Task 7 - Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Prelim Task Planning: ·         Less planning had already got given a script for the actors so all we needed to do was tell them what to do. ·         Basic equipment set up, checking for bubbling, focus and white balance. This gives us the basic camera work that would help us set up our shots on the real day. Development: ·         We had the basic skills we needed to get the shots, which would help us know exactly what we needed to work on for our main task. Use of camera: ·         We used good height and angles but could have used more close up which we now knew this would help us on the actually day on creating intensity. Use of sound: ·         We only used duologue that the actors were speaking, so it didn’t give us a big opportunity to try out different things but we learnt along the way.

Main Task Planning: ·         This took a lot more planning and time, ever little detail had to be thought about, how we were going to get to our off campuses location, equipment and script and organise the actors. ·         When it came to shooting we had to know exactly what shot we were going to, what angle and how many of the same shot do we need.  ·         When it came to the underwater shots and tracking shot we had to really focus on getting exactly what we needed as this was more complicated to set up.   Development: ·         We had developed our, organisation, expanded our understanding of using the cameras and expanding our use of different shots.        Use of camera: ·         We created some really good shots that we were all pleased with by using slow motion, close ups and under water shots that were all created for intercity. We developed our skills throughout the day.          Use of sound: ·         We created sound to help us create an atmosphere; we did this by using sound tracks and editing them to fit in with the scene.

Task 6 - What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Task 5 - How did you attract/address your audience.

When looking at our opening credit we decided that it needed to fade in when the scene first opens and then after she dives in fade the title out before she breaks to the surface. We used a simple text so that you are not drawn away from what is about to happen, we also made different fount sizes between the text to show what was most important to notice.

we used a medium shot to keep up with her as she swam along, making sure we got a shot as she was turning her head to breath to create an impact on the audience. The breathing gave us another sound element to play with so that you could feel a build up with the sound track behind and the pace of her swimming, like there is a panic going on.

We used underwater shots to get a different look at the situation it also gave us a challenge to work with an underwater camera as well as a normal camera. The camera captured some good sounds as well as good shots of her swimming from below and beside. This also brought intensity to the audience as we kept cutting back and forth from outside the pool to inside the pool showing how isolated she is.

Our end title sequence was created right at the end of editing by using after effects, we wanted to keep it simple still and match the other titles in the opening credit scene. By using after effects we were able to create a very slight wave effect that is being mirrored by the main title, showing a water effect.

when we first put the underwater shots into our editing we tried to put it in the right moments of tension to show how alone she is and also to give the audience a different angle of watching her. This would appeal to a young male audience.

We used a tracking shot to show someone entering the room but with out giving away too much so we focused on the feet to keep the audience guessing until the very end this will make the audience want to stay until the end as they want to find out who has been killing all these young people and why.

Task 4 - Who would be the target audience for your media production

Our target audience for our thriller would be young teenages from the age of 15-25 who would go see the film during school holidays or on weekends, we would try and target as wide a audience as possible trying to target world wide audience. Our main aim though is too target a young audience, our film would appeal to a young male audience not just girls so it would be perfect for a friday evening go out with a boyfriend or even a group of friends after college, university or school a good thriller that you can watch over and over again attracting different genders, ages and socail groups.

Task 3 - What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

  The distribution of Immersed I think would probably be distributed by New Line Cinema, as it is an unpredictable film and is a Crime solving film I reckon it would bring in a big audience if it was distributed well. New Line Cinema produce many different types of film but the mainly focus on thriller/horror films that bring something different and exciting for example butterfly effect, final destination and lost souls. I think they would be interested in releasing our film as it has an interesting and gripping tale that unwinds throughout the film that would keep an audience gripped throughout. Putting the film on to DVD’s, Blue-Ray and on TV will help us reach an even wider audience, if they feel it’s too expensive to go to the cinema, they would still get a chance to see it at home. We would use marketing ideas to bring in the audience, to help distribute the film, we would do this by using posters on billboards and buses, trailers to tease the audience before the film is realised and use the Internet for wider audiences making are film reach other countries and try and bring in a worldwide audience as well as a British audience.   

Task 2 - How does your product represent particular socail groups

Looking at socail group and who we targetted with our thriller, we look at young teeages who are still in college, it would be put on at times that work round school holidays or even long weekends so that it gave a chance for these students to go one friday evening to go see a thriller. It would be away for people during exams to have time out to go see a film with friends. The other socail group we decided to target was maybe a slight older group, University students, which when they have the chance to have a chilled evening might want to go see a film with a bite. This will give us a chance to reseach different age groups socail and bring in a bigger audience by aiming for these two different socail groups.
Both socail groups are represented in our thriller as we use a young girl for our opening credit scene showing that a young audience would enjoy this as she is a similer age to our target audience.

Task 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and converntions of real media products.

Looking at where to put our titles to present the main people behind the thriller, we looked at putting them in places where they would blend in but make sure they could still be seen and read for a certain time. Our opening title we placed as we wait for the scene to unfold, she dives into the title making it wash away as she swims through it this is effective as it was easy to see and read but disappeared when appropriate. The next two titles were placed in similar places, as we used a similar shot which helped us place the titles. This worked effectively as it blended it but was easy to read still. Main of the titles blended into the scene so that they were randomly placed and had meaning and thought behind where they were placed. All these shots in my screen grabs reflect many of the intense shots and moments that were in our thriller the titles added to the opening scene as it keeps the audience gripped to the film as the opening credit scene is so mysterious they want to find out more and watch it unfold. These pictures reflect the weird events that will happened through out.

Immersed Questionnaire

Account of shoot day

Friday the 28^th of January was our shoot day we planned to arrive at Courtney house for about 10 so that meant leaving about 9.30 from Hurtwood to get there on time, we made a shooting schedule of similar shots that needed shooting making it as organised as possible so we could start the minute we got to location making sure we had as much time as possible to get everything we needed and extra if possible giving us a chance to change our story bored if we felt it was necessary we got all the equipment we needed like camera, spider doll, tracks and lighting packed up in the bus and left, arriving to the location on time.  The alterations we decided to do on our storyboard added to our thriller as we tried to create a thrill for the audience, we decided to change the ending slightly making the audience want to carry on watching.

Arriving at location we took all the equipment down to the pool area setting up the appropriate things for the first shot so making sure the camera is at the right angel and that we had looked at the focus, the white balance and lighting around us. We also set up a light behind the camera as well as using the lights in the room and in the pool to make sure we get the best possible contrast from different angles.  Later on we used a tracking shot show someone coming in from outside, this shot gave us a chance to use different equipment to get a better effect through movement. The tracking shot was part of the storyboard when the swimmers dad comes in to tell her its supper but at first you don’t know who it is as we wanted a surprised moment as he stands above the water waiting for her. So with the tracking shot we tried to focus only on the legs and the girl swimming along. This built up suspense for the audience and gave an element of surprise when they find out it’s only her dad, instead of the guy who’s been watching her. This links too many thriller films now and in the pass for example like the strangers, it’s all an element of surprise and suspense for the audience.

We used as simple costume and props as possible so we could focused more on getting really good shots, but making sure everything fit in well for our story line.  We chose a training swim suit for Bethany our main character with a light blue swimming hat and goggles, this all worked well as it showed how serious she was about swimming.  Ted who played the stalker he wore jeans that were slightly ripped and a hoodie covering his face giving no identity, this gives another element of surprise to the audience when the stalker may be identified towards the end of the film. It also gave a difference to the characters and what they were both like.

We decided to use Bethany as she is a slim build, athletic so could cope with being in a pool all day and has had experience in doing swimming for a club which helps with her and doing laps.

Story Board