Research Post Media Theory Cambridge Project

Research

I researched many different media theories that are commonly used in mystery and action films. After researching, I decided to integrate Roland Barthes' Narrative Codes theory, which is the use of signs that either move the plot and narrative forward or have another connotation behind it. 

There are five types of narrative codes in the Barthes' theory. The first is the Hermeneutic (Enigma) Code, which is when a narrative withholds information in order to develop the  mystery or leave the audience with unanswered questions. Films in the mystery genre commonly use this narrative code to engage with the audience and encourage them to continue watching the film in order to uncover the truth.

The second is the Proairetic (Action) Code which is when there are actions or events that suggest that further actions will follow. Films in the action genre typically use this code in situations like chases or conflicts to build up anticipation and move the plot forward.

Barthes also identifies that there are Semantic and Symbolic Codes. Semantic codes are signs within a production that carry connotative meanings beyond their literal use, while symbolic codes are signs or symbols that represent oppositions or contrasts, such as good versus evil. A good example of the use of a semantic code can be found in Alfred Hitcock's Psycho (1960), where Marion Crane tears up a paper and flushes it down the toilet which signifies the importance of the information and her need to hide it.

Finally, Cultural Codes which refer to concepts outside of the production, and include historical, social, literary, or even pop culture references. An example of this can be seen in Deadpool, where there are frequent uses of pop culture references and fourth wall breaks to speak to the audience directly. However, the effectiveness of the use of cultural codes depends on if the target audience recognizes and understands the references.

Integration

After choosing Barthes' Narrative Codes theory, I considered on how to integrate the codes into my film opening. I will integrate enigma codes by withholding information about the antagonist's identity, motivations, and what is their ultimate goal. 

I will incorporate semantic and symbolic codes by tying in a deeper meaning behind the necklace which will be more significant than just a stolen object. The design and importance of the necklace could suggest that it matters more than just an antiquity. I could also subtly include cultural codes by referencing other pieces of media through background details, such as book titles or visual references, to add on more meaning and reward the more attentive viewers.

Group Meeting #1 Review

 Group Meeting #1

On Monday my teacher divided the class up into groups to set up our first group meeting. The main goal of the meeting was to share each of our story ideas, receive feedback from the other students, and learn from each other's ideas and approaches. I was placed in a group with the following students that are listed below, with each member presenting their story in that exact order.

Group Members and Story Feedback

Manuella - Genre: Psychological Thriller

Manuella was the first one in our group to present her idea, which followed a story about a family that is having dinner with their son, despite the fact that their son died in an accident. This story fit well within the psychological thriller genre as it was extremely unsettling. She was a little unsure on how to clearly portray that the son was dead, so different members of the group offered suggestions. I suggested showing a framed photograph of the son being placed face down or include some white flowers near the framed photo to signify and symbolically represent that he had died. 

Andreina - Genre: Horror/Thriller

Andreina's story was about a teenage girl who's experiencing supernatural events in her home. that are caused by a ghost/entity. I initially didn't understand, but she clarified that the paranormal occurrences were intentional and that she was going to link it to an unknown motive. I believed her plot to already be strong, so the main suggestion I gave was for her to focus on developing the entity's backstory and motive for its actions.

Andres(Me) -Genre: Mystery/Action

I presented my idea after Andreina and explained my story to the rest of the group and told them that I was struggling with the setting for the antagonist's introduction. My original idea involved it taking place in a museum, where the antagonist would steal a necklace that would act as a MacGuffin for the story, but the location was unideal. One group member suggested changing the setting to a house, which would make it more realistic and a lot easier to film. This also solved another issue I had, as the necklace could be stored inside a safe or a jewelry box instead of being displayed on a mannequin.

Left image was my original idea for setting but much darker and had a glowing stand at the end that had the image on the right inside of it.

Sebas - Genre: Horror/Thriller

Sebas shared his story to the rest of the group that was about one or more characters inside a parking lot stumbling upon a mysterious bag that contained an object or entity that places them into a trance and would make them seemingly disappear. I suggested that he make it so that only one person gets placed into a trance as it would make more sense narratively and easier to portray to the audience.

Julia - Genre: Drama

Julia presented and explained her idea to the rest of the group. She didn't have a full idea but she did know that it was going to be about a woman experiencing grief. Although, she didn't know over whether to have stem from the loss of a family member or a lover. The group helped her clarify her idea, and I suggested to her to represent the death of the woman's lover/family through a picture frame and white flowers to represent the loss without the use of dialogue.

Juan - Genre: Action/Thriller

Juan stated that he wanted to incorporate a fight scene and a flashback, but he did not have the narrative of the story. He initially, was going to start with the flashback, but I suggested that he start with the fight scene and transition it into the flashback later, I used the opening of Deadpool as an example. This would help provide clearer context and avoid any confusion about what was happening. I also suggested that he clearly identifies who the antagonist is during the fight scene.

Camilla - Genre: Drama

Camilla's story was about a girl in her bedroom hallucinating her dead sister. She struggled on how to reveal that the girl wasn't real. I suggested using a panning shot that shows both of the sisters together at the start, then reveals that the protagonist is alone as the camera moves behind her, which would confirm the fact that she is hallucinating.

Taryn - Genre: Sci-fi

Taryn's idea was centered around two sisters surviving in a forest on a post-apocalyptic world. She acknowledged the fact that creating a film in this genre was going to be difficult but that she would try.  One of her issues was that she was unsure on how to show that an apocalypse had occurred and that there were few survivors. I suggested using props like a skeleton to imply death and a lack of survivors, although she mentioned that she might explore any alternative methods as well.

Film Credits Cambridge Project

 Initial Idea

Originally, my partner Marat and I wanted to incorporate the credits by placing them on the sticky notes displayed on the investigation board. We thought it would be a cool and creative way to include the credits while reinforcing the mystery genre. However, after discussing this idea with our teacher, we were strongly advised that we should change the location of the credits due to several problems.

 First of all, it would be very challenging to accomplish with our current skill level. Second of all, the audiences typically expect for sticky notes in films for the mystery genre to contain clues and details instead of production credits. By including the credits in this format, it could break immersion and confuse the viewers, which would ruin the effectiveness of the opening. Finally, later on we decided to change the beginning of the film opening to shift the focus towards the antagonist instead of the protagonist, which made the sticky notes and investigation board to be less applicable.

As a result, we instead decided to include our credits during the introduction of the antagonist. While the antagonist steals the MacGuffin, we will have the credits appear as white text coming out from the darkness. However, before finalizing this idea, we did research on how other films in the mystery genre did their credit sequences.

Research

The main purpose of credit scenes is to acknowledge the key staff members involved in the making of the film, often including directors, producers, writers, editors, lead actors, and cinematographers. However, filmmakers take various different stylistic approaches when it comes to presenting the credits. Some films use simple and subtle credit sequences so that it doesn't distract the audience from the actual film. While, other films use unique visuals, stylized fonts, and special effects to represent the film's themes and tone.

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Sherlock Holmes does not present the credits in the opening, instead showing them at the end of the film. The end credits use very artistic illustrations and representations of iconic scenes in the movie. This creates a visually pleasing recap of the iconic moments in the film, which allow the audience to engage and recall on the moments they enjoyed. Because the credits appear only after the film has concluded, the visuals can be extravagant and elaborate without taking away anything from the story itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr2uPF83-m0

Knives Out (2019)

Likewise, Knives out doesn't have the credits in the opening, but instead has them at the end of the film. For most of the credits, the credits are shown as just white text on a black background. This approach creates a sense of irony on the film itself by having the simple white text contrast with the complexity of the mystery. However, when the credits for the main cast appear, they are placed in illustrated portraits that copy the visual styles of artwork seen in the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb3AXc51BmM

National Treasure (2004)

Similarly again, the film doesn't show the credits in the opening, but shows them at the end of the film. The credits take a very historic aesthetic, displaying various overlapping layers of historical text and visuals. The main credits are in a bright white to clarify that they are the real credits, while the background visuals relate back to the importance of historical events and writings within the narrative. An energetic soundtrack is played alongside the credits which leaves the audience feeling content and satisfied after watching the film. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHPsDl_WQqs

After completing our research, Marat and I decided to continue our plan of introducing the credits during the antagonist's scene. Our research supported the idea that the credits should enhance the tone of the film while being subtle to not distract the audience. By incorporating the credits moderately during the theft of the MacGuffin, we can preserve the immersion while still having it be visually engaging and appropriate for the genre. However, we also accepted the fact that further research into additional films would help us clarify this idea even more.

Film Openings Research Cambridge Project

Changes in story 

There were significant differences between my original film idea and my current one. Initially, my story was going to be a mystery/thriller that contained darker themes and the typical mystery film tropes of mystery movies of having the narrative revolve around a murder or a kidnapping. However, after researching some films within the mystery/thriller genre I realized that the trope was heavily overused. As a result, I wanted to do something more original that would still engage with the audience. 

So I thought that instead of a simple murder case we could do a different type of mystery and do a sort of treasure hunt similar to the movie National Treasure (2004). This inspired me to change it which allowed the opening to include more action/adventure elements, instead of overly relying on the suspense and darker themes. This adjustment allowed the film to appeal to different audiences by interesting the viewers that enjoy intellectual content alongside the more action/adventure viewers by making it more engaging.

Originally, the film opening was supposed to revolve around the protagonists, and using background details like newspaper headlines, theories on sticky notes, and photographs of evidence or traces left by the antagonist to establish the context. However, after discussing our idea with our teacher, she suggested to us that it would more effective to develop the context through the portrayal of the antagonist instead. As a result, the beginning part of the film opening will show the antagonist stealing a MacGuffin, which will immediately establish the conflict, create the mystery, and identify clearly who is the antagonist within the story. It also perfectly aligns with Todorov's narrative theory, where the film heads from equilibrium to disruption. The theft of the Macguffin represents the disruption, and immediately introduces the conflict and pushes the plot forward.

Film Opening 1: National Treasure

The opening of the film begins with a flashback utilizing the "dark and stormy night" trope, where a younger version of the protagonist (Benjamin Franklin Gates) learns about a legendary treasure from his grandfather that was hidden by the Knights Templar/Freemasons. This scene sets up the narrative of the film by notifying both Benjamin and the audience that the six previous generations couldn't find the treasure. This creates the problem that motivates the protagonist.

The film then cuts to a now grown-up Benjamin traversing the Arctic, where there is some light-hearted dialogue and scenes that develop Ben's character as resourceful and intelligent.  The opening also clearly establishes who the antagonist is by contrasting Ben's ideals and passion for history with Ian Howe's greed. This follows the Propp narrative theory by immediately defining the dynamic between hero and villain.

Film Opening 2: Sherlock Holmes (2009)

The opening of the film hooks the audience very effectively by having a bunch of unanswered questions. Some examples include, the identity of the guards in the carriage preparing for some sort of confrontation, why is the protagonist (Sherlock Holmes) going after the cult, the purpose of the cult, and several other questions.

The atmosphere being very dark and eerie reinforces the mystery genre and increase the tension within the viewer. Additionally, the opening establishes the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, which highlights their chemistry by showing how in-sync they are. The showcasing of Holmes's ability to analyze his surroundings and predict outcomes with extreme precision establishes his intelligence alongside his and Watson's physical ability to take down multiple men shows that they aren't just intelligent. This establishes exactly who are the protagonists.

Film Opening 3: Knives Out

The opening of the film does a great job of establishing the tone and setting with an establishing shot of the mansion, which appears very dark and isolated with it being surrounded by fog and dark forests. This immediately sets up the mystery narrative. The film also uses props very heavily with the most noticeable one being a mug reading "My house, My Rules, My Coffee!" which foreshadows the type of power structure within the family later on in the film. 

 The various pieces of unsettling and decor also suggest that the person living here is very wealthy, and that there may be hidden secrets, and encourages the audience to search for any clues. The interactions between the women that seems to be the housekeeper, and Mr. Thrombey establishes a clear power dynamic between them. The opening ends with the revelation of Mr. Thrombey's death, ending on a cliffhanger that encourages and motivates the audience to continue watching the rest of the film to figure out who it was.

 

Takeaways

I learned many things and got plenty of inspiration from these films. First, after watching National Treasure, I realized I wanted it to have lighter themes and not follow typical mystery tropes. Then, after watching Sherlock Holmes, I realized that I wanted to include more details about the dynamics and relationships between supporting characters. Finally, after watching Knives Out, I realized that alongside simple props, that I wanted to have props that had a deeper meaning behind it as well. 

Research Blog Cambridge Project

Research: Props (Mystery Genre)

When I was doing research to find inspiration for my film opening, I came up with some ideas for the plot of my own film opening. After finishing up the main premise of the opening I realized that I would have to gather and use props in the production of the film as props play a very important role in communicating parts of the story to the audience. So after I realized this I went and researched props that are commonly used often in mystery films in order see examples of how mystery movies use props to help create meaning. The research provided a few common examples like newspapers, investigation boards, magnifying glasses, and flashlights just to name a few, all of which are often used to convey clues and build up the mystery.

Reasons why props are important

Props are essential in mystery movies because they help provide crucial clues and evidence that move the narrative forward and encourages audience interaction by persuading them to try and solve the mystery themselves. They often help guide and attract the audience's attention towards important details while still keeping the suspense and secrecy. Filmmakers in the genre can create hidden codes or correlations that keep the viewers engaged and wondering about what is happening.

In addition, they also contribute to things like character development and setting. For example, simple everyday objects can reveal things like a character's personality and lifestyle even if there is no dialogue.  People may not realize this at first just like I how didn’t realize when I was first beginning this class but after taking this course I do realize that they help do all of this and much more. They can also carry a deeper meaning and representation that can help support the themes within the story. A good example of this can be seen in Alfred Hitcock’s Psycho (1960) where the female character(Marion Crane) was flushing down the toilet torn paper which contained evidence of money that she had stolen and emphasizes her guilt and increased the tension within the audience. The prop makes a very short appearance but in the short time it was made very clear that it was important and added onto the mystery (Spoiler) when she died shortly afterwards which subverted audience's expectations. This also showed how props can be used to mislead viewers and dramatize certain events.

Ideas for Props

Below are some of the original ideas for props that we had before conducting our research. Props shown in brackets were removed due to cost, practically, and other limitations.

• Envelopes - (Similar to coded messages in other media like the Riddler in DC media that would provide clues to push the investigation forwards, while leaving an iconic symbol like the cards in the video game and series Persona 5)
• Newspapers - (Feaurting headlines related to the antagonist, providing additional context about previous events)
• Sticky notes - (Used to contain recorded discoveries and theories related to the antagonist)
• {Moving whiteboard} - (Originally intended to organize the clues but removed due to practicality)
• Half-Empty coffee mugs And Empty Ramen Cups(Used to imply the protagonist’s character by showing his lifestyle and obsession with the case)

Below are some of the ideas for props that we came up with after the research

• Photographs(Used to show some physical evidence the protagonist has so far as well as to allow the audience to visually assess and understand the investigation.)
• Blackboard( A location to display the photographs and sticky notes, to reinforce the investigation-board trope commonly used in mystery films.)
• Necklace(Acts as part of the MacGuffin that gets stolen and is what drives the protagonist forward which follows Propp’s Narrative Theory (1928) that also sets up the main antagonist of the film)

Below are some potential ideas that we may or may not use.

• Eviction papers/Unpaid bills(Could be used to develop the protagonist’s character by showing his financial situation and could provide an additional motivation for the case)
• Mask(Could be used to make the mystery about what is the antagonist’s identity more intriguing and apply to the costume design of the characters)

Cambridge Project Schedule

Designing a Timeline

Making a timeline for this large project is one of the best things you can do as it allows you to organize and schedule your time clearly and makes it clear what to do and when to do it. I've learned the importance from this class as it would be to terrible to be scrambling to finish work every week and stressing out over it. So making the timeline first is the most efficient method of staying on track to finish this project.

Establishing Phases of Project

We will be splitting up the project into different sections where we will do different tasks in each one.

1. Research

• Research, view, and analyze examples of film openings within the genre I selected to find inspiration for my project

• Research, view, and analyze examples of the plots of films within the genre I selected to find inspiration for my project.

2. Planning

• Come up with the main premise of my project

• Write the script for the film opening

• Find any music if necessary

• Create a storyboard

• Find actors/production members to participate in the project

• Select date and location for filming

3. Production

• Film Scenes for film opening

• Record Foley Sounds if necessary

• Record Voiceover if necessary

4. Editing

• Edit all of the footage together

• Add the title and credits of the film opening

• Adjust Foley sounds and Voiceover if necessary

5. Reviewing

• Review and analyze the current state of the video

• Make revisions if needed

6. Creative Critical Reflection

• Research information required for the reflection

• Create the reflection

• Edit and Review CCR

There are 7 weeks remaining from the point I finish this post until the deadline. It was heavily recommended to us to have a buffer week in case of any problems or errors that may occur.

Timeline

(Same list but breaking it down based on week)

Week 1 (1/16-1/23)

• Research
• Start planning for the opening and come up with potential ideas
•  Plan Ideas for the plot
• Start creating a script

Week 2 (1/26-2/1)

• Finish planning
• Create a Storyboard 
• Find a location and time to film at
• Find actors
• Set filming days

• Possibly start filming

Week 3 (2/2-2/8)

• Start Producing
• Continue filming
• Record Voiceovers if necessary
• Start recording foley if necessary

Week 4 (2/9-2/15)

• Begin Editing

Week 5 (2/16-2/22)

• Continue editing
• Analyze how it is going
• Review every part of it

Week 6 (2/23-3/1)

•  Add any revisions that are necessary
• Creative Critical Reflection
• Research information relating to the reflection.
• Create the reflection.
• Edit and review CCR.

Week 7 (3/2-3/8)

• Buffer week.
• In case any problems arise

Conclusion

Im going to try my hardest to follow and stick to my schedule and correct it if any problems occur. In past projects I have done terribly with scheduling and organizing my time to work on them, but this time I will do my utmost effort to stick to it and I will hold myself accountable now so I can have a better result.

Portfolio Project Genre #2

Type of Genre                           

I've decided to do a film opening with the thriller genre. I chose this genre because it seems like a very interesting genre to try and make a film opening of.

Characteristics of Genre

Films in the thriller genre tend to use the colors red, black, and deep blue to represent and evoke a sense of danger, fear, and coldness within the mise-en-scene to make it feel unsettling within the films to make people be aware of the "high-stakes" of the situation. The usual types of lighting and visual techniques used in thrillers include low-key lighting and high-contrast lighting which work together to create a dramatic and sinister effect, dark shadows/silhouettes to hide a character's facial features to create a feeling of anonymity, mystery, and danger, and spotlighting and motivated lighting to make the frame feel claustrophobic to make the audience feel trapped, increasing their tension. Most films in the thriller genre are focused around a race against time, a feeling of suspense and anticipation, and mostly feature a protagonist overcoming threats and obstacles placed or sent by the antagonist which follows Vladmir Propp's Character Theory where there are 7 types of characters two of them being the hero who is the protagonist and the villain being the antagonist who obstructs the hero and works against them.

  

Typical Target Audience

The typical audiences of films in the thriller genre had ages range from as young as 15 to around 50 although the core demographic consisted mostly of people who are between 15 and 35 years old. Movies in the thriller genre tend to appeal to people who are drawn to suspense, psychological tension, or in other cases violent or intellectual content. The different sub-genres have different demographic with more mature audiences viewing more psychological or romantic thrillers, while younger (mostly male) audiences view more action/crime thrillers.

Friends(1994-2004)

Genre Conventions with Content

The content usually shown in thriller movies tend to consist of a serious threat whether it would be a killer, or a conspiracy, or just a ticking clock which will often put the protagonist in danger and put them
in situations that are high-stakes with the protagonist fighting for their safety and survival. Films also tend to have a fast-moving plot with a constant stream of obstacles either by the antagonist or for other reasons. They typically show themes of fear, survival, power and control, and psychological instability

Genre Conventions with Techniques

Techniques that are often used in the mystery genre include some visual techniques like having dark color palettes and the use of handheld shots to heighten the emotional stakes and make it seem more realistic. Some sound techniques like the use of loud and suspenseful music to "amp the stakes" and make a scene more climatic and sudden sound cues like jump scares to spike the audience's adrenaline and increase engagement. Some editing techniques like having a fast pacing and rapid cuts during action scenes to heighten the tension, accelerate the pacing, and to mask the limitations of actors or stunts. Some narrative techniques like cliff-hangers to keep the audience wondering, red herrings to distract the audience and protagonist, and flashbacks to reveal the truth behind certain events.

Insidious(2010)

Institutional Conventions

Some techniques that are used for the marketing of films in the thriller genres are the showing of trailers that emphasize danger and urgency on social media with media convergence on platforms like Youtube or others like X, TikTok, and Instagram alongside posters in places like theaters, bus-stops, or billboards that show things that give off an intense and dark narrative image alongside symbolic items or objects. Some techniques that are used for the distribution of films in the thriller genre such as playing it in theaters and following that up with a rapid and wide-reaching upload to digital streaming platforms so people can access it freely.

Shutter Island(2010)

Films in Genre

Now You See Me(2013)

Movie about an FBI agent and Interpol detective tracking down and attempting to bring to justice a team of magicians who pull off bank heists and robberies.

Adam Project(2022)

Movie about a time-traveling fighter Pilot that teams up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future after unintentionally crash landing in 2022.

The Dark Knight(2008)

Movie about Batman alongside allies like Lt. Jim Gordon and DA Harvey Dent fighting a new criminal who calls himself the Joker who forces Batman to tread the line between heroism and vigilantism.

Portfolio Project Genre #1

Type of Genre                           

I've decided to do a film opening with the mystery genre. I chose this genre because it seems like a very interesting genre to try and make a film opening of.

Characteristics of Genre

Films in the mystery genre tend to use the colors black and grey within the mise-en-scene to represent and convey the sense of "mystery" within the films alongside potentially giving off feelings of sophistication and sorrow. Films in the mystery genre tend to use a lot of low-key lighting to create a gloom and dark atmosphere while making the viewer feel a sense of suspense, dread, and anticipation about what will happen next or what's about to be revealed.  Most if not all films in the mystery genre are focused around the solution of a problem or crime.The main characters in mystery films tend to be detectives, private investigators, or rookie sleuths, with the protagonist usually being presented with an array of suspects who have the motive to do the crime and they have to figure which ones are innocent and which ones are guilty.

This is Not a Murder Mystery(Not out yet)

  

Typical Target Audience

The typical audiences of films in the mystery genre had ages range from as young as 15 to as old as 45 although the core demographic consisted mostly of people who are between 18 and 30 years old. Movies in the mystery genre tend to appeal to people who like viewing more intellectual content involving problem-solving and stories relying on stories or clues over stories about violence.

Genre Conventions with Content

The content usually shown in mystery movies tend to consist of a crime or unexplained event, an investigation, a detective/investigator, red herrings to mislead the audience away from the culprit or truth like how it was done in Frozen where (Spoilers) Hans is revealed to be the villain, and a final reveal where the truth is revealed and the mystery is solved. It also tends to contain themes of justice, logic and reasoning, and truth vs deception.

Frozen(2013)

Genre Conventions with Techniques

Techniques that are often used in the mystery genre include some visual techniques like having dark color palettes and close-up shots on clues, important objects or character reactions(example: sweating out of nervousness), some sound techniques like the use of subtle background music to dramatize the reveal(or create suspense) or silence to encourage focus on something on the screen, some editing techniques like having a slower pacing so that the viewer can see and analyze everything on screen, and some narrative techniques like flashbacks to show theories that the characters have at the moment or show what actually happened. Another technique that is done to make mystery movies more enjoyable is restrict information available to maintain the mystery and keep the truth hidden until the end.

Ratatouile(2007)

Institutional Conventions

Some techniques that are used for the marketing of films in the mystery genre are the showing of trailers that emphasize intrigue on social media with media convergence on platforms like Youtube or others like X, TikTok, and Instagram alongside posters in places like theaters, bus-stops, or billboards that show detectives/investigators, clues, and other points of interest to create intrigue and show a story that focuses on investigation and reasoning. Some techniques that are used for the distribution of films in the mystery genre such as episodic formats with series in the genre or having it show up quickly and heavily on streaming platforms so people can access it freely.

Films in Genre

Sherlock Holmes(BBC 2010-2017)

Series about detectives Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson as they solve modern and complex mysteries and crimes.

 

Knives Out(2019)

Movie about the murder of a wealthy crime novelist on his 85th birthday and main suspects are his dysfunctional family.

Weapons(2025)

Movie about the mysterious disappearance of an entire class of children except for one all disappearing simultaneously in a small town.

Portfolio Project Transition Post

Transitioning to Cambridge Portfolio Project 

This past week we have learned about the instructions for our portfolio projects and the requirements we will need to fulfill to receive a good grade. So from this point forward, all of my future posts will be about the development and process of my submission for the Cambridge Portfolio Project. All of the previous blog posts have helped me organize and store all of my new knowledge that I have learned from this class. To be completely honest, the task seemed very daunting to me at first due to seeing how extensive all of the work has to be and the high standards, but I am already formulating ideas on what to do, which genre it will be, and how to do everything I want to do. To start us off on our projects  teacher showed us a few good examples of previous submitted film openings and taught us about what made them be considered good.

One of the approaches I am primarily considering doing is developing character techniques. I like using this one because the character development relies on things like the dialogue that the characters is apart of,  the design of the character, and the interactions between the character and their environment, which all work together to provide a lot of insight about who my character is, what type of person they are, and can allude to their background. It is a great way to start a film opening because you can develop all of this one character and still expand on it by focusing on other characters or the relationship between the characters within the same opening. 

Another approach that I am considering is the establishment of background techniques. The establishment of background techniques mostly relies on mice-en-scene elements to develop the context without the use of character dialogue. Another thing they rely on is the establishment of the setting which is the location the character is in and includes prop details, costume design, make-up, representations that may allude to future events that will occur later on. All of this combined can create a lot of intrigue if you show specific things that the viewer does not fully understand individually but can piece it all together by the end. Through the use of many different shots or angles you can provide another way of viewing an object, person, or location which can build up the background and context even more.ss

Music Marketing Project #2

Blog Posting Music Marketing #1

Music Marketing #1 Research Project

Project Rules

For this project we got in groups of about 4-5 people and were randomly assigned a music genre to research marketing and distribution practices associated with our assigned genre. We each had to choose one music production company and two artists/bands that are under the company we selected. There were a few conditions that we had to follow for selecting our artists/bands such as they must have produced and released music within the past five years and we could not select a music artist/band outside of our respective genre.

Planning Process

To figure out which artist and company I would choose I searched up popular Indie/Alternative and found a band I liked and I had originally selected Foo Fighters but I discovered that the production company behind them only produced them so I could not use them. I kept looking and discovered that one of my favorite bands fell under the Alternative genre, the band being Linkin Park. I looked into the company behind them and found another band that I knew about which ended up under the same genre which was Muse. They both were under the production company Warner Bros. Records.

Research

After selecting my company and bands, I immediately went to their websites to find out what I needed to know. I first went to the Warner Bros. Records website to learn about the company's history and what were their major artists/groups. I then did my research on Linkin Park by going to their website which showed me the band's history, what platforms they use, and that they were doing a world tour right now and were selling tickets to it. For the other things I had to research other resources for things like their brand and what marketing and distribution techniques they used. After finishing up the research on Linkin Park I went to research Muse by going to their website where I learned the group's history, and other things such as their most recent album being in 2022 being called "Will of the People" and that they went on a tour to promote the album. I again had to go to other resources to find out things such as their target audience, marketing and distribution methods, and branding.

Below are the the bands I selected and their company image

Ex: Warner Bros. Records

Ex: Linkin Park

Ex: Muse