McGuffin Continuity Plan

Dylan - Actor 1: Suited Man

• Grey Suit jacket
• Grey Tie
• White Shirt
• Black Shoes
• Glasses

Emily - Actor 2: Kate Fur

• Green coat
• Dark blue jeans
• Black hoody
• Black military style boots

Props

• 2x Black briefcase
• 3x Brown envelope 
• Mobile phone
• Table
• 2x Chair 
• Black bag

The McGuffin Script

The McGuffin

FADE IN:

In a common industrial site a suspicious looking individual walks across whilst holding a conspicuous briefcase that appears out of the ordinary for the attire of the individual.

CUT / FADE TO:

INT. AN INDUSTRIAL AREA – OUTSIDE – DAY

CARRIER, scruffy individual, shady appearance, carrying an out of place briefcase.

CARRIER

(On phone) I’m at the meeting place, where are you? (Looks down and sees a bag on the floor)… You want me to put the bag on?..(Puts bag over head)

INT. MEETING ROOM – TIME UNKNOWN

SUITED MAN, smart appearance, official looking, powerful, appears to be anticipating the arrival of something or someone. 

CARRIER

(Already sat down,Bag off head)

SUITED MAN

…Do you have it?

CARRIER

Yes… Do you have what we agreed upon? (SUITED MAN passes envelope)

Where’s the rest? This isn’t what we agreed upon!

SUITED MAN

You’ll get the rest after your next job. That is what we ‘agreed upon’.

CARRIER

I’ll take all of my money now or I’ll walk!

SUITED MAN

I’m sure your dear mother wouldn’t appreciate that answer. (Sly smile)

CARRIER

(Scowl) Fine. (Places briefcase on the table {pause} slides the briefcase across)

SUITED MAN

(Checks the contents, approves, slides across second envelope) This is your next assignment; you may leave now.

CARRIER

Wait, I can’t keep doing this, I can’t keep doing these jobs for you.

SUITED MAN

You don’t have a choice, Kate Fur. (KATE looks distressed)

END SCENE

Preliminary Task: McGuffin Analysis

Audio

We intended originally to use a 'Zoom H1 Voice Recorder' to record our dialogue, however the audio from the 'Sony Handycam HDR-SR7' camera we used proved to work just fine. On the other hand, the scenes where we recorded outside wasn't picked up by the 'Audio Technica ATR 6550' microphone with a wind catcher on a boom, was inadequate. We therefore had to use the 'Zoom H1 Voice Recorder' then input the audio from there. We included a variety of background music and sound effects such as the click of a door, a heart beat, sinister music and suspenseful music in order to achieve the desired effects we wanted for our audience.

                                                      Visual

As mentioned earlier we used a 'Sony Handycam HDR-SR7' camera to record our shots. This worked well for shots that included a pan shot, medium shot, cut ins, close ups and extreme close ups as well as others. However when trying to film the over the shoulder shots, the camera wouldn't focus. Therefore, we were taught how to manually focus the camera, performed a trial run of how to focus the camera and will be shooting the improved shots next week.

Lighting

We required no lights for our outdoor shots seeing as it was day time and wasn't cloudy. For our studio shots we used two 'Soft Box Lights' on either side of the actors in order to provide equal coverage of lighting from the perspective of each of the camera shots. This coverage was effective as it allowed the video to come out with clear lighting for the intended purpose of clearly conveying the message we intended to show to the audience.

Technicals in the Preliminary Task: Audio/Visual

Audio/Visual

Camera: DSLR

Advantages: 

• Takes good pictures and is able to record 

Disadvantages: 

• Has poor audio pickup

Using a Dolly:

Advantages: 

• Is able to keep filming steady when moving
• Idea when using pan, tracking or vertical-zoom shots
• Heavy so it's able to sustain weight and steadily record

Disadvantages: 

• Takes a lot of time to lay the tracks that the dolly will travel
• Expensive
• May be difficult to shoot a straight line as opposed to the tracking dolly 

Scenario to use a dolly: 

• If the actor is walking in after the cut in shot that focuses on the door handle
• When the actor is walking away after the scene has been completed.

Track and Dolly:

Advantages:

• Easier to shoot moving shots in a straight line 
• is able to shoot straight line on any surface depending, will mimic the gradient that the dolly is on

Disadvantages:

• If the surface you place the track and dolly on isn't level neither will the shot be

Scenario to use a track and dolly:

• Running shot 
• Zoom shot 

Sound

Microphone: Directional

Advantages: 

• Able to record sound from afar
• With use of a boom arm you are able to record sound without having the mic in shot
• Woollen sleeve provides a wind-break so the sound is clearer

Disadvantage:

• Without a boom arm the mic is useless as you will constantly have the mic in shot
• need for a lot of wires means that there is a danger hazard to potentially trip over the wires. 

Preliminary Task

Role Allocation

• Plot - Morgan Redman, Dylan Koolman, Emma Weeks
• Story Board and Camera Shots - Morgan Redman
• Location Scout - Emma Weeks
• Actor 1 - Dylan Koolman
• Actor 2 - Emily Wicker
• Camera Person - Emma Weeks
• Director - Morgan Redman
• Film Editor - Dylan Koolman

Mind Map of ideas

Plot 1: McGuffin (Chosen Idea)

• Actor 1 opens the door and walks in
• They sit opposite Actor 2
• Actor 1 places a McGuffin on the table (not seen by audience)
• Both actors discuss the importance of the McGuffin
• Actor 1 exits leaving the McGuffin on the table for Actor 2
• Blank Screen

Plot 2: Drug Deal

• Actor 1 opens the door and walks in
• They sit opposite Actor 2
• Actor 1 money over the table
• Both actors discuss the importance of the pick up time, dealer and the Cartel
• Actor 1 and 2 exit
• Blank Screen

Working on Practical: My Favourite Hobby

Ideas that we have for "The Hobby":

We have chosen to do a western. The shots that we are going to include are: 

• Long shot (whole body walking)
• Medium shot (standing still)
• Close up headshot (zoom in whilst actor stands still) 
• Extreme close up shot (on eyes, Western Inspired)
• Shoes shot (walking typical western inspired)

Ideas: 

• Pan shot following the rolling tumbleweed 
• Stops at feet of the actor
• Pans up to extreme close-up shot of eyes
• Zoom out to long shot of actor walking
• Cut to sitting down, medium shot 
• Low angle long shot whilst talking
• Feet shot of walking 

Music Magazine Plan.

• Evaluation of the front cover design of the music magazine
• This music mag is aimed at teenagers aged 16+ who are interested in music 
• The cover design is trendy and current to appeal to this audience type as well as providing snip-its on the top stories in the music industry today, to allow the audience to get an idea of what the magazine is going to be about before they purchase the magazine. 
• The music genre this is aimed at primarily the rap industry due to the type of clothing and the font that is used.
• Plan 
• Plain Black background 
• Studio shoot 
• White top with sleeveless cream hoddie and black trousers and a silver necklace on the outside of top. Shows a young trendy look that is associated with the rap industry.

This magazine is the type of design that I am aiming for. I chose "VIBE" because it is clear and precise and directly ensures that the audience for this magazine are successfully catered for.

The magazine layout should be able to work with the font, text layout and hierarchy, if the image is long and slightly narrow and not wide. This would allow for text on either side of the main image. If the main image is wide it would need to be placed in the left-middle thirds of the magazine, leaving the text to be positioned in the right third. 

The font I will use will be Myriad Pro Black Condensed Italic, I will put the masthead RED and the magazine will be called Nation. I chose this title because although it is a cover, which is aimed at rap music, the magazine itself will encompass information about the whole music industry, or also known as, the music nation. 

I have chosen this font because it is naturally bold and in italics which, like artists in the music industry, stand out above the rest. This is the reflection that I want to achieve when creating the magazine.

What is Media?

Media

• The main mass of communication

Media is all around us wherever we go. Whether it is subconscious on intentional, people absorb thousands upon millions of media a day. This can be through advertisements, using social media, listening to music etc. Below outlines some of the many different types of media that exist in the world. 

'VIBE' Inspired Music Magazine, 'NATION': Front Cover.

Analysis:

I created this magazine with the intentions of having a magazine that appealed to a teen audience, encompassing aspects from the music industry as well as a gossip magazine, aimed at those aged 16+. VIBE is similar in this way as there is always a main image with an article inside the magazine relating to the main image, as well as sub articles about other celebrities which are advertised on the front cover.  This means that the needs of those interested in music as well as those interests in gossip involved in the music industry are satisfied. Additionally I also took inspiration from other magazines in order to create a cover that I was happy with.

Within the magazine I have used numerous layout conventions such as a mast head, a skyline, multiple cover lines and a main cover line.

The font that I decided to use was Myriad Pro Black Condensed Italic. I used this font because it is a strong modern font which represents what the magazine aims to be too. Furthermore, the masthead is in black with a red background, which I chose because they are contrasting colours that stand out and make the masthead 'pop'. Additionally, because of the positioning of the red, it has provided a 3D effect. I have chosen to use sans serif because it still looks clear due to the effects that have been added, the text still looks clear. Additionally, due to the fact that the music industry as well as a gossip magazine is about growing up as well as many other things, not having serif adds a more natural, free element to the text, relating to not being contained or regimented.

The skyline I chose to have in capitals and in black. This is because I wanted the skyline to stand out but still be subtle enough not to throw off the readers attention. It also relates to the subject main article.
The cover lines that I decided to use all have a similar effect to them in the sense that they all have a gradient overlay. However, they all have a different colour that they fade to. This is because it makes it easier for the audience to differentiate between the different articles.

The main cover line stands out the most due to having a Satin effect which gives it a glossy look. This is effective because it creates an attention draw to the main cover line so that the audience know what the main article of the magazine is.

The Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift picture in the left third is a broken image. This has connotations that they have broken up which links to the cover line above it where it confirms this. The buzz word of "Exclusive" is effective because it draws the reader in and catches their attention.

Improvements:

• Spacing of the text could be improved
• Looking at the camera to show confidence
• 3d effect in masthead a little out of proportion
• More images at the sides to show other articles

Final Image

This was my starting point. there were a few issues I had to fix including the brightness of the picture which was very dark as well as cropping out features that I didn't want.

Then i started with the masthead, Myriad Pro Black Condensed Italic and originally I was simply going to leave it red because it would contrast with my trousers  and the dim background to be a feature that caught the readers attention…

…however I decided against that and by mistake, the black and the red didn't match up which created the 3D effect that I have now. I liked this, so decided to keep it.

After this I added some general information such as a date line just under the masthead, to make the magazine look authentic.

Next came the barcode which was just taken from the internet. Originally I wasn't going to have a barcode seeing as my inspiration magazine, 'VIBE', doesn't use a barcode on their front, however I added it so that I could showcase that I am able to use pictures and edit them on photoshop.

Next I added a picture of singer, Rita Ora, seeing as I'm making this a music gossip magazine. This is how I intent to cater for the needs of a variety of stakeholders of the music industry by providing them with information about a variety of artists as well as the main article.

Then I added a broken picture of singer, Taylor Swift, and music producer Calvin Harris. I 'broke' the picture by using the lasso select tool to cut the image then rotated and repositioned the picture to show that they have broken up. I did this because this is information involved in the music industry and is current information seeing as they had just broken up, according to my magazine. this is to show that Nation is a magazine involving the top current trends in the music industry as well as the latest information of the most cutting-edge celebrities.

After I added a cover line to relate the the broken image to give more detail as to what the article was about. I edited the text using a gradient overlay at 45˚ making the top left black to match the masthead and the bottom right blue. As well as calm, Blue has connotations of sadness and seeing as the is is a couple that have broken up, blue seemed like the appropriate colour to use.

I did the same with the cover line under the image of Rita Ora and used the same effects. This time i used purple in the bottom right. This is because I wanted readers to be able to differentiate between the articles as well as being able to have their attention caught by the text. Purple has connotations of royalty and bright purple has a connotations of fun and 'pop' and seeing as the article is about how Rita Ora is loving her job at the X Factor, it fits well with the theme.

Next I added a cover line advertising the latest music which for a music magazine is very important in terms of getting customers to want to buy the magazine.

Following that, I added another cover which linked with the main image...

Which was then followed by adding a main cover line. I did this by adding a gradient overlay and a satin effect so that the text would match the theme of the others in terms of design however it would stand out from the rest.

Finally I added a skyline at to add more information to the main article and intrigue the audience.

First Magazine Cover Design

First Magazine Cover Design

What works:

• The grey scale picture along with the grey scale gradient background creates a themed effect and compliment each other well.
• The pop of yellow for the masthead along with the vibrant colours of pink and purple for the main cover line and tag are effective at attracting the reader’s attention due to the contrast between that and the rest which is in grey scale. 
• The positioning of the main image is positioned in the left-middle third, which is effective as it creates space for the main cover line and the tag to stand out.
• No barcode to show the prestige of the magazine.
• Aimed at people aged 16+ and is about the lives of famous people who want to tell their story.

Layout Conventions:

• Top line 
• Main image 
• Main cover line 
• Tag 
• Rule of thirds use 
• Masthead original topography 

Improvements:

• The positioning of the tag and the main cover line in conjunction with the picture could be better so that the main cover line and the tag are more readable. 
• There could be more text surrounding the main image such as a strap line, a website, a pug and other cover lines.

Music Mag Design

Evaluation of the front cover design of the music magazine:

• This music mag is aimed at teenagers aged 16+ who are interested in music.
• The cover design is trendy and current to appeal to this audience type as well as providing snip-its on the top stories in the music industry today, to allow the reader to get an idea of what the magazine is going to be about before they purchase it.
• The music genre this is aimed at is primarily the rap industry due to the type of clothing and the font used having connotations that fit the typical associations to the rap industry.

Plan

• Plain Black Background
• Studio shoot
• White top with sleeveless cream hoodie and black trousers and a silver necklace on the outside of the top. This shows a trendy look that is associated with the rap industry.