Audience and Institution Essay

In relation to the media area you have studied, discuss the ways audience consumption has changed over time.

Audience consumption for film has changed drastically. Most would say it is for the better. But some ways have some negatives for the way we get to watch films nowadays. Viewers now have options to watch movies in several ways. The main way is through streaming services on the internet.

The first films were named magic lantern shows. People came together in small rooms, pay a few cents and watch moving pictures through slides using machines like The Praxinoscope. Films blossomed in the 1920s, as silent films were the predominant part of film history. In upperclass movie theatres, moviegoers could hear pianos or even an orchestra playing along with the film. Eating popcorn during a movie didn’t become a luxury until 1925 when the first electric popcorn machine was invented. In 1931, movie theaters got a little fancier with the advent of the types of chairs used in the cinemas. Now instead of regular theater seats, chairs were designed so that the person seated could move back when someone else needed to get up to use the restroom. Though movie theaters were standard across the country by the 1930’s, it wasn’t a pleasant viewing experience for all American citizens. If there was no cinema specifically for people of color in the South they were forced to skip the “white only” box office and head up the stairs to the balcony for the designated colored section. As you can see, the way audiences consumed film was extremely different decades ago.

The way we have been watching Films has affected our lives in many different ways. Films such as Black Panther have been given to us in 2D, 3D, and IMAX according to case studies. Movies are premiered in different ways due to the advancement of technology. Movie theaters have expanded all over the world. Now we can see movie theaters on almost every main road. At retail stores like Walmart and Target, sell DVDs of movies such as Fantastic Beast  according to case studies. There has been a transition in history with movies. We can mostly watch them at home now through a variety of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, etc. People do not go to movie theaters as much as they used to. There are also illegal sites that I’ve been on to watch the latest movies that came out. It might not be the same quality but it is better than spending money on overpriced ticketing at theaters.  

Overall, audience consumption has changed significantly due to the fact that the internet is becoming more popular as the years go on and theaters are having less of a purpose because of the improvement of technology.

Movie

This is our final film together. It was a process to complete because the coronavirus appeared delaying the process.

Music Video

This is the music video, we used the song God's Plan by Drake. This is the second recording we did with each other.

Gatorade Commercial

This is our Gatorade commercial. Our first video as a group together.

Filming Blog: Disappointment

Filming has been nonexistent since the pandemic. None of our parents would let us go to each others house. But we are always in contact with our group chat. Michael has been really on his A game with keeping us updated on what we have to do. We are glad that we did finish most of our film. It is very weird being out of school for so long because of a virus. We never went through something like this in our lifetime. No one would have ever expected to be staying inside for weeks. This has taken a toll on our film from being super perfect. All of the footage we have on Edgardo's iPad is all that we have. But we know he will fix all of the parts we need to. Covid-19 is the worst thing that could have happen to us before we even got a chance to re-shoot our film. With it being impossible to film we have to rely on all of those days we were working so hard to make this film. We are so well educated on how to edit and stuff. So, this pandemic has hurt us but did not damage us. This was a very difficult process since we can not leave our homes due to quarantining. Despite all of the tribulations, I can say we are pretty much done with our film. Our chemistry is very good since we did two prior projects with each other. Fulvio was looking forward to finishing our film, so I know he is very disappointed right now. I'm so proud of our group. Without all of us cooperating none of this would be possible.

Filming Blog: So much Fun

Filming together is the most fun I've had in a while. My group is so entertaining. The process of filming was overall great. The difference in this project is that we were all together. Throughout the process, Edgardo suggested that we took breaks. Michael loved the idea so Fulvio and I  agreed with agreed with Edgardo. So in between filming scenes we stopped and got water and something to eat. It's like we bonded together. Edgardo played Michael in a game of basketball. Michael won, I was shocked. My parents are worried about this coronavirus. My mom was very hesitant of letting me go film. In all honesty, it's weird being away from school. It will become very difficult to get our filming done because all of us need parent permission. Now is the time for us to start implementing our scenes. I do not know how this is going to turn out. We have to socially distance ourselves and it is affecting our film schedule. In the mean time, finishing our film is the primary goal. I have my in my group to complete it. It will be a hard process though.

Editing Blog: Bump in the Road

My group and I continued to complete the editing for our video. This process is and has been going very well. We feel as if our movie is truly coming together and will be very interesting when complete. For editing we continued using iMovie. We used this due to the fact we had a tough time using pinnacle studios and had a far simpler time using iMovie whilst we edited our video. Once more Edgardo led the manner, he is excellent at editing. He used his iPad and he worked his magic. We observed the shooting script and inserted the precise transitions in the right spots. This made the movie feel very clean due to us already understanding what transition we want and where we want them. While the editing has been going very smoothly, we have experienced one major road block. This is due to the Coronavirus which has put my group mates and I out of school. This has been especially difficult for my group and I as we still need to reshoot certain parts of our film. Despite this we feel that overall we are on top of the process. Having experience is a huge help. Fortunately, editing is my favorite part of the project and it is the easiest to do without the whole group being together. Although Edgardo did a lot of the work, Fulvio edited a bit. Michael and I gave us guidelines and have been the judges. Having them watch it over gave us a better set of eyes which helped us make the best the film. We discovered a few minor mistakes that were easy to fix. I am so excited that we've got our film almost complete. Although its now not the final product, it is actually good. Overall the editing has been a large achievement and we could not have completed it without each other. We all did our parts and that's why it went so smooth. Editing is getting much simpler and I enjoy it a lot.

Filming Blog: it’s about that time

We finally started the editing process. This filming process went very well, it was a huge success. For editing we used iMovie. We used this because we had a difficult time editing using pinnacle studios and had a way easier time using iMovie when we edited our music video. Once again Edgardo led the way, he is very good at editing. He used his iPad and he worked his magic. We followed the shooting script and inserted the correct transitions in the right spot. This was very easy due to already knowing what transition we want and where we want it. Planning ahead was very smart and played a big role in why we had so much success. It went very smoothly, Edgardo was so impressive. Having experience was a big help, we are really starting to get the hang of editing. Editing is my favorite part of the project. Although Edgardo did a lot of the work, Michael too edited a bit. Fulvio and I gave us tips and were the judges. Having them watch it over was huge, the extra set of eyes helped us perfect the film. They found a few minor mistakes that were easy to fix. I am so excited that we have our film. Although its not the final product, it is really good. Overall the editing process was a huge success and we couldn't have done it without each other. We all did our parts and that's why it went so smooth. Editing is getting much easier and I enjoy it a lot

 

Filming Blog: Finally

It’s about time,We finally did it, we filmed. Today was the day the weather was perfect and our schedules aligned. On Wednesday February 26th it was Michael’s birthday so we were unable to film. Time was moving by very quick and I knew we had to film soon. Edgrado texted in the group chat and asked if Thursday worked for us, we all were free so it was perfect. Fulvio picked a camera up this morning and we were ready. After school got out we met at Michael’s house and begun filming. It went really well, although we did not film the whole movie we got scenes 1-5 in. Filming went way better then I thought it was very smooth. We took multiple shots to insure it was perfect. We did not finishing the film because Fulvio and I  had to be home earlier then we expected. Although we did not finish filming we planned when we would. This Sunday in the morning we will all meet up and finish filming the movie. So far the filming process has been very fun and not as difficult as I believed. Edgrado is amazing at filming and using the camera. I think I’m doing a pretty good at making sure we are using the right angles and Fulvio is insuring we follow the story board. Our team work is outstanding, it is truly a team effort our communication was great throughout our first day of filming. I am so excited to see what the final product looks like. Part one of filming was great I’m so happy we were able to get a little work in. Splitting it into two days was very smart instead of loading it all in one day, we now have time to look at it and change a few things if we want. Over all filming was very successful, I am very excited to finish this Sunday.

Filming Blog: Get it Done!

Another weekend has gone to waste. But to be honest it’s none of our fault. We are all very busy individuals. Michael had a track meet on Saturday. I actually had a meeting to go to. Fulvio had to stay with his family. Edguardo had to take care of my sick sister all weekend. What we need to realize is time is going by fast and we need to figure out a way to film. The more and more we wait the less time we have. I'm not worried though, my group and I will figure it out. One week left to record. It may be tough since we have SATs coming up. Everyone is studying and forgetting the fact we have to record. I am going to try and set up a film date. We have peer review next week. My group needs to record something before March 2nd. In other words, we might've messed up. My group and I work well under pressure. Best to say we might have an opportunity this weekend. The schedule will be figured out by the weekend. 

Filming Blog: Didn't Film

The original plan was to get everything done, checkout a camera and start filming. Unfortunately this did not occur. We forgot to check a camera out on Thursday 2/13 and my group member Fulvio went to Harvard for a debate tournament. A big problem that we need to fix is our communication skills. I honestly did not even know Fulvio was going on this trip. Good thing we didn't check out a camera. We also did not discuss who would check the camera out we all assumed someone would do it but this never happened. Over the weekend we did not text in the group chat at all, our plan was to film yet no one communicated anything. In order to be successful we must communicate better, lucky for us we still have time to film. If this was the final weekend to film we would have been in trouble that's why it is extremely important that we talk to one another. Another reason why filming did not happen this weekend was, Michael had a track meet all day on Friday and a meet on Saturday as well. On Sunday I was free but Edgardo and I had a basketball game and Edguardo also had a family outing. On Monday it was Michael's dads birthday so he was busy celebrating with him. Fulvio was in Harvard this whole weekend and still hasn't returned. The weather was not great at all this weekend, so it wouldn't have worked out anyways. Although filming did not workout this weekend, we still have two more weekends to get it done. We will try to communicate better and plan out when and what time we will film. We will figure out what everyone has going on in order to pick the perfect date. Hopefully we have better luck this weekend with weather and get together and take care of business. I can not wait to film and begin the editing process. This film is going to be spectacular.

Planning Blog: Storyboard

In this blog we are drawing our storyboards. The storyboard is gonna show how each scene is gonna play out. The process of drawing was tough. Our hands started to get tired. We each rotated spots in drawing to give each other a break. It was also funny, we were making jokes about each other. Each of us has no drawing skills so we tried our best. The best  drawer is Edgardo. We are numbering our storyboards to show which one is happening first. Our storyboard is 10 sheets long.

Planning Blog: Location, Sound, Participants, Health, Schedule

In this blog, we are showing the locations of where we are going to film. Also showing the participants who are going to be in the film. We are addressing the health issue. We show the schedule of when we’re going to shoot the film. As we plan this out, many places popped up in our heads on where we could film. In this time frame we will try to be quick in shooting our film. We chose who would be each specific character. We provide pictures of where we’re going to be shooting. We are making sure a parent is involved in watching us. We want the best for our film.

Planning Blog: Shooting Script

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1t_183QcOid3FqCldZYLwTtQCPedSYCOvTbjU50EzTxk/edit?usp=sharing

Planning Blog: Sound Script

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZKT0puJ0N-d3d-vNIoeEJYc0OpEYdDdi9x9WC7FED0c/edit?usp=sharing

Title Research: Hostage

We choose the movie "Hostage" from the website https://www.watchthetitles.com/

How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
The amount of title sequences that are displayed in the opening scene of Hostage are 35.

What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
The images that are prioritized in the opening sequence are buildings, cop cars, crime investigation tape, a variety of guns, cops that are heavily armed, barbed wire.

What connotations do the images carry?
The connotations the images carry are that it is an intense action filled movie, it involves a lot of crime and there is probably an investigation or search for somebody. There is a lot of violence involved.

How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?

From the title sequence the film establishes an enigma when the images of the heavily armed officers, detective tape, and all of the weapons are displayed.

What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?

By creating a curious mood when showing the weapons and heavily armed officers, it gets you thinking what is the need for all the weapons and the detective tape. The music choice also is appealing to the audience, it creates an intense mood.

How has technology been used effectively?

Technology is being used effectively by editing, names of the produces can be seen across a building or on a gun. It is also being used by using transitions like fade ins/outs and jump cuts.

Title Research: Manhunt

We got the movie "Manhunt" from the website www.watchthetitles.com
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
The amount of titles that are displayed during the opening sequences is nine.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
In the opening scene there is primarily images of Osama Bin Laden who the movie focuses on. As the title sequence progressed there was evidence about the manhunt for Bin Laden.
What connotations do the images carry?
The connotations the images carry are negative as they are all depicting terrorists who committed serious crimes harming thousands of people. This sets the stage for the rest of the movie where the "Manhunt" for Bin Laden takes place.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The movie is a crime movie so the genre is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes by understanding that somebody committed a crime. This was done by moving through the title sequence as if somebody was connecting pieces of evidence to each other.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
From the title sequence the film establishes an enigma by using handwritten evidence about the manhunt in the title sequence. In fact, at any point during the sequence if the viewer were to pause and examine the text they would see relevant information to the film.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Creating a mysterious mood by opening up with pictures of Osama Bin Laden and what seems to be evidence used in the "manhunt" when searching for him. This draws the viewer interest by showing the extreme amount of detail which the movie is going to explain a situation that most are already familiar with in less detail.
How has technology been used effectively?
Technology is being used effectively especially with the editing in the opening sequence where we move around on a piece of paper to different pieces of evidence. Also the sequence contains many images which dissolve in and out of the picture.

Title Research: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

We got the movie "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" from the website www.watchthetitles.com
How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film?
The amount of titles that are displayed during the opening sequences are 26.
What images are prioritized in the opening sequence?
There are buildings and a person hopping over the fence and running into a warehouse. There is a gun being fired and a house filled with people. One girl is pushed off the house. There are bullets as well with blood.
 What connotations do the images carry?
The connotations the images carry are that a woman ends up dying and a man is running from something. Meaning a person is in trouble for committing a crime with a gun.
How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset?
The movie is a crime movie so the genre is reinforced through symbolic and technical codes by understanding that crime movies usually involve action and what we see in the title sequence is that it involves that. The equipment that is used fits the crime aspect. A gun, blood, a person running from something.
How does the film establish an enigma from the outset?
From the title sequence the film establishes an enigma by creating a curious aspect by having a man jump a fence and start running and where a female is pushed off of a house.
What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience?
Creating an mysterious mood by opening up with a man jumping the fence and then transitioning to a woman holding a gun. With a woman falling to the ground it creates suspense and start to make you wonder how did it happen.
How has technology been used effectively?
Technology is being used effectively by using the camera angles like tracking shots and zoom as well. The editing consists of fade ins/outs, cutaways, inserts, and jump cuts.

Title Research: Seven

We got the movie "Seven" from the website watchthetitles.com. How many titles are displayed during the opening sequences to the film? The number of titles that are shown during the opening sequences is 31. What images are prioritized in the in the opening sequence? There is someone that is writing about what it seems to be like some people who are deceased. There is some harm done with a needle that was used to make a book. Pictures of people's faces and words are getting crossed out with a sharpie. What connotations do the images carry? The connotations the images carry are that a guy is writing a book about the crimes that he committed. He is most likely a psychopath. How is genre reinforced through symbolic and technical codes from the outset? The movie is a crime movie so it's being reinforced by showing what crime movies usually have in the genre such as blood, people dying, and a "bad" guy. How does the film establish an enigma from the outset? The film establishes an enigma by giving a very mysterious vibe by having an unknown individual writing weird stuff in a book. What strategies are used to ensure the film appeals to its target audience? Creating the creepy mood by showing a guy bleeding and crossing people face out. With the needle going through his finger it gives mysterious feeling about him. How has technology been used effectively? Technology is being used effectively by using a black and white filter through the intro and the jump cuts and cutaways gives a weary feeling.

Title Research:Watch the titles

We used this website to look for movies in our genre and saw how they did their titles. This website gives us the ability to access movies for free and watch the beginning to see how it is laid out. There are many choices of movies with a variety of genres. This website has both TV shows and movies, we are only supposed to look at movies. Our genre, crime had many choices of movies on this website. We were very pleased  to see how many crime movies were available to watch.  The reason we are researching titles in the first place is, in our movie we need to set up the title just like it was the beginning of a real movie. By watching how other crime movies do it, we can do our titles alike so it looks more professional. We can learn tactics used by crime movies and use similar tactics in our film. This website gives us a great opportunity, one not only to acquire these movies for free but also we now have the opportunity to watch a crime movie. Not only will we watch movies in our genr Not only will we watch movies in our genre but also others to see the differences and how they set it up and use different tactics. When doing our final project we will look back and remember how other movies in this genre started their films and we will use their strategy to our advantage. This website was great, by watching the first couple minutes of movies that are similar to what we want we learned so much. I am very excited to start the filming process and apply my new knowledge about titles to our film. This website was very helpful, we will take advantage of this and apply the new tactics we learned to our crime genre film.