The Last Hit

Evaluation - 7

Looking back at your preliminary task (the continuity editing task). What do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to full product?

Doing the preliminary task was an accomplishment for me, without doing it I would not have had the confidence to produce the final product for my main task. During the course of the last few months I have been working on this project and utilized many skills I have learned . For my preliminary task we were asked to make a short continuity sequence that included a conversation, someone entering through a door, and using the 180° rule and other techniques such as shot-reverse-shot. We were given time to carry out our planning, shooting and editing. For the main task we were asked to make the first two minutes of a film, and make it an opening, i.e. with titles, music, introduction of characters etc. There are many differences between both tasks such as the durations of both tasks.  The main task is longer and it required a lot more planning and consideration. We had longer to do it, but it was more difficult and time-consuming, so all-in-all, more challenging.   The preliminary task that was given to us enabled me  to re-touch on how to use After Effects and Premier Pro and that played a huge part in producing my final product.The significance of timing is something I concentrated on in this part of the assignment.
In doing the preliminary task I also learned that keeping the sequence simple was a significant issue as it would allow me to focus more on the techniques that I have used. Compared to the main task the planning for the preliminary was much more rushed and didn't really require a lot of  thinking.The concept behind it was quite basic, however, when it came to the main task I had to plan it in  detail  and focus on the timings, the camera angles, the plot, the theme, the genre, the script, the costume and the props.

Like the planning of the preliminary task, the production was also very rushed and didn't require a lot of effort. The ideas for the robbery in the shop was quite clear and the outcome definite , hence it did not require a lot of time.The idea and plot behind it was extremely simple however for the main task ( The Last Hit opening sequence)everything was organized and planned because I knew that every issue had to be planned in advance or the final product would not be finished by the deadline. During our preliminary task the editing stage was very simple as it didn't require a lot of editing and there was only one very simple effect but when it came to the main task the editing part was the most time consuming and the most frustrating part.Time limit played a major part and I had to make sure my editing did not cut out relevant material but was short at the same time.I had such conflicting thoughts on which shots to keep and which to delete and also I debated a lot about the time limit for each shot. However I planned in advance so I had enough time to get the editing completed. But towards the end I was slowed down due to technical difficulties but I managed to produce the final sequence on time.

 

Evaluating and reflecting on the preliminary task was fairly simple as it was short and a very familiar scene however for the main task a lot of thought and consideration had to go into it. I am quite pleased on the whole with it, but it has been a long and tiring process, with a few technical difficulties to tackle along the way.One of the many errors I had to avoid was imitating the many movies I had seen . I tried to flavour the opening scene with a uniqueness not seen before.
I think my preliminary project was very good for the time we were allowed to spend on it, however I did make a few mistakes, which was quite educational because it  meant that could avoid the same ones in the actual film task. I became acquainted with all the stages of film making in the  preliminary task,  and I am extremely happy that it resulted in an  impressive opening sequence that I am proud of.

Evaluation - 6

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing the product?

During the course of working on this  project I have used many different pieces of equipment and software. When filming I decided to use the Sony HVR-HD 1000P. I liked the quality of the picture that it produced and I was impressed by the fact that the focus lens could be manually changed to give a blurring effect. I could zoom in pretty well with out losing the quality of the image and it was also fairly easy to use when transferring the video onto the computer.I also used a heavy tripod that was very useful for getting steady shots and because it was a stable tripod, I could be sure that the camera was safe and that it avoided risk of damage. The ease with which I could carry the camera also contributed to the fexibilty with which I took the shots. The video camera also had  user friendly buttons that were quite confortable to work with and it helped with the initial interest I had in learning about using the camera. The mike on the camera was capable of capturing good quality sounds and at first we had some fun using it. Later it was used to magnify the sound effects I had used in the opening shot.

I also used two different programs for editing and compiling my opening sequence and they are Adobe Premier Pro and Adobe After Effects. After Effects was used to change the brightness and contrast of all the clips .I also used it to cut the clips and also put a fading transition effect on each clip. The same  After Effects was used to put the transitions because I had more control over the length and speed of the fade in and out of each clip.  The title of my opening sequence was made using After Effects. I used Adobe Premier Pro to compile all the clips together and also put the soundtrack on top of the video and then finally I complied it all on Premier Pro. In my opinion I feel that both pieces of software were fairly simple to use and were used to my advantage.These pieces of software had a lot of potential and I was able to manipulate them to suit my intentions. Using these two software items helped me to transfer those abstract ideas I had in my mind into something that was tangible and it was quite an exciting task. I could also make visual effects using particular fonts that contributed to certain feelings I wanted the audience to experience. Each letter of 'THE LAST HIT' was made significant using the software programmes.

Evaluation - 5

How did you attract/address your audience?

I believe  that the main issue  that makes my film one of a kind and a unique selling point is  the genre, theme and the plot of the story. All the three main ingredients are different to the traditional movies that have similar themes. The character in my opening shot is not your average hitman who is nervous and nerve racking but he is someone who is a highly organized,sophisticated  and someone who sees his everyday killings as normal. This opening portray the killer as someone who is elegant in killing and I'm working on that concept  that will attract and address the audience.He does not hesitate about taking lives and his totally controlled and calm demeanor would attract the audience and prompt them to find out more about this 'humane' killer.

Evaluation - 4

Who would be the audience for your media project?

My opening sequence  targets a very specific audience.Modern technology and gadgets combined with affluence has given rise to a generation of movie goers who need to be entertained by the most suave and sophisticated kind of characters. I believe the 'smooth operator ' kind of hitman would entice this group of people - both young and old men and women , educated and aspiring to become something in the world.I am hoping that Harvard and Oxford educated young men and women would also be attracted to view this movie.The target audience of any movie is very significant as the producer and director have to cater to particular tastes, likes and dislikes. I have noticed that with the birth of mobile phones and remote controlled devices, man has taken crime to a completely new level and I am astonished that intelligence is used to commit criminal activities. There is certainly a growing number of people out there who are stimulated by how the human mind connives finely organized crimes against mankind and it is this group of people that my movie is targeted at. On the other hand i also believe that ordinary middle class young people would also be attracted to this movie as it contains elements of fantasy and mystery that appeals to them. Living a mundane, down to earth routine life would inspire them to dream of exciting and elegantly dark situations. 'The Last Hit' would transport them into that world that they can only dream of.

Below are a few examples of people who would be targeted;

Age: 18

Where she would shop: Top Shop, Levis, Urban Outfitters

What music she likes: Rock, Pop, Punk, R&B, Dance

Favorite TV programmes:  Chuck, Greek, The O.C, Supernatural

Favorite Films: Pulp fiction, Hitman, Taken

Hobbies: Parties, Concerts, Reading, Socialising

 Age: 20

Where he would shop: Urban Outfitters, Blue Ink, GAP

What music he likes: Rock, Puck, Rap, Drum & Bass

Favorite TV programmes:  Nikita, Burn Notice, Leverage, White Collar, In Plain Sight

Favorite Films: Hitman, Face-off, The Transporter, Crank, xXx

Hobbies: Parties, Reading, Socializing, going to the pub

 Age: 28

Where would he shop: Calvin Klein, Armani, Marc Jacob

What music he likes: Classical, Symphony, Opera 

Favorite TV programmes: CSI, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist

Favorite Films: James Bond, The Transporter, Hitman

Hobbies: Reading, Going to the opera, Watching plays and ballets, High class social events.

Evaluation - 3

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

There are many roles when it comes to the production, promotion and the sales of a movie and many different companies have different parts to play when it comes to getting that final product out to the public.

The production company:

A production company is a company responsible for physical production of new media, performing arts, film, radio or a television program. The company may also be directly responsible for raising  funds for the production or may accomplish this through an emissary. The production company may be either a small company or a larger one, selling it's products to a film studio or presenting it at a theatrical venue, or, in the case of film and television, it may be the studio itself.  To produce my movie , I would approach the UK Film Council who will ultimately distribute and advertise the movie.They will also provide the funding needed for the production.

The distribution company;

A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing films to the public either theatrically or for home viewing (DVD, Video-On-Demand, Download, Television etc). A distributor may do this directly (if the distributor owns the theaters or distribution networks) or through theatrical exhibitors and other sub-distributors. The distributor is responsible for ensuring a full line of film advertising material is available on each film, which it believes, will help the exhibitor attract the largest possible audience, create such advertising if it is not provided by the production company, and arrange for the physical delivery of the advertising items selected by the exhibitor at intervals prior to the opening day.The UK Film Council have also a distibuting department which will understake all aspects of distributing my movie.

Various people named in the opening sequence;

When it comes to opening of movies there are normally titles and credits that come up as the opening sequence is playing. These people usually have the most important jobs, the rest of the people are named in the end credits. 

1. Production name
2. Main actors
3. Other actors
4. Music by
5. Filmed by
6. Edited by
7. Director
8. Written by

 Below is a commentary of my opening sequence.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSDLUMGzU0Y

Evaluation - 2

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

 The character on the left is the main character from my own opening sequence and on the right is a similar character from the movie 'Hitman'. My character shares some distinct characteristics with the main character in  'Hitman' however there are also many differences too. The main similarities lies in the character's wardrobe.A black suit, perfectly tailored trousers, black expensive leather gloves and  an immaculate red tie covers the well built frame of my character. I deliberately avoided dressing him in a traditional white shirt as I felt that the black shirt was more suited for an organized and deadly character. The black shirt would symbolize his dark intentions and was more suited to portray a more psychopathic  and a sociopath type of personality. The character from 'Hitman' named Agent 47 is dependent on orders and works solely on instructions while  the main character from 'The Last Hit'  is a 'solo' in every sense of the word. Every bit of preparation, planning and research is done by himself . I wanted to emphasize this difference as it is a significant factor that contributes to the uniqueness of my   opening sequence.  

I have also looked at making my character totally expressionless to compliment the kind of work he has to do.The target audience comprising of young men and women who are technologically advanced  and belong to the elite class of movie goers ,will find my character intriguing and mesmerising. My character will attract an audience group who feed on advanced and organsized thrillers with interesting gadgets. The dark colours will also lend this character a feeling that there are aspects of his character that are hidden and the audience will wonder if they will ever find out everything about him. This will also persuade the audience to watch the rest of the movie.

Evaluation - 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The title of the film;

The title of the film is 'The Last Hit'.  This title is relevant to the film opening and suitable to the plot of the film. The title itself implies that something might go wrong and not according to plan; this gives a sense of mystery. The title  is only shown towards the end of the film opening. I did this because the audience will watch the opening and then as they slowly realize who the person is and what his job is they will be able to piece the title and the plot together.The article 'The' is a definite article which implies a sense of finality and determination, while the word 'Last' is full of implications with a  sense of no return. The word 'Hit' has a sense of sharpness and you can almost hear the sound of the hit as you say the word. It is also relevant that all the three words are monosyllabic , almost like the sound of gunshots.

 

Setting/ Location;

The entire opening is located and set inside a house, however the house is set up to look and feel eerie to suit the type of personality the main character has. I felt that the dark room in a house was better suited to the intentions of the killer than a large open space. The main setting was in a small room completely set-up to look organized with gadgets and secret compartments for the equipment.The small size would show the contrast between what one man is capable of doing and the enormity of his actions.  Another scene is in a  narrow corridor just behind the main door which gives it  a dark ambiance and gives it a claustrophobic effect.

Costumes and Props;

I wanted to show the personality of the main character through the clothes he was wearing and  the equipment he was using. For clothing I went for the traditional clothes associated with a hitman; such as red tie, black suit, black top and black leather gloves but with a difference.These clothes had class . The props also played a huge part in the opening as it showed that the character was organized  and used only the best equipment.To achieve this I had to use the best props I could find such as; cheap mobile phone with the sim and battery taken out to show that he is using an untraceable phone. There was also a hard drive that was connected to the laptop to show that he kept the data separate and confined. I also had a credit card to show how money was a significant issue and a switch blade to instill fear. The laptop had images of surveillance videos on it to show that research into his kills are intensive.

Camera work and editing;

In my 9 frames  I have used examples of some of the shots I took in the opening. I used close up shots to show the equipment/ props the actor was using, this was done to emphasize the importance of the hi-tech equipment that is used by the hitman. I decided to take short clips ranging from medium to close-up shots to give a sense of mystery and also  to never reveal the actor's face, this means that the audience will never be able give this man an identity which keeps the audience in suspense. I took medium range shots of the actor putting his clothes and gloves on as he prepares for work.This created  a sense of foreboding. However I did take on medium to long range shot of the actor putting on his blazer through a shadow that was cast on a wall. The last scene was also a long range shot and I had the actor walk into the camera to give a sense of mystery and a sense of doom  and at that point the music fades and all you can hear is gun shots. When it came to editing the video I had to increase the contrast and decrease the brightness to achieve a dark and mysterious sensation. This also made the small table light more powerful and that gave an eerie setting. On a clip towards the end I used the  focus lens to blur the clip a little to create a deadly sense as to what is coming next.It also contributes to a sense of uncertainty which will motivate the audience to view the rest of the movie.

Title and font styles;

 

The  font style I decided for the title  was called 'White Tie Affair' this is also the same font I used during the opening to introduce the director and the production company. I thought this font would be perfect as it is not too complicated but it does have a few splats on the letter 'H' to show blood splatter and also the letters are slightly eroded to give a eerie look. I felt the font would  suit my genre and the style of the main character. 

Story and how the opening sets it up;

The opening starts off by a message on a phone. This is the first step for the audience to realize who the main character is and what he does as a profession. The character is then introduced with out a face but we can see close-ups of what he is doing; this gives the character a sense of mystery and the audience not knowing who this is will make them want to know more about this character. The opening portrays this man to be very organized and his keen sense to small detail and his obsession with having his equipment in order keeps him away from the traditional stereotype of hitmen. The opening sets up the main story by first showing how much effort goes into making a kill and then the last clip is when the main character is at the entrance of a house and slowly starts walking into the camera - silence then three silenced gunshots. This will then lead into the main story by showing what he is like during the day and his minual day job.

Genre and how the opening suggests it

The genre of my opening is a thriller therefore I had to make sure that the opening was filled with suspense and mystery. My opening sequence portrays a man who is getting ready to kill. Most movies show the life of a killer from the view point  of the 'good' guys such as the police, FBI etc. but this time its different. This time we are looking at the life of the killer himself through his own viewpoint. The opening clearly shows the genre because of the fact that the face is never revealed and the small dark room where he does all his work is unknown and finally the mystery of a kill that the audience can't see but only hear. All the aspects of my opening hint towards a thriller because all the things we see are associated with hitmen such as the weapon, the equipment, the clothes etc. So I believe that all these elements that are presented hints us of the mystery and suspense that is to come.

How the character is introduced;

I only have one character in my opening sequence but I had to make it count. I only introduced one character because I wanted to show the audience that the character does the kills by himself, and that he himself does all the planning the preperations and the kills themselves. The character is introduced after the phone message is said and as the opening starts we see the character getting ready as he starts by putting his clothes on, this is an important aspect as it lets the audience know the planning and the precise detail that has gone into planing a kill. The character then starts to check his laptop and look at survalience images. Then the character starts to open hidden files with his equipment inside and as he starts preparing himself. The next part is the gun and this was done with  close-up shots because i wanted to empahasis that the character is serious about killing.

Special effects;

I didn't use many special effects as i felt that it was unnessary however I did increase the contrast on my clips to give a more dark feel to it.