Fight Night: Mood board

Mood Board

This is a mood board which is a collage that we created that reflects on what genre our film falls under. we have included images and samples of objects which shows our design concept which gives you a rough idea on what the film might be about.

We have included most images that may occur through out the film, there are a few things that is missing, this is because the script and the storyboard has changed as time has gone by. There will be more images that will be added to the mood board as our ideas may develop as we watch different films.

What is a mood board?

A mood board is a type of collage that may consist of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition of the choice of the mood board creator. Designers and others use mood boards to develop their design concepts and to communicate to other members of the design team.

Representation of sexuality in media

Representation of sexuality in media

The representation of sexuality in media can be looked at in many different ways depending on the era, for example this clip is based in Victorian times and to be homosexual in the 1900's was frowned upon. On the other hand, being homosexual in the 2000's isnt a bad thing.

 

 

 



Technological Codes: Sound, Editing, Camera Movement/Angles, TypesOfShots And Lighting

Technological Codes

Sound

Diagetic: Diagetic sound is any sound, piece of music or voice that comes within the the narrative.

For example if someone jumps into a swimming pool then you should hear the genuine sound of a person leaping into a pool of water.

Non-diagetic: Non-diagetic sound is any sound, piece of music or voice that isn't within the narrative and has been recorded off camera and edited in. 

For example in a fight scene it is hard to distinguish the noises of the punches because it may be quiet depending on how far the camera is. Furthermore, if you are trying to to create a noise then you would use Foley sounds in order to create an effect that matches everything that is happening within the Mis-en-scene.

Foley sounds: This is the reproduction of everyday sounds such as footsteps, the closing of doors or even a creaky floor boards. Theses sounds are created by a Foley artist, this is someone who's job is to create these sounds.

Voice Over: Voice over is someone who narrates a film, this narrator may be a character who plays a part in the film or it may be a person who you will not see an image of. A voice over can be used in a film in order to create effect or to help the viewer build a better understanding of the storyline which is being portrayed on camera.

In my film I will highly consider using a voice over as it is easy for the audience to establish the storyline. I have watched films in the same genre as mine and some of the use voice overs for a period of time therefore I think it would be appropriate to follow the codes and conventions.
I will also take in to consideration the use of non-diagetic sound in order to amplify certain sounds that will create a more full on affect. Considering it is a sport drama, boxing being the sport, I will think about using pre-recorded sounds or foley sounds to put over the top of my film.  A key sound that might be used in my film is a punching noise.

Editing

There are many different types of editing techniques that can be used in media in order to create mood and emotion to the viewers.

The different types of editing techniques are:

• Fade to black
• Dissolve/Cross fade
• Wipe
• Jump Cut
• Flash Cut
• Straight Cut
• Transition

In the film that I am creating I will try and use as many of these editing techniques as possible, where appropriate, this will make the transition between shots look smoother and give a better effect to the viewer. For example I might use the dissolve edit to show two contrasting shots, this will allow the viewer to see both shots and how they relate to each other.

Camera Angles/Lens Type

• High Angle
• Low Angle
• Wide-Angle
• Oblique
• Steadi-Cam
• Digital Camera HD - 35mm
• Handheld Camera 

In the film that I am creating I am using a digital camera, this is a good camera because you can get crystal clear shots which makes every scene look prestigous. I also use a tripod when filming, this allows me to adjust the height of the shot and to gain more control when panning and shooting in general.

In terms of camera lenses I may use the 35mm lens for eastablishing shots and wide shots because it gives a wider shot which allows you to see more of the surrounding area.

Types of shot

• Establishing shot
• point of view shot
• Long/Mid-shot
• Insert shot
• Close up shot
• Birds eye/ ariel shot

In our film we will be using a variety of different shots to create a different mood and emotion for different scenes. There will be a lot of close up shots to show the mood and emotion on each character, we will also use this shot to show the impact of the fatal blow which lands our protagonist (David Starr) in hospital.

Lighting

• Low key lighting
• High key lighting
• High contrast

In our film it starts off with high key lighting, this is to show his positive attitude towards his boxing career and his dedication as he wakes up early every morning to train hard. On the other hand once the antagonist comes in to the scene  we will use low key lighting to show that something bad is brewing.

Fight Night: Locations

Locations

Downham Gym

This is one of the locations that we will be using for definate, this is where 'David' comes to train on a daily basis. We will film a scene in the gym where we will get shots of him training hard for the big day that lyes ahead of him. This isn't the main scene in the film but plays a big part because this is where the 'Starr' is before he makes his way home and encounters a thug like man who is attempting to sexually assault an innocent by stander.

Fight Night: Script

Script

My name is David Starr. I live in south east London in a small house owned by my parents. I’m 18 years old, and tomorrow is the most important day in my life in terms of my boxing career. This fight could make or break me, i'm facing the toughest guy in London and I know my family are depending on me to win this match or we face financial ruin. Life is rough right now but boxing and my family are going to pull me through this.

This is the script that we created for our film, this may change depending on the rest of the footage that we will collect at a later date. It starts off by introducing himself, this is a good way for the viewers to identify who he is so they can refer to him throughout the film.

Furthermore, it then goes on to talk about where he lives, how old he is and it then goes into further detail about what he is training for, this establishes the storyline which makes it easier for the viewer to understand the story.

Fight Night: Props

Prop's

Throughout the film we will need props to make up each scene that can be used as symbolic codes to show the contrasting ideas using that item.

Firstly we used a phone as an alarm to wake the protagonist or his early training regime. This is a good prop to use in our film because it shows that this is a modernised film apposed to an older film.

This is also a good prop to use because once the alarm rings, a message appears on the screen which reads '1 Days until big fight 🎈', this is an inspirational message that powers the protagonist to train hard.

In our film we will also be using boxing gloves, this is essential for the boxer as this will be a key prop which relates to David's career.

This is also a good prop to use because it shows the contrasting idea between the scene where he kisses his mum and the idea of fighting being bad.

This was an idea that we had for the 'Fight scene', instead of David being stabbed we was going to make he so he got bottled using the sugar glass bottle prop. We figured that this would look a lot more realistic and it would be much easier to act out, we found this prop hard to get and we dont want to spend too much money filming, despite the fact that we cant get this prop we will use a knife instead, although this will be harder to act out it will still be good in terms of how it relates to the film.

Symbolic Codes: Mis-en-scene, Space, Objects & Props, Costumes,Setting, Colour & Lighting & Body Language

Symbolic Codes

Space

• Juxtaposition
• Depth & Proximity
• Size and Proportion

Objects And Props

• Clues to Character
• Narrative Enigmas
• Anchors Location
• Genre Iconography
• Intertextual References

We will be using many different props when filming, for example boxing gloves are essential for out protagonist because that is what he does in terms of his spare time. We will also be using a mobile phone for an alarm, as the phone alarm goes off there will be a message that appears on the screen saying '1 days until fight', this shows that he has been training hard counting down the days until his fight.

Costumes

• Realism/Escapist
• Time period/Age/Social Class
• Revealing Genre Conventions
• Low/High Production Values
• National/Regional Identity
• Status/Role/Occasion
• Ethnicity/Race/Sexuality

In our film the protagonist will be wearing standard clothes that people would wear to the gym. On the other hand our antagonist will be wearing smart clothes but he will be wearing them carelessly to show that he is a criminal.

Setting

• Low/High Production Values
• Genre Conventions
• Audience Identification
• Decor/Style/Interiors
• Studio Set design/On Location
• Realist/Escapist

In our film we will use standard locations around our area, this is due to low production cost. This can be a good thing because the audience can relate to the locations such as houses around the local area, the gym and other locations such as the 'Stab' scene.

Colour & Lighting

• High/Low Key Lighting
• Bright Primary Colours
• Black and White
• Single Source/Fill Lighting
• Use of Shadow/Silhouette
• Genre e.g. Noir
• De-Saturated/Grainy

Our film will start off with high key lighting to show the mood that our protagonist (David Starr) is in towards the build up of his big fight.

Body Language

• Pose and Posture
• Eye Contact
• Actors Movement/Style
• Status/Role/Social Class

In our film we will use each characters body language to show how he/she is feeling. We will also make our protagonist stroll opposed to walking, this is because he lives in south east London and is classed as 'Cockney'.

Codes And Convetions

Codes and conventions

What is a code?

Codes are systems of signs which create meaning. There are two different types of codes, symbolic and technical.

•  Technical codes are all the ways in which the physical equipment tell the story, for example the camera work.
•  Symbolic codes shows us what is hidden beneath the surface, things that we are unable to see. 

There is certain things that fit both categories, for example music can be both technical and symbolic codes within a film.

What is a convention?

A convention is the generally accepted way of doing things, there are different types of conventions which can be used in different medium but must be genre specific.

How are codes and conventions used in media?

Codes and conventions are both used in media in any and every genre. In terms of conventions you can just speak about camera work you must include how it is conventionally used in that genre.

The technical code of lighting can be used in all films and are all very similar. For example a horror usually has dark scenes with dimmed lighting to give the effect that something is about to happen. Lighting is a key aspect of technical codes because it gives you an insight of what genre the film might fall under and what mood it gives off.

Summer Homework

Dylan Starr - Summer Homework

Establishment 

Initially, the creators - Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen - both worked at Palace and Scala Productions where they were award winning producers after having created some of the UK’s most distinguished films from the 1980’s onwards. 

In 2005 however, they were awarded a widely coveted Slate Development Funding scheme from the UK Film Council and invested it into their shared independent production company, Number 9 Films. 

Stephen Woolley 

Has spent a lifetime in the movie and film making business. His career began in 1976 in a cinema in London where he helped manage the cinema. This led to him going on to own his own cinema, The Scala, which was praised for it’s “diverse, original and alternative programming”.  

His production work includes a series of low budget but high value movies, such as the Academy Award winning “The Crying Game”. 

Elizabeth Karlsen  

Began her career in independent film production in New York but then returned to London to work as Head of Production for the production company Palace Pictures, which was co-run by her husband and partner, Stephen Woolley.  

Credits to her name include Mark Herman’s Little Voice, which was nominated for six Golden Globe Awards including Best Actor, which Michael Caine went on to win, and an Academy Award nomination for Brenda Blethyn as Best Actress. The film was also nominated for six British Academy Awards including Best Picture. 

Aims 

The company aims to: 

• Produce at least two to three movies a year. 
• Be one of the UK’s leading independent production companies.  
• Invest in and hold strong relationships with a wide range of talented actors, actresses and filmmakers all over the world. 

Genres 

A genre (as defined by the free online dictionary) is a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content.  

Number 9 films does not confine itself to one particular genre, with movies such as How to Lose Friends and Alienate People fitting into a comedy genre but Sounds Like Teen Spirit instead falling into a documentary category.  

The benefits of not restricting the company to one genre or convention of film can be that it would make movies appealing to larger target audiences and therefore generating a larger profit.  

Filmography and Upcoming Releases  

• Made in Dagenham 2010: Nominated for four BAFTA awards, including Outstanding British Film, Best Supporting Actress, Make Up and Hair and Costume Design.  
• Perrier's Bounty 2009: Nominated for four IFTA’s including Best Film, Best Actor in a Lead Role, Best Screenplay and Best Actor in a Supporting Role.  
• Sounds Like Teen Spirit 2008: Released to rave reviews. It was variously described as “The most wonderful movie since Slumdog” (The London Lite), “utterly infectious” (Charles Gant, Heat Magazine), “unmissable” (The Daily Mirror)  
• How To Lose Friends & Alienate People 2008: With a £180000 budget returning a £1,154,607 profit in the first weekend, this was one of Number 9 films most successful films  
• And When Did You Last See Your Father? 2008: Described as “an unflinching exploration of a father/son relationship” and directed by Anand Tucker who was previously nominated for an Academy Award. 
• Breakfast On Pluto 2005: Set in the 1970s, Breakfast on Pluto is a darkly comic story about a young transvestite growing up in Ireland and was written and directed by Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire) 
• Stoned 2005: This is a murder mystery about the death of one of the most talented musicians of the ‘60s who couldn’t or wouldn’t write pop songs. Directed by Number 9 Films creator Stephen Woolley.  
• Mrs. Harris 2005: Based on a true story Mrs. Harris tells the tragic, quirky and unlikely tale of Jean Harris, who hit the headlines in 1980 after shooting and killing her lover, the Scarsdale diet doctor, Herman Tarnower. 

Half term coursework - Opening scene to 'White house down'

White House Down - 2013

Half term coursework - Opening scene to 'Shooter'

Shooter - 2007

Shooter is one of my favourite films mainly because of the opening scene, it is powerful and within the first 3 minutes of watching it I could tell that it would be an excellent film.

It starts off my two men laying down in long grass both wearing military uniform. One of the men has a pair of binoculars whilst the other man is staring through the scope of a sniper rifle. 

By starting the film off like this the viewer can straight away that it is going to have a lot of action in it due to the high calibred rifle.

It then goes on to the men identifying a possible threat driving down the road dressed as what is described as 'Taliban' uniform. As the spotter tells 'The shooter' how far the target is and how strong the wind is he then takes a vital shot that creates mayhem. This is a good indication that the men wearing the uniform are very prestigious, I say this because they are two lone soldiers attempting to fight off a mass of enemy.

Half term coursework - Opening scene to 'White Chicks'

White Chicks - 2004

I like the intro to 'White chicks' because it is powerful and underlines what each characters role is which helps the viewer to quickly identify what the storyline may be about.

They use many different shots such as the double-shot, match on action shy and the shot reverse shot. By using these shots it creates an effect that impacts the viewer's imagination. It starts off by a slow transition between shots because it is the start of the film but as it gets deeper into the opening scene it gets quicker; this indicates that something is about to happen.

I will be using this intro to help me plan for my film because it helps me think about key elements which could be used to polish my final piece. By using this opening scene i will be able to ensure that once i am filming i think about how i can make the viewer create a metorphorical relationship with the characters.

Fight Night: Storyboard

Storyboard

These are the pictures of my storyboard that I have taken. We have drawn rough copy of each scene with a short caption below to describe what is happening. This will help us whilst filming because we have something to go off rather than trying to think about it all in our heads.

Preliminary Task Final Edit

This is the short film we created, we had to do this for our preliminary task, this shows that we have a good understanding on how to use the camera and what different shots can be used to create mood and emotion.

Firstly it starts off with Joe walking Dylan down the corridor with his hands behind his backs, this shows the viewer that he has been arrested.

They then go in to an a class room which has been used for an interrogation room.

Fight Night: Actors/Actresses

Dylan: (Protagonist)

This is David Starr, he is the protagonist throughout the film, he is training very hard for his big which could make or break his career. Throughout the build up to his fight things are going exceptionally well, as it reaches the day before his fight he encounters a man harassing a helpless women, as he tries to intervene he gets fatally stabbed which leaves him in a comber.

Martyn: (Antagonist)

This is Oscar Wright, he is the antogist throughout the film, he is the drunken thug who assaults the hopeless women and then aggressively stabs David Starr, ending his career.

Janine: David's Mother

This is Janine Donnelly, she is David Starr's inspirational mother who he loves and adores. In addition to this inspirational figure, she plays one part through-out the film where she is washing up the dirty dishes and as David leaves the house for training she gives him a kiss. This scene shows the stereotype that women belong in the kitchen.

Preliminary Task

This is a shot of my storyboard which was created using the storyline for my preliminary task which was 'To create a short film displaying the following shots:

- Shot reverse shot

- Match on action shot

and also to abide by the 180' rule.'

My short film was filmed in school, it was about a boy being escorted by the police to an interview room for a suspicion of murder. We managed to show all of the shots and more which made the film look tidy.

By creating a storyboard it gave us a rough idea on how to shoot our film and how to choose the correct location.

Shots:

Fight Night: Breakdown + Synopsis

Our film 'Fight Night'.

This is a step by step breakdown on how the film is going pan out. Although it isn't perfect such as yet it is still a work in progress and always will be until the final piece has been filmed, edited and polished.

Synopsis: 

On the night before his biggest fight yet, our London-dwelling boxer, Dylan, faces his toughest challenge so far. 'Fight Night' is a gripping drama where family, friends and an unbreakable will are the only things Dylan can rely on to make it through these hard times.

In the heart of the capital, our protagonist trains as hard as he can to prepare for the fight that could make or break his career. However his hopes are seemingly dashed when he dives head first into something a lot bigger than him. For Dylan, all seems lost. But his immense resolve won't let him go that easy. he sets himself on the road to victory, determined to win his fight. But...is everything what it seems?

This is the synopsis for our film 'Fight Night' that we come up with. We wrote this in such a way that it entices you to watch the film which is the purpose of it. It gives you a brief but very detailed outline on what the film is about, it doesn't give away too much about the film but reveals parts that make you want to watch it.

Half term coursework - Opening scene to 'Monsters inc'

Monsters Inc. - 2001

Media Studies - 180 Degree Rule

180 Degree Rule, Match-On-Action & Shot Reverse Shot

This is a presentation that we created explaining:

- 180 degree rule
- match-on-action shot
- shot reverse shot. 

By creating this presentation we could use it in out preliminary task in order to achieve the best in filming.

Shot Composition

Shot Composition

On the 10th of September we got into groups and then we went out to collect different types of shots 

for example, Close up, Extreme Close Up, POV Shot etc. This got us to think about each shot and how it could be used in the media, what purpose it has and why they would decide to use it in for that particular shot.

This is a video that we shot in school, this is an extreme wide shot of the school. The extreme wide shot can also be known as the extreme long shot, this is once you broaden the arcs of the viewers so they can see a setting, usually the persons wouldn't even be in the shot. This shot can be used to 'Set the scene' .

This is a video that was also shot in school, this is an over the shoulder which can be used once someone is having a conversation, it allows you to draw the viewers in so it seems like they are in your setting.

This shot is called a two-shot, this is once two people are involved in the shot, this can be used for different reasons for example the main subject could be placed in the foreground and the less important subject that has equal relevance to the shot could be placed in the background. This shot can also be used to show emotions on the persons faces, this is also related to the three-shot.

This video consists of the extreme close up shot, this is used in media to show the expression on an individuals face, which allows the viewers to see how he/she is feeling. This shot is too close to show an individuals reaction but is vital in expressing someones emotions