

36. How does your media product represent particular social groups?
Our media product is aimed towards young adults/teenagers so we felt it would be a good idea to use the same
age range in our actual work. Teenagers are often used in horror 1ilms and I feel this makes our 1ilm seem
similar to those. People expect to see there types of characters, average, everyday people who wouldn’t expect
to be targeted. Both males and females are targeted as the audience in horror 1ilms can appeal to both. Also
people of all different ethnic origins may 1ind the product appealing as a mix of people from different
backgrounds have worked together to create it. Our 1ilm however does ful1il a stereo‐ type as it is a young,
teenage girl who is attacked which happens in my horror 1ilms as many people may think they are more
venerable. I feel that this works in both a positive and negative way. Positive as its what the audience expect to
see in a horror based 1ilm and negative as its very predictable. Teenagers are often placed into a stereotype in
which they are always causing trouble, this is partly the reason they are made out to be the victim in most
horror 1ilms. I feel that our 1ilm 1its in with this stereo‐type as we have also used a young female character as
our victim.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
I personally feel that if our opening sequence was to be produced it would 1it into the British 1ilm institution, I feel
there are many reasons behind this. As our 1ilm is yet amateur I feel it wouldn’t completely 1it into the American 1ilm
institution, however it is professional enough to be part of the British institution. I de1initely believe the opening
sequence could be shown over the internet to introduce viewers to the 1ilm. Our 1ilm is based on a good storyline,
however many 1ilms have similarities and in order to make it big in the 1ilm institution I feel that our 1ilm would
have to be made more original. YouTube viewers in my opinion would enjoy watching our creation as the storyline
is understandable without giving to much away which leads viewers wanting to watch more.

37. Who would be the audience for your media product?
Our 1ilm was created for a speci1ic audience in which we took out time to clearly thing about ideas which would let
our audience know we had created this for them. Teenagers and young adults were our aimed audience as we used
these same characters in our 1ilm. Depending on your other taste in 1ilms you would 1ind our 1ilm interesting. Our
audience feedback helped us in this department as we found out that the majority of teenagers would enjoy our 1ilm,
there own taste and what they themselves like to see is what would determine whether our 1ilm met there standards.
In our 1ilm we have tried to bring in mystery which we felt would also help us in drawing in a wider audience as
many are interested in ‘what happens next?’ Audience feedback helped us here and encourage us in making decisions
which would help bring in a wider audience. Both males and females, depending on there taste would also enjoy our
opening sequence as we gave featured both genders. Also the genre of the 1ilm is appealing to both, however
audience feedback allowed us to see males 1ind the genre more interesting.
How did you attract/address your audience?
In order to attract our audience we had to look at things from there point of view. What do they expect to see?
What do they want to see? Research was essential and by the time it came to 1ilming we realised there was no
better way to attract teenagers, by using them in the actual 1ilm! We also looked at the setting, rather than
using a place where no teenager would ever be found, we chose to pick the simple route home and the
woodland area 1itted perfect with our genre. By gathering audience research we could see this is what our
audience would expect to see. The element of mystery is what interested many of them so we chose to bring
this into our media text.

38. What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
When creating this project we all learnt a lot about new technologies such as iMac, although the
device has many positives and allowed us to edit our media in a professional way, I feel it was
hard to get to grips with at 1irst, however after this problem was solved we were able to
effectible make changes to our 1ilm creating a positive piece of media text. The camera was easy
to get to terms with, by playing around with it we were able to 1ind applications such as slow
1ilming and snap shots which then allowed us to use convections from real media texts.

39. Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt
in the progression from it to the full product?
Looking back at the production which we created I feel that we as a group and I individually have learnt a lot, not alone
from using new technology, but also from the way I have worked myself. I realised just how crucial planning and
research is and how this can affect your work. When watching 1ilms in the past I haven't taken any particular notice in
camera shots however when creating my own 1ilm I realised just how important it is to ensure the a variety of camera
shots are shown. Although I found 1ilming from different angles quite easy, I realised how time consuming this really
was. Planning and having a storyboard was de1initely an advantage, although whilst 1ilming we did decide to make a
few changes in order to be more practical. iMac then again helping us in making even more changes to bene1it our
work. I feel the tripod helped us a lot especially 1ilming from so many angles, it ensures our 1ilming wasn’t shaky and
helped us in improving the overall quality of the 1ilm. Overall I feel our media production was very successful, we didn’t
just challenge other media texts, we also created a different and fun piece of media text. From this production I have
taken out that research and planning can make or break your project.

40. http://vimeo.com/23419989

41. new site: http://ocrmediastudies.weebly.com/
tips from march 25 conference:
http://www.wix.com/misslowdon/as-foundation-portfolio-video

42. http://social.ocr.org.uk/

43. Step 9: marking
• mark the blogs as you go along
• rank order the videos
• benchmark against INSET material
• best fit may = bottom of the level
• evaluation - covering all questions, critically
reflecting, making good use of creative opportunity

44. Step 10: moderation
• prepare the blogs: final product at top,
evaluation next
• label everything clearly, make sure links
work, add candidate numbers on hub
• justify your marks with reference to criteria
and candidate

45. feel the benefit
• knock-on impact on G322 analysis
• skills developed for A2
• material stacked up for G325 1a/1b
• better marks for this unit