Evaluation
My media product uses a combination of both visual and audio input. This is seen especially, during two scenes where I added audio onto the video and matched up the lip sync. This is evident at the beginning of my film during all the dialogue scenes in the first half of the film. The conventions I particularly used were music, a sense of genre/theme and a title sequenced that introduced the film. I created a title sequence that allowed the audience to become quickly affiliated with the film. I followed the forms and conventions by using a title sequence that doesn’t feature any of the cast in the film, instead it just shows their names and various items that feature in the film, in the form of pictures. I was therefore a typical title sequence you would link with a thriller. The effect of my title sequence is to hide the identity of the characters but to highlight certain aspects of the film. Also, by doing this it allows the audience to establish a genre.
My media product represents a variety of social groups such as, college students, university students, young workers etc. (This relates to the theory of uses and gratification as the audience are choosing to watch the media and have the option of watching something else to satisfy their need instead. The effect of this is, it ensures that everyone who has seen the film, watched it because they wanted to and not because they didn't have an alternative choice available.) This is due to my film being reasonably professional in the way it is structured in terms of storyline, costumes etc. The colours I have used for the film title etc. are appropriate and don’t specify audience gender preference. However, the colours used connote various things such as, the title of my film in the title sequence is red, which connotes danger and death. Also, the pictures in the title sequence also help to build up the sense of danger and death, this is seen through the various things shown in the pictures such as, the knife with the blood on and the hand with the blood on. This theme is not appropriate for children under the age of 12 but it is appropriate for the social groups mentioned, which is why my media product represents them. By using the knife as a prop it highlights that the genre of the film is thriller. This is therefore a convention of a typical thriller film.
There are many British Film distributers, some examples are...Entertainment Film Distributers, StudioCanal UK.
Entertainment Film Distributers have distributed many films, these include...'The Inbetweeners Movie' (2011), 'Burke and Hare' (2010), 'The Time Traveler's Wife' (2009). This highlights that they distribute many films of which are very different genres.
StudioCanal UK have also distributed many films. They tend to distribute foreign language films, anime releases such as Studio Ghibli's films and also independent British, Irish and American films in the UK (and occasionally Ireland.)
There are many British Film distributers, some examples are...Entertainment Film Distributers, StudioCanal UK.
Entertainment Film Distributers have distributed many films, these include...'The Inbetweeners Movie' (2011), 'Burke and Hare' (2010), 'The Time Traveler's Wife' (2009). This highlights that they distribute many films of which are very different genres.
StudioCanal UK have also distributed many films. They tend to distribute foreign language films, anime releases such as Studio Ghibli's films and also independent British, Irish and American films in the UK (and occasionally Ireland.)
Cinema – Cinemas are internationally recognised as a distributer of media products i.e. films. Once a cinema distributes a film, it tends to be distributed through that cinema from anything from a few weeks to 3 months. For a film to be distributed through cinemas it will need to have some attraction for potential audiences otherwise, the cinemas may not wish to distribute it. 
Local film festivals/National film festivals – During both local and national film festivals films, (particularly indie films) could be noticed by film companies because of the certain qualities it possesses. A company may want to then develop these qualities further and then distribute the film themselves. 
YouTube – YouTube is a website that is free to everyone to use and distribute their own videos. Once a film has been uploaded onto the channel, it’s free for anyone in the world to watch, even without them holding a personal account. This is a great way to distribute a media product as YouTube has a mass worldwide audience and is quick to make the product live for people to watch. However, there are political issues that arise from the aspect of distribution. One issue is underage audiences watch a film that is deemed inappropriate for their age group. However, because my film is appropriate for 12 year olds who are accompanied by an adult, it means that it doesn't cause much concern as most children under the age of 12 go to the cinema with their parents or purchase the DVD whilst being accompanied by an adult.
The audience for my film would be around the ages of 16 – 35. This is due to the film containing characters that are in that age category. This links to the reception theory. The effect of this is, it allows the audience to be able to relate and understand the characters, as they are of similar ages etc.. People in the age category stated will be part of a variety of social groups such as, college students, university students, young workers etc. Even though I have stated that the audience for my film would be around the ages of 16 - 35, I believe the film is appropriate to be in the category of 12a. This is because the audience don't see the knife enter the victim, which leads to her death. Instead the murder scene is shown in a reflection shot, it is obvious to the audience what is happening in the storyline.
Typical ways of attracting audiences would be to use good-looking cast members to appeal to the target audience, for example, using a good looking male in the film and promoting that he features in the film, may be used to attract a wide based female audience, which may be the target audience. Another way would be to use locations/sets that the target audience may be familiar with, for example, to appeal to a audience aged 11 – 16, using a secondary school as a location may attract that audience as they attend a school similar and will be accustomed to that setting. A film example of this is, St Trinians. The film is about a large group of girls that go to an all girls boarding school and shows the life they lead there and the mischief they get up to.
However, in my film I used locations such as the beach (for the first half of my film) and a house (for the second half of my film). Both my target audience will be familiar with. I chose these locations because they are very normal locations and in terms of the house location, audiences will compare the house in the film to the house they live in, the house their friends live in etc. Also, the beach is very popular with my target audience, as they tend to visit the beach with their friends and have fun etc. This produces a contrast as the storyline creates a very negative atmosphere. With these locations I was able to set a pace and create a mood through the way I edited the different scenes. For example, by using quick cuts during the house scene it creates a fast pace, this makes an impact on the audience as it builds tension.
I have learnt about technologies during the process of making my film. I have used technologies such as, a Flip camera, websites such as www.blogspot.com, Final Cut Express, Garageband, Live Type, MacBook Pro (to complete everything on my blog), Microsoft Word.
I have learnt that during my preliminary task I had limited knowledge of how to use the various programs that I used such as, Final Cut Express and Live Type. Due to this, my work highlighted my limitations and prevented it from becoming more professional. For example, I didn't know how to create my title sequence without spending a lot of time using the software and becoming familiar with the various things such as effects and transitions, that it could do. Also, when carrying out my preliminary task I had a basic understanding on aspects such as mise-en-scene. However, after looking back I have been able to adjust the parts of my film that did not work together and have been capable of creating a film will better understanding of what makes more of an impact. To conclude, I feel I have learnt to use more camera angles and variety, for example, using reflection shots to show the victim being murdered, i also now know to focus on the connotations of colours etc. that have been used, and to make sure the mise-en-scene used works well and is appropriate for the chosen genre.
