In this post I will talk about the plot discourse of my short film.
1. Extreme close-up of girl's eyes with tears in them
SOUND - quick, sharp breaths
2. Camera begins to slowly zoom out until the whole of the girl's face fills the shot
BACKGROUND - dark natural light, no discernible setting
3. When shot 2 is complete, the girl looks down
4. Screen fades to black
5. Fading in, a shot of smiling boy's face fills the shot
BACKGROUND - park, trees dotted around, leaves on the ground (shots 5-8)
SOUND - boy and girl laughing, leaves crunching
COLOUR - sepia (shots 5-8)
6. As camera starts to slowly zoom out, a girl runs towards him from right side of camera and pushes him over
SOUND - laughing, leaves crunching
7. Sequence of shots showing couple together (30-40 seconds)
- no specific camera angles. I want this scene to look natural so will let the actors improvise and follow them and the action
SOUND - laughing, leaves crunching, natural dialogue and sounds
8. Mid-shot of couple kissing
9. Shot switches abruptly to that of girl looking down (should be continuation of shot 3)
10. Camera slowly zooms out until the girl can be seen fully
BACKGROUND - teenagers bedroom, girl should be sitting on bed in the centre of room
LIGHTING - dark, natural light as though from a dim lamp
SOUND - quiet, maybe some background noise
11. Close-up shot of girl's hands with blood on them
SOUND - same as 10
12. Shot switches to close-up of girl's face as she takes a deep breath
SOUND - same as 10, breathing
13. Mid-shot of girl turning head towards bedroom door
SOUND - door opening and closing downstairs (muffled)
- woman's voice shouting, 'Susie, I'm home!'
BACKGROUND / LIGHTING - same as 10
14. Extreme close-up of girl's mouth
SOUND - girl speaking, 'I'll be down in a minute Mum!'
15. Mid-shot of girl sitting on bed, as she turns to look at something on the bed behind her
SOUND - covers moving, things moving downstairs (muffled), natural background noise
BACKGROUND / LIGHTING - same as 10
16. Camera zooms out to fully show girl sitting on bed and the full setting. She stands up and walks towards the bedroom door and leaves the room
BACKGROUND - same as 10
SOUND - footsteps, door opening and closing
17. Shot of empty room (4 seconds)
BACKGROUND / LIGHTING - same as 10
SOUND - quiet in room, girl and mum talking downstairs (muffled and unclear)
18. Shot switches to close-up of boy lying on bed with blood on his face
BACKGROUND / LIGHTING - same as 10
SOUND - laughing (should be sound from shot 6)
19. Shot switches to mid-shot of boy and girl standing together, looking at the camera
BACKGROUND - park, trees in the background, leaves on the floor (similar to / same as shot 5)
COLOUR - sepia
SOUND - girl's voice saying 'I love you.'
20. Shot abruptly turns to black as though the camera has been switched off
21. Credits
SOUND - silence
Wednesday 24 October 2012
Thursday 11 October 2012
My target audience profile
The target audience for my short film is teenagers, specifically ones between the ages of 16-18. I understand there may be a broader audience due to the genre of my film having a very dedicated following. With regards to cinema audience types, I would target the impressionable socialites and youth of today.
The age of my target audience means I will aim it at the C2, D and E brackets on the audience demographics scale. To ensure my film reaches these people, I would have it scheduled on a channel aimed predominantly at the teenage market such as E4. For wider distribution, a cinema of the multiplex variety would be most appropriate and likely the most effective due to teenagers preference towards this style of screening as opposed to smaller, arthouse cinemas. This form of distribution may not be fully attainable, in which case a website dedicated to showcasing short films may be the most appropriate and easiest way to achieve a wider viewing audience.
One example of this is the BBC Film Network site - http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/
Blog post on audience demogaphics - http://oliviashearinga2media.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/audience-demographics-for-benefit-of.html
*UPDATE*
After revising my idea, I feel I will now be able to target a wider audience by appealing to fans of films with similar character types such as Twilight, and TV programmes like The Vampire Diaries, as well as fans of the horror genre as a whole. I also believe my film will have more chance of being shown through a wider distribution method due to my potentially increased audience.
The target age demographic and audience type of my short film remains the same however.
The age of my target audience means I will aim it at the C2, D and E brackets on the audience demographics scale. To ensure my film reaches these people, I would have it scheduled on a channel aimed predominantly at the teenage market such as E4. For wider distribution, a cinema of the multiplex variety would be most appropriate and likely the most effective due to teenagers preference towards this style of screening as opposed to smaller, arthouse cinemas. This form of distribution may not be fully attainable, in which case a website dedicated to showcasing short films may be the most appropriate and easiest way to achieve a wider viewing audience.
One example of this is the BBC Film Network site - http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/
Blog post on audience demogaphics - http://oliviashearinga2media.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/audience-demographics-for-benefit-of.html
*UPDATE*
After revising my idea, I feel I will now be able to target a wider audience by appealing to fans of films with similar character types such as Twilight, and TV programmes like The Vampire Diaries, as well as fans of the horror genre as a whole. I also believe my film will have more chance of being shown through a wider distribution method due to my potentially increased audience.
The target age demographic and audience type of my short film remains the same however.
Wednesday 10 October 2012
How should my audience respond?
As a response to my short film, I want my audience to :
- ask questions
- feel shocked
- feel uneasy
Summary of plot narrative (version 1)
Set in a surburban household, a seemingly happy teenage relationship ends in tragedy. Intercepted with flashbacks showing the more cheerful moments between Susie and Mark, the full horror of their destroyed harmony will gradually become clear. What could drive a young girl to murder? How could an innocent relationship end so tragically?
Feedback
It works. Possibly a little more background information needed about characters and their relationships, and the locations (e.g. fixed point). Also, style of film not made clear enough.
Summary of plot narrative (version 2)
With the action centred around one surburban household, the film explores how a 2 year long teenage relationship can suddenly end in tragedy. Intercepted with flashbacks of 18 year olds Susie and Mark in happier times, the full extent of the horrific conclusion to their once innocent relationship gradually becomes clear, leaving you questioning how a young girl can turn to murder, and what could possibly end a typical teenage relationship so gruesomely?
Thursday 4 October 2012
Audience - Demographics for benefit of industry
Audiences can be categorised in a variety of ways. These are age, gender, religion, ethnicity, class, wealth and education. These are categorised further by the A-E scale which uses wealth, employment and education to determine placements.
According to this scale, the audience of category A earn an average of £100k a year. B earn £50/60k. This and the C1 category tend to be graduates in employment, earning a minimum of £35k. The next two categories (C2 and D) are likely to be in training having obtained a school level education. The final category - category E - are considered to be NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training), students, retired or unemployed.
This scale is used for the benefit of the film industry. It allows them to target their product placement and marketing/promotion at a specific focus group. It also allows them to create a clear target audience.
Audiences can be categorised further by determining what attitude they have towards film. There are three primary categories audiences can fit into - TRADITIONALIST, HEDONIST and POSTMODERNIST.
Traditionalists tend to stick to one specific genre. Familiarity is key and they very rarely steer away from their favourites.
Hedonists can be described as the risk-takers of cinema goers. They have a keen interest in new ideas and technology, regularly seeking out films from new directors or ones that adopt the latest advances in film-making.
Postmodernists like seeing remakes of classic films. They are interested in familiar ideas being refreshed and introduced to a new audience.
Within these categories there are two more audience types - PASSIVE and ACTIVE. Passive audience members tend to see films others want to see. They don't tend to offer suggestions, preferring to go along with the majority. Active audiences are the opposite of this.
According to this scale, the audience of category A earn an average of £100k a year. B earn £50/60k. This and the C1 category tend to be graduates in employment, earning a minimum of £35k. The next two categories (C2 and D) are likely to be in training having obtained a school level education. The final category - category E - are considered to be NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training), students, retired or unemployed.
This scale is used for the benefit of the film industry. It allows them to target their product placement and marketing/promotion at a specific focus group. It also allows them to create a clear target audience.
Audiences can be categorised further by determining what attitude they have towards film. There are three primary categories audiences can fit into - TRADITIONALIST, HEDONIST and POSTMODERNIST.
Traditionalists tend to stick to one specific genre. Familiarity is key and they very rarely steer away from their favourites.
Hedonists can be described as the risk-takers of cinema goers. They have a keen interest in new ideas and technology, regularly seeking out films from new directors or ones that adopt the latest advances in film-making.
Postmodernists like seeing remakes of classic films. They are interested in familiar ideas being refreshed and introduced to a new audience.
Within these categories there are two more audience types - PASSIVE and ACTIVE. Passive audience members tend to see films others want to see. They don't tend to offer suggestions, preferring to go along with the majority. Active audiences are the opposite of this.
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