Monday, 15 December 2014
Friday, 12 December 2014
Thursday, 11 December 2014
December feedback
You have produced an edit which shows continuity in editing and a range of shots. Your planning is detailed and methodical with a fair amount of detail. A script and storyboard show ideas development and you have a schedule and organise actors and props.
You now need to ensure that the edit is of sufficient length tooutline the narrative and characters.
Evaluate your sequence in detail.
You now need to ensure that the edit is of sufficient length tooutline the narrative and characters.
Evaluate your sequence in detail.
Tuesday, 9 December 2014
Location Recce's
In this shot there is a bar, we have chose this location in particular as it ties in well with the Film Noir genre. The room was of a large scale and had the correct lighting for which we wanted to film in. The low-key lighting adds shadows and a claustrophobic feel. We have situated tables to the right of the shot, this was because we wanted to make it look as though the people were in a real life bar rather than something that's been set up.
Thursday, 20 November 2014
Casting
When deciding who to chose to act in our film it was very difficult. We had to rely on availability and someone who could the ideal part. The level of acting also had to be taken into consideration so we decided to look for people who studied drama or had a history in it. For the male we decided to ask someone called Leo Hitchcock, we felt he was suitable for the part as he looked like a typical male detective. He was also very easy to dress the part as he worn a suit on a daily basis due to the schools dress code. However, we did supply a hat to accompany his look. Also his acting was very good as he performed a confident approach to his part, he also given that cocky atmosphere which surrounds the character. This is the portrayal we wanted the detective to have so we collectively decided that he should be the main character within our opening sequence of Beneath the Beauty. Secondly for the female femme fatale, we again taken into account the same qualities for the female character, making sure she fit all aspects of this role. Meaning conventions such as a vulnerable posh woman who is in need however also this beautifully, malicious and manipulating character who the detective ends up falling for. The bar attender didn't need as much as preparation as the others, we decided to just pick them on availability as they only featured in the opening sequence for a shirt period of time.
Monday, 17 November 2014
The Detective
The Detective is represented as a strong powerful man who is moped into a whirlwind of love and heartbreak. He appears to be shown as someone many people would know of, due to his roughed edge he is someone people know about whether it is because of a good cause or a bad one... The way he portrays himself is strong, and full of power. People would be intrigued by his presence. However, holding all this power there are flaws, he is somehow vulnerable yet doesn't show it often. He leads a life he isn't proud of, they way he has acted and what he has seen has taunted him for years. After years of horrific cases being landed on top of him he is believed to be the only person with the initiative to undertake them and produce sustainable results.
After dealing with the case of his true love, he feels betrayed finding out what she has done could only break his heart a million times. Someone he trusted, opened his soul to find it was someone who wasn't themselves. A false name, a false identity she worn for weeks while he feel deeper in love to lead to with heartbreak and misery. He has to let her go, destroying himself after the truth is revealed he knows he cannot live this way.
Mise-en-scene
They usually wear stereotypical formal clothing, including trench coats, hats and suits. This particular type of clothing is associated with superiority. Their scenes usually involve a series of props including a standard glass of whiskey and a cigarette in their hand. These props can create a mixture of reactions, one assumption I create is that the detective is run down or he is not happy with his life so he has turned towards these addictions.
Cinematography
When the detective is being filmed he is shown as a superior character, meaning that some of the shots used on him will show this. They will be placed slightly beneath him so the camera is looking up to him. These types of shots are putting the audience in a frame which shows that the person holds dominance and most likely somebody that everyone knows about whether it's positive or negative.
Sound
His accent is noticeable hearing it once you will feel like it is familiar. His common American accent demonstrates a sense of hospitality and realism, that he is someone who is local and approachable. The people within his area know whom he is as he carries this detective stamp on himself.
After dealing with the case of his true love, he feels betrayed finding out what she has done could only break his heart a million times. Someone he trusted, opened his soul to find it was someone who wasn't themselves. A false name, a false identity she worn for weeks while he feel deeper in love to lead to with heartbreak and misery. He has to let her go, destroying himself after the truth is revealed he knows he cannot live this way.
Mise-en-scene
They usually wear stereotypical formal clothing, including trench coats, hats and suits. This particular type of clothing is associated with superiority. Their scenes usually involve a series of props including a standard glass of whiskey and a cigarette in their hand. These props can create a mixture of reactions, one assumption I create is that the detective is run down or he is not happy with his life so he has turned towards these addictions.
Cinematography
When the detective is being filmed he is shown as a superior character, meaning that some of the shots used on him will show this. They will be placed slightly beneath him so the camera is looking up to him. These types of shots are putting the audience in a frame which shows that the person holds dominance and most likely somebody that everyone knows about whether it's positive or negative.
Sound
His accent is noticeable hearing it once you will feel like it is familiar. His common American accent demonstrates a sense of hospitality and realism, that he is someone who is local and approachable. The people within his area know whom he is as he carries this detective stamp on himself.
Audience
When identifying the audience it is important to use the uses and gratification theory, this is when people use media texts to gratify certain needs. For example in a horror movie there are many reasons to why people watch it, horror's create fear, thrill so when watching the person is trying to gratify those feelings to challenge how scary it is building adrenaline for themselves. Due to these reasons this is why horror films are aimed at teenagers, teens are at the point where they want to explore boundaries and within these boundaries is the concept of fear. Horror films become an event for people to find out their different reactions compared to there own. The term 'Fear of the other' could be used to describe this because people fear what they don't know and things that aren't like themselves. This could range from ethnicity, age, gender, disability to aliens or different supernatural creatures.
Audience Reception:
When people view something everyone interprets it differently. Stuart Hall produced an encoding theory where he identified 4 different types of readings, these include:
The preferred reading - reading a piece of footage the way the director wanted you to
The opposite reading - reading the footage in a different way to what the director wanted you to
The negotiated reading - understanding what the director wanted you to read the footage but not viewing it that way
The aberrant reading - Not understand it and creating a completely off topic explanation
In War of the Worlds an audio file from the radio is played. It told viewers how aliens were attacking the country this created panic across nations and people became worried. The media construct something to fool an audience. Another video that was broadcast by Panorama BBC where spaghetti grew on trees. The video would of been more effective in 1957 because at that point there were two channels, as the information they get is limited from these two channels they are most likely to believe what they saw in the media. Meanwhile nowadays due to the internet and a wider range of channels it would be more difficult to fool the audience.
Hypodermic needle theory:
This theory is based on the media placing stories that the audience will believe. A passive audience is on which they do believe the stories that the media publish without research further etc. However an active audience interact with the media text and look further into the content. Another type of audience is sophisticated because they have different viral advertisement meaning they're more likely to look deeper into the story.
T-Mobile Advertisement:
- A preferred reader who see that the advert is aimed at all ages
- A opposite reader would think it's the royal family instead of people acting their part
- A negotiated reader would understand the aim of the advert is to suit all ages and to be funny however. they didn't find it funny
- A aberrant reader wouldn't have the cultural knowledge to understand it
Audience Reception:
When people view something everyone interprets it differently. Stuart Hall produced an encoding theory where he identified 4 different types of readings, these include:
The preferred reading - reading a piece of footage the way the director wanted you to
The opposite reading - reading the footage in a different way to what the director wanted you to
The negotiated reading - understanding what the director wanted you to read the footage but not viewing it that way
The aberrant reading - Not understand it and creating a completely off topic explanation
In War of the Worlds an audio file from the radio is played. It told viewers how aliens were attacking the country this created panic across nations and people became worried. The media construct something to fool an audience. Another video that was broadcast by Panorama BBC where spaghetti grew on trees. The video would of been more effective in 1957 because at that point there were two channels, as the information they get is limited from these two channels they are most likely to believe what they saw in the media. Meanwhile nowadays due to the internet and a wider range of channels it would be more difficult to fool the audience.
Hypodermic needle theory:
This theory is based on the media placing stories that the audience will believe. A passive audience is on which they do believe the stories that the media publish without research further etc. However an active audience interact with the media text and look further into the content. Another type of audience is sophisticated because they have different viral advertisement meaning they're more likely to look deeper into the story.
T-Mobile Advertisement:
- A preferred reader who see that the advert is aimed at all ages
- A opposite reader would think it's the royal family instead of people acting their part
- A negotiated reader would understand the aim of the advert is to suit all ages and to be funny however. they didn't find it funny
- A aberrant reader wouldn't have the cultural knowledge to understand it
The Femme Fatale
The Femme Fatale
The femme fatale is an interesting character to analyse in terms of representation of gender because of the way she presented as a female character. She defies conventions, twisting men around her little finger, all she cares about is the power and money she gains from her actions. She is a problematic character because she does not fit the stereotypical women who do domestic chores and are housewives, she goes out and manipulates people with her power. The femme fatale is the spider, using her persuasion and intelligence to build a web, she catches the fly (this being the male character) and uses him to get what she wants. When first featured she is presented completely different, she is crying out for help, in detective films the main story line used is that someone that she loves has gone missing, this story starts a recipe for disaster. The detective who is presented patronizing
She is a single minded, independent woman who lures people in due to her alluring, desirable characteristics. She is cold and has no feelings, she doesn't understand love and because her aim is to manipulate people, her purpose is to gain money, power instead of a typical woman who's main purpose is to fall in love and proceed to have a happy fulfilled future with a big family. At the end of a film the femme fatale using is involves in an accident or sent to prison. These types of endings happen to cause drama, to show that the one he adored has been taken away from this and a lot of the time this is because of a good reason. She has been persuasive, cold, and seductive towards him when the only thing she really wanted was the dominance. She did not considered the feelings and emotions of the male, this was not something that was important to her.
The femme fatale wears a particular costumes. She is represented as a beautiful woman dressed in expensive clothes, she looks the part and acts the part with usually a strong British accent. The British accent usually associated with upper class people
In many Film Noir's a femme fatale is a significant character, as my opening sequence is following the conventions of a Film Noir is it important that the key features are used. My opening sequence is a detective Film Noir, so using a femme fatale was important thing to do.
The femme fatale is an interesting character to analyse in terms of representation of gender because of the way she presented as a female character. She defies conventions, twisting men around her little finger, all she cares about is the power and money she gains from her actions. She is a problematic character because she does not fit the stereotypical women who do domestic chores and are housewives, she goes out and manipulates people with her power. The femme fatale is the spider, using her persuasion and intelligence to build a web, she catches the fly (this being the male character) and uses him to get what she wants. When first featured she is presented completely different, she is crying out for help, in detective films the main story line used is that someone that she loves has gone missing, this story starts a recipe for disaster. The detective who is presented patronizing
She is a single minded, independent woman who lures people in due to her alluring, desirable characteristics. She is cold and has no feelings, she doesn't understand love and because her aim is to manipulate people, her purpose is to gain money, power instead of a typical woman who's main purpose is to fall in love and proceed to have a happy fulfilled future with a big family. At the end of a film the femme fatale using is involves in an accident or sent to prison. These types of endings happen to cause drama, to show that the one he adored has been taken away from this and a lot of the time this is because of a good reason. She has been persuasive, cold, and seductive towards him when the only thing she really wanted was the dominance. She did not considered the feelings and emotions of the male, this was not something that was important to her.
The femme fatale wears a particular costumes. She is represented as a beautiful woman dressed in expensive clothes, she looks the part and acts the part with usually a strong British accent. The British accent usually associated with upper class people
In many Film Noir's a femme fatale is a significant character, as my opening sequence is following the conventions of a Film Noir is it important that the key features are used. My opening sequence is a detective Film Noir, so using a femme fatale was important thing to do.
Monday, 10 November 2014
Research into previous AS Media opening sequences
Strengths and Weaknesses of previous media products:
The majority of videos watched I found they all held these strengths and weaknesses. Looking at previous work allowed me to grasp the common errors making sure that when I produce my opening sequence none of these problems occur, and if they do they will be resolved quickly.
The majority of videos watched I found they all held these strengths and weaknesses. Looking at previous work allowed me to grasp the common errors making sure that when I produce my opening sequence none of these problems occur, and if they do they will be resolved quickly.
Friday, 7 November 2014
Storyboard
STORYBOARD
1. The first shot is called an establishing shot. This is used at the start of many films, this was one of the reasons why I decided to put these at the beginning of my film opening. Establishing shot's also give viewers a clear idea of where the following scene would be filmed in. It allows audiences understand what genre the film could lead into for example: if the establishing shot was of a city this could suggest a lively action film, or a crime film.
2. The second shot is cut to the detective sitting at the bar. A voice over is placed over this scene to build up a story line. Audiences are informed on the emotions of the character and a background on his life. After receiving his drink and processes his surroundings he spots them femme fatale.
3. In the third shot the femme fatale has approached the detective and there is a close up. This shows audiences the details in the face and the emotion behind it. The femme fatale look worried, anxious she has come over to the detective to express how she is distressed.
4/5. To build up the dialogue in the scene. Shot reverse shot's are usually placed to show a conversation between two people, so putting these shots hear felt appropriate for the scene.
6. In the sixth shot is begins in a new setting. This is in a office, firstly it begins focusing on the telephone then panning out to show the rest of the room. Props will be set up in this shot to reveal elements of the character. For example: an ashtray will be placed next to the camera to live up that stereotype that detectives smoke. Other props will be used to show off his career, these include: pens, notepads, desk light, documents and so on.
7. In the seventh shot the whole of the desk and man is captured in the frame, he is sat relaxed at his desk looking miserable. This conveys that he is tired of the same routine everyday and no longer wants to be in the career.
8. (There is a knock on the door) In the eighth shot 'the princess' who works as a receptionist for the detective walks into the room, a long shot is place to show the whole room.
9. There is a close-up of the detective as he looks up to see who has just entered his room. When he see's who it is he address her with 'hello little one' these has been deliberately put into the scene to show he a dominant character and can talk to people how he pleases.
10. In the tenth shot there is a close up of the receptionist, this is because she is talking about something she is worried about so usually a close-up would be the best way to represent this as you're able to see the emotion in her face.
11. In the eleventh shot there is a close-up of the newspaper that the receptionist put down, the close-up shows what the headline reads. The headline is the enigma of the story it hooks people to watch the rest of the film
12. The twelfth shot was kept very simple with just a close-up of the detectives face looking at the newspaper and being shocked. After a fade to black is placed and the title sequence appears.
1. The first shot is called an establishing shot. This is used at the start of many films, this was one of the reasons why I decided to put these at the beginning of my film opening. Establishing shot's also give viewers a clear idea of where the following scene would be filmed in. It allows audiences understand what genre the film could lead into for example: if the establishing shot was of a city this could suggest a lively action film, or a crime film.
2. The second shot is cut to the detective sitting at the bar. A voice over is placed over this scene to build up a story line. Audiences are informed on the emotions of the character and a background on his life. After receiving his drink and processes his surroundings he spots them femme fatale.
3. In the third shot the femme fatale has approached the detective and there is a close up. This shows audiences the details in the face and the emotion behind it. The femme fatale look worried, anxious she has come over to the detective to express how she is distressed.
4/5. To build up the dialogue in the scene. Shot reverse shot's are usually placed to show a conversation between two people, so putting these shots hear felt appropriate for the scene.
6. In the sixth shot is begins in a new setting. This is in a office, firstly it begins focusing on the telephone then panning out to show the rest of the room. Props will be set up in this shot to reveal elements of the character. For example: an ashtray will be placed next to the camera to live up that stereotype that detectives smoke. Other props will be used to show off his career, these include: pens, notepads, desk light, documents and so on.
7. In the seventh shot the whole of the desk and man is captured in the frame, he is sat relaxed at his desk looking miserable. This conveys that he is tired of the same routine everyday and no longer wants to be in the career.
8. (There is a knock on the door) In the eighth shot 'the princess' who works as a receptionist for the detective walks into the room, a long shot is place to show the whole room.
9. There is a close-up of the detective as he looks up to see who has just entered his room. When he see's who it is he address her with 'hello little one' these has been deliberately put into the scene to show he a dominant character and can talk to people how he pleases.
10. In the tenth shot there is a close up of the receptionist, this is because she is talking about something she is worried about so usually a close-up would be the best way to represent this as you're able to see the emotion in her face.
11. In the eleventh shot there is a close-up of the newspaper that the receptionist put down, the close-up shows what the headline reads. The headline is the enigma of the story it hooks people to watch the rest of the film
12. The twelfth shot was kept very simple with just a close-up of the detectives face looking at the newspaper and being shocked. After a fade to black is placed and the title sequence appears.
The Script
FILM NOIR
By Harriet Watson and Rebecca Campbell
FADE IN
ESTABLISHING SHOT
INT. BAR – NIGHT
DENNIS DALE orders a
drink from the bar as he reminisces on his previous state.
VOICE OVER: Forty
three years and I've seen it all, murder, prostitution, gunshot to the head.
They call me Dale, Detective Dennis Dale… I thought today was going to be a
good day, until I met her…
DENNIS DALE spots the
femme fatale as she enters the bar, mesmerised by her beauty she captures him
looking at her. She prances through the bar taking the attention of everyone
around, until she comes face to face with the Detective.
FLORENCE: Oh,
Detective my sister has been taken I need your help.
DENNIS DALE: Calm
down precious, just tell me slowly
FLORENCE: Okay, (quick
breathing) I was at home reading my book, it was late, and I heard a bang. My
sister had fled; I had no idea where she was going. She hasn't yet returned…
It’s been a whole day I’m so worried Detective what if she has been killed?
Kidnapped? Anything…
DENNIS DALE: We
will find her sweetheart, are you sure there isn't anything else? Anywhere she
would have gone?
FLORENCE: Well, I
don’t think so. Please Detective I don’t know what to do.
_____________________________________________________________________
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INT. DETECTIVES OFFICE
A close up of the Detective’s
belongings are shown. He is sitting in his office thinking about his case. Dennis
Dale is sitting at the desk as KATHERINE (the secretary) walks in.
KATHERINE: Sorry
to bother you Detective but I have something for you
DENNIS DALE: What
is it little one?
KATHERINE: I have
the newspaper here, an article you should see
KATHERINE places the
newspaper on the table it reads ‘YOUNG WOMAN PRONOUNCED DEAD AFTER GUN SHOT TO
THE HEAD”
SCENE FADES OUT WITH A CLOSE UP OF DETECTIVE LOOKING
SHOCKED
END OF OPENING SEQUENCE
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
November feedback
You are working at level 2/3 for research and
planning
Targets
Film
Risk assessment
Edit
Consider sound and titles to add meaning
and atmosphere
Manage your time effectively
Produce a schedule
Pitch your idea
Publish the post about 'Blue Velvet'
Monday, 3 November 2014
Preliminary Task
The preliminary task was designed to learn the basics of filming. It given me a greater understanding of the technical difficulties when beginning to film for the first time. These include: using a variety, not breaking the 180 degree rule, make sure the sequence follows smoothly etc.
I began filming the sequence outside, I was to demonstrate that the boy is in a relaxed simplistic environment outside when he receives a text, the enigma of the sequence is that viewers what to know what is on the phone or what the boy is running to or from? As this was a mini sequence I wanted to explore a variety of shots starting with a long shot. Long shots are usually used as a consistent back shot, what I mean by this is that it has the whole of the scene filmed in that long shot, however to create a flow of shots, separate clips are filmed than places within the long shot clip which has everything on. I found this technique in filming very helpful as it allowed to to understand where the different shots should be implemented into the sequence.
The 180 degree was very difficult at first, this was due to knowing where to put the camera throughout shots. However, practicing these shots helped me develop my skills better before doing my final sequence.
When editing this clip I decided to use Abode Premiere, this was due to it being one of the good software on the Mac computers. I imported all of my work into the software and edited by dragging the clips into the sequence bar and cutting them with the razor tool. Although what I did was quite simplistic compared to other things you could do on the software as it was one of my first times conducting a sequence which was flowing and structured I felt it given me a great set of basic skills for when I use the software in the future. I also looked into other things I could do the project to make it better, some of these included fade to black transition, this I decided to out at the start if the clip so it doesn't just jump into the clip straight away. I also looked at other features on the software however decided against using them. These features I found could be very helpful to know about in case again I use them in my future film.
Overall, doing the preliminary task was very helpful for developing basic skills of using a camera, whether it was exploring the variety of shot types or using the tripod carefully and steadily. It also taught me that planning was very important as many of these shots were placed in the spot and as you can see in the sequence there is not much of a stricter ending which should of been there. If I did get the opportunity to film this but again I would definitely consider planning out a storyboard before hand however this has been helpful because it has given me the guidance I needed to help develop my filming ability further.
I began filming the sequence outside, I was to demonstrate that the boy is in a relaxed simplistic environment outside when he receives a text, the enigma of the sequence is that viewers what to know what is on the phone or what the boy is running to or from? As this was a mini sequence I wanted to explore a variety of shots starting with a long shot. Long shots are usually used as a consistent back shot, what I mean by this is that it has the whole of the scene filmed in that long shot, however to create a flow of shots, separate clips are filmed than places within the long shot clip which has everything on. I found this technique in filming very helpful as it allowed to to understand where the different shots should be implemented into the sequence.
The 180 degree was very difficult at first, this was due to knowing where to put the camera throughout shots. However, practicing these shots helped me develop my skills better before doing my final sequence.
When editing this clip I decided to use Abode Premiere, this was due to it being one of the good software on the Mac computers. I imported all of my work into the software and edited by dragging the clips into the sequence bar and cutting them with the razor tool. Although what I did was quite simplistic compared to other things you could do on the software as it was one of my first times conducting a sequence which was flowing and structured I felt it given me a great set of basic skills for when I use the software in the future. I also looked into other things I could do the project to make it better, some of these included fade to black transition, this I decided to out at the start if the clip so it doesn't just jump into the clip straight away. I also looked at other features on the software however decided against using them. These features I found could be very helpful to know about in case again I use them in my future film.
Overall, doing the preliminary task was very helpful for developing basic skills of using a camera, whether it was exploring the variety of shot types or using the tripod carefully and steadily. It also taught me that planning was very important as many of these shots were placed in the spot and as you can see in the sequence there is not much of a stricter ending which should of been there. If I did get the opportunity to film this but again I would definitely consider planning out a storyboard before hand however this has been helpful because it has given me the guidance I needed to help develop my filming ability further.
Monday, 13 October 2014
Mission Impossible 2
Mission Impossible
2 Contextual Analysis
The first Mission Impossible was released on the 22 May
1996. Breaking records for film openings at box office with $11.8 million
beating Terminator 2 (1991). 4 years later Mission Impossible 2 was released
already serving a massive fan base the film was already set for success.
The opening scene begins with a pan with has been fast
forward, the connotations gathered from these series of clips this sets a fast
pace for the film already emphasising it may be in a thriller or action drama.
This shot also establishes the setting which is at Grand Canyon; automatically
it is recognized for the stunning surroundings. When a figure appears on the
wall the camera slows down, the person is central in the frame this shows
viewers that he must be one of the main characters as he is the main focus
point. He is wearing combat trousers and a simple white tank top, the
connotations I gathered is that he is an athletic type of person due to the
flexibility and the comfort of these garments. A horizontal tracking is moving around
the character while he climbs the walls this shows the height he is climbing at
and the danger he could be in if he fell. While he is climbing match on actions
are used this emphasises his actions in a more refined sense as it is the only
thing you can see in the frame. Match on Action's also allows viewers to grasp
the details that might have been ignored the director deliberately does this to
highlight the things that they want to viewers to see.
Within the opening the character is about to jump to another
part of the wall just on the brink of his jump a high angle shot is placed,
this shows the level of the drop if he does fall building suspense for the
audience. It also promotes that at this stage of the production the character
is vulnerable as it is being looked down upon. The character then decides to
jump a slow motion is placed on this bit to emphasise the motion. Half way
through the clip the type of shot changes, it instead shows a shot which is
placed straight forward so you can see the motion better still keeping the same
slow motion. Once he grabs onto the next wall the pace is put back normal as he
grabs the wall he losing his grip and beings to slide while this is taking
place a wide number of shots are used, this allows a faster pace to be brought
up and make viewers visually get involved in the actions taking place. Once
completing the jump and falling slightly he is in a position where his hand is
grabbing one side and another one is grabbing the other side, the position of
his body creates a religious symbolism for the viewers as he is in the
crucifixion position.
The sound throughout the clip does not fit the scene the
danger going on in the scene. The sound creates imagery that the man is mocking
the audience as this is what he does for fun. All shots are cut in time with
the music being played. There are elements of diegetic sound played throughout
the scenes for example his breathing, dialogue, the helicopter etc. There is
good lighting throughout the scenes emphasising that this film doesn't have a
dark atmosphere towards it. Once Cruise gets to the top of the wall he is
climbing a high angle shot is placed, this shows the viewers the depth of the
drop, this shot is continued as a 360 degree shot being pan around the
character as he walks forward. This shot reveals the atmosphere, facial
expressions and the body language of the character meaning viewers get a lot of
visual information e.g. location, movement etc.
When the helicopter is introduced the music cuts so the
sound coming from the helicopter is amplified. Another character is introduced,
however there are no connotations coming from this character as he is only
featured for a short period of time. The only interpretation gathered from him
is that he is posh; this is because his clothing is very formal (as he is
wearing a suit). The helicopter then leaves the scene after shooting a missile into
the ground. He retrieves a pair of sunglasses from the hole inside the missile,
once placed on his head special effects are placed; this has been done
purposely to show the viewer’s his point of view. People watching grasp the
idea that these glasses are sending a message to the man these props are
usually associated with spy, action films giving the public a sense of what
genre the film is. A voice over is placed over the graphics instructing the man
on his mission when the message ends the glasses proceed to an auto self-destruct,
Cruise throws the glasses towards the camera, the glasses explore then go into
the title sequence. The whole course of the title sequence is very face pace
building up to the reveal of the film title. Many close-ups are used
emphasising the sparks, parts of the letters reflecting some imagery and the
names which has produced, filmed, directed the film etc. The colour scheme is a
simply orange black and blue, in particular the orange and blue tones bring
connotations of fire and danger, due to the dullness of the background the
colours stand out. When the names of the people come up it is just simply
written in white font, this is because they want to emphasise the person's name
instead of having things going on in the background to take the attention away.
Sunday, 12 October 2014
Film Noir
Film Noir is a french term which means 'black film'. This term was primarily used to describe Hollywood Crime Drama's. A good way to understand the codes and conventions is to identify the common moods and scenes.
Characters:
Vladimi Propp studied folk-tales and outlines 7 types of characters, these included: the villain, the doner (prepares the hero and gives some magical object), the helper, the princess, the false hero, the dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off) and the hero.
Within Film Noir's there is usually a main male character who is drawn to a femme fatale (a women who is beautiful however pretends to the the fly while she builds her spider web. In other words she plays the victim to the dominant character however she is the one that has created the crime and to cover her act she has produced a persona of someone in need). The man is encompassed by the presence of the women until he see's that she is the person who has caused all the issues.
Sound:
The sound within the film is very structured, many voice overs are placed. They're put in to draw the audience in and allow them to understand the thought and feelings of the characters.
Mise-en-scene:
The lighting in Film Noir's is very specific there is a lot of low key lighting, black lights and fill lights are most frequently used this creates a build up of shadows. The props suggest the type of film it is, these include: guns, cigarettes, newspapers, alcohol, notebooks etc. These props emphasise what the character is like and the type of people involved in the film. Some props are used to build up the story line for example: a close-up of a newspaper may be shown emphasising the headline, the headline relates to the what the content of the film is for instance if the headline was like 'HORRIFIC MURDER' it suggests that the film will be a crime detective film.
Editing:
The editing is simple, a sheen of black and white is placed over the footage showing it is a Film Noir. The scenes run with no visual effects placed on top, only credits are apparent within the scenes.
Analysis of a Film Noir:
The Maltese Falcon was distributed in 1941 by Warner Bros. Directed by John Huston, the film tells a story of a private investigator Sam Spade, and his co-worker Miles Archer. They're approached by
Miss Ruth Wonderly who claims to be looking for her sister.
"In 1539 the Knight Templars of Malta, paid tribute to Charles V of Spain, by sending him a Golden Falcon encrusted from beak to claw with rarest jewels - but pirates seized the galley carrying this priceless token and the fate of the Maltese Falcon remains a mystery to this day-"
The film open with this passage, this sets viewers a starting showing them where the story could lead. Once the passage has been played it then cuts to establishing shots, the clips show where the location is. The San Francisco bridge is used as an icon, a big city where gangs fill the place and women are objectified. The black shadows and low key lighting emphasise the lack of innocence, focusing on the despair and bleakness which is apparent throughout. This links to the time period the film was made in, as the War had just ended many felt a great sense of loss and sorrow.
This shot is looking out of a window as it pans down to the Detective. This shot allows viewers to grasp where he is (in the middle of the city) and the type of place he is in. 'Spade and Archer' is what is written across the window, these are the last names of the Detective's this shows that these characters are in very high positions within their career as the company is named after themselves. The character is introduced rolling a cigarette, this prop sends information on his type of character. He is the boss, the man who people run around after, he is sitting at his own desk in his own successful store dealing with different costumers. The cigarette allows people to create stereotypes, how he is a typical male who converts to smoking or drinking as that would be the normal thing to do. He is a typical male however out of the two of them (Spade and Archer) he is the main male, this is because he is introduced first and also the way the name's have been written on the window, he has been placed first emphasising his dominance.
Spade's secretary walks in announcing that he has a woman that want's to see him. This woman is very plain with a simple look, Spade addresses the woman using terms such as 'darling' or 'sweetheart' this emphasises that he is a superior character compared to the woman and that he is able to address her in whatever way her wants.
Miss Ruth Wonderly (the woman shown in the screenshot above) is a very important character within the film. She appears to be the damsel in distress, she sets the enigma to the viewers as they're intrigued to find out where her sister is. She decides to come to Detective Spade for help, when she walks into the room Spade is taken back, and he stands up to look at her. Her character is represented as a wealthy woman, as she has a piece of expensive fur placed over her shoulder. Her clothing is immaculate, with not a thing out of place. Her accent is English instead of American, as her tone of voice is very sophisticated and posh this backs up the idea that she is a wealthy person. While Miss Wonderly tells the Detective her story, he becomes patronizing this tells viewers that he feels like her is above her as he speaks to her as if she is below him. It is apparent that Miss Wonderly is the femme fatale in the film, as she plots the story line appearing to be the person in need as the film progresses it becomes obvious that she is the person who has been the bad person all along.
The Maltese Falcon have key concepts the build up a Film Noir. Firstly the lighting is low key creating a contrast of shadowing throughout the opening sequence. Props such as cigarettes build up those stereotypical characters within the film. You're shown the hero (Spade) firstly, and the princess which is his secertary as she is the kind loving person who Spade should of fallen for. However soon after viewers meet the femme fatale (Miss Wonderly), the beautiful woman who the hero does fall in love with. The sound is very simple throughout only having a typical Film Noir soundtrack at the beginning of the film. The soundtrack quietens down while the secretary talks to Spade, however becomes louder when Miss Wonderly enters the room, this could be used as a warning to viewers showing that she is trouble.
Overall the Maltese Falcon became a very successful film as it is known as one of the best classic mystery ever made.
Characters:
Vladimi Propp studied folk-tales and outlines 7 types of characters, these included: the villain, the doner (prepares the hero and gives some magical object), the helper, the princess, the false hero, the dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off) and the hero.
Within Film Noir's there is usually a main male character who is drawn to a femme fatale (a women who is beautiful however pretends to the the fly while she builds her spider web. In other words she plays the victim to the dominant character however she is the one that has created the crime and to cover her act she has produced a persona of someone in need). The man is encompassed by the presence of the women until he see's that she is the person who has caused all the issues.
Sound:
The sound within the film is very structured, many voice overs are placed. They're put in to draw the audience in and allow them to understand the thought and feelings of the characters.
Mise-en-scene:
The lighting in Film Noir's is very specific there is a lot of low key lighting, black lights and fill lights are most frequently used this creates a build up of shadows. The props suggest the type of film it is, these include: guns, cigarettes, newspapers, alcohol, notebooks etc. These props emphasise what the character is like and the type of people involved in the film. Some props are used to build up the story line for example: a close-up of a newspaper may be shown emphasising the headline, the headline relates to the what the content of the film is for instance if the headline was like 'HORRIFIC MURDER' it suggests that the film will be a crime detective film.
Editing:
The editing is simple, a sheen of black and white is placed over the footage showing it is a Film Noir. The scenes run with no visual effects placed on top, only credits are apparent within the scenes.
Analysis of a Film Noir:
The Maltese Falcon was distributed in 1941 by Warner Bros. Directed by John Huston, the film tells a story of a private investigator Sam Spade, and his co-worker Miles Archer. They're approached by
Miss Ruth Wonderly who claims to be looking for her sister.
"In 1539 the Knight Templars of Malta, paid tribute to Charles V of Spain, by sending him a Golden Falcon encrusted from beak to claw with rarest jewels - but pirates seized the galley carrying this priceless token and the fate of the Maltese Falcon remains a mystery to this day-"
The film open with this passage, this sets viewers a starting showing them where the story could lead. Once the passage has been played it then cuts to establishing shots, the clips show where the location is. The San Francisco bridge is used as an icon, a big city where gangs fill the place and women are objectified. The black shadows and low key lighting emphasise the lack of innocence, focusing on the despair and bleakness which is apparent throughout. This links to the time period the film was made in, as the War had just ended many felt a great sense of loss and sorrow.
Spade's secretary walks in announcing that he has a woman that want's to see him. This woman is very plain with a simple look, Spade addresses the woman using terms such as 'darling' or 'sweetheart' this emphasises that he is a superior character compared to the woman and that he is able to address her in whatever way her wants.
The Maltese Falcon have key concepts the build up a Film Noir. Firstly the lighting is low key creating a contrast of shadowing throughout the opening sequence. Props such as cigarettes build up those stereotypical characters within the film. You're shown the hero (Spade) firstly, and the princess which is his secertary as she is the kind loving person who Spade should of fallen for. However soon after viewers meet the femme fatale (Miss Wonderly), the beautiful woman who the hero does fall in love with. The sound is very simple throughout only having a typical Film Noir soundtrack at the beginning of the film. The soundtrack quietens down while the secretary talks to Spade, however becomes louder when Miss Wonderly enters the room, this could be used as a warning to viewers showing that she is trouble.
Overall the Maltese Falcon became a very successful film as it is known as one of the best classic mystery ever made.
Monday, 22 September 2014
Film Analysis Seven
Evaluation from the film opening of 'Seven'
The opening scene of 'Seven,' begins by introducing the institution. Doing this will give viewers an insight to the type of film it is going to be and the level of professionalism shown. As ‘New Line Cinema’ is such a big institution within itself it does not require as much promotion compared to other institutions, which are not as well known. These clips last approximately 4 seconds- unpopular institutions will most likely require a further length of time as they want viewers to remember them and promote their status.
The second clip is a medium-long shot. From this viewing point we can see the setting and the back of the characters body, the setting is a gloomy kitchen that holds a very small amount of natural lighting adding suspense to the scene, from the interior design within the room viewers can connote that he isn't a wealthy person as the room encompassing the character could be described as shabby. However the clothing of the man is moderately similar to a suit, this juxtaposes the underprivileged surrounding to the wealthy symbolism that the clothing highlights. The setting within the household implies that he lives on his own, this is because the interior is very manly and one sided and also the majority of the household holds his own belongings and there is no objects you would relate to a female. David Flincher the director of Seven is known for his signature low key lighting and making his scenes look almost black and white due to the metallic sheen.
The mise-en-scene are all very similar throughout the opening of 'Seven.' The lighting is from natural resources, and because it is so dark this conveys ideas that the scene is set later on in the day. The dimness within the scenes set the mood to be quite gloomy and miserable. The genre of 'Seven' is a thriller, the opening scene portrays this theme through the actions going on for example the person dead on the floor. This is the hook of the film and makes viewers want to carry on as seeing a dead person makes people would how they were killed or who killed them etc. The dialogue in the opening is mainly between Morgan Freeman who plays the detective Somerset and another male character who is not easy to identify in the opening. Detective Somerset is portrayed as the more older wiser dominant character, when the other character is talking to him about the death Somerset asks if the child had seen this this emphasises the sympathy he feels and how he is the caring one. The editing is done to highlight the suspense during the scene, to help viewers understand where the film is going to lead, they're filmed it with a slow pace to allow viewers to understand the concept of the film and where it is going to lead later on.
The sounds are all very parallel with the scene. The sounds you hear are: footsteps, T.V, dialogue between the characters, police sirens etc. As you can see from the sounds listed all the sounds are very normal however they're emphasising the action as that is all you can hear within the scene as there is no music playing in the background. In the opening there is a lot of diegetic sound rather than non-diegetic. The reason for this could be due to the director wanting to add suspense as there is no music to set the mood it is just the sound of the movements. The police sirens have been added to tell viewers where the opening is set (a city) without actually showing the setting, it also shows what kind of place it is because if there are police cars around the area it conveys ideas that there may be crime and that it is a urban place. This then leads the viewers to reveal the characteristics of the people introduced, such as the fact that it is set in a city connotes that the characters well into business and may have a career within that subject. The sound of the T.V shows that there is movement in the household and that the character is just normal and doesn't own any high authority.
The cinematography in 'Seven' has multiple perspectives and effects on the audience. The shots featured include: a point of view, match on action, low-angle, over the shoulder etc. The point of view shot gives the audience an insight to what the character is witnessing, it also allows viewers to get to know the perspectives that the character is viewing scenes from and what kind of characteristics he possesses, this shot is effective because of these reasons. A match on action shot is used to permit the audience to really understand the movement within the scene, and what is continually happening, when editing the make on action it takes very much precision, as it has to flow nicely when changing perspectives making sure the object is in the same format as the scene before and the one that follows. This shot is also used to highlight the importance of the movement because it is focused on the action, when watching it is the only thing viewers are conducted to look at. The low-angle shot is used to portray the characters level on importance, usually when the shot is from a low-angle is shows that the character has high importance as when viewing it makes audiences feel as they're looking up to the man because he owns dominance. The shot-reverse-shot is used to show the dialogue within the characters, and let viewers get in touch with what is going on within the scene.
The credits are placed just after the introduction, this is where the first piece of non-diegtic sound is placed the music is a song by the band Nine Inch Nails, this particular group are an american industrial rock band putting this genre of music allows the genre of thriller in the film to become apparent as it fits the scene very well. The clips are placed in time with the music as well so when a certain beat is played the scene will change. There is a high range of shots in this part of the video allowing a pace to be built up. All the shots are interlinked with the props that are shown later on in the film for example a journal is shown frequently and later on in the year the same journal is found. Flincher has been very clever here as he is giving the viewers an insight to the motion the film is going to go in. All of the opening sequence of credits is edited in black and white only revealing small spinets of red. The colour red has many different connotations however the fact that the majority of the clips shown are crime related the only assumptions viewers would make is that it symbolizes the danger and blood. The writing has also been edited when on the screen is begins to flash and focus the words also it is being magnified under a microscope.
Overall the film was very successful winning awards for Best Film of 1996, Movie Award for Best Villain, Movie Award for Most Desirable Male, and London Film Critics Awards for Actor of the Year.
The credits are placed just after the introduction, this is where the first piece of non-diegtic sound is placed the music is a song by the band Nine Inch Nails, this particular group are an american industrial rock band putting this genre of music allows the genre of thriller in the film to become apparent as it fits the scene very well. The clips are placed in time with the music as well so when a certain beat is played the scene will change. There is a high range of shots in this part of the video allowing a pace to be built up. All the shots are interlinked with the props that are shown later on in the film for example a journal is shown frequently and later on in the year the same journal is found. Flincher has been very clever here as he is giving the viewers an insight to the motion the film is going to go in. All of the opening sequence of credits is edited in black and white only revealing small spinets of red. The colour red has many different connotations however the fact that the majority of the clips shown are crime related the only assumptions viewers would make is that it symbolizes the danger and blood. The writing has also been edited when on the screen is begins to flash and focus the words also it is being magnified under a microscope.
Overall the film was very successful winning awards for Best Film of 1996, Movie Award for Best Villain, Movie Award for Most Desirable Male, and London Film Critics Awards for Actor of the Year.
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