Final Evaluation FMP

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After Easter break, we had finally moved on the Final Major Project (FMP) of the Level 2 Media course. The task we had to do in order to succeed in passing the FMP was to create a final outcome of anything from a list of themes we were given that we then present use 1 of 3 different types of media (Graphic Design, Film Production and Photography). I chose to do Film Production and the theme for my outcome was ‘Nostalgia’. I chose this because Filmmaking has always been a hobby of mine and I felt that there were loads of different ways I could experiment with the theme of Nostalgia. I felt that I could achieve something from this project because it had given me a load of opportunities to use what I’d previously learnt and apply it to something new. I was also very unsure on how to start off the project because there were so many options that I had to really think about which one I wanted to do or would be more successful in doing.  If I pass this course then it means I can progress towards a Level 3 in September however that can only be guaranteed if I pass a level 2. This counts for a large percentage of the overall grade and so I knew I had to put in all the effort in order to get a merit or even a distinction. I intend on doing a level 3 in film production the following year and therefore saw this as my opportunity to show off what I can do. My first idea for the project was to create a short film that was linked to the theme of ‘nostalgia’ and I thought this would be a good topic since nostalgia is linked to the past which meant I could reference to anything from 10+ years ago. I was also decisive on whether I wanted to present it in a graphic design poster or a short film and so I created a mind map where I could put them two together and make the final decision. However, since I am intending in doing a level 3 in film production the following year, it only made sense to make a short film. I was very keen on making a short film linked to nostalgia but it was difficult pitching ideas for it and so I decided to change the idea to a 30 second advert instead because I felt that there were loads of ways, I can experiment from that. This then led to more planning using Mind Maps and Research and after I was confident that I knew what I wanted to create and so I made sure all the planning and evidence had been uploaded to my WIX site. I was certain that this idea would work because I had encountered some difficulties when it came to the planning of the short film and since I wanted to work to the absolute best of my ability, I had then noticed that an advert was the best direction to go. However, I feel that by developing my planning, I probably could’ve attempted a short film and done a great job as I also know that when it comes to working on a movie, there are often challenges. My target audience was also an essential part of the project as it was going to determine what age group the advert was for. Originally, when developing ideas for the advert, I had planned for my target audience to be 10+ as it was going to advertise a sugary treat that children would enjoy, and I felt that using older themes they would’ve grown up with might entice them to be interested in the product. However, when I was presenting the pitch, I was then informed by my teacher that most of the themes I included for the advert were 15+ years old and I also wasn’t aware that you not actually allowed to advertise sugary products on a kid’s TV network. This had affected a chunk of my project because it meant I had to go back and change my original plans to have it appeal to a 25+ audience instead and to also change my intended TV networks to those aimed more for adults (ITV, Channel 5). However, I also felt that this gave out a larger opportunity to include more older characters and themes that were from the 1990s or 2000s and the benefit was that I own a few items that could be used as props since I spent some of my childhood in the late 2000s. The age rating had become a sudden struggle however I was able to plan out what I wanted my target audience to be, and I even went through the plans again to make sure it was all up to a good standard.   

 

For the primary research, it was expected of us to use a particular website or application to make a questionnaire for us to then give out to others in the classroom. When creating the presentation pitch, it was expected of us to create a survey as part of our research but unfortunately for me, I didn’t get any responses and that was most likely because you needed a specific code in order to access the survey which I hadn’t sent over. However, a few weeks later, we were given a second attempt and this time I used Microsoft Forms instead of Socrative. This then helped a lot because I had uploaded it onto Teams, and I had about 5 responses in 5 minutes. These responses were very helpful because it showed what people in my class think of with the word nostalgia and it helped me understand what people expect to see in anything that’s nostalgic. I couldn’t apply loads to the advert as they were some TV shows mentioned that I don’t own any props off but in terms of lighting and structure, it shows that I had more understanding of what makes a video look nostalgic. For the secondary research, I gave myself a list of topics that I wanted to explore in more detail. These were all about nostalgia and it involved researching camera filters, the use of nostalgia in movies and TV, what nostalgia means on other web sources and Music, Technology, TV Shows and Films from both the 90s and 2000s. This helped me understand how different the media was from those years ago and it also helped me gain an understanding on how to make an audience feel nostalgic. I felt that these facts could benefit because it meant I could experiment with different camera shots or props and see which one appeals to most people. However, I wouldn’t say that I used it loads in my final project and I think that’s mostly because I don’t own many of the props that was recognised as popular. However, I came across a couple items that I knew any 2000s kids would be familiar with and decided to include it in the final advert. I even experimented with many of the recommended camera filters to see which one I felt would be more effective and then uploaded all the experimental pieces to the WIX site so I can compare them and see which one looked better. I found that this project had even given me the opportunity to develop on my camera skills as before then I felt that I still needed to improve. I looked back at some of the work I had previously done involving camerawork and made a list of different shots I can recreate and applied them during the experimentation. All of this helped me develop my camera skills because I spent my own time using my phone camera to capture an effective image of the product that I’m advertising or the props I’m displaying. I also feel that I had developed further into my planning and research because, of the many projects I’ve done on this course, I definitely can say that I’ve done the most research because in this course I’ve learnt a load of different planning techniques and I’ve also been given a handful of websites for me to apply my ideas on which I then ended up using in my final piece. However, the one key element which I feel I should’ve investigated was the lighting. When I look at the final advert, I notice that some of the surrounding light is very dark or just looks very bland and doesn’t particularly look shiny enough which would be a struggle for those with vision problems as they may struggle to see everything that was going on. I think these skills are likely going to me with employment in the future because it’s an example of work I’m capable of doing and it also shows that I have experience in working on a massive project. I’m really hoping to be successful in a career based on Film Production and taking the responsibility of this project has given me all the expectations of the production of any media-based project. The techniques I used was a handful of shots each containing a different shot that once edited together, makes a 30 second advertisement which can be used for Television broadcasting. The idea I had intended to give the audience was for them to feel nostalgic in some way, whether that be the music, props or the atmosphere and these shots created was to present these themes in a unique way. I knew that combining these elements would make a smooth and short advert that would interest the audience in buying the product because it meant they would be gaining back memories but when I look back at that, I can admit that I could’ve presented that message in a more meaningful way or was clearer on the message of the advert. I never had come up with a fully detailed description of the moral of the advert, but my original intention was to display what the older days felt like when you were playing in your room and then snacked on a chocolate bar later in the day and for those parents watching it to pass that on to the children.

 

When working on the production of the FMP, I did encounter a few problems. One of those was from the start where I was debating on whether I wanted my project to be a short film or graphic design poster. I solved this problem by creating a mind map and putting both ideas against each other and analysing which one I thought I could achieve but then it felt silly to not do Film Production since that’s exactly what I wanted to progress to next year. Next time, I’ll try to avoid this problem by only focusing on the one that I knew would benefit me the most and to not challenge myself with another as that could be risky. I also encountered some problems with the primary research because when I first uploaded mine, I didn’t get any results. This was then hard to work with since I couldn’t add any primary research to my planning, but I showed awareness of this in my pitch presentation and then later uploaded my secondary research in another way that meant people could access it easier. To avoid this happening again, I will use the website that I know can be easily accessed to everyone and will send out a link to a large group of people for them to complete. In terms of time management, I was able to complete the work in good time so I can progress onto the next task without any pressure. Although, there was one instance where after I was given feedback from the pitch presentation, I had to go back and change my planning so it would be more appropriate for my target audience and the TV networks I wanted it to air on. This had affected my schedule but luckily it wasn’t a massive affect because I used the hour when I had Assessment Centre to make sure everything was how I wanted it look and there wasn’t any major information missing. There have also been some minor instances where I was falling a bit behind but that was due to me getting slightly distracted by other people but also because I didn’t attend college one day. Most of these could’ve ran more smoothly if I had started a production schedule right at the very start instead of near the end so then that way, I could plan thoroughly what I should work on each day and use my time more wisely. Also, on the odd occasion where I may not be in college, I could look at the schedule and see if there’s anything I can do at home.

 

Overall, I’m proud of everything I’ve done for the FMP, and I feel that it turned out accurately to what I had originally intended. However, I wouldn’t say that my work exactly meets that professional standard and I think that’s because I was on a budget and was limited to the props and locations I could use and so my project couldn’t be up to a higher standard than it could’ve been. Although, my final project still highlights what I’m capable of and gives a summary of everything I’ve learnt since September as I’ve applied it all to my work therefore, although it may not be the absolute greatest I can do, the FMP has shown my journey throughout the entire course and what my skills are when it comes to working on a massive project such as this one. I still think they are ways I can bring my work to a more professional level but the one that I feel that could’ve been better is the camerawork and editing because, while I still feel mine was effective, the quality is still quite poor and could’ve looked better. The disadvantage when filming was that I actually just used my phone and also the CapCut app which I’d previously downloaded and so I could’ve made it look more professional by using a more enhanced camera and maybe even a more professional editing software but the only downside was that I’ve not actually had much experienced using either of them however, next year I really hope I get that opportunity to use a more professional camera. The most difficult part of the entire project was the planning. This would be because it was the process where I’d encountered the most problems as when I was brainstorming all my ideas, I ended up being decisive on whether I wanted mine to be a Graphic Design poster or a short film. I also ended up having too many ideas but knew I had to limit it since my ad was only 30 seconds. The planning progress had also involved the Primary Research which, at first became a challenge because of the website I used and the fact that I didn’t get any responses. This may have been a challenging part of the FMP however, after I had sorted my work out, I was able to stay on track again and was confident in the rest of the planning. This has also given me experience and has taught me on what to do if I was to ever encounter this same problem again and so next time, I’ll try to carefully plan out the project more and maybe find even more ways I could work on coming up with ideas for my project. What I’ve also learnt from the project is that when you’re coming up with ideas for a media-based project, you may find that some of the ideas don’t overlap well, and you may need to think more carefully about what your intentions are in the final product. It’s also taught me experience with working on a big project as it’s given me a large opportunity to express my passion for filmmaking and I’ve been given the chance to show off what exactly I’m capable off and let me experience what the real process is when it comes to filmmaking.