Risk Assessment and Logistics

Props that we will need to film:

• Car and car key.
• Two mobile phones (one of which being an iPhone)
• Microphone and a microphone stand.
• A piece of cardboard.
• Black permanent marker.
• Photos of the girl and lead singer together.
• Photoframe.
• Backpack.
• Camera.
• Tripod.

Crew

Emily and I will both be directing and doing the camera work. For the most of it we are each going to film our own halves of the storyboard, however we will both be there at all times so that if something isn’t working, or we come up with other ideas we can put them in.

Risk Assessment

Level of risk

1. Extremely Likely
2. Likely
3. Unsure
4. Unlikely
5. Extremely unlikely

Risk	Likelyness of Occurance	How to resolve risk
Car accident	5	Making sure that we film on a private road as the protagonist hasn’t got insurance. I, however, can drive, so when we are filming the scenes, I will be   driving and we will make sure that there isn’t any danger or potential danger such as oncoming traffic or pedestrians when filming.
Camera battery running out	4	We will bring two batteries with us which will be fully charged the day before.
Camera not working	4	We are hoping to be using at least two cameras on the day so if one was to not work we have a spare.
Tape running out	4	We will be bringing at least two batteries with us on the day as well as a laptop. This means that if in the rare circumstance we fill both tapes we can upload the footage straight away.
Actors/ actress not turning up	4	We will make sure that we have organised with them the date, time and place of the shoot weeks before we film. We will also phone them the day before to remind them. If they decide they cannot make the shoot we would then phone up replacement actors.
Actors not knowing the lyrics	3	We will provide the actors with the song lyrics weeks prior to the shoot. However, if they cannot learn them in time we will have to shoot in stages so that he learns a few lines then we film and so on.
Adverse weather conditions	3	Obviously we cannot control this. However, we will be looking at the forecast regularly the week prior to shooting in order to have an idea as to whether we can shoot or not.
People in the way of filming	2	This is likely as we are filming in a busy street. This will work in our favour to produce a realistic scene, however, if someone decides to do something out of the ordinary we will have to re-film that section.
Forgetting props	4	We will make sure that the actors are aware of what props we are using for the shoot and which ones they are responsible for. We will also give them a reminder, either through text, email or social networking sites, to make sure they are aware of what they have to bring
An actor getting injured during the shoot	3	We will do our best to prevent this from happening, however, if something was to happen we will make sure we have the necessities such as a first aid kit containing plasters etc with us.
Not being allowed to shoot in  a certain area	3	We will address this issue by having a walkthrough of our location to make sure there are no signs which say we cannot film in a certain area.
Forgetting music	4	This is unlikely as we will be using a laptop/ iPod system to play the music on. However, if this was to be forgotten or not working we can play it aloud using our phones.

M.I.G.R.A.I.N

M EANING

What is meant by a word, text, concept, or action

I DEOLOGY

A dominant set of ideas presenting itself as common sense or truth. Power relations are reinforced ideology. A system of ideas and ideals, esp. one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy

G ENDER

How male and females are represented in various different media platforms/products.

R EPRESENTATION

The description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way or as being of a certain nature

A UDIENCE

A collective group of people reading/watching any media text. Digital technology has led to increasing uncertainty over how we define an audience, with general agreement that the notion of a large group of people, brought together by time, responding to a single text, is outdated and that audiences now are fragmented.

I DENTITY

The complex way that one has a representative sense of oneself. Gauntlett’s ideas on identity are that ‘we all have a complex matrix of ideas about ourselves, who we are and what we want to be.’

N ARRATIVE

The way information is ordered, or the story is told. A spoken or written account of connected events; a story

Girl Gaming Month

Gaming has never been about being a male or female pursuit, so the new generation growing up will be less likely to think of gaming as a male dominated world so hopefully barriers will come down naturally and open the industry up for all.
 
According to a recent survey PopCap conducted, parents and grandparents are 55 per cent more likely to discourage the playing of ‘hardcore’ games by girls aged 14-years-old and under, compared to boys of the same age.”

We at PopCap believe that everyone is a potential player of casual games regardless of gender, age – or even, interest in gaming for that matter! We’ve never made a “game for girls” or “game for women” or “game for seniors” – and it’s unlikely that we ever will.

 Doing so not only limits your potential audience size, it causes you as a developer to take your eyes off the prize: making the game as fun as it can possibly be.
 
We strive to make games that appeal to everyone and anyone – from stay-at-home mothers to hardcore gamers to workaholics.
 
PopCap research has suggested that casual games naturally skew towards an older (89 per cent of players are aged 30-plus), female (76 per cent are female) audience but those are just the people who buy the games on the PC

Our mission at PopCap is to be innovators of casual games on as many platforms as possible to make our games as accessible to this audience of ‘everyone’ as possible.

Historically, when we looked exclusively at our games on Mac/PC/web, we found our average customer was a 48-year-old woman. However as we discover new genres of casual games and make these playable on new platforms, the PopCap audience likewise continues to expand and diversify.
Although historically, Popcap have looked at their games as a more MAC/PC/web orientated, nowadays they are released and played across many different platforms, ranging from the web to the iPad. In regards to the audience, Popcap found that their average gamer was a 48-year old woman, with 76% of the audience being women and and 89% percent of players being over 30. However, Pop cap maintain that their games are designed to appeal to everyone from ‘stay at home mothers to hardcore games on the PC.’ They say that they are striving not to limit their potential audience size, therefore not specialising their games to a particular gender. Furthermore research suggests that 55% of parents and grandparents are more likely to discourage girls aged 14 and under from playing hardcore games, therefore making them more likely to play casual games as an alternative. Too conclude, Popcap believe that they hope that the new generation will stray away from the stereotypes of all gamers being male.

 http://www.casualgaming.biz/news/28644/INTERVIEW-PopCap-Games

Doctor Who Analysis

This extract from Dr. Who uses many different methods to create a more intricate representation of gender, using a variety of methods to create a form of hierarchy in the extract.

The narrative begins very unconventionally with a mid-shot, instead of a more conventional long shot establishing the mise-en-scene. In this mid-shot we are introduced to the protagonist in a very contrasting way as the mise-en-scene suggests that he is in a compromising position as he is trapped in some form of cage, however the camera is capturing him from a low angle, suggesting that he is still dominant and in power. However this changes further in to the narrative, as he is later shot from a high angle suggesting that he is no longer superior. Throughout the narrative many long and mid shots are used in order to capture the mise-en-scene as well as the characters. This is seen in particular thirteen seconds into the clip as when both the protagonist and the antagonists are all revealed, using both the mise-en-scene and camera angles to create a hierarchy in dominance. From this shot the female protagonist is shown as being inferior, with the male antagonist on the next level up suggesting that he is superior, however his wife his on the level up from him, suggesting that overall she is superior over everyone.

The female antagonist is also set apart via her costume, as almost all of the characters are wearing dark clothes e.g. a black suit, whereas she is wearing a red dress, which sets her apart from the other characters. It also portrays her of having a complex personality as red could signify blood and evil, which it seems like at the beginning as she is portrayed as the antagonist, however towards the end of the narrative she turns against her husband, as seen when she begins to chant ‘doctor’ along with the other protagonists, which could mean that the red also represents warmth, ergo presenting women in a good light. The male antagonist is wearing a dark suit which suggests that he is upper class and in control. The set in my opinion resembles a hotel, and the inside is very modern with a sci-fi feel (e.g. the control boards and the circular windows). The set also creates a form of hierarchy with its use of different levels. The scene is also very bright which could be foreshadowing future events, the light also creates an almost biblical effect when ‘the doctor’ transforms back into his conventional state. The brightness and the openness of the set could also be used to contrast with the negative happenings in the scene. On the other hand, when it comes to the flashbacks the scenes are a lot darker, suggesting that they are portraying worse times and that they were not a good point in the protagonists life, this is especially shown when she is shown one her own in what seems to be a storm. The use of pathetic fallacy also portrays that she has being through a lot, yet her attitude and body posture is still confident and determined- therefore portraying women in a very positive light. Most of the make-up is naturalistic, therefore making the characters seem more real, enabling people to become more enthralled in the story.

There are two props in particular that I believe are key to the narrative, firstly the timer that the antagonist sets off, this timer creates a sense of urgency in the scene, building tension and pace. It also shows the female protagonist in a good light, as she remains calm throughout. This was shown through the camera movement, as they were all filmed using a steady-cam, meaning that the shot was completely still, which could mirror her calmness. The second prop is the sonic screwdriver which in my opinion seems to be the source of power as the antagonist is only in power when he has the sonic screwdriver, however when the ‘doctor’ takes it back, the antagonist is automatically disempowered, suggesting that the males source of power is all in the screwdriver, not in themselves.

The camera movement did not vary much throughout the narrative as most was with a steady-cam, however, at one point the camera goes from a tilt down to a tilt up, following the woman protagonist as she stands up, denoting that she is coming into power. There is also a slight zoom into John Barrowman’s character, highlighting his importance. Also the way the characters are framed in shot, in some ways mirrors the ways in which they are in pantomimes, as the protagonists are primarily framed in the left hand side of the shot and the antagonists are framed on the right hand side.

In regards to the editing, it is mostly continuity editing in order to allow the story to flow properly and also they use quick cuts in order to increase the pace and it also it mirrors the pace of the timer as it counts down. Also the quicker the cuts get, the more antagonized and unsettled the antagonist is in contrast to the female protagonist who seems to calm more as the cuts go on. There is also some cross cutting as the flashbacks link in with the action being described using L-cuts. These flashbacks explain the actions that follow in the narrative, and how the ‘doctor’ has so much support.

In regards to the sound, there is non-diegetic sound played throughout the clip, overlapping with the diegetic sound (mostly dialogue). The non-diegetic sound varies depending on who is talking, when the antagonist is speaking the music is mostly a guitar strumming and a light drum beat, and when the protagonist is talking there is an almost choir like sound. This sound could be related to the narrative when the antagonist compares the woman protagonist’s methods to ‘prayer’, also it backs up the idea that she is almost benevolent. The non-diegetic music increases in volume as the tension builds in the narrative. There is also a use of Foleys such as the beeping noise made by the timer, and also the noise of the lasers.

In conclusion, I believe that the women in the piece are presented in a better light than the male characters as they are presented as more calm and subdued, even under stressful conditions, also even the antagonists wife turns out as a protagonist. Whereas the men in the piece seem to be more violent and agitated, making them seem almost barbaric, therefore presenting them in a negative way.

My Player Profile

Personally I do not consider myself as a big fan of gaming. I own a playstation 2, Nintendo Wii and a Mac computer and laptop, however i rarely play games on any of them. Unless for example, I am with friends and we are playing on a game such as singstar or Wii sport. Most of the games that I own are designed more for multi-player purposes which is ironic considering I am an only child.

On the Nintendo Wii, I own games such as Wii sports, Mario Kart and Wii fit, which are (excluding the wii fit) designed mainly for multiplayer usage. The game that i play the most is probably Sims 3, but I still do not play it regularly- mostly because I have too much work to do. I also have around twenty games such as tetris and bejeweled on my iPhone, but I only tend to play them if for example i am on a long journey.

Popcap More info…

Their Mission

At PopCap, their  goal is to create fun games that literally everyone can enjoy. The games are easy to learn, tough to master… and utterly addictive!
Best of all, they’re FREE!
You can play the web games right in your browser. Or download the free Deluxe games in just a few minutes, to enjoy anytime, anywhere – without being connected to the Internet.
Then, when you’re hooked, you can own the complete version of the game for unlimited play, special features, new characters and more. All for less than $30!

Company History

It all started in 2000 with John Vechey, Brian Fiete, and Jason Kapalka, who learned their trade working for Internet game companies like Flipside and pogo.com. Just as the Internet boom was busting, the three decided to stake their futures on creating good-lookin’, simple games that folks could play on the Web. Incredibly, it worked.
The flagship game – Bejeweled – was an instant hit. Not only did players around the world fall in love with it, it won over the hearts of the critics as well. Bejeweled was awarded Computer Gaming World’s Puzzle Game of the Year award in 2001, and then was inducted into the CGW Hall of Fame in 2002. (The only puzzle game inductee since Tetris. Wow!)
PopCap’s web games quickly became super popular – both on their home site and on partners such as the Microsoft Gaming Zone, Yahoo, RealOne Arcade and Shockwave. The next step was to create the Deluxe downloadable versions. It was a risky move that paid off with what CNNMoney called the “second coming of shareware.”
In 2002, it was time to get serious about having fun. The three visionaries stopped working out of their houses and got a real office. The next step? Hiring some of the brilliant gaming minds they’d met in their earlier travels through the gaming world to start making crazy fun games about worms, stone frogs, fish tanks and Chuzzles.
These days, they have over 200 whip-smart, talented and happy employees and are steadily growing. You can find their games every which way you look: on the web, PCs, Macs, PDAs, cell phones… even mid-air with the wonders of in-flight entertainment technology.

PopCap by the Numbers

Year founded: 2000
Number of employees: Over 200
Number of PopCap Games: 35
Number of awards our games have won: 24… and counting!

Bejeweled

After having never played bejeweled before I was quite interested to see what all the hype was about and what aspects a game could include which could lead to such high sales figures. The first version of the game that I decided to play was on the iPhone application, ‘Bejeweled 2’ which cost £1.79 to download. The first thing that you see when opening in the app is a loading screen with ‘Popcap’ written in a clear dominant font, obviously trying to make the audience aware of the company behind the game. I then was given the option of playing either playing the ‘classic’, ‘action,’ ‘endless’ or ‘Blitz version of the game. However you can only play the Blitz version if you connect it to your facebook account.
I was slightly skeptical when I first started to play the game as I though the whole idea of grouping the jewels seemed too easy and boring to do as in the end it is very repetitive, however as the game progressed I could see the addictive side to the game (not to the extend of some fans’. The use of various different backgrounds and colors help to improve the game as it makes it more visually stimulating, however I found that the sound effects were very annoying and I chose the option of muting them.
I then played on the online version when I got home. It was very easy to link and to find on the internet but it took a while to load as I had to wait around 15 seconds while an advert was played- obviously bringing in more money for Popcap.
In conclusion I can understand why the game is so addictive but personally I found that some of the extra features that are designed to make the game seem more fun actually made it more annoying e.g. the sound of someone saying ‘incredible’ in an almost sci-fi tone.

Evaluation And Final Product

Above is the final product of our efforts.

From our final trailer, the outcome was exactly as we expected, the music choice really works with this genre of game. From the character information sheets introducing some of the characters you interact with in the game, to the large explosion at the end of the thriller, everything really fits together to make it look like a professional, realistic game trailer.

We could perhaps improve this trailer by removing the GUI from the game, making the footage look like part of a game movie rather than actual game play. We could also make the fact files on each of the characters move, like someone was typing in letters with enough resources.

Filming

We used two different games to grab footage for our game trailer. We used video capture software (screen recorder) on a computer to get the video game X3 to play as a movie and a screen capture to gain images of The Sims to add as characters into our game.

To being the filming process, we went onto The Sims Game on Christina’s Mac and created three Sims, using the Sim Creator tool that is included in the game. These Sims are the portraits of the main NPC characters in our game, the three main characters that the player will interact with while playing to progress throughout the game. We then loaded the screenshots in photo editor software and removed the backgrounds, added a new black background and added the appropriate text so it appeared to be a “file” on their record, giving really basic information while not revealing anything that may ruin game play for the player. They could then be added into the video at the editing stage.

Next we loaded up the game and started recording basic footage that followed the lines of our storyboard; this was quite difficult as the game did not entirely match out our story line. So we used a cheat system to generate the appropriate amount of space ships and the correct battle conditions. Using the screen recorder software, we took several clips from the game from ships fighting in space, and most importantly, a large explosion for the end of the trailer. After we successfully captured the footage from the game, it was converted from AVI format to a single MP4 movie ready for separating and editing.

Editing our trailer

In regards to the editing of the commercial, the technical aspects were at a minimum due to the fact that the trailer was simply a string of other clips put together to represent game footage. However there were naturally some complicated technical aspects that we had to deal with. In order to create the end titles in which the text ‘Star: gateway’ appears on a back ground of stars we used an editing software which accompanies final cut express called ‘Live type’. This specific editing programme is designed solely for creating various different styles of titles for films. We choose a plain font for the title Star: Gateway in order to make it look as professional as possible. We then, instead of setting it in a plain colour, made it so that the colour of it was actually a mini video of sky moving which contrasted with the background of what seems like a vortex. We then finished it off with our company name ‘Alteran Games’. This was in more a funky font with a plain background as the game is more aimed at teens and younger adults who would probably be more attracted to a more creative logo.

For the remainder of the editing we worked on a variety of programmes including Final cut express, iMovie, Serif, Livetype and garageband. The reasoning behind this was that each programme has it’s own advantages and disadvantages so we decided to play on each programmes strengths in order to hopefully create a higher quality final product.