Script for News Broadcast

Today Issak wrote the script for the news broadcast for our final scene in our film sequence.

Representation

The eZ Life from eaglej09

Why we choose our Music

Our group recieved feedback at which we were queried about our music selection. This blog post will address some criticism and doubts of the music choice that our group recieved whilst created the eZ Life.

The lyrics used actually help to create imagery and help to add more meaning to the viewing experience. Remember, The eZ Life is a film to advocate helping drug users with their problems.

Below are the lyrics which are featured in our opening, and with them, an explanation as to how it relates to our convention and film:

[INTRO]

"Niggas need a spot where WE can kick it"

- Since thugs don't have a sense of belonging in many places, they require a 'Thugz Mansion' where they can chill and kick it. A place where they can relax and escape from the society where they're oppressed. This reflects the drug culture which our film is aiming to present to it's target audience.

"A spot where WE belong, that's just for us"

- The lyric is basically saying that since society tends to get all bent out of shape when it looks at drug consumption, Tupac wants place where he actually feels like he belongs. Not a place where he's looked down upon by society, but instead a place where he's accepted. This reflects how the drug consumption is exclusive.

"Niggas ain't gotta get all dressed up and be Hollywood"

- Tupac's describing his heaven as a place where people can be relaxed and not worry about being fake. This represents how the drug is real, and not just "Hollywood".

"Y'knahmean? Where do niggas go when we die?"

- This line reflects the concept of 'life after death'. This fits perfectly with the effects that eZ have upon consumption.

"Ain't no heaven for a thug nigga"

- This statement helps foreshadows how the drug doesn't create heaven, infact it has detrimental effects upon the user.

"That's why we go to a thug mansion"

- This line simply is a metaphor for entering the party and also taking eZ.

"That's the only place where thugs get in free and you gotta be a G ... at thug mansion"

- Basically, the party is the utopia, but also eZ creates a dystopia.

[VERSE]

"A place to spend my quiet nights, time to unwind"

- The drug, eZ, is envisioned to be stress free and the opposite to time on Earth.

"So much pressure in this life of mine, I cry at times"

- This lines outlines how drug users usually have a stimulant to their addiction or desire to consume.

"I once contemplated suicide, and woulda tried"

- This line suggests how drug users sometimes rely upon drugs to live. This creates an interesting idea as obviously eZ turns you undead.

"But when I held that 9, all I could see was my momma's eyes"

- This line shows how things in drug users' pasts prevent them from ending their lives.

"No one knows my struggle, they only see the trouble"

- Drug users are generally labelled and are considered trouble.

"Not knowin it's hard to carry on when no one loves you"

- People are ignorant to drug consumption and the problems which it causes.

"Picture me inside the misery of poverty"

- This line makes the audience think about the pain and anguish which negligence of drug users causes.

"No man alive has ever witnessed struggles I survived"

- The media only portray drug users in a bad light, and not rehab or anything similar.

"Prayin hard for better days, promise to hold on"

- Through every dark night, there's a bright day after that.

"Me and my dawgs ain't have a choice but to roll on"

- People who have a drug habit are forced to continue on their path without any help.

"We found a family spot to kick it"

- This line suggests how drug users have regular locations and take drugs with the same people.

"Where we can drink liquor and no one bickers over-trick shit"

- Drug users commonly share what they have.

"A spot where we can smoke in peace, and even though we G's"

- Again, this portrays the regularity of the locations which they select.

"We still visualize places, that we can roll in peace"

- This line shows the oppression against drug users and how they should be helped peacefully rather than violently.

"And in my mind's eye I see this place, the players go in fast"

- Drug use is becoming more of a problem as more and more people take them.

"I got a spot for us all, so we can ball, at thug's mansion"

- This line suggests the influence which drugs have on vulnerable people and if they're promised a euphoric experience, they're more than likely to return.

Filming for the final cut

After the feedback we recieved and our own group discussions we decided what we felt we would change and improve in order to make our film better. On the right is us filming the zombie time-lapse of Issak turning into a Zombie. Issak sat in front of the green screen so that we could edit behind the time-lapse.

This process was very difficult as it was very time consuming, taking a couple of hours to complete. I applied face paint whilst James took pictures throughout the process.

First draft feedback

Today we watched our first draft film opening for our group and we then gave feedback to our fellow peers. We also received feedback. Below is feedback from our fellow peers, we received good feedback with various scores which exceeded 40. Below is a mixed set of feedback which was between 38-48. We received some high strong feedback which reached to 55 although we also received some criticism seen below.

Film Poster

Today Issak created the film poster using a photograph which i took a few nights previously. Issak edited the picture on his iPhone using an app called Aviary. Aviary is a simple app which uses professionally designed filters, creative stickers and frames , touch up tools and more to create and share pictures.
Issak increased the brightness and contrast and decreased the amount of shadows. He enhanced the picture with a hi - definition filter. He then used Adobe Photoshop to place text onto the poster which my group found suitable to the genre our film fits into. He then placed the zombie hands to the left and right sides of the poster in order to show the zombie theme. He then placed the institution logo onto the poster and then finally added the group's names onto the top of the Poster.

First Draft - The eZ Life

This is our first draft of our film opening sequence. We handed in our draft so that we could recieve feedback from media students , teachers and other helpers. As a group we will collect feedback and take criticisms and try to address them. Together as a group we were originally concerned with the ending and the titles we felt were not good enough.