CCR Question 1 Script:
(I forgot to add my script for my previous blog post so here it is)
Me:When directing the opening of Calling Card, one of our main goals was to make it clearly feel like a mystery film, while still adding some of our own original ideas. Mystery films usually follow certain conventions that audiences already expect, so I wanted to use those conventions to appeal to the viewers that have seen plenty of mystery films already and could therefore easily understand the genre and tone of the film. Some examples of these are red herrings, troubled detectives, or characters that unexpectedly turn out to be antagonists.
One of the conventions we used was the trope of the obsessed investigator. In the second scene of the opening, we showed Matthew sleeping on the couch with the room appearing very messy with a newspaper about Shade and other papers as well. Matthew even states that he’s been up late working on this case which helps show that he has been working on this case for a while and it has practically taken over his life. Which leads to a social issue that I will talk about later.
Even though we followed some of the typical mystery genre conventions, we still wanted the story to feel unique. One way we did this was through the inclusion of the deuteragonist, Oliver, aka the second most important character in the story and focused on the relationship between him and Matthew. We show that he cares and worries about Matthew’s well-being, which makes their relationship feel more genuine.
Another convention that we used is the phantom thief trope with the character Shade. Shade is portrayed as a thief who can break into places and escape almost like a ghost leaving behind very little evidence. This is done to make him feel more mysterious and dangerous, as the investigators, police, or really anybody knows how he does it or who he really is.
Our film also represents specific social groups/issues. A lot of mystery films portray their main character as a “lone wolf” someone who works alone and is much smarter and superior compared to everyone else. Characters like Batman, Doctor Who, and Sherlock Holmes are some of the more iconic representations of the archetype. We challenge this convention by having them work together and portray them as equals, which makes them feel more human.
Tying back to what I said earlier, we show the issue of work obsession. Matthew is so focused on the case that he starts ignoring his own health and personal life which reflects what could happen in real life when people become too consumed by their own work and responsibilities. We still showed that Matthew still has some semblance of a life as he showed to have a girlfriend which we wanted to indicate that even though it may feel impossible you can break and exit the cycle.
We also represent the fear of the unknown, which is something that many people experience. Shade represents that fear because nobody knows who he really is or when he might strike again. This uncertainty creates tension for the characters and viewers alike.
CCR Question 2 Research:
How does your product engage with audiences and how would it be distributed as a real media text?
Our film opening engages with audiences by having them try to imagine and guess the answer to various different questions they have as the opening progresses. For example, what’s the identity of Shade, how does he accomplish his heists, what are his motives, etc. All of these questions are put into the audiences’ heads as they try to look for any clue or trace that could lead them to the answer. They also get engaged when they try to imagine what Shade looks like underneath the mask as they create their own mental image of what its most likely going to be. It engages with target audiences that mainly consist of young teenagers to young adults (15-30 years old) with it appealing to audiences that prefer viewing more intellectual content with problem-solving and stories that rely on clues and details over stories about violence.
For the distribution our film would mostly likely be distributed through both physical and digital copies. Physical copies can be distributed in forms like DVDs, hard drives, USBs, etc. while digital copies can be distributed through streaming platforms like Netflix or Youtube. Youtube would garner more attention as it doesn’t cost money and we can post tiny clips and shorts onto the platform which can help with the marketing aspect of our film. Other platforms like TikTok, Prime Video, Hulu, Spotify and other can also be used to help distribute and market the film. Another plan to promote it is to get celebrities or other creators and directors to talk about my film which will increase public awareness about my film.
CCR Question 2 Script
Another important thing I thought about while making Calling Card was how the film would engage the audience. Mystery films work the best when viewers feel interested in the story and want to keep watching to figure out and learn more about what's going to happen next.
One way the film engages with the audience is through imagination. Since Shade’s identity is hidden behind a mask, viewers are left wondering and thinking about what he might look like. This engages the audience as they create their own image about what he might look like when they’re watching the film in their heads.
We also thought about the target audience when creating the film as they are very important to the success of the film. Calling Card is mainly aimed at people between the ages of 15 to 30 who enjoy more intellectual content such as solving puzzles and interesting stories. They prefer this type of content instead of content based mostly on action or violence, as our film focuses more on suspense, storytelling, and relationships between characters.
If Calling Card were to become a real film that releases publicly, it would most likely be distributed through steaming platforms. Streaming services and online video platforms would allow the film to reach a large variety of audiences quickly.
Social media would be used to help promote the film as we could post short teasers and highlights from the film. This could attract attention from viewers and get them interested in watching the full film. This would be extremely effective for reaching younger audiences who, as we learned from AICE Media Studies and statistics, spend a lot of time on social media.
We would also plan to distribute the film through physical copies, such as DVDs, for collectors and people interested in owning a physical version of the film.
Overall, while directing the opening of Calling Card, we accomplished our goal of combining classic mystery conventions with an interesting premise and meaningful themes.
No comments:
Post a Comment