How is the representation of disability created through the use of camera, editing, sound and mise en scene in the clip from Secret Diary of a Call Girl?
Throughout the opening of the piece I identified a number of techniques which the director used to portray the use of representation of disability. I focused on the mise en scene, camera, editing and sound of the film. This essay will go on to examine these in more detail.
From the beginning of the film the audience can tell that disability will play a big part in the storyline due to the camera work used and the mise en scene. When the main character Blake is introduced at the front door the angle of the camera tilts downwards. This is to show the audience that the character is disabled. In this wide opening shot we also see Blake in a wheelchair. The fact that he is in a wheelchair and the angle of the shot shows the adjustments the Call Girl has to make when addressing someone in a wheelchair opposed to someone standing. The tilted shot suggests that the audience are encouraged to see Blake's perspective of the Call Girl. The fact that he is in a wheelchair also implies his lack of independence as he has to rely on others to help him and do things for him. The society uses the iconic symbol of a wheelchair to signify disability, therefore it is recognisable.
Blake and his father are then introduced into the Call Girls house. In this scene we get a view of the woman's apartment. Inside of it, it is clear that she does not have a ramp for the wheelchair user, she has stairs. This is not suitable for Blake as he has to rely on his father to carry him up the stairs. The fact that she does not have a ramp in her house suggests wheelchair users are not her regular clients. When Blake's father helps him up the stairs, the camera focuses on the fathers legs. This shows us that the father is doing the walking for him. The shot transition from the father lifting Blake to laying him on the bed reveals his dependence on others.
The dialogue used by Blake and the Call Girl tells us that they had arranged to meet via email. This shows that he wants and is capable of having some freedom. It indicates that Blake is not completely alienated from the outside world as he has access to hotmail. The dialogue used by the father reveals his concern about what his son Blake can do. When the father leaves he kisses Blake on the head. This shows the audience that he has a very close relationship with Blake and he cares about him a lot.
There are a number of jump cuts between the flat where Blake and the Call Girl are and the van where the father is waiting for his son. Within these shots the camera does not move, this demonstrates the discontinuous of time. When the camera focuses on the father in the car the audience sense that he is agitated through the number of quick shots shown. In these shots the father turns on the radio, then turns it off, he opens the window of the van then closes it. These physical movements show us Blakes' fathers'anxiety. He feels anxious as he has to let someone else help and look after his son where he is so used to taking care of him himself. The distracted behaviour also reveals his discomfort with the situation and he tries to think of things to do. The jump cuts also imply that he is waiting for sometime.
A medium long shot is used to show Blakes' point of view and the Call Girls point of view after the father leaves. The audience sense that she has become awkward through her hand gestures as she is fiddling with hands. She is also trying to say the right thing and stumbles and repairs what she says whilst doing so. Her body language is also awkward as it looks as though she does not know what to do with herself.
The Call Girl becomes more relaxed and begins to help Blake. For example, she passes him the glass of drink and helps him hold it, she also helps him to take off his top. This shows that because of his disability he needs constant help and care as he can not do a lot of things on his own. The shot where he is partially undressed reveals his lack of ability to do simple tasks. It illustrates that he must be treated as a child. Blake states "no one ever touches me like that", this line is very stereotypical as no one hardly touches or goes near disabled people as they tend to be frightened of them. His disability alienates him from common experiences like being touched intimately by women.The Call Girl then apologises when she has to move Blake on the bed. This shows that he has to be handled gently. It also communicates that she is treating him like a kid.
The non diegetic music starts towards the end of the scene when the Call Girl begins to get intimate with Blake. The atmosphere and mood changes as it becomes more sexual and seductive, especially when she sits on top of him. Their body language here is a lot closer than at the beginning.
In conclusion a number of techniques were used to represent disability in the film. The main feature being mise en scene as it clearly showed the main character in a wheelchair and him having to rely on other people. The other main feature was the use of camera as the tilted shot at the beginning and the shot of the stairs shows the characters lack of independence and the adjustments other people have to make when addressing disabled people.
Friday 9 December 2011
Friday 2 December 2011
Analysis of the film Hotel Babylon
How is ethnicity represented through camera, sound, mise en scene and editing in the clip from Hotel Babylon?
Throughout the opening of the piece I identified a number of techniques which the director used to portray the use of representation of ethnicity. I focused on the mise en scene, camera, editing and sound of the film. The word in the title "Babylon", means multiple languages being spoken, this suggests that the film will consist of a number of different ethnic people.
At the beginning of the film, we see a black man in a suit serving a white man in a dressing gown. This is stereotypical of a black person serving a white person as it shows that the white person is in charge. It is a countertype that the black man is dressed smartly in a suit, as not many black people dress this way.
The next scene is of another black man getting out of a swimming pool and bumping into the black man in the suit. In contrast to the man in the suit, the other guy is wearing shorts and does not look as swarve. The man in the suit appears to care about what he looks like and dresses in a more formal manner. They then use diegetic sound to communicate with one another, this connotes that the two men know each other. The man in the suit talks differently to the other black man as he talks more formally and uses proper English language. However, the guy in the shorts uses slang and abbreviations when talking. There is a contradiction with the way this man talks as he talks ghetto but appears to be in this posh hotel. This is a countertype as guys like him usually do not usually have money for places like this. The guy in the suit looks very shocked when the other guy states "there's the old ...". This shows that the formal man has changed and is no longer like the other guy. The audience can tell he is shocked as there is a quick frozen close up of his face, his eyes appear to be wide open with his eyebrows raised.
The next scene is of two maids going into someones bedroom to do their work; cleaning. They hardly speak but when a word is said from one of them it appears that they are French women. This is stereotypical as most maids are French or foreign. Their costume indicates their status which is quite low. When they get into the room there are a number of shots between the two maids and an oriental man sitting on the bed. He is wearing glasses which implies he is intelligent. The man pays the women for sexual favours, this is stereotypical of oriental men with money. He plays a song in the bedroom called Moulin Rouge, this is a frenc, erotic song. One of the women starts to take off her work clothes, underneath she is wearing sexy underwear. This is stereotypical as French women are usually seen as sexy.
Two white business looking people then walk towards the camera, one is a man and the other is a woman. They are both dressed smartly, the man in a suit and the woman in a formal dress. They both talk using formal language and they both come across as quite posh. The two of them speak about their employees, this demonstrates that they are in charge. This is stereotypical as they are both white people in charge of a business.
The scene then changes to a kitchen where the audience see two chefs. They do not seem to be getting on however, when the white woman enters the kitchen they pretend to get along. This shows that they have a fake relationship. One of the men are Italien and the other is White British. The Italien man greets the lady by kissing her hand, this is stereotypical as they are normally full on with the ladies. At the end of this scene, the audience realise why the two chefs do not get on. It appears that the Italien chef took the white mans wife and now they have to work in the same environment as one another. This implies that the Italien man is a wife stealer and the white man is now feared about the two of them.
The final scene is where we see an oriental woman knocking on the oriental mans door. She is dressed in smart looking suit and has a British accent. Her costume suggests that she is some sort of manager in the hotel. She hides around the corner, this implies that she is sneaky. The fact she is going to this particular room where the maids are implies that she is in charge of the maids and is their boss.
In conclusion, a number of techniques were used to represent the different ethnicity's in the film. There were a number of stereotypes used to show a certain ethnic group as well as a number of countertypes used in the film.
Throughout the opening of the piece I identified a number of techniques which the director used to portray the use of representation of ethnicity. I focused on the mise en scene, camera, editing and sound of the film. The word in the title "Babylon", means multiple languages being spoken, this suggests that the film will consist of a number of different ethnic people.
At the beginning of the film, we see a black man in a suit serving a white man in a dressing gown. This is stereotypical of a black person serving a white person as it shows that the white person is in charge. It is a countertype that the black man is dressed smartly in a suit, as not many black people dress this way.
The next scene is of another black man getting out of a swimming pool and bumping into the black man in the suit. In contrast to the man in the suit, the other guy is wearing shorts and does not look as swarve. The man in the suit appears to care about what he looks like and dresses in a more formal manner. They then use diegetic sound to communicate with one another, this connotes that the two men know each other. The man in the suit talks differently to the other black man as he talks more formally and uses proper English language. However, the guy in the shorts uses slang and abbreviations when talking. There is a contradiction with the way this man talks as he talks ghetto but appears to be in this posh hotel. This is a countertype as guys like him usually do not usually have money for places like this. The guy in the suit looks very shocked when the other guy states "there's the old ...". This shows that the formal man has changed and is no longer like the other guy. The audience can tell he is shocked as there is a quick frozen close up of his face, his eyes appear to be wide open with his eyebrows raised.
The next scene is of two maids going into someones bedroom to do their work; cleaning. They hardly speak but when a word is said from one of them it appears that they are French women. This is stereotypical as most maids are French or foreign. Their costume indicates their status which is quite low. When they get into the room there are a number of shots between the two maids and an oriental man sitting on the bed. He is wearing glasses which implies he is intelligent. The man pays the women for sexual favours, this is stereotypical of oriental men with money. He plays a song in the bedroom called Moulin Rouge, this is a frenc, erotic song. One of the women starts to take off her work clothes, underneath she is wearing sexy underwear. This is stereotypical as French women are usually seen as sexy.
Two white business looking people then walk towards the camera, one is a man and the other is a woman. They are both dressed smartly, the man in a suit and the woman in a formal dress. They both talk using formal language and they both come across as quite posh. The two of them speak about their employees, this demonstrates that they are in charge. This is stereotypical as they are both white people in charge of a business.
The scene then changes to a kitchen where the audience see two chefs. They do not seem to be getting on however, when the white woman enters the kitchen they pretend to get along. This shows that they have a fake relationship. One of the men are Italien and the other is White British. The Italien man greets the lady by kissing her hand, this is stereotypical as they are normally full on with the ladies. At the end of this scene, the audience realise why the two chefs do not get on. It appears that the Italien chef took the white mans wife and now they have to work in the same environment as one another. This implies that the Italien man is a wife stealer and the white man is now feared about the two of them.
The final scene is where we see an oriental woman knocking on the oriental mans door. She is dressed in smart looking suit and has a British accent. Her costume suggests that she is some sort of manager in the hotel. She hides around the corner, this implies that she is sneaky. The fact she is going to this particular room where the maids are implies that she is in charge of the maids and is their boss.
In conclusion, a number of techniques were used to represent the different ethnicity's in the film. There were a number of stereotypes used to show a certain ethnic group as well as a number of countertypes used in the film.
Friday 25 November 2011
Analysis of the film Blackpool
How is the representation of age, family and relationships shown through the use of camera, mise en scene, editing and sound in this clip from Blackpool?
Throughout the opening of the piece I identified a number of techniques which the director used to portray the use of representation of age, family and relationships. I focused on the mise en scene, camera, editing and sound of the film. This essay will go on to examine these in more detail.
At the beginning of the film we see a crane shot of a man and a woman sitting on a sofa. This rising shot introduces the characters to the audience. The shots between the husband and wife include long shots and wide shots. The relationship between these two characters is shown through the colour of their costume as they are both wearing bright pink coloured clothing. This suggests they are old fashioned and not very modern. The fact they are both wearing pink connotes that they are colour co ordinated. These characters are dressed younger than their age.
The scenery of the living room is very symmetrical. For example, the fruit bowl infront of them on the table and the stack of wine bottles behind them on the shelves. This symmetry shows that they are very orderly and precise with their positioning of things. Everything in the living is white and gold, this suggests that the couple are rich and opulent. Their house is very smart, clean and tidy, this also implies that they are very wealthy and take good care in the appearance of their house. It communicates they are upper class and are quite fancy.
Another two characters appear in the house, the daughter and her boyfriend. They are wearing more modern clothing. The way they are dressed makes the two characters look older than they are. For example, the daughter is wearing a cream coloured suit, this makes her look very classy and sophisticated. However, the boyfriend is dressed in jeans. This demonstrates that he is not trying to impress his girlfriends parents in any way. He looks more relaxed in what he is wearing. The boyfriend dresses younger to make him and his girlfriend look like a couple as he looks a lot older than her. They are both wearing dull and ordinary colours in contrast with the parents. It is almost as if the parents and the younger couple have switched roles.
When the daughter introduces her boyfriend to her parents, the noise of a bell is suddenly heard. This is to fill in the awkwardness. It also shows how unstable the situation is. When the father sees his daughters boyfriend, the audience can hear his reaction inside. You hear his anger building up as he realises the age difference between them.
The scene then changes to the four of them sitting around a table, they are directly opposite eachother. The parents go on to questionning the boyfriend. The father talks the loudest and his voice is very firm and blunt. This shows that he has authority and power over the conversation. He speaks his kind and tries to make the boyfriend feel awkward. On the other hand, the mother has a much more calmer voice and she is more laid back. They seem very protective over her and worried about her choices for a boyfriend. The colour of the room is very bright as the sun beams through the windows that they are in. This is contrasted with the atmosphere in the room. There are a number of close ups of each character during this conversation. They show the characters identity.
The mother and father are not always close compared to the daughter and her boyfriend. The boyfriend sits with his arm around her, this shows they are connected with eachother. They seem the more romantic couple out of the two. The boyfriend is very relaxed as he sits back with his legs crossed.The daughter is very defensive over her boyfriend as she always answers her father back first before he can answer the question. This shows she has strong feelings for him. However, when the boyfriend does answer he comes across as cocky and sarcastic. He seems full of himself and answers in a jokey like way. The way he responds shows that he is immature for his age and he is acting younger than he is.
The daughter is the one who decides it is time for the couple to leave. She chooses to leave before things get out of hand. As everyone stands up, the audience can see that the boyfriend reaches out to shake the fathers hand. However, the father ignores this hand gesture and puts his hands in his pocket. This non verbal language suggests the father is stubborn and rude as the boyfriend is trying to be polite and respectful.
The scene then changes to the parents bedroom which is highly decorated. This is a contradiction with what they were wearing. In the bedroom the mother defends her daughter, this suggests she just wants her daughter to be happy and wants what is right for her. The father does not contradict his wife in the scene, this implies in relationships women normally get the last say in things. As he gets into bed he makes loud huffing noises. This communicates that he is tired and of a middle age. Movements between sheets is the final diegetic sound that is heard. This shows a close relationship between two people as they are getting close to one another. It also shows the relationship between the husband and the bed as he is getting comfortable to sleep.
Throughout the opening of the piece I identified a number of techniques which the director used to portray the use of representation of age, family and relationships. I focused on the mise en scene, camera, editing and sound of the film. This essay will go on to examine these in more detail.
At the beginning of the film we see a crane shot of a man and a woman sitting on a sofa. This rising shot introduces the characters to the audience. The shots between the husband and wife include long shots and wide shots. The relationship between these two characters is shown through the colour of their costume as they are both wearing bright pink coloured clothing. This suggests they are old fashioned and not very modern. The fact they are both wearing pink connotes that they are colour co ordinated. These characters are dressed younger than their age.
The scenery of the living room is very symmetrical. For example, the fruit bowl infront of them on the table and the stack of wine bottles behind them on the shelves. This symmetry shows that they are very orderly and precise with their positioning of things. Everything in the living is white and gold, this suggests that the couple are rich and opulent. Their house is very smart, clean and tidy, this also implies that they are very wealthy and take good care in the appearance of their house. It communicates they are upper class and are quite fancy.
Another two characters appear in the house, the daughter and her boyfriend. They are wearing more modern clothing. The way they are dressed makes the two characters look older than they are. For example, the daughter is wearing a cream coloured suit, this makes her look very classy and sophisticated. However, the boyfriend is dressed in jeans. This demonstrates that he is not trying to impress his girlfriends parents in any way. He looks more relaxed in what he is wearing. The boyfriend dresses younger to make him and his girlfriend look like a couple as he looks a lot older than her. They are both wearing dull and ordinary colours in contrast with the parents. It is almost as if the parents and the younger couple have switched roles.
When the daughter introduces her boyfriend to her parents, the noise of a bell is suddenly heard. This is to fill in the awkwardness. It also shows how unstable the situation is. When the father sees his daughters boyfriend, the audience can hear his reaction inside. You hear his anger building up as he realises the age difference between them.
The scene then changes to the four of them sitting around a table, they are directly opposite eachother. The parents go on to questionning the boyfriend. The father talks the loudest and his voice is very firm and blunt. This shows that he has authority and power over the conversation. He speaks his kind and tries to make the boyfriend feel awkward. On the other hand, the mother has a much more calmer voice and she is more laid back. They seem very protective over her and worried about her choices for a boyfriend. The colour of the room is very bright as the sun beams through the windows that they are in. This is contrasted with the atmosphere in the room. There are a number of close ups of each character during this conversation. They show the characters identity.
The mother and father are not always close compared to the daughter and her boyfriend. The boyfriend sits with his arm around her, this shows they are connected with eachother. They seem the more romantic couple out of the two. The boyfriend is very relaxed as he sits back with his legs crossed.The daughter is very defensive over her boyfriend as she always answers her father back first before he can answer the question. This shows she has strong feelings for him. However, when the boyfriend does answer he comes across as cocky and sarcastic. He seems full of himself and answers in a jokey like way. The way he responds shows that he is immature for his age and he is acting younger than he is.
The daughter is the one who decides it is time for the couple to leave. She chooses to leave before things get out of hand. As everyone stands up, the audience can see that the boyfriend reaches out to shake the fathers hand. However, the father ignores this hand gesture and puts his hands in his pocket. This non verbal language suggests the father is stubborn and rude as the boyfriend is trying to be polite and respectful.
The scene then changes to the parents bedroom which is highly decorated. This is a contradiction with what they were wearing. In the bedroom the mother defends her daughter, this suggests she just wants her daughter to be happy and wants what is right for her. The father does not contradict his wife in the scene, this implies in relationships women normally get the last say in things. As he gets into bed he makes loud huffing noises. This communicates that he is tired and of a middle age. Movements between sheets is the final diegetic sound that is heard. This shows a close relationship between two people as they are getting close to one another. It also shows the relationship between the husband and the bed as he is getting comfortable to sleep.
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Analysis of Primeval
How is gender represented through camera, sound, mise en scene and editing in the clip from Primeval?
Our group focused on the Non verbal language of the film. We looked at the characters costume, gestures and body language to give us an idea about their personality.
In the beginning frame we see a mans hand on a womans back, this shows the audience that the man is in control and has authority over her. However, it could also show that he is comforting her as when people are upset the other person tends to rub their back to show they care. On the other hand, it could suggest that he is leading her to somewhere. The gesture implies they have a relationship with one another because of this physical contact.
Another woman is then introduced, she has blonde short hair and is driving a tractor. The fact she is driving a tractor communicates to the audience that she is unfeminine as this is normally seen as a mans job. She uses this machinery to help the man (from the beginning) from being attacked by a cheetah. The woman tries to distract the animal and scare it off by driving towards it. This communicates that she is a hero's helper.
A third frame was of a man low on the ground, placing a piece of meat in to the bushes/grass. He placed it carefully and delicately which is unusual for a man to do. The fact that he is putting it there in such a gentle way could show that he is doing it secretly as if he has something to hide. However, it could imply that he is a bit feminine and has a soft touch.
We then see the blonde woman again from the beginning walking with three men. From this we can see that she is wearing a black leather jacket, which looks like a biker jacket. This communicates that she is butch and comes across as a tom boy. The fact that she is with a group of men and is the only girl also suggests that she is a tom boy.
The gender roles then swop, this is seen through props, body language and costume. In the beginning the blonde woman was a hero's helper, but as the film goes on the man from the beginning becomes the hero. A smartly dressed woman gets captured by a rough looking fat man. Her cream jacket is very sophisticated and looks expensive, this implies that she is upper class and wealthy. The woman is dressed very different to the other characters, this shows she is feminine and cares about her appearance. The man who captured her grabs her arm and throws her to the ground with force. This connotes that he has control and has power over her. At this part of the film we get an idea that he is the antagonist as he is acting like a bully using his aggression to hurt a woman. The man is also holding a gun towards the woman, this suggests he is violent.
The camera is mostly focused on the man from the beginning. It follows him and his every move.This suggests that he is the protagonist aswell as the hero. The man is a stereotypical looking hero as he has a strong, masculine physique.
Our group focused on the Non verbal language of the film. We looked at the characters costume, gestures and body language to give us an idea about their personality.
In the beginning frame we see a mans hand on a womans back, this shows the audience that the man is in control and has authority over her. However, it could also show that he is comforting her as when people are upset the other person tends to rub their back to show they care. On the other hand, it could suggest that he is leading her to somewhere. The gesture implies they have a relationship with one another because of this physical contact.
Another woman is then introduced, she has blonde short hair and is driving a tractor. The fact she is driving a tractor communicates to the audience that she is unfeminine as this is normally seen as a mans job. She uses this machinery to help the man (from the beginning) from being attacked by a cheetah. The woman tries to distract the animal and scare it off by driving towards it. This communicates that she is a hero's helper.
A third frame was of a man low on the ground, placing a piece of meat in to the bushes/grass. He placed it carefully and delicately which is unusual for a man to do. The fact that he is putting it there in such a gentle way could show that he is doing it secretly as if he has something to hide. However, it could imply that he is a bit feminine and has a soft touch.
We then see the blonde woman again from the beginning walking with three men. From this we can see that she is wearing a black leather jacket, which looks like a biker jacket. This communicates that she is butch and comes across as a tom boy. The fact that she is with a group of men and is the only girl also suggests that she is a tom boy.
The gender roles then swop, this is seen through props, body language and costume. In the beginning the blonde woman was a hero's helper, but as the film goes on the man from the beginning becomes the hero. A smartly dressed woman gets captured by a rough looking fat man. Her cream jacket is very sophisticated and looks expensive, this implies that she is upper class and wealthy. The woman is dressed very different to the other characters, this shows she is feminine and cares about her appearance. The man who captured her grabs her arm and throws her to the ground with force. This connotes that he has control and has power over her. At this part of the film we get an idea that he is the antagonist as he is acting like a bully using his aggression to hurt a woman. The man is also holding a gun towards the woman, this suggests he is violent.
The camera is mostly focused on the man from the beginning. It follows him and his every move.This suggests that he is the protagonist aswell as the hero. The man is a stereotypical looking hero as he has a strong, masculine physique.
Tuesday 8 November 2011
9 Frame Analysis
The man in this scene looks isolated as he is sitting in the corner of an empty room at a desk. The room is very plain and the colours are very dull. There is nothing else and no one else in the room which makes it seem mysterious. He looks as if he is getting on with some sort of work. This could suggest he is a business man, but the background leaves you wondering as to where he is and why he is there. The fact he is getting on with the work suggests that he is a hard worker, clever and educated. He seems like he is hiding away from the outside world, almost as if it is secret. The fact he is on his own in a room like this means that he likes to work in a quiet place in peace without any noise or distractions.
In this image, you get a clearer view of the characters body language, costume and movement as it is an extreme long shot. The man is dressed in a navy blue suit, this suggests he is smart and could be from an upper class background. The colour of his suit matches part of the colour of the wall. This shows that they could have something in common with one another. The suit also makes you think that he is a businessman. He is holding a flask in his hand which implies he might be going to re fill it or the fact he is leaving his desk suggest he is going for a break.
In this picture the character is exiting some sort of garage. This is a deserted place and it seems as if he had locked himself away from the outside world. It looks very dark outside, so it could be late evening or early in the morning. The scene has changed from a lighted room to a dark garage type place. Once he opens the shutter door, we get an idea of where his "work" is situated. The place seems to be in the middle of no where. This leaves the audience wondering what is he doing in a place like this for a job if he is smartly dressed. 
The person driving the car does not seem to of seen the parked car on the left hand side of it. The driver loses control as he crashes into it. The car tumbles upside down several times along the road. This is an important moment of the opening sequence as the action code sets the narrative of the film. The character could of been tired as it is early hours of the morning or he/she could of lost focus
which has now caused this disaster. In this clip a van pulls up and a man opens the side door. He puts a piano to the side of the van, he leaves it there and they drive off. This happens very quickly which shows they were in a rush. The piano could symbolise something dangerous. The scene is quite dark which makes it mysterious. The audience does not see the characters face, which also makes it mysterious. The clip leaves you questioning what is going to happen next, as this was a very random moment in the beginning sequence. It shows that this instrument could play an important part in the film.
The camera zooms in on this piano which has been left on the side of the road. The focus is left on this instrument and it leaves the audience confused and wondering. There is a hollow sound of wind blowing in the background which creates an eerie type atmosphere. The scene becomes very tense at this point.
The character is shocked and stunned as to what he has just witnessed. His facial expressions demonstrate this. When the car tumbled over, he took a step back. This implies he is taken back by what he has just seen. It could also show his confused state of mind, as he can not believe what has happened. It shows his reaction of seeing a serious accident. He securely holds his flask in his hand with fear.
Monday 7 November 2011
Analysis of opening sequences of clips
In the lesson, we learnt what the two terms protagonist and antagonist meant. A protagonist is the main character of a cinematic narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve. The audience view this character as the 'hero'. An antagonist is a character or a group of characters, that represent the opposition against the protagonist who he must contend with. We also learnt about the narrative of a film and the narrative patterns. The narrartive is the story of the film, it describes the events that occur within it. There are four types of narrative patterns, these include Linear Patterns, Multi Strand Narrative, Documentary Narrative and Long Running Series.
Roland Barthes distinguished two types of codes, these are Enigma codes and Action codes. Enigma codes control how much we know of the story and effectively holds the audiences attention. It creates a sense of mystery during the narrative. Action codea are events in the story we know to be important in developing the narrative.
Their were two narrative theories we also discussed both created by russians, the first of which was developed by 'Tzvetan Todorov' . He divided his theory into three parts; Equilibrium, Disequilibrium and the New Equilibrium. The second theorist was called Vladimir Propp. This theory is developed into seven parts; the Villain, Donor, Helper, Princess, Dispatcher, Hero and the False Hero.
Children of Men:
Everyone in the film is old this demonstrates that women are no longer having children.
An 18 year old celebrity is killed, this suggests the society is dangerous. The reporter on the news states "the youngest person in the community". This shows that there is no such thing a young generation in this town.
The society seems very negative and closed.
The action code of the film is the bomb going off and the death of the young boy. The bomb could imply a terrorist attack. The enigma code is the telling of the childs death on the news. Everyone in the cafe is crying and glued to the television because of this tragic news. The protagonist of the film is the man that the camera is following. The fact he is unfazed about the news suggests this. The Antagonist could be the person who set off the bomb.
Battle for Haditha:
There are a number of different narrators in the beginning sequence of the film. The card shown is the narrative of the story as it tells the audience what has happened/what is going to happen.
The protagonist could be the three soldiers talking.
The Equilibrium is the army base which is in Iraq. There is a war taking place in a foreign country. The Disequilibrium could be the card which tells us that something is going to happen.
The Dark Night:
Within the first few minutes of the film there is a lot of action. For example, a man collides through a glass window of a building, a number of shootings take place and bombs are given to people.
The antagonists are the men wearing clown type masks. The action codes are the shootings of the men killing eachother. The Equilibrium could be the men in the car holding guns.
Everyone who works in the place that the men have come to look very scared because of the weapons the men are holding. A man who works there tries to shoot the main suspect but it does not ending up being a success as he ends up being shot himself. The man ends up getting away and drives off in a school bus.
Roland Barthes distinguished two types of codes, these are Enigma codes and Action codes. Enigma codes control how much we know of the story and effectively holds the audiences attention. It creates a sense of mystery during the narrative. Action codea are events in the story we know to be important in developing the narrative.
Their were two narrative theories we also discussed both created by russians, the first of which was developed by 'Tzvetan Todorov' . He divided his theory into three parts; Equilibrium, Disequilibrium and the New Equilibrium. The second theorist was called Vladimir Propp. This theory is developed into seven parts; the Villain, Donor, Helper, Princess, Dispatcher, Hero and the False Hero.
Children of Men:
Everyone in the film is old this demonstrates that women are no longer having children.
An 18 year old celebrity is killed, this suggests the society is dangerous. The reporter on the news states "the youngest person in the community". This shows that there is no such thing a young generation in this town.
The society seems very negative and closed.
The action code of the film is the bomb going off and the death of the young boy. The bomb could imply a terrorist attack. The enigma code is the telling of the childs death on the news. Everyone in the cafe is crying and glued to the television because of this tragic news. The protagonist of the film is the man that the camera is following. The fact he is unfazed about the news suggests this. The Antagonist could be the person who set off the bomb.
Battle for Haditha:
There are a number of different narrators in the beginning sequence of the film. The card shown is the narrative of the story as it tells the audience what has happened/what is going to happen.
The protagonist could be the three soldiers talking.
The Equilibrium is the army base which is in Iraq. There is a war taking place in a foreign country. The Disequilibrium could be the card which tells us that something is going to happen.
The Dark Night:
Within the first few minutes of the film there is a lot of action. For example, a man collides through a glass window of a building, a number of shootings take place and bombs are given to people.
The antagonists are the men wearing clown type masks. The action codes are the shootings of the men killing eachother. The Equilibrium could be the men in the car holding guns.
Everyone who works in the place that the men have come to look very scared because of the weapons the men are holding. A man who works there tries to shoot the main suspect but it does not ending up being a success as he ends up being shot himself. The man ends up getting away and drives off in a school bus.
Tuesday 1 November 2011
Submarine Study Notes
In the film the main character Oliver spoke directly to the audience through voiceover. It was used to create the effect of storytelling by a character narrator. It enabled us to emphasize with the character as we could get a clear understanding of his actions and emotions. The voiceover allowed the viewers to experience the events as if we were involved in them. They also helped to engage the audience more. The fact he talks to the audience directly brings a sense of quirkiness and adds humour to it.
I think that there is a gap between what Oliver says about himself and the reality that we see on the screen. The fact he feels sorry for himself comes across as quite funny and humourous, however at the same time it is quite sad and dull. Oliver thinks that he can solve everyones problems and organise people's lives. This makes him quite likeable and makes the audience sympathise with the situations he finds himself in. For example, he thinks that his Mum is having an affair with "Graham" and he tries to save his parents marriage in a number of ways. In reality to this, some people can not even sort out their own problems and situations out let alone helping others out with theirs.
I think the film is quite literary because it does feel like an adaptation of a book or diary as it is very personal. The fact that it is narrated by the main character also makes the film more literary. The settings helped us relate to the film as they were of natural places. It made the film seem more realistic than if it was to have magnificient sights.
I think that there is a gap between what Oliver says about himself and the reality that we see on the screen. The fact he feels sorry for himself comes across as quite funny and humourous, however at the same time it is quite sad and dull. Oliver thinks that he can solve everyones problems and organise people's lives. This makes him quite likeable and makes the audience sympathise with the situations he finds himself in. For example, he thinks that his Mum is having an affair with "Graham" and he tries to save his parents marriage in a number of ways. In reality to this, some people can not even sort out their own problems and situations out let alone helping others out with theirs.
I think the film is quite literary because it does feel like an adaptation of a book or diary as it is very personal. The fact that it is narrated by the main character also makes the film more literary. The settings helped us relate to the film as they were of natural places. It made the film seem more realistic than if it was to have magnificient sights.
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Lighting
Before using any equipment, as a class we explored the health and safety issue of using a camera, tripod and lighting. In groups of three, we placed the camera onto the tripod and experimented with using it. We also experimented with two different types of light; dimmed light and natural light.
Dimmed light:
Dimmed light:
- Symbolises a cold atmosphere
- Expresses the genre horror/ thriller
Types of Camera Shots
Extreme long shot:
- Known as an establishing shot
- Its purpose is to let the audience know where and whenthe scene is taking place
- It is often an exterior shot; outside setting
- Any characters may be visible but only from a distance.
- Usually follows an establishing shot
- The audience see the character from head to toe
- It shows the relationship between the character and the environment/setting
- Shows half a characters body. (waist upwards)
- Shows the characters body language and facial expressions in more detail
- Audience becomes more familiar with the character
- Shows the shoulders and upwards of a character
- The audience can see the characters emotions more clearly
- They enable you to focus on the chracters facial expressions
- Shows only the characters face
- The camera may focus on a particular feature (the eyes)
- Draws the audiences attention to the characters facial expressions
- They add intensity to the scene as it blocks out the background and other characters
- The focus is completly on a particular character
Friday 30 September 2011
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Idea for a film, First two minutes of my Film and My Pitch.
Title: Red Head SuckerRock star legend: Lenny Rich
The scene centres around the genre thriller/horror. The idea came watching the series Criminal Minds. It inspired me to direct and create a film based on a particular episode. The film is about a rock star called Lenny, who performs at several concerts. He has an obsession about red head women. At the end of each concert Lenny tracks down and follows a red head woman fan home. They always look surprised and happy to see their legend arriving on their door step. The women fall for his charm and invites him in. Lenny fakes a relationship with them and after a number of weeks he shows who he really is and not the rock legend people think he is. In the end he turns them into vampires just like he is.
The film is set in London and the main character, the rock star, lives on his own in a penthouse in Chelsea. He drinks quite a lot of alcohol and smokes cannabis on a regular basis. Lenny wears a black leather jacket, dealer boots and lots of black eyeliner. His fingernails are painted black and he has long, black hair. Most of his fans are "goth" looking as their faces consist of a number of piercing's and dark, heavy make up. A number of eerie soundtracks are used through out the film to create tension and suspense. There is lots of low key lighting, especially in his predator's homes. This will make the audience feel nervous and put them on edge which is necessary with the genre type. A number of extreme close up shots will be filmed, this includes images of Lenny's face and images of the victims faces (their necks when action is taking place). These shots will maybe make the audience feel uncomfortable.
At the beginning of the film a loud, heavy rock song is being played in the background and there are various clips being shown. Firstly of the rock star performing, secondly the fans jumping up and down going wild and thirdly the reflection of the disco lights moving on the ceiling. After a minute of this, the scene changes and Lenny is back stage, is his dressing room. Here we see the legend applying more eye liner to his eyes. He then takes a large swig of whiskey from a bottle. A reflection of himself is present in the mirror opposite him, he throws the bottle at it aggressively and it shatters into pieces. Lenny picks up a sharp piece of the mirror and it cuts into his finger. He licks the blood away and laughs hysterically. Pitch: This film will have you sitting on the edge of your sits as rock star Lenny turns out not to be a rock star legend after all.
Tuesday 27 September 2011
City of God Opening
The first minute of the film is very fast paced, the editing of the clips is very choppy and random. It leaves the audience quite confused. Some of the images are grusome and sickening, for example the birds head being chopped off. This demonstrates death and torture.
The sharpening of the metal knife connotes death and it creates an eerie atmosphere. The sound of it scraping against the rock cuts through the happy music playing in the background. The focus of the clip is on the knife, this connotes that it could be a vital instrument in the film. A knife is a dangerous and sharp object used for cutting things. A few seconds later the knife is used to cut up the bird. This is a close up shot which leaves the audience feeling disturbed and traumatised.
A different bird gets away and runs off. Whilst following this bird, a pool of blood on a white plate suddenly appears. The shot is an extreme close up which leaves you feeling nauseous. Once the plate of blood is shown, the editing slows down and the music stops quickly. The audience are left with diagetic sounds of the scene such as the birds squawking, people moving and then a man shouting.
At the end of the opening credits, the aural sound of a car horn is heard. An image of the car is then seen and the bird appears underneath it still running away. This made me panic and left me feeling nervous as I thought the bird was going to die. Men appear holding guns, this connotes that they are violent and dangerous. One of the men command the boy on the other side to go after the bird. A police car pulls up suddenly behind the boy, the group of men pull the triggers on their guns aiming it their way. The young boy is left stuck in the middle between the good (the police) and the bad (the group of men). He bends down towards the bird, this is a long shot image. A 180 degree turn of the camera then happens, the boys eyes move with the camera. The focus is then on the police for a matter of seconds until another 180 degree turn happens where the focus goes back onto the group of men. The opening scene ends with a 360 degree turn where the boy visualises himself at a younger age. The ending creates a narrative that the boy in the middle is going to be the main character of the film.
The music in the background has a fast and repetitive beat, it's the sound of someone beating a steal drum and someone faintly playing a guitar. There are lots of sound effects used along with the music to create a busy atmosphere.
The sharpening of the metal knife connotes death and it creates an eerie atmosphere. The sound of it scraping against the rock cuts through the happy music playing in the background. The focus of the clip is on the knife, this connotes that it could be a vital instrument in the film. A knife is a dangerous and sharp object used for cutting things. A few seconds later the knife is used to cut up the bird. This is a close up shot which leaves the audience feeling disturbed and traumatised. 
At the end of the opening credits, the aural sound of a car horn is heard. An image of the car is then seen and the bird appears underneath it still running away. This made me panic and left me feeling nervous as I thought the bird was going to die. Men appear holding guns, this connotes that they are violent and dangerous. One of the men command the boy on the other side to go after the bird. A police car pulls up suddenly behind the boy, the group of men pull the triggers on their guns aiming it their way. The young boy is left stuck in the middle between the good (the police) and the bad (the group of men). He bends down towards the bird, this is a long shot image. A 180 degree turn of the camera then happens, the boys eyes move with the camera. The focus is then on the police for a matter of seconds until another 180 degree turn happens where the focus goes back onto the group of men. The opening scene ends with a 360 degree turn where the boy visualises himself at a younger age. The ending creates a narrative that the boy in the middle is going to be the main character of the film.
Friday 23 September 2011
The Inbetweeners Movie
The 2011 British comedy film was directed by Ben Palmer, and produced by Christopher Young who produced all three series of the TV show. It was written by Damon Beesley and and Iain Morris. The cinematographer was Jon Tester and the editing was done by William Webb and Charlie Fawcett. The music was composed by Oliver Whelan.
Casting/Actors
The inbetweeners Movie stars Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley and Blake Harrison.The film follows the four main characters on holiday in Malia, Crete where they drink, vomit and use foul language. The filming began on 6 February 2011 with filming beginning in Mallorca, Spain on 19 February 2011.
Box office, Success and audience
On its first day of release, the film grossed over than £2.5 million in 409 cinemas. The film then went on to hold the most successful opening weekend for a British comedy film. In the UK the film was rated as a 15+. It was clearly aimed at young adults due to its comic story.
Case Studies
Aardman: It is a British animation studio based in Bristol, United Kingdom.
Founded by: Peter Lord and David Sproxton in 1976
Films they have made: Flushed Away (2006) - computer animated British film directed by David Bowers and Sam Fell.
Wallace and Gromit: The curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) -British clay-mation, animated, horror film. The film was directed by Nick Park and Steve Box. It was produced by DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Animations, and released by DreamWorks Pictures.
Chicken Run (2000) -British stop-motion animation film.
Box office figures for the films:
Flushed Away: $178,120,010
Chicken Run: $224,834,564
Wallace and Gromit: $192,610,372
Working title: Working Title films is a British film production company that was founded in 1983.
Founded by: Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe
Films they have made: Mr Bean's Holiday (2007) -British comedy film by Rowan Atkinson.
Definitely, Maybe (2008) - Romantic comedy film directed by Adam Brooks.
State of Play (2009) - French-British-American political thriller film.The film was directed by Kevin Macdonald from a screenplay written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Peter Morgan, and Billy Ray.
Box office figures for the films:
Mr Bean's Holiday: $229,736,344
Definitely, Maybe: $55,447,968
State of Play: $91,445,389
Warp X: British film production company, separate from Warp Films based in Sheffield, UK with further offices in Nottingham and London.
Founded in: 2005
Films they have made: This is England (2006) - British drama film written and directed by Shane Meadows.
Donkey Punch (2008) - British thriller film about a group of English people on holiday in Spain who end up fighting for their lives. The film was written and directed by Oliver Blackburn and David Bloom.
Grow Your Own (2007) - British comedy film directed by Richard Laxton, and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Carl Hunter.
Box office figures for the films:
Grow Your Own: £103,777
Donkey Punch: £448,465
This is England: £5,154,493
HanWay: An independent British international sales, distribution and marketing company specializing in theatrical feature films.
Founded by: film producer Jeremy Thomas in 1998.
Films they have made: Wuthering Heights (2011) -romantic film directed by Andrea Arnold.
13 Assassins (2010) - Japanese jidaigeki film directed by Takashi Miike.
Essential Killing (2010) - political thriller film by the Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski.
Box office figures for the films:
13 Assassins: $17,054,213
Founded by: Peter Lord and David Sproxton in 1976
Films they have made: Flushed Away (2006) - computer animated British film directed by David Bowers and Sam Fell.
Wallace and Gromit: The curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) -British clay-mation, animated, horror film. The film was directed by Nick Park and Steve Box. It was produced by DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Animations, and released by DreamWorks Pictures.
Chicken Run (2000) -British stop-motion animation film.
Box office figures for the films:
Flushed Away: $178,120,010
Chicken Run: $224,834,564
Wallace and Gromit: $192,610,372
Working title: Working Title films is a British film production company that was founded in 1983.
Founded by: Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe
Films they have made: Mr Bean's Holiday (2007) -British comedy film by Rowan Atkinson.
Definitely, Maybe (2008) - Romantic comedy film directed by Adam Brooks.
State of Play (2009) - French-British-American political thriller film.The film was directed by Kevin Macdonald from a screenplay written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Peter Morgan, and Billy Ray.
Box office figures for the films:
Mr Bean's Holiday: $229,736,344
Definitely, Maybe: $55,447,968
State of Play: $91,445,389
Warp X: British film production company, separate from Warp Films based in Sheffield, UK with further offices in Nottingham and London.
Founded in: 2005
Films they have made: This is England (2006) - British drama film written and directed by Shane Meadows.
Donkey Punch (2008) - British thriller film about a group of English people on holiday in Spain who end up fighting for their lives. The film was written and directed by Oliver Blackburn and David Bloom.
Grow Your Own (2007) - British comedy film directed by Richard Laxton, and written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Carl Hunter.
Box office figures for the films:
Grow Your Own: £103,777
Donkey Punch: £448,465
This is England: £5,154,493
HanWay: An independent British international sales, distribution and marketing company specializing in theatrical feature films.
Founded by: film producer Jeremy Thomas in 1998.
Films they have made: Wuthering Heights (2011) -romantic film directed by Andrea Arnold.
13 Assassins (2010) - Japanese jidaigeki film directed by Takashi Miike.
Essential Killing (2010) - political thriller film by the Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski.
Box office figures for the films:
13 Assassins: $17,054,213
Thursday 22 September 2011
Homework Questions
1.) How does a film get made, who is involved and what are their jobs?
A film takes years to make and it involves many different aspects. These consist of the idea, development finance, script development, packaging, financing, pre-production, the shoot, post-production, sales, marketing, exhibition and other windows. Making a film involves hundreds of people such as the producer, director and writer. The producer decides whether to make the idea into a reality. It's their job to pitch the idea to get money to develop a script. They also choose who writes the script. The writer defines and clarifies the idea, the plot and the main characters. The writer then writes a treatment, which is a one page description of the main story and characters of the film. A director works with the writers and producers to convert their ideas into something that would be possible to film.
2.) What comes first, script or finance?
Although development finance comes first, script development comes before the financing. A rough draft of the script would need to be written up before financing, because the team that are making the film would need a clear idea of what the film was about, it's intended audience, cast and location.
3.) How can casting help to get the film made?
Casting can help to attract financial backing for a film project and ensure interest in the film. Well known actors will bring more attention to the film as more people will be eager to see it.
4.) Who is responsible for marketing?
The producer is responsible for marketing.
5.) Where do ideas for films come from?
Inspirations come from newspapers, books, plays, films and even casual conversations.
6.) How does a film reach the right audience?
The potential audience for a film is targeted with posters, cinema trailers, tv sports and other marketing materials.
A film takes years to make and it involves many different aspects. These consist of the idea, development finance, script development, packaging, financing, pre-production, the shoot, post-production, sales, marketing, exhibition and other windows. Making a film involves hundreds of people such as the producer, director and writer. The producer decides whether to make the idea into a reality. It's their job to pitch the idea to get money to develop a script. They also choose who writes the script. The writer defines and clarifies the idea, the plot and the main characters. The writer then writes a treatment, which is a one page description of the main story and characters of the film. A director works with the writers and producers to convert their ideas into something that would be possible to film.
2.) What comes first, script or finance?
Although development finance comes first, script development comes before the financing. A rough draft of the script would need to be written up before financing, because the team that are making the film would need a clear idea of what the film was about, it's intended audience, cast and location.
3.) How can casting help to get the film made?
Casting can help to attract financial backing for a film project and ensure interest in the film. Well known actors will bring more attention to the film as more people will be eager to see it.
4.) Who is responsible for marketing?
The producer is responsible for marketing.
5.) Where do ideas for films come from?
Inspirations come from newspapers, books, plays, films and even casual conversations.
6.) How does a film reach the right audience?
The potential audience for a film is targeted with posters, cinema trailers, tv sports and other marketing materials.
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Opening Credits of Se7en
The Aural and Visual language helped me gain an insight into the genre of the film. The dull colours used symbolises horror and thriller as no bright colours were used. The tension is built through the music track being played in the background as it becomes louder in some parts of the opening scene. The music puts you on edge and makes you feel nervous as it is quite creepy and daunting. The track ends with a non diegetic sound stating "You bring me closer to God". This connotes that the person could be religious or spiritual. The person seems to be creating some sort of book, this suggests his life. There is an extreme close up shot of the person's hand turning the pages in the book. The person's fingers have plasters on them, this could be from where he razored some of his skin off.
Throughout the beginning of the film, there are lots of flashing scenes. These consist of a number of images which are eerie and creepy. For example, somebody sowing and somebody shaving their finger with a razor blade. This could symbolise his mental, physiological state and that he could be troubled. The instruments used are very small, precise, sharp and dangerous. The person who is sowing is taking their time with it and is being very cautious. The focus of the image is on the person's fingers and this remains the same throughout the beginning of the film.
The image is an extreme close up shot which gives the viewers a lot of detail and
insight into what the person is doing.
This non verbal image demonstrates someones eyes crossed out. A few moments later the whole face gets scribbled out. This communicates death and that somebody could be targeted. It also suggests hatred, vengeance and torture. The focus is on the man's face as the background is completly black. The image is a close up of the person's face. This is affective as it links to the genre's thriller and horror. The subjects relative size changes the audience's response to the image. I was quite scared and freaked out by this shot and was intrigued to what was going to happen next.
Red light is used on some of the images. The colour red reprents blood, danger and violence. This links with the genre I assume the film is; horror and thriller.
Throughout the beginning of the film, there are lots of flashing scenes. These consist of a number of images which are eerie and creepy. For example, somebody sowing and somebody shaving their finger with a razor blade. This could symbolise his mental, physiological state and that he could be troubled. The instruments used are very small, precise, sharp and dangerous. The person who is sowing is taking their time with it and is being very cautious. The focus of the image is on the person's fingers and this remains the same throughout the beginning of the film.
The image is an extreme close up shot which gives the viewers a lot of detail and insight into what the person is doing.
This non verbal image demonstrates someones eyes crossed out. A few moments later the whole face gets scribbled out. This communicates death and that somebody could be targeted. It also suggests hatred, vengeance and torture. The focus is on the man's face as the background is completly black. The image is a close up of the person's face. This is affective as it links to the genre's thriller and horror. The subjects relative size changes the audience's response to the image. I was quite scared and freaked out by this shot and was intrigued to what was going to happen next.
Red light is used on some of the images. The colour red reprents blood, danger and violence. This links with the genre I assume the film is; horror and thriller.
Monday 19 September 2011
Three Colours Blue Analysis
The film starts with a black background and then a diegetic sound of a car travelling appears. A low shot from behind a wheel of a car is then seen. The background behind this implies that it is evening time as it is quite dark. Aural sounds of cars beeping are heard as well as the noise of strong winds. The wind makes it very eerie and creates a cold atmosphere. It is very hollow and it creates a suspense. A hand holding a piece of foil out of a car window is then visible. It blows in the wind as the car is travelling at a fast pace. The piece of foil could connote the person is trying to get rid of something out of their life. The fact it is blowing in the wind could suggest its freedom.
The next visual image is of a young girl looking out of the back windscreen of a car. She looks at the headlights of other cars that are behind. Her eyes look like they are full of tears. This communicates she is upset about something. The fact she has got her back to the two seats in front communicates she is hiding her emotions away from them. The young girl gets out of the car and runs through the grass, leaving the car door open. A man then gets out of the drivers side of the car and stretches. The background communicates that it is early morning, therefore suggests the family have been driving all night. The fact the man stretches also demonstrates they have been driving a long time and that he is tired.
A strong close up image of a oil leak from the engine is then seen and a short focus is on the drips. The image is a foreshadow of what happens next. It is a narrative shot which suggests something terrible is going to happen. The dripping could symbolise that time is running out. A verbal sound of a woman's voice gives us information about the little girls name as she calls her "Anna". This implies the woman is the girls mother.
Aural sounds of a car door shutting is then heard, followed by the diegetic sound of the engine starting. This leaves us on edge as we know something bad is going to happen due to the oil leak. The sound of knocking wood together follows this. This sounds the same as the oil hitting the floor. Therefore, there is a connection between the toy and the oil dripping. We then see a boy playing with the toy which is made out of wood. Headlights appear amongst deep fog and the car goes past. Aural sounds of the brakes of the car is heard followed by the sound of it hitting something. Loud screams come from the car and smoke appears from the bonnet. It had come off the road and hit a tree. A beach ball rolls from the opened back door along the floor. The beach ball suggests the family were going to the seaside or going on holiday. The boy picks up his green skateboard and non diegetic sounds of him running are heard. He runs towards the car and the scene blacks out.
The next visual image is of a young girl looking out of the back windscreen of a car. She looks at the headlights of other cars that are behind. Her eyes look like they are full of tears. This communicates she is upset about something. The fact she has got her back to the two seats in front communicates she is hiding her emotions away from them. The young girl gets out of the car and runs through the grass, leaving the car door open. A man then gets out of the drivers side of the car and stretches. The background communicates that it is early morning, therefore suggests the family have been driving all night. The fact the man stretches also demonstrates they have been driving a long time and that he is tired.
A strong close up image of a oil leak from the engine is then seen and a short focus is on the drips. The image is a foreshadow of what happens next. It is a narrative shot which suggests something terrible is going to happen. The dripping could symbolise that time is running out. A verbal sound of a woman's voice gives us information about the little girls name as she calls her "Anna". This implies the woman is the girls mother.
Aural sounds of a car door shutting is then heard, followed by the diegetic sound of the engine starting. This leaves us on edge as we know something bad is going to happen due to the oil leak. The sound of knocking wood together follows this. This sounds the same as the oil hitting the floor. Therefore, there is a connection between the toy and the oil dripping. We then see a boy playing with the toy which is made out of wood. Headlights appear amongst deep fog and the car goes past. Aural sounds of the brakes of the car is heard followed by the sound of it hitting something. Loud screams come from the car and smoke appears from the bonnet. It had come off the road and hit a tree. A beach ball rolls from the opened back door along the floor. The beach ball suggests the family were going to the seaside or going on holiday. The boy picks up his green skateboard and non diegetic sounds of him running are heard. He runs towards the car and the scene blacks out.
Friday 16 September 2011
Analysis of 3 films
The three films I have chosen to analysis are Ghost, High School Musical and Bring it on Again. Within the first five minutes of each film I have identified a number of aural and visual aspects. These helped me gain an insight into what might the genre and the audience appeal be for each film.
Ghost:
The setting at the beginning is in a dusty room in which objects are covered up by white sheets. The look of the room also puts you on edge. The sound of someone braking through something cuts out the background music. An image of a whole in the ceiling appears, a woman and two men are standing underneath it looking up. They are renovating a house and it looks derelict. The setting then changes to in the city where it becomes very loud due to the open air. Noises such as cars beeping and drilling can be heard. The two men are walking in the city wearing smartly dressed suits. This implies they could be businessmen going to work. As I only got to see the first five minutes of the film, not enough happened to decide on a proper target audience.
High School Musical: The beginning of this film starts with a slow, relaxing instrumental being played. This is followed by a visual image of a school building covered in snow. The snow communicates what time of year it is; winter season. The title of the film appears on top of this image. The writing is in bubble writing and consists of the colours red and blue; blue being the outline colour. The bubble writing made me assume that the audience appeal would be of young children. More written language follows this. At the bottom of the screen it states that it is 'New Years Eve', this also demonstrates it is winter. Aural aspects such as children screaming and party blowers are heard over the music. Visual aspects such as balloons, party hats and banners are then seen. These aspects demonstrate it is a children's party and that they are enjoying themselves.
The music fades and a Mother tells her daughter to get ready for a party. However, the daughter wants to finish reading her book first. This implies she likes reading and is not keen on going to the party. The scene then changes to a sports hall where a boy is having a basketball lesson with his coach. A woman appears and tells them to get ready for a party but they do not seem interested in going as they want to have another game. The setting switches onto another party, people are singing in the background and the dj is organising who is up next as it is karaoke. A spotlight goes on the boy who was playing basketball and another spotlight goes on the girl who was reading. They both look shy but eventually get up on stage. The boy gains confidence and starts to sing. He thinks she will not join in so walks offstage but he turns back as she joins in with the song. They end up singing a duet together and from this I think it is going to be a romantic film.
Bring it on Again: The film begins with an instrumental drum being played and the background is dark until a spotlight appears on the floor. A girl walks towards the spotlight dressed in a skirt and vest top, which indicates she may be a cheerleader. She stands with her hands on her hips, this also implies this. Another light is dimmed above an older man sitting at a desk in front of the girl. He seems to be judging her performance. He first compliments her then changes his tone of voice and attitude and shouts at her, becoming rude and aggressive. Food gets thrown at her and a scary recorded laugh is played in the background.
The scene changes to the girl suddenly waking up in the back of a car after having this terrible dream. Her parents tell her she's arrived at the college. She looks out of the window and there are lots of students walking around.
After these two scenes, dance music is played loudly and the majority of the title 'Bring it on' appears on the screen in blue writing. Blue fireworks strike from the bottom left and right of the screen. The rest of the title 'Again' is then shown with a firework image behind it aswell the aural sound of a firework in the background.
As it is her first day of college she does not know her way around so she asks people to direct her to where she needs to go. She finally sees someone she knows and the girl directs her and helps her with her bags and boxes. These opening scenes have given the audience an idea of what the film may be about, mostly through the cheerleading dream at the beginning. In addition, the music, costume and judge hints that the film is going to be about dance. Therefore, the target audience of the film is going to be for teenage girls.In the opening of the film, scary music is being played in the background which is followed by written language. This consists of the producers names, the actors who star in the film and the title of it. The background colour is black and the colour of the writing is white. This makes the written language stand out and readable. The opening of the film is quite daunting and the aural language puts you on edge. These aspects make you think that the film genre is going to be a thriller.
Ghost:
The setting at the beginning is in a dusty room in which objects are covered up by white sheets. The look of the room also puts you on edge. The sound of someone braking through something cuts out the background music. An image of a whole in the ceiling appears, a woman and two men are standing underneath it looking up. They are renovating a house and it looks derelict. The setting then changes to in the city where it becomes very loud due to the open air. Noises such as cars beeping and drilling can be heard. The two men are walking in the city wearing smartly dressed suits. This implies they could be businessmen going to work. As I only got to see the first five minutes of the film, not enough happened to decide on a proper target audience.
High School Musical: The beginning of this film starts with a slow, relaxing instrumental being played. This is followed by a visual image of a school building covered in snow. The snow communicates what time of year it is; winter season. The title of the film appears on top of this image. The writing is in bubble writing and consists of the colours red and blue; blue being the outline colour. The bubble writing made me assume that the audience appeal would be of young children. More written language follows this. At the bottom of the screen it states that it is 'New Years Eve', this also demonstrates it is winter. Aural aspects such as children screaming and party blowers are heard over the music. Visual aspects such as balloons, party hats and banners are then seen. These aspects demonstrate it is a children's party and that they are enjoying themselves.
The music fades and a Mother tells her daughter to get ready for a party. However, the daughter wants to finish reading her book first. This implies she likes reading and is not keen on going to the party. The scene then changes to a sports hall where a boy is having a basketball lesson with his coach. A woman appears and tells them to get ready for a party but they do not seem interested in going as they want to have another game. The setting switches onto another party, people are singing in the background and the dj is organising who is up next as it is karaoke. A spotlight goes on the boy who was playing basketball and another spotlight goes on the girl who was reading. They both look shy but eventually get up on stage. The boy gains confidence and starts to sing. He thinks she will not join in so walks offstage but he turns back as she joins in with the song. They end up singing a duet together and from this I think it is going to be a romantic film.
Bring it on Again: The film begins with an instrumental drum being played and the background is dark until a spotlight appears on the floor. A girl walks towards the spotlight dressed in a skirt and vest top, which indicates she may be a cheerleader. She stands with her hands on her hips, this also implies this. Another light is dimmed above an older man sitting at a desk in front of the girl. He seems to be judging her performance. He first compliments her then changes his tone of voice and attitude and shouts at her, becoming rude and aggressive. Food gets thrown at her and a scary recorded laugh is played in the background.
The scene changes to the girl suddenly waking up in the back of a car after having this terrible dream. Her parents tell her she's arrived at the college. She looks out of the window and there are lots of students walking around.
After these two scenes, dance music is played loudly and the majority of the title 'Bring it on' appears on the screen in blue writing. Blue fireworks strike from the bottom left and right of the screen. The rest of the title 'Again' is then shown with a firework image behind it aswell the aural sound of a firework in the background.
As it is her first day of college she does not know her way around so she asks people to direct her to where she needs to go. She finally sees someone she knows and the girl directs her and helps her with her bags and boxes. These opening scenes have given the audience an idea of what the film may be about, mostly through the cheerleading dream at the beginning. In addition, the music, costume and judge hints that the film is going to be about dance. Therefore, the target audience of the film is going to be for teenage girls.In the opening of the film, scary music is being played in the background which is followed by written language. This consists of the producers names, the actors who star in the film and the title of it. The background colour is black and the colour of the writing is white. This makes the written language stand out and readable. The opening of the film is quite daunting and the aural language puts you on edge. These aspects make you think that the film genre is going to be a thriller.
Wednesday 14 September 2011
Media assignment :How is media vital in modern life?
Wednesday 14th September
Understanding the media is vital to modern life as it is the main way of communicating in today's society. The media is all around us and it is an essential part of our modern-day lives. Everyday we are exposed to some sort of media, whether it is listening to the radio, reading a magazine or using the internet.
In today's society there is lots of new technology and the amount will keep on increasing, whereas hundreds of years ago the amount was quite minimal. New technology in hospitals and doctors have benefited lots of people. For example, young teenage girls can receive three injections to protect them from cervical cancer. As the world of media is increasing people are becoming more reliant and dependent on it, using sites to check what their friends are up to and using newspapers to check out what time television programmes are on at. People are also relying on the internet to purchase food and clothes instead of going out shopping for them.
The media's duty is to inform and persuade people, it informs you about recent news and it persuades you to buy certain products. As well as giving out facts, the media also provides people with entertainment, such as networking sites. These sites include Facebook, Twitter and Dating Agencies. They allow people to interact with one another and socialise with a range of people. The internet also gives you the chance to meet new people from around the world and allows you to contact distant family and friends. Recent studies in America have shown that 1 out of 8 couples in the US last year met via social media. Media is one of the most influential things in today's society. For example, young girls who read magazines are sometimes influenced by the latest fashion the magazine covers.
The media helps us in many different ways, for example, the news on the television updates us with important things such as weather warnings and also vital events going on. Secondary sources on the internet, such as Google and Ask Jeeves can also help people with things like homework and research. The internet, television and newspapers are simple sources to use as you can find things a lot easier and quicker. However, using books used to be the common way to find out information before technology took over.
The media has done very well for businesses as it has advertised things on the television and in newspapers. It has also helped singers promote albums for people to buy on the radio and on billboards. The company Apple have made millions by creating I tunes and Sony have done the same by making Xbox 360. Not understanding how to use the media could affect your future job opportunities, for example, if you wanted to go into business.
Where would I be without the media? Without the media I would not have my blackberry phone, computer or television. Things would not seem the same without these, I would be bored and not have the entertainment which I am used to.
Understanding the media is vital to modern life as it is the main way of communicating in today's society. The media is all around us and it is an essential part of our modern-day lives. Everyday we are exposed to some sort of media, whether it is listening to the radio, reading a magazine or using the internet.
In today's society there is lots of new technology and the amount will keep on increasing, whereas hundreds of years ago the amount was quite minimal. New technology in hospitals and doctors have benefited lots of people. For example, young teenage girls can receive three injections to protect them from cervical cancer. As the world of media is increasing people are becoming more reliant and dependent on it, using sites to check what their friends are up to and using newspapers to check out what time television programmes are on at. People are also relying on the internet to purchase food and clothes instead of going out shopping for them.
The media's duty is to inform and persuade people, it informs you about recent news and it persuades you to buy certain products. As well as giving out facts, the media also provides people with entertainment, such as networking sites. These sites include Facebook, Twitter and Dating Agencies. They allow people to interact with one another and socialise with a range of people. The internet also gives you the chance to meet new people from around the world and allows you to contact distant family and friends. Recent studies in America have shown that 1 out of 8 couples in the US last year met via social media. Media is one of the most influential things in today's society. For example, young girls who read magazines are sometimes influenced by the latest fashion the magazine covers.
The media helps us in many different ways, for example, the news on the television updates us with important things such as weather warnings and also vital events going on. Secondary sources on the internet, such as Google and Ask Jeeves can also help people with things like homework and research. The internet, television and newspapers are simple sources to use as you can find things a lot easier and quicker. However, using books used to be the common way to find out information before technology took over.
The media has done very well for businesses as it has advertised things on the television and in newspapers. It has also helped singers promote albums for people to buy on the radio and on billboards. The company Apple have made millions by creating I tunes and Sony have done the same by making Xbox 360. Not understanding how to use the media could affect your future job opportunities, for example, if you wanted to go into business.
Where would I be without the media? Without the media I would not have my blackberry phone, computer or television. Things would not seem the same without these, I would be bored and not have the entertainment which I am used to.
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