Editing Shots.

Shots are edited together in sequence to form a production. How this production is encoded and decoded by the demographic can depend on way the shots are edited together. I have given a brief explanation of each editing technique and added a working example I have analysed to which I will use as examples. The shots include;

Eyeline Match

Eyeline match is when there are two shots present edited together. One being the subject looking at another subject or an object off screen, it is then edited to the subject/object that the first subject was looking at. To ensure this editing shot is used effectively and in a realistic manner, the eyeline of the subjects and the object of the next shot must match. If the eyelines don't match the subject will look like their looking at something else off frame.
A video example of eyeline match can be seen below:

Cross Cutting 
Cross cutting editing is editing action that's happening in two different locations together.
For example in one shot, two subjects are having a fight in the classroom, in the next shot a different character is walking down the hallway.
A video example of cross cutting is below:

Focus Pull 
Focus pull or otherwise known as shift of focus is when the focus is adjusted from one subject to another, in the frame, to a deep or shallow depth of field.
A video example of focus pull is below:

Jump Cut
Jump cuts are when two short shots of the same action, however the camera angle slightly moves in each shot.
A video example of jump cut is below:

Montage 
Montage shots are a series of shots that are edited together into a sequence to condense, space, time and information.
A video example of montage is below:

Time Remapping
Time remapping is when the shot is in either slow or fast motion.
A video example of time reamapping is below:

Zolly Shot
Zolly shot is the camera movement of a zoom and dolly shot used together by moving the camera back on a dolly and zooming in to create the illusion that life is changing.
A video example of zolly shot is below:

Graphic Match
This is a French term for cutting and editing between either, two different objects, spaces or compositions which graphically match.
A video example of graphic match is below:

Flash Cutting
Flash cutting is a series of quick shots that have a sense of rhythm to them.
A video example of flash cutting is below:

Subliminal Cut
Subliminal cuts is a cut hidden because the editing is so fast, therefore it is unable to be detected by the demographic.


Elliptical Editing
This editing technique is similar to montage editing however this uses text to inform the target audience so connote a sense of time passing by.
A video example of elliptical editing is below:

Match on action Editing
Action editing, are cuts of one shot to another view that match the first shot's action.
A video example of action editing is below:

Sound

Sound is one of the four micro-elements, and can also be very important to shape a production in the way a director/ producer want the demographic to encode/decode it. Sound can be broken down into different sections.

Non-diegetic and diegetic soundtracks:
Non-diegetic and diegetic soundtracks are used to describe soundtrack that are connoted to be in the editing processes or within the narrative in the scene. They can be used to conform and subvert ideologies and even create polysemic views.
Non-diegetic soundtrack- is any sound that the characters wouldn't be able to hear. For example, voice-overs.   

Diegetic soundtrack- is any sound that the characters can hear, even if the actors themselves can't hear the soundtrack.
The video below shows both examples of non-diegetic and diegetic soundtracks.

Synchronous and Asynchronous sound: 
Synchronous and asynchronous sounds are used to describe the timing of the soundtrack in relation to the production shots itself. 

Synchronous Sound- this is sound that is in time with the image, creating and signifying a calm atmosphere. 

Asynchronous sound-this is sound that is not in time with the image, create and connoted a edgy and weary atmosphere.
Below is a video example of both synchronous and asynchronous soundtracks.

Parallel and contrapuntal sound: 
Parallel and contrapuntal sounds are used to describe the genre of the soundtrack and if it is continuous and fits with the genre of the production. 

Parallel Sound- is sound that matches the image.

Contrapuntal Sound- is sound that doesn't match the image. 
Below is an example of both parallel and contrapuntal sound.

Camera Shots/Angles and Movements.

Under camerawork there are three main category types; Shot movements, type and angles. These work together as one to conform and subvert to encoding of the demographic.

Shot Movement:

Static- when the camera isn't moving at all. 

Tilt- the camera stays in one place and moves vertically from high to low angle or high to low angle. 

Pan- the camera stays in one place and moves horizontally from right to left or left to right. 

Zoom- the camera zooms in or out to make things seem larger or smaller. 

Track- the camera moves along following actions; like its on a track.

Steadycam- the camera is carried by the cameraman allowing free movement. This usually gives a slightly more, 'jerky' looks to the footage.

Shot Types:

Establishing shot- this shot sets the scene from a long distance away. 

Long shot- shows the whole person.

Mid shot- shows a person from the waist up.

Close up shot- shows just a person's head and shoulders.

Extreme close up shot- shows just a part of the person.

Over the shoulder shot- shows a conversation between two people.

Point of view shot- the camera is the actor's eyes looking from their point of view.

Weather shot- the subject is the weather, can be used for other purposes eg, background for graphics.

Wide shot- the subject takes up the full frame, or at lest as much as it comfortably can.

Shot angles:

Birds eye- the camera is directly above the action.

Worms eye- the camera is directly below the action. 

High angle- the camera is above the action, at an angle, looking down at it. 

Low angle- the camera is below the action, at an angle, looking up at it. 

Canted angle- a camera angle which is deliberately slanted to one side, sometimes used dramatic effect to help signify unease, disorientation, frantic or desperate action, intoxication madness, etc. 

My Pitch

My pitch is a power point presentation which I presented my ideas to the class, gaining feedback and thoughts of how to improve my production idea and how to carry the process out.
The presentation is below:  

Dark Obsessions-Pitch

Different types of narrative

In simple terms the narrative is the order of events that happen in one production and there will always be a reason for the way the story is told or it's order. For example, directors often have the use of flashbacks, voiceovers or montages to connote previous stories or show a passing of time. There are a number of different narrative theories, here is a few of them.

Linear
Liner narratives are the, 'classic' and simple beginning, middle and end stories- this conforms the rule of Todorov's narrative theory. In other words the story follows a chronological order through one story, from beginning to end.

With the expectation of, 'The Dark Knight' a few of Christopher Nolan's films truly have a linear narrative. For example (in simple terms), the equilibrium is Batman controlling crime in the city, the Joker turns up causing trouble which is the disruption stage. New equilibrium is restored when Batman defeats the Joker and returns order to the city.

Non-linear
Non-linear narrative is where the narrative does not follow a regular beginning, middle, end pattern. The storytellers will play with the order of events. For example, some stories start with the ending. (Fight club and Forrest Gump, etc)

Unlike, 'The Dark Knight', 'Batman Begins' tends to follow a non-linear narrative pattern. The action jumps between time periods, from Bruce as a boy, to when he was an young adult, then back to an mature adult, back to a boy, etc. Another example, is one of Nolan's films called, 'Memento' the main trait of which is it;s an usual non-linear narrative structure. The narrative is told in reverse order.

Binary opposites
Claude Levi-Strauss saw that the world as full of binary opposites. For example, fat vs skinny or rich vs poor. This can also be connoted into media texts, in the narrative we often see these binary oppositions played off against each other. The most common binary opposition found in films is, good vs evil.

This is explored by Nolan in in the dark knight. Where the Nolan worked on the principle of the Joker and Batman being binary opposites in the following ways;

• The Joker is an symbolism of chaos and destruction, whereas Batman is order and justice.
• Each dresses and behaves in opposite ways.  

Cultural consumption and the ideology of enigma code.
Barthes was interested in concepts such as negotiated reading and the relationship between the institution/production and the demographic. He established that even thought texts give imprinted meanings which we create new meaning for ourselves, that the media has no control over. This is called cultural consumption, the way we view a text is influenced by our cultural, social and political views as well as our viewing of other texts.

The most well known of Barthes theories was the ideology of the, 'enigma code'. In simple terms a mystery to be solved by the audience. Making it a metaphoric hook that keeps the audience interested, and engaged. Therefore they are more likely to watch the film after seeing a trailer or tune in for the next episode. It is classically used in trailers in order to hook an target audience.

Modular Narratives in Contemporary cinema:
Modular narratives articulate a sense of time as divisible and subject to manipulation. Allan Cameron identified four different types of this modular narrative as;

• Anachronic
• Forking  paths
• Episodic
• Split Screens

Anachronic:
Anachronic modular narratives involve the use of flashbacks and/or flash forwards with no clear dominance between ant of the narrative threads. These narratives also often repeat scenes directly or from someone else's perspective- for example, 'Memento'.

Forking Path:
Forking path narratives juxtapose alternative versions of a story , connoting the different possible outcomes or endings that might result from small changes in a single event or series of events. This narrative, introduces a number of plotlines that usually contradict one another. Examples of this narrative include, 'Groundhog dog' and, 'Run lola run'.

Episodic:
This narrative are structured as an abstract series or narrative anthology. Abstract series is a type of modular narrative what is characterised by the operation of a non-narrative formant system which appears to dictate (or overlay) the organisiation  of narrative elements such as sequence of numbers of the alphabet. Anthology narrative 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:
Split screen narratives are different from are different from the other types of modular narratives previously discussed, 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 of this narrative include, 'Timecode'.

Narrative Range:
There are two narratives that conform to the different ranges directors/producers can use, they include:
Unrestricted narrative: This narrative has no limits to the information that they is to give. An example of a media text connoting this narrative is the, 'News bulletin'.
Restricted narrative: The is the other narrative where only minimal information is giving regarding the narrative. An media text example of his narrative is the genre, 'Thrillers'

Narrative Depth:
Again similar to narrative range there are two sections for narrative depth.
Subjective character identification:  This is where the demographic is given unique access to what a range of characters see and do.
Objective character identification: Is when the target audience is given unique access to a character's point of view such as seeing things from the character's mind, dreams, fantasies of even memories.

Key Terminology:
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- All events referenced both explicitly in a narrative and inferred (this includes backstories as well as these projected beyond the action).
Plot- The events directly incorporated into the action of the text and the order in which they are shown.

Reception Theory

The reception theory is different ways for the reader to respond that emphases each possible view of a reader's interpretation. This theory is mainly used by audience to analysis a production. Reception theory was discovered by the cultural theorist, Stuart Hall and has been split into three different sections, negotiated, dominant, oppositional. I will also put each section/category into an example, using a scene of a conversation between two characters in, 'Gone'.

Dominant Readings: 
The dominant reading can also be referred as the hegemonic reading, where the reader fully shares the text's code and accepts what the producers what them to think about the production/text. This makes the code seem, 'natural' and, 'transparent'.

An example of a dominant reading would be in the scene of, 'Gone' where the man in his formal attire connotes his higher authority over the girl (whom he is speaking to) the low angle we are faced with when looking at the male, signifies his importance as us as the audience and the girl character are all below him.

Negotiated Readings:
This is where the reader only partly shares the text's code and broadly accepts the preferred reading, sometimes however they resist and modifies it in a way which reflect their own experiences and interests- therefore contradictions are cased.

The media text example using this theory would be that, both characters in the scene of power. The male as power due to camera angle being a low angle, signifying his power and importance, giving him a sense of self-importance over the demographic and the second character in the scene. The second character has power of confronting. Countertypes are developed within the girl, has the facial expression of the male connotes his breakage under the pressure she is forcing on him.

Oppositional Reading:
This reading section can be seen as counter-hegemonic reading- opposite of dominant. Where the reader decides to go against what the producers are trying to express, and think the directly opposite.

An example of oppositional reading from the text example would be that, the audience don't believe he male in the scene has power but connoted by his facial expression and redness of the face he is signified to be stressed. As if he is breaking under the pressure which the girl is giving him, connoting the girl to hold the power therefore the girl becomes a counter hegemonic reading.


Stewart Hall developed his reception theory and came up with what became the, 'Encoding and Decoding model'.

Encoding: 
How the product is constructed by the producers of the text, what the producers when their audience to feel or interpreted something.

Decoding: 
How the product is interpreted by the audience when they receive it, this view is different to he producers.

Propp's Theory of character.

Propp's theory of character, is used to analyse and understand the media in which people take on the role of an actor. Vladimir Propp, a literary critic and scholar who founded the idea that a certain type of character was used in every narrative structure. He developed a character theory for studying media texts and productions, where eight broad character types can be analysed from a text such as a film. His theory has influenced many filmmakers to writing and producing successful narratives, he also suggested that all fairy tales follow a specific narrative structure.
The broad characters are the following:

1. The Villain- the antagonist that struggles against the hero. 
2. The Donor- the person that prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object. 
3. The Helper- acts as a sidekick that helps the hero in his/her quest. 
4. The Princess- the gift or prize that is awarded to the hero, often sought for during the narrative.
5. The False Hero- connoted as a good character in the beginning but emerges as evil. 
6. The Dispatcher- the character whom makes the disequilibrium and sends of the hero. 
7. The Hero- the protagonist against the Villain, reacts to the Donor, and weds the Princess or receives the gift.
8. The Father- presents his daughter (the princess) as the prize to the hero e.g allowing him to date her. 

This theory can be proven in almost all media texts for example, the 2012 thriller 'Gone' represents these characters in the following way.

The, 'Batman' franchise also conforms to this theory (as seen below):

Filming Risk Assessment.

All Produces write up and analyse all risks that could occur when filming their production, writing the level of risk,10 being the most likely/harmful

to happen. By adding how to prevent this, it ensure a smoothly run without any drawbacks.

My filming risk assessment:

My storyboard

Storyboard task: 

I was given a piece of paper with grids for each shots I have taken. On my information section (per each shot) I gave the following:

• shot number 
• shot/angle type 
• camera movement
• soundtrack and where it was found. 

Evidence of my storyboards are presented below:

 

Focus Group

On Monday 30th I gathered a focus group for a methodology presentation and a screening of my finished production- I then gave the participants an questionnaire to fill out; therefore I could organise my feedback from the group into categories. I tried to make my focus group vary in ages and sexes, to ensure that my feedback wasn't basis.
I make two focus groups, both consists of the same methodology presentation (see below) and the same questionnaire to be filled out after the screening. In one of the focus groups it was just school friends, teachers and class-workers to get professional opinions from teachers- such as media teachers. The other a home focus group, with only family as it's easier for me to present my project and research findings. I made sure to use people i believed would give me honest feedback and not feedback I wanted to hear,

My Methodology presentation:
My methodology presentation included different aspects such as, filming and editing processes and planning stages. The point of my presentation was to show the audience of my focus group, how I got to my final outcome. I also adding a slide explaining the drawbacks of my production and how i over came them. This this shown below:

Focus Group- Methodology presentation

The Feedback:
After asking everyone in the focus group and that watched my production of my film opening to answer a question i gathered up my information making an average overall conclusion answers which I will use to structure the feedback and use to improve my production further. 20 different people completed my questionnaire.
First Question:
My first question asks my demographic how they felt during/ after the production was shown. On an average my focus group said that they fill scared or confused, this is a good and the response I was looking for as I want my production to create enigma and to fear the demographic conforming the genre of the production.
Second Question: 
The second question asked for on good thing my audience (focus group) thought about my production and why. I asked this so when I were to improve my project I wouldn't downgrade it by changing something that worked will, loosing audiences and buying for my production. After analysing  my results (of feedback) people liked the quality of the shots used in the production, my second best answer was the music.
Third Question:
Question number three I asked, what they thought was bad/ needed improvement and why. I thought this was a valuable question as not only is it important to hear the good things, it is also just as much- if not more- important to hear what you need to improve on. My feedback suggested adding in diegetic soundtracks such as screaming, to the production. By working on this and improving shows that i'm eager to improve the quality.
Fourth Question:
For my fourth question I asked, 'What genre do you think this production is?' On an average 4/20 people that answered my questionnaire said that they thought the production was a horror, however the remaining 80% believe it is a thriller. This was one of the drawbacks or worries I had in the making and planning of the project as I feared that people would confuse horror and thrillers together, therefore I ensured to make the genre clear. Looking at my results i believe that I succeeded this.
Fifth Question: 
My final and last question, I wanted to know if my focus group thought the music fit the opening title sequence. 100% of my feedback said, 'yes' this comforts me has it means that it is successfully connoting how i expected and wanted it to allowing me to leave it, not needing to improve on this aspect.
Comments: 
At the bottom of the questionnaire I left a section for the focus group to leave any comments, or advice that they wanted, if they wasn't able to express it in a question answer. I allows a more of a discussion about my production rather than a one-way system- giving them the freedom to add their ideas into my project, helping me improve or simply just sharing their opinion freely.

 

Above is an image of all the questionnaires that were completed by both my focus groups, there are 20 in total.

Evidence of the methodology presentation and a screening of my finished production can be seen below: 

Distribution Companies Research

Now that my production is made I need to find the right company to distribution or make my film. In the selection process of company, I will need to research a number of different companies then selecting the one that is the best for me. I analysed the facts and figures, genre and box office hits of each of the following companies: 

20th century fox film Co. Ltd- Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation is an American film studio, distributor (founded in May 31st 1935 by Joseph M. Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck) and one of the six major American film studios. It's headquarters is Fox Plaza, Century City based in, Los Angeles, California, U.S. This company distributes worldwide, allowing a mass target audience.

Paramount Pictures -Paramount pictures corporation is a film studio, television production company and motion picture distributor. This company is also ranked one of the, 'Big six' film studios of hollywood, connoting that is has a mass target audience. Founded in 1912 as Famous players film company, with it's headquarters in Hollywood, California, U.S is distributed worldwide. 

Universal Pictures-Universal pictures is an American film studio and is one of Hollywood's 'Big six' film studios.  This company serves worldwide, motion pictures and was founded in April 10th 1912 as Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Not only is Universal Pictures one of the, 'big six' film studios, it is also the world's fourth oldest major film studio.

The walt disney company-The walt disney company, commonly known as, 'Disney', is an American mass media entertainment company. With it's headquarters at the Walk Disney Studios in Burbank, California, it is the world's second largest media in terms of revenue, after Comcast. Disney was founded on October 16th, 1923 by Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney.  The company has a worldwide demographic.

Columbia Pictures -Columbia pictures Industries, is an American film production and distribution studio of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. It is one of the leading film studios in the world, a member of the Big six and is also one of the so-called Little three among the eight major film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. Founded on January 10th, 1924 in Los Angeles, California U.S, the Columbia pictures company distributes worldwide.

Sony pictures- Sony Pictures entertainment Inc. is an American entertainment. With a worldwide target audience, this company was founded on December 21st 1987 as Columbia Pictures entertainment, Inc (later renamed Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. on August 7th 1991). Sony pictures Entertainment is a member of the Motion Picture Association of America.

New line cinema- New line cinema productions Inc (normally referred to as, 'New line cinema') is an American film studio founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye as a film distribution company, later becoming an independent studio.

Warner Bros.- Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. is an American entertainment company that produces film, television and music entertainment and is one of the major film studios.  Warner bros. have a worldwide mass media target audience, and was founded on April 4th 1923 by Albert, Harry, Sam and Jack L. Warner.

The genre, is based of the average genre of the films their produced or distribute. The type of production company they are signifies if it is a smaller company of a bigger production. For example, inferring if the company is mainstream or independent.
Subsidiary Company- is a company that is owned over controlled by another company.

My research of the average genre, infers that new line cinema should be the production i want to use for my project as it is the only one (out of 8) that's average/iconography genre is thriller.After researching the basic background and genre/type of all 8 of my companies, i started to look into box office views, and looking at the total gross.
Box office- is a used to refer to the success of a film, play or actor in terms of their audience size in the theatres/cinemas.

Total Gross- is the total amount of sales, salary, profit, etc, without deductions. For example before taking off the expenses of taxes or even gross earnings and gross sales.

The resource that i used to get my information is from, Box Office Mojo.

Purely based the total gross of their all time top 5 of their box office views. The best company to produce and/or distribute my project would be, 20th century fox, with a amazing figure of, $749,766,139 in an overall of 3,461 theatres. The worst company production to be involved with my production is, columbia pictures with an poor, $229,242,989 in 1,506 theatres. By working with 20th century fox i would ensure to have a mass target audience, whereas working with columbia pictures would get me a niche audience. However, looking into the average genre of production  (action-adventure) the demographic would be expecting a completely different movie, causing into a failure of my production. 

Next during my research, i decided to make a case study on the movie, 'Se7en' as my production is most similar to this psychological thriller. I looked into the ratings and the production  that produced/ distributed this film. 

The resource i used to get my information for, Se7en's ratings is IMDb.comn and Box Office mojo-se7en.

Conclusion

To conclude, i believe due to my research that, 'New line cinema' is the production to produce/distribute my project. One reason being the similarity in the case study of, 'se7en', this similarity could connote a similarity in the ratings that were given. However the domestic total gross, doesn't look that impressive, in competition with fox century or paramount pictures. This difference in the narrative and production style of my project compared to se7en's could infer a greater profit made. As New line cinema is a subsidiary of Warner Bros, a company which is well-known to it's world-wide audience ensuring a wide demographic. Warner Bros. would also be able to provide help to the smaller company, 'New line cinema' with their, $553,345,358 total gross success.