Nine Frame Evaluation Guidance

You tube tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUmdaRTZ_PA

A student guide:

Look at http://www.artofthetitle.com/  Create your own 9 frame analysis of an influential film opening to show the forms and conventions of: the titles (including style, typefaces, positioning, timing, how they appear and what they say), setting and locations, costumes and props, camerawork, the 'setup' of the story, the creation of genre, how characters are introduced, editing and effects, music, sound and dialogue.  You should use each frame to write about a different aspect of the opening; e.g. one frame could be about the title of the film and the next frame could be about how genre is created (see the example on petesmediablog to see how this is done) http://petesmediablog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/evaluation-for-ocr-coursework.html

Then do a 9 frame analysis for your opening.  This time in your analysis compare your opening to the influential film.  Explain which of the conventions from the influential film you 'use' (i.e. things that are very similar).  Also explain which conventions you have 'developed' (i.e. given your own slant or interpretation).  Finally, also consider how you may have 'challenged' the conventions of your influential film (i.e. adopted an approach that is very different from the norm).

Foundation Portfolio - Evaluation Questions

AS Foundation Portfolio Evaluation Questions

In all cases, candidates should be encouraged to see the evaluation as a creative task and the

potential of the format chosen should be exploited through the use of images, audio, video and

links to online resources.

In the evaluation the following seven questions must be addressed:

1.       In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (e.g. comparison nine frame analyses of your film and an influential film)

2.       How does your media product represent particular social groups? (e.g. comparison stills from your film and the wider media)

3.       What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why? (e.g. voiceover analysis of the institutions that appear at the start of your film and the other titles)

4.       Who would be the audience for your media product? (e.g. focus group video and audience profile)

5.       How did you attract/address your audience? (e.g. annotated analysis of your video)

6.       What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product? (e.g. photos of technology taken during construction with evaluation of what has been learned)

7.        Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product? (video comparison of the preliminary film and main task with voiceover)

NB  Q4 should be completed before you make your film.  Q1 can be partly completed before you start filming.  You also need to think about social groups (Q2) before you start to film.  Q3 can be partly completed before you start filming and then finished when you have made your titles.  Q6 can be photographed as you go along.  Qs 5 & 7 can only be answered when your film has been edited.

Marking criteria for the evaluation:

ü  Skill in the use of digital technology or ICT in the evaluation.

ü  Understanding of issues around audience, institution, technology, representation, forms and conventions in relation to production.

ü  Ability to refer to the choices made and outcomes.

ü  Understanding of their development from preliminary to full task.

ü  Ability to communicate.

See these links for additional guidance:

http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/evaluating-your-as-coursework-to-be.html

http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/as-foundation-portfolio-coursework.html

http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/foundation-portfolio-self-assessment.html

http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/weekly-plan-for-main-task-term-2.html

What is 'narrative structure'?

What is Narrative Structure? 

Narrative structure is really about two things: the content of a story (i.e. what a story is about) and the form used to tell a story (i.e. how a story is told). 

Two common ways to describe these two parts of narrative structure are: story and plot.

Story refers to the raw materials of dramatic action as they might be described in chronological order in a film. 

Plot refers to the form of storytelling, or the structure the story follows. 

An example may be helpful.

If we want to analyze narrative structure, we can use Who? What? and Where? questions to look at the story or content of a movie.  ‘How?’  questions are used to examine plot structure. So, to describe the story in Star Wars, for example, we would need to answer the following questions:

·         Where is the story set?

·         What event begins the story?

·         Who are the main characters?

·         What conflict(s) do they face?

·         What happens to the characters as they face this conflict?

·         Who wins the conflict?

·         What rewards do they receive?

To describe the plot structure of the movie, we would need to answer these questions:

·         How is the major conflict in the story set up?

·         How are the main characters introduced?

·         How is the story moved along so that the characters must inevitably face the film’s central conflict?

·         How is the dramatic confrontation set up as the film draws to its close?

·         How does the film resolve most of the major conflicts set up at the outset?

From the audiences’ perspective, story and plot refer to the different ways movies construct meaning for spectators. Story is about trying to determine the key conflicts, main characters, setting, and events in a movie. Plot is about determining the stages at which key conflicts are set up and resolved. What’s interesting about most of the movies made in Hollywood is that, while the stories may change, the plot structure is virtually identical in most of the movies made by Hollywood.  

According to Bordwell and Thompson, the plot is what we explicitly see and hear while the story includes information that is inferred (suggested) to the viewer.

H O L LYWOOD AND THE CLASSICAL NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

The most common narrative structure in mainstream films is called the Classical Narrative Structure.

The Classical Narrative Structure

The Classical Narrative Structure is called this because it is the way most movies are made in Hollywood. It’s not classic because it is the oldest structure of storytelling or the best, but the most common. It is the storytelling structure in Star Wars, Buster KeatonÕs The General (1926), The Matrix (Andy and Larry Wachowski, 1999), and any number of other films we might think of.  It’s based on a three-act format that organizes the story in the following way.

Act I  The Setup

Here, we are introduced to the main characters in the story, their goals, and the obstacles they are likely to face to achieve their objectives. The main conflict in the story is introduced, as well as the major antagonist (the villain) who will stand in the way of the protagonist’s (the hero’s) objectives.

We can call Act I in a movie the Hook. It sets up the story so that the film engages the attention of the audience and suggests the story’s likely development. Act I generally takes up about one quarter of a film’s total length.

Act II  The Development

Here plot complications are added to the story. An increasing sense of urgency is created when the main characters encounter obstacles that stand in the way of their journey. The second act generally occupies the middle two-quarters of the film and it often includes a false resolution to the main conflict set up in Act I. Once the false resolution has been encountered, the action in the movie generally points inevitably toward a necessary climax.

Throughout Act II, Cause-Effect Relationships propel the main characters along. Cause-effect rela- tionships involve actions that force a reaction on the part of some character, leading to a new action and reaction, and so on.

Act III  The Resolution
In the final segment of the film, the results of the story’s main conflict come to dramatic con- frontation. This is called the Climax. It is the point where key struggles are waged and an eventual victor is determined. In Hollywood films, needless to say, the eventual victor is usually our hero.

Following the climax, Closure is introduced into the story, which simply means that all the major conflicts, issues, or ideas in the story are resolved. The so-called Hollywood ending is the most popular kind of closure in the classical narrative structure. Films with this kind of conclusion usually close with a sense that the protagonists in the film live happily ever after.

AS Foundation Portfolio - Coursework Assessment

  You are assessed on three areas:

• Research and Planning (your blog)
• Construction (your film)
• Evaluation (7 questions)

See here for additional guidance  http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/foundation-portfolio-self-assessment.html

It is important that you follow the guidance on labels for your 'Research and Planning' - see here http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/labels-as-foundation-portfolio.html

Don't forget that if your film is on Youtube then it needs to be 'public access' and not 'private' so anyone can view it.  Your preliminary film also needs to available on your blog to view.

Your evaluations must cover all 7 questions.  Whatever you do, don't miss out any questions, even if that means having to answer one in a way other than how I have advised.  

Your evaluations should come under the label 'Evaluation' on the blog.  The title for the post is 'Evaluation - your name'.  All your questions should come under one post.  So, if there are three people in the group, there will be three separate posts each with seven questions answered.  There should be no other posts with the 'Evaluation' label on the blog.

Evaluating your A2 coursework - a guide

Everyone in a group should do their own evaluation, although you can all edit videos together and add your own individual voiceovers or annotations.

Question 1 is:
In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

You can answer this question by doing two nine frame analyses.

First of all, choose nine frames from your influential short film or trailer - each frame should enable you to write about the conventions in one area.  For example: 1. titles/graphics, 2. setting/locations, 3. costumes/props, 4. camerawork, 5. story 'setup', 6. genre, 7. characterisation/representation, 8. editing/effects, 9. music/sound/dialogue.

Then do a nine frame analysis of your own short film or trailer, comparing it to your influential media product and (using the same nine areas) considering whether you have used conventions in the same way, or developed them to create something slightly different or did you subvert the conventions of your influential product - this means that you chose to do something very different from what is typically (conventionally) done.

Question 2 is:
How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

First of all, this question is asking you to consider synergy so read this http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/synergy-a2-evaluations.html

Answer this question by creating a short video with still images from your video and your ancillary tasks that demonstrate key synergistic elements (e.g. uniform typefaces across all three products). Add a voiceover or annotations that explain how the separate products work together.

Question 3 is:
What have you learned from your audience feedback?

Again, I would create a little video to respond to this question.  You are really being asked to show the development of your products so you need early versions of your films and print products.  Use video and/or stills to show aspects of these early versions and then with a voiceover or annotations or actual feedback videos explain how your audience reacted to these versions and how you changed the products as a response to this feedback.  Finally, you should arrive at your finished products and the final feedback you received.

Question 4:
How did you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

New media technologies are things like software (e.g. Photoshop), digital files (e.g. Word documents), Internet sites (e.g. Youtube, Blogger etc.), hardware (e.g. digital SLRs, camcorders etc.) and so on.  You could answer this question by creating a photo montage (a bit like the one below) and then add annotations to explain how you used the technology and at what stage of the production you used it.  You need to refer to your decisions and outcomes regarding technology.


Ancillary Tasks
Evaluate your ancillary tasks by annotating an image of your product (e.g. poster, advertisement, front cover, digipack etc.) together with an annotated image of a similar professional product. Obviously, you need to show how you have followed conventions and highlight examples of synergy across your two products.

Evaluating your AS coursework

First of all read this:

http://petesmediablog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/evaluation-for-ocr-coursework.html

The first question is: In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products (film openings)?

To answer this question, you could use http://www.artofthetitle.com/  First of all use your 9 frame analysis of an influential film opening to show the forms and conventions of: the titles (including style, typefaces, positioning, timing, how they appear and what they say), setting and locations, costumes and props, camerawork, the 'setup' of the story, the creation of genre, how characters are introduced, editing and effects, music, sound and dialogue.  You should use each frame to write about a different aspect of the opening; e.g. one frame could be about the title of the film and the next frame could be about how genre is created (see the example on petesmediablog to see how this is done).

Then do a 9 frame analysis for your opening.  This time in your analysis compare your opening to the influential film.  Explain which of the conventions from the influential film you 'use' (i.e. things that are very similar).  Also explain which conventions you have 'developed' (i.e. given your own slant or interpretation).  Finally, also consider how you may have 'challenged' the conventions of your influential film (i.e. adopted an approach that is very different from the norm).

See here how a 9 frame layout can be created in Photoshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUmdaRTZ_PA

The second question is: How does your media product represent particular social groups?  Use images from the mainstream media that represent your social groups and compare them to images showing your representation in your media product.  Before you do your analysis, read this: http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/what-is-representation.html  A word file or powerpoint would be fine for this part of the evaluation, then add jpeg images of the documents to the blog. Alternatively, just do the analysis straight onto the blog.

The third question is: What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?  First of all you need to understand what distribution is; this post and link will help you: http://howardschoolfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/what-is-film-distibutor-fm2.html
http://www.launchingfilms.info/step-step-guide/
Next, you need to find out who distributed your similar films (if your film is similar then maybe they would distribute your film too).  If your film is a UK one then here is a list of UK distributors: http://howardschoolfilm.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/fm2-uk-film-distributors.html
Although this question asks about distributors, you could talk about all of the institutions involved with your film: production companies, financiers and distributors.  Record a voiceover over the video of your film's titles, explaining about logos, the institutions whose names we see, the roles they play and why they would be involved in your film.

The fourth question is: Who would be the audience for your media product?
For this question, you could produce a profile for a typical audience member.  The profile could include information such as:

Age
Gender
Ethnicity and cultural background
Education
Religious and political affiliations
Economic status
Employment
Sexual orientation
Family background
Marital status
Group membership
Interests, pastimes and favourite media products (this is the most important section of the profile and the part you should write most about)

Add photographs of this typical audience member or you could make a video of an actor playing the role and either talking about him/her-self or being interviewed.

The fifth question links to the previous one and is: How did you attract/address your audience?  You could use the youtube 'annotate' function to annotate your video.  You could also link this to audience audience feedback you have received and any questionnaires you have done, e.g. http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/audience-research-some-ideas.html

The sixth question is: What have you learned about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
Technology can usually be represented visually.  This question is ideal for an annotated photo collage or montage put together in an editing program with music or you could do a cool photoshop arrangement of images with text to show how you used technology.  Don't forget that technology is software and hardware, websites and everything that helps you research, create and distribute, however small...even memory sticks!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54Y0GGt3Ww4

The seventh and final question is: Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the main product?
One way of doing this question would be to look at one (or more) ways you have developed your skills in four key areas - camerawork, editing, mise-en-scene and sound.  You could edit together a video example of each from your preliminary and main task that show an improvement in technique from the earlier task to the later one.  Then add a voiceover or annotations that explain the progress you have made.

Synergy - A2 Evaluations

So what is synergy?

Synergy means 'working together' and occurs when two or more things combine to produce a result that would not be possible if they were working independently of one another.

In the film industry, the marketing people aim to create synergy by creating a trailer that works with the poster that works with the website that works with the radio advertisement that works with the TV spot that works with the magazine article that works with the merchandise...and so on.

Synergy helps to establish a brand identity that you, the consumer, immediately recognise. All of these synergistic elements help to raise your awareness of the film and increase the likelihood of you going to see it.

In your evaluation, you need to comment on how effectively you think your main task and ancillary tasks create a brand identity. What is that brand identity and how is it achieved? (e.g. there may be a similarity in images and fonts used for lettering) Do your poster and trailer/short film try to make you aware of any other ways that you might learn more about the film? (e.g. a website) How successful do you think the combination of the poster and trailer is? Would they make you go to see the film? Why?  Does your front cover/review use stylistic synergy that is shared with your other products?  What content does your review contain that demonstrates synergy with your other products?

AS Foundation Portfolio - Evaluation Questions

Evaluation:

• In what ways does your film use, develop or challenge the forms and conventions of existing films, such as the ones you were influenced by?

• How does your film represent particular social groups?

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

• Who would be the audience for your film?

• How did you attract/address your audience?

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

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

• Remember to explain what your individual roles were within the group.

Evaluating your coursework

Here is some useful guidance for evaluating your AS or A2 coursework:

http://petesmediablog.blogspot.com/2010/11/evaluation-for-ocr-coursework.html

Foundation Portfolio (AS) assessment questions to help you with blog entries

Preliminary Task

· Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?

· Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)

· Have you used match-on-action?

· Can you explain what a match-on action involves?

· Have you used shot/reverse shot?

· Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?

· Did you observe the 180-degree rule?

· Can you explain the 180-degree rule?

· What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)

· How would you assess your contribution to the group?

· What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?

Main task

Research

• Which existing films did you research?

• Why did you choose them?

• How did these films inform your planning?

• Did you analyse the films in terms of camerawork, mise-en-scene, editing and sound?

• Did you analyse the titles of the films?

• Did you consider the conventions of your three films?

• Did you research the role of a film distributor and production companies (institutions)?

• Did you find out which companies distributed your three influential films?

• Have you taken screenshots from the films to illustrate your analysis?

• Have you found out who distributed your films, researched those companies and found out what films they typically distribute?

• Did you use a focus group to give you feedback on your ideas and influential films?

• How did this help you?

• Did you consider the audience for each of your existing films and how they target their audience? (The films’ classifications may also be of use to you.)

• Have you used any other form of audience research, such as questionnaires and interviews?

Planning:

• Did you brainstorm your ideas?

• Did you create a pitch for your potential film?  

• Have you stated your target audience and thought about how you will attract them?  (A 'typical audience member' profile is a useful way of identifying audience clearly.)

• Have you drawn/photographed storyboards?

• Have you created a shot list?

• Have you created a shot schedule?

• Have you typed a script in the appropriate format?

• Have you planned your titles based on your textual analysis?

• Have you completed a location survey with photographs?

• Have you made an equipment list?

• Have you created a simple call sheet for your actors?

• Did you obtain permission to film in any public areas?

• Did you complete risk assessments for any potentially dangerous activities?

• Did you obtain parental consent for filming young children?

• What other logistical planning did you do? (e.g. budgets, equipment forms, travel etc.)

Construction:

• Are your shots steady? Did you use a tripod?

• Did you frame/compose your shots carefully?

• Have you used a variety of shot distances?

• Was the material you shot appropriate for the brief and the intended style/genre of your film?

• How did you pay attention to mise-en-scene? (e.g. lighting, objects, setting, costumes, performance etc.)

• How did you edit your film so that meaning is apparent to the viewer?

• Did you use any shot transitions other than standard cuts? If so, were they effective?

• Did you use any visual or audio effects? Were they successful?

• Were you happy with your use of sound (including dialogue) in your film?

• What music did you use and where did it come from?

• What titles did you use? How did you create them?

Evaluation:

• In what ways does your film use, develop or challenge the forms and conventions of existing films, such as the ones you were influenced by?

• How does your film represent particular social groups?

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

• Who would be the audience for your film?

• How did you attract/address your audience?

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

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

• How did you create the electronic evaluation for your film?

A2 Advanced Portfolio - Evaluation questions

The four questions that must be addressed in the evaluation are:

• In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
• How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts? (Use the information on synergy here http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/synergy-a2-evaluations.html to help you answer this question.)
• What have you learned from your audience feedback?
• How did you use media technologies in the research and planning, construction and evaluation stages?

This advice by Pete Fraser (a former Chief Examiner) is also very valuable.  You need to scroll down to the part about A2 evaluations:

http://petesmediablog.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/evaluation-for-ocr-coursework.html

When you are evaluating your print tasks, you should use the guidance in this section to help you:
http://howardschoolmedia.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Print

Advanced Production Self Assessment

You can use this to check your briefs and to guide you as to what you need to do for research and planning.  You can also use it to help you think of things to write in your blog.

Media Studies - Advanced Portfolio

Self assessment

Name:

A short film in its entirety, lasting approximately five minutes, which may be live action or animated or a combination of both, together with two of the following three options:

·         A poster for the film

·         A radio trailer for the film

·         A film magazine review page featuring the film.

A promotion package for a new film to include a teaser trailer, together with two of the following three options:

·         A website homepage for the film

·         A film magazine front cover, featuring the film

·         A poster for the film

Research and Planning

1.      What general research did you do into short films or trailers before you started your film?

2.      Did you attend any workshops?

3.      What were your three influential short films?

4.      Did you carry out textual analysis for each of the three films?

5.      What conventions did you identify?

6.      What conventions did you decide to use, modify or subvert in your own film?

7.      Who, or what, is the target audience for your film?

8.      How did you research your target audience?  (e.g. focus groups, questionnaires, interviews etc.)

9.      What did you do to ensure that you had organised actors, locations, costumes and props?

10.  Did you create storyboards?  (If not, how did you plan your shots?)

11.  Did you create a shotlist?

12.  Did you log your shots as you took them?

13.  Did you write a script?

14.  What location scouting did you do?  Did you take photographs?

15.  How did you manage your time?  (if your time management has not been good, give reasons for your problems and how you might improve.)

16.   How much care have you taken with the presentation of your research and planning evidence?

17.  What ICT skills have you shown in the presentation of your evidence?

18.  How would you rate your communication skills in the planning and research stage: ‘minimal’, ‘basic’, ‘proficient’ or ‘good’?  Explain your answer.

Construction

1.      Are your shots steady?  Did you use a tripod?

2.      Have you framed your shots thoughtfully, including and excluding elements as appropriate?

3.      Did you use a variety of shot distances?

4.      Was the material you shot appropriate to the task?

5.      What choices did you make in terms of mise-en-scene? (e.g. lighting, props, decor,

settings etc.)

6.      Did you create sets/characters/props etc.?  How was this achieved?

7.      How did you edit your film so that meaning is apparent to the viewer?

8.      What shot transitions did you use?  Were they effective?

9.      Did you use captions?  Were they effective?

10.  What sound effects did you use?  How do they combine with the images?

11.  What music did you use?  Is it copyright free?  How does it combine with the images?

Evaluation

1.      How does your film construct a narrative?

2.      How does your film represent people, places and behaviour?

3.      In what ways does your film use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of existing films?

4.      How effective is the combination of your main product and ancillary texts?

5.      What have you learned from audience feedback?

6.      How did you use new media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

7.      How/where would your film be seen?