The Diamond Director's commentary

Feedback

I posted the video onto a social networking website called facebook to in a sense cause publicity and get feedback of what the audience may think about this movie. Here is some of the feedback we got on facebook.

James Conibear I would've picked some more sinister music, unless you were going for a dark comedy kind of atmosphere, then I'd give the actors stronger more lively accents. Basically I don't think the tone of the actors voices suit the music choice. Also the guy should've said something before he gets up and leaves at the end. Apart from that though you've got some nice camera angles in there, I like the pov shot bit where he gets him up and punches the camera, was well done (Y).

Ciaran Grundy Use of short phrases was good. Camera action was good. Visual was good. Although for the guy getting beat up; you could of had the bad guy just point at hios men silently to give him that authority; rather than him rolling up in a slow manner. He looks like a by passer to a street crime, which reduces his character effect.

We also had some partially negative feedback;

Junaid Shafiq that was stupid when the guy open his bottle drinks it and then answers MO/, I think that was shit;'; but everything else is top class and especially the credits.'; leave it

but this is also good as it could be used to improve our movie, we count this as constructive criticism.

Here is the facebook link to the video, http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=392430470941

How does your media product represent particular social groups?

In our product there are several stereotypical social groups regarding gender, lifestyle and many more. First of all our film opening shows typical men, who are stereotyped to be ruthless and mean, having no care for the surrounding, in some ways the word “macho” would come in mind for some of the characters, along with the scenes of gore, gives the representation of the male gender being dominant and more prone to the use of violence, it also connotes the idea of gang activity being carried out mainly by males.

The age of the actors used also represents the younger adult, inner-city generation who are most likely to be involved in this kind of activity. The idea that Mo has become involved in something out of his depth without realizing it suggests a level of naivety that would be present at such an age. When casting for the character Samson we focused on character ideologies to help with representation. The leader of a gang always tends to be the bigger, more intimidating looking person, so we decided Adam should play this role. The scene where Adam is smoking connotes a lack of care for his own health which is often present within such people.

There is also a mention of the factor of the lifestyle the characters are shown to have, for example the antagonist has chosen to be a gang leader or a powerful man, and moreover the protagonist is shown to be the weaker life form who is getting bossed about by the antagonist, representing gang life and civilian life, also how the gang life would always dominate the civilian so far in the movie.

Final Cut - The Diamond