Research

Film Opening Project:

Film Idea and Genre

Film Idea

My film idea is a man, Ben Winters, who gets injured playing soccer, tries to find ways to grieve this new limitation. He finds that reflecting on old memories to cope may be the best way. Then, he learns that the injury may or may not be permanent and last for the rest of his life. The end will be a cliffhanger of the person visiting the doctor to see if he is going to be injured for the rest of his life or not.

Genre

A Sports film is a genre that has the sport as a central piece of the movie's plot. The subgenre of the movie is a sports drama since it's a serious movie regarding a person getting injured playing soccer and having to deal with the problems that come with it. 

Target Audience

My target audience would be the ages of 13+. I picked this as my target audience because I think people 13 and above would understand the emotional depth that the film offers regarding having to grieve an injury.

Similar Media Case Studies

1. The Longest Yard (2005): This movie is similar to my film opening since the main character goes through a bad experience in football that leads him to being kicked off the team. This leads to the main character grieving through the loss by drinking and stealing a car which lands him in prison. This is similar because Ben (the main character of my film opening) gets injured playing soccer and then tries to grieve through his own way. 
2. The Replacements (2000): This movie similar to my film opening since a football team gets injured and the team has to find ways to bounce back so they win. This is similar because Ben gets injured playing soccer and also tries to bounce back in his own way.

Genre Research

Sports Film:

Conventions:

This genre's conventions include elements such as when movies are an emotional rollercoaster. This is where the main character, or several characters, go through both good and bad situations throughout the movie. Another element is the training montage. Most sports films consist of characters trying to get better over the course of a certain time, where it is cut into clips of the characters' training.

 

Codes: 

Camera

• Close-ups/medium shots to show emotion and tension
• Slow motion during key plays
• Tracking shots following movement
• Point-of-view shots during matches

Sound

• Upbeat, motivational soundtrack (varies between diegetic and non-diegetic)
• Diegetic crowd noise to increase realism
• Silence before crucial moments

Editing

• Fast-paced cuts during games
• Training montages to show improvement
• Cross-cutting between spectators and players

Mise-en-scene

• Sports uniforms and equipment
• Locker rooms and stadium settings
• Sweat, mud, dirt, or grass to show realism

Commercial Project:

Console Brand Analysis & Target Audience

Competitor Analysis                                                                            

1. Nintendo Switch 2:

• close-up shots of the console.
• Lots of tracking (dolly) shots of the console.
• Most of the camera angles showing off the console were eye-level.
• logo sting where at 1:33 the new Nintendo Switch 2 logo was showcased.
• The effects that were edited in like the transforming of the Nintendo Switch into the Nintendo Switch 2 created anticipation for the audiences to see what's new or changing.

1. PlayStation 5:

• close-up shots of the console. 
• medium shots of the console.
• On-screen text with punchy verbs such as "Keep The Game Going."
• Smooth transitions between multiple people playing the console.
• Upbeat music to keep audiences engaged. 
• Amazing editing of the console being split and then reassembled.

Target Audience/Audience Survey

Data taken from a survey with a sample of 1,606 gamers of all ages.

Survey Link: Three Years On, What Do You Think Of Quick Resume For Xbox Series X|S? | Pure Xbox

• 53% of gamers say they love the quick resume feature and 24% think it is good.
• Top influences on buying an Xbox Series X: its new and unique quick resume feature and its backward compatibility with games from past Xbox consoles

Persona: 

Ryan, 17, gamer. Wants to switch between multiple games instantly. Promise: Xbox Series X Quick Resume feature, which allows just that.

Music Video Project:

Analyzing Conventions of The Lazy Song's Genre

Reggae-Pop

Camera:  

• no movement 
• eye-level angle  
• medium shot.

Sound: 

• lyrics 
• the music's beat.

Editing: 

• No editing since the music video was just one shot.

Mise-en-scene:

• Setting - bedroom
• Props - a chair for Bruno Mars to sit on and a guitar for him to strum. 
• The clothes - button-down shirts with pants, pulled down temporarily to show shorts. 
• The lighting - the bedroom lights (natural lighting). 
• The actors - Bruno Mars and 5 backup dancers. 7th actor joined in, but was soon kicked out, to signify the girl speaking in the song.

How my Music Video challenges (mostly) this Convention

Camera (Challenges to conventions):

• It will have some movement 
• multiple camera angles 
• different shots.

Sound (Does not Challenge conventions): 

• lyrics 
• the music's beat.

Editing(Challenges conventions):

• cuts to different scenes

Mise-en-scene (Some do challenge, some don't challenge conventions):

• Setting - my bedroom and my living room/couch. 
• Props - pillows, my old iPhone 7, and a TV remote. 
• Clothes/costume - a shirt and shorts. 
• Lighting - my bedroom/living room lights (natural lighting). 
• Actor - me. 

Analyzing Different Music from the Same Genre

                Reggae Pop - Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston: 

Camera: 

• Camera movements - zooms and panning shots 
• Camera angles - low-angle shots and eye-level shots 
• Camera shots - close-up shots and medium/long shots 

Sound:

• lyrics 
• the music's beat.

Editing:

• cuts between different scenes - regular cuts and special transitions
• color editing - black and white for some parts, then back to color.

Mise-en-scene:

• Setting - inside the diner and outside the diner. 
• Props - to fit the time period, like the old car or the black and white TV screen. 
• Lighting - natural when outside the diner, but when inside, it was a mix of natural and high-key lighting 
• Actors - Sean Kingston and many unknown actors dancing or sitting/standing around Sean.