Evaluation For Doppelganger OTS (Plus Prezi Format)

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


My opening title sequence, Doppelganger, already acknowledges the audience that it is a thriller due to the choice of typography for the title. [see image below] The word 'Doppelganger' stands for the description of the Doppelganger (The Suited) shown in the OTS who is 'empty' - the font style chosen to represent this is bold, therefore made known (in a smart suit which demands respect), chosen the 'outline' of the title to be the colour white as to represent that the Doppelganger is a 'ghost' of The Casual (appears the same but very different personalities - shown in their costumes) and I have chosen the inside of 'Doppelganger' to be black to signify emptiness and hatred (seen from the 'target list' that he has eliminated many 'important' people in the 'movie world').

A still from 'Doppelganger'

My OTS is introduced with a blackout similar to most conventional thriller-esque films such as Catch Me As You Can [see video above from 0:00 to 0:05] and the title's composition is in the bottom left of the frame of the rule of thirds, which generates interest than if it were central. The title fades in, slowly 'floats' like a ghost from left to right then it fades out - a brief impression of what the Doppelganger would be like when he is shown on screen. There is a lack of background music when the title appears but as soon as it fades away, the background music fades in with an almost heartbeat-type tempo when we see the opening sequence of The Suited buttoning his shirt sleeve.


This already creates almost a confusion to the audience and develops an enigma, therefore the viewers would need to carry on watching to piece the 'puzzle' pieces together.
I have chosen to use extreme close ups at the beginning, so to exclude what is not needed in the frame, therefore the audience is 'forced' to focus on what's being shown in the frame and it creates a sense of mystery of who this person may be.
I intentionally reveal more and more clues within each shot, of who these people may be, for example: you firstly see somebody buttoning up a shirt sleeve with a tie on - someone going somewhere important or someone who belongs to an important company, thus need to wear a smart suit?
I have strategically chose to jump cut to someone completely different who had just finished reading a game booklet - who is shown not getting ready in this shot - rather 'casual' as the viewers may think?
Then so on, revealing more of each character's characteristics - the audience will very quickly learn that these are two very different people, eventually revealing their faces. I have used this technique to 'play' with the audience, to set a challenge for them - thus encouraging them to continue watching.


I have challenged some conventions in thriller films and that is the exposing the weapons to the audience. To explain to the audience that these two characters are completely different, I have used a 'weapon' for The Casual and a weapon for The Suited - so the tension suddenly peaks as The Suited handles the deadly weapon.


The convention of a thriller would be for the more deadly weapon (the knife) to be shown at a low angle and the weaker 'weapon' (the chopsticks) shown at a high angle.
I have challenged the convention by firstly showing the more weaker 'weapon' first (the lightsaber chopsticks) and it being shown from a low angle, therefore making the harmless 'weapon' to be something to be feared of. [go to video below 3:37 to 4:04 to brief reasoning behind chopsticks] The more seemingly dangerous weapon is shown from a high angle, thus making it appear obsolete.





This technique that I have demonstrate would be perceived as peculiar to the audience, thus making it a more noticeable clue for the audience of what could happen next for the characters later in the film, if I were to carry of filming. With this in mind, I would make the climax of the film to be The Suited and The Casual to have met and they are in a middle of a fight scene where the Lightsaber chopsticks would assist The Casual by stabbing them in The Suited's eye therefore helping him escaping from a very close encounter of The Suited's knife. Consequently the knife appears inferior whilst the chopsticks proved superior.
I had been inspired to do so by the film, 127 Hours, where the director, Danny Boyle reveals in the OTS the little hints and clues of what's going to come. The OTS shows the viewers the main character's water wastage [video below 1:22, 1:40, 1:53 and 1:57] has been emphasised by the camera cutting back to the water bottle and the tap numerous times. Boyle has done this this many times so the viewers are made sure to remember the importance of water in this film. What I could do to improve this technique in my OTS, 'Doppelganger' is to cut back to the weapons numerous times, just like Boyle made sure of, so the audience will get the 'hint' of what's to come.








How does your media product represent particular social groups and who would be the audience for your media product?


My media product has two different characters - The Suited who is from the MI6 ((in the UK) The governmental agency responsible for dealing with matters of internal security and counter-intelligence overseas.) and The Casual who is a student who has a love of games and all things science-fiction.
I had only briefly explained the representation of these characters in this video earlier: [go to 2:52 to 3:36] 






As my target audience age range is between 15 to 25 years of age, my main characters are a similar age to them. The Suited would be 25 years old as he seems pretty young and capable to eliminating his 'targets'. His targets are as listed:
*Chuck Norris ("In late 2005, Norris became the object of an ironic internet meme known as "Chuck Norris Facts", which document fictional, often absurdly heroic feats and characteristics about Norris." For example from the website: "Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.", "When Chuck Norris plays hide and seek, even google can't find him." and "Death once had a near-Chuck Norris experience") - If Chuck is thought to be impossible to beat, The Suited finished him off first on his 'target list' thus instantly appears as a superior character to the target audience.
*Matt Damon (Known to had played amnesiac assassin 'Jason Bourne' the lead role in The Bourne series) - The amnesiac assassin has been eliminated by The Suited - more superiority gained.
*Jason Statham (Known to had played 'Frank Martin' from The Transporter - deals mostly antagonist-esque characters in delivering their 'packages')
*Liam Neeson (Known to had played 'Qui-Gon Jinn' from the Star Wars prequels (hence the Star Wars chopsticks) who's a wise and powerful Jedi Master)
*Jason Cleaver (His doppelganger) - Currently not crossed off.


With The Suited's 'target list', they named these four known actors/character in which movie-goers who attend the cinema or watches a fair amount of films would know of - which is my target audience. Therefore, my target audience are represented already in the OTS - creating a connection.
The names listed were males - mainly females are the victims but as they were 'eliminated' - it would be too gruesome and 'woman killer' comes to mind about The Suited - a man killing numerous 'helpless' women would be seen as 'too easy of a fight' therefore only males are the 'targets'. They are more seen as a 'good fight' - a man killing another man in the 'movie world' is seen 'less harsh' than a man killing a woman.
One point of the 'target list' is the handwriting used that appears too feminine, so that would be an improvement to work on if I were to develop this OTS into a full featured film. A feature film is a film that is 40 minutes or longer long according to the British Film Institute, American Film Institute and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, though Screen Actors Guild states that it runs 80 minutes or longer.
The Suited is a very far-fetched character whom my target audience couldn't relate to directly whilst The Casual is just your average teenager who is fond of the movies and all things sci-fi who is an easier character to relate to.


The Casual is represented as the stereotypical 'gamer geek' teenager, hence the chosen properties and costumes of:
*a PS3 game booklet and case
*on show, his 1UP Mushroom on his wrist (show how dedication with a tattoo)

*his mostly hidden yet still on show, Thor t-shirt (the Thor t-shirt is designed so it looks like that HE IS Thor - see image) 
*the Star Wars chopsticks (elements of sci-fi film and relates to The Suited's 'target list')
*his glasses (stereotypical geek - to be precise, 'gamer geek' - needs his glasses maybe he played on his game consoles too much?)


The Uses and Gratifications Theory is based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and it is an approach to understanding why media-users use the media to satisfy certain needs. This theory relates to my target audience as they would use my piece of media as a conversation starter between people who had seen 'Doppelganger', a source of 'escapism' as The Suited's character is part of the MI6 and gaining aesthetic enjoyment from it.


I have gained inspiration from Richard Ayoade's Submarine as he incorporates numerous movie references into this film. For example: "Don't Look Now (1973) 
Oliver's nightmare in which he mistakes Jordana for an older person wearing the same red hood refers to the climax of this film. Oliver later suggests that the nightmare is based on some film."

Submarine is a movie more aimed at the older generation audience hence the nostalgia-feel as it is set in the 1986. The evidence I have got from this is from the time where my classmates, Craig, Charlie and I attended a Cinema City A Level Media Day: Identity and the Media in the Postmodern Age on the 8th February 2012, which included a showing of Submarine and a Q&A session with Ally Gipps who is the Associate Producer of Submarine. I have recorded the session in note-form in a notepad and one of the questions were: "Who is the target audience for Submarine?" and Gipps replied: "It is a film about teens for those who were teens in the 80s - a sense of nostalgia."


The actors/character in the 'target list' starred in films that I've named from as early as 1999 for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, the first of the prequel which involves Darth Maul (back to the Star Wars chopsticks - they are the Darth Maul ones). The Transporter 2002 and The Bourne Identity 2002, many viewers between 15 to 25 would have seen all of these films and understood it's reference and it's importance within the OTS, Doppelganger.


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


STUDIOCANAL formerly known as 'Optimum Releasing' (founded in 1999) said "has established a reputation for an innovative approach to distribution and has enjoyed success with a varied mix of film titles across all genres."
This distributor is based in London and has been established in 2004.
With the reputation for innovative approach to distribution, this factor would be ideal for a thriller like 'Doppelganger' as an that sort of distribution would help attract attention from the target audience.

For example: Kill Bill's (distributed by STUDIOCANAL) billboard advertising campaign is very over-the-top and 'screams' attention from anyone who passes by. The film itself has over-the-top action where it's unbelievable (chopping off limbs and the antagonists still live, whilst in reality, they would've bled to death) and extremely violent (limbs being cut off, graphic murders etc). This is ideal for 'Doppelganger' as it would gain attention and leaves a lasting impression therefore the audience would have to watch to find out what the film is about.
A billboard advertising campaign for 'Doppelganger' would be a close up cropped image of The Suited with his knife partially hidden with his eye looking shifty and a image that 'comes out' of the billboard of The Casual jumping from the billboard into a physical garbage bin.


How did you attract/address your audience?


How I attracted my audience was by revealing two different personalities and the extensive use of jump cuts to 'play' with the audience's mind like a challenge to piece the 'pieces' of these two characters up. These shots between scenes has quick fades which introduces the viewer each time to the two different locations where these characters were.
The first shot that I have chosen to show first is The Suited buttoning up his sleeve, this generates questions and keeps the viewers interested in what the enigma could be.    


My first edit of 'Doppelganger' wasn't much of a success - as the exam board only allows the maximum of two minutes of finished piece to be an opening title sequence, I had to cut out much of my footage so to make my OTS plausible and fit within the two minutes.
I had encountered many obstacles whilst filming, such as one actor dropped out  therefore I had to improvise by filming myself into the OTS with the help of mirrors and 'testing shoots'. I also had to film on different days where the weather is noticeably different and noticed numerous continuity errors (Jason had white shirt underneath in one scene then it's a red shirt and one shot where he hasn't got glasses and when he has got glasses) which I am not proud of. 


From the feedback that I had received, even though it was said to be "perfectly fine but need to add credits, more different shots etc" and "the quality of the film is fantastic" - I have come to a conclusion to re-shoot the whole OTS again with fresher ideas and this time including a variety of shots which would hold the viewer's interest longer.


After re-shooting the whole OTS and edited the raw footage in post-production - there has been a huge improvements with less negative comments from the second focus group. With the feedback of my first edit, I had learnt from my mistakes and had grown more confident with filming my second edit - kept in mind what my audience is looking for in a thriller with the resources I have available.


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


During the process of constructing this OTS, I had used many technologies which in aid formed this project. I have used my DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) camera, Panasonic Lumix G10 which allows me to record in HD (High Definition), I used my iMac to edit my raw footage and used the editing program, Final Cut Pro (the free trial) which is a professional edited package.
As Final Cut Pro is new to me, I have 'trialled and error'-ed many features from  the program such as how to get rid of the recorded footage's sound completely (see images below).
I feel confident with my editing skills with Final Cut Pro as I had learnt new skills from using the program. 

Before any changes

Loudness levels are reduced to the minimum and the Background Noise Removal is set to 100%

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






I had some amateur filming before this course with some friends on days out. I never used shot-reverse shots, 180-degree rules or taken too much care in match-on-action as they were just little clips I edit together to no music in the 
background.
In the making of my preliminary task, there was a process of drafting ideas of what could possibly film, a storyboard of the shot types I may used beforehand (which I had learnt, saves a lot of time during the filming process as I am able to film what I needed), planning when to record during the day around when my actors were available and to avoid continuity mistakes.
While filming the preliminary task [see my preliminary task video above], it was my first time using these shot types with actors with actual rehearsed dialogues for them to say. I feel that I had done very well in filming the preliminary task as I had shown all of the required shots types that I had mentioned above clearly and I had noticed that it gives a very professional feel to the finished preliminary product.

With the experience of producing a 'practice product', I had gained more confidence with filming what I needed for an effective thriller OTS and that was to plan out with storyboard plus to record most of the OTS in one day to avoid external factors (such as change of weather).
The main product, producing the full OTS, 'Doppelganger', I had learnt what directors and editors must experience whilst editing films that are shown to target audiences in mind - they had to be careful with continuity errors, must make sure that the film makes sense, to improvise certain pieces when an actor is absent and most importantly to make sacrifices when a project goes wrong (for me, when the limit is two minutes and tried to fit my OTS around this limit).

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Here is the Prezi format of my evaluation.

'Doppelganger' OTS Evaluation on Prezi

If the Prezi presentation doesn't work, do click on the link above named "'Doppelganger' OTS Evaluation" and that should take you directly to the video on the Prezi website.

Remaining And Updated Research

Mise-en-Scene: The definition is 'everything that is in the scene' - that means the props, the actors, the lighting used, the costume and the decoration of the background. With taking care of what's in the frame, the Mise-en-Scene can make or break a piece of footage.
Make: correct properties, costumes etc for a period drama.
Break: continuity errors will develop if incorrect properties etc where used.
To make sure that I have an effective and correct Mise-en-Scene for 'Doppelganger', I made sure that I have all of the footage that I need in one day, so I do not have to continue filming on a separate day. Where external factors could lead to continuity errors, such as the weather changing, actor becoming ill - which I am trying my best to avoid.


Lighting: This factor is very important in film as it can alter a viewer's mood and the scene's atmosphere depending of it's strength.
For example: if a lighting is weak and gives a dull image, if the appropriate scene is used - the scene would be very effective in a horror genre.
Another example: if lighting is strong and gives almost an harsh image, and if the appropriate scene is used - the scene would be effective for a comedy.
For my OTS, the lighting would be natural from daylight, so to give a more realistic and comfortable feel for the viewers.


Camera angles and composition: A camera angle is the angle which is pointed at the subject. [Below are own pictures for visual examples]
Low angle - where the camera is lower than the subject and is 'looking up' at the subject. Makes the viewer feel vulnerable and make the subject more overpowering - powerful.

Low angle

High angle - where the camera is higher than the subject and is 'looking down' at the subject. Makes the viewer more powerful and make the suject feel more timid and weak.

High angle

Dutch tilt - where the camera is tilted to give an unusual feel in the frame, this is mainly used to create a sense of oddity in the scene, effective when someone is on drugs and this scene is instantly seen as strange.

Dutch angle

The angles that I used are a high angle for The Suited, so the knife is exposed and vulnerable to piercing someone. I have used low angle for The Casual, so the chopstick 'weapons' were seen as powerful - breaking conventions of a thriller.


Composition is a constructive structure in a frame, whether intentional or unintentional. For example, for a horror, the composition would be intentional as the Mise-en-Scene are in place correctly to create the desired and effective effect. Whilst a documentary would be filming things that may or may not belong to a frame, but with the right skills, it can be effective - for example: if rule of thirds is used, the images will seem appealing and so would using depth of field.
I have been taking care in the composition of my OTS as I have included and excluded what I need and not need in the frame - so there are no unnecessary distractions.


Sound/music: Diegetic sounds are sound whose source which are visually seen coming from the scene or from the film's 'world', for example: dialogue from characters, music from the radio in the scene etc. Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound.
Non-diegetic sound are sound coming from a source that is outside the film, for example: narrator's commentary, mood music (background music) etc. Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.
This combination of sounds/music used in a certain type of film can be effective depending on its use. For a scene to be realistic in a park during the summer, diegetic sounds of birds, other people talking would be effective. Whilst for a scene to be unrealistic in a park in the summer would be diegetic sounds of harsh winds blowing and rain pouring.
The music I've used for my OTS would be non-diegetic and no diegetic sounds of dialogue etc, so to build the mood and tension for the viewers and then use demarcation of non-diegetic into diegetic sounds which lets the viewer know when the OTS ends.


Audience theory: Hypodermic Needle Model - where intended information from the media is directly 'injected' into the receiver's heads. Also like taking control of the receiver's thoughts completely but this is an obsolete theory today as it is out of date. An example: we see spiders something to be feared of because many characters in a movie are afraid of them.
Two-Step Flow - where the media's message is not received directly but it is 'filtered' through "opinion leaders" which them have their own take on the information then finally it is passed to receivers. For example: a TV programme is watched by an "opinion leader" who may be a film critic, writes a review and receivers will read the film critic's film review and decide what to think of the programme without even watching it themselves.
Uses and Gratifications - this theory explains that receivers chose what texts they want to receive for four different purposes:
*diversion: escape from everyday activities and routines
*personal relationships: using the media for emotional and other interactions
*personal identity: finding self reflected in texts, and values
*surveillance: information useful for living, like weather reports, news stories etc.


As there are masses of thriller-based films released already - my viewers are already conditioned, hence the reasons for thriller conventions, as they are expected to feel that tension has been built up to reveal someone - creating an enigma. I have used weapons such as the knife as part of the enigma as well as two characters that seem to link as they are basically the same person - but the audience would want to carry on watching to get the full understanding.


Exhibition and distribution: My main task if it were complete into a full feature film, would be exhibited in a local, independent cinema like Cinema City - where they target a niche market as my audience for 'Doppelganger' would be niche as it doesn't have mass appeal.
I would distribute 'Doppelganger' as a physical DVD sold only in independent media shops and online from big business websites like HMV as well as released as downloads - because it would only have a niche appeal.