Last week, on a school trip to New York we took a private tour around the NBC studio. The Tour at NBC Studios, which is one of the oldest and most popular television studio tours, has recently reopened after an 18-month hiatus. The 82-year-old tour, which went on hold last year during renovations at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, offered a firsthand glimpse of the production process behind shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Seth Meyers and NBC Nightly News. As a media student, this offered invaluable insight regarding various camera work and an overall experience on a live media studio.
My favourite experience of the tour was when the tour culminated at the "Tour Studio," and we had the unique chance to produce our own late-night talk show segment. With a provided script (some ad libbing was required), cameras, a control room with built-in laugh track, and volunteers willing to fill in as the house band, every person on the tour walked away having had an hands-on experience learning what it takes to create a show.
An important distribution technique that many Hollywood films use is creating a trailer. A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema.
I have researched this method and firstly began using it in order to intrigue and interest my audience. I began to do this by uploading very short 15-second videos of small footage of the film onto our Instagram page. Instead of trailers I have been calling them "Spoilers". I have noticed, that spoilers are very popular in regards to the media industry- especially for music videos and songs. A spoiler is an element of a summary or description of any piece of fiction that reveals any plot elements which possibly can give away important details concerning the turn of events of a dramatic episode, they can create a buzz and also interest other audiences.
Madison Beer, a young female singer, uploaded a spoiler onto her Twitter account of her new single which was being released untitled "Something Sweet". The short 4- second video gave a very brief visual of the music video and song. Madison used the hashtag "#SomethingSweet2days" alongside this which also helped to create the buzz and allow followers to get involved. This extremely short clip gained 6,864 retweets, allowing followers to share there excitement and show other peers. Followers replied to this clip with comments such as "IM SO EXCITED NOW!", "Everyone tweet #SomethingSweet2days to get it trending!" and "such a good tease, all my friends must see this!". This spoiler shared on twitter, a free media platform, defiantly created a buzz and widened Madison's initial audience.
A trailer of a similar genre of my film I have been researching has been Wild Child. The trailer is fast moving, and gives a brief outline of the storyline and plot. The music and general feel of the trailer is similar to the film itself, with an upbeat rhythm. In the background, there is a voice- over with catchy one liners which help to similarly intrigue the audience. For my short film, Dreaming Daisy I have also created a small trailer. I will upload this link to my twitter and Facebook profile and also create a QR code that I will upload to Instagram, linking the audience to the trailer.
Here is my trailer-
In order to create synergy, I have created the trailer in a scrap-book like formation and also used small images which link with various dreams Daisy wishes to complete.
I have also created a QR code which will link to my trailer. I have Instagrammed the QR code so it is easily accessible for my audience. I have created the hashtag "#dreamingdaisysoon" to also help create a buzz alongside the release of the trailer.
I have recently been spending a lot of time creating my film poster. It still isn't quite finished, but the more editing I do of it, the more I learn what successful film posters qualities I need to include. Below, I have inserted an image of me working on my poster in todays lesson and my progress so far.
One important quality I have discovered is a QR code; a machine-readable code consisting of an array of black and white squares, typically used for storing URLs or other information for reading by the camera on a smartphone. QR codes allow consumers/audiences to be able to scan their iPhone or smart phone camera on top of the personalised QR code quickly, efficiently and easily using the app that is either downloadable or permanently on their phone.
I found this clever idea on the "Insidious" poster when I was researching various film posters. Though "Insidious" is of horror genre, I still fill this feature is relevant for my genre too, and through all my previous research of film posters realised that using a QR code is modern and a new idea for the film industry. Having this easily accessible convention on my poster will attract and address not only my target audience but a wide, variety of people who may not be able to access my films social media platforms.
Once I have finished making my short film (final product), I will link the final film to my QR code that I will personally customise. I have also decided to create another QR code linking teasers on my social media posts, to a trailer I have created. HERE is the link to my trailer. This will help create a buzz prior to the release of my film, and also attract apprehensive audience members.
I have also seen this method being used in other Hollywood films, promoting the trailer through use of the QR code to help create attention to the actual release of the film. I have linked an example below where it reads "SCAN QR CODE TO SEE MOVIE TRAILER".
Finally, while editing my poster I have had to leave space for my QR code. When doing this I was interested to whether there was normally a given, routined space. I was really intrigued and interested that in the "Iron Man" poster the QR code was part of the main photography and interlinked within the main design. I found that this was very clever and eye-catching.
Filming- DOG SCENE Today, my partner and I filmed the "dog scene". This was very important as is a key indicator to the audience that Daisy-May is very unwell. We used a charities dog called "PAT Dog", which is a charity which has professionally trained dogs which work in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices in order to provide a companionship to people who are unable to have dogs of their own. The idea behind this scene is that Daisy longs for a companion and dog, showing her wishes and dreams get less extreme and adventurous the more ill she gets. We managed to shoot some very convincing and professional scenes, and overall we were happy with the way the scene turned out. Some problems we came across were making the dogs obey to orders and commands and getting both Daisy and the dogs to come across as though they have a close bond, underpinning a heart-warming moment. We also made sure the dogs leads with the charities name and logo were displaced well for the audience to clearly see and notice.
In this scene, we made the dog raise her pawr. This shows the companionship and bond through visual. This was a really important factor we wanted to make sure we captured. I have also used a new technology called Boomerang which takes burts of pictures and makes a short video. I have taken one of the dog we used on the set.
As part of the props in the film, I have created an Instagram account that our character Daisy uses. The audience is able to get to know the main protagonist, before the film release creating a close bond, building the relationship, and giving a ‘backstory’ to Daisy the character. Each Instagram post has a little personal description which links back to the film, and way of booking seats in the local cinema. I have linked the Daisy's Instagram account at the home page of my blog. We have also created the account as part of our distribution strategy to reach your young female audience. This strategy has also been seen in Hollywood films such as Wolverine.
Editing the Instagram's
In order to edit the Instagram's, I have been using an app called Fuzzle. It allows me to add stickers, effects and borders.
Its easy to use, and even involves a sticker with the tagline of the film.
It adds a personal touch and underpins the Instagram is a young teenage girls.
Filming- SLEEPOVER SCENE Today, my partner and I filmed the sleepover scene. This was one of Daisy's final dreams in her scrapbook and underpins her close friendship with Elli- meaning it was very important. My duty was to layout the scene and place the camera in the appropriate place. I used a plain bed and covered it with sweets and pillows, things often found at sleepovers (as seen in the boomerang I have added). I also added magazines, makeup and perfume to allude the fact it was a girly, stress-free sleepover. We kept the camera running and worked around with various angles and idea we could use that would help convey the fact it was just lots of fun. The footage worked out very well, and I look forward to editing it.
Today, my partner and I were deciding another very important stage of the construction of our poster. We had already planned the layout, picture and other factors of the poster itself, we just needed to finalise our decision on font. We had to decide out of 3 various designs, and decided the best way to do this was asking the market audience to vote for there favourite.
4 votes
12 votes
4 votes
The votes gave us a clear indication of what was best for our poster. We will now continue editing our poster now that we have this.
After reading an article by Mark Kermode in the Guardian on cinema 2015 (audience admissions) I noticed that many parts of the article are relevant to my own production. the article discusses how by only looking at the box office revenues it dose not provide a reliable idea as to what has progressed in cinema in 2015. The points made can link with some of the evaluation levels in the syllabus.
My short film, like many short films, is a low-budget, independent production. It is very much less likely to enjoy cinema release than full length feature films. Short films have a set of genre conventions, including their brevity, that make them suitable for internet consumption. In this, they are similar to other independent productions that are mentioned by Mark Kermode in his review of 2015 film releases.
'Like it or not, simultaneous distribution is the future. We are moving towards an environment wherein audiences will decide whether to watch a film on the phone, their laptop, their television or projected on the big screen in a cinema. With more films – and, hopefully, more varied films – vying for our attention, the keyword for audiences in the 21st century is “choice”. In releasing our short film Dreaming Daisy for internet distribution, I am following in the footsteps of more major films, a trend that for Kermode may well be the future model. The article mentions that recent advances have allowed films to be viewed at home as well as in theatres. For example in 2013, Ben Wheatley's Beats Of No Nationreceived a theatrical release as well as being streamed on Netflix. For short films in particular this kind of internet release is a really effective way of reaching audiences as the small budget normally makes that very hard. However some exhibitors demand that there should be a 'defined' window that the film can only be viewed in cinemas. Althoughdue to technical advancements but also the determination from the distributors of short films platforms such as Curzon Home Cinema and the BFI-Player have been used and make it very difficult to only be able to watch films in cinemas
For Kermode, a key theme of the London Film Festival 2015 was the role of women in film. In my own production my partner and I have clearly established that the majority of our audience will be female, as both of our main characters are female and it is a chick flick/ romance. The festival director Clare Stewart expressed the need to support women directors but not only during the development but also making sure that their are equal opportunities for the screening of the films. Furthermore the short film that we are creating is being pro ducted strictly by a completely female production team.
Through research I was able to come across the Bechdel Test. TheBechdel testasks whether a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man. The requirement that the two women must be named is sometimes added.
Only about half of all films meet these requirements, according to user-edited databases and the media industry press. The test is used as an indicator for the active presence of women in films and other fiction, and to call attention to gender inequality in fiction due to sexism.
The test is named after the American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, in whose comic strip first appeared in 1985. Bechdel credited the idea to a friend, Liz Wallace, and to the writings of Virginia Woolf. After the test became more widely discussed in the 2000s, a number of variants and tests inspired by it have been introduced.
In my short film, "Dreaming Daisy", characters Daisy and Elli pass the Bechdel test. As both myself and my partner are females, we found it extremely important to involve a teenage girl friendship in our short film, as this is something we have obviously experienced but also is very easy to relate too. Both of these character share an extremely touching friendship, where Elli is trying to help Daisy complete her bucket list as she is diagnosed with cancer.
Today, I decided what the tagline of my film poster would be. After much research of other film posters, I realised just how important it was for the advertisement of the film. Taglines (often called slogans) are catchy, enticing short phrases used by marketers and film studios to advertise and sell a movie, and to sum up the plot, tone or themes of a film. Many films have multiple tag lines, though short films usually only have one. I began by looking at previous successful tag lines of films of the Filmsite website.
Often the tagline is original and witty, and entice you to watch the film itself, after giving you a brief summary of whats to come. When it came to deciding my tagline, I wanted it to relate to the title, ideally underpinning the main work "dreaming".
I have finally decided that my tagline will be-
"Today is a perfect day to start living your dream"
I believe this is catchy, original and relates with the overall narrative of the film and title.
Further film poster research When I was analysing similar genre and market audience film posters, I was inspired particularly by the "Angus, thongs and perfect snogging" design. I started looking at other media posters that have this same style. I discovered Natalie Rudd's book which opens on Peter Blake (2003 Tate Publishing) with an acknowledgement of how "many people know his famous design for the cover of The Beatles' Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club". This was a very famous and renowned cover, leading me to further wondering how I can add this effect on my own poster.
I have collaged both poster/covers together to get a closer look to see similarities that work in which I can carry forward. The variety of colour in both makes it eye-catching and underpins a young, relaxed vibe, which would perfectly complement the audience of my short film. Another feature that I believe works well in both is the use of more than one face/character. I think this is a very hard to make work effectively as often it can look crowded and distract from the main messages of the poster itself. Because of this, I will have to try different concepts of integrating other characters into my poster, and be accepting if this doesn't look as good.
After further film poster research today, I will continue trying various softwares to demonstrate my influence of both these posters in my short films.
Interrogating your character Through researching many different short films, I feel that due to the film being an average of 5 minutes it can sometimes be hard to engage with a character, and I feel the connection between the audience and character/actor is vital. In my short film, "Dreaming Daisy", I want to insure the audience feel a connection with Daisy herself, and feel likewise involved with the plots and twists.
On the FilmEscape website, they have a whole article about how to interest your audience with your character in such a short space of time and making sure your characters are interesting and have depth.
Due to this I have made sure I have developed my main character, Daisy's backstory by creating some key questions I feel are important and hot seating her: an idea from FilmsScape.
1. What are your main hopes and aspirations in life?
2.What 3 qualities would you use to describe yourself?
3. What 3 qualities do you look for in a friend?
4. Whats the most challenging thing you have had to overcome?
I have also created a QR code which will link to my trailer. I have Instagrammed the QR code so it is easily accessible for my audience. I have created the hashtag "#dreamingdaisysoon" to also help create a buzz alongside the release of the trailer.
Finally, while editing my poster I have had to leave space for my QR code. When doing this I was interested to whether there was normally a given, routined space. I was really intrigued and interested that in the "Iron Man" poster the QR code was part of the main photography and interlinked within the main design. I found that this was very clever and eye-catching.
As part of the props in the film, I have created an Instagram account that our character Daisy uses. The audience is able to get to know the main protagonist, before the film release creating a close bond, building the relationship, and giving a ‘backstory’ to Daisy the character. Each Instagram post has a little personal description which links back to the film, and way of booking seats in the local cinema. I have linked the Daisy's Instagram account at the home page of my blog. We have also created the account as part of our distribution strategy to reach your young female audience. This strategy has also been seen in Hollywood films such as Wolverine.
