A pinch of salt - Final Video

Evaluation - Question 7

Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Although this has already been touched upon in previous evaluation questions, the preliminary task enabled us to learn vital information about the process of creating our final video.
Initially, we shot our preliminary in one long take which made it incredibly difficult to edit through having to cut and crop clips excessively and keep importing the same clip over and over again. Having made this mistake though, we learnt from it and then ensure that when shooting our final video that each take was a new video of its own. This way we could limit the amount of time the editing process would take by it meaning we didn't have to waste time as we did in our preliminary.
Our preliminary task also taught us that the sound behind the video needed a lot more attention and focus. For this reason, we decided to make a continual soundtrack for our final product as it seemed to suit our opening, instead of limiting what our audience would be hearing through it only being footsteps or breathing. Although we considered this, a soundtrack seemed more appropriate as, through creating our own on 'Garageband', we were able to choose where tension builds and drops at each individual moment.
As well as teaching us about adjustments to make for our final product, our preliminary task made us realise how we needed to manage our time as well as introducing us to the technologies we would need to be using, as mentioned in the previous answer. Editing took a lot longer than we had first thought so from our preliminary we were able to plan ahead (in our filming schedule) and spend our time more wisely, less on filming and more on editing.

Evaluation - Question 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Whilst constructing our thriller opening we have discovered how to use a vast range of media technologies in order to produce our product. These technologies include:


Adobe Premier Pro - Used to edit the video - cutting and cropping the individual clips and putting together the whole opening. Although we initially struggled with the whole editing process, we overcame this as we understood the software more and more. After editing our preliminary task we then knew how to use the programme for our final video.

Adobe After Effects - Used to produce the final video - adding effects such as transitions onto the video. This programme also caused confusion prior to our preliminary task however by the time it came to creating the final video we understood it. Here we used it to add on our soundtrack and transitions from frame to frame.


Garage Band - Used to make a soundtrack for the product - creating a unique piece of music as continual sound for the opening. As we could create a piece from scratch it enabled us to make something that was individual to our thriller, building tension in exactly the right places fitting what the audience hear with what they are seeing. This also allowed us to create a modern, upbeat track that teenagers, the target audience, would enjoy.

From creating this product, we have learnt that even though these technologies are complicated and can be very technical to use, simplifying them and working step by step to complete what we were working on was the best way to produce a good end result of a high standard.

Evaluation - Question 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

To establish an audience for our product we produced a storyboard and a pitch to provide us with a response to our initial ideas. Getting feedback on our ideas for the plot enabled us to understand if the particular storyline we intended to peruse would have been of interest to teenagers above 15, our target audience. This meant we could make adjustments to suit any issues that the majority found. For example, initially it became apparent that our plot was not easy to portray to the audience within the given 2 minute time allowance. From carrying out our pitch we were then able to change it slightly so that it was more understandable from watching just 2 minutes, although this meant simplifying the plot it made it more appropriate for the audience, and therefore it was a positive that we were able to change it before filming and editing the entire opening. 

Giving the audience involvement in the opening also meant we were advertising it to them. Showing only the ideas of a thriller and eventually a 2 minute opening would make the audience intrigued them to want to watch the final product.

Making characters within the thriller a similar age to the audience it was aimed at was another way of attracting the target audience. This video still taken from our final product shows how we used a character who was of the same age as our target audience to relate to them. The use of fashion makes the character current and modern and therefore interesting for the chosen audience.

Evaluation - Question 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

The target audience for our media product, a thriller opening, was teenagers above the age of 15.
Through research into the BBFC ratings we decided this was an appropriate age rating for our product as it focused on sensitive subjects such as drug use. For this reason it would not be appropriate for a younger audience as it would be misleading and expose them to inappropriate topics. Having an older audience would ensure that these topics were understood appropriately and with sensitivity.
Teenagers also make an appropriate target audience as they feature as the main characters in the thriller opening. This creates more of an interest in the characters as they can relate to and identify with them, listening to music, having to walk home etc.

Evaluation - Question 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? 

When researching media distribution companies various differences between the companies became apparent. The purpose of a media distribution company is to promote a media product and this would typically be thought of as a task to be completed by a well-known, rich company. However, independent media distribution companies also have a high success rate when popularising media products. Independent media distribution companies, such as Kaleidoscope, appeared to be more open to new and individual ideas that may have little or no support, but a strong initial idea. For this reason, I decided our thriller would be most suited to being distributed by an independent company, as we would be entering the market as unknown directors and writers without a proven success record. To be given a chance by a major media distribution company it is more likely that a director or writer of a thriller would have had to have success with a previous idea, so investees, such as the distribution company would be sure to make money and not lose it. Independent media distribution companies however, are more open to new individuals with ideas for scripts or directing ideas and its for this reason they would suit our thriller.
Another reason an independent distributor such as Kaleidoscope would distribute our media product would be due to their recent success with similar psychological thrillers; a reason they would be looking to find other thrillers to distribute. Having founded an audience, similar to our target audience, and a knowledge for distributing psychological thrillers, Kaleidoscope's a ready made distribution company suiting our exact product.

Evaluation - Question 2

Evaluation - Question 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Frame 1 - The first frame shows the title of our thriller. We chose 'A Pinch of Salt' because to take something with a pinch of salt means to regard something as exaggerated: believe only part of something. We thought this was fitting as it describes how the attackers personality changes when under this influence of the drugs. We chose to edit the title in capitals as it makes it appear strong and forceful. The use of a white font suggests purity which contradicts the plot, beginning to show rebellion before the opening has started.

Frame 2 - The second frame shows the typical urban setting. We planned to make our thriller opening to include elements of film noir which the urban setting is part of. The long, establishing shot allows the audience to notice the surroundings and the setting itself, which sets the scene and establishes the landscape for those watching.

Frame 3 - The third frame shows costume and props. The fashionable dress of the character in shot shows to the audience that she is young and fashion-concious. The mid shot allows the audience to see that, perhaps, she is wearing clothing similar to them or that she is listening to an iPod as they do. This combines with the target audience well and allows them to relate to the character almost instantly.

Frame 4 - The angled point of view shot used in frame 4 puts the audience into the position of the detective. The tracking shot used to follow the writing gives the audience the feeling that they are receiving the newest, most up to date information on the case, keeping them interested and trying to solve it for themselves.

Frame 5 - This frame shows the transition between a shot of the attacker and returning to the shot that appears to be almost following the teenager. The 'fade' transition used creates a blur, as shown in the still, which represents the effect the drug has on the attacker. It connotes mystery and creates an uncomfortable feeling for those watching as it is unclear what is happening at that particular moment.

Frame 6 -  The sixth frame shows the titles appearing alongside the opening sequence. The white font makes them subtly stand out, even though against a white background, and they fade in and out bringing the sense of mystery and the unknown.

Frame 7 - Frame 7 shows a flash of the attacker hiding, almost submerged, in the hedges. The dark silhouette of their figure its hard to recognise amongst the trees and bushes, connoting danger and surprise. The extreme long shot emphasises the power of their presence because even though they are far away from the camera, the audience's eye is still drawn to them, making them powerful without knowing anything about them, continuing the mystery.

Frame 8 - The tracking shot used to show each of the photographs and the information underneath them, as shown in frame 8, gives a distorted feel to the organisation of what is in the shot. The shot is of facts: times, dates, locations etc. but the angles and pace it is shot with creates an uneasy feel for those watching it.

Frame 9 - The final frame, frame 9, shows the credits. These appear in an organised way, a contrast to the previous shot. They scroll upwards formally, suggesting to the audience that there is more security and robust, factual knowledge to come, keeping them intrigued.