Survey Results

As part of my Learners Agreement, I suggested doing a survey of my film and if it had succeeded in what I have tried to portray looking at the different principles. Most have succeeded. I will go through each question in detail. I've had 12 responses (would have liked more) but I can work with it since each question is important and detailed enough.

This is good as this is what I wanted to portray! I asked the respondents why and most of them said it "takes up most of the frame". I've also created emotions of intrigue with people wanting to know what's inside. A few people said that the actor was more important as the suitcase wouldn't be picked up without it and the hand must be there for a reason.

The next four questions were about the doll. 1st breaking the rule of thirds, 2nd going with the rule of thirds, 3rd from a low angle, and 4th from a high angle. I asked about their emotions and to look at the framing. Most people were creeped out by all four. A few eagled eyed respondents noticed the framing on the 1st was off, but most people felt like the doll was following them from this angle. One person noticed the red lighting making them more on edge. 

Most people liked the 2nd one better but didn't say why. A few said it was due to the framing making it look nicer (but the doll was still creepy) and the shadow adds to it and one person even said it looks more important (which is what I was aiming for in the 3rd one, not this one).

No one was really impressed with the 3rd one and even felt like it was less creepy. I did get a few good quotes though;

"It wants to be played with now! It wants to play with my mind!!!" 

"You’re creeping me out."

"It's like she's trying to reach out to you in this one, which is an uncertainty of whether that's a good thing or bad."

For the 4th and final doll image, most people found this to be the creepiest (which is kind of against what I was going for, this angle should make the doll more inferior). I can tell one respondent is familiar with camera angles with this quote;

"Because of the camera angle I feel this makes the doll look evil as it's as if it is staring straight at the viewer into their eyes"

Now the green and blue combo. I was hoping to create unease with this one, and most people did feel a bit uneasy (and a bit confused too).

"The banana just doesn’t look right and this shot makes me slightly uncomfortable"

Most people were more concerned about how unripe the banana was (it was very unripe, Beth couldn't even peel it properly)

"Professional compsition but that banana ain’t ripe yet girl"

"Green bananas are nasty."

One person seemed to like the colours! 

"seems bright and earthy with the colour palette"

People felt more satisfied with the red combo (again not really what I was going for, I was hoping they would all blend in with each other, but one person said this happens more with the previous picture). Most people were looking at a possible meaning behind the red colour and lighting. One made me laugh;

"The red tones remind me of love, and they look like they love that apple."

Most people said that the shadow on the face was annoying which was a fault on my end. Totally didn't notice or realise it would make so many people on edge. The rest of the video is fine, so must just be how Beth is facing. Should have chosen a different screenshot.

Finally the bunny. This one I was concerned about as I couldn't generate the shadows on the background as I would have hoped. I wanted it to look evil, but I personally didn't think it does. Most people agree. However it is very tight.

Overall most of my shots did conform to the Principles. There are some that go against it too, which will be interesting to present and suggest why. 

Referencing Primary Research

Out of all the things to struggle with in my Dissertation, I was not expecting it to be referencing my own suvey. I have looked on Moodle, the Internet and asked my supervisor and I have found nothing. The closest I can find is "don't reference it at all as it is your own research" (http://www.lib.uts.edu.au/question/29796/how-do-you-reference-primary-survey-i-created-it). However, I also want to know how to word it in the Dissertation as I can't use first person pronouns, so how will people know I created it? At the moment it reads as "A survey of 190 people" which makes it read like it needs refrencing. Even though I don't need to reference it, lots of websites say I still need to mention that it is mine. But how when I can't use first person pronouns? I could say "a personal survey"?

I will include it in my appendix for now, and leave it as it is and hopefully my supervisor will help me. If not, my next port of call is looking at previous Dissertations in the Library or asking the programme leader what to do. I may also include my extra blog work in the appendix.

*UPDATE* I have contacted a previous graduate who received a First in their Dissertation and how they included their survey. I need to place the survey and results in the appendix and then put the number in the bibliography. They are also going to find their Dissertation and tell me how they actually mentioned it in the essay.

*FURTHER UPDATE* The graduate is a live saver, I am citing them an honorable mention in my Dissertation. Crisis averted.

Survey Summary

A document so I could constantly check back the results to make refrencing and facts easier to look at and access. The yellow highlighted box shows the break between SurveyMonkey and Google Doc responses.

Industry Professionals/Primary Research

I have contacted 4 people in total to conduct an interview with, who I have found on the ICFC website. I have went with UK based cinematographers as that is where I am based and how they got into the industry here.

Catherine Goldschmidt. Also co-founder of illuminatrix (another female cinematographer collective)

Suzie Lavelle (I really want her to reply as she has been cinematographer for Sherlock and The Living and the Dead!) 

Nicola Daley and Neus Olle.

I have had Catherine Goldschmidt reply and interviewed already! I have another reply from Nicola Daley who I need to email back in two weeks as she is on a job at the minute. I will update this post if I get any other replies.