Design and plan 3.5

Design and plan 3.5

Achievement Achievement with Merit

Achievement with Excellence

Produce a design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

Produce a convincing design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

Produce a compelling design for a media product that meets the requirements of a brief.

Achievement Criteria

Produce a design involves completing concept, treatment, and pre-production activities that demonstrate design choices that meet the requirements of a brief and show evidence of reflection and/or refinement.

Produce a convincing design involves completing concept,

treatment and pre-production activities that demonstrate deliberate selection of design choices to engage an audience.

Produce a compelling design involves completing concept,

treatment, and pre-production activities that demonstrate effective selection and application of design choices to command and capture audience attention.

Achievement Criteria (explained)

This assessment activity requires two students to work individually to produce a compelling design and plan for a short film that fits the requirements of a brief.

The task

Compelling means you will show a high level of media knowledge and experience when making design choices for the creation of a media product along with effective and clear use of conventions for the genre.

Compelling ?

Your ability to make and apply design choices in developing a concept, treatment and pre-production activities that:

Meet the requirements of a given brief Effectively incorporate the key features of the genre into

a coherent whole Effectively select technology required and impact of

practicalities, and details how these will enable and/or constrain the completion of the finished product

Effectively identify milestone dates, dependencies and allocate required resources to complete pre-production activities

Effectively demonstrate evidence of on-going refinement of ideas through reflection and reworking

Allow you to complete a media product which would capture the audience’s attention

You will be assessed on…

As your media products are being created

to fit a brief, it means that they are most

likely to be shown in public! Therefore some

guidelines need to be followed

See “Film Making Guidelines” document on

the level 3 Moodle page.

Film content and treatment

Task: create a portfolio where you will keep all of

your tasks!Digital or physical, I don’t care as long as you keep up and don’t lose anything!!

(I would actually prefer digital!)

Brainstorm and develop your initial concept The concept must include an outline of the

short film. It should introduce character, the setting, and the situation as well as the inciting incident which engages the audience.

Write an outline of your concept and include the following:◦ The main character’s name◦ The dramatic premise◦ The inciting incident◦ The rising tension

Task One: Concept2hrs in class + your own time

Jamie is the lone survivor of the teen zombie apocalypse in Nelson. She has hidden out in her old school as no teenager is going to go there. One day, she notices a mess in the food tech room – bread, peanut butter, a dirty plate, and knife and… crumbs. She didn’t make the mess which means someone else did. Jamie searches the school, she finds nothing of note until her OCD becomes her greatest asset and she finds more crumbs. Literally following a trail of breadcrumbs Jamie makes a frightening discovery

Example

Task TwoVisual Treatment

1. Visual treatment: a treatment is a detailed description about how you will visually create your short film. This should be completed focusing on the visual aspects of media production that you and your group want to use to make the media product. This will include mise-en-scene, editing pace and rhythm, visual effects and any font or secondary media you want to incorporate.

Task Two: Visual Treatment (8 pieces)About 5hrs of class-time and homework

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1. Visual treatment:

◦ Explain in detail the kind of atmosphere/tone you will create visually and how you intend to use equipment and conventions to create this style. For example, in an action film, rapid shot transitions will convey a sense of atmosphere to the audience

◦ Explain in detail why your Visual stylistic approaches are appropriate for your target audience, and how it will appeal to them


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2. Conventions of the Medium/Genre: You must identify, describe and explain in

detail AT LEAST FIVE specific conventions associated with you genre. More may appear in your short film, but you will only need to write well on at least five.

For EACH convention, explain in detail how its use is appropriate for, and will appeal to your target audience.


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3. Location Scouting: Prepare a brief profile on each location that

you wish to use. Have photos of each location included with the details of the location. These photos do not count as test shots and as such, these can be from Google maps or any time of the day.

Discuss why you are using this location, and how it will be used to contribute to the mood of the story.


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4. Test shots: Complete test shots of relevant locations for

your film. Test shots are actually testing the look and feel of the location as it would appear in your film. The idea here is to try out your location and how all the elements might come together when you shoot. You should do test shots at each location to check for composition or lighting issues. This is a good opportunity to try things and see what works and what needs revising. Spending time on this process will make your shoot go more smoothly


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5. Scripting and Story boarding: Using Celtx, develop the story from your

concept into a script. Remember to include a mode developed version of the following:◦ The main character◦ The dramatic premise◦ The inciting incident◦ The rising tension

Remember to use Scene headings, Character names, Dialogue, Action and Parentheticals


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5. Scripting and Story boarding: Prepare a range of shot templates of key

scenes in your short film. You can use the sketch tool in Celtx, Photoshop resources, or hand draw them if your wish.

You should focus on having a good range of shot types, angles, and movements in your short film and use shots appropriate to your purpose.

For the purposes of assessment, a section of your film storyboarded into 24 frames is all that is required.


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6. Font choices: Compile a range of different fonts from

dafont.com that you are likely to use for the titling in your short film. Present each font in a black 16:9 mock-up so it’s easy to see legibility, clarity, style, and impact for the audience. The fonts should complement the style and tone of your short film.


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7. Visual effects: Compile a selection of tutorials, screen

grabs or web-links for visual effects you hope to include in your short film. These can be simple examples of colour grading, in-camera effects, plug-ins for premiere or full-blown animated sequences. The effects should reinforce the style and tone of your short film.


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8. Revision and reworking: Revise any aspects of your plan as a result

of test shots or other technical, practical, aesthetic or story considerations.

In practice, revision will be an on-going process right through all the stages of the production.

And you are being assessed on re-working!

Be flexible!


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Task ThreeAudio Treatment and Pre-production

1. Audio Treatment: This treatment is a detailed description

about how your film will sound. This should be completed focusing on a audio aspects of media production that you want to use to make the media product. This will include soundtrack, volume, editing pace and rhythm, sound effects and any voiceover or secondary media you want to incorporate.

Task Three: Audio Treatment and pre-production (8 pieces) About 5hrs of class-time and homework

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1. Audio Treatment: ◦ Explain in detail the kind of atmosphere/tone you

will create audibly and how you intend to use equipment and conventions to create this style. For example, in an action film, fast pace music with a heavy base sound will contribute to the atmosphere.

◦ Explain in detail why your audio stylistic approaches are appropriate for your target audience, and how it will appeal to them.


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2. Music samples: Compile a selection of copyright free music

you think will fit the tone and style of your short film as discussed in your audio treatment. With these, formulate a comment justifying your choices. This selection should include about 6 tracks. Remember these don’t have to be lyrical songs, they can be instrumental tracks which may better serve to create mood and meaning. Alternatively, you can create your own music using Garageband or similar. (or a musical instrument!)


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3. Sound effects: Compile a selection of sound effects you

think will fit the tone and style of your product as discussed in your audio treatment. Most of these can be found on the internet, though some are preloaded onto the R-drive, or are available if you use Garageband. Formulate a comment justifying your choices. This selection should include at least 6-8 samples. Alternatively you can record your own Foley effects using a microphone.


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4. Production schedule: Complete a detailed production schedule

showing how and when you will complete the necessary steps to enable a successful and quality short film. In your Production log, consider in detail the practicalities of available resources, time, access to technology and equipment, and locations.

Make any necessary changes to your treatment and write a comment where you critically reflect on the impact of the changes to your production.


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5. SWOT Analysis: This is a detailed analysis of the factors

which could make or break the production of your short film. Use the following headings to help you complete this analysis:

Strengths: these are the immediate factors of your production which will assist you in making the best short film possible. For example: easy access to a good location, your cousin is Emma Stone, etc.


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5. SWOT Analysis: Weaknesses: these are immediate factors

of your production which interfere with you making (or even completing) the best short film possible. For example, sporting conflicts, no driver’s licence, you have a mutant ability to destroy technology, etc.


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5. SWOT Analysis: Opportunities: these are possible factors

you can organise or have access to which may assist you in making the best short film possible. For example: someone in your extended family has a bach or office which would be in the perfect location, there’s an event in the school calendar that would be a good chance to create a crowd scene, Weta Workshop just called saying you could borrow their equipment for a week post-production, etc.


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5. SWOT Analysis: Threats: these are possible factors you

may not have control over which could interfere with you making (or even completing) the best short film possible. For example, shooting outdoor scenes in Term 3 could be ruined by winter weather, your lead actors are a couple and could break up before production is finished, etc.


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5. SWOT Analysis: Strategies: these are ways in which you

will overcome the weaknesses and threats you have identified in order to make the best short film possible. For example, having a second script ready to move outdoor scenes indoors due to bad weather, changing your production schedule so that your cameraman can head off for tournament week, etc.

Answer all the ‘What if…?’ questions!


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6. Production lists and paperwork: Crew and talent: secure services of crew

and talent as appropriate. Prepare a master list of team members and include home phone numbers if the production involves work out of school hours.

Props and costumes: prepare a master list of props and costumes required and where you will source them. Include names and phone numbers of suppliers


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7. Permissions : Locations: secure the permission to use any

location through the owner of the location. Pay careful attention to identifying safety issues and actions to prevent injuries from occurring.

Talent: you will need to secure agreement with your cast members for them to appear in your short film. This becomes a contract for them to be involved. Be sure that they have copies of the production schedule and know what is required of them.


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8. Revisions : Revise any aspects of your plan as a result

of audio changes or other technical, practical, aesthetic or story considerations.

In practice, revision will be an on-going process right through all the stages of the production.

And you are being assessed on re-working!

Be flexible!


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Good luck And ‘break a leg!’

Technology

Design and plan 3.5