Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Audience feedback
We were delighted when we were given positive feedback from a viewing we held, presenting our thriller on a large screen with an audience of 6th formers. The feeling of horror and the impact on the audience was incredible; Rosie Cammack was drawn in by the piece and was well and truely scared, "I can't watch that it's minging, what is he doing with his head?". In receiving a comment like that we had noticed that the masked characters had been instantaneously viewed as antagonists, which was intended. A student from year 13 Chris Hollington who took Media Studies and did the same project as last year was impressed by our work, "I am truly a big fan of this". I also gathered various students that did not take Media or Film and asked them to watch our piece. They enjoyed it and when I asked them the genre one person Jordan Sargent replied "Is it a horror?" and they said that they thoroughly enjoyed the piece.
In addition on the audience feedback above on the 30th April i proposed that we did our own premiere. We burnt 'Regent House' on to DVD, i then persisted as many people to view our thriller during free time. We had a projector, the lights were off, and around 25-30 people saw are thriller for the first time. This is as close as we could get to knowing how our thriller would go in an actual cinema. Whilst nervous of what the feedback would be it was resoundingly positive, a small laugh emerged when they realised a teacher was on screen (something that wouldn't be an issue when showing publicly) strangely everyone went silent, until a round of applause as it finished. A 10 minute video has been put unto the blog documenting the audience teaching and their feedback. From the feedback, we are extremely happy to see that it was positive, and from fresh eyes (having no idea of how any of the processes behind making the thriller) acknowledged a media product we knew so well.
Peter McLaughlin, Tim McNiven and Oliver Fitch
Thursday, 30 April 2009
‘In what ways does your media Product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?’
‘In what ways does your media Product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?’
Strangely Media products that are in the genre - thrillers, conventially are either hybrid genres (such as ‘Batman Begins’ which is an Action-Adventure /Thriller) or a sub-genre (such as ‘Goodfellas’ which is a Gangster-thriller). Ours almost follows both conventions, we originally
conceived it as a subgenre of psychological/thriller but became a Hybrid genre of a Horror/thriller. This was done through the destruction of the masked assailants which seems to follow the conventions of the latter, but its does develop the conventions of the former. As the violence is never linked, the office psychiatrist scene’s tension is done through performance and music.
Very quickly we decided that by embracing previous Thrillers, our passion for them would bleed through into our thriller. Hence there is a numerous amounts of influences and references.
Firstly that a media product, if done fictionally is never a true reflection of the real world, but a stylised version. Hence all the characters are archetypes making them instantly identifiable. Russell T. Davies (Executive producer and Head Writer of ‘Doctor
Who’ and ‘Torchwood’) said this of using classic monsters as the viewer immediately knows the rules and the story runs a lot quicker. This applied with our characters. Immediately the audience had a vague understanding of the dynamics between our two characters, because of this we’re immediately aware between the differences of the characters, meaning the tension begins immediately.
The same applied for our masked assailants to a less extent, Steven Moffat (Writer of BBC thriller ‘Hyde’) says the scariest moment is when the monster is about to arrive, hence all the
scenes with the assailants is preparation (we even cut a sequence we filmed where the assailants walk into ‘Regent House’, the building we named our 
piece after, and a further sequence was never filmed where both narratives meet and the assailants burst into the office. We cut these sequences, with regards to time but mainly because the monster ceases to be scary once they are there. Once the assailants were there they wouldn’t be able to use the weapons at all, it would undermine the aura that the first two minutes build up).
We wanted to avoid hooded figures, such as in the fantasy/horror/thriller ‘Demons’, whilst ‘hoodie’ culture is being tried to be tapped into by some modern thrillers, we found it makes the threat mundane. When the convention of a thriller is to have a mundane location with fantastical threat (e.g. ‘War of the Worlds’ where Cruise’s characters normal life is set up, to be disestablished by the earth tremors).
We wanted sharp suits, such as the sci-fi thriller ‘The Matirx’ a sthe Agent’s uniformity is what’s chilling, it plays on our inner drive to not follow ‘the man’. The crispness of their suits, and steely expression show them like tanks, they will always follow you.
We mixed that convention with that of the Joker’s henchmen in ‘The Dark Knight’, all the masks have tormented smiling expressions, there is something scary about a perverted euphoria. Something pure that has been tainted, something we can relate to that has been twisted. I believe that our media product, whilst divertingly develops conventions in a new light (such as when the assailants walking is dissolved in on it self, it gives a mystic effect to them whilst not breaking the reality. Many thrillers tend to stick firmly into a “real worlds” such as ‘Psycho’, or to go into a fantasy film such as ‘Watchmen’. We wanted a stylised world that whilst never contradicts reality, through editing we discombobulate the viewer slightly and hint at a supernatural element).
Yet ultimately our thriller obeys these conventions, as they have been well established, into the culture of film, every viewer on a subconscious basis is scared by the similar principles. We graded our pictures to increase the shadows, because shadows are chilling. We are scared of the dark, because we do not know what is in it. The masks go to the same effect, as we never see exactly what they look like under the mask, our imaginations are much more thrilling then what we could see on screen. We kept to the primary principle, to create mystery. Mystery always unnerves us, which is why thrillers are so successful because they thrive on mystery…
Strangely Media products that are in the genre - thrillers, conventially are either hybrid genres (such as ‘Batman Begins’ which is an Action-Adventure /Thriller) or a sub-genre (such as ‘Goodfellas’ which is a Gangster-thriller). Ours almost follows both conventions, we originally
conceived it as a subgenre of psychological/thriller but became a Hybrid genre of a Horror/thriller. This was done through the destruction of the masked assailants which seems to follow the conventions of the latter, but its does develop the conventions of the former. As the violence is never linked, the office psychiatrist scene’s tension is done through performance and music.Very quickly we decided that by embracing previous Thrillers, our passion for them would bleed through into our thriller. Hence there is a numerous amounts of influences and references.
Firstly that a media product, if done fictionally is never a true reflection of the real world, but a stylised version. Hence all the characters are archetypes making them instantly identifiable. Russell T. Davies (Executive producer and Head Writer of ‘Doctor
Who’ and ‘Torchwood’) said this of using classic monsters as the viewer immediately knows the rules and the story runs a lot quicker. This applied with our characters. Immediately the audience had a vague understanding of the dynamics between our two characters, because of this we’re immediately aware between the differences of the characters, meaning the tension begins immediately.The same applied for our masked assailants to a less extent, Steven Moffat (Writer of BBC thriller ‘Hyde’) says the scariest moment is when the monster is about to arrive, hence all the
scenes with the assailants is preparation (we even cut a sequence we filmed where the assailants walk into ‘Regent House’, the building we named our 
piece after, and a further sequence was never filmed where both narratives meet and the assailants burst into the office. We cut these sequences, with regards to time but mainly because the monster ceases to be scary once they are there. Once the assailants were there they wouldn’t be able to use the weapons at all, it would undermine the aura that the first two minutes build up).We wanted to avoid hooded figures, such as in the fantasy/horror/thriller ‘Demons’, whilst ‘hoodie’ culture is being tried to be tapped into by some modern thrillers, we found it makes the threat mundane. When the convention of a thriller is to have a mundane location with fantastical threat (e.g. ‘War of the Worlds’ where Cruise’s characters normal life is set up, to be disestablished by the earth tremors).
We wanted sharp suits, such as the sci-fi thriller ‘The Matirx’ a sthe Agent’s uniformity is what’s chilling, it plays on our inner drive to not follow ‘the man’. The crispness of their suits, and steely expression show them like tanks, they will always follow you.
We mixed that convention with that of the Joker’s henchmen in ‘The Dark Knight’, all the masks have tormented smiling expressions, there is something scary about a perverted euphoria. Something pure that has been tainted, something we can relate to that has been twisted. I believe that our media product, whilst divertingly develops conventions in a new light (such as when the assailants walking is dissolved in on it self, it gives a mystic effect to them whilst not breaking the reality. Many thrillers tend to stick firmly into a “real worlds” such as ‘Psycho’, or to go into a fantasy film such as ‘Watchmen’. We wanted a stylised world that whilst never contradicts reality, through editing we discombobulate the viewer slightly and hint at a supernatural element).
Yet ultimately our thriller obeys these conventions, as they have been well established, into the culture of film, every viewer on a subconscious basis is scared by the similar principles. We graded our pictures to increase the shadows, because shadows are chilling. We are scared of the dark, because we do not know what is in it. The masks go to the same effect, as we never see exactly what they look like under the mask, our imaginations are much more thrilling then what we could see on screen. We kept to the primary principle, to create mystery. Mystery always unnerves us, which is why thrillers are so successful because they thrive on mystery…
Tim McNiven & Oliver Fitch
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Who would be the audience for your media product?
Who would be the audience for your media product?
After examining what techniques media researchers use to work out their prime audience, we are going to use the same techniques to find out what audiences our thriller should be aimed at.
We are trying to tap into the mass-audience as a broader demographic. Our thriller will appeal to more people. However we do not want to water down our ideal to fit a blockbuster pattern purely for the sake of it, so this will limit our demographics to a certain degree
Approximately, our Audience demographics are from C1 down (with a slight overlap into B) as we're hoping to appeal to everyday situations (along with the codes and conventions). The high-concept ideals may appeal on a more academic level.
Psychographics- there are 3 categories that we're aiming at:
Mainstreamers - This is the largest group, if we're successful then others will conform to see our thriller.
Strugglers. SEEKS ESCAPE - alienated and disorganised. Few resources beyond physical skills. Brand choice involves impact and sensation. Buys alcohol, junk food lottery tickets. D and E demographic.
Explorers - SEEKS DISCOVERY. Energy, individualism and experience. Values a difference and adventure. Brand choice highlights satisfaction, and instant effect. The first to try new brands. Younger demographic - students.
Although within marketing and demographics there are other issues that will need to be considered.
As media consumers we use or are entertained by media products on a literal daily basis. However, each of these media products has been marketed to appeal to us (even if on a generic basis). There are several means by which consumers are grouped as different types of audience.
A slightly more detailed way is through 'Audience Demographics', which are based on financial income:
'Group A - lawyers, doctors, scientists, managers of large-scale organisations - well paid professionals.
Group B - teachers, senior managers, some middle management - fairly well paid professionals.
Group C1 - 'white collar' junior management, bank clerks, nurses.
Group C2 - skilled 'blue collar' workers such as electricians, plumbers carpenters.
Group D - Semi and unskilled manual such as drivers, post sorters.
Group E - students, the unemployed, pensioners.
'However this does rather base upon very broad stereotypes, a more accurate but more time costly method is 'Audience Profiling'. Audiences can be defined by the following factors;
'-Age
-Gender
-Demographic (in this instance meaning where they live, regionally)
-Profiling (An example of this is the 'Tesco club Card' where all purchases accompanied with this card are registered to data system where vouchers are then sent to your address with vouchers to encourage you to purchase products tailored for you)
-Values, attitudes and lifestyles (this is more niche sections of the media product)'
This then leads onto demographic profiling which works on the same simple process calculating approximately through a consumer’s age, class, gender, geographical area, class, economic status and religion.
The most interesting of all these methods however must be 'psychographic profiling', where marketing executives do not merely define their consumers by age or region, but see what makes consumers want their product and, play on it to maximise its potential. It works out an average personality trait for different types of people. These are as following:
'Mainstreamers - SEEK SECURITY. The products they consume are domestic, conformist, conventional, sentimental-favour value for money family brands. Nearly always the largest group.
Aspirers - SEEK STATUS. Materialistic, acquisitive, orientated to image and appearance, persona and fashion. Attractive packaging more important than contents. Typically younger people, clerical and sales jobs.
Succeeders - SEEK CONTROL. Strong goals, confidence, work ethic and organisation. Supports stability. Brand choice based on self-reward, and quality. Typically higher management and professionals.
Resigned - SEEKS SURVIVAL. Rigid and authoritarian values. Interested in the past and tradition. Brand choice stresses safety, familiarity and economy. Typically older people.
Performers. SEEKS ENLIGHTENMENT - Freedom of restrictions and personal growth. Social awareness and independent judgement. Anti-materialistic, but aware of good taste. Has attended higher education and selects products for quality.'
Having examined how consumers are depicted and used within marketing, our group will need to replicate this as it will help make our thriller more appealing to our potential audiences.
(with quotes embedded from http://www.4cs.yr.com/ and http://www.nrs.co.uk/)
Written by Tim Mcniven, Edited by Peter McLaughlin. Further editing and formatting by Joseph Lawrence.
After examining what techniques media researchers use to work out their prime audience, we are going to use the same techniques to find out what audiences our thriller should be aimed at.
We are trying to tap into the mass-audience as a broader demographic. Our thriller will appeal to more people. However we do not want to water down our ideal to fit a blockbuster pattern purely for the sake of it, so this will limit our demographics to a certain degree
Approximately, our Audience demographics are from C1 down (with a slight overlap into B) as we're hoping to appeal to everyday situations (along with the codes and conventions). The high-concept ideals may appeal on a more academic level.
Psychographics- there are 3 categories that we're aiming at:
Mainstreamers - This is the largest group, if we're successful then others will conform to see our thriller.
Strugglers. SEEKS ESCAPE - alienated and disorganised. Few resources beyond physical skills. Brand choice involves impact and sensation. Buys alcohol, junk food lottery tickets. D and E demographic.
Explorers - SEEKS DISCOVERY. Energy, individualism and experience. Values a difference and adventure. Brand choice highlights satisfaction, and instant effect. The first to try new brands. Younger demographic - students.
Although within marketing and demographics there are other issues that will need to be considered.
As media consumers we use or are entertained by media products on a literal daily basis. However, each of these media products has been marketed to appeal to us (even if on a generic basis). There are several means by which consumers are grouped as different types of audience.
A slightly more detailed way is through 'Audience Demographics', which are based on financial income:
'Group A - lawyers, doctors, scientists, managers of large-scale organisations - well paid professionals.
Group B - teachers, senior managers, some middle management - fairly well paid professionals.
Group C1 - 'white collar' junior management, bank clerks, nurses.
Group C2 - skilled 'blue collar' workers such as electricians, plumbers carpenters.
Group D - Semi and unskilled manual such as drivers, post sorters.
Group E - students, the unemployed, pensioners.
'However this does rather base upon very broad stereotypes, a more accurate but more time costly method is 'Audience Profiling'. Audiences can be defined by the following factors;
'-Age
-Gender
-Demographic (in this instance meaning where they live, regionally)
-Profiling (An example of this is the 'Tesco club Card' where all purchases accompanied with this card are registered to data system where vouchers are then sent to your address with vouchers to encourage you to purchase products tailored for you)
-Values, attitudes and lifestyles (this is more niche sections of the media product)'
This then leads onto demographic profiling which works on the same simple process calculating approximately through a consumer’s age, class, gender, geographical area, class, economic status and religion.
The most interesting of all these methods however must be 'psychographic profiling', where marketing executives do not merely define their consumers by age or region, but see what makes consumers want their product and, play on it to maximise its potential. It works out an average personality trait for different types of people. These are as following:
'Mainstreamers - SEEK SECURITY. The products they consume are domestic, conformist, conventional, sentimental-favour value for money family brands. Nearly always the largest group.
Aspirers - SEEK STATUS. Materialistic, acquisitive, orientated to image and appearance, persona and fashion. Attractive packaging more important than contents. Typically younger people, clerical and sales jobs.
Succeeders - SEEK CONTROL. Strong goals, confidence, work ethic and organisation. Supports stability. Brand choice based on self-reward, and quality. Typically higher management and professionals.
Resigned - SEEKS SURVIVAL. Rigid and authoritarian values. Interested in the past and tradition. Brand choice stresses safety, familiarity and economy. Typically older people.
Performers. SEEKS ENLIGHTENMENT - Freedom of restrictions and personal growth. Social awareness and independent judgement. Anti-materialistic, but aware of good taste. Has attended higher education and selects products for quality.'
Having examined how consumers are depicted and used within marketing, our group will need to replicate this as it will help make our thriller more appealing to our potential audiences.
(with quotes embedded from http://www.4cs.yr.com/ and http://www.nrs.co.uk/)
Written by Tim Mcniven, Edited by Peter McLaughlin. Further editing and formatting by Joseph Lawrence.
How does your media product represent particular social groups?
The characters in our product represent social groups in several ways.
Protagonist
- White
- Male
- Young
- Lower middle class
- Scruffy appearance
- Mentally unstable
Our protagonist is a psychiatric patient, and represents the "misfit" within the film, common within thriller films. His mental condition shows a representation of disability, whilst his middle class accent and scruffy attire represents the typical "everyman" that gets dragged into a situation despite being an ordinary person.
Psychiatrist
- White
- Male
- Older
- Upper middle class, well qualified, good job
- Smartly dressed, professional looking
- Position of power over his patient
The psychiatrist is representative of the upper middle class professional, with a smart attire and highly qualified job. His accent shows him to be upper middle class, well spoken and literate, in contrast to the protagonist. He shows no sign of disability, and age suggests him to be wiser than the protagonist.
Antagonists
The antagonists are masked throughout the entire film, and have no lines of dialogue. We decided on this to remove them from representation, with their age, class, race, disabilities and profession impossible to determine. This makes them almost removed from being human, and makes them exist purely as a mysterious and scary entities within the film, with no discernible features aside from their costumes and weapons.
- Joseph Lawrence
Protagonist
- White
- Male
- Young
- Lower middle class
- Scruffy appearance
- Mentally unstable
Our protagonist is a psychiatric patient, and represents the "misfit" within the film, common within thriller films. His mental condition shows a representation of disability, whilst his middle class accent and scruffy attire represents the typical "everyman" that gets dragged into a situation despite being an ordinary person.
Psychiatrist
- White
- Male
- Older
- Upper middle class, well qualified, good job
- Smartly dressed, professional looking
- Position of power over his patient
The psychiatrist is representative of the upper middle class professional, with a smart attire and highly qualified job. His accent shows him to be upper middle class, well spoken and literate, in contrast to the protagonist. He shows no sign of disability, and age suggests him to be wiser than the protagonist.
Antagonists
The antagonists are masked throughout the entire film, and have no lines of dialogue. We decided on this to remove them from representation, with their age, class, race, disabilities and profession impossible to determine. This makes them almost removed from being human, and makes them exist purely as a mysterious and scary entities within the film, with no discernible features aside from their costumes and weapons.
- Joseph Lawrence
What kind of media institition might distrubute your medfia product and why?
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
In the same way the makers of Cloverfield described their thriller ‘as a monster movie for the Youtube generation’ we accepted that our media product would need to be distributed through many institutions and means to reach our target audience. Throughout this answer I plan to compare our techniques to the tried and tested (whilst pretty revolutionary) methods of ‘Cloverfield’’s distribution.
So firstly we started with Youtube, professionally it works on a financial level. To put your video on Youtube, it means anyone around the world can talk about this. This would raise issues however of getting your product noticed. The means to this is anticipation. We made a demonstration trailer, and for a real distribution these would be increasingly longer revealing more and more plot points, this would fuel the forums.
Also through advertising, a video that is on Youtube has never been advertised on the website itself, I think this would be an original means to get the video going.
If working with a corporation like Microsoft or Apple, we could use widgets. Widgets are pieces of software, which can be downloaded for free, they are various applications. Cloverfield used a technique of making a widget which contained an introduction by Produced J.J. Abrams and the first five minutes of the film. It offered a prize to the web user who shared that widget to the most amount of friends. This clever technique makes it’s own consumers distribute their product, for free. The opener of our thriller could be used in a similar manner.
The Major film networks now are Columbia, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., Paramount and Universal. With Walt Disney’s ‘Buena Vista Motion Picture group’ emerging. We would have to
pitch it to all those companies through various meetings, any of these would be ideal for our movie, as they would have major budget to advertise and distribute, Pixar spent 53 million to advertise Cars.
After the films release, Television Premières must be thought of, whilst our film isn’t quite mainstream enough to go for ‘Sky Movies’, I would suggest ‘Film Four’ they make a careful balance between showing classic well known films, and mixing it so viewers might stay tuned to lower budget, less know films. Film Four would offer a one off payment, for the rights, then also pay royalties each time shown. This could even give the film a cult like status with the ultimate goal of being marketed as a cult film to build a heavy, loyal fan base.
Tim McNiven
In the same way the makers of Cloverfield described their thriller ‘as a monster movie for the Youtube generation’ we accepted that our media product would need to be distributed through many institutions and means to reach our target audience. Throughout this answer I plan to compare our techniques to the tried and tested (whilst pretty revolutionary) methods of ‘Cloverfield’’s distribution.
So firstly we started with Youtube, professionally it works on a financial level. To put your video on Youtube, it means anyone around the world can talk about this. This would raise issues however of getting your product noticed. The means to this is anticipation. We made a demonstration trailer, and for a real distribution these would be increasingly longer revealing more and more plot points, this would fuel the forums.
Also through advertising, a video that is on Youtube has never been advertised on the website itself, I think this would be an original means to get the video going.
If working with a corporation like Microsoft or Apple, we could use widgets. Widgets are pieces of software, which can be downloaded for free, they are various applications. Cloverfield used a technique of making a widget which contained an introduction by Produced J.J. Abrams and the first five minutes of the film. It offered a prize to the web user who shared that widget to the most amount of friends. This clever technique makes it’s own consumers distribute their product, for free. The opener of our thriller could be used in a similar manner.
The Major film networks now are Columbia, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., Paramount and Universal. With Walt Disney’s ‘Buena Vista Motion Picture group’ emerging. We would have to
pitch it to all those companies through various meetings, any of these would be ideal for our movie, as they would have major budget to advertise and distribute, Pixar spent 53 million to advertise Cars.After the films release, Television Premières must be thought of, whilst our film isn’t quite mainstream enough to go for ‘Sky Movies’, I would suggest ‘Film Four’ they make a careful balance between showing classic well known films, and mixing it so viewers might stay tuned to lower budget, less know films. Film Four would offer a one off payment, for the rights, then also pay royalties each time shown. This could even give the film a cult like status with the ultimate goal of being marketed as a cult film to build a heavy, loyal fan base.
Tim McNiven
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
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