Celia Rosa Antonio

AS Film Studies Evaluation 750-1000

What were the aims of the artefact?

For the Unit F632 I was to create a creative artefact, for my artefact
I chose to produce nine key frames from which the audience would
be able to clearly depict the narrative through. Alongside this I had
to complete a few pieces of paperwork to explain the basis of my
artefact tells the story of the Christina (protagonist) chasing after a
strange figure (antagonist) and after find out that hes a wanted
murder; it follows Todorovs narrative theory as Christina is in a
disequilibrium and attempts to murder the antagonist to restore
equilibrium.

The aim for my artefact were to ensure that my key frames reflected
a similar theme portrayed by the protagonist within the two films
Skyfall and Divergent as referred to in my textual analysis, therefore
I had to show both the opposing genders represented as dominant
and the female gain dominance over the male during some point in
my production. I did this through creating an artefact in which the
female was dominance over the male.

What codes and conventions identified in the textual analysis were

used in artefact?

For my textual analysis I focused on two to different texts Skyfall

(2012, UK film) and Divergent (2014, US film), I identified specific
codes and conventions that I was able to use within creating my
artefact, I was able to identify the director has the ability to
use semiotics to portray specific messages about
protagonists. I identified this within my textual
analysis of my two films within Skyfall, Sam Mendes uses
the character of James to show the bravery and
intelligence of a protagonist as James Bond is stereotypical
represented as the typical hero protagonist what is
one of the convention of action adventure genre.
This shows his dominant behaviour and makes the
audience understand that he is the dominant
character among the rest. I was able to input
semiotics within creative artefact through mise-en-
scene elements such as costume; the genre of my artefact is action
therefore it is convention for the antagonist to wear black to
connote danger or symbolise enigma, however it can also connote
evil, conversely the protagonist also wear black and adds the
enigma to the audience as a director. I inputted this to induce to the
audience that it will be a plot twist as protagonist is the murderer,
and stereotypically the antagonist carries out the action of murder.
 Celia Rosa Antonio

Another convention that I recognised in my

textual analysis was the fact that in
Divergent there is a countertype between
genders represented. Within this film
Beatrice Prior is the protagonist who is
constantly portrayed as a dominant
character including characters of the opposite sex. The
representation in the film of damsel in the stress is displayed
countertype in this film. This is because the male is represented as
dominant throughout the production. We see this portrayed
throughout the narrative with the help from compositions Beatrice
is position in the centre of the frame this connotes to the audience
that Beatrice is l the superior gender. I was able to input
compositions to connote the same message to the audience about
my female protagonist Christina.

How were the planning materials used in the construction of the

artefact?

For the first planning method I choose to create a storyboard as this

would help me be decisive on what I wanted to portray in each of
my shots from cinematography, editing, sound accompanying each
shot and the mise-en-scene included. In each of the sketches I made
for my artefact I include what scene it was (numbering), what type
of shot it was (CU, LS, etc.), at what angle the shot was going to be
taken at (High, Low), editing (Black and white
etc.) and the sound incorporated
within the scene (non-diegetic or
diegetic). For my planning I
scouted out 2 possible actors for
my male antagonist, and 2
possible actresses for my female
protagonist. I each actor
performed an extract of the
script as a screen test. When putting together
each of screen tests as pre-production artefacts in my portfolio I
made sure to make detail notes of each performance of the role.
Evaluating the actors performance skill, I then chose my actors
based on whom I thought were more suitable and most effective for
my creative artefact.
My final method of planning, I choose to create a Location Report
which, when the time came to talking the image of my 9 Key
Frames, enables me know where I was going to take the shots, at
what time I was going to and what was going to take place in the
specific scenes.
 Celia Rosa Antonio

How successful was the artefact in achieving the aims?

In general, I believe that my artefact was effective in achieving the

aims; I was successful in portraying both the opposition between
genders as dominant. I feel like I managed to produce 9 key frames
that conveyed similar conventions to Skyfall and Divergent. I was
also able to portray the ideas of protagonists using micro-
techniques. I used planning materials in order to carry put this
process and I believe I successfully done this.

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