Prezi Evaluation

http://prezi.com/js2hrknxpf3g/evaluation/?kw=view-js2hrknxpf3g&rc=ref-11613508

Evaluation upon the Coursework

Evaluation

After applying the finishing touches as well as the editing, the video trailer had been reviewed within each scene.

During the study and the analysis of the final trailer, we as a group have discussed upon the finishes and what part of the clip they have enjoyed.

Being the editor and such, I felt that there could of have been a big improvement within cutting out the unneeded background music. I understood that that due to time constraints and the budget that we could not use professional props and items to which we worked with what we had.

The theme and style of the film trailer was exactly how I portrayed (though being the editor does allow that advantage over others due to their perspective and how they would want the film to be directed). The overall outcome of the theme was indeed grittiness, violence and crime (to which met our specification) Though in my opinion I felt that it lacked semi gore-ish scenes, I understood that due to our budget, fake blood could not have been induced within the production but solely because of that, it wasn’t as realistic as compared to other professional film trailers.  

The theme songs and music fitted in with the tempo and the rhythm of each clip, such examples as when Pete Crowley(Hadyn) was looking remotely...suspicious, using the laptop to hack into the hideout’s system and the combination of the non-diegetic background music with the lyrics “And you’re looking pretty suspicious”. So there was an applied lyrical-visual technique sustained within the trailer(though unintended until editing took place).

Camera shots and panning were as professional as it seemed for some of the parts, other than some misjudgements and amateur hand shaking to which overall helped the grittiness and the feel for the realism.

In general, I feel that the trailer was too extended, the trailer lasted for 2:30 minutes when trailers should last around from 1:30 to 2:00. The first front half upon the dialogue should have been shortened to an extent. I understand that with the main protagonist speaking out within the beginning was necessary in order to introduce the scenario, however, I have discussed that some of the dialogue wasn’t needed due to that we shouldn’t be explaining the main plot but hinting different features and different cases in order to grasp hold of the audience’s attention. Such examples given are how most of the antagonist are introduced at the first half the beginning.

Instead, we should be creating anxiety throughout the trailer and portray each and every character with an unknown identity or rather with a mysterious profile.

Overall, the score I would give to the trailer would be 3.5/5, initially, if we had a better equipment and better understanding with the tools and programs that we were using, it would of been much easier to create a more standard and professional trailer.

 

Media language

"Media is communication.” Discuss the ways that you have used media language to create meanings in one of your media products.

The communication within presenting our trailer consisted of using various techniques to which the audience could translate themselves their own values.

Within our A2 Film project, our sole desire was to initially target an audience demographic whom enjoys the typical action packed twist with the hint of crime, namely young males. Our main intention was to create a nitty-gritty film to which we hope to grasp our audience with that action packed realism. We wanted that impact on the film in which we hoped that the audience could reflect upon the characteristics of the theme without having the difficulty to figure out the whole plot of the trailer. Hopefully offering something fresh and new while sticking to the conventions of crime movies and trailers.

The mis-en-scene was carefully constructed in the film trailer, such and such consisted of our props and clothes, the antagonist within the film trailer was depicted with dark characteristics; Dark black clothing were used with the combination of the eye-patch. This served to reinforce stereotypes of the cool suave gangster. The communication that was put forth throughout the attire/asset was that the clothing was the signified clothing as that signifier situated the actor as an evil villain. We used this concept of portrayal throughout the film trailer as this help us to set the medium for each enactment.

Once the idea of the film trailer was introduced and confirmed, the main goal was to force a definitive genre into each of our scenes to which we hoped that all of our audience can relate to or rather understand the concept of the theme.

With the uses of different camera shots, we learnt that we can create various styles and themes that fitted our genre. On the whole, with the use of amateur follow-ups and shaky camera recordings, the outcome for the scenes concluded with a gritty perspective. Angles consisting of low angle shots that were performed on Nathan Cole (The Protagonist) when he was looking suspicious.We used this within our chasing scene where the pursuit took place between the protagonist and the antagonist as we focused on giving the audience a first person impression/view of the whole chase. This initially created a realistic viewpoint of the action and violence.

In other instances, the title of our film (Chasing the dragon) interconnected with two aspects of the plot, one of which that the word ‘Dragon’ was a reference to the main antagonist of the film (Hao Zheng) as his background origin came from China (China being heavily influenced with Dragons and such). The other meaning to the connection of the film title was that ‘Chasing the dragon’ refers to smuggling and the trading of narcotics (Such as cocaine). This polysemic technique assisted the theme of the film to which the audience should have an rough idea of the plot upon looking at the first impressions.

Research Evaluation

Research Evaluation:

Within the production of the A2 film trailer, constant research had been put forth in order to understand the genre and the perception of how the typical type of trailer would be produced. The research carried out allowed us to understand the overall construction as this gave us the medium to work with.

Reviewing upon other media products was what helped us bring forth the confidence to actually produce the film in the first place. From looking at different genre i.e horror to crime, we had suspected that there needed to be a starting point to where we should intercept in the film market. As we progressed, arguments were brought forth from group members to show their intensity, the confidence to argue upon what their desires were initially helped to preserve the counter balance and the equilibrium as we need this to create diversity. (To which developed into new ideas and new prospects).  

Discussions upon whether to or not challenge present conventions were introduced as we all knew that this was our second point that had to be handled across the evolution of the theme of the film trailer. The sole main points introduced were, cost, accessibility, time, reliability, accuracy and usefulness.

Many present film trailers were reviewed as different concepts were brought forth to see if they fitted into our criteria. It was this research that allowed us to create a professional movie trailer as different aspects from different films were included thus, it was expected that we could meet the production level of the current movie trailers regardless if we had a low budget or not.

Planning ahead of the trailer was also as crucial to the beginning as we needed to understand the outcome of the trailer, we needed to anticipate for the initial audience reviews and understand that we would need to change and improve over time. Expectations had to be made as the initial genre of the trailer was crime so typical types of violence had to be met and shown in a particular way that the audience would have never had expected from before.

Upon the progress of the production of our trailers, many of the produced plans had to be changed in order to meet the initial expectations. Such and such changes that applied within our coursework was upon the adaption of the objective, at first, our sole principal was to create a film opening but due to inconveniences and time constraints the present proposal was to change the scenes into a film trailer instead.

Research upon change had been applied to the trailer as we had to reverse the criteria to one that suited the current alteration.  Such prospects included was how we would perceive the current scenes captured with our camera into one that fitted with the construction of a film trailer, editing and further encoding helped us to change but in order to do that, research upon the usage of the programs had been looked into as such tools were used (Cut, encoding)….   

As a constant amount of research was applied, we had developed a progressive skill that allowed us to search deeper into any type of topic we wanted to look into. From generating basic and general points to evaluating each and every prospect with more detail, our confidence ensured that the research carried out was accurate enough in order to be used throughout our productions.

Audience review

Audience review

After the basic cleanup of the video editing, we have decided to ask our audience to give their first impression upon the movie trailer. Bringing reviews into our analysis of the success upon the whole project will help us upon the next study.

We have asked specifically to our audience to give constructive criticism to the extent of giving as much negativity as they can so that we can solely improve as regards with the next project.

We have also imformed them that due to the low budget that we had, we couldn’t meet the standards of professionals but we could at least try to with our editing skills.

Audience review one

“Although you built the dramatic anxiety within the first half the video, I felt that the plot within the trailer didn’t grab me. There was a nice selection of music as well as good editing implemented within, but at times there were bits of pieces missing within the link”

Audience review two

“The editing was good, using the xxx theme to your trailer fitted in with the plot and the aura. One of the problems that existed were two monologue’s speaking at the same time to which I had to rewind the clip a few times before I could understand both”

Audience review three

“The rhythm was in tune with each scene, good use of the camera editing and camera shots (The CCTV camera was crafty as well as the pursuit scene)"

Audience review four

“The scenery and background were high-quality (not the quality of the camera though) good use of panning within the city and the panning of different scenes; I felt that there needed to be more violence and explosions to make the film a bit more grittier and unexpected. Overall, the film trailer was intriguing and exciting till the very end.”

Audience review five

“Good use of the sound editing (gunshot) and a good selection of music/theme, The silence within the middle of the trailer enlightened the intensity of the plot. The only thing that I would suggest to improve is to remove some of the background noises”

Audience review six

“The protagonist was shown very clearly, though, after looking through your script and such, I didn’t realize that there were so many antagonists. You should make your antagonists stand out more clearly with bitter violence”

In general, the audience depicted the movie trailer with good marks and some cons, the main distinctive points that most of the audience made was that there were good editing and good use of sound selection, the entity of using different backgroudns and scenery within the action (second half of the video) helps to create a diverse world for the audience.

Removing unneeded background sound would create a clear flow for the audience to which creates less distractions and so forth. My reflections upon these comments are that they are valuable and  valid as we would use this to improve our video if we could get the chance to do so. 

A2 Video