NQ Media Production Scenario Question Film. Media Production Function of Production Unit in Media Studies Course “ … products made in Media Studies are

NQ Media Production

Scenario QuestionFilm

Media Production

Function of Production Unit in Media Studies Course

“ … products made in Media Studies are not polished works finished for their own sake, but products made so that candidates can experience the production process and apply this understanding to professionally produced texts studied in the Analysis Units. “

SQA Arrangements

Function of Production Unit in Media Studies Course…(2)

“[Students] will learn [through the Production Unit]that they are not being trained to use audio- visual technology for its own sake; but will come to realise that knowledge and understanding of the production process enables them to analyse media products more effectively — and vice versa.”

SQA Arrangements

Media Production

Media Studies Exam (H/Int 2): Production QuestionThree types of question:

1 Reflection on students’ own production2 Creative/Brief Question3 Scenario (or 'Treatment') Question

Media Production

‘Reflection’ does not mean ‘ramble on and on without bothering to answer the question’

Reflection means talking about your own experience – but you can compare it to professional film cases. eg teacher might not allow swearing etc (even if it seems justified by ‘realism’) : this could be related to the institutional constraints of British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)

1. Reflection on own production

2. Creative/Brief Question

This is suitable for certain kinds of production activities - but don’t be tempted to do refined storyboards and forget the broader question, and the need for

justification

3. Scenario (or 'Treatment') Question

Advantage: allows you to combine

knowledge from your own production experience

with

what you have learned in the course of Analysis Units

3 Scenario (or 'Treatment') Question

The question always starts with a stimulus – a news story, an anecdote, a scenario, even a song or a poem etc –

You will be asked how you would make it into a media production in a medium you are familiar with.

Student has to adopt role of:

Director, and all creative personnel

and

Producer, responsible for the business decisions etc

Central to this task is problem-solving


…there are similarities, and there is overlap but the institutional context is different – e.g. finance, scheduling etc.

Even if you choose fiction film/video, you need to be clear about the specifics of the medium you are using. e.g. to distinguish between cinema film and television, even allowing for “convergence” between the two….


Questions should be suitable for all media and modes eg fiction and non-fiction

Some exam questions in the past have put limitations on students- eg Standard Grade History resource - but not in the last few years

Some questions have indicated a setting/location unfamiliar to most students eg Grand Canyon/Hurricane (Bob Dylan song about Black boxer in USA) but recent tendency to avoid this.


“The Brief”Often TV shows, adverts etc come about because a production company is given a “brief” by a client, setting out what the client wants.

“The Pitch”In the case of a film, on the other hand, the producer takes the initiative, i.e. they “pitch” it to prospective investors (including public funders). In the U.K. there is almost always more than one source of funding.

Scotland…

Recently, examiners have tended to ask about Scottish productions - this can make it more manageable for you.Some notes: Remember MARKET VALUE: There a very few

purely Scottish films – because films require a wider audience and bigger budget than can be provided in Scotland.

eg Scottish filmmaker Richard Jobson makes (digital) films for £500, 000 to £1 million)

Norman Stone made Man Dancin’ for less than £500,000

But this is at the bottom end of the spectrum for a film likely to get a theatrical release

Media Production: UK Projects

It is good to imagine making a film with a modest budget because it puts constraints on you, and you have to think creatively.

e.g. You can’t have… unlimited casting choicesexpensive special effects. huge helicopter shots

It forces you to JUSTIFY

Some students go in the opposite direction from the blockbuster mentality.

REMEMBER - even when dealing with very low budget - it is low-budget but NOT “no-budget”

i.e. union minimum rates and staffing for actors and for the technical crew as set out in their unions' agreements.

Media Production: UK Projects

Media Production: You can’t know everything!!

The exam rubric sometimes gives a rough idea of whether the film will be very low, low, modest or relatively big - just as the script will alert a producer to a likely budget.

NB: You won’t be expected to specify the budget other than in vague terms.

Media Production: Structure of Answers

In scenario question, Key Aspects should be used to structure your answer and choices must be….

JUSTIFIED

Media Production: Categories

Medium and Form

Start by stating the medium and justifying its suitability for the material; if it is film, look for cinematic qualities which would benefit from the:

wide-screen treatment Dolby sound Excellent production designThe best lighting, with rich colours and texture in the shots great acting, with good writing use of symbol and poetry in the composition of shots

Remember: low-budget films can and DO take advantage of these cinematic qualities.

Genre

Sometimes it is clear from the rubric, sometimes you can decide if the scenario fits the conventions of a genre (eg the SQA [year] Specimen Question about the woman storming out of house and into car could be done in a film noir style).

Certain material lends itself to certain kind of treatment and, indeed, audience. eg, stories about animals tend to be have children as at least part of the TA and that brings in decisions about style, narrative, casting, dialogue etc.


Tone

Again, it may be clear what tone(s) you have to use but sometimes you have to decide. The same script might be approached as a comedy, a tragedy or a mixture.

As long as your decision is justified


From the 2008 exam, the audience will be specified. You should say how this target audience is targeted

Of course, some productions will appeal to different audiences (and the casting might reflect that). On the other hand, some films are clearly aimed at a specific audience, such as a Disney kids’ film.

Blockbusters have to appeal to everyone to justify their large budgets - but you’re not likely to have a blockbuster budget.

Media Production: Audience

Media Production: Target Audience (TA)

It would be a disaster for a film aimed at children to fail to gain a U Certificate.

Examples…

1. Mrs Doubtfire (directed by Chris Columbus, starring Robin Williams) got a 12 cert. in the UK before it was reclassified as a PG. This was done by cutting 13 seconds of footage with ‘bad’ language.

2. Sweet Sixteen: In Ken Loach’s film (about a boy who reaches 16 at the end of the film), 16-year-olds were excluded because of the ‘realistic’ language.

Media Production: Narrative

It is unlikely that you will be asked to describe a complete story (although it may be indicated in the rubric). However, you may have opportunities to indicate certain narrative codes such as:

enigma code (Who is this? What will happen next? Who will win?)

action code (kind of shorthand which indicates to the audience what is about to happen: eg a CU [>Language] of a foot on the car’s accelerator indicates that the car is about to go faster; if the sheriff straps on his gun belt, there’s going to be some shooting).

Media Production: Narrative

Narrative includes chronology which can either be straightforward chronological order or flashback (occasionally flash-forward)For example, the film can begin with a strange/unusual/ intriguing/ mysterious situation - then a flashback can take us back to the beginning to see how we got there.

Any move from straightforward chronological order must be JUSTIFIED.

Media Production: Representation

You may need to decide how the film will deal with stereotyping.

A film made primarily for a Scottish market might take a different line on how Scotland and the Scots are represented than one made for an international audience.

Some films such as Trainspotting go out of their way to play with or subvert expected stereotypes).

Media Production: Say How and WhyYou may be asked to show how a very specific scene would be filmed. eg, could discuss camera angles, distance, movement, mise en scene, editing (eg fast, slow, mixture) etc - with justification.

But you need to indicate HOW it would/could be done. Here are some examples of what your answer could refer to:

Cinematography: placing of camera, and lights, shooting on awkward terrain (Steadicam - can budget afford it?>TECHNOLOGY),

Health and Safety issues Locations: can you use electricity from a mains

supply or whether necessary to bring in a generator – at extra cost [>Institutions].

Media Production: Language You Should Know

How particular scene could be shot should use language like the following

Mise en scene Cinematography

Editing Sound

Technical + cultural codes Anchorage


Camera setups can be illustrated with simple diagrams, etc. Storyboards will be available but simpler to do them in the body of answer - students less likely to waste time on perfect storyboard

Even if not asked to do detailed breakdown, should give some idea of the “look” of film, even whether it will be brightly lit (connotations, either normality or glamour) or low-key lighting (a darker mood/tone/). Framing – dutch angle (or canted framing) to suggest a world “out of joint”.


“Safe Action Area/Zone”Films ultimately find their way onto DVD and/or TVYour director, camera operator and editor need to be aware of the “safe action zone” which is an area at the edge of the frame which, if missed out during transfer to television screen (traditional 4:3*), plot information will be missing. Your audience will be very unhappy!

* This is likely to be less of an issue in the future as more domestic television sets are widescreen

Media Production: Music

MusicThe music of a film very important. It can also be

very expensive.

You need to decide whether to:1. use existing tracks – expensive and not

always appropriate for any given production2. an original score – also expensive though it

obviously varies according to the prominence of the composer and what instruments are used.

Media Production: Music

Style of the music v. important. For a “cool” urban production such as Trainspotting, certain kind of music works (acid rock etc). For a more traditional production, something different is required.

For a historic film (ie one set more than 20 or so years ago) such a soundtrack would be inappropriate. For a historic film, a certain style of music is required. A quirky, eccentric film would require an appropriate style of music.

Whatever your decision, JUSTIFY.

Media Production: Institutions

Funding Apart from certification issues discussed above, institutions is mainly to do with “business” matters. How to get funding?

TV companies often invest in films (with rights to show on small screen later.)

Commercial investors can get generous tax breaks Filmmakers can also apply to for public funding - Scottish Screen, Arts Council for Scotland, Film Council etc.

Casting

Casting is important and the film-going public expect, if not A-List stars, at least some well-known actors (even in children’s films, at least for the lead adult roles.)

Assuming not a big-budget Hollywood film, can forget about Toms Cruise and Hanks, Julia Roberts, etc to appearing in film.


Casting

It is, however, possible to get a “big” name to do the film for less than their normal fee if they think it is a prestigious or interesting project, eg Ewan McGregor in The Young Adam (d. David McKenzie), a low-budget Scottish art film.

Brian Cox, who is a reasonably internationally high-profile Scottish actor (eg Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter in 1986), is in Richard Jobson’s low-budget film, Woman in Winter (2005) - probably working for a lot less than his ordinary fee.


Expenses of cast and crew

If shooting close enough to their home, won’t have to pay for accommodation. (So if shooting in Glasgow or Edinburgh, most of cast can get home at night).

If project is a mixture of studio and location shooting, need to choose locations carefully – for the best artistic AND financial benefit of the film.

Shooting on location is more difficult but usually less expensive than hiring a studio


If shooting on any location, you will need to ask:

Who owns it? How can I get access to shoot? How much will it cost?

Local authority bodies e.g. The Glasgow Film Fund, the Grampian Film Commission and Edinburgh Film Focus have two main locations tasks:

- To encourage direct employment of film production workers - To portray their regions in a way that will attract tourists


Locations..contd.

If you are shooting on the street, there are restrictions, especially in town centres. A solution could be to shoot at night or early in the morning but if light required need to plan for summer shoot. Luckily in Scotland in mid-summer there is a lot of sunlight.

NB stress than even in daytime shoot in sunny conditions, lights required - and source of power

The downside is that it makes it difficult if night shooting required (and, of course, if there are children in cast, restrictions placed on how long/late they can be employed).


The Law

Producer must be aware of legal matters, the most obvious of which is employment law, including health and safety.

As for the latter, particularly important in “action” shoots

(cf the various car-crash scenarios eg how Kieselowski managed car crash scene in Three Colours: Blue (1993)- for safety and to avoid having to write off expensive cars.


Child Actors: Licenses from Local AuthorityTwo important requirements:

• You need to be aware of restrictions on working hours - both total hours and restrictions on night working.

• Children require to be educated - so a tutor has to be hired unless it’s during the holidays


Media Production: Technology

Film or Video?

One decision which has to be made is whether to shoot on film or video. This is known as the Originating Format.Generally, celluloid film is used for cinema film and TV drama apart from soaps etc. However, we are in a changing situation, where video (especially HD video) is becoming a viable alternative – although it may take some time before this changes things for a large part of the industry.


Film or Video 2?•Until recently, (celluloid) film only choice for professional film with theatrical release

•Last few years, development of digital video (HD) makes it a possible choice for modestly budgeted projects

•George Lucas made the second generation of Star War Films digitally - but v. advanced technology and expensive.

Media Production: TechnologyVideo: its benefits are mostly in that it’s cheaper.

This is because:

footage doesn’t have to be sent to the lab to be processed before it can be viewed (usually the next day)

Video tape rolls for up to 10x longer than film, allowing the crew to shoot more in a day, and reducing overall schedule.

the editing process can be done more quickly.

Media Production: TechnologyDigital Video and/or Hard Disk/Chip (DV)

Disadvantages:

Quality not (yet) as good as film, e.g. not as good as capturing very dense black.

Also, in terms of the “image” of the film, video has very much a low-budget image.

If film is shot on DV, it still has to be transferred to celluloid for cinema release as most cinemas don’t yet have the proper digital projection equipment.

Media Production: TechnologyFilm

If celluloid is chosen as an originating format, you have a number of choices.

Most mainstream feature films shot are on 35mm film-stock (very few films are originated on 70mm)

16 mm is cheaper and was traditionally used on low budget and documentary projects. However, cinemas generally don’t have the means to project 16mm films. It is literally half the size of 35mm stock, so can be used in smaller cameras, with the need for fewer lights and is cheaper to process at the lab. It is used on TV drama in the U.K. and on lower budget feature films.


Film: 16mm contd.

When originating on 16mm, film-makers then edit the film in a digital suite, and blow the film up to 35mm when they want to print to show at cinemas.

16mm and Super16mm?

This refers to the area on the film stock that is exposed to light. Super 16mm has an area that closely resembles the dimensions of 35mm stock, hence drama that uses 16mm is actually on Super16mm.

Media Production: TechnologyOther film-making equipment

Another technological question is what kind of equipment to use (whether shooting on celluloid or video). As well as standard camera shots, the filmmaker has access to a number of other types of devices allowing different kinds of shots, eg:

• Steadicam• Crane• Louma crane• Helicopter

Media Production: TechnologyThe crane allows the camera to “swoop” up and down on the action and produce quite dramatic effects. Allows a combination of vertical and horizontal movements.

Needs specialised crew, so the cost of hiring it is an exponential factor producers must consider.

Media Production: TechnologySteadicam, a device that allows camera operator to be mobile without the need for tracks etc. This is particularly useful for action shots on uneven terrain, where the director would like to shoot in such a way that tracks would be visible; and where the director wants the camera in the thick of the action.

You would have to hire not only the equipment but specialist operator.


Louma crane: (remote control camera crane) - allows camera to glide through space and take camera through openings where human operator could never follow


The helicopter also allows for dramatic moving shots and a whole landscape captured.

Media Production: TechnologyVideo-assist allows the director to follow the action on a monitor when shooting (usually on location) in confined spaces. Some directors don’t use it, some do nothing other than watch the screen.

Media Production: TechnologyPros and Cons of other equipment

The downside is that these are expensive, not just for hire of equipment but because they often require specialised crews. But they do allow a range of exciting and brilliant shots, and this is what film-making IS for many people.

It doesn’t mean that the film can’t have access to Steadicams, cranes, helicopters etc. It’s a question of balancing the artistic effect with the cost.

If part of the budget spend on this, it may be necessary to sacrifice something.

NQ Media Production

Scenario Question: Film

Written by Des Murphy

[email protected]

with additional material by Andrew Bonner

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NQ Media Production Scenario Question Film. Media Production Function of Production Unit in Media Studies Course “ … products made in Media Studies are