a prezi to offer revision/ guidance on writing the exam Q1a

cover work for Friday 09th May

I am sorry I will not be there - I am as i predicted invigilating the practical exams.

Today please complete 2 essays and put them in my pigeonhole at the end of the morning - i will mark them over the weekend ready for next week. - Charlie and Matt I have an essay marked for you to collect - come to WG11 to get it please.
you can also email your essays to the usual email address.

please do the following:
For each essay please:

• spend 20 minutes planning what you will say in each section - keep it as bullet points/mindmap etc
• write the essay allowing your allocated time including extra time - to a maximum of 40 minutes
• if you run out of time just list what else you would have said under a dividing line
• hand them to me including notes/plans

the two essay titles are:

1. which media texts and producers have influenced your creativity and post production processes?

2. what pre-production planning techniques did you employ?. How effective was your planning and how did it help you to be creative in the production and post-production phase?

Remember the aim of the essay is to show development as a producer across at least 2 productions and over time, plus show understanding and knowledge of key media concepts, conventions and terminology

Deadline Date SUNDAY 13TH APRIL AT MIDNIGHT

We will then add a post indicating the last entry on your blog. We will print out the final blog and website as a hard copy to send to the examiner. There is no extension to this deadline. 

You MUST submit:

1. Your blog - this is the evidence of all your research and planning. This is worth  up to 30 marks
2.  Your final constructions (short film - up to 40 marks) and the ancillary tasks (Poster and Magazine Review worth up to 10 marks each). Each should be embedded in a titled post and. This is worth up to 60 marks in total
3.  Your Evaluation including answers to all 4 questions (worth up to 30 marks).This should take the form of a separate Blog or Website which is interactive and demonstrates a range of digital instruments. This is worth up to 30 marks

The last entries on your Blog should be (n this order):

• Your Evaluation Website or Blog embedded in a titled post
• The Final Short film
• The Poster
• the Magazine Review.

Your Blog and Website must have your name and candidate number in the title

Although we can burn copies of films onto hard disc (DVD) after Easter you must have the final film uploaded or embedded into your blog by the deadline.

you have 6 weeks left for productions
you need to plan time carefully:
complete a detailed timeline to ensure you meet the deadline - here is an example; 

Week beginning 6th January - (exam week) filming / Photography tasks/ Uploads of footage / making animation rostrum/characters

Week beginning 13th January - editing and creation of raw footage / editing to complete the first' Cut'/ animating sequences

Week beginning 20th January - drafts of posters / collections of images for posters/ magazines

Week beginning 27th January - focus group work / re-editing / reshoots / construction of sound

Week beginning 3rd February - construction of sound / titles / final edits of films

Week beginning 10th February - exhibition and distribution of 'first cut' of final films shared on digital/social networks for the purpose of focus group feedback - use surveys/ questionnaires and allow time for feedback / work on ancillary layout/drafts

Week beginning 17th February = Half term - complete focus group research / complete Blogs / plan final improvements to productions in response to the feedback

Deadline for completed Research & Planning Blogs and First Drafts of Productions is the 28th February (Friday after half term)

Please copy and paste this structure into your own blog and then edit it to make it personal and relevant to you



you may also find here useful
http://ocrmediastudies.weebly.com/general-info-and-links.html

Production of final Artefacts: effective time management

There are only 6 weeks left allocated for your production of all three artefacts. We are covering Brief 10.  You must submit 

A short film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animated or a combination of both ( it must deliver the conventions of the film genre), together with the following ancillary artefacts: 

• a poster for the film; (created for an existing, recognised location: to scale and suitable for your target audience)

• a film magazine review page featuring the film.  (for distribution/inclusion in a suitable publication that your target audience would read).

you need to be engaging actively in reflective research and looking at examples to put your own work in context.
OCR provide lots of examples: - take the time to look at the models of good practice: these show the standards expected. Look at our previous students work. Then look at the examples provided by OCR - READ THE CONTENTS

you can see an example of a final short film here

http://examplesofwork13.weebly.com/a2.html

there is only one so i will try to find more

here are examples from the board of final blogs together with the marks
http://examplesofwork13.weebly.com/moderation-activities.html

you have to hand in:

• a completed Blog showing all research, organisation, planning, drafts and focus group evidence. It must also include your THREE final artefacts
• a DVD copy of both the Film and print copies of your review/poster
• the detailed and interactive evaluation produced as a Web-Site

Use my posts  and the examples to help you add work/decide what to include

Upload detail of all processes and work you do. 

DEADLINE FOR ALL FILM PRODUCTION IS FEBRUARY HALF TERM.

THE WEBSITE EVALUATION IS COMPLETED AFTER HALF TERM

matt - is this any use for you?

cover for 20th november

sorry guys I have  a horrid cold/flu thing and so no voice, disgusting cough, aches etc - you do not wanna be in a room with me

I have emailed the technician asking him to have all video cameras moved up to CM21 with Ms Moore / still cameras are on the desk in my office. Post-it notes are in a box on the purple table by the darkroom door in WG11

TODAY - we need to start to plan for the film so
DRIVING QUESTION: how can you effectively show development of an idea, from basic to preparing to shoot?
CHALLENGE: work as a scriptwriter, producer and camera operator: present all these aspects of your film ideas in a way that is visually appealing but includes a lot of information
ACTIVITY IDEAS:

1. begin with a simple plot discourse - outline your narrative story in a paragraph then outline the plot
2. use post-it notes to sketch different shots/frames, arrange and photograph - remeber to include dialogue etc
3. photograph location types
4. photograph 'stills' you will use of characters
5. video a discussion/talking head outlineing your idea/why/how/etc
6. upload examples of clips that are similar in style or technique and annotate how they relate to your own idea

This is now time to be creative and excite your potential audience

There are lots of ways to do this - by the end of Mondays lesson I need to see a range including some of the above choices and some of your own.

Some blogs are looking excellent - others less so - please do not forget to add evidence of planning and developing ideas - upload the narrative work, upload storyboards, upload photographs of you filming etc

Thanks - see you when i am back in

research and planning: AUDIENCE

Challenge: you need to present a structured 'picture' of your target audience using recognised / valid ways of measuring and defining an audience.

The audience grouping that you choose must be a recognised media audience
The exhibition and distribution method you choose must be a real one and you must state your intended method / instrument

choose one or more of the following methods as a start point: you will get more marks if you are creative and interactive in how you present your decision:

1. powerpoint
2. a video
3. role play
4. voice thread  - see an example of a sprowston student work  here http://lukeandersona2media2012-13.blogspot.co.uk/ the site introduction is available here  https://voicethread.com/media/misc/IntroductionToVoiceThread.mov4. it is free to use log-in and choose a free account here is a good place to start https://voicethread.com/support/howto/Account_Types/Free/
5. a prezi
6. a web page - wix.com is easy to use and free - find it here: http://www.wix.com/

Try to have fun as this will come across to your audience

try to link it to your own genre / style and intended film

we will begin todays lesson in discussions

research: using critical theories: Audience

you need to be able to show both knowledge and understanding:

KNOWLEDGE
means knowing about  facts, terms and concepts
UNDERSTANDING
means being able to use them in discussion, essays or planning - owning the knowledge and being able to re-use it in your own words and  use it to influence your own production.

Build your understanding of the work in the last lessons by: initially Deconstructing the Pete Buckingham paper Audiences: Trends, Profiles and Patterns: What People Go to See, Why and How to Reach Them

then

complete tasks 1-3 on the sheet:

Task 1

Read the article and make notes on the following points

Q1- page 1 – read and consider – what does he suggest influences audience patterns – is he correct in your opinion?

Q2 page 2 – what kind of audience are you  - what are your own viewing habits – how do audiences behave in the cinema

Q2b: what instruments could you use to find out about viewing habits / successful genres and narratives?

Task 2

Read pages 3-4 and think about how he explains WHY people go to the cinema; what do they want from a cinema experience and a film; what blocks them from getting involved.  Then make notes to answer Q3 & 4 reflecting on yourself as a consumer:

Q3 – motivation & behaviour

a.       Why do you watch films?

b.      What qualities attract you ( you could consider  film / actor/company/innovation / reputation etc)

c.       How do you consume films (exhibition: how it is shown – cinema/dvd/streamed/downloaded/tv as well as who with or where)

Q4. Driver and barriers – annotate his list and then create your own. – what dissuades or persuades YOU.

Task 3

Produce a report exploring the following points:

·         The different ways in which film industries and institutions categorise audiences (companies that make films and those who distribute or exhibit them)

·         The reasons they do so

·         The ways in which producers and film writers can consider audiences

·         The reasons why they do so.

·         What affects you as an audience member

You can use any method to present it – essay / prezi / powerpoint etc But you must include more than just words – links / diagrams / photos etc.

Deadline – First lesson next week

Hy 3^rd Nov 2013

Narrative: critical theories and generating ideas - short film genre

You have been given an outline of a variety of critical theories and we have discussed how to apply to specific films / your ideas for your own productions

Some of the theories we have covered include:

Vladimir Propp: characters as function / actions as function

Barthes: action / enigma codes

Tzevetan Todorov – Equilibrium & disequilibrium

Levi-Strauss - binary oppositions

Allan Cameron's theory of Modular Narratives

Representation theories

Audience theories

narrative conventions: a restrictive and unrestrictive narrative

there are others - to extend attainment research and find some of your own - produce evidence of your independent research into narrative codes and theories - link them to exisiting films as examples for your points/opinions

HOMEWORK 1: present research and findings as a powerpoint.  – link to  specific media texts

Today's tasks: 21st October - generating narrative ideas.

to avoid having a narrow range of ideas you need to provide different versions of narrative structure

1.  generate an initial narrative story and discourse - be original
2. create three versions of your concept each of which meets a different critical narrative theory 
3. change your narrative explore the effect changing the narrative - for example restricted, non-linear or episodic: change the chronology, apply parallel concepts

present all of your ideas in an interactive and creative way - you must include links and quotes plus media texts as examples

generating evidence of understanding narrative and genre theories - source material

this slideshow presents the theories of narrative in a simple yet clear way - it may give you some ideas for creating your own
Media narrative codes from Elaine Humpleby

Semioticsforbeginnersaslevel 111012150554-phpapp02 from Elaine Humpleby

Audience pete buckingham what people go to see from Elaine Humpleby

Research and Planning: 16th October - Narrative

main task today  -  present your narrative outline to the rest of the class

> you need to present your:

1. narrative plot
2. narrative story
3. character outlines
4. events, enigma codes and hooks
5. proposed location / style

You need to be prepared to discuss and justify your ideas - 

our questions will check the content of your presentations:

• who is your target audience?
• how will you establish your plot/enigma and hook the audience interest?
• what genre conventions are you meeting/breaking?
•  is it a good concept
• is it a realistic proposal?

 BE PREPARED to make notes on a post-it and pass it to the person presenting

This activity will generate evidence for your Evaluation / focus groups

Remember the next lesson will focus on Genre: codes / theories / institutions and audiences. Bring a pen, paper and your brain active and alert. - it is a double and we are in WG11

research and planning: Narrative - 14th October 2013

main task today  -  create a simple narrative outline
present:

1. narrative plot
2. narrative story
3. character outlines
4. events, enigma codes and hooks
5. proposed location / style

You need to present to the class and be prepared to discuss and justify your ideas - this will be next lesson so be ready

after presentations the next lesson will focus on Genre: codes / theories / institutions and audiences. Bring a pen, paper and your brain active and alert. 

research and planning: Narrative codes and systems

critical theory

the basics:

Narrative

Narrative is defined as “a chain of events in a cause-effect relationship occurring in

time” (Bordwell & Thompson, Film Art, 1980).

Diegesis

The internal world created by the story that the characters themselves experience

and encounter.

Story and plot

Story – all events referenced both explicitly in a narrative and inferred (including

backstory as well as those projected beyond the action)

Plot – the events directly incorporated into the action of the text and the order in

which they are presented

Narrative Range

Unrestricted narration – A narrative which has no limits to the information that is

presented i.e. a news bulletin.

Restricted narration – only offers minimal information regarding the narrative i.e.

Thrillers

Narrative Depth

Subjective character identification – the viewer is given unique access to what a range of characters see and do

Objective character identification – the viewer is given unique access to a

character’s point of view such as seeing things from the character’s mind, dreams,

fantasies or memories

then it can be more complex:

Modular Narratives “articulate a sense of time as divisible and subject to manipulation”.

Cameron has identified four different types of modular narrative:

• Anachronic

• Forking Paths

• Episodic

• Split Screens

Anachronic modular narratives involve the use of flashbacks and/or flashforwards, with no clear dominance between any of the narrative threads. These narratives also often repeat scenes directly or via a different perspective. Examples include: Pulp Fiction and Memento.

Forking-path narratives juxtapose alternative versions of a story, showing the possible outcomes that might result from small changes in a single event or group of events. The forking-path narrative introduces a number of plotlines that usually contradict one another. Examples include Groundhog Day and Run Lola Run.

Episodic narratives are organised as an abstract series or narrative anthology. Abstract series type of modular narrative is characterized by the operation of a nonnarrative formal system which appears to dictate (or at least overlay) the organization of narrative elements such as a sequence of numbers or the alphabet. Anthology consists of a series of shorter tales which are apparently disconnected but share a random similarity, such as all ‘episodes’ being survivors of a shipwreck.

Split screen narratives are different from the other types of modular narrative discussed here, because their modularity is articulated along spatial rather than temporal lines. These films divide the screen into two or more frames, juxtaposing events within the same visual field, in a sustained fashion. Examples include Timecode.

todays tasks

FIRST - discussion in pairs - for tasks 1-2

1. discussion and identification of the term NARRATIVE - what do we understand it to mean?
2. story versus plot versus PLOT - what is the difference

upload evidence of understanding of both to BLOG

THEN

create my original narrative structure and pattern:

Q which narrative conventions will i use / break - video discussions?