Evaluation

What were the aims of the artefact?

The aim for Unit F631 artefact was to create 9 key frames regarding
the two films I had previously analysed and compared in my textual
analysis. In preparation of creating the 9 key frames we had to write
a script for a scene correlating to the genre, themes and issues of
the films in our textual analysis. My film, destined lovers focused on
the theme of young love taken from the representation of the
protagonists in both The First Time and Angus Thongs and Perfect
Snogging. For my sequence I primarily focused on creating a scene,
which implemented both romantic ideologies and Todorovs theory of
a disruption. This was particularly due to both my films
incorporating a mini disruption where the protagonist was
humiliated. My key frames represented a two-minuet scene where
each shot portrayed either a romantic or embarrassing atmosphere.

What codes and conventions identified in the textual analysis were

used in the artefact?

When taking my 9 key frames I particularly focused on the mise-en-

scene shown in the two films I analysed. In both films the location
was particularly in standardised urban areas such as a residential
street, school, or shopping centre, typical places teenagers would be
seen in. To these codes and conventions I used a shopping centre at
night, to connote a romantic scenario. In The First Time and Angus
Thongs and Perfect Snogging the protagonists are portrayed as
typical urban teenagers, who are typical protagonist of the
romantic-comedy genre. Their bright coloured clothes in the films
represent youth and purity connoting the innocence of first love. To
exemplify this in my 9 key frames I ensured that both my actors
dressed just like this to denote their age clearly to the audience. The
male protagonist in my 9key frames is wearing a hat paired with a
bright green jumper to fit to the code and conventions of teens in a
romantic-comedy film. The costume of my characters could also
clearly connote the personality of my protagonists, for example, the
female protagonist within my 9key frame is wearing a bright pink
jumper with frills on. This immediately represents her as innocent
and girly sticking to the typical convention of girls in the film
industry. The costume of my male and female protagonists connects
to Levi Strausss binary opposites due to Milles (female protagonist)
pink jumper and Connors (male protagonist) hat representing him as
a bad boy. This connects to the codes and conventions seen in the
romantic-comedy film hitch where the love interests coming from
two completely different ways of life falling in love.
 In

my key frames romance and a

close connection was clearly portrayed between the two characters.
The body language between the two characters was duplicated from
what I had seen in The First Time and Angus Thongs and Perfect
Snogging. This helped me clearly portray the characters relationship
to the audience and connect my 9key frames to my intended genre.
It was important that I was able to capture every angle of the
scenario to ensure the characters emotions were clearly portrayed
to the audience. This would help when trying to portray the theme
of love. I did this by taking around 100 pictures and choose the best
ones that denoted a close relationship.

Following the codes and conventions of The First Time I used low-key
lighting setting the scene at night. Within a scene in The First Time
the protagonists were slow dancing down a suburban alleyway at
night this created enigma along with demonstrating a romantic
ambience. I tried to duplicate this in my creative artefact by having
my key frames set at night in a suburban shopping centre. This
enabled me to stick to the codes and conventions of the films within
my textual analysis and also relate my location my script by a
shopping centre being a likely place for a date to take place. This is
particularly shown in these two shots. The red background creates
connotations of love. However I feel as overall my location would
have been a lot more effective and fit with the conventions of the
genre if it were set in a restaurant during their date rather than after
the date. This would have created better connotations of love within
the scene. This would also fit within my initial idea of having low-key
lighting suggesting romance in the scene due to restaurants
typically being dimmed.

How were the planning materials used in the construction of the

artefact?

The script was essential when helping me imagine and depict how I
want my shots to look. This helped me visualise how I want my
actors to look and helped me implement Laura Mulveys male gaze
theory into my artefact. This is due to me knowing that I wanted a
physically attractive female protagonist. This also helped me with
deciding on what cinematography I should use and helped me
depict what angle would be ideal for each individual shot. This
would ensure that the audience are able to understand the narrative
to the full extent by using shots that are able to help the continuity
of the scene and clearly depict the actors emotions in that key
moment. For example to lowered eye level angle of Millie when she
feels sick connotes her inferior position at that moment and show
connotations of distress and a disruption. The script also allowed me
to create a characters personality and behaviour, which would later
aid my actor with characterisation. This means that I would have a
more believable and realistic film.
The preparation for my creative artefact also involved arranging
dates for filming whilst giving my actors time to read and
understand their role within my 9key frames. This later meant that I
was assured that my actors would produce a good performance on
the day particularly due to their strong prior acting when creating
my screen test notes. This also meant that I was assured that my
actors maintain similar traits to those of the characters within my
textual analysis.

How Successful was the artefact in achieving the aims?

As a final product I think my creative artefact was able to clearly tell

a story between my two protagonists and was able to portray the
themes presented in the two films within my textual analysis. This
was seen through the codes and conventions of the romantic-
comedy genre that I used within my creative artefact, particularly
through the appearance of my two protagonists. Through my
planning materials I was able to guarantee that my protagonists
were the appropriate age (teenagers), as both on the films I
analysed within my textual analysis both included teenager
protagonists.

This exemplifies how I constantly referred back to my textual

analysis to ensure that I created a believable creative artefact by
including the codes and conventions of the genre that was denoted
into the two films I analysed. I used my textual analysis as a base to
effectively plan for my artefact, this ensured that my final product
was accurate to how I had previously imagined it would it be. I feel
as the connotations of love were clearly portrayed in my 9key
frames clearly linking it with the romantic-comedy genre.