In what way does your media product use, develop, or

challenge forms and conventions of real media?

I-dentThe Story of Us Juno

The ident for our film was inspired by the one used in Juno, as Molly and I thought the sketchy, artistic style and continuous animated movement would appeal to our target audience. The target age range for Juno is similar to our film (11 – 19 year olds), which is why we decided to create an ident on Live Type using the same style. However we have developed this idea by adding an introductory animated movement, in which the letters fly one by one into the shot; thus enhancing the overall statement of the ident by making it more attractive to the viewer and developing the simple movement used in the credits of Juno. The name ‘Messy Productions’ was partly an amalgamation of both mine and Molly’s names (Molly + Jessie = Messy) which has embedded a personal link into the film opening. It was also partly inspired by the name of the British production company ‘Working Title Films’ which evokes the continuous creative process of film-making, we thought that the word ‘messy’ also conveys the concept of an original collaboration of ideas (which can be messy at times!). I think this production company name is appealing to the artistic and creative people we are trying to attract.

TypographyThe Story of Us Bonnie and Clyde

The typography for our credits was in a typewriter style which emphasised the handmade, authentic appearance of the scrapbook, it is also clear and easy to read. However it is quite a plain font which is juxtaposed against the abundance of decoration, colours and textures inside the scrapbook; thus making it grab the attention of the viewer. The typography for the credits in the film, Bonnie and Clyde, is in a similar typewriter style which echoes it’s old fashioned context; thus highlighting the contrast between our film opening credits with the modern love story we are depicting. The black background in the Bonnie and Clyde screen shot is quite plain; although it helps the white text to stand out. I feel that our credits have developed from the style of the credits in Bonnie and Clyde and made the style much more accessible to a modern day audience by enhancing the background through imagery that indicates the storyline and genre of the film. I also think that our film credits flow more freely throughout the opening, through the use of a ‘cross dissolve’ and are less disjointed and fragmented than the credits in Bonnie and Clyde.

Compilation of photos

The scrapbook is the main prop within our film opening as it’s used as an anchor to guide the viewer through the photos and flashbacks. This is how we document the couple’s lives and the development of their relationship. We came across this concept after we were inspired by the Blue Valentine film opening, which is filled with various different photos of the couple, separated with the transitional device of exploding fireworks. I think we’ve developed a successful transitional device through the scrapbook as it not only makes the photos flow, but also reinforces the main depiction of the gradual blossoming of a teenage relationship. This means that the viewer has the opportunity to dive straight into the storyline, instead of having to wait for the opening credits to finish before they can actually begin to understand the plot of the film. Bonnie and Clyde also use photos to display the separate lives of the couple before they met; however I feel the abrupt transition from the photo to the black background makes the film opening disjointed and fragmented. To improve the flow of the opening I think the film would benefit from having an anchor, such as a scrapbook or diary, to guide the viewer between the photos, which would also add interest to the blank shots between photos and create continuity between the credits and photos.

The Story of Us Bonnie and Clyde Blue Valentine

FlashbacksThe Story of Us 5oo Days of Summer

Both our film opening and 500 Days of Summer use flashbacks to depict either childhood memories or particular moments in the relationship’s past. In 500 Days of Summer these well framed shots are brief and require a bit more detail or expansion to give the viewer a deeper understanding of the moment. Our film opening has built on this concept from 500 Days of Summer, so that there are many different scenes integrated within the scrapbook; therefore the viewer receives a fuller, more detailed visual understanding of the couple. Molly and I have also experimented with different transitional devices to aid the transition from the flashback back into the scrapbook; we discovered the ‘additive dissolve’. This is a unique tool which perfectly evokes the dream-like memories fading back into reality; it creates an almost stereoscopic affect as if the memory is leaping out of the photograph. It produces quite a disjointed edge, which actually enhances the originality of the concept and reinforces the continuity of the scrapbook. This transitional device is much more attractive and effective than a ‘cross dissolve’ as used in 500 Days of Summer, it is a development of the simple device.

Shots RestlessThe Story of Us

Both our film and the romantic drama film, Restless, use similar shots, such as this two shot, to evoke the feeling of a growing intimacy between two people. However in our film we use the two shot at the beginning of the relationship (the first meeting) to depict the awkwardness between the pair and in Restless, a two shot is used to display the couple’s closeness. All romantic films contain many two shots and our film uses this particular shot very often, however we try and use it in different ways to add an interesting angle to the genre. This includes a two shot from behind the couple, and a high angle two shot. The mise en scene of both of the two shots above are also very similar; The prop of a park bench is used in both, there are autumnal trees and grass in the background, and the characters’ costumes are very similar. The male characters are both wearing black jumpers, and the female characters are both wearing coats and green trousers; thus showing that the context of the film and personality of the characters are quite similar.

Concept

Waiting for Forever

500 Days of Summer

One Day

The Story of Us

All of these films have a romantic drama genre; our film is a simple, innovative interpretation of a love story, which is a popular convention in modern day film-making. The full length version of our film will feature a break up, which is a common feature in films of this genre, particularly the films displayed on this page.

Our film opening’s soundtrack has connotations of a relaxed, happy atmosphere, which all of these films share. The electric guitar adds an ‘indie’ edge, which appeals to our target audience, and also enhances the link with these ‘indie’ romantic films. I have chosen all ‘indie’ films to compare our film opening with (no major Hollywood productions), as this is the style we want our film to encompass.