CCR Q1 conventions, representations

THE CAIE BLURB:

Make sure the FULL question appears at the top of each Eval post!!! Its not a bad idea to do as I do below + include all 4, to help you remember the range of Qs you'll need to address.

Creative critical reflection
On completion of the product, candidates must creatively reflect upon their work. Candidates may use any digital format, such as director commentaries, a presentation with voiceover, podcasts or screencasts. Candidates may use a different digital format to explore each of the compulsory questions. The creative critical reflection should be produced and presented individually.
Candidates must explore the following compulsory questions:

1. How does your product use or challenge conventions and how does it represent social groups or issues?
2. How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

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DB GUIDE POSTS

I've covered the 2 themes (conventions; representations) in separate posts, but you should answer the Q in this single post.

I've also provided an Eval overview, including an extensive list of creative suggestions. Whatever format/s you use, provide link/embed to whatever source/s inspired your presentation style so examiners can see its not random (assume they won't be familiar with whatever show etc you're reflecting).

Sample scenes

You need to provide clear detail on each sample scene - look at the Eval Qs again ---- which of these will require specific detail like this?

>>>>>>

Give a general intro, then cover each sample scene separately, starting with the earliest.

I/We produced a range of sample scenes before settling on a final cut - testing out ideas and checking for elements that needed tighter/different media language to enable audiences to follow our encoded preferred reading. Each sample scene is detailed below, including information on:

• any focus of that sample scene
• any FX used (differently than before)
• any added media (sound, fonts, images etc)
• evidence of audience feedback
• main points from audience feedback
• our conclusion on what to change for the next sample scene or cut (including any planned new/reshoots + narrative tweaks)

SAMPLE SCENE 1: 1ST SCENE WITH 3 DIFFERENT TITLE STYLES 

I/we wanted to immediately see if the audience was likely to follow our general intended preferred reading - and if not, what was being misinterpreted or simply not understood. Alongside this, I/we tested out 3 distinctive approaches to our titling - incorporating 9 titles (3 in a row with one font/style, then next changed + again). My/our teacher had advised us to be careful in simply assuming audience confusion meant I/we must make changes - I/we had been studying the genre + media language, they hadn't!! - but here's the sample scene together with a summary of audience feedback + our response to it in a single video. A text bullet list follows (then I/we cover the 2nd sample scene...).

CONVENTIONS RESEARCH: KEY INFLUENCES

This is one of the most important posts on your blog!!!
Its close to being a draft of Eval Q1!
Its basically your chance to very unsubtly scream at the examiner - oi, mate - look over here at all this APPLYING of research!!!
Overall, its a summary of your key findings - you needn't repeat all the detail (but highlight the specific bits that you might mimic/simulacra/be influenced by with direct/specific illustration). Key word here is MIGHT - you're not stating you WILL be influenced by aspects you include here.
Its definitely helpful to include egs you've seen that you consciously reject/want to avoid - explain why. You could do that as a separate vodcast or section, or just as you go along theme by theme.

Try to be as specific as you can about how you might apply these aspects of media language (included titles, idents etc) BUT remember that this is FUTURE TENSE ... this is how I might/will use this influence. It doesn't need to be a true reflection of what you eventually did.
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1. IDENTS, COMPANIES, PRODUCTION CONTEXT
2. TITLES
3. SOUND; GENRE SIGNIFICATION
4. 1ST SHOT
5. CENTRAL PROTAGONIST + NARRATIVE
6. MISE-EN-SCENE FOR EXPOSITION
7. TRANSITIONING TO MAIN FILM
8. AUDIENCE/REPRESENTATIONS + OTHER POINTS

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CONVENTIONS – media language including genre, narrative, representations

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1. IDENTS, COMPANIES, PRODUCTION CONTEXT
2. TITLES
3. SOUND; GENRE SIGNIFICATION
4. 1ST SHOT
5. CENTRAL PROTAGONIST + NARRATIVE
6. MISE-EN-SCENE FOR EXPOSITION
7. TRANSITIONING TO MAIN FILM
8. AUDIENCE/REPRESENTATIONS + OTHER POINTS

...

Your hub for demonstrating how your knowledge + understanding of media language develops, starting with the basic shot type exercises. In most cases you are applying this to analysis of film opening (sometimes past coursework) examples.

Note that this broad field includes material crucial for at least 2 of your Evaluation/CCR Qs (Q1 + Q2). Its important to consistently provide specific illustration (eg screenshot/clip/audio) and clearly identify the film being referenced. We'll frequently use WT/Warp examples to help you with your exam preparation - any and all such textual analysis is also designed to help you with the TV Drama exam Q.

You need to provide analysis of a mix of general (any genre) examples to begin with, but focusing on the genre you've chosen as you get further in.

CONVENTIONS – titles, idents, production context

... USE THE GUIDE POST

1. IDENTS, COMPANIES, PRODUCTION CONTEXT
2. TITLES
3. SOUND; GENRE SIGNIFICATION
4. 1ST SHOT
5. CENTRAL PROTAGONIST + NARRATIVE
6. MISE-EN-SCENE FOR EXPOSITION
7. TRANSITIONING TO MAIN FILM
8. AUDIENCE/REPRESENTATIONS + OTHER POINTS

...

THEME 1: IDENTS, COMPANIES, PRODUCTION CONTEXT

How many idents do we expect, how long are they, are they simple/complex, is there a specific order, do they use music...

This is a simple task, requiring limited use of terms/theory, but clear + specific research is key: look at a good range of openings, calculate the total running time of idents, and use this as a basis for estimating a typical number + duration.

NOTE: You will see some with none or only one; note those, but make clear they aren't typical

How many idents do you expect to see? (3-4, but sometimes 1 or none!)
How long is a typical ident? (varies! typically 6/7 secs?)
Are idents typically complex or simple? (mostly simple?)
Do most have sound (jingle/music)? (yes, but look at audio bridge point)
Do we see any difference between studio/subsidiary + Indie movies on this? (studio idents often longer)
Is there any particular order (reflecting company role or size)?
Are they all for production co's, or also for distributor/s?
Is this the same order as in titles?
Is an audio bridge, starting the film audio, common over 1 or more ident? (you'll often see WT or Warp's ident with the film sound starting over it)

THEME 2: TITLES

Careful consideration of the number, duration, sequencing, design and selection of titles.

Number of people/company names in titles:
Start/end time of main titles: 0:02-1:01
Running time of main titles: 1min
Titles in order using exact text (including case) [see this eg]

4 THEMES TO STRUCTURE TITLES RESEARCH + ANALYSIS

See below for some further pointers.

THE RAW NUMBERS:

• how many titles do you expect to see?
• provide counter-examples with very few or no opening titles
• what total running time is typical?
• again, note exceptions

THE SPECIFIC WORDING + ORDER:
Look carefully at the precise wording for each of these:

• companies (presents, a ... film/production, in association with...)
• director (auteur theory reflected in TWO credits - a ... film, directed by; where do these come in the order?)
• actors (introducing, starring, featuring, co-starring ...)
• technical roles (you need to be clear on which you will include; look for specifics eg director of photography or cinematography by?)

THE DESIGN
Look at use of these aspects and how they are used to distinguish/denote relative importance:

• (sans-)serif (consider to what degree titles connote genre here)
• size (names usually bigger than role, by etc; bigger stars bigger title?)
• colour
• case (UPPER, lower, Sentence case, maybe mixed)

FX, ANIMATION
Some titles are simply static, but often there's some form of movement...

• animation/movement/FX?
• transitions or straight cuts? fade to/-in from black?
• intertitles? (over black screen)

THE COMPANIES
State how many companies were credited, and use your earlier research to discuss why/what different terms were used for different companies. This is very important detail for creating convincing titles.
Look out for companies/institutions like Film4/BBC (often commission a film to be made), or BFI, National Lottery, UK Film Council, Screen Yorkshire, EM Media (etc) - who more often finance productions.
Try to use terms such as Indie, subsidiary, conglomerate, big six to denote the types of company.

ROLES
How many specific roles were given a title? How were actors roles split up? Are you surprised at how many/few there are? You could have a look at IMDB's full credits listing to get a sense of how selective these opening titles are!!!
Which ONE person gets TWO credits for the same role? Detail precisely the order/wording of this.

You must provide a complete list, in appropriate order + with appropriate wording, of titles you intend to use as a result of the research on roles + companies.

GENRE/NARRATIVE CONNOTATIONS
Denote (describe in detail, illustrating with screenshots) the design of the titles: font (Georgia is a serif font; Helvetica is a sans-serif font), colour, case (UPPER, lower, Sentence), size, positioning, any movement/animation, any additional graphical elements.
Discuss the probable preferred reading: what the filmmakers are trying to symbolically communicate to the audience. Do the titles/their design connote/signify the genre and/or anything about the narrative?