Lo2 - Viability of special effects

What software do you need to create the effects

What are the issues associated with using this software doing with the hardware?

Lo2 - 2.2 Feasibility of special effects

This risk assessment demonstrates the issues that may occur for workers within the media industry, who's job roles require them to spend long periods of time editing on a computer. I intend to follow this risk assent when completing my visual effects via Adobe After Effects, therefore I will ensure that I adjust the brightness and position of my chair to make the process as comfortable as possible for myself.

Lo3 - Creation of visual effect

First step

 Second step

Lo2 - Production plan

Graph VFX moodboard

This moodboard demonstrates the motion graphic CGI visual effects that I'd like my documentary to have during scenes which are based on statistics regarding the impact plastic has had on Sheffield. The moodboard shows that I want my graph to be informative and educational with a serious connotation yet also fun in order maintain the attention of our target audience of young people as we're typing to make them aware of the impact that plastic waste will have on their future. 

Title / text VFX moodboard

This moodboard demonstrates the type of font and display I'd like my title page to have in my documentary. As denoted, I'd like the font to be coloured white, as the colour white is gender neutral and therefore connotes that the documentary is aimed at an audience of both females and males, since it's purpose is to educate, not target a specific audience with a product. I was also thinking of having the font in a serif type writer font, as I want to use motion graphs in order to animate the text and make it look as though someone is typing the text onto the screen. I'd like the text to be placed over an establishing she of Sheffield city centre in order to reinforce the subject matter (plastic pollution in Sheffield) and also help attract my target audience of people located in Sheffield.

Film Burn VFX moodboard

This moodboard demonstrates the type of film burn effect I'd like scenes in my documentary to have, more specifically establishing shots of Sheffield at times such as dusk and dawn in order to reinforce the denotation of sun rise beaming down onto the city. This type of effect is a convention to documentaries specifically due to the way in reinforces the theme of nature and the outdoors, making my documentary look more professional and realistic. Not only this, but the effect of film burn generally looks visually appealing, therefore helping keep my audience intrigued by adding an aspect of hyper realism.

Colour Grading VFX moodboard

This moodboard demonstrates the type of colour grading I'd like to use within my documentary. I'd like to use colour grading as it gives a more cinematic look to your documentary therefore making it seem professional and entertaining due to the hyper real denotation.

Documentary title scene example

Media theories

• PASSIVE AUDIENCE THEORY. 

- This model does not hold much positivity for the audience. however it is a good method to explain how media producers reinforce messages, politicians when running up to an election / propaganda and also towards how marketing campaigns are sucessful.

- Vance Packard (1957) looked at the relationship between advertising and media effects in his books 'Hidden Persuaders'.
He believed the media were conditioning people to want products and services with the rise of consumerism.

Linking in with - Violence in the media.

Craig Anderson (2007) that high exposure to fact - paced violent games can lead to changes in brain function when processing violent images , including dampening of emotional responses to violencee. One of the high risk factors?
This is known as desensitisation. However, Chris Ferguson (2012) showed no long term link over three years.
If you are desensitised to violent behaviour in the media and therefore demonstrate it in real life this is called copy cat behaviour. i.e. if you demonstrate behaviour that you have been exposed to previously on the media.


- George Gerbner and Larry Gross (1979) - Culitivation Theory.
This theory examines the long term effects of television. "The more time people spend watching TV, the more time the more likely they are to believe that they are to believe social reality aligns with reality portrayed on television."

In terms of violence they call this 'mean world syndrome', this means the more people are shown violent elements on the media such as news reports the more likely they are to believe this is happening in the real world.


Stanley Cohen 1972 - Moral panics.
when the 'mass media' demonise groups, people or products that they believe are a threat to society, values and interests it is called a 'moral panic'. Examples of this is -
- Migration, due to controversy and claims of immigrants being threats in the media.
- Religion - Extremists.
- Black youth / hoodie culture.
- White underclass.
Articles are typically biased towards these groups of people in the media, this is called media bias.

Media bias and moral panics are part of sensationalists reporting to make money.

• KEY WORDS

Media bias - biased media towards threatening stereotypes of people. 
Moral panics - threats to society. 
Folk devil - people being worried about the impact of elements such as social media on youth. 

• REPRESENTATION

Low angle - portrays the 'gang' as being more dominant and powerful than the viewer due to the camera physically being low downer down than them. 

'Gang signs' - add to the stereotypical persona of a rebellious 'gang member' 

Tattoos - associated with being edgy and dangerous.

'Black youth' - typically portrayed in a negative light in the media due to stereotypes. 

• REPRESENTATION THEORIES

Perkins 1979 - Not all stereotypes are negative. 

Laura Mulvay (1975) - Women are objectified

Earp and Katz (1999) - Men show masculinity with pathological control over violence. 

Butler (1993) - representation of gay people, are they stereotypical? 

Alvarado (1987) & Hall (1995) - ethnicity 'exotic dangerous, humorous or pitied' 

Turton (2014) - hooligans, trouble causers, Black and Asian Boys

Lloyd (1995) - girls are seen as negative or double deviant - trouble causers nut shouldn't be because they are women

• GENRE THEORY.

Patrick Philips (1996) - genre offers commutable reassurance

Barry Keith (1995) - all genres have subgenera

Brandson and Stafford (1999) - genres help minimise risk and predict expenditure.

Rick Altman (1999) - Emotional Pleasures, Visceral pleases, Intellectual pleasures.

David Bordwell (1998) - any theme may appear in any genre.

• NARRATIVE.

Pam Cook (1985) - enigma resolution (a solved problem) and narrative closure (when we have a definite ending).

Tzvetam Todorov (1997) - equilibrium, disrupted to make disequilibrium, action took against the disruption, state of new equilibrium.

Levi-Strauss (1958) - binary opposition, good vs evil.

• EFFECTS IN MEDIA. 

Chris Ferguson (2012) showed no long term link over three years regarding violent video games having an impact on those that play them.

George Gerbner and Larry Gross (1979) - Culitivation Theory.

This theory examines the long term effects of television. "The more time people spend watching TV, the more time the more likely they are to believe that they are to believe social reality aligns with reality portrayed on television."

Craig Anderson (2007) that high exposure to fact - paced violent games can lead to changes in brain function when processing violent images , including dampening of emotional responses to violencee. One of the high risk factors

Stanley Cohen (1972)  - Moral panic (when things are believed to be a threat to society such as folk devils)

Hall, (1980) - All representations are mediated

Perkins (1979) - There is a use of stereotypes / counter types, but not all stereotypes are negative. 

Turton (2014) - hooligans, trouble causers, black and Asian boys. 

Lloyd (1995) - girls as double deviant - trouble causers but shouldn't be because they are women. 

Key words

Colour grading - Changing colour, contrast or exposure of the footage to create a different mood.

Glitch - used to distort image / futuristic effect

Transitions - blend between scenes

Motion graphics - moving animated graphics

Film burn - old Polaroid / retro effects

Film grain - Where to footage looks pixelated / grainy to create an 'old' looking effect.

Glare -How light reflects off  textures

Lens Flare - How the camera captures the light and alters the scene.

Distortion - How effects such as lines or static can be created through editing to create a distorted effect

Blend mode - How graphics // layers are blended into one another.