Camera Angle Analysis

This image is presented as a close-up which also allows the audience to take into account the surroundings aswell as the protagonist.To begin with,the fire which is aflame is necessary in this camera shot to indicate its impact on the protagonist,hence which is why it is purposeful to include the use of props,in this case a block of wood set on fire to convey a message of excitement and relieved by the protagonist as his facial expressions shows this.Moreover,the close up image also allows us to see the protagonist more clearly, such as sweat upon his face,half naked with pieces of clothes wrapped around his hand which could also symbolise that maybe he went through a lot of trouble in attempt to start a fire.In relation to this,the setting can also connote confusion and life threatening.In the background of this close up, the audience will be aware of the surrounding that the protagonist is in, which consists of various coconut trees/bushes among a beach.Therefore,this suggests that the protagonist is lost on a island with limited supply of food and raw materials which will aid his survival.Overall,the main focus of this image is between the setting, the fire and the protagonist where we are mainly drawn into his celebration of accomplishment in fire making.

The camera angle used in this frame is a long shot that allows the audience to view the setting surrounding the protagonist and the football.In addition,this camera angle allows us as the audience to see the relationship between the protagonist and the football as you could also see the protagonist looking at the ball.The island surrounding them also creates a sense of lost and confusion.



The camera angle in this frame is a medium shot,where the camera is tilted from a high angle looking down to the protagonist.Firstly,this particular medium shot allows the audience to focus upon the protagonists facial expression and the props,in this case a gun which contributes towards the tension and fierce atmosphere of this scene.Moreover,the audience are also views this frame from the villains point of view as we can see the camera looking down at the protagonist which shows him to be vulnerbale in this position.



This image is presented as an extreme close up to the lead protagonists face.To begin with,the purpose of this shot is to allow the audience to grasp his feelings and emotions at this point of the scene.However,the audience could only see partially his face as most of the image is darkness.That being said,automatically we focus upon the reflection from the protagonists glasses as this represents what he sees from his point of view as well as his emotion during this point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Qm27bhaYw&feature=related - Embedding Disabled

This scene from Harry Potter consists of medium shots and various close ups.Firstly,we are introduced to this scene as a close up to the protagonists facial expressions then referred back to the villain and then back to the protagonist.This type of shot is also known as a reverse shot which enables the audience to take the protagonists feeling of 'shock and fear.

Media Homework - Sound Parallel and Contrapuntal

Sound Extension Task 1

1.

In 1919, the population of Hollywood was 35,000, but by 1925, had swelled to 130,000.By the late 1920s, the art of silent film had become remarkably mature. Although called silent’s, they were never really silent but accompanied by sound organs, gramophone discs, musicians, sound effects specialists, live actors who delivered dialogue, and even full-scale orchestras.
In 1925-26, America technologically revolutionized the entire industry, with the formation of the Vita phone Company (a subsidiary created by Warner Bros. and Western Electric). Warner Bros. launched sound and talking pictures, with Bell Telephone Laboratory researchers, by developing a revolutionary synchronized sound system called Vita phone. This process allowed sound to be recorded on a phonograph record that was electronically linked and synchronized with the film projector - but it was destined to be faulty due to inherent synchronization problems. Originally, Warner Bros. intended to use the system to record only music and sound effects - not dialogue. The process was first used for short one- and two-reel films, mostly comedies and vaudeville acts.
The first feature-length film with synchronized Vita phone sound effects and musical soundtrack, but without spoken dialogue, was Warner Bros.' romantic swashbuckler adventure Don Juan (1926). The prestigious production was premiered in New York on August 6, 1926, and starred John Barrymore  as the hand-kissing womanizer Director Alan Crosland's expensive film failed to create the sensation that Warners had hoped for. The second Vita phone production was The Better 'Ole (1926), featuring musical comedy and recording star Al Jolson, among others.
Most of the studios started to convert from silent to sound film production - a tremendous capital investment. Thousands of existing theatres had to be rewired for sound at great expense. In the mid 1920s, Warners invested over $3 million in outfitting its 'picture palaces' to show Vita phone films, and went into debt because of it.
In 1926, William Fox of the Fox Film Corporation responded to Warner’s success with its own similar and competing advanced Movie tone system - the first commercially successful sound-on-film process developed in conjunction with General Electric. It added a 'soundtrack' directly onto the strip of film and would eventually become the predominant sound technology.

Still Image and Video Extract of a Film Noir - Analysis

           

         
Part A)

This image is from the film noir movie: The gun for hire.In this image,there is a use of low-key lighting  which casts a shadow upon the woman,who may be seen as the femme fatale.However,there has been a use of filler lights directing from the right of the frame,allowing the audience to visualize the protagonist clearly.In regards with the femme fatal,a shadow is casted upon her face due to the protagonist blocking the filler lights,hence allowing a shadow to cover half her face.Therefore,this could connote that she has a double role in this film such as the protagonist may believe that she is on his side however we come to find out that she is an evil character in the film.

In addition,there is also a use of props such as the gun he is holding which could connote violence.Having said that,the protagonist and the femme fatal have similar facial expressions aswell as looking in the same direction which shows that they are about to kill someone. The low-key lighting also helps to create a chiaroscuro effect as the shadows enhances the dramatic effect particularly for the femme fatale.Finally,the filler lights are also used to enhance both characters personality in the film,allowing the audience to assume that the protagonist will be led eventually to a disaster by the femme fatale.

Part B)

This scene is introduced by the femme fatale entering the door at an office whilst wielding a gun,causing the characters in the office to be afraid of her and cast an evil side for the woman,allowing the audience to see that she will cause trouble later in the film.To begin with,there is a use of high-key lighting to expose the femme fatale's bad side therefore allowing the audience to again see clearly what is occuring in the frame.In addition,top lighting is used as the key light mainly foccused upon the femme fatale hence the use of the gun allows the audience to question what is the femme fatale after.

Moreover,the femme fatale escapes with the protagonist and then shoots/kills a innocent character for no reason at all,exposing what a truly evil character she is.Although most film noir movies use a low-key lighting, this scene has a consistent use of high-key lighting as it would be more effective directly showing the setting to the audience.Finally,the use of the gun is continuously shown throughout this scene,connoting danger to everyone as she always keeps the gun by her side.Maybe later on in the film,she may kill the protagonist because of greed and evilness.

Film Noir Description - Research Homework Part A

Film noir is a media term mainly to describe Hollywood crime dramas,which was popular particularly in 1940s to 1950s.Furthermore,the lighting of these typical film noir movies would consist of a low-key, black and white cinematogrophy.

The films usually have dark themes and characterizations. Noir scenes are made from interesting camera angles and with dramatic close-ups and shadowed lighting. Frequently the stories use of smoke-filled rooms, views of light filtered through venetian blinds, seedy downtown areas with neon lights, dark wet streets to heighten the noir effect.

The content of noir films keeps pace with the settings. Most noir stories feature main characters who find themselves embroiled in hopeless situations, fighting against a force that threatens to overtake them, the force being their inablility to resist temptation. Most often this main character is male, although there are some noir movies in which the main character is female.

In any case, the protagonist always has a major character flaw which leads to ruin. It might be that the character is a small-time criminal, adulterer, thief, of a weak-will, etc.
 
The femme fatale is often distrustful and even contemptuous of the protagonist but still holds him within her grasp by using promises of their new life together after the deed is complete. The femme fatale is not always the only woman in the life of the main character. There is often a balance of the evil femme fatale with another pure and virtuous woman who only wishes the best for the protagonist. In this battle, it is the evil that always triumphs in noir. The protagonist is powerless to make the choice of the woman who is best for him.

The plot of a noir movie is circuitous and holds many surprises and unanswered questions for the viewer. Sometimes the resolution of the plot is left hanging, casting an even darker aura over the film.

Mise-en-Scene Hwk 2 / Comparison Analysis of Three Video Extracts

1) A scene from ' The Birds' by Alfred Hitchcock (Drama 1960s Genre)



In this scene,there is a use of mise-en-scene to send a message to the audience in a non verbal way.Firstly,a daughter who seemed unaware of the incident that happened ,approached the house in search of her father.Moreover,the setting also indicated something bad has happened.For example, shelves were off balance, curtains torn,window glass broken, bed covers were all over the place and also the room looked generally unpleasant.Therefore,this could connote that there was violence or a murder that had occured in that room.Furthermore,the camera then panned to the protagonist to glance at her facial expressions.The camera then panned to the left to the character who was dead on the floor,his clothes were torn apart and blood drew upon his clothes,all over his body.This could connote in relation to the setting that a murder has taken place in that room.Additionally,make up was also used to show the eyes removed from victim of the murder.This could connote that the murder was truly gruesome.Finally,the lighting is generally dark and seems compressed in the house, allowing it to show a more uncomfortable environment.

2) A Scene From 'Star Wars' (Sci-Fi)



In this scene,costume and lighting are the most effective factors of mise-en-scene.Firstly,Darth Vader who is the villain is wearing a costume that connotes evilness,such as the black masked helmet and the black cape.The colour black usually connotes 'evil' and that costume is the trademark for darth vader and the star wars trilogy so it would be shown recognition throughout the years.In comparison with the first video,the lighting remains dark too especially towards the sub-villain, where partially his face is visible.Therefore the lighting could connote him to be a horrific character.However,the protagonists costume is a plain black, science fictioned type uniform.This could connote in this seen,how the villain is superior to him, and allowing the audience to think that the hero would not win the battle to build up suspense.

3) A Scene From The Terminal (Comedy Drama)



In this scene,the most effective use of mise-en-scene was the props.In difference with the other two videos,we are introduced to the scene with the protagonist (Tom Hanks) holding an electronic razor in the middle of the airport whilst also fiddling around with a tie in his left hand.He was also surrounded by a barrier which can therefore connote his confusion and his misplacement.Furthermore,the scene then cuts into the protagonist in the security office, but this time, holding a paper to direct him to communicate with the other character.From his facial expressions, you can notice his confusion and hesistance he has when talking to another person which could connote that he is a foreign character.In relation to this,the protagonists costume also symbolises this as he is wearing a low valued ,brown suit with a travel bag on his shoulder.This connotes that he does not fit in with the society he is currently in,therefore implying his confusion.

Mise-en-Scene Hwk

The central protagonist is identified to the audience as Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford as he is holding a lit up torch, which connotes leadership and maturity which relates back to him as the lead protagonist. Indiana Jones is wearing his trademark stereotypical cowboy hat.Moreover, Jones is wearing a beige suede jacket and matching beige trousers which seen to connote adventure and Indiana Jones has been a classical movie where his costume never changes. Therefore, this could be reminiscent to the audience. Also, the teenage character besides him is wearing a black leather vintage jacket stylish in the 1980s and blue jeans, this could connote to the audience that stereotypically, he is a rebel, as well as his greased, low cut hair, which is associated with typical teenage boys.
Within the image, there is use of key lighting, which is used to employ focus on the two characters in the frame. Furthermore, in order to inform the audience in a non direct way that the setting is in a cave, the lighting shows this by dark spots in the image, surrounded by boulders.

From the makeup, you can observe their faces and hands which seem to be dirty, as they are on an adventure and are looking at an object or area in the floor which has some significance and could be an enigma code as the audience intends to discover what they are looking at.
Both of the protagonists appear to be holding torches, as the image clearly signifies the characters holding torches and are pointing towards the floor as if they have discovered something, this could also be an action code.Furthermore,they are crouching on the rocky surface which brings interest to the audience that the protagonists have found something very precious or valuable. Most importantly, the props used could be Indiana Jones' hat, as it is stereotypical in all of the Indiana Jones films and in the narrative and could be associated with the genre of adventure.

Generally, in this image, the protagonists appear to be in an enclosed cave setting, as the image clearly signifies the characters in a dim light, some pitch dark patches the setting could relate to the genre of adventure, as it is about discovery and could lead to the pursuit of an object of substantial importance and value.

To a certain extent, by looking at the image, the film could be aimed at a C2DE psychographic or socio economic group, as they enjoy the adventure genre and could be aimed at people who generally aspire to life and want to explore things(explorers part of psychographic, I think) and also the strugglers.

Film Poster Comparison Analysis

The genre of ‘Sex Drive’ is comedy, adventure and romance. From the image it portrays a man lying down aligned with the title of the movie. Firstly, a speed meter with the needle pointing upwards where is deliberately placed in that position to signify humour as the needle is connoting the man’s penis (phallic symbol), from this it sends a message to the audience informing to give a basic understanding of this movie. That being said, you can see that they interpreted the genre with the poster. For instance, it can be seen as a comedy by the phallic symbol used. It can also be seen as an adventure because the speed meter can also connote a long distance drive, and finally romance because the title itself has the word ‘sex’ in it so therefore the audience are hinted  the genres of this movie in a visualized way.

The image only takes up half of the actual film poster, which leaves plenty of space for the one sentenced texted located in the top half of the poster, which is ‘He can’t wait to take it out for a spin’. The fact that they do not reveal what the object they are talking about allows only the mature to understand it. Normally, this phrase is mentioned for when a person has a car, however, in this case they are ultimately implying a penis but associating it with the image at the same time. The target audience for this film is a 16-30 year old, C2DE demographic.

The genre of this film is a Sci-Fi thriller. The image displays a developed city destructed and shaped resembling a skull in a futuristic society. Instantly, this sends a direct message to the audience informing the genre, really effectively. In comparison with the other film poster, both similarly use an unambiguous image to portray the genre and the plot to the film itself. The skull could connote evil and usually when you see cities destructed, it usually is taken over by the villain in the movie, but in this case it also displays a resemblance of a skull.

Unlike the ‘Sex Drive’ film poster, the image fills the whole poster creating a more tense and complex atmosphere connoting that there are a lot of things going on in this movie. In regards with the evil perspective of this film, the text says’ The End Begins’. This is very effective as it directly addresses the image showing a demolished city and mentioning that this is only the beginning. As an audience, seeing that the place is already in such a bad state already, you would want to find out who will resolve the situation and how much worse can it get. This also signifies that it is only the beginning, and most people who are going to watch this movie may have already seen the previous sequels to this movie.Therefore, they will be engaged and would want to see how the sequel ends.Similarly to the ‘Sex Drive’, the target audience is the 16-30 C2DE demographic.

Overall, taking into consideration how both movies approaches their target audience. I personally feel that The Terminator Salvation has a more effective film poster simply because The Terminator poster has more features which allow it to engage the reader.



Media Ownership Research Task

LO: To investigate the ownership of media institutions and consider the role of public service broadcasting in an increasingly commercial & globalised media environment.

1. Media texts are profit motivated.Consider this in the light of TV news.WHat issues does this raise?

Media texts are mainly based on profit. This suggests to the audience that companies are just looking to gain a profit rather than anything else. This is shown for example when a company advertises their products, they enhance the quality of the product by either making a celebrity advertise it or a model or just give information that makes the product seem better than it really is. By doing this, it attracts a lot of people as it is targeted at the target audience of the product.

Misleading advertisements/commercials could get banned by the ASA but it will gain a lot of publicity as the advert would cause controversial issues as it would appear on the news, internet and so forth.

2.       Which media companies do you think could be accused of having too much power and control in our society?

Media texts are used to make a product more appealing hence persuading the audience to buy the good/service the company provides. In relation to this, some companies do have too much power and control in our society today which leads them to be the most iconic company in the media.

The television is one of the main sources of visualizing the content. Mobile phones have been upgraded over the years as now it displays information when people are on the go, or do not have access to a local computer. News is also updated regurlarly,this keeps people alerted about the latest news etc.

Social networking sites and online news web pages are what currently is progressing in the world today. Web 1.0 has been degraded over the years as more people are accessing information in a different way, either by blogging, sharing information through social networking sites or go to the newspapers online web page.

Media Conference 2010

Lecture 1: Professor David Buckingham

David Buckingham talked about how different institutions portrayed media studies as a subject in a negative way by presenting examples where the media makes strong negative opinions against Media studies as a subject.Firstly,an example that he showed us was The Daily Mail newspaper which quoted ‘Studying Simpsons was dumbing down the study of Shakespeare in English’. He then went on to talk about a private school in Harrow and also said that it gives students false hopes for their the future based upon inspiring students to believe that media studies will be a guaranteed degree to work for a media institution such as the BBC. However, Michael Gove said that it is a subject where it potentially enhances schools average grades overall however there is no evidence to prove this. These examples that Prof David Buckingham highlighted that Media is considered as a ‘soft’ subject like Sociology and History, which is not taken seriously.

David then spoke about where media studies started and also spoke about how English Literature was not accepted as it had much criticism.

David‘s debate was on whether Media Studies was a soft subject or not. In addition, he stated how it helps you get into university as the average high grades gained upon this subject. Personally I agree myself that media studies is a subject that allows you to enhance your knowledge in the world today as we are surrounded by all types of Media.

Lecture 2: Dr Julian McDougall

Julian McDougall spoke about how online media has become a extraordinarily used resource to communicate and socialise.Firstly, Web 1.0 which involves newspapers and books which are now quite unpopular to the young generation will eventually die out in many years to come however, not certain. In the times today, Web 2.0 which is social networking sites, emailing, video conferences and YouTube is what is revolutionising in the world today.

She also gave us a tip in preparation for our exam which were:

Read all examples

Pick your examples

Apply the reading to the examples

Weigh up the debate

Develop an informal, academic view.

Lecture 3: Pete Fraser

Pete Fraser discussed about typical coursework mistakes that people do. I found it very useful as he displayed film trailers with errors which made me realise what to do and what not to do in my production. In addition, he also discussed what planning and research we could do in order to make our coursework top marks. He showed us different types of media coursework produced such as music videos, film posters and opening to a film and compared how the ones which were simple but effective got a higher grade than the more complicated ones which proves his point of keeping ideas simple but making them as effective as possible.

Keywords:

Research and Planning

Blogging and Evidence

Ideas and Feedback

Logistics, Equipment and Production.

Research:

Really look at real examples

Keep evidence of all my examples

Research every angle

Conventions/audiences.

Planning:

Plan for all eventualities – what could possibly go wrong?

Record all my planning – Visuals

Show the process of my journey.

Blogging:

A blog allows you to link to examples, ideas and inspirations.

Evidence:

Storyboards

Animatics

Ideas:

Keep ideas simples

Have a workable concept with realistic plans.

Get Feedback:

At all stages from peers, teachers and others.

Logistics:

People, places, props, costumes

Get it done early

Rehearse and prepare

Share contact details for all involved

BlogSpot Website for Pete:

www.petesmedia.blogspot.com

Create titles for film trailer @ http://www.artofthetitle.com/