Camera Review of 77D vs C100

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350 Words

For this task we had to create a camera review for the 77D and the C100 going over our experiences and the difference between the two cameras.

I came up with some information to be used in the video that I had researched from a variety of sources. I learned even more about the cameras than I already knew. I then starred in it and tried my best to present the information to the best of my ability, Sam joined me on this, and we bounced off one another. Instead of a standard review, it became more of a debate between me and Sam and the two cameras, which I believe worked out very well and created a good concept and made a decent review.

There were many challenges here that we had to overcome. Firstly, although we had used these cameras a lot, my group which was made up of me, Sam, Jack and Mhairi knew very little about these cameras spec wise, we were all interested in different fields of the industry, three of us interested in screen plays. So, we had to make our review on a more physical and appearance based, rather than specs. I used sites like Canon’s very own to try and get myself in the know with the specs, that did help somewhat. For the C100 I found quotes like “An affordable video production camera offering a unique combination of professional HD imaging, compact design and lens versatility, the user-friendly C100 is ideally configured for single person use” (Canon. 2019) then for the 77D I had “Shoot photos with personality, with features and controls that put creativity at your fingertips” (Canon. 2019)

 We then also had an extremely limited amount of time to film, as we only found out about the task a day or two before we had to do it. Then on the day we had les than two hours to get it all filmed. We had to be good with our time management and get things done in a quick and professional manner.

I then had to deal with presenting, which wasn’t something I particularly wanted to do, as I don’t enjoy being on camera, however with me having the most knowledge it did make more sense for me to sit down and talk alongside Sam. I t was also a great opportunity to do something I wouldn’t normally do and get used to doing it. I may end up having to do it more in the future, so it was a nice practise run.

Overall, I was very happy when I was able to create something quite professional looking with the edit, all the extra footage of the cameras overlaid with the speaking worked fantastically. I was also happy to have this experience of a quick and pressure filled task as it was great experience for when I do it in the industry.

References

Canon. 2019. Canon EOS C100 [Internet]. Available from https://www.canon.co.uk/for_home/product_finder/digital_cinema/cinema_eos_cameras/eos_c100/#specification [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Canon. 2019. Canon EOS 77D [Internet]. Available from https://www.canon.co.uk/cameras/eos-77d/ [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Music Video

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Script for Music Video

David Bowie Script (Sean Lawson)

Music Video Script (Final)

MUSIC VIDEO

350 Words

So, for this task we were to follow on from the music video pitch, which had got us into the creative mind space of music videos and got us all pumped up to create one. We however were to create a new idea to the last one we made, and we had to make the music video to a song that was already out by an artist as opposed to making one for an up and coming band. My group came to a decision to do the song Rebel, Rebel by David Bowie. We planned to create a story centred around Sam and him accepting that he is a she and owning who she is. We would cut to shots of Jack dressed as David Bowie lip syncing the song.

I created the script. As we needed a story that would run through with Sam, I put in the scenes with Jack as well to keep the flow of the music video idea and to help in the editing process of what the final video would look like. This was the first time I ever wrote a music video script, so what I did was to look up how they look and read. I saw different comments from various people who had wrote them, that all mimicked the same thing “Basically you just write it as a normal short script but with the intent to have music playing over it. It’s important to understand the basis behind the song” (Walley, C. 2018) this way I knew that what I was creating was correct. There are of course a variety ways scripts can be created and laid out.

I also was on set doing the lighting we had planned, setting up equipment that was needed, using the clapper board and then general help that a runner would do.

Challenges we faced was the ambitiousness of the idea, it was a big task to do in a short space of time, especially with other tasks on going as well. We also had to consider that impersonating David Bowie was no easy thing and we were ware that the scenes with Jack may come across quite out of place and gimmicky, but most people in the group wanted that idea to remain in, so we all went fourth together to create it. I also was to familiar with David Bowie’s song and had to look into it and David as a whole when creating the script so I could get a better understanding of what the song was all about.

Health and safety was for operating of the equipment that if not use correctly could cause harm. In the filming process one of the screens of a monitor got cracked, due to no one’s fault, the stand holding it up, just collapsed and the screen cracked due to this, the techs were informed right away and because we had our risk assessment and they could see it was no one’s fault, we weren’t in trouble. If we hadn’t had the risk assessment, we would have had to face repercussions from equipment being broken while in use.

References

Walley, C. (2018). How to write a music video script [Internet]. Available from https://www.reddit.com/r/Screenwriting/comments/70mwzo/how_to_write_a_music_video_script/ [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Top Pop. (2015).  David Bowie – Rebel Rebel • TopPop [Internet Video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy-rvsHsi1o [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Music Video Pitch

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Idea’s behind the Inspiration Video

Script

Music Video Script Idea

Presentation

The And En presentation

350 Words

For this task we had to come up with a pitch for a music video for a new and upcoming band. We had to consider that the band only had a very small budget of £500 and we had to keep it realistic as it was something that we had to be able to create if need be.

We all agreed that the band had a very 60’s vibe to them. They didn’t sound like a poppy, hip band. We all got vibes such as Mercy by Duffy or a little bit of Amy Winehouse, especially the video for Duffy and the video of Valerie that Amy performed with Mark Ronson! We wanted our video to be empowering to women and have the vibes that the previous two artists gave in the respective videos that were mentioned. We also got a Great Gatsby vibe from the band as well and could envision that kind of set up.

Me, Mhairi and Sam worked on a script, I wrote it out and then handed it to Mhairi who then made her changes and then she handed it to Sam to make his changes. We came up with the idea of a woman singing on stage to a single man in the audience, the woman is singing this song to him and by the end of it she breaks up with him.

I also created a video that showcased the artists and films that inspired us to go with the idea that we had. It also added an extra layer to the overall presentation.

The challenge we faced here was making sure our idea would work for the budget that the band had. This is where we all disagreed for a little while in our group as people didn’t think0 the idea we ended up with would work with he budget that the band had. However, we ended up going through our options for locations that could be used and people who felt unsure were more optimistic about the ability to create the music video.

Health and Safety weren’t an issue here as we weren’t going anywhere and simply used computers to create a presentation.

References

Duffy. (2009). Duffy – Mercy [Internet Video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7ZEVA5dy-Y [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Music Hits BR. (2017) Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse – Valerie [Clipe Oficial] (Legendado/Tradução) [Internet Video]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCYRZP_YaYM [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

The Great Gatsby. (2013) [Film]. Directed By Baz Luhrmann. Australia, USA. Warner Bros.

Advertorial for Dr Martens

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Script Progression

Doc Martens Script 1

Doc Martens Script 2

Doc Martens Script 3 (Final)

Story Boards

Advertorial

350 Words

For this task we had to come up with an Advertorial that showcased an item and how it is used. My group decided to go down the Dr Martens route as three of the members of the group wore them, was passionate about them and we had ease of access to use them.

Some challenges we faced here was our own imagination, we came up with a detailed idea, that we put a lot of thought into. I think we didn’t realise the amount of time it would take to pull off and with all our other projects going on at the same time, we couldn’t quite pull off what we had planned. We had four separate shoots, and these weren’t enough to get everything filmed. So, we ended up missing part of our story of the advertorial out and instead had to edit around this. From the final edit you can see where the story was going and what our overall message was. Sadly, the fully realised idea we had on paper didn’t quite make it on to screen.

But I am still super happy with how my version of the edit came out. I put a lot of work and effort into all aspects of this project, my main task on this project was to write the script, which Mhairi helped with by checking over each draft and adding her ideas in, I used a Buffy the Vampire Slayer script book to check any aspects of the script that I was unsure of to write. We went through about four or five different scripts till we got to where we were happy with. I was on set helping out with filming, through any way I could and then I went edit crazy and created something I am proud of. It’s a great accomplishment and it’s great knowing that all my hard work and energy made something great.

I don’t know much about Dr Martens, so I had to do my research into the product. I found out that they are a very durable shoe, ones that can last you for years and years. Especially when you look at how the shoe started being a work man’s boot. I wanted this aspect to come through in my edit, I wanted it to feel like the shoe was one that you’d go on adventures wearing. I feel I managed to get that across. “Dr. Martens were originally a modest work-wear boot that was even sold as a gardening shoe at one stage. So, how did this utilitarian boot transform into one of the most culturally relevant brands of the modern era? It is an interesting and unique story…” (Dr Martens. 2019)

Health and Safety for this was assessed through our risk assessment, we knew we would be in a multitude of different areas, each with their own risks to us, equipment and public. We made sure we got all this across in the risk assessment and that our lecturer was happy to sign off on this, which they were.

Dr Martens. (2019). Dr. Martens a History of Rebellious Self Expression [Internet]. Available from https://www.drmartens.com/uk/en_gb/history [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Joss Whedon. (2001). Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Script Book – Season 1. Volume 1. 1st edition. USA. Pocket Books.

York Travel Vlog and Instagram Vlog

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YORK TRAVEL VLOG

Instagram Vlog

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsshLeNDZfW/?hl=en

350 Words

For this task we had to create a vlog that was three minutes in duration and then a shorter one minute long one for Instagram. These vlogs would showcase York, we had to make it appeal to newcomers of York and the younger generation. So, we had to make the vlog upbeat and capture York in a few different ways. York is a very historical place and we needed to capture that whilst making it appealing.

The challenge that started here first was the amount of footage and places we would have to visit. Visiting new and old places to get a nice contrast and to make it young but also keep York’s history in it and make it appealing to newcomers. I think we managed this well. It just took us a few different shoots to do, so we had all the footage we wanted.

An issue for me was that I wasn’t trained on the Jig and Track due to being ill on the day tech sessions took place, so it limited the types of equipment I could use on the days of filming. When using this equipment, I took on the role of runner, which although not the most fun of roles, was needed on the days of shooting as there was a lot of equipment and everyone needed a helping hand on the set with something or another. Seeing as I lacked the experience needed to operate this equipment it made sense. But it was great to see the equipment in use by everyone else and I feel I’d learned a nice amount about them both and how they work through watching my group use them.

When researching about York I found a great site called York:PM, it listed a bunch of information on York’s past and had lists for restaurants and pubs that are all in York, hotels and things to do as well. It was a great site to aid in the navigation and planning of where to visit. “Your guide to What’s On, Where to Eat, What to Do and Where to Stay in York” (York:PM. 2019)

The equipment was quite a nightmare to carry around, I wasn’t expecting stuff to be so heavy to haul over York. It limited the distance we could travel on our first day of filming, thankfully on the next shooting day we were prepared for it and opted to use a car to get us around. I think we needed better planning out, as our group, seeing as we are in York and know it well though t we could just go to each area whenever and film, it turned out to not be the case. I think a better thought out plan would have seriously made production a lot smoother than it was.

With exploring York in the public and manoeuvring heavy equipment, there was a lot of potential risk involved for us and the public. We created a risk assessment that highlighted all the possible problems that could cause risk in our shoot and got it signed off by out lecturer.

 

References

York:PM. 2019. York:PM [Internet]. Available from http://www.york-pm.co.uk/ [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

MVP Travel Briefs and Presentation

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Briefs

YouTube Sponsorship’s Brief

GoPro Brief

Christmas Ad Brief

Presentation

MVP Presentation

My Thoughts

For this project, in groups, we we’re tasked with creating a presentation that showcased 3 thought out ideas that would help a company bring in customers. We had to pitch these ideas to a company called ZigZag and we were representing one of the clients that partners with ZigZag. We choose to do MVP Travel because one of the members of our group had previously worked for them and it gave us some inside knowledge to use to our advantage when coming up with the ideas

We came up with the ideas of an Advert surrounding a GoPro, a Christmas ad and then YouTube Sponsorships. I came up with the YouTube idea and focused in on that more than anything else as I was one of the few who watched YouTube religiously and knew all the ins and outs of it.

The difficulties came here with us knowing that MVP Travel only had a small budget, so any big productions were out of the question, all out idea’s had to be realistic and ones that we ourselves, if needed could create. My main concern was presenting to a large audience, public speaking isn’t my strong point so I was nervous, I looked around online for information that may help, I found this which I tried to apply “So to speak to a large audience, get certain about what you stand for. And stand for it. Be unapologetic.” (Ginger. 2013)

What I gained from this was invaluable, the opportunity to practise pitching to professionals and get feedback from them is something I will use in my day to day life. It gives me the stepping stones needed for when I do pitches like this career wise, I am prepared for what may come. I know that when I do a pitch I must be organised, have done my research, put my all into it and be excited about the ideas I am pitching, which is exactly what I was like with this.

The feedback I gained from ZigZag was great, however I do disagree that YouTube’s working for commission won’t work to easily. I know that GirlGamerGab and James Charles a small and a massive youtuber both do commission-based ads on their channels regularly.

Health and safety weren’t an issue with this task as we were just making a presentation, so no risks were involved so neither was a risk assessment.

References

GGGab. (N/A). GirlGamerGab [Internet]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/user/GirlGamerGaB [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

JamesCharles. (N/A). James Charles [Internet]. Available from https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCucot-Zp428OwkyRm2I7v2Q [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Ginger. 2013. How to speak to a large audience [Internet]. Available from https://www.gingerpublicspeaking.com/article/how-to-speak-to-a-large-audience [Accessed on 15/1/2019]

Artefacts for Media Production Skills!

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Lighting/Interview Task

Contextualising Statement 

In this task our brief was to work to a live brief set by a client (the Students Union) in which we would film a candidate from the SU elections. Our client was called Hannah Scott and she was running for the Chair of School of Education. We were given fixed questions set by the client to ask them, as well as one additional question which was based upon our group research into the candidate’s election manifesto. The finished artefact had to be no more than 60 seconds long. We also had to use an intro that was provided by the client as the opening shot. We also had to include a name tag, which would be created on After Effects. The video also had to be subtitled in Premier Pro. The main focus of this task was actually the lighting, we had to make sure that the interviewee was well lit using the lighting equipment provided.

I also had to be aware of health and safety issues I may face, working with lights that get extremely warm, I could burn myself. There were also wires everywhere and I could of tripped so I had to be aware of that also. I got a risk assessment signed off by my tutor to show I was aware of the potential risks and that I knew how to handle and react to them.

Going into this task I felt quite confident, I was first tasked along with a couple other members of my group with meeting and brining the candidate to the interview space, we were to chat and get to know the candidate, whilst the rest of the group set up the interview space. Once we got there, we set up the candidate in the position and started to sort out the lighting, setting them up etc. I found this quite simple to do as I remembered most of it from the tech demo we had. Once they were all set up it was a case of sorting out the shadows on the camera, again I felt confident doing this and sorted it out quick and swiftly so that there were no shadows showing on the camera for the final recording, it was just a clean white background behind the candidate. I had read an article entitled “How to Set Up 3 Popular Interview Lighting Techniques” (Meehan, S. 2017) this helped me with processing the set up and how things should look.

Going into the editing phase, we had to type up everything that the candidate had said into a word document and then put that into Premier. I found sorting the subtitles out to be a little tricky, this was due to my Premier glitching out and not creating them correctly, so this threw me off as I had done them correctly, it was just an error that wasn’t to do with me. I did watch a video titled “CAPTIONS and SUBTITLES tutorial for Premiere Pro” (Orange83, 2017) that helped me to get back on track and discover it was an error with my premier.

Overall, I am very, very happy with the final outcome, I think the video looks very professional, the subtitles are all done correctly, and the lighting looks great. I honestly wouldn’t change a thing about this final outcome.

References

Meehan, S. (2017) How to Set Up 3 Popular Interview Lighting Techniques [Internet] Available from https://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/popular-interview-lighting-techniques/

Orange83. (2017) CAPTIONS and SUBTITLES tutorial for Premiere Pro [Internet Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhHG4f-9MBY

 

Vox Pop Task

Contextualising Statement

For this task our brief was to create a Vox Pop, which is a form of short, quick and snappy responses on a subject matter. Our task was to create one of these using the H1 Zoom. The finished artefact had to be between one minute and one minute thirty seconds. We had to work in small groups and alternate between the roles of ‘interviewer’ and ‘sound-recordist’. We also had to choose a topic relating to ‘student life’ for which we had to interview a minimum of 8 contributors to gain an insight into life as a student. The final product had to include a minimum of four people out of the eight we interviewed.

I also had to be aware of health and safety issues I may encounter, I was working in a public space and I could of possibly met hostile attitudes, walking around we could of slipped if the weather was bad etc. I got a risk assessment signed off by my tutor to show I was aware of the potential risks and that I knew how to handle and react to them.

I came up with the question of “Are tuition fees fair” I felt like this was a strong question and didn’t follow the typical question of “What’s you favourite food place” “Where’s a good place to drink” etc. At first it was somewhat intimidating to just stop random people, but after the first few I settled into it really well and found myself enjoying the job of interviewing people. We interviewed fourteen different people. Some of which gave great response, others that didn’t. I had looked up about Vox Pops prior to recording mine and I think it helped me a lot, the website was about “How to film a vox pops” (BBC, 2018) It featured the dos and don’ts when filming a vox pop and had lots of useful tad bits of information as well as a video.

I think my earlier preparation of looking up about the H1 Zoom, also really helped with providing me with some confidence going into the task. Knowing how the Zoom worked a bit more and refreshing my mind from the demo. I got that extra info from a site that just had some small bits of information, nothing huge or what I didn’t get from the demo, but enough to help me remember areas of the demo. The page was literally called “How to use a Zoom H1 audio recorder” (UNSW Sydney, 2018)

I think me, and my small team worked very well together, leaning on one another for help if we needed it and always being willing to help any way we could. We did great taking it in turns using the H1 Zoom as well. I also found the people we interviewed to all be very welcoming and eager to give it a shot with whatever we were doing.

Overall, I am very pleased with my final outcome. I think it sounds great, the music chosen works well and is edited in to not overpower the people talking. I really like my final piece and I am happy with what I have accomplished.

References

BBC. (2018) How to film a vox pop [Internet] Available from http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20141029111247531

UNSW Sydney (2018) How to use a Zoom H1 audio recorder [Internet] Available from https://trc.arts.unsw.edu.au/self-help/how-use-zoom-h1-audio-recorder

 

Live Studio/Group Task

https://vimeo.com/album/4971277/video/251302275

Contextualising Statement 

For this task our brief was to work in a group and create a topical magazine TV show which would last exactly 10 minutes in duration. The show must include 2 studio hosts and at least 1 correspondent. We had to include one live interview in the TV studio, which couldn’t be a member of YSJ staff. We had to include a minimum of two VT’s, one of those VT’s had to include a correspondent interacting with members of the public. The show had to have an opening sequence as well as some end credits. I was in Kev’s group for this task (the best group).

I also had to be aware of health and safety issues I may face, working in a large group where everyone was moving about and operating a variety of equipment I had to be fully clicked on at all times to my surroundings etc. There were also wires in areas and I could of tripped so I had to be aware of that as well as all the people around me who were doing their own taks. I got a risk assessment signed off by my tutor to show I was aware of the potential risks and that I knew how to handle and react to them.

Me and my grouped had quite a few practise sessions before we filmed the actual magazine shoot, we rotated around the different equipment to get familiar with the various aspects of what goes into it a magazine shoot. When it came down to planning out the studio shoot and what was going to go into it I was put into the position of Assistant Director and editing one of the VT’s and creating the end credits for the shoot. I found editing the VT relatively simple despite there being a lack of overall footage and interviews. But this was due to the group that went to film the VT not being able to do their original idea and having to do an entirely new idea on the spot there and then. I also found creating end credits fine as well.

Once we were in the studio doing the live shoot, I felt quite comfortable in my role, I did take over being the lead director at times, which was absolutely fine by me. This was due to the lead director just getting a little flustered here and there and me just getting things back on track and letting people know what they needed to be doing etc. supporting the director when they needed me too. But the lead director still did a really fantastic job.

Before we went into the live studio shoot I did some research into magazine shoots, just to give me a bit of a better view point on how to create one. These were mainly videos showing magazine shows and how they tend to work. “TV Presenters Course – Magazine Shows – London, UK” (Pozitiv, 2001) and “Magazine Show Example” (JustinHoffsPortfolio, 2013)

I feel that the final outcome of the magazine show was really successful, I think everyone really pulled their weight and tried to make the best possible thing that they could. I don’t think anyone really slacked off and caused any problems. I think our final piece of work shows that. At times I think that the magazine show is a little slow. But overall a great piece of work we all did together, that shows our strong teamwork.

References

JustinHoffsPortfolio (2013) Magazine Show Example [Internet Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmqkPe-1mHQ [Accessed on 2/1/2018]

Pozitiv (2011) TV Presenters Course – Magazine Shows – London, UK [Internet Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4im-muhbG8 [Accessed on 2/1/2018]

 

Instagram Task

https://www.instagram.com/p/BimNNvbHmPq/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcauBzwFETm/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcaumKLFvmT/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BimoMD7nKUX/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BimoWz2nfMF/

Contextualising Statement 

This task for this brief was to make a festive video and upload it to Instagram, we were to do this is small groups and help one another in the filming process. We also had to include four photos that showed us doing the task behind the scenes.

I also had to be aware of health and safety issues I may face, I would be helping my team film their projects else where that wasn’t on uni grounds, so we had to be aware of traffic, public spaces and bad weather when using equipment and general manoeuvring around. I got a risk assessment signed off by my tutor to show I was aware of the potential risks and that I knew how to handle and react to them.

The filming process of the task I found quite easy, I was fully prepped, I had been to the shops and purchased all the props I needed. A Santa hay, some tinsel and a yule log. Finding all these things went well and didn’t cost much to buy. Another reason I was confident going in to film was because I knew exactly what I wanted my actor to do and say. They were also very confident in their delivery of the script and didn’t feel like they would have any problems with it. Once we began filming it went very smoothly. Probably the smoothest from the small group I was in. So that part I was very happy with. I even remembered to take my photos from behind the scenes, so everything was perfect on that front.

When I got to the editing phase I found that my audio had some static sound in it, nothing that made it so you couldn’t hear my actor speaking, but enough to be a slight annoyance, I looked at some sites online and watched a video on “Remove static/hiss and grainy audio noises” (ZeroTested, 2012) but sadly nothing worked. You only really hear it when the audio is fully turned up and the background music I have helps to mask it somewhat. Overall editing was a lot of fun, I enjoyed experimenting and trying new things with the footage to raise the elements I had already recorded. Making the footage more engaging by adding funny cuts etc. I also didn’t have any significant issues apart from the audio.

Where I did have big issues was exporting/uploading the footage to Instagram. I don’t know if I missed something or was just blind on moodle, but I couldn’t find where the export settings information was for the Instagram video, so my first attempt was incorrect. Thankfully I found this site that showed me the exact set up I needed “Premier Pro Instagram IOS Settings” (Bro, 2015)

The next issue I faced was getting locked out of my account as I had made the account so long ago I had forgotten my password, I never remembered it and sadly had to make a new account. Uploading the video physically on Instagram was also an issue as again I had no real idea of how to do this, as I couldn’t get the video on my phone to upload and Instagram on the computer doesn’t allow you to upload. But I did find a website that showed me “Chrome’s hidden “mobile mode” (Parsons, J. 2018) that allowed me to upload from my computer.

The overall outcome of the video I am very happy with, I think it looks professional and fits the tasks perfectly. I also had a great overall experience and wouldn’t change a thing about it

References

ZeroTested (2012) Adobe premier pro | Remove static/hiss and grainy audio noises using denoiser – tutorial [Internet Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEk5R5BpdwE [Accessed on 4/12/2017]

Bro (2015) Premier Pro Instagram IOS Settings [Internet] Available from https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/media/content-assets/ils/documents/Harvard.pdf [Accessed on 5/5/2018]

Parsons, J. (2018) Chrome’s hidden ‘mobile mode’ lets you post to Instagram directly from your desktop [Internet] Available from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/chromes-hidden-mobile-mode-lets-11790871 [Accessed on 5/5/2018]

 

Video Essay Task

Contextualising Statement 

 

This task was to create a video essay, where we analyse a chosen topic and use clips to convey our message and response to said topic.

I also head to be aware of health and safety issues I may face, but with this project that wasn’t an issue, I wasn’t using any equipment but my computer at my own home. So there was no need for any risk assessments. 

When looking at other video essays, I found myself engaging much more with the shorter and snappier ones. Essay’s that dragged on for more than three or four minutes I began to lose interest in and stop paying as much attention. This is due to the feeling of them dragging and not getting to the point of what they were trying to get at. That’s why I wanted to make mine as short as possible while still getting my point across.

I also really engaged with Video essays that didn’t have much commentary, if any at all. Essays that let the clips tell you what their point was. So, I wanted to incorporate that with my video essay. I wanted to keep dialogue to a minimum and let my clips do the talking. I didn’t provide any physical commentary at all and I personally think that works best with video essays and you engage with the subject matter more.

I opened my video essay up with a quote from Peter Hutchings from his book “The Horror Film” which talked about males being the killers and females usually the victims, how the females usually trigger the male killers with their provocativeness. I felt it was a good quote to engage the viewers with and one that set the tone of what the video essay was going to be about. I decided to base my video essay on the fact that women unfortunately tend to be cast as just victims for the male killers and are there to be “pretty”

I then used a clip from Halloween, that showed a woman being murdered and for no real reason, ends up having her breasts exposed. This really sets the tone and connects with the first couple of quotes I have.

I then use quotes from Rupert Ebert that talks about horror films being more “Women in Danger films” and how women are “Displayed as victims” (Ebert, R. 1980) I really felt these quotes hit the nail on the head for my argument and I showcased this with a bunch of clips of women falling victim to killers who were usually male. Which then went full circle and connected with the first quote used at the start of the video essay. I feel like the elements blended in well and I accomplished what I set out to do. Which was produce a short and concise vide essay, that didn’t rely on voice over and that didn’t have to much text. One that used the clips to show my argument.

References used in the video

Hutchings, P. (2004). The Horror Film. New York: PearsonLongman

Brewer, C. (2009) The stereotypic portrayal of women in slasher films: then versus now [Internet] Available from https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1055&context=gradschool_theses

Mr Smith. (2009) The Male Gaze Laura Mulvey [Internet] Available from https://www.slideshare.net/fleckneymike/the-male-gaze-laura-mulvey

Ladydny1 (2011) Siskel & Ebert 1980 Women In Danger Part 1 [Internet Video] Available from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz2N6BMOsyQ

Female Characters In TV

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As someone who watches a lot of TV shows that have strong female characters as the lead, I was quite surprised when I learned that females are extremely underrepresented both behind the camera and in front of it. But when I really thought about it, most of the shows I watch with female leads are rather old, both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena Warrior Princess began in the 1990’s and finished by 2003. Then when thinking about it some more, I hadn’t really heard of many big shows in today’s day and age that had strong female leads

After acquiring this knowledge I wanted to have a look into whether normal everyday people were watching TV shows that had female characters as the main lead, if they weren’t was there any particular reason for that etc. and if they felt the industry was lacking in strong female leads as a whole.

I feel as an industry there have been improvements in 2017 and some steps towards having more female leads have begun. As stated by Charley in the interview, big blockbuster films such as Wonder Woman have arrived and shown that woman can be a strong badass just like any man could be. Although we still have a ways to go before we really get equality in the entertainment industry and then even further to go before we see diversity with leading females.

Now how do you feel on the subject? Do you feel there is a lack? Would you like to see a lot more females in leading roles that apparently “only men” can do? How many TV shows could you list that had females as the leading role?

10 Horror Films To Watch Before You Die!

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10. Dawn Of The Dead (2004)

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Some may cry blasphemy when I say this, but I truly believe the 2004 remake of George A. Romero’s Dawn Of The Dead is vastly superior to the original 1978 film. With it’s updated visuals it provides a far more intense and realistic journey as we follow these survivors around a desolate shopping mall during a zombie outbreak. With an outstanding cast that pulls you into the world that is falling down around them, this is one film you should see if you haven’t, regardless of if you are a zombie fan or not.

9. Cabin In The Woods (2012)

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Joss Whedon one of my all time favourite scriptwriters and directors, creates this masterpiece of modern horror. Set in a cabin in the woods, five friends start to get picked off one by one when they come under attack from undead killers. Without giving to much away, this film has so many smart twist and turns, you’ll be recreating the exorcist. Nothing is what it seems in this bizarre horror. It also has one of the most epic and intense sequences leading up to a breathtaking finale. Watch this film.

 8. The Loved Ones (2009)

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In this psychotic and demented horror gem, Brett a young man turns down a invitation to prom from Lola a quite and strange young woman. With the rejection comes a dark and twisted plan for revenge, Lola and her father kidnap Brett and force him to attend a make shift prom at Lola’s house. With the atmosphere and shear dread you feel for Brett, this is one adrenaline fueled roller-coaster ride where you can’t see the final outcome. You just hold on and hope for the best. A truly underappreciated horror gem that the world and YOU need to watch.

 7. Inside (2007)

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A very shocking and upsetting film from France. It follows a pregnant woman who comes under attack from a mysterious woman who seems hell bent on taking her unborn child. A very, very intense and dark film from the offset, the feeling of dread only builds and builds as each person who comes to the aid of the pregnant woman gets killed in a horrid and brutal manor. The despair you feel for the pregnant woman is something truly heart wrenching as you can only sit and watch the events unfold around her. A film not for the faint of heart, if you can’t handle gore, especially a lot of it, stay far away from this horror.

 6. Resident Evil (2002)

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Now a lot of people have a lot of opinions on film adaptations of games. But I urge you to see the very first Resident Evil film if you haven’t already. Although it doesn’t strictly follow the games and their narratives, it does stay true to Resident Evil and the atmosphere those games created. I feel out of all the video games to films, this is one of the few done correctly. It has some intense and terrifying moments just like that of the games. The cast really helped pull this together, Milla Jovovich especially. Sadly I do feel as the franchise progressed the quality went down hill somewhat and it lost that spark that made this first film so great. That being said I still enjoyed them all, but the first is by far the best and the one I recommend to watch whether you’ve played the games or not.

5. I Spit On Your Grave (2010)

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A remake of the 1978 video nasty of the same name. I Spit On Your Grave follows the story of Jennifer Hills, who after being humiliated, degraded and left for dead, sets out to make the men pay for what they did to her. Once the revenge starts the adrenaline starts pumping, I have never cheered for a protaganist to deliver justice like this. The pain you go through watching what happens to Jennifer makes the pain she brings to her attackers all that more satisfying. A great remake and one to watch if you are a fan of revenge horrors.

4. You’re Next (2011)

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A film that finally has an extremely strong female lead right from the get go. There’s none of that rubbish where she has to discover her inner strength, no been chased and beaten by the killer before finally mustering the courage to fight back. She is just a badass from start to finish. It’s refreshing to see, it’s still a rarity in this day and age which is a real shame. The film follows a young woman named Erin, who goes with her boyfriend to visit his family. They come under attack from masked killers, but little do they know that Erin is no fragile victim and she is about to bring down her own wrath on their heads.

 3. Wrong Turn (2003)

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I remember buying this film when I was 14 from a car boot, I was so excited to watch it as it stars Eliza Dushku, one of my favorite actresses ever. But my mum wouldn’t allow me to watch it due to the 18 rating, she said she would watch it and see how bad it was before allowing me to watch it. Well I couldn’t wait that long to watch it, so when I was home alone I sneaked to the DVD and watched it! What I witnessed was one of the greatest, action packed films I had ever seen. Eliza was outstanding as was the rest of the cast. The killer cannibals were terrifying, the tension was great and the pacing exquisite. Sadly like the Resident Evil films, the following sequels have been very hit or miss. But this first film is an absolute classic, a gem for the horror genre, if you haven’t seen this one, go and see it now!

2. REC (2007)

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I originally saw the American remake of this film first, called Quarantine. I loved that film, I thought it was terrifying, which for me is a rarity as I am so desensitized when it comes to horror films these days. I learned of the fact Quarantine was a remake and decided to see how the original was, as normally the originals tend to be better than the remakes. Oh boy, was that the case here. I don’t know how, but this made the remake seem so tame, the tension, the atmosphere, the feeling of dread it was all amplified in this films. The zombie like creatures were far more menacing and the ending was far more skin crawling, This film made me fall in love with the “Found Footage” genre of horror. This was so beautifully made. It’s sequels, especially the second are also really well made. Which in this day and age is a great feat to accomplish.

1. The Descent (2006)

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What can I say about this masterpiece other than HORROR PERFECTION. This film single-handedly made me fall in love with the genre and help me discover so many incredible films. It also sparked my interest into becoming a Scriptwriter, I wanted to make horror films as outstanding as this. The atmosphere and tension this films creates. The way you connect with all the characters and truly care for what happens to them all, not just from the horrors that lurk in the cave, but their personally lives too. The caves are so claustrophobic I sweat just thinking about being trapped in a place like that. The creatures so unnerving, the fact they are blind makes them even more intimidating. There is so much I want to say and talk about, but if I did I would be writing this for hours on end and none of us want an essay right now. Please, please if you have not seen this film, treat yourself and go and pick it up right now!

“I can’t even get out of bed, it feels like I’m paralysed” – Borderline Personality Disorder

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Borderline Personality Disorder, Also know as BPD for short. Is a serious Mental Illness that surrounds the inability to manage ones emotions. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders about 75% of people who are diagnosed with BPD are women. BPD normally starts in adolescents or early adulthood. The following is an interview I conducted with a young woman who is in her early twenties who suffers from BPD. She has chosen to remain anonymous throughout this interview.

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A struggle. Some days are far, far worse than others. BPD is all about emotions. It does however vary from person to person. But, I get up in the mornings, I get dressed, go to work, come home, eat my tea and then relax by watching Netflix. Then rinse and repeat throughout the week. I try to function just like any other person would. I have this, that does cause that process to be a bit more difficult for me.

So how does BPD affect you? What are the symptoms as such?

As I said before, for me it’s all emotions based. There are so many different aspects that build up BPD, that even I, someone who’s been diagnosed for three years can’t even list. The key ones for me are Paranoia, Depression and Anxiety. My feelings are very strong, so when I’m happy, I’m very, very happy. Then when I’m sad, I’m at my lowest of the low. I just don’t feel like have an in between at all. It’s either one extreme or the other. Even the smallest of things can feel like massive tragedies to me. But big events, have a much larger and lasting impact compared to these smaller ones. When the big things happen I struggle to function, work feels impossible and some days I can’t even get out of bed, it feels like I’m paralysed.

You’ve said twice now that you work, how do you find that?

Hard, but I really need it, having this routine that’s pretty much always the same provides me with a sense of stability and normality. There’s this vibe I get when I tell people I work, like they are saying “Should I even be working”. Why can’t I work though, Just because I have BPD that doesn’t mean I am incapable of doing a job. In fact, not to blow my own trumpet I am very, very good at my job, so why shouldn’t I do it.

Do you feel there are preconceptions towards people with mental illness?

Absolutely, maybe that’s my paranoia talking. I don’t like to even tell people that I have a mental illness, I just feel like they are judging me. It makes me feel uncomfortable around them and extremely anxious. Especially when people hear the words “personality disorder” they probably think I’m Jekyll and Hyde, which is so not true. If people ask me if something is wrong with me, I just say I am feeling a bit sad, It’s just easier that way.

BPD was officially recognised in 1980 by the psychiatric community. It’s more than two decades behind in research and treatment options. BPD has historically been met with widespread misunderstanding and blatant stigma. I feel that is still the case in today’s society. But I hope that this interview can tackle some of these issues around BPD. Help people who may know someone who has BPD to support them and to help you realise that just because someone has BPD that doesn’t mean they are any less of a person.