HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU, AND A FAB NEW YEAR!

Let it snow?

Just in time for the holidays, Google has rolled out the latest in a string of neat tricks that you can play with the search engine.

For those who haven't tried it yet, pull Google up on your browser and type in the words "let it snow." Then enjoy a snow flurry right on your computer screen.

RISK ASSESSMENT FORMS NOW ON MOODLE

Two versions of risk assessment forms are now on moodle.
You must fill them  in and upload the completed version to your blog as evidence of having done this planning.

WHY NOT USE TWITTER TO GET FEEDBACK?

Sign up if you're not a member already, and then create a twitter group for your production group. Invite followers to comment on your ideas, film, and later poster.
Link here to an AS blog where they've done this.

FILMING DEADLINE IS THIS FRIDAY!

'My Week With Marilyn'

Many groups are behind schedule with filming and blogging, and this is now endangering your final grade.
Very few students will be able to take cameras out over xmas, leaving many groups falling even further behind. You MUST accelerate work rate, and you must expect to do more outside the classroom. Some people are doing little or NO  work outside lessons. You are expected to spend all homework time working on the short film and blogs at this stage - we expect at least 3 hours a week outside lessons.
DON'T FORGET TO DO A RISK ASSESSMENT AND UPLOAD THIS AS EVIDENCE OF PLANNING.

Take some photos of the shoot

 

Take a camera with you on your shoot so that you can plan your poster. If you have re shoot images for the poster, this will entail calling back your actors. Avoid this and plan ahead.

ONLY 2 WEEKS TO FILM!

For the Spielberg amongst you - an inspirational image!

REMEMBER FILMING RUSHES DEADLINE IS THE END OF TERM!

EVERY GROUP MUST COMPLETE A RISK ASSESSMENT FORM, AVAILABLE IN THE EDIT SUITE. THESE WILL BE HELD BY US, BUT SHOULD BE SCANNED BY YOU TO UPLOAD TO THE BLOG.

INCOMPLETE WORK BY LAST WEDNESDAY'S DEADLINE

'Shame'

A disappointing and worrying number of groups and individuals have not completed the tasks due by last Wednesday. We are keeping records of time-keeping for assessment later in the year, so marks will probably have already been lost! 
Now make sure that you add and improve posts immediately if you wish to avoid losing more marks!

FILMING CAN BEGIN AFTER SUPERVISOR AGREES

You should have completed all of the planning tasks now. I'll be working my way through your blogs over the next couple of days, and checking that it's ok to go ahead. Don't hold up your work beyond this weekend though.
Check the next set of tasks, and continue to add to existing posts and improve previous deadline work.
Carry on watching as many short films as you can.

DEADLINE APPROACHING - WEDNESDAY NOV 30TH 9pm

The deadline for the planning stage is still this Wednesday 30th. You won't be in college, but most of the items are blogged and you should be working on this in your own time in and out of college.
You will need to make sure that the animatic is uploaded before the end of tomorrow (Tues).
The following must ALL  be on the blog by 9pm Wednesday:

Evidence of ongoing research into short films which reflect the ongoing process of your planning (embed links to more films the group finds inspiring, with comments)

- short statements (bullet pointed paragraphs) on initial group decisions in each of the areas for assessment in Unit G325: genre/style, narrative, representation, target audience, use of film language (eg ideas for key shots and dominant mise en scene). Remember that you will need to consult members of your audience for feedback later in the process!

- allocation of roles at this stage - see booklet on this, but it includes camera operation, prop research and acquisition, location research and justification, storyboarding, scripting, animatic production, costume, make-up, actor selection and contacting, lighting decisions, sound/foley research etc. All members of the group should take part in the editing process.

- location research (photos taken and uploaded with notes)

- initial props ideas and photos with notes

- lighting notes (on animatic or as separate posting)- use examples from others

- storyboard as animatic (with or without commentary - ONLY WITHOUT IF DRAWING IS VERY DETAILED AND ALL ELEMENTS OF FRAME PLANNING, LENGTH OF SHOT ETC ARE PRESENT)

- outline script (either as part of animatic, or separate posting)

- initial ideas for additional sound (soundtrack, foley/fx, ambient)

- notes, images, links on initial research into short film promotion (advertising, reviews - see my blog side bar)

- some audience feedback on story ideas, proposed characters and scenes (can  be gathered and presented through social networking sites), with comments posted

PLANNING

You need to provide a shot list for every shot in the film, which states shot size, angle, movement and character movement in the scene. Locations should be clear, as should any lighting instructions and any other aspect of mise en scene. Decide on editing transitions and add these in too.
.
You do not have to storyboard every shot.  However, make sure your storyboard and animatic covers key scenes. Remember you'll need a voice over to explain the content of images, and how they connect.

READ MY COMMENTS!

Today and tomorrow I will be making comments on your research. Many of you are not providing sufficiently detailed or precise analysis for A2. Each of the bullet point questions need a FULL answer - about 20 lines minimum, and each short film analysis should be at least 1 screen's worth of notes. Some of the notes wouldn't achieve a level 2 at AS, and certainly not A2!
Act straight away to edit your posts, if you wish to avoid losing substantial marks.

REMEMBER TO USE TERMS FOR ALL ASPECTS OF FILM LANGUAGE.

DON'T FORGET YOUR SUMMER EVALUATION WORK!

Don't forget that you all need to have your group evaluations from the summer posted on the blog. This should have been your first post, and if it isn't, must be posted asap.

LINKS ON THE SIDE BAR

There are loads of links to related websites for your production work on the right.
Keep visiting them through the process to help with ideas/research/context etc.

NOW START PLANNING - DEADLINE NOVEMBER 30TH!

Now that the first deadline has passed, I'll be posting comments on your blogged research. If you think you haven't done enough, or I suggest you haven't, I suggest you edit posts to improve or add more posts.
You should continue to research short films throughout the planning process, but would also benefit from doing it right through the short film production stage.

PLANNING

Deadline Two: Ongoing Research and Pre-Production Planning
On your group blog by the date below, with everyone contributing equally, and all individual posts tagged, aiming for 1 post per day per group member:

- evidence of ongoing research into short films which reflect the ongoing process of your planning (embed links to more films the group finds inspiring, with comments)
- short statements (bullet pointed paragraphs) on initial group decisions in each of the areas for assessment in Unit G325: genre/style, narrative, representation, target audience, use of film language (eg ideas for key shots and dominant mise en scene). Remember that you will need to consult members of your audience for feedback later in the process!
- allocation of roles at this stage
- location research (photos taken and uploaded with notes)
- initial props ideas and photos with notes
- lighting notes (on animatic or as separate posting)- use examples from others
- storyboard as animatic (with or without commentary)
- outline script (either as part of animatic, or separate posting)
- initial ideas for additional sound (soundtrack, foley/fx, ambient)
- notes, images, links on initial research into short film promotion (advertising, reviews)
- some audience feedback on story ideas, proposed characters and scenes (can be gathered and presented through social networking sites), with comments posted

DEADLINE FOR THIS STAGE: Wednesday November 30th, 9pm

FIRST DEADLINE APPROACHING! (WED NOV 16TH 9PM)

Your first deadline for research into at least 4 short films each is approaching.

Study the instructions for this carefully (on moodle) and make sure you have written notes, not an essay.

You'll find useful links to short film websites on the left hand bar of my blog. Have a look!

WELCOME TO MY ADVANCED PORTFOLIO BLOG FOR 2011/12! IGNORE ALL POSTS BELOW THIS ONE

As soon as you have been allocated to me for supervision, you should make sure you are 'Following' my blog (go to your dashboard, under 'blogs I'm following' click on 'Add', put my blog url in the address bar, click on next, and click on 'follow publicly'. Then you're done! You should then receive all my posts via your dashboard, but the link should also be on your front page - check your design settings if it doesn't.
IGNORE ALL POSTS BELOW THIS - THEY'RE FROM LAST YEAR!

FINAL DEADLINE!

DON'T FORGET - THIS FRIDAY EVENING IS THE FINAL DEADLINE FOR ALL PARTS OF THE ADVANCED PORTFOLIO, INCLUDING THE FINISHED EVALUATION!
THERE CAN BE NO EXTENSIONS ON THIS DEADLINE AS THE EXAM BOARD DEADLINE FOR MARKS IS ONLY A FEW DAYS LATER.
A COPY OF THE 'HOUSEKEEPING BLOGS' SLIDES USED IN LESSONS IS ON MOODLE, ALONG WITH ALL PREVIOUS DEADLINES.

FINAL DEADLINES

MAKE SURE YOU ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE FINAL DEADLINES. THERE CAN BE ABSOLUTELY NO EXTENSIONS ON THE LAST DEADLINE, AS THIS GIVES US MINIMAL TIME TO MARK THE WORK BEFORE EXTERNAL MODERATION.

April 7th – end of term:

Deadline for finished poster and review. Both to be uploaded to blog for assessment by supervisor.

EVALUATION DRAFT DEADLINE: Easter Monday, 25th April.
(To be produced over Easter)

FINAL EVALUATION DEADLINE:
6PM FRIDAY APRIL 29TH (BANK HOLIDAY) ON THE BLOG.
THIS MUST BE YOUR LAST BLOG ENTRY.

Little White Lies review dimensions

For the final submission, it's important to get the dimensions correct. See below for details:

Little white lies – page layout dimensions.

You need to fit approx 500 words into the article.
Page dimensions are 200 mm by 242mm
Each of the 3 columns of text are 55 mm in width
40mm between bottom of image and top of column with text
Image is 171 mm by 84mm

You can do the rest – the title space and the ratings. Use a ruler.

Font for main body of text is Minion Pro

Feedback on the review copy draft

If I have made more than a few comments on your review, I will have done it via word, adding comments in the margin. I will email these to you, so all of you check emails please.

DEADLINE APPROACHING!

By April 1st, you must have a draft of your review copy and layout posted to the blog.

You should be gathering TARGET AUDIENCE FEEDBACK TOO.

Your work on the poster should be ongoing.
Don't forget that the final deadline for all 3 parts is Thursday April 7th!

WORK ON FILM AND POSTER TO DEADLINES APPROACHING

The deadline for the first draft of the poster has now passed.
The new deadlines are below - see your film and poster booklets for more details.

Deadline 2: POSTER

Editing of short film continues to deadline, plus blogged decisions and explanations (see booklet on main task)
At least 3 real poster analysed per student, using the 5 areas applied in lessons, and linked to your own process and ideas wherever possible.
Poster design continues in photoshop and indesign

Friday 18th March: short film final deadline (see main task booklet)
Sunday 20th March: first group draft of poster to appear on blog (1 per group)


Final FILM Deadline Four: FILM Editing
Final edit completed, with no further time being allocated

On the group blog by the deadline below:

- frequent posts explaining the editing process, aims, techniques, decisions, choices and any reasonable difficulties experienced with technologies. Use terms wherever appropriate
- audience feedback on the finished film (use the areas listed for questions in unit G325 to help you focus on questions to your audience) – gathered via the blog, social networking sites and other means, and recorded on the blog
- the finished film uploaded via youtube to the blog
- further research and planning for the 2 Ancillary Tasks (see later advice on this)

Friday 18th March

Don't Forget -

- that you each need to show evidence of having researched poster design yourselves. This means providing textual analysis of at least 3 posters - 1 could be one of those we looked at in class. Use the 5 areas from the exam question 1b to frame your analysis (representation, genre, narrative, film language, audience). Make notes under each of these headings.
This is in addition to the deadline today, but can be completed over the next few days, as you firm up your decisions.

POSTER LAYOUT AND DESIGN

Here's a reminder of what you discussed in class:

THERE ARE NOW 2 DEADLINES APPROACHING!

Make sure you are absolutely clear that you are currently preparing for 2 deadlines:

Poster Ancillary Task
Deadline


Deadline 1

Every student in group to contribute to initial draft design for the poster. Preferably each person draw, scan image, and upload with comments and justifications (bullet points, about 10 lines). Group to select best design to proceed with.
Decisions about allocation of roles (review and poster) posted to blog.

Sunday 6th March, 9pm.

Final Deadline Four: Editing
Final edit completed, with no further time being allocated

On the group blog by the deadline below:

- frequent posts explaining the editing process, aims, techniques, decisions, choices and any reasonable difficulties experienced with technologies. Use terms wherever appropriate
- audience feedback on the finished film (use the areas listed for questions in unit G325 to help you focus on questions to your audience) – gathered via the blog, social networking sites and other means, and recorded on the blog
- the finished film uploaded via youtube to the blog
- further research and planning for the 2 Ancillary Tasks (see later advice on this)

Friday 18th March

New Links Added

See side bar to the right for new links to help with the portfolio and collective identity (exam).

DEADLINE FRIDAY!

DON'T FORGET THAT THE DEADLINE FOR RUSHES TO BE LOGGED AS A ROUGH CUT IS FRIDAY. LATE SUBMISSION OF WORK MAY AFFECT YOUR MARK FOR PLANNING, WHERE MARKS ARE DEDUCTED FOR FAILURE TO MEET DEADLINES.

RISK ASSESSMENTS ARE NEEDED

You must consider and document the risks that you might face filming in your various locations. In addition, discuss how these potential risks are overcome.

As well as health risks, you must also consider other difficulties like filming children or filming in a public place or in sight of the public.


Risk - filming on a pavement running alongside road
Precautions to reduce risk - High vis jackets to be worn by non actors, keep camera away from curb


In addition, ensure someone knows where you are when filming, always have permission, don't film in such a way as to cause unnecessary risk to yourself - leaning out over heights, not having safety belts on in cars if filming, ALWAYS BE SAFE!!!!!!

DON'T FORGET THE NEXT DEADLINE!

The next deadline is approaching fast (FRIDAY FEB 18TH)

If you have completed all of the tasks for this deadline, but are unable to shoot, start to plan your film title and especially the design of the title and where it will appear in the sequence. This needs careful research into fonts, sizing, colour, animation and presentation in the frame. It's really important to brand your film, and the title design will need to be carried through to the poster. Don't forget that you need to take photos on your shoot for the poster - this will save you having to call back actors and perhaps revisiting your locations.

Using double periods for filming

If you are able to return to college without missing any lessons, you may find it useful to use a double lesson in Media to film. You must check with us first though and sign out before leaving college.

Missed deadline work : Defining your audience

Many groups have not completed the work due by the deadline last Friday.
If you have not completed all of the tasks, you are in danger of losing marks for planning, where your completion of deadlines is assessed.

As part of this work, you should have defined your audience. Do this using the demographic and psychographic terms introduced in the magazines course. Consider the ways in which your film is most likely to be viewed, as this may constrain your audience (you should also have commented on this as part of the short film promotion task - see below and in booklet).

Check the deadline tasks again below, and add any missing material fully and within the next couple of days at the latest:

Deadline Two: Ongoing Research and Pre-Production Planning (this has now passed)
On your group blog by the date below, with everyone contributing equally, and all individual posts tagged, aiming for 1 post per day per group member:

- evidence of ongoing research into short films which reflect the ongoing process of your planning (embed links to more films the group finds inspiring, with comments)
- short statements (bullet pointed paragraphs) on initial group decisions in each of the areas for assessment in Unit G325: genre/style, narrative, representation, target audience, use of film language (eg ideas for key shots and dominant mise en scene). Remember that you will need to consult members of your audience for feedback later in the process!
- allocation of roles at this stage
- location research (photos taken and uploaded with notes)
- initial props ideas and photos with notes
- lighting notes (on animatic or as separate posting)- use examples from others
- storyboard as animatic (with or without commentary)
- outline script (either as part of animatic, or separate posting)
- initial ideas for additional sound (soundtrack, foley/fx, ambient)
- notes, images, links on initial research into short film promotion (advertising, reviews)
- some audience feedback on story ideas, proposed characters and scenes (can be gathered and presented through social networking sites), with comments posted

Friday 28th January

Terms you should use for your statement on representation

You have been studying a unit on collective identity (unlike many other students from other centres), so you should have a good idea of the sorts of analysis expected under the heading 'Representation'. Here are some terms you may find useful:

General Terms:
- traditional, contemporary
- dominant ideology
- mediation
- collective identity
- representation

- masculinity and femininity

You should also make some comments here about the ways in which you have represented key themes or issues (this is particularly relevant if subject matter includes things like domestic abuse, rape and other sensitive issues). Be clear about how you want your spectator to be positioned in relation to these issues - do you want the spectator to leave your film having specific views on these issues?

What to write for the section on key media concepts - G325 exam question 1b prep

Key Media Concepts
This is one of the areas you need to comment on for Friday's deadline. For narrative and representation, I have uploaded 2 handouts to moodle, under Media A2, Advanced Portfolio. Read these again to help you. Consult the glossary linked on the right for key terms. For genre, consider how short films use genre (very flexibly, hybridised) - short films do not use genres in the ways in which mainstream films do).
For short film promotion, show that you understand where (on the internet) short films are seen by audiences, reviewed in online magazines and promoted - make links to websites you have used, and also look at important film festivals where short films have their own category. There are links to related websites dealing with short film promotion on the right bar.

DEADLINE APPROACHING!

Don't forget that the deadline for planning and continuing research is this coming Friday! Study the list in the booklet and further down on this blog to remind you of what is needed, but it's essentially all of the elements for planning, including the storyboard of key scenes. All of this MUST be on your blog by Friday, with every member of the group being represented as having undertaken at least one aspect of the planning. All members should be able to comment on the storyboarding, in terms of aims and intentions. I suggest that each member posts at least one of the sections of the animatic. If the storyboard isn't in the order of the film, then this will need to be explained. Remember: ANY SHOTS NOT STORYBOARDED DO NEED TO BE LISTED IN A SHOT LIST OR SHOOTING SCRIPT. LIKE THIS EXAMPLE FROM 'THE MUMMY':

How much of the short film needs to be storyboarded?

Following our experience of this last year, we have decided that it's sufficient for you to storyboard key scenes only in the short film. However, you do need to plan each shot, and this means providing a shot list with full notes on shot size, angle, movement and action for every shot on the blog. Don't forget to check my blog frequently (or your dashboard for updates) for advice.

Are you keeping up?

The first deadline has passed now, and you should all individually have posted at least 5 short film analyses in bullet point format. Please check your blog for comments from me suggesting additional work.

The second deadline is underway now:

Deadline Two: Ongoing Research and Pre-Production Planning
On your group blog by the date below, with everyone contributing equally, and all individual posts tagged, aiming for 1 post per day per group member:

- evidence of ongoing research into short films which reflect the ongoing process of your planning (embed links to more films the group finds inspiring, with comments)
- short statements (bullet pointed paragraphs) on initial group decisions in each of the areas for assessment in Unit G325: genre/style, narrative, representation, target audience, use of film language (eg ideas for key shots and dominant mise en scene). Remember that you will need to consult members of your audience for feedback later in the process!
- allocation of roles at this stage
- location research (photos taken and uploaded with notes)
- initial props ideas and photos with notes
- lighting notes (on animatic or as separate posting)- use examples from others
- storyboard as animatic (with or without commentary)
- outline script (either as part of animatic, or separate posting)
- initial ideas for additional sound (soundtrack, foley/fx, ambient)
- notes, images, links on initial research into short film promotion (advertising, reviews)
- some audience feedback on story ideas, proposed characters and scenes (can be gathered and presented through social networking sites), with comments posted

Friday 28th January

Are you recording the right sort of material for the first deadline?

Make sure that your posts are tagged individually to represent the whole group, and record the following types of comments as bullet points:

- what you thought was effective in terms of camerawork (use terms and explain)
- effective selection of mise en scene (use terms - eg for lighting)
- effective sound design (use terms and explain)
- interesting and creative editing (use terms)
- interesting narrative structure and story content
- themes and issues raised
- character construction and relation to spectator/viewer
- interesting and creative presentation and design of titles (you will need to devise, design and plan the presentation of your own title and film company, so start to notice this now)

All of this must be expressed as part of the preparation for your own work, so link any comments to your own developing ideas asap.

Is this the future?

guardian.co.uk home


http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/jan/10/iphone-park-chan-wook-paranmanjang

Oldboy director Park Chan-wook shoots new film on iPhone

Award-winning South Korean film-maker says phone 'creates strange effects' in 30-minute movie Paranmanjang



* Associated Press
* guardian.co.uk, Monday 10 January 2011 15.12 GMT
* Article history

South Korean director Park Chan-wook Park Chan-wook, whose CV includes blood-soaked thrillers such as Oldboy and Lady Vengeance. Photograph: Alessia Pierdomenico/Reuters

South Korean film-maker Park Chan-wook is wielding a new cinematic tool: the iPhone.

New Links Added

I've added more links to short film websites and to the Exam Board 'Get Ahead' blog, designed for Media teachers and students to help everyone to 'get ahead'! Have you read the articles about current short film work and why it's important and exciting?

Here's the beginning of the article linked to the right:


The best short films on the web

From attention-grabbing promos to thoughtful documentaries, a new crop of directors is creating innovative and daring pictures that are cheap to make, easy to share, and finding an audience as never before. Here, we speak to those responsible for some of the best.....

DEADLINE APPROACHING!

This Friday, January 14th there is a deadline for completing your initial short film research. The details for this from the booklet appear below:

Pre- Production Research

• This is an essential part of your individual assessment, and contributes to the marks for research and planning
• There are at least 3 ways in which your research work is assessed:
- Through the research and planning marks allocated as part of the portfolio assessment,
- As part of the evaluation of production work as part of the Advanced Portfolio
- As part of the exam for unit G325: Theoretical Evaluation of Production
• You will be required to undertake some individual analyses of existing short films, so that you understand the limitations of the form, the kinds of films made in this form, and the styles and genres used.
• You will need to understand the audiences targeted by the short films you study, and consider how the film uses style and content to do this
• You will also need to develop an understanding of the ways in which short films are accessed by audiences, and why
• At every stage, and for every finding, you will need to relate research material to ideas and decisions for your own product
• You will complete the first of these very early in the process, and record it directly onto your blog (at this stage, an individual blog)

DEADLINE INFORMATION:

Deadline One: Initial Research
Each member of the group must contribute several posts to this:
On your group blog by the date below, with posts tagged with your name:
- initial research on short films
- bullet points using film language terms for camera, mise en scene, editing and sound, with links or embedded examples
-- Comment on aspects of the films you find successful or interesting, and suggest elements of these films that could inspire your group’s work
- comment on narrative structure and build an understanding of the typical short film format in relation to narrative, characterization and themes or issues.
- suggest audience profile for each, commenting on what may be learned by where the film was found (eg youtube? Virgin Media? etc)
Friday January 14th