DepicT! Analysis

https://www.depict.org/2017/family-dinner/?category_request=2017

Family Dinner was one of the first films I watched from the DepicT! website, and it was fantastic. While the acting in my opinion was not the greatest, they did a great job of showing an over exaggerated family dinner. We have the grandparents, who are traditional and blind to the ideas of modern ideologies (the grandpa with the Kindle, he doesn't grasp the idea of electronic books). Then we have the parents, protective of their teenage daughter. We then see the three teenagers, 2 of them are in a relationship and playing a card game. They are being loud and drinking alcohol, this is the typical stereotype of a 18-21 year old. We also see the girl on her phone, ignoring everyone, in a bad mood and gets caught out kissing a boy. This is how we think of the modern day 15 year old. They are engrossed into their phones and are experimenting in the world of relationships. The final character is a 8-10 year old boy. He's confused about relationships and is asking question about what he's heard in school.

This film can be related to in some sorts, as a family dinner usually has lots of different people, with lots of different age groups, with lots of different conversations. However, I will give credit for the camera movements. They are simple but really effective. 

Overall, this film was funny and had a great comedic value. I give it a 8/10.

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https://www.depict.org/2017/picking-sides/?category_request=2017

Picking Sides was a short animated movie about a man and his dog. They are fishing until two ships are having a battle right beside them. They are throwing everything they have at each-other (missiles, planes, turrets etc) but in the end, they both destroy each-other. The man and his dog are stuck between 'a rock and a hard place' and this is just one of the messages this short film portrays. Another message is that all the war and destruction going on around us is not achieving anything, but the ultimate death of each side. At the end of the film, a dolphin appears - this is to symbolize that even through all the destruction and life lost from the fighting, nature and life will still go on.

The film had a solid narrative and a really excellent set of animation. The only issue was the sounds were not the best of quality, however this is only because it is an indie film. This was my favourite out of all of the films we watched, so I give it a 10/10.

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https://www.depict.org/2017/amusements/?category_request=2017

The Amusements was a 90 second film about a young man trying to impress a girl. The film had no speaking in it and was really, really simple. The man simply lights a firework, and lets it fizz out in an attempt to impress her. She simply walks away, leaving the man by himself - waiting to impress yet another girl.

The most impressive thing about this film was the use of camera angles and positioning. The man is taller and more relaxed, while the girl is shorter and seems more inhibited. This could be used to symbolise how men put themselves out for women in the modern day. When she walks away, this could be used to show how hard women are to impress, or it could be just be used to show she is simply not interested in him.

The film was short and simple, had a decent narrative and had good camera angles. It wasn't my favourite film, but I really liked it either way. I give it a 7/10.

Change of Hands - Evaluation

The task that we were set was to create a short 1-2 minute film of a 'Change of Hands'. We decided to set our film in the college with an 'invisible package'. The reasoning for this was because we wanted the film to be different than a simple exchange, but we also wanted viewers to feel as if they could make up their own mind on what the package is.

I feel like the task went well and I would definitely like to work with the people who I worked with again. We got on with filming, editing and planning extremely well and we really combined and shared ideas.

My favourite part about the film we created was the editing. I think we have a lot of different techniques which make the film interesting and unique. For example, we have a part in which we outline the 'package' so the viewers understand the point of the film, and other parts with extremely slow cuts but others with fast cuts. The change of editing makes the film much more interesting and fun to watch.

Moving on to continuity, I believe our film does a brilliant job at keeping in with continuity. While there was a few errors during filming, we could quickly rectify this during editing. Each shot continues on from the last one and works really well to make sure the audience is well informed, but also so the film does not break and produce continuity errors. I feel that the only part we fail on continuity is during the halfway point of the film. This is when Ellis looks through the glass. It feels choppy and some shots don't exactly line up with each other, apart from that - I feel like we achieved the given criteria.

However, I would definitely have to change the music we have used. While we are giving the viewer a chance to figure out what the package is by themselves, the music makes the entire film gloomy, and depressing. While this could give a nice effect to make the entire film seem 'sad', I just personally feel like it doesn't work given the context. If this was my choice, I would have made the film into a more 'silent movie' with a passive soundtrack.

Despite this, I also think my camera angles and certain shots made the film feel unprofessional. Certain shots were shaky, off center and poorly positioned. I really feel as if but camera angles could have made the film seem a LOT better.

Either way, I do feel like our film is good and unique and definitely meets the given criteria, however - if given another chance, I would work on the points I have outlined and make the film even better than it is now.

The Meeting - Evaluation

Evaluation

My video I made was a mere test of the capabilities that the editing software Premiere Pro has. I feel for my first time, experimenting with effects and sync was a top priority into learning how to use the program.

I feel like the use of the stills and text making it seem like a silent movie worked really well. This is because it felt unique and no-one else has done it. I also felt like working with text on screen was a good way to learn how to use the program. I also feel like the use of it being black and white was a nice touch because it made it look more like a silent film, rather than being in colour.

I do feel like the music worked at some points as it felt like a silent movie like track, however – I think for the most part the music could have definitely be changed. I was focusing on more of a contrasting track rather than a suitable track. I would have also changed the other effects I used. I was going for a grainy, old look with the noise effect I put on, but I used too much static and made the film look like it was made in poor quality, rather than an old movie. I also feel like the black bars ruined the aesthetic and staging of the shots, making things seem out of frame and framed poorly.

I did like how I changed the shots and the shot length due to them being shaky, unfocused or too long. This really helped develop a more professional look, rather than it being an amateur film. Despite this, I do feel like the effects I used were poor and sloppy, ruining the decent editing I did with the clips.

Overall, I feel like my approach was well executed and good for a beginning, however – I would need a lot more experience, perfection and skill to make something which looks/feels like a professionally made film.

Connotation Task

Icebreakers

1. Why is your interest in Media (either viewing or production) more than a hobby?

I have always found it interesting, I used to actually study the Media AS Level during my first year at college. I really enjoyed the production area of it, like making magazines and editing pictures. I didn't really get on with the more logical side to it, such as studying magazines. I took this course in a hope of a more creative side to media, with filming etc.

2. Have you ever done any voluntary or paid work for a Media company?

Yes, I have. I was auditioned on a show called 'Ducks Quacks Don't Echo' in which I had to lie about eating a biscuit as an experiment to see if my mum could tell if I was lying. I never got put on the show, but I did get paid for it (yes!!!!).

I've also done a lot of performing arts, but the more up-to-date 'media' company I do work for is my YouTube channel. I have a channel with around 6,000 subscribers in which I look at the infamous game 'No Man's Sky'. I get a lot of views on my videos, and I try and actively put up videos.

3. Have you ever used (insert list of programs here)?

I have used a LOT of those programs. I am more common with Sony Vegas, After Effects and Photoshop as I use these a lot for video editing. I used to do more heavy video editing with another YouTube channel.

I have briefly used Premiere and Final Cut as I was looking for SV alternatives, but I couldn't get on with these very well.

4. Who / what is your favourite (insert list of people/media here)?

Actor (TV): Mads Mikkelsen [Hannibal]
Actor (Film): Will Smith
Director: Christopher Nolan
TV Programme: Rick and Morty
Film: Inception
Website for Media Content: YouTube
Way to watch Media Content: On my PC

5. What is your first memory of watching a Media product? Who did you watch it with?

I remember a very, very vivid memory of when I used to listen to the song Rollercoaster, by Ronan Keating (I think?). I watched it on MTV with my parents when I was around 6 years old.

6. Who do you like consuming Media content with?

Either alone or with my girlfriend.

7. What is your dream job?

My dream job is probably to be a web developer. I really enjoy coding.

8. What have you done in order to pursue your dream job?

Well, I have learnt web coding! But, I have also taken the course at college to learn more and more about the subject, as well as get a grade in it to go to university with! I have also made a couple of coded programs at home. The most recent one being a small bot in a chat software called 'Discord' which allowed users to interact and talk with this bot I made. It was quite simple, and had a few return values but nothing of interest.

9. What else could you do in order to pursue your dream job?

Definetly look at getting work experience in the field, whether voluntary or paid. I think this could help get an idea if this is definitely what I want to do. I also think spending time at home making my own programs could help show employers what I am capable of.

10. What are you most looking forward to studying on the Film & TV Production course?

I am most excited for the 3MW documentary! I was in a previous 3MW from my cousin, Liam Culham! His was on our YouTube channel, shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGFg4MAOups

It is probably my most exciting part because I have a lot to show off and speak about. I don't know if I will do it in a group, or solo. Either way, I really enjoyed being a part of his 3MW, so I can't wait to make my own!

The Sound of Music [★★★★★]

Photoshop Task 2

This is my first proper attempt at airbrushing. I have used Photoshop many, many times - mostly to create YouTube thumbnails for my YouTube channel. The tasks were mostly simple, using some basic techniques which I have used before - however I did find the airbrush to be a bit more challenging and tedious.

I liked the movie poster due to it being more like creating a thumbnail as such. I used to mess around making fake movie posters, but I stopped due to losing interest in it. It was fun to do it again.

Hardest part was probably the blur effect on the skin. It's hard to get the balance right to make it look real, but not fake. My attempt was the best I could get it, I think it turned out alright, but in some points if zoomed in it is too blurred.

Photoshop Task 1