AUTUMN TERM 2

Here below is the schedule for the second half of the term.

Also embedded are powerpoints used last lesson.

As Media Studies Autumn 2 Schedule

AS L1 Intro v2

AS L2 Den Conn

MEST 1 Keep practicing your analytical skills ON EVERYTHING YOU SEE, WATCH, READ, SURF. remember that these skills well practiced will stand you in good stead for the exam and coursework.

MEST 2 You should be preparing for the second half of term by working on the BRIEF you have been given. We are still in the development stage and at this time we have some freedom. Enjoy the process.

WATCH as many trailers relevant to your project as you can - do this by checking out any film leads you can. Identify SPECIFIC MOMENTS which you want to 'steal' for your trailer. A shot, an effect, a development of tension, a mise en scene, acting, music etc. Make notes ALL THE TIME.

Check out IMDB and use the menus down the side to identify further details. Check out fan sites for specific genres, social networking links for new horror and suspense films. Use all means at your deposal to build a dosier for YOUR film. THIS IS IMPORTANT IN PROVING THAT YOUR TRAILER WILL INDEED HELP PROMOTE THE FILM AND THAT THE FILM IS SUITED TO THE AUDIENCE.

Good luck.



NB. ATTENDANCE AT ALL LESSONS IS VITAL.

TODAY'S TRIP

I trust you all got something from today's trip and weren't too late for your afternoon classes to get something from them.

It would be good if you could reflect on the film and write a short review which you could post on your weebly.

Also, it might be an idea to write some notes on what you learnt about film promotion from the talk at the beginning which I thought was especially valuable to us as we head into the MEST2 production. It would be a shame to let these nuggets of information slip away.

Here below are a couple of useful sites to do with film distribution which you might like to check out to see what's coming and when. It will be valuable when you come to write your evaluation.

Launching Films
Scoop

See you tomorrow.

Assessment + MEST 2

Below is today's powerpoint.

Please reflect on it for yourself and consider what you did well and how you could improve.

Identify three areas for development for yourself and write these in your comment at the bottom of the page.
As Assessment 1

The MEST 2 groups:

a) Camping trip horror
Kamil
Mary
Yancia

b) Identity thriller
Rena
Henna
Wes

c) Ghost story
Lul
Ayesha
Mahnoor

d) TBA
Saaema
Hawwa
Amy

Please ensure that you communicate with each other and develop your project together. The best way to do this is to give each other specific task which don't overlap too much. Areas to think about: genre references, location research, casting ideas, story points to reveal in trailer/exciting moments to create, technical needs of film.

Have fun and keep notes of everything you do.

MUSIC RESEARCH

Today's lesson was focussed on Music research picking up on the home study set last week. We developed this from your brief and succinct comments answering the questions set to last Friday to a task involving content analysis on the opportunities which exist for watching / listening to music on Television.

I have posted here the Powerpoint which we generated at the end of the lesson.

Music Content Research

The next stage of this process is to develop the content analysis individually in a more thorough and rigorous way for your individual case study - the 'band' which you are seeking to promote.

Questions to ask:

• Which channels will I need to get my band played on to reach my target audience?
• How will I be able to tell if I am getting my music to the right people?
• Which other platforms will I need to utilise to maximise my audience?

Think about which research techniques you might use to answer these questions: content analysis, surveys, controlled experiments, data analysis. How would you go about obtaining the data? How would  the data help develop your stratergy?

When you write about this be detailed and disciplined in what you say - avoid generalising.

It is very important in this process that you think clearly, don't spend too long on one area of research, draw conclusions form your data (even if you don't feel 100% about them) and have your strategy in either a presentation or document on your WEEBLY site.

Useful sites:

BARB

uktribes

demographics

channel 4

NME

Please complete this work by next Tuesday.

Fiday's lesson

Lesson powerpoint.

As Pitches and MEST1

MEDIA site

Check out the Media Massage site where I will gradually put more and more information which may be useful to you on the course. There is a sample analysis of a film poster to give you a flavour.

Best of luck with the home-study and remember that I am expecting you to have research on the music industry on Tuesday and re-written synposes and ideas for any of the 3 film ideas chosen by next Friday.
extension: for those of you motivated, take a look at the screenplays which I will post links to and think about what you are going to write and how it should be on the page.

Mr H.

FRIDAY'S PITCHING SESSION

HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO PREPARE.

At this stage the way to think about it is in story terms – use the pitch as you starting point.

Write a really short idea which you think will work for the audience you need to reach.
Next expand this to some simple plot points in your brief synopsis – the twists in the story – hero falls in love, villain kills hero’s mother etc. showdown between villain and hero – do you get the idea?
Finally, pick some references – types of movie trailers you like which might give a bit of the feel of what you want.

At this stage you DO NOT have to write either the story or all the scenes for the trailer. Perhaps you might like to describe one or two key moments – and suggest the atmosphere - show us pictures, play us music, act bits of it out. Help us 'SEE' your trailer in our mind's eye.

Don't worry about practicality yet - there will be time for that later.

TRAILERS

Cape Fear

Cape Fear remake

Please feel free to add other trailers you think might be worth watching for the suspense or thriller genre.

WEEBLY and SCRIBD and HOME STUDY

http://www.apple.com/trailers/summit/sororityrow/trailer_medium.htmlYou have a choice.

You can use Weebly simply set up your own site and upload your work. It is ideal for essays and you can also embed video from YouTube easily.

The other option is that you create your own blog and this will also allow you to embed documents using SCRIBD an online publishing facility which will allow you to upload word and powerpoint documents which will then appear on the site as they originally were.  You can also embed or link to YouTube on a blog. SCRIBD also has a photo gallery which could be useful for location stills.

I will be expecting you all to have created your own site in some form by Friday - I also want you to upload your work so that I can read it and assess it.

Your trailer analysis should be the first thing you upload and I am expecting you to have added and refined what you prepared last week.

As practice is useful, I would recommend that you complete an analysis of the SORORITY ROW trailer showing that you have gained a good grasp of media language and understanding of how to apply it.

HOMESTUDY

Look again at the MEST 2 brief and prepare you pitch for Friday.
Include in it:

• the genre of your movie and reasons for choosing that genre: audience, budget etc.
• 25 word pitch of your idea
• half page synopsis of your film
• either the opening or one other key scene from the film
• film references which might be helpful to the class

Good Luck.