Task One – Understand requirements for a specific media production

When thinking about creating a new film pre production should always be on a young persons mind.there are many things to think about when creating a new film/short film. finance,time, personnel, facilities, materials, contributors, location and codes of practise and regulation.

http://industry.bfi.org.uk/whatwefund
http://filmlondon.org.uk/business_and_training/finance/microbudget_2
http://www.kickstarter.com/discover/categories/film%20&%20video

Finance: when researching finance the main company that funds young people in there films says nothing about funding young people creating short films. 

The BFI will fund any person who has created a feature film before.  It explains for first time directors, the funding budget is under 2,000,000, which is a lot of money for a first time director. 


There are also a lot of other ways for a person to raise money to create there film. For example there is a company called 'Film London' running a project called 'Film London Microwave' giving new film producers a chance to start up there new films. This scheme has been up and running since 2006 in partnership with the BBC films. The main things that microwave provides is production funding, bespoke mentoring and training, professional development and support from script to scene. This programme has helped many young people to follow there dreams of become a young film creator. A film that has been completed with the help of microwave is 'Freestyle' written by Michael Maynard, a film of an urban romance combined and set in the world of freestyle basketball. It went on general release in the UK on the 26th of February, this whole film was funded by Film london microwave which helped this young filmmaker, the scheme helped with the facilities that he needed to create his film as well as getting people staff to help with the production of it. Another example is in the making but it also getting support from this scheme is 'kingsland' written and directed by Tony Grisoni. All these films that are helped to become a feature film is because of the scheme, they help for most things decided in the pre production stage. From hiring cast and staff to run the set for props, location, and costume. It helps film makers collect all they need to show of there skills of film making. 
Another way to help new film makers is the website 'Kisckstaters' this website gives u a chance for members of the public to help you out by giving you money to help out with your film it also gives your movie publicity so the public can fund in something there are interested in. You have a set date of when your film has to be taken down and the pledging is over. This is another good way for young film makers to earn money on there own accord.  Everything used on a film set needs to be payed for making film creating even more expensive then just making the film. For example location has to be decided and paid for depending on your film and what genre your film is going to be under. Cast has to be paid, an actor with more dialogue in a film has to be paid more then someone who is used for a background character, so planning how many characters are using dialogue and how many arnt is another branch of finance that has to be looked at. Also the crew, the crew normally gets paid by the hour so hiring the right amount of people working on set could raise our budget if not checked when planning. A camera that is going to give out an amazing result with high definition is also ways key when filming but don't come at a low price so also has to be checked and if your hiring the camera the longer you use the camera the higher the price will be.

Theres many more things to worry about when trying to think about what features you have to pay for so managing your money and planning before you start filming could help with your budget and seeing how much money you are spending. When going through my research I found that theres no information that shows me that there is filming for short films, looking on the BFI and film london and typing in on google there is no set information explaining there funding for anything but feature films.

Time: 

Time is also another branch to think about when creating a film, many deadlines are needed, for example in kickstarters you film has a deadline of 3 months until your film is taking down and the donations are stopped . Certain films have certain deadlines, this is so everything is completed so everything can be given to the editor this is so the film can be out and ready by its release date. Also if equipment is hired, that equipment has to be given back on the certain date that you have asked or the supplier has asked. staff are also paid by the hour so the longer the production takes to film the more money has to be given to staff, many film makers want there film to be as cheap as possible. so time is a big impact when it come into paying people by there time pre planning is a way to help organise the set and help set p the story line so mistakes on set wont be made and all discussions that do take up time will be done off set and in in time which is not being paid for.

Personnel:

To make this idea of yours come to life and being produced as a feature film, staff are needed to be hired to help out, there are many roles to take up on a film set which are important to help create the production of the film. Theres the cast, to make your idea become reality and to act out your script. The location manager that set up lighting and setting making sure everything is in place before the camera starts filming making sure props are in the right place if they are needed for the scene and lighting is right for the location creating atmosphere for the viewer, costume designer designing and creating costumes for each character bringing out there personality and giving the viewer an insight on to what the character is like and how he/she behaves  , make up artist to create scares or bruises to make girls or boys look made up to create stereotypes and to help characters look airbrushed so they look perfect on camera , director to create the film telling actors what and where they should go and do bringing the script into something that audiences can relate to and find enjoyable to watch. A producer helping create the script by helping with the funding and help hiring the personal which help create the film, casting director to choose the appropriate actors which bring the characters alive and portray then in a way which viewers find interesting and exiting. 

The experience of the staff ranges throughout them, some staff could of had years of experience doing there role for many different film sets learning new skills and understanding there role within a film set for the best results. Then theres others that are new to the crew and find there role new , for example graduates coming from a film school of a different university without film set experience which are learning new skills throughout there time on set and working with other crew members, when the crew is looking for a job on a film set a more experienced person who has done different films is going to have more of a CV that is going to stand out from others due to there experience.

The size of the crew really depends on the film and how much money the producer has to hire different crew members, this goes back to the funding, a film with more money behind it which involves a bigger cast and crew, a film with less money will focus on the needs due to there budget which will create a smaller team of people.  


Facilities: 
All feature films need some type of facilities, but this also come to a high price to get the best cameras and sound booths for better end results. A university in westminster runs a course that specialises in films but also uses high tec equipment. From camera to green rooms surround sounds 16mm cameras and more, which could help out witch the production of a young persons film. Also post production equipment is needed to finish off a film and to add an take things out that are not needed and make each shot flow into one another which makes it more comfortable to watch for an audience. Making a short film has a number of challenges when it comes to facilities. when making a short film some of the equipment that is needed can not bought or is not present whilst filming so outsourcing is needed. outsourcing is hiring out film equipment which they do not have. A number of outsourcing companies are available in the Uk. A outsourcing company that helps this is 'Accenture' this company helps film makers collect information and facilities they need to help them produce there film. 

Materials:
loads of materials are used when producing a short film. from soundtrack to costume and make up. all are used to create a short film and to create a certain feel to this film which an audience can relate to. Here are a few films which uses different materials like costume, soundtrack and others.

   In this 'example of she's the man' the materials that are used in an soundtrack which, is licensed that is used to open the film from universal music enterprises using this material creates   the atmosphere and  gives the film a certain type of target audience. As the link shows this song that plays at the start of this film is under licence by the universal music enterprises  which means that the song has been paid for to be featured in this film.

Another example of materials is in this film 'Warm bodies'. The main theme of this film is the undead, to present this so an audience is aware of this theme costume and make up is used to present this. The man character which is part of the undead is wearing makeup to make him seem lifeless and dead by making his skin pale giving him gruesome scares and making his skin darker in some places. his costume also reassembles him being part of the undead due to the rips in his clothing and also the dirt and grime that are placed o his clothing.

contributors:
There are a load if things that help contribute to the production of a short film, from advertising, to public notice, to the support from specilsts and experts. All these contrubtions help with the films finance gettig Them noticed to bigger compernines to help there film sell and become populer. To create a buzz about a new upcoming film giving it some sort of advertisment helps to get the film out. For example kickstart is a way of advitising a new film and aslo gaining money to fund it, when putting your movie onto  this websit it is then show to different members on the ublic because of this sight and also because it has been put up onto the internet for other internet uses to find out about it or find a link to the website.

 Locations:
There are always different risks and limatations when trying to find different locations and settings for your short film. For example if you would like to film in a location that you live in for example islington you have to ask permision to film in that part of london. There is a website where you can contact different people which coulp help you get the permission you need to film in this area. film london is a way of getting in contact with different people who can help. Also if you do get the permission to use a cetrin part of london you will also need some sort of permision if you are invovling an important building in your film like the london eye or the shard. This could also be something to look into whilst planning a sort film. To create an effective short film with continuity throught weather is a big worry if your trying to create this continuity. Making sure that the weather in the same if there is no change on the script. This could be hard because you are a short film maker because you dont have the use of a studio where weather could be created by aterfical material, so finding out you local weather forcast is needed before starting you filming. oes Also making sure that the location you have in mind is in esay distance from where you are now. If not then it goes back to finance paying for your travel which could cost alot depending on where you want your location to be.

Codes of practise and regulations:
There are many things to think about and looking into when it comes to codes and regulations of a film. Alot of short film makers use soundtrack to create a differnt moods for the audiance watcing. To use a soundtrack which is created by an artist you will need permission and to givoe them some sort of payment. For example to use one of beyonces hits you would need to pay to use her song and get ther permission to use it in your film. If you fail to get this then this will be seen as copyright, your film will not be shown and ther person who owns the track that you used will sue and ask for money. Same with location which i touched on in the locations section above needing permission to use location if this is failed and you are caught filming by poice and fail to hand over a in date permit they can ask you to pack up your equipment and asked to leave with a very expensive fine. Another thing to focas on whilst rfilming is health and saftey. all health and saftey checks have to be made before anyone goes on to the location of choice to make sure its safe for everone woking on the location. If this is not done somwthing could happen in this location which cauld cause injury for someone in the cast and crew. they could try and get compansation, if they see that no heath and satey check has been made a fine and the payment of the crews injury witll come out of your pocket.

Task 1 - Narrative

Task 1 – Narrative

Linear

There are many different techniques that fit into a single camera production one of them being linear and non linear, flashback, antirealist endings being open and closed.

Linear is telling the story in a straight line starting at the beginning then moving to the middle then proceeding at the end like a normal story or film. This creates an easy understanding of the plot so every action and dialogue links and is connected with each other. Most if not all films and stories have a linear sequence to make viewing easier and more comfortable to watch. 

There are many example of this linear sequence in many films here are some:

In this example ‘Bad teacher’  which is also a single camera production it starts with a beginning which is Cameron diaz breaking off from her successful partner having to go back to her life as a middle school teacher, the audience then discovers she is a bad teacher. The middle then shows her need for a breast implants and to get this was to get the Christmas bones and to get this was being the best class as well as trying to get the attention of her attractive colleague and trying to beat another college of hers. Then it moves to the ending with her getting with the guy who has loved her through the film and stays on at the middle school without the breast implants. When watching this example the scenes and actions swiftly and smoothly run into each other due to linear sequence of flowing from begging meddle and end which makes it easy and more comfortable to view for an audience and more enjoyable knowing that there is equilibrium then a twist as it turns into disequilibrium then turn into a new equilibrium, Which is shown clearly in a linear sequence.

In this example of ‘she’s the man’ again another single camera production it also shows a linear sequence. Starting with a beginning showing a American soccer girls team being cut and being turned away from joining the boys soccer team because they were not as strong as them due to their gender. The movies to the middle of the main character viola dressing up as her twin brother and going to his high school whilst he is in London with his music, viola is trying t prove that girls are just as good and as strong as guys. The goes into an ending viola then falls in love with her roommate duke and also proves that girls can play with guys as she plays the big match and scores the winning goal. Having this linear sequence just helps makes the plot easier to put across to an audience also to help show a message or a moral to a viewer by the actions that are accruing in the film due to the sequence of the film.

Nonlinear

Non-linear narrative often starts at the middle of a story or the height of a conflict and then double-backs to the beginning. This creates a different effect when watching and also creates a different storylines for an audience to follow which creates tension and emotion for an audience.

In this example which is a single camera production  it shows a non-linear sequence instead of there being a start middle and end the action and sequences are all in different orders. For example in this short film it starts with death a young man bleeding with a woman over him in a bird’s eye view angle. It this cuts to the next scene which is the same young man sitting on his coach checking his phone. This is a flash forward showing an audience the consequence or the main scene before the buildup is shown, this could be used so the audience can make different assumptions throughout the film deciding who could have caused the death of the character. An audience can also start taking sides of characters and be surprised when all is revealed.

There are a few examples of this Non-linear sequence.