For this actress I decided to do some of the photoshoot with a hat and some without. This was to see the effects created by adding different mise en scene. I stood at the right hadn't side of her because the sun was shining down to the left, so this created a shadow on one half of her face. Like the other photos, I wanted to emphasise how every person has a darker side to them and a shadow creates this connotation effectively. The direct eye contact with the camera is effective because it is more welcoming to an audience. The fact I have used a female actress is significant because some might say she has been framed for the male gaze and will gain a male following for the film through this advertisement. I disregarded the shot because of the smile as I was looking for a more deadpan facial expression.
This shot was taken from the opposite side to the previous one and I asked the actress to move her body so that it was all seen in the sunlight. By looking away, this does not immediately grab the audience's attention nor does it create a connection with them. Looking away could connote that she does not want to be seen and that she is more focused on something out of the shot. I disregarded this photo.
This is similar to the previous shot except here she is looking directly into the camera. I thought that this shot could be useful in the ancillary tasks because she has a deadpan expression, has been shot in the right lighting and categorically fits into the correct genre. However, after looking through the photographs I shot, I decided to go with a different image so I disregarded this one.
I liked the brick wall as the backdrop to the shots so I decided to change the stance of the actress so a sitting position. Having her sat on the floor with her bag on the wall and hands in her pockets creates a more stereotypical youth look. This was more effective in terms of creating the right age range for the target audience. I decided the lighting was too bright for what I was looking for so I disregarded this shot.
Like many of the other shots I took I wanted to experiment with something that looked more off guard and relaxed. Unfortunately the sun was too much in her eyes for her not to squint when looking down, making it look as if her eyes are completely closed which is not what I was looking for.
After using the brick wall as a backdrop I decided to go back to using the car for the actress to work with. The car is significant in my short film as it is their transport to and from places so it is central in the action. The stance that she has is casual and typical of a youth which is why I think it is effective. I think that this shot was captured too far away and the lighting is too dark for it to be useful in my ancillary tasks.
This is similar to the previous shot, however I changed my position with the camera so that I was closer to the subject. This made a huge difference in terms of how effective the shot was. This made the lighting brighter and meant you could see the actress better overall therefore the focus of the shot was more accurate. The direct eye contact with the camera is effective in creating an immediate connection with the audience. After contemplating using this photograph, I found another that worked better for my ancillary task so I disregarded this one.
This was another closer shot but this time I asked the actress to look away. The slight smirk on her face looks mischievous and implies that she has other things on her mind. Having her hands in her pockets also emphasises this deviant youth look I want to portray for my particular film genre. I disregarded this shot because the lighting I captured was too dark.
In these shots I asked the actress to maintain direct eye contact with the camera whilst changing locations so that this would be welcoming to the target audience. However, despite the effectiveness of these photographs I thought that her facial expression was too happy to fit in well with this genre and portray what I wanted to display to the audience. I disregarded these shots.
I also disregarded the shots above because the backdrop was not an effective place to shoot images and it had no relevance to the short film. I like the facial expression of the actress in the shot on the left because it does not reveal her emotions and the hand beneath her chin suggests she is in deep thought. This welcomes the audience in to her trail of thought. I thought that she looked too happy in the shot on the right which was not what I was trying to portray in my ancillary tasks. What I did think was successful about these images was the camera angle as I thought the closeness of the shots made them more personal and engaging for the audience, thus they could be used for another task.
This shot was taken from a low angle whilst the subject was stood looking down towards the lens of the camera. The lighting is shining straight on to the actress and highlighting her significance in this shot. I think that it is too bright for what I was looking for from this image. I like the way that she is stood turning slightly away from the camera emphasising how she is not willing to reveal everything about herself. The direct gaze towards the camera is welcoming to the target audience, however this image did not come out as I hoped it would look so I disregarded this shot.
This was my favourite shot of this actress and one I plan to use within my ancillary tasks. I think that using a shot revealing more of a side angle as opposed to central is more effective as this indicates the character is not willing to reveal everything about themselves, fitting in well with the thriller genre. The way her hands are in her pockets makes the audience think that she could be hiding something. It could also be interpreted as her being relaxed and laid back, like many stereotypical teenagers- which appeals to the target audience correctly. The lighting is good because it highlights the focus of the whole photograph without being too bright and overpowering the image. I think that this actress looks better in these photos than with the added mise en scene of the hat because this way there is less distraction from the significance of the photo. I like the use of facial expression in this shot as one of her eyebrows is slightly raised, looking inquisitive. This intrigued gaze engages the target audience effectively according to the research I performed on my short film genre and audience.
This shot is similar to the previous one except it's from another angle. I think that it came out well but there is slightly too much lighting on her face causing her to squint which detracts from the aim of the photograph. I think her stance is effective but after seeing a better-fitted photograph for my ancillary tasks, I decided to disregard this one.
This shot is of the actress looking down at the car door about to get in and travel somewhere.The location of this shot is useful because it hints that the car will be relevant to the action taking place in the short film. The fact she is looking at the car instead of the camera is significant as this could indicate she is unaware of the camera's presence or that she doesn't want to be seen going anywhere. Keeping her eyes down and her body language subtle, this makes it easier for her to act casual. I disregarded this shot because I wanted one where she was looking into the camera, however it looks as though it could be useful in advertising it somewhere else.
This shot is of the actress approaching the car door as if she is about to open it. I like how she has caught the gaze of the audience through the eye contact she is making with the audience. This shows that she is about to perform an action but she is making it clear that she is aware of the audience'e presence, which is fitting for the thriller genre. I disregarded this shot because it was not what I was looking for in my ancillary task work, however it could be used in other advertisement for the short film.
This shot shows the actress laughing to herself as there is nobody else in the shot. Depending on the context laughing is a happy emotion, despite sometimes meaning somebody is nervous. Laughter can also connote evilness as this is stereotypical in a thriller genre for an evil character to laugh at their actions. Having different interpretations of laughing I think this is effective because it makes the image more ambiguous. Having her behind the open car door immediately suggests she is entering the car to go somewhere. This is intriguing for the audience as it is not clear as to where she may be going, therefore this is an engaging image. Despite its effectiveness, this is not the sort of image I was looking to use for my ancillary tasks so it was disregarded.
This image also shows the actress getting in the car but from a different angle. The closing of the car door in this shot is not welcoming as the audience may see this as the door is being closed on them, therefore they are not made to feel welcome. The way she is looking down as opposed to at the camera indicates that she may not be aware of the camera's presence and that she is more focused on being somewhere else. As I did not consider this shot to be a engaging for my target audience, I decided to disregard it.
This shot is similar to the others where the actress is leant against the car, however it has been taken from a more central angle. The slouched position makes the actress seem comfortable with where she is, which is effective because generally the audience feel more relaxed when an actor is at ease. I did not like the lighting in this shot for what I had planned for my ancillary tasks so I disregarded it.
This shot was taken from a low angle and it meant that the actress would have to look down towards the camera as opposed to a more direct gaze. She has fixed eye contact with the lens, creating a connection with the audience. The audience may see this image and believe this character to be significant because they are looking down on everyone else. Typically height can be considered to make people look powerful and so by taking this image from a lower angle, it created the illusion that she was taller i.e. had more power. This may not have a welcoming effect on the audience but it does fit in well with the genre. However, I disregarded this shot.
This shot has better. lighting from a lower angle and the stance she is in looks as if she is thinking. Looking at this image from a psychoanalytical point of view it is thought that people look to the left when they are constructing a lie in their mind, therefore this links well with the portrayal of suspicious body language in the thriller genre. I like this shot because I think her body language reveals a few things about her character therefore engaging the audience without having to maintain eye contact with the lens of the camera.
This is similar to the previous shot but she is looking in the opposite direction. Looking to the right is often said to mean you are recalling memories which could connote that she is thinking back to something in the past. This gaze is fitting for her stance which looks as though she is thinking- with her head resting on her palm. I disregarded this shot because I decided that I wanted all actors to have direct eye contact with the camera in my ancillary tasks.
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