Dear Examiner...

My AS coursework portfolio is a project I have really enjoyed. I feel I have developed media skills I had in the past, gained experience and had fun producing a piece film in which I could express myself. Film production was new to me, something that I had little experience in, but this project has allowed me to gain knowledge, whilst creating a really enjoyable practical piece. Making a blog has also highlighted the benefits, planning and reflection can have. Whereas in the past I may have gone straight into the film without consideration for these factors, this project has impacted the way I will approach future tasks in media.

I hope you've really enjoyed my project and it was of a high standard, as I've invested a lot of time and effort into it! I enjoyed it, and feel it has been a beneficial experience moving on to my second year of A-levels.

Joel. 

Final Film Opening

Final Screening

This was an interesting and informative screening, giving me the final few tweaks I needed, both from Mrs Weatherson and my classmates. Two of their feedback sheets are shown below...

Evaluation: Part 7

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

Evaluation: Part 6

What have you learned about technology through this project? from jo3lgriffiths

Evaluation: Part 4

Who would be the audience for your media product?

Ideally, this would be the stereotypical member of my target audience. His personality alone mirrors the traits of some gangster characters. For example, David "looks for cheat ways to accomplish tasks", suggesting that he is self-centered, cocky and materialistic, making it easier for this consumer to identify with characters in my film. Thus increasing the likelihood of David enjoying the film and positive two-step and multi-step flow being achieved. Even geographical similarities would appeal to my audience. Considering my film is set in an urban area on the outskirts of a large city, viewers living in similar areas can relate to this. David, for example, living "in London, 10 minutes from the centre" shows us that he fits perfectly into the audience that will feel most impacted by my film. These two examples reflect how I tried to target an audience, that most importantly could relate to the characters and mise-en-scene they see on screen.


A secondary audience would be a people that aren't necessarily exposed to aspects of this lifestyle, but are excited, interested or entertained by experiencing it through film. Stereo-typically, this would be middle-class, well-educated men. The key purpose of targeting this audience is the appeal of being involved in an unfamiliar experience, or portrayal of life, perhaps for some a form of escapism from a safe, monotonous lifestyle.

Evaluation: Part 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

I constructed a list of questions to test the appeal to my audience...

• In your opinion, how does my opening use, develop and challenge conventions of the gangster genre?
• How do you think I represented gender?
• What did you enjoy about my film opening?
• Would you watch my film, if so, why?
• Have you enjoyed similar films in the past?
• If you directed my film opening, what would you have done differently? 

Charlie, a regular gangster film watcher, and ideal member of my target audience, was asked to watch my film opening...

After doing so, I asked him some key questions, which are listed above. These were his responses...

Evaluation: Part 3

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

Consider the role of the production company.

A production company is an organization with the resources available to facilitate film production. Their ultimate goal is to make profit as a business, so therefore are integral in all stages of production,  this being production, distribution and marketing, to ensure their project's success. There are both major and minor players in the film industry, the first being America's 'Big 5' - 20th Century Fox, RKO Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the 'Little 3' - Universal Pictures, Columbia Pictures and United Artists. Independent Production companies are another big part of the industry. They cannot compete on the same level as the big 5, but target niche audiences and usually exposed more to the film enthusiasts or critics. They have a restricted budget and resources in comparison to the big 5, meaning they don't often reach the blockbuster standard of mainstream producers, but there are examples of Independent films that have reached mainstream audiences and made huge profit. Independant British producers like Moonspun or Between the eyes, have made successful films like 'Shifty' and 'The Selfish Giant.'

My film was a crime-thriller inspired British-Gangster. It wouldn't have many special effects in the rest of the production, or qualities of the traditional MOB Gangster that is largely successful in America. 'The Godfather' for example, was produced by 'Paramount Pictures' in 1972 and had a budget of $6,000,000 and resources of the highest quality. Being an independent producer, my film Great Allegiance, would have nowhere near these resources. It would be more likely to use the microwave scheme, on a very limited budget. My production shares some similarities with 'Shifty', as that too is a crime-infused, low-budget, independently produced film. Therefore, I think that 'Between the Eyes Productions' would be likely to take on a project like mine, with a similar past project that was successful in mind, reducing the risk of investment.

Consider the role of the distributor.

A distributor is the individual or company responsible for the marketing of  a film. After setting a release date, their priority is advertising their project to a point where expectation and excitement is built up by their target audience. An example of how this sort of buzz has been created was by Walt Disney Studios, who used the technique of blanket marketing leading up to the 2013 release of 'Frozen' which was vastly successful. From merchandise to mainstream songs to various hash-tags on twitter, every avenue was explored, enabling them to hit a huge audience, and thus increase profits.

Similar to the production, 'Shifty' is another comparable past project in terms of distribution. Between  the eyes used 'Metrodome Distribution' an independent company who, in this instance, primarily focused on getting 'Shifty' to DVD, as opposed to a cinema advertising campaign. Given the fact it too was a small film, using the microwave scheme, this was most appropriate for its success. Therefore I also feel that 'Metrodome Distribution' would be a likely candidate to take on a project like 'Great Allegiance.'

Explain your opening credits.

My choice to use 'Channel 4' as the tag on my first title was mainly because of its reputation and connotations because of that. Channel 4 is well-known, respected, experienced TV company, who have been synonymous with British television with some time. This would appeal to my mainly UK-based target audience, who would both recognize and anticipate a film associated with this institution.

I also chose to use 'Arc Media Productions' as my production company because of the positive connotations it gives off to the viewer. 'Arc' suggesting this is an institution that is forward-thinking, versatile and dynamic, giving tyhe viewer a good first impression for the production. A term like 'media' implying that this is a company which have big potential in the media industry, not just restricting their trade to the film business. This all builds up and impressionable, new brand which would generate excitement among the target audience.






Creating an association with the Lottery means that I was able to reinforce the films British origin. T

I chose to also use the Microwave scheme as it gives the viewer context and a sense of expectation.