Evaluation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E-lefSA-7g


The first scene I chose was the car scene from the 2004 film White Chicks. The scene includes mostly spoken word in the form of naturalistic dialogue. I found this aspect of the scene to be particularly challenging because not all of the dialogue could be easily synched in with the visuals because sometimes their faces couldn't be seen whilst they were talking. The diegetic music that was played in the scene proved to be more challenging than originally anticipated as I didn't realise in the beginning that the song had verses cut. This meant that trying to synch the song with original required painstaking and tedious editing. I was unable to find the original non-diegetic jazz music that was used in the scene so I instead opted to find my own music that I also felt was fitting. There was also a small usage of foley sounds as I recorded the voice actor doing a growl for the dog but for the most part I used sourced material.

Overall I am pleased with the outcome as the reception it received from my peers suggested that both the humorous mood and meaning in the scene are effectively communicated. The practical work in this scene is also met my intensions and I didn't need to change anything during the editing and recording process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PM1DOScM4Q


The second scene chosen was the Cornucopia bloodbath from the first instalment of the Hunger Games trilogy in 2012. The scene contains no dialogue and is made up of almost entirely non-diegetic music which was part of the score for the movie. There was some use of sound effects in the scene which I made sure was entirely foley.

I recorded myself tapping on a table to replace the countdown at the beginning of the scene and I used an equaliser to distort the sound to help create an atmosphere and mood for the scene. I also took a microphone outside and recorded the sound of my stepping, running, jumping and dragging my foot across both gravel and grass to create different sounds. It was not my original intention to record record myself on gravel and grass for the foley sound effects but after watching a documentary about the making of the audio for the Hunger Games I discovered that the original sound production team actually used the same technique for the film so I came to the conclusion that it would be the best option moving forward.

I am not as happy with this scene in comparison to the other one I chose but I still believe I was able to show the mood effectively. If I was to rerecord the scene again I would probably include things such as footsteps and breathing by the main character to slightly change the scenes mood.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Train Scene

The ice being formed on the glass window of the train would be an example synchronous sounds but the train tracks at 2:50 would be non-synchronous as you can not actually see the train moving along the tracks.

"Theres something moving out there" is a line spoken by the character Ron Weasley 0:59. This line is an example of functional dialogue however the large majority of dialogue in the scene is naturalistic.

A number of the sounds heard as the dementor enters the carriage the main characters are in could be considered hyper real. The rat's squeak was unnaturally loud, this was used to highlight the fact that even the animals were afraid of the creature too. Another example is the woman that can be heard screaming "Harry" its so distorted the transition from the scream to the steam engine sound is almost indistinguishable.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - Boggart Scene

This scene uses both non-diegetic and diegetic music throughout to create two different effects.

The boggart scene consists of virtually all naturalistic dialogue. Professor Lupin explains to the class about the creature they're about to encounter. This would be exposition as the audience is learning just like the students.

The diegetic music in the scene is upbeat and lighthearted, this is because the character, Professor Lupin wanted to create a good mood for the students in the class.

The non-diegetic music on the other hand completely contrasts this. There is a glimpse of a dementor roaming the fields surrounding the castle just before we cut to the classroom. The music played is low pitched, and works as a sound bridge into the next scene (the classroom) but unlike the music used in the previous clip it lacks the fast paced string instruments as the characters are not in imminent danger. The first thing you see in the next scene is the cupboard, this is because Alfonso Cuaron wants to direct the audience's anxiety associated with the dementor onto the cupboard. The cupboard is violently shaking and something inside can be heard rattling inside which suggests that a dementor may also be inside trying to escape.

Unlike the music played previously, the non-diegetic music that begins at 2:13 initially starts out in a similar way to before but 10 seconds in high tempo string instruments start playing to represent neville's increasing heart rate. These string instruments could be considered to be a sound motif as the they are is very similar to the ones heard earlier so the viewer has learned to associate them with the dementors.

Some of the skills, personal qualities and previous experiences I have that could be valuable to a potential employer include:

can work well with others
communication skills
leadership capabilities
independence

Some of the concerns I have about my management of an interview situation include:

Nervousness when given an unexpected question
potty mouth
uncomfortable being centre of attention so interviews put me under pressure
can become forgetful

A common weakness I observed in interviewees performances included talking about our weaknesses, I think when it comes to a question asking us about weaknesses we should find a way to tackle it.

8 thinks an interviewer looks for in an interviewee include:
presentation
punctuality
formal
well spoken
enthusiastic
personable
confidence

Film Industry

some jobs in this media sector include directors, sound engineers, runners, producers, production designers, cinematographer, director of photography, costume designer, make up artist and hair stylists.

The jobs I'm most interested in are production design and directing.
These jobs are not entry level.

In production design there is an emphasis on who you know rather than what qualifications you hold although art and film based degrees such as film production are very important.

This is because you get to meet other people going into the industry and also develop the skills required for this job.

As the head of the largest department on a film crew, you must have extensive experience gained over a number of years. You would usually start as a Junior Draughtsman, moving on to Draughtsman, Assistant Art Director and Art Director.

If you graduate in film and theatre design, you will need to gain experience working on short films before progressing to junior roles on feature films.

The job involves working in a freelance basis.

Production Designers are major heads of department on film crews, and are responsible for the entire art department.

They help Directors to define and achieve the look and feel of a film. 

Production Designers deliver their design sketches (showing mood, atmosphere, lighting, composition, colour and texture) to Art Directors who oversee the production of technical drawings and models, which are used by the Construction Department to build the sets and adapt locations. Props Buyers and Set Decorators source props and organise the manufacture of specialist items. 

Although Game of Thrones is a TV series, it is one of biggest shows on television at the moment and has a lot of emphasis on production design.
Game of Thrones Season 5: Artisan Piece #2 – Set Design (HBO)
Game of Thrones Craft: Set, Costumes, Hair, and Makeup

I hope to increase awareness towards mental health illnesses whilst asking the question if the pressures of school/college are a significant catalyst amongst teens in the United Kingdom. As it's a sensitive issue there will need to be some ethical considerations taken to ensure that no one finds the video triggering.

Contractual brief

A contractual brief is a brief/contract with specific guidelines set by the client that the media company they've employed must follow. If the media company fails to follow the brief exactly it can result in a breach of contract resulting in legal actions.

One of the benefits of a contractual brief include the media company having the ability to have full knowledge of what the client is asking for as the brief has non negotiable specifics and is also highly detailed.

A possible disadvantage is that a media company could end up having a bad reputation if the requirements listed in the brief are not met exactly. If theres any difficulty within the brief the contractor can take legal action against the production company.

Cooperative Brief

This brief is when two or more companies work together to complete a project. It is usually done when one company isn't capable of individually completing the work given.

An advantage of this type of brief is that there is flexibility in the contract so that the companies can negotiate together in order to make sure they can both successfully meet the requirements. A disadvantage however is that negotiations can waste time and delay the production of the project.

Formal Brief

This type of brief is very open and theres only enough information to allow the media company to produce the project. Any issues or misunderstandings can be looked at during negotiations in the beginning.

Clients who give this type brief are open to many ideas allowing the media company to be creative in their work.

One possible disadvantage is that a client can be too vague and give little direction to the media company making it difficult for them to know what to do. If the client ends up unsatisfied with their work it could lead to them having a bad reputation.

Informal Brief

These briefs are non-documented and the specifications in this style of brief is usually made and agreed upon verbally.

An advantage is that the client is able to get a wide range of ideas for their product and chose to work with the company which has suggested the best option.

A disadvantage is that it can be hard for the companies turned down to find replacement work if they have already booked that project into their schedule.

Competition Brief

These briefs are open to the public which allows for a a wide variety of talented people to create a product based on the brief for free.

Due to it being a competition, the prize/reward will only be granted to the winner which means theres loads of ideas to chose from and the cost of the product is reduced.

an example would be the BFX Competition Briefs where teams of 5 people provide a product based on a wide range of briefs provided.
http://www.bfxfestival.com/competition/competition-briefs/

Tender

Theres some noticeable similarities between the last two briefs as they both involve outside companies pitching their ideas to clients in order to receive the job. Once the client has seen all the briefs, the best is selected and the chance to work for the client by developing their product and ideas.
http://www.tendersdirect.co.uk/ is known for their range of tender briefs available.

Paying attention when reading a brief is important because you need to be able to stick to it. Doing this gives you the ability to come up with ideas and being able to actually work on the project. Other than those points, reading a brief allows you to work out final dates, your timescale and what the specific requirements are.
Besides from the money, the longterm results from sticking to a brief include building your portfolio, gaining contacts, self development, experience and more.