'Beneath the Cracks' Evaluation

A2 Evaluation- 'Beneath the Cracks' from LilyBridget

FINAL EDITS

FILM:

The final version of the 'Beneath the Cracks' short film has massively improved from my first draft. Not only have I added a backing track, but I also found the use of subtitles to be highly effective. I wanted my soundtrack to create a happy and upbeat tone that was partially fast in pace so that the homeless clips would be strongly juxtaposed and therefore emphasised in order to get my point across. As mentioned previously, the scripted audio was at times hardly legible; no matter how much I adjusted the volume levels, I found that viewers had to strain their ears in order to hear what was being said, however by adding subtitles this issue was removed. I also found that the insertion of text allowed the audience to be more active in their engagement as they had to read it for themselves, rather than have the information handed to them passively. 

As well as this, I found that through the insertion of multiple title stills, my facts were presented on top of the on-screen action. This allowed the audience to truly visualise the contrast that I was trying to portray (the stereotypical view of London life vs. the perspective of a rough sleeper). I found all of my facts online (many of which are present on my 'Script' post) and found them rather shocking myself; I selected these ones in particular as I felt that they would strongly impact the audience's sense of empathy, therefore arousing their inner emotions. 

I have developed this version from my initial draft not only through content, but also through effect. I added multiple cross fades in order to ensure continuity between shots; I found that through doing so, my sequence appeared more fluent as the shots flowed into one another rather than appearing separate. 

REVIEW:

I chose to use a slight grey-white gradient on the background of my initial layout in order to create a sense of synergy between the products as my poster also features in greyscale. I also experimented with the font/typography as both my first and second draft received a negative peer review in this department; many commented on how the font on the first draft did not appear professional nor did it follow the conventions/tradition of a typical magazine article. The second draft was criticised for it's bold and rounded sans-serif font as it was said to be "chunky", "unpleasant to the eye" and "clumsy looking". 

Through the insertion of a synopsis box (right hand corner), I was able to portray all of the key information in one place; this is effective/beneficial in relation to the reader as this information is quick and easy to access without reading the entirety of the whole review. I was strongly inspired by 'Empire Magazine' as this is a common feature within both their online and hard copy print articles.

I also decided to include a small one-liner beneath the title in order to summarise the nature of the review. I felt that this would be beneficial to the audience as this would be one of the first bits of information that they read and could potentially decipher whether or not they choose to continue reading. 

I chose to do a two page spread as I felt that this would be more realistic and professional; although many of the reviews I looked at were online, I felt that through applying similar codes and conventions to a magazine layout, I would be able to develop and somewhat challenge my own research. Also, I feel that online reviews are not as critically appreciated as those features on a hard-copy print, as websites such as Rotten Tomatoes often allow the public to write their own reviews, whereas hard copies are guaranteed to be from someone of an official critic status.

POSTER:

This is my final version of my 'Beneath the Cracks' film poster- one of my ancillary tasks for my chosen project (short film brief). The editing process between my first draft and now allowed me to experiment with my poster through trial and error and receive feedback on what was effective and what wasn't. 

Due to the poster following the greyscale colour scheme as featured in traditional film noir, I found that if it were to be featured on a billboard or advertised locally, it would not draw in the attention of passersby or bystanders due to its lack of colour. In order to improve upon this I decided that I would add a title of a larger font and make the text red in colour in order to maintain an eye-catching quality.  I choose the colour red because it is bold, bright, but also associated with genres of a darker nature (e.g. thrillers) so does not defer from my storyline and the desired shock factor. I decided to use a Sarif font for my title as its sharper and somewhat harsher due to the point in shape, therefore reflecting the realities that my documentary style short film will be attempting to present.

I also readjusted the opacity levels on the background layer of my image as I found that the two images merged together as block images and to some extent it was difficult to separate them from one another and decipher what both images were trying to portray.

I felt that the images were somewhat too plain and did not relate to the title, this influenced me to research how to add in the effect of cracks onto the base of the poster; I saved a royalty free image of a cracking effect as a jpeg. file and imported it into my photoshop document- from there I simply added it as a different layer and fitted the image to scale. In order to prevent the image from pixelating upon expansion, I made two copies of the layer and used on for each half of the poster. I then adjured the opacity levels in order to make the effect appear more subtle.

Film Review: Second Draft

Film Review: First Draft

Textual Analysis: Film Review Conclusion

Through my research and my textual analysis of film reviews, I have learnt many things about the expected codes and conventions present, both through the layout of the review and the choice of language used.

1. There is often a small box to the side of the review that presents the essential key information about the media product, e.g. the name of the director, cast (if applicable), duration of film, genre, rating etc. This is used to inform the reader about the product without having to read the whole review; for example, if the reader was looking to read a review about a product that was classified as a 'romance', they could turn to the 'genre' section to see if the current review applies. I plan to apply this convention to my own work as I feel that readers would be more inclined to read on after having read the key information, e.g. synopsis.  
2. When looking at the image:text ratio, I found that in total, the image occupation of the page never took up more than a third of the layout. This often appeared through the insertion of two large images, or one large image (often the headline image) and two smaller ones. Images are used in order to grab the attention of the reader and assist their knowledge and understanding of the text; as well as this, it may appear too formal and unappealing if the whole spread was simply text based as a block of text is often classed as too long or uninteresting. I plan to use a large image of London as my headline image on the top of my layout, much like that shown in Empire magazine. This will be the only image present on the first page of the spread, with the second image appearing at the bottom right of the second page. I feel that if I aligned the two images, it would not be as eye-catching nor aesthetically pleasing, as two vertically placed image appears more abstract and interesting to the eye. 
3. After reading many film reviews online and in print, I found that one strictly followed aspect of the typography is the use of a serif font throughout the article. I found this to appear more professional however I was unaware as to the technical aspects behind this choice; I looked it up online and found that serif typefaces are credited for enhancing readability and reading speed of long passages due to the serif helping the eye travel across the lines (www.fonts.com). I had previously felt that serif fonts were simply more decorative and prettier to look at, but now understand that the font choice and typography can also affect the legibility of the text. I will follow this convention as after having researched it, I feel that this is an important factor that contributes to the effectiveness of the text as an entirety. 

Textual Analysis: Film Review 7

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/12/19/titanic_1997_review.shtml

The film review for the hit film 'Titanic' featured on the BBC website really took me by surprise; being a lover of the film myself, reading about it through what appeared to be a more critical viewpoint seemed uncanny and almost implausable. However, after analysing the use of laguage and the structural placement/build-up of the argument itself, I found this review very effective and clever in its technique.

The review begins highly censorious of the romantic tradgedy, making comments on the film's budget and the choice of cast. "The critical knives were out long before James Cameron's "Titanic" was complete. Spiralling costs that led to it becoming the most expensive motion picture of the 20th Century, and a cast without any big stars seemed to doom the film before release." The metaphor 'critical knives' is in reference to negative speculation; this is reinforced by the term 'doom' as it appears very dramatic and condemning of the text. However, the term 'seemed' contradicts such a viewpoint and foreshadows an opposing argument/turning point in the opinion of the author (also known as a 'build it up, knock it down' structure).

The author also chooses to refer to both box office and audience appreciation which may appeal more to the reader as they will feel as it is addressing them more directly; as well as this, it is somewhat more relatable to the everyday reader as critic opinion is often based on technical features rather than entertainment value. "But box office and audience appreciation proved Cameron right and many critics wrong." The use of bold font emphasises the critical moment in which both the tone and direction of opinion appear to change.

A common technique used throughout the entirety of the review is the presence of a negative comment followed by an oppositional sentence opened with the conjunction 'but'; "It's reckoned that the rivets were a key structural element that failed the doomed liner. But you could hardly condemn the whole ship as shoddy, or question its magnificence. The script for the movie is rather like those rivets. It's weak and riddled with poor dialogue. But despite its failings it's hard not to become swept up in the sheer grandeur of "Titanic". The repetition of 'doomed' is reinforced by the term 'failed' which misleads the reader into believing that there is an undertone of dissatisfaction; however, this is heavily contrasted as the author states you cannot question its 'magnificence'. When reflecting upon the dialogue it is described as 'poor'; through this the reader is offered a genuine criticism from the authors perspective. By stating that 'it's hard not to become swept up in the sheer grandeur of 'Titanic' the language is both majestic and somewhat illusionary; much like the concept of the ship itself.

The author also refers to other epidemic films in comparison; "Previous disaster epics like "The Poseidon Adventure" or "The Towering Inferno", used a layered structure of introducing many characters with separate stories that would interact towards the inevitable calamity". Through doing so, the choice of narrative placement/structure is acknowledged and compared.

When the text refers to the characters/casting, the character of  'Cal' played by Billy Zane is described to appear 'wonderfully demonic'; this is an interesting choice of language as the oxymoron intrigues  the reader and provokes a sense of curiosity- "'Titanic' offers up only two central characters, with DiCaprio playing an impoverished artist, and Winslet the wealthy bride to be of the wonderfully demonic Billy Zane."

The conclusive viewpoint/opinion of the film is formatted in bold text as it is described as "a truly impressive feat of entertainment", therefore summarising both the pros and the cons into an overall positive response.

Textual Analysis: Film Review 6

The last 5 film reviews that I have looked at were heavily focused on the layout and design of the page rather than the language choice and use of techniques within the review; I now feel that I have a strong understanding of the visual conventions and think that it would be beneficial to start looking at the text itself.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/blog/2015/jun/10/my-beautiful-broken-brain-review-documentary-moving-study-of-life-after-stroke

The first piece of text that the reader is exposed to is the title of the review itself - "My Beautiful Broken Brain review - moving study of life after stroke". This is very straightforward and simplistic in approach as the author does not over embellish the product nor give an upfront opinion/bias straight away- all that is exposed to the reader is the title of the documentary, the form (a review) and a very short one liner on the narrative itself. This is very common in reviews featured on 'The Guardian' website and is seen as a standard writing style of theirs; if I were to follow this convention I would include something along the lines of 'Beneath the Cracks review- the shocking truth of homelessness within London'. I found this technique to be very effective as it is dramatic yet has no depth; from this the reader can develop an understanding of the context behind the documentary yet they remain unaware of the events and narrative development throughout.

Just beneath this we see a short elaboration of the previous one-liner; "This study of a young stroke patient’s struggle to regain language and memory manages to be at once visually arresting, deeply moving and uplifting". This gives the reader a more descriptive knowledge of the plot as it goes into more detail and gives away information such as the cognitive difficulties addressed throughout; it also uses more emotive language such as 'deeply moving and uplifting' in order to arouse the audiences sympathy/curiosity, therefore encouraging them to watch it themselves.

The review begins by offering the reader an insight into the background knowledge/build-up of the documentary itself- "My Beautiful Broken Brain is the story of stroke patient Lotje Sodderland. Sodderland suffered a catastrophic brain haemorrhage in 2011 at the age of 34; eight days later she contacted filmmaker Sophie Robinson to ask her to help document the aftermath. The pair initially filmed 150 hours of footage, most of it self-shot by Sodderland on her iPhone, which was edited to create this documentary piecing together Sodderland’s recovery." From this I can infer that -

• The stroke patient's name is Lotje Sodderland
• She suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2011 at age 34
• She contacted filmmaker Sophie Robinson 8 days after to help her document the aftermath
• They filmed 150 hours of footage
• Most footage was shot via iPhone by Lotje herself
• The documentary follows Lotje's recovery

The next paragraph begins by referring to the narrative documentation of the film; this helps to set both the scene and the tone of the film as the reader is made aware as to who opens the first scene (Lotje's friends & family) and the feelings expressed following this account ('confusion', 'frustration', 'relief' etc.) The author has also chosen to include some facts/statistics such as "stroke is the UK’s third biggest killer, and affects around 150,000 people each year"; this further develops the dramatic atmosphere created as the reader is then offered scientific evidence into the severity of the documented events.

Within the following paragraphs, the reader is then given more information via a chronological account of the events, e.g. -

• Lotje then spent 3 months in Homertons neurological rehabilitation unit
• The stroke left her with aphasia
• Her neurologist helps her to recalibrate her brain hemispheres
• She joined a research study into transcranial stimulation at University College London
• She started attending daily sessions and practised at home

About half way through the review the author changes the focus; diverting attention away from the story and into the way that it was portrayed onscreen, e.g. editorial techniques and effects. "One of the most arresting features of the film is its visual style. The stroke caused an impairment in Sodderland’s right eye, something her ophthalmologist says probably cannot be repaired. Robinson says that when Sodderland first started speaking to her about the “trippy” other-dimensional views she had from her right side “it became very important to use that and make the film feel a bit different so we can feel what it’s like in Lotje’s head”. As a reader, I found this part of the review the most engrossing; I was very shocked to discover that the filmmakers had used certain effects in order to portray Lotje's visual impairment and found myself more susceptible to watching it myself. Terms such as 'trippy', 'dreamlike' and 'euphoric' appealed to me as a reader as I felt that the representation of such traits would be interesting as a viewer- not only as an outsider, but also as somebody who wishes to broaden their knowledge/outlook. Such impairments are later described to have become "an exquisite painful nightmare". This strongly contrasts the earlier description of euphoria and somewhat suggests that there is a shift in equilibrium; the reader is then provoked into wanting clarification due to the juxtaposing terms 'exquisite' and 'painful'. 

The author of the review then goes on to seek a more personal connection with the readers, allowing them to relate the moral of the documentary to their own individual experiences. This is done through the generalisation of the issues presented, "an absorbing study about how our sense of self is defined... it is also a reminder of the nature of our personal independence." This is reinforced within the second to last paragraph as the author defines what a MBBB film is: "a moving film which deals with the philosophy of who we are and what makes us a person, alongside showing us just how fragile our understanding of the brain is". Although this is not specific to Lotje's case, it is an area of great curiosity and intellect in which many people find interesting/engaging.

This review differed from my expectations as I was expecting elements of high praise or severe criticism; instead I found a more descriptive and engrossing piece of work which kept me guessing throughout and was effective in making me want to watch the documentary for myself. 

Textual Analysis: Film Review 5

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/love_rosie/

Rotten Tomatoes is an interactive website dedicated to the reviewing of films and everything associated to the film industry, e.g. news and showtimes. There is a strong relationship between the distributors and the audience/readers as they have the opportunity to share and discuss their own thoughts and opinions.

The film 'Love, Rosie' is categorised as a romantic comedy and although this genre is very contrasting to that of my own product, I thought it would be beneficial to explore whether there was a difference in layout and colour scheme. At the top of the review is the video trailer of the film with the thumbnail capturing the main character, Rosie, the title and the year of release (2015). Instantly the reader is given the opportunity to watch a preview of the film itself, offering an insight into the tone and overall narrative of the film.

Beneath this is the official film poster and the 'tomatometer'; the tomatometer shows both a critic rating and an audience rating based on an average score percentage given by both parties. I find this very important as the critic views often differ from the audience views quite dramatically, e.g. the critic rating for this film is 27% whereas the audience rating is 62%. This is effective as the reader may relate more to the audience through enjoyment/entertainment purposes rather than the more technical judgement of the professional critics; this extra feedback may provide the reader with the second opinion that they need in order to decide whether or not they feel that the film is worth watching. The critics also give a small consensus in which sums up the overall opinion and provides the reader with a general explanation of such. The reader is then given the option to write a review themselves and add their own rating; if the reader hasn't yet seen the film they can state whether they would like to or whether they have no interest in watching it.

On the left hand side of the frame is a box filled with numerous different film titles and their ratings of satisfaction. This can be seen as an example of self promotion as it tempts the reader into clicking multiple film reviews and staying on the website for longer; however, this also diverts attention away from the original review as it may appeal more to the reader to read a review of a more highly rated film.

As you scroll down the page there is a section called 'tickets and showtimes' that allows the reader to enter their postal/zip code in order to do an advanced internet search resulting in the next available showtimes and theatre appearances. I think that this is influential in persuading the reader to watch the film as the website is providing them with the necessary information to ensure convenience and accessibility.

As you go further down the page there is a gallery of photos, video clips and trailers featured within the film; this furthers the readers insight into the film but also creates a sense of familiarity between the characters- the genre is truly captured within these images as we can see elements of intimacy and  closeness.

Beneath this is a section called 'movie info' which contains a small paragraph of a synopsis summarising the general storyline and plot of the film, the rating, the genre, the director, the writer, the date of release and the screen time.

Readers are then given the option to 'watch it now' as the website provides them with direct links to sites such as Amazon, iTunes and Flixter in which they can purchase one screening of the film for a small fee. Not only does this advertise the product but it also promotes the companies themselves (Amazon etc.).

There is also a section called 'people who like this movie also like...'; this can be seen as a source of recommendation as readers can find films of a similar genre/narrative- not only this but readers may find certain sets of codes and conventions enjoyable (as mentioned within the uses and gratifications theory) and set out to find various media texts that will satisfy these needs/expectations.

The reader can then find out more information about the actors/actresses featured via the 'cast' section as each performer will have their own celebrity profile; this profile will state both their highest and lowest rated film, some background information on them and their filmography. This can be very beneficial as I found out via a survey last year that many viewers make film choices based around popular actors/actresses rather than the film itself.

Other available features include 'news and interviews' and 'friend ratings'- although the news and interviews would be accessible elsewhere on the internet, Rotten Tomatoes is including all of the content on one page to increase accessibility and convenience rates. Friend ratings may also be very influential on the reader when choosing a film, this may be due to having similar taste or reliance on their opinions and feedback; in order to have 'friends' on the website, the reader must sign up and create an account with the website- this is a way of engrossing the curiosity of users and increasing their consumer statistics.

At the very bottom of the page the reader can find numerous critic reviews and the reviews of other readers (audience reviews). This allows the reader to explore the given outlook in more depth and detail, therefore helping them to develop an understanding of all criticism and praise given. Regardless of whether or not the reader agrees/disagrees with the give viewpoint, there is a 'discussion forum' in which all opinions can be justified and debated in terms of a constructive exchange with other users.

Lastly, there is a tab that followed my movements all the way down the right hand side of the screen; the more I scrolled, the lower the tab moved. This tab provided the html links for me to publicly share the review online via social networking therefore advertising both the product and the website through topic focus.

Textual Analysis: Film Review 4

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/legend-2015

Unlike the previous three film reviews I have looked at, this one focuses on a film categorised within the crime thriller genre rather than that of a documentary. It is featured within the Roger Ebert website- Roger Ebert was an acclaimed critic who's website is now home to numerous film reviews, interviews and essays.

An iconic image of the main characters (The Kray Twins) appears at the top of the page, photographed using low key lighting in order to emphasise the element of both crime and mystery. The title of the film, 'Legend' overlaps the bottom of the main image via a slightly opaque text box that takes up the entire length of the photograph; the font is capitalised in order to add masculinity and interlink with that used on the poster which can be seen to the left of the main image. Both the main image and the poster introduce the reader to the twins, allowing them to familiarise with the characters; e.g. if the reader were to somehow come across the characters again (through advertisement etc) the reader would feel a sense of recognition.

Directly underneath the main image is the name of the author -Glenn Kenny- the date in which the review was written, and a 1.5 star rating. Slightly to the right of this is the opportunity to print the page or share it via social networking sites- as shown through my analysis of the previous reviews. Beneath the poster are the film credits where the author makes reference to the cast, the director, the writer, the cinematographer, the editor and those responsible for the music. It also states the genre, the US age rating (R) and the duration.

Just after the first paragraph and once again at the very end of the review, a bright orange bar saying 'watch now' is featured. The brightness of colour engages the reader and draws them in, catching their attention and tempting them to watch the film, despite the very bad review and tone of dissatisfaction from the author.

Textual Analysis: Film Review 3

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/super-size-me#

Common Sense Media is a non-profit organisation that promotes safe technology and media for children through educating families of what they will be exposed to. Unlike most film reviews that are directed towards various minorities of people (e.g. film lovers, other critics, directors etc), Common Sense Media targets parents/guardians in order to help them develop an understanding of a film's content and its suitability for children.

The first thing that grabs the audience's attention is the image in the top left hand of the screen- this is the documentary poster and is iconic to those who have seen it before or may have seen it advertised.

The title of 'Super Size Me' is also present alongside an age rating of 13+ and a 4/5 star rating. When hovering my mouse over the information icon (i) besides the rating, a small information box pops up; this informs me that they use their age rating system to provide the reader with a minimum age in which the piece of media is deemed 'developmentally appropriate'. Readers must note that this is an advisory age restriction given by the website, not the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)- all official age ratings are shown in small text beneath this alongside the date of review, date of release, genre and running time.

A one line synopsis is also given to inform the reader of the main topic featured within the documentary and offer them an insight as to what it's about. This can be seen as very effective as a parent may not wish to read the entire review; it is quick and readily available information which states the nature of the media product without going into too much detail.

To the right of the screen, readers are given the option to share the review online via social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest) and also given the opportunity to print or email the page.

Directly beneath this is a 'watch' button that consists of many different links in which the reader can click on to be directed to a page in which they can watch the documentary online for a small fee. This is also effective as a form of advertisement/product promotion; if the reader chooses to watch the media product following the link given on this page, the website receives some sort of profit alongside the referred organisations, e.g. Amazon, iTunes and Google Play. The reader can also read the 'user reviews' which are reviews left by other readers and those who have signed up to the website- both parents and children. These assessments are not sourced by Common Sense Media yet can help the reader to develop a wider understanding through the reassurance of a second opinion.

There is a series of clips/images central to the screen including that of the official trailer. This further promotes the product but also helps the reader to develop a judgement/expectation before the review has even been read; this suggests that first impressions are very important when it comes to the film industry as the editor of this page wanted the reader to ensue a certain set of expectations before going on to read the account in more depth/detail.

Positioned to the right of the frame is a list of themes central to modern day media called 'What Parents Need To Know'. This box consists of: positive messages, positive role models, violence, sex, language, consumerism, drinking, drugs & smoking. These aspects are then given a ranking out of 5 on their prominence throughout the text- in this case, Super Size Me.

The review itself is split into multiple sections (the main summary, 'what's the story?' and 'is it any good?'; I found this beneficial as I knew which part of the review contained the information I was after and I knew exactly where/how to find it.

The author of the review is stated/acknowledged at the very bottom of the page alongside a short note from the website itself featured in small font. This note states: "Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners." This is of great effect as the reader is then reassured that the content of the review is unbiased, trustworthy and therefore a reliable source in which they can use to develop their own judgement of the text.

Textual Analysis: Film Review 2

http://www.empireonline.com/movies/inconvenient-truth/review/

'Empire' is a British film magazine which has expanded into the website format of 'Empire Online'; this means that the information is more readily available and regularly updated (in comparison to the monthly wait for the hardcopy edition).

Within this review, the main image is featured at the top of the page and somewhat acts as a header as it boards the top section of the page. The image is very ambiguous to those who have not watched the documentary as the title 'An Inconvenient Truth' does not interlink with the image of penguins. Due to the lack of association, the image causes the reader to question its relevance, therefore provoking them to read onwards.  The title is seen to overlap the image and appears in a standard font; it also states the nature/intention of the text (in this case, a review) in a basic and simplistic manner. The white colour of the font appears more natural and less embellished; however, this colour choice does not increase legibility as it can be argued that it is hard to differentiate with the white areas of the background, somewhat making the text unclear. There is no photo credit/acknowledgement

Once again, a small summary is placed before the introductory paragraph of the review; this provides the reader with enough contextual background knowledge to have an understanding of the documentary without actually having watched it.

Beneath this, a star rating of 5 is featured (once again, before the review begins) in order to give the audience an insight into the direction of the authors bias. For example, due to the 5/5 rating it becomes clear to the audience that the writer of the review enjoyed the documentary and will not be highly critical of it.

To the left of the page there is a box of information that remains separate to the main piece of text positioned in the middle of the page; this box consists of the information considered essential to the product, e.g. the age rating, release date and the running time. Slightly above this, the reader is given the name of the author and the date/time of publication; they are also given the opportunity to share the review via their own social media pages (e.g. Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest) through a html link.

Once again, this review is structured via paragraphs rather than columns due to it being a virtual copy rather than a print- when I create my own review I plan to follow the more traditional layout of a newspaper/magazine however I also plan to challenge some conventions through the use of intertextuality.

Textual Analysis: Film Review 1

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/blackfish/review/

This review appears on The Telegraph website; The Telegraph is a globally recognised newspaper that has expanded through the use of intertextuality and web 2.0, therefore allowing it to take a more digital and easily accessible approach.

The title of the review is straightforward and to the point, "Blackfish review: 'coldly compelling', appearing in bold text (possibly times new roman) in a large font. The use of alliteration is effective as the reader is drawn in almost instantaneously as it enforces a more dramatic tone. The language is somewhat juxtapositional, this causes the reader to question the opinion of the critic and provokes them to continue reading in order to gain a sense of clarification.

Directly underneath the introductory title is a star rating of 3/5 -presumably given by the author. The star rating system is commonly used within the film and book industry as a way of classification as the media text is then categorised via the given ranking. This gives the reader a guideline as to which direction the review is going to take in terms of opinion bias- if the rating is high the reader will expect to go on to read a positively accredited review, however, if the rating is low than the reader can expect some sort of criticism or negative feedback.

Below this, a large image is positioned central to the screen; it is apparent that this still is taken from the documentary footage as the blurred pixelation and lack of detailed focus implies that the image is taken from a live action clip. Due to it being a review of a documentary, this is effective as it reinforces the concept of realism due to portraying real life events rather than superficial imitations via professional photos. Beneath the photo a short caption and photo credit is given in a much smaller font; this is not as eye-catching but assuming the reader is already engaged by this point, it gives the necessary acknowledgement and contextual background knowledge behind the image itself.

The next piece of information visible to the viewer is the name and icon of the author- Robbie Colin. The reader is informed as to when the review was written (date, time etc.) and given a hyperlink to the authors social networking page, in this case, his Twitter account. They are also given the opportunity to share the review online via social network- this is an example of intertextuality and self promotion via different platforms.

There is a grey box to the right of the frame consisting of the key information linked to the film, e.g. the cast, the synopsis, the name of the director, the genre, the release date, the age rating, the duration of the film and the country of release. This offers the reader a solid understanding of the film in which the review is based, as well as displaying good contextual knowledge of the product itself.

A short summary of the documentary itself is given just above the first paragraph of the review- "A startling documentary about a trainer's death at SeaWorld shows the fatal consequences of keeping killer wales in captivity". This is highly effective in my opinion as the reader is then made aware as to what topics of controversy may be addressed within the review; as well as this, they are also being informed about the running narrative behind Blackfish which may be useful if they have not watched it themselves. This short summary is typically the 'make or break' moment in terms of keeping somebody engaged; this information has the power to either provoke the curiosity of a reader and keep them engrossed or lose somebody's interest entirely, depending on the reader's individual differences and what they were originally looking for. For example, if an animal rights activist came across this review, the summary may appeal to them and their own beliefs and cause them to read onwards; however, if somebody who did not care for animals were to read this summary, they may then decide that they do not wish to read further.

Similar to many magazine articles and newspaper features, the first letter of the introduction appears in a bigger font than the rest of the text; I plan to follow this traditional convention within my own review. This review does not take form within the traditional newspaper structure of a columns divide but appears as a lump sum of text separated via paragraphing.

About half way down the page, another image is used in order to separate the two blocks of text; this image is also positioned central to the frame and a small credit appears underneath it. This image helps to shape the text as not only does it prevent it from appearing too long in hindsight, it also provides depth to the review itself as it links in with the content and allows the reader to visualise the ambience.

Progress Report

Over the last 2 months our main focus as a media class has been to continue with our coursework independently; reflecting upon this and my own personal progress I feel as though I have not shown my full potential nor my dedication to this subject.

However, saying this, I do have a clear perception of what needs to be done and the timeframe in which it is to be completed. There are large chunks missing from my research section of my blog, however, my planning section is up to date and I am moving forward within this part of the project. Currently I am focusing on filming some test shots of my chosen location as well as the shot types I have chosen to use as mentioned on my shot list.  I have faced some issues in doing so, for example, as I have chosen to film in the more central areas of London, the current issues that we are facing as a country are making me more cautious to do so, therefore setting back my filming process by at least two weeks. In the meantime I thought I would take advantage of this time by attempting to address one of my ancillary tasks; I have currently designed two templates for my film poster in which embarks upon the colour scheme and lighting I wish to use, the key focus/central image, the typography (colour, font, format etc.) However, the images used are from Google and are therefore copyrighted meaning that I cannot use them for my final task; taking this into consideration I have decided to take inspiration from the ones I have designed and am currently trying to organise when I can take a similar picture and how to edit it in order to receive the desired effect. In reference to the second ancillary task (the film review), I am struggling as to how I can prepare/plan for this now; if it is a review of my own film, how can I make a start when the film itself is yet to be created? I have also created a storyboard however it is yet to be marked and I am yet to receive feedback. As for my script, due to my selected narrative/genre (homeless, informative, documentary) I am unsure on whether or not I will be using one. The verbal audio I had initially desired to use was a voice-over – a previously recorded piece of audio in which will be placed over the frames/action when entering the editing process of my coursework. I was hoping to use the voice of only one, almost like a narrator in who would state facts and statistics in reference to the action shown on film.

Overall, I am very behind within my research section of the coursework and need to set aside some time to complete all unfinished areas as soon as possible. I must finish my analysis of 10 short films, 10 film posters and 10 film reviews in order to use this as a source of reflection when creating my own.

Poster: Second Draft

I received some feedback from my peers, some external media students and Miss Piggott; through this I found that one of the most recurring comments was on the effectiveness of the black and white.

"It reflects the reality of what you're trying to portray as it's harsh yet goes unnoticed."

"The dark tones really work as it suits the genre and overall message of your short film."

"I think it's clever that the colours in your film are very vibrant and stand out in order to reflect the life of London but your poster does the complete opposite- it really made me think about the little things."

I used a similar colour scheme within my first draft however the image was not my own and therefore copyrighted. When presenting my first draft to the class they suggested that I take my own image however keep the black and white theme throughout.

I used some of the typical conventions associated with the film Noir genre by creating the allusion of two overlapping silhouettes; when I applied the first image I put it in grey scale to achieve the dreary tones of black and white. I then adjusted the contrast and brightness in order to emphasise certain facial features and physical attributes. In order to add in the second image I had to insert a new layer onto the photoshop software and make them slightly opaque so that they did not appear as block images. I then went on to use the erase tool on the second layer in order to make the first layer appear more prominent in certain areas, e.g. the hands and the eyes.

Both Miss Piggott and Mr Michie agreed that the typography was ineffective and too basic; the font choice looks very amateur and inexperienced. I plan to use the same font within my poster that is featured in my short film and am liking the contrast of the white against the greyscale. It was also pointed out that my film title was not featured within this draft; this was not a deliberate action as I had not realised that my title layer had been deleted. Another weakness pointed out by one of my peers was the fact that the text did not stand out nor catch the direct attention of the audience; this helped me to develop my choice of typography to be used for my title- not only am I going to challenge the typical film noir conventions by presenting my film title in colour, but I also plan to add in a background layer (crack effect) which will interlink with my chosen title (Beneath the Cracks).

Although parts of the image appear blurry or out of focus, I am hesitant to go out and re-take the pictures as I feel that my documentary style piece appears more raw and unrehearsed through the use of this real-life action image. Capturing a more natural, realistic and honest tone is of high importance to me if I want to achieve my desired audience response. The framing of these images are effective (in my opinion) as it creates the allusion of a cyclical lifestyle which I learnt through my interview process was a common thought shared by those on the streets.

Poster: First Draft

Textual Analysis: Film Poster Conclusion

Through my research and my textual analysis of film posters, I have learnt many things about the expected codes and conventions present, both visually and technically.

1. The title is commonly positioned central to the frame in width and within the first or last third in length- mine will be positioned in the bottom third due to the fact that it would overlap and therefore obscure my image if placed any higher.
2. The typography typically links to the themes/genre present within the short film, e.g. more feminine fonts such as those featuring in sans-serif are often used to advertise ideas of romance or drama- this is done in order to attract the stereotypical target audience associated with the genre of the film. I also found that the most effective title sequences were those in which the text somewhat contrasted the background layer as they stood out more and appeared more eye-catching; due to wanting my poster to appear in black and white/greyscale, it is unclear as to whether this contrast in tone will be be enough to engage my desired audience/onlookers- however, if not, I may consider presenting my title in colour.
3. The credits/acknowledgements appeared at the bottom of the page more so than not- commonly structured in line length also. The posters in which the credits appeared elsewhere seemed to be those belonging to documentary type films; although my own project is of a similar nature I found this to be ineffective and unprofessional. The credits were often presented in a different font to that of the title, appearing much smaller in size.
4. Some of the posters I analysed also featured a tagline- a small quote or synopsis that somehow related to the narrative;this was effective in some posters as it allowed me to have an insight into the storyline of the film. On the other hand, it often made the layout appear cluttered- as if there were too much text on the page, therefore distracting me from the central image. I will not be including a tagline within my own ancillary task poster as I want my image to be the main reflection of the film and would not like to distract the audience away from this key point of focus.
5. The images used and the backgrounds featured within the majority of the posters I have looked at gave some kind of insight into the nature of the character and their importance to the plot; some used the rule of thirds to emphasise the level of dominance/authority and others used the blurring of setting/mise-en-scene in order to highlight the relevance of the character. One of the posters (Catfish) presented the audience with a character that lacked in facial features in order to suggest anonymity and absence of identity; this inspired me to use my character to allude to the hardships of street life- alcoholism and drug use. I plan to use two overlapping images (one of my main character smoking and one of him drinking) to engage the audience and hint at the direction in which my documentary narrative will be taking. 

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 10

The poster for the 'Catfish' documentary is very atypical of the normal codes and conventions of a film poster; this means that the layout does not follow the same set of rules/expectations as more traditional forms of advertisement. For example, although the features of a title, credits and tagline are present, the placement and typography of such elements differ from those of the posters I have analysed previously.

The image presents a female character lacking in facial features and therefore identity; this implies a sense of anonymity. As well as this, the unnatural/alien like image creates an eerie and suspicious atmosphere, therefore engaging with the audience and causing them to question the nature/intentions of the unidentifiable character.

The colour scheme is very plain/simplistic and does not stand out in any way, e.g. no bold colours or iconic symbols are used; it can be argued that this is done in order to reinforce the idea that the character is unrecognisable/indistinct and therefore blends in with the background.

Much like the other film posters I have reviewed, the title is centrally located and set to scale at the same size as the face. The typography is very clever in effect as the font almost alludes to facial features, e.g. the tail of the 't' creates the imagery of a nose; this is also seen through the positioning of the tagline as it is in place of the mouth. Although the font of the title reflects that of somebody's handwriting (somewhat more personal), the tagline is very typical to the font associated with typewriter print, e.g. typically seen in newspapers, magazines, books etc. This font is also used heavily through the social media as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, implying that our online identities can sometimes replace the reality of who a person is.

The credits are very unusually positioned which I found to be very effective; the concept of a text box appearing from the females mouth area reinforces that when online, you can say anything and be anyone- especially if your true identity becomes anonymous to other users. Unlike previous credits which state the lighting and editing acknowledgements, the text appears more unprofessional/amateur in approach; this may be because the documentary itself was a low budget film which is often the case with films categorised within this genre.

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 9

When analysing the 'Blackfish' documentary film poster, the feature that stood out to me the most was the choice of image; this caused me to question why the image was chosen and what was the intended purpose/desired effect on the audience. The image appears very symmetrical through the white markings of the Orca; this creates an eerie undertone as the markings allude to an expression of anger and intimidation, therefore suggesting that the content will be shocking and at some points distressing to view. At first, the image of the Orca was unidentifiable to me- it seemed like a black shape with white eyes and a white frown; it can be argued that this is symbolic of the idea that the mammals are stripped of their identity within the featured footage. There is a very evident use of low-key lighting in order to emphasise the dark narrative and moral message, however, it can also be said that this is used in order to reflect the nature of the ocean- mysterious, unknown and yet to be entirely explored.

The mise-en-scene, typography, positioning and framing of the sequence comes across as very simplistic in layout, somewhat highlighting the seriousness of the topic. The tagline 'friend. outcast. killer.' is very effective in arousing the emotional responses of the audience- the contrasting language juxtaposes itself, therefore causing us to sympathise with the mammal despite it possessing the title of a 'killer'. The title 'Blackfish' is centrally located and appears in the same font as the tagline- this is uncommon in relation to the other posters I have analysed as normally different fonts/colours are used. The black and white theme is maintained throughout as the text appears in a tone of off-white on top of a black background; the consistency of the typography and the lack of sans-serif further alludes to the genre of a documentary as the poster appears rather harsh and realistic.

There are very few credits featured, but those that are present appear in very small font size and are practically unreadable- there is also a strong use of intertextual advertisement as there is reference to a website, twitter and Facebook page in relation to the film.

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 8

This documentary film poster consists of many postmodern qualities; for example, the combination of both real-life and animation qualities. By combining the two, the poster creates an 'almost too good to be true' atmosphere; the three characters portray a happy family located in a setting where the grass is vivid green and the sky is clear blue- without a grey cloud or waft of pollution to be seen. The characters have been placed in a non-existent cartoon environment in order to represent the impact that going 'green' can have on your life. The effect of this is that there is an aspect of purity and happiness being presented, therefore drawing in the audience and creating the allusion of a perfect lifestyle/environment; this goes on to interlink with the moral of the film and the idea that climate change will be inevitable unless we take action in order to save the planet.

The tagline -"Can you save the planet without driving your family crazy?"- illustrates an aspect of humour, somewhat suggesting that the documentary will consist of a comedic element. As well as this, the idea that one man/one family can 'save the planet' appears impossible and somewhat exaggerated; the term 'crazy' implies to the audience that the documentary will be following an individuals extremist actions in attempts of going 'green'.  The positioning of the tagline is effective due to it being the first piece of text to be read chronologically as it appears at the top of the poster; the central placement of the tagline reinforces the idea of structure and perfection as it would appear unbalanced if placed elsewhere, which would therefore juxtapose the sense of consistency displayed. This sense of consistency is also seen through the positioning of the characters, as the two taller characters (the mother and father) are on the outside with the young child placed in the middle; this appears almost symmetrical and further reinforces the 'too good to be true' atmosphere.

The title is presented in the same shade of blue as the sky against a white background- the typography is very rounded in shape and appears bubble-like, much associated with the cartoon layout. Three acknowledgements appear in white under each character; this furthers the sense of symmetrical placement and stands out to the audience due to the contrast of the white on top of the green. The credits appear in a darker shade of green on top of that of the grass; this somewhat blends in with the background and is almost too subtle to be effective. Personally, I feel that a darker colour (maybe even just a darker shade of green) should have been used in order to make the credits more legible and eye-catching. 

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 7

This film poster appears more like a sketch/cartoon/animation in contrast to the real life images seen in the previous posters I've analysed. There is a male present with a contrastingly coloured heart nailed to his head; the strong pink/red tones often symbolise themes of passion, lust and romance, therefore relating back to the title "A Short Film About Love". The male is featured in black and white, with only his mouth and nose visible to the audience; from the exaggerated frown it can be inferred that the character is experiencing physical pain from the nails and symbolically a more emotional type of pain- possibly heartbreak, as assumed by the split visible at the bottom of the heart.

There is a lack of traditional credits e.g. 'produced by...', 'edited by...' etc at the bottom of the poster, however, just above the title there is a short mention of the film source and acknowledgement of the creator/company. There is a website featured in place of the traditional credits which is seen to be positioned inside of a white text box; this does not blend well with the background image and looks poorly positioned against the contrast of the black shirt. In my opinion, this lacks expertise of media design and traditional convention, however it can also be said that it does grab attention and therefore offer a source of self-promotion.

Through such vivid imagery and exaggeration, it can be assumed by the audience that this short film will have a comedic element present alongside the obvious romance, therefore subcategorising the genre as a hybrid.

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 6

Two layers are merged together and adjusted in opaqueness in order to create the effect of two overlapping images. The bottom layer offers the audience a close up of who we presume to be one of the main characters with medical wires attached to her head/face; this interlinks with the title 'Side Effects' and allows the audience to infer that something fatal will happen as a 'side effect' of something else, therefore hinting towards the nature of the films narrative. The image begins using cool tones of blues, greys and greens which subtly gets warmer as it reaches the bottom of the image as the brown tones of the ground and the white of the clouds appear brighter. The close up of the female character gives very little away to the audience as a source of identity as her eyes are closed and she displays very little facial expression/emotion.

The title is featured central to the frame and the typography appears in sans sarif in order to emphasise the seriousness of the tone, somewhat appearing more masculine; this is reinforced by the use of capital lettering as it also adds harshness to the appearance of the text. The font is rather large and is therefore a key point of audience attention, as well as this it does not obstruct the view of the image as it is positioned in a space of clarity (simple background colour).

Once again, the credits are featured at the bottom of the poster, however, these credits appear to be longer in line length than some of the posters I previously analysed and leave less room for an 'invisible border'. Due to having a lot more text than some of the other posters, I feel it is necessary for the line length to be longer as the only other alternative option would be to increase the amount of lines, therefore meaning the text would obstruct more of the image.

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 5

The poster of 'Mary Last Seen' is split into two block images; the lower image seen to be in grey scale takes up 2/3 of the frame whilst the top image appears in high key lighting and is seen to be more intimate. The top image shows two people, presumably lovers, sharing a moment of passion; it can be inferred that these will be the two main characters throughout the sequence. However, according to the rule of thirds, it is the female that is seen to be central to the framing; alongside the title consisting of the female name 'Mary', this allows the audience to assume that she is of more importance to the plot/narrative when compared the male who is positioned more so to the right. Both characters are seen from a side profile and both characters show a lot of skin/body; it can be argued that this is symbolic of being exposed/vulnerable and therefore may allude to a running theme within the sequence. The colour scheme consists of much warmer tones than the bottom image which somewhat adds to the element of lust/romance implied via the image itself.

The bottom image within the film poster strongly juxtaposes that of the top; not only is the colour scheme different, but the sense of togetherness felt within the first image is gone as only one character (presumably Mary) is featured. The personal insight previously felt is no longer felt by the audience as the character's identity and situation is left ambiguous, therefore causing the audience to ask questions (e.g. Where is she? Why is she alone? Is it Mary? Where is she jumping from?) The character is very central to the screen which is somewhat eerie as it appears unnatural, especially when considering the lack of familiarity- no facial features are shown and the audience cannot infer any emotion from the image.

The use of the split screen in this case is very effective as it implies a lack of equilibrium within the short film; the juxtaposing images suggest that the narrative/storyline will face some sort of twist within the plot.

The credits appear in a neutral black typography at the bottom of the poster, central to the frame, subtle and just a small space away from the title- as seen in most of the posters I have analysed. There is some sort of logo in the top left corner of the frame featured as some sort of self-promotion/acknowledgement however no tagline is present.

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 4

The film poster for 'The Writer's Room' focuses on the clear facial features of a male- presumably the main character (the writer). The mise-en-scene reinforces this as his formal clothing and facial hair are stereotypical traits of what we presume to be a novelist; his importance is emphasised as a female in the background is seen to be blurred and out of focus which strongly contrasts the presentation of the male; not only is she behind him in framing, it can be assumed that she is not of central importance to the film.

The colour scheme is very bland and the natural lighting is used in order to make the poster appear less glamorous; in relation to the tag line "sometimes, inspiration is a bitch", it can be inferred that the film will address the struggles of being a writer rather than the lifestyle that comes with the success. The positioning of the tagline is neither effective nor ineffective in my opinion, it draws more attention to the female figure in the background which juxtaposes the reason she is out of focus in the first place. On the other hand, having it directly on top of/parallel to the title looks professional and not misplaced. The typography (font, colour etc) is very plain and can be argued to look amateur; however, the font used is often featured in books, newspapers and articles and is a universal font used in the presentation of literature and journalism, therefore linking to the idea that the male is a writer. Personally, I don't find the colour of the tagline effective as it is too close to the skin tone of the female on the layer underneath and is also similar to the colour of the walls; the use of colour is typically used in order to make a piece of text stand out, so I feel that this was not true to its purpose. However, the white of the title against the grey tones of the males suit adds emphasis to the text as the contrast appears eye-catching.

The credits appear at the bottom of the frame, organised in line length and once again featuring a neutral colour and font in order to avoid diverting attention away from the title or centre image. It appears almost as if the poster possesses some sort of unseen border as the text leaves a gap on both sides and line spacing at the bottom of the page; this looks very neat, structured and professional.

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 3

The typography consists of a glow effect; this creates an eerie tone as well as a strong sense of mystery, this is also reinforced by the tag line "YOU NEVER EVEN ASKED HIS NAME". This causes the audience to ask questions such as 'who's name?' (presumably the male focus on the screen) and 'why is his name important?' - this is effective as it keeps the audiences' interest as well as giving them the opportunity to ask questions to which only the watching of the film will answer. The vibrant colours and the electric font choice creates the allusion of an american diner type setting, of which we can assume is rather isolated and deserted via the lack of people and city life outside of the window, e.g. lights, signs.

The three fading images of the man are alluring and mysterious; they are used effectively in representation of a time lapse. This links with the title of '2:AM' as it suggests that time is a central motif/running theme throughout and may be crucial to the overall storyline. The rule of thirds is used when framing the central aspects of the poster, with the male on the left, the title in the middle, and the tagline to the right of the frame. The positioning of the male character being off central along with the tagline also creates an uneasy feel as the audience can assume that such a character is suspicious. As well as this, although the three fading images of the man emphasise his important, they also divert attention and focus from his facial features, making his identity unimportant to us as an audience, despite the emphasis of his 'name'.

The credits remain on the bottom of the poster and are central to the framing; this placement is very common within film and I think I will do the same as it does not divert attention from the image, yet is still noticeable and easy to read.

Textual Analysis: Film Poster 2

This poster belongs to that of a documentary rather than a fictional narrative. It consists of three sections varying in colour: blue, grey/white and red. Although the colours can be associated with places such as France, USA and Britain, the colours can also hint towards the genre. For example, the red connotes a sense of danger, strongly associated with the colour of blood and therefore murder. As well as this, the blue tones portray a contrasting sense of composure, seriousness and tranquility; when presented together, the colours are often associated with heroism. The audience then expects to see some sort of crime/mystery genre running throughout the documentary, as well as a possible theme of action, which are all reinforced through the tagline.

The tag-line at the top uses a list of three (a mystery. a cover up. a crime) in order to draw in the audience, by with-holding information the audience are made curious, therefore causing them to ask questions (e.g. what mystery, what cover up, what crime?) The grey section uses an extreme close up of who we assume is the figure 'Tillman'; this draws in the audience due to creating a sense of intensity. The eye contact becomes a central focus alluding to the theme of personal identity through the iconic image of the eyes.

The typography used creates a more masculine impression due to the use of sans-serif text; this creates a more modern appearance suggesting that the documentary will refer to more recent events or at least look at them with a more current outlook. The use of capitals emphasises the seriousness of the topic as well as appearing more edgy and somewhat intimidating, therefore insinuating that the product will address a series of shocking events- this is reinforced through the use of the bold format.