Friday 2 December 2011
Preliminary video
The following video is our first attempt at recording. This is a little dialogue and the clip itself is related to our preliminary research.
Overall we are pleased with the outcome and we have identified the problems that we need to work on, such as the panning, zooming in/out as it was abit 'harsh' and also the background area of the clip as it was irrelevant to the dialogue.
Preliminary film
Today we recorded our dialogue for our Preliminary film using techniques such as the 180 degree rule, match on action shot and also a shot/reverse shot which we have been learning about in our media studies lesson.
We used the back of the school hall as our location and had two characters talking about a 'job', we showed the character walking and opening a door, using the match on action shot to show this. We then used the shot/reverse shot to show them talking.
The clip we recorded has now been edited and can be viewed on the above post.
We used the back of the school hall as our location and had two characters talking about a 'job', we showed the character walking and opening a door, using the match on action shot to show this. We then used the shot/reverse shot to show them talking.
The clip we recorded has now been edited and can be viewed on the above post.
Friday 18 November 2011
Preliminary Research
Continuity editing is editing clips and directors use this to edit their films. Its job is to make the clip look natural and so you cant notice that its been edited. It contains two categories:
Temporal continuity: This connects shots to establish narrative development, it also establishes a progression of time. An example would be a group of people at a party and the director using temporal cutting to show that the party has lasted for a long time.
Spatial continuity: This creates unified space through editing shots from different angles such as the 180 degree role. This makes it look realistic and natural.
180 Degree Rule:
This is a guideline in spatial continuity and suggests that two characters in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. In basic terms it means the characters should always be filmed from the same side (In the image to the left the green line is where they will be recorded from). You can cross this line (to the red line) but you should record both characters from the same side.
Shot/Reverse Shot:This is a film technique used to show a character looking at another character, who is often off screen, and then it shows the character looking back at the first character. This is also used to show a conversation between the characters.
Match on Action Shoot:
This is an editing technique and it is one shot going into another portraying the action that took place in the first shot, it shows the same movement and draws the attention away from the editing. An example is below:
Temporal continuity: This connects shots to establish narrative development, it also establishes a progression of time. An example would be a group of people at a party and the director using temporal cutting to show that the party has lasted for a long time.
Spatial continuity: This creates unified space through editing shots from different angles such as the 180 degree role. This makes it look realistic and natural.
This is a guideline in spatial continuity and suggests that two characters in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. In basic terms it means the characters should always be filmed from the same side (In the image to the left the green line is where they will be recorded from). You can cross this line (to the red line) but you should record both characters from the same side.
Shot/Reverse Shot:This is a film technique used to show a character looking at another character, who is often off screen, and then it shows the character looking back at the first character. This is also used to show a conversation between the characters.
Match on Action Shoot:
This is an editing technique and it is one shot going into another portraying the action that took place in the first shot, it shows the same movement and draws the attention away from the editing. An example is below:
In conclusion, continuity editing is very important as it makes the film realistic and natural, which is important because it keeps the audience interested throughout the film.
Wednesday 16 November 2011
Final Decisions
The decisions we have made for lighting is that there will be a dull contrasting light set to allow a tense atmosphere. However the action scenes will contain blurred light as it shows that the action is fast paced and there will also be an intense brightness constantly lighting up to show the good overcoming the evil.
The mis-en-scene decision we have made is that we will use an abandoned building as the location of where the murder takes place, simply because this symbolises that he is isolated. The other locations we have decided to use is the city centre as it contains modern and sleek buildings which gives a hi-tech and modern feel.
The props we have decided to use is the weapon being a gun, as this is seen as a tidy and effective way of killing someone rather than a knife or any other weapon that will leave a mess, which doesn't help an agent cover his tracks. For this, we will have to use a replica and try to make it look realistic as this is the only weapon we can get.
Monday 14 November 2011
Updated Treatment
The protagonist is an MI5 agent who has received an order from his superiors to execute a fellow MI5 agent who happens to be his best friend, the protagonist refuses to carry out the order and when he arranges to meet his friend in an abandoned building to tell him whats going on, he is followed by another MI5 agent who then kills Agent GreyFox, the blame is then pinned on the protagonist, the protagonist then does everything to clear his name and does everything possible to avoid losing his family and friends.
The adversary is the government who ordered the protagonist to execute his best friend and have pinned the blame on the protagonist to cover there own backs, they will do everything possible to stop the protagonist revealing the truth.
The three act structure in our film begins with our protagonist, Agent Raiden, who is told to execute a target in an unknown location, this is his normal day-to-day life as he is an MI5 agent, as the film progresses it is revealed that the target is infact a fellow MI5 agent who happens to be one of the protagonists friends, agent GreyFox, the orders from the government to execute him is still active, however the protagonist refuses to carry the orders out, the government then get another agent from another department to do the job, agent GreyFox is then executed and the murder is blamed on the protagonist, agent Raiden. The resolution is when agent Raiden finally proves his innocence and the corrupt members of the government are brought to justice and agent Raiden is reunited with his family to start his new life.
The theory we are using to structure our film is the Tzvetan Todorov equilibrium theory. The equilibrium will be a normal day where the protagonist is talking to his friend about what they want to do once they reach retirement, the disequilibrium is the government disrupting his average day by asking him to execute his friend due to Intel that he possesses, he then faces a range of challenges in order to get back to his normal average day, which results in a new equilibrium and a different way of living his life.
The character types:
Protagonist - Agent Raiden
Adversary - Government
Heroine - Wife and kids
Helper - Computer specialist
Authority figure - Older brother
Our films Binary oppositions consist of the following:
Good vs Evil (Agent Raiden vs Government)
In todays modern world the people are against the government as they are increasing tax and making decisions that the public dont like, this automatically puts the audience on side of our protagonist, agent Raiden. To represent the good characters, they will be wearing white, the bad guys will be wearing black, so it will be White vs Black to represent Good vs Bad, this is so the audience know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are.
In the film Johnny English, he looks like a stereotypical agent with his suit, this is what we will be using in our film to indicate who the good guys are and who are the bad guys.
Friday 4 November 2011
Narrative Theories theories task
What is narrative?
A narrative is a work of speech that describes events that are either fictional or non-fictional within writing, song, film, television, photography or theatre. For media, it is film. A narrative tells a story and a story is an important aspect of culture and society. When trying to figure out the meaning of the narrative we have to consider the conventions of the Genre, Character, Form and time.
Why is narrative important?
Narrative is the way humans communicate information with each other. It varies between magazines, newspapers and even films. If a narrative isn't present then the audience will not be interested and will not read/watch the text, and those that do read/watch will not have enough interest to keep them entertained.
The three narrative theories:
Vladimir Propp:
Vladimir Propp is a Russian critic and literary theorist, he analysed Russian fairytales in the 1920's and came up with a theory that the characters can be categorised into roles according to their actions, the roles are listed below:
The hero - The good guy, is after a reward.
The villain - The bad guy who opposes the hero.
The donor - Helps the hero by giving something useful such as information/weapons.
The dispatcher - Sends the hero away.
The false hero - Acts as the hero but isn't.
The helper - Supports the hero.
The princess - The reward for the hero, often includes love and romance.
Her father - The father of the princess.
Tzvetan Todorov:
Tzvetan Todorov is a Bulgarian literary theorist and his theory is that in the narrative life starts off normal and everyone is happy, this is a state of equilibrium. This 'normal life' is then disrupted and the characters then have to fight against this disruption in order to return to their normal life's.
Equilibrium -> Dis-equilibrium -> New Equilibrium
Claude Levi-Strauss
Claude Levi-Strauss is a social Anthropologist who studied myths of tribal cultures and studied how stories unconsciously reflect the beliefs and myths of a culture. Binary Oppositions are used to express this, which reflects a conflict between two qualities/terms, some of the examples are shown below:
Male vs Female
Good vs Bad
Hero vs Villain
The most useful for my film opening:
The most useful for my film opening in my opinion is the Tzvetan Todorov theory as we can show the main character living his normal day-to-day life and show how it changes when he gets arrested. Throughout the opening we can show how its effecting his life and how his figting for him to get his life back. This would be effective as it would create sympathy for the character and get the audience on side.
Bibliography:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative#Literary_theory
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/narrative/theory/what_narrative.htm
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/04/28/the-importance-of-narrative/
http://www.slideshare.net/guest9e3b3b/narrative-theory-2104298
http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=narrative
A narrative is a work of speech that describes events that are either fictional or non-fictional within writing, song, film, television, photography or theatre. For media, it is film. A narrative tells a story and a story is an important aspect of culture and society. When trying to figure out the meaning of the narrative we have to consider the conventions of the Genre, Character, Form and time.
Why is narrative important?
Narrative is the way humans communicate information with each other. It varies between magazines, newspapers and even films. If a narrative isn't present then the audience will not be interested and will not read/watch the text, and those that do read/watch will not have enough interest to keep them entertained.
The three narrative theories:
Vladimir Propp:
Vladimir Propp is a Russian critic and literary theorist, he analysed Russian fairytales in the 1920's and came up with a theory that the characters can be categorised into roles according to their actions, the roles are listed below:
The hero - The good guy, is after a reward.
The villain - The bad guy who opposes the hero.
The donor - Helps the hero by giving something useful such as information/weapons.
The dispatcher - Sends the hero away.
The false hero - Acts as the hero but isn't.
The helper - Supports the hero.
The princess - The reward for the hero, often includes love and romance.
Her father - The father of the princess.
Tzvetan Todorov:
Tzvetan Todorov is a Bulgarian literary theorist and his theory is that in the narrative life starts off normal and everyone is happy, this is a state of equilibrium. This 'normal life' is then disrupted and the characters then have to fight against this disruption in order to return to their normal life's.
Equilibrium -> Dis-equilibrium -> New Equilibrium
Claude Levi-Strauss
Claude Levi-Strauss is a social Anthropologist who studied myths of tribal cultures and studied how stories unconsciously reflect the beliefs and myths of a culture. Binary Oppositions are used to express this, which reflects a conflict between two qualities/terms, some of the examples are shown below:
Male vs Female
Good vs Bad
Hero vs Villain
The most useful for my film opening:
The most useful for my film opening in my opinion is the Tzvetan Todorov theory as we can show the main character living his normal day-to-day life and show how it changes when he gets arrested. Throughout the opening we can show how its effecting his life and how his figting for him to get his life back. This would be effective as it would create sympathy for the character and get the audience on side.
Bibliography:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrative#Literary_theory
http://www.class.uidaho.edu/narrative/theory/what_narrative.htm
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2009/04/28/the-importance-of-narrative/
http://www.slideshare.net/guest9e3b3b/narrative-theory-2104298
http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=narrative
Thursday 3 November 2011
Final cut introduction
Today I recorded a mini clip to use with the blue screen. The idea I did was that I was reporting on an alien attack on the white house, the way I did this was a 'spoof' where it was a serious report about an alien attack on the white house but it was interrupted by a 'goal update' via sky sports news, it was a 29 second clip and the timing had to be spot on so that the explosion was in time. I worked in a group and I did the acting of the reporter, I had to stand in front of the blue screen whilst my partner recorded me, to edit the mini clip and have the white house as the background image I am going to use Final Cut Express, at the moment I have encountered a problem which has set back my progress, the file type for the clip is not compatible with Final Cut.
An example of the blue screen is shown below:
The actor stands infront of the blue screen whilst the camera records, then you can use Final Express to put in your desired background. This is an advantage as it means you dont have to be in the location, for example: I dont really have to be outside of the white house, I can use Final Express to make it look like I am.
An example of the blue screen is shown below:
The actor stands infront of the blue screen whilst the camera records, then you can use Final Express to put in your desired background. This is an advantage as it means you dont have to be in the location, for example: I dont really have to be outside of the white house, I can use Final Express to make it look like I am.Thursday 27 October 2011
Codes and Conventions of Film Openings
The film openings mainly begin by showing the production companies logo, for my example I will be using 'Universal Pictures'.
Universal Pictures start off their films by showing their logo:
Cowboys and Aliens:
Another film that was produced by Universal Pictures is 'Death Race 2', instead of using the main logo in the trailer to promote the film, they just said 'From Universal Pictures'
Another example is 'The Adjustment Bureau'
All three of the films include the production companies logo (Universal) in the first few seconds of starting the opening scene.
After showing the productions logo it will then go straight into the movie or show other important information such as the director or members of the cast.
On cowboys and aliens, it shows another production company called 'Dreamworks' before continuing onto the film. (shown below)
As the film begins, we then see the setting as we get an image of the location that the character is in. (shown below)
This location looks empty which can suggest the character is lost/deserted as there is nothing happening at the location.
The symbolic codes in this image is that it is a field (rural area) which is where cowboys traditionally ride, and as the film is called 'Cowboys and Aliens' it is a perfect location.
This is setting the scene, they also do this with the two other examples:
Death race 2:
Death race 2:
The opening shot on Death race 2 shows a building surrounded by sea and just one road for the entrance/exit. This shows the building is in the middle of no where.
The symbolic codes in this image is that it shows a building surrounded by sea, we find out that it is infact a prison as the film progresses, the image suggests that to us as the building looks highly protected as their is only one way to access/exit the building.
The adjustment Bureau:
The opening shot for 'The adjustment Bureau' shows one man in a building on his own, this is telling us where he is and suggests the man is abit lonely.
The symbolic code in this image is that it shows a man on his own which suggests he is lonely, as the film goes on he falls in love and fights for the women he loves, which shows he doesn't want to be lonely anymore.
A technical code for all three of these openings is that they start with music, this interests the audience and keeps their attention.
Audience research
Audience research is important because it gives an understanding of the types of audiences and how the audience think, this is good for producers as they can target certain audiences to make the film successful as they can send across the right message to attract an audience. If the producers didn't have the information from the research then they wouldn't understand the audience and may not be able to appeal to the audience to make them watch their film, which means the film wouldn't be successful. So Audience research is very important as it can be the difference on whether your film is successful or not.
Audiences are categorised so that the producers can target certain audiences, for example, children are most likely to watch animated films so the producers advertise animated films for children, this is categorising the audience. This is how audiences are categorised and producers do this because it allows them to target certain age groups such as mature adults, children etc in order to make their production a success.
Audiences are categorised so that the producers can target certain audiences, for example, children are most likely to watch animated films so the producers advertise animated films for children, this is categorising the audience. This is how audiences are categorised and producers do this because it allows them to target certain age groups such as mature adults, children etc in order to make their production a success.
Media theories are used to make a film successful, some of them theories are listed below:
Hypodermic Needle Effect
This theory suggests that audiences receive text from the media and the audiences experience, intelligence and opinion are irrelevant on the reception of the text as the audience will not challenge the information sent to them by the medias text. The theory suggests that the audience is manipulated by the creators of the media text and that our behaviour and thinking can easily be changed by the media makers. An example is that if a child watches a violent movie then they will be manipulated into being violent themselves.
Uses & Gratifications theory
This theory suggests that the audience has a set of needs that are met by the media. It suggests that the audience watch the films to get away from their own lives and that they place themselves within the film, this is so they can forget about all their problems and get away from them. It also suggests that different audiences interpret the media text differently depending on their own culture and way of living.
Reception theory
The reception theory suggests that people (the audience) base the film they are watching on their own lives, for example; when men go to watch a film and see men in the film with muscular bodies, they feel like they have to go and get a muscular body whilst comparing to their own, another example is when women see a film and the women have 'beautiful figures' and 'curves' then they compare the bodies they see on the film to their own, the theory suggests that the audience does not passively accept the text and they interpret the meaning of the text based on their own culture/life experience.
Bibliograhy:
http://www.slideshare.net/dphillips4363/reception-theory-presentation-833299
http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=audience
This theory suggests that audiences receive text from the media and the audiences experience, intelligence and opinion are irrelevant on the reception of the text as the audience will not challenge the information sent to them by the medias text. The theory suggests that the audience is manipulated by the creators of the media text and that our behaviour and thinking can easily be changed by the media makers. An example is that if a child watches a violent movie then they will be manipulated into being violent themselves.
Uses & Gratifications theory
This theory suggests that the audience has a set of needs that are met by the media. It suggests that the audience watch the films to get away from their own lives and that they place themselves within the film, this is so they can forget about all their problems and get away from them. It also suggests that different audiences interpret the media text differently depending on their own culture and way of living.
Reception theory
The reception theory suggests that people (the audience) base the film they are watching on their own lives, for example; when men go to watch a film and see men in the film with muscular bodies, they feel like they have to go and get a muscular body whilst comparing to their own, another example is when women see a film and the women have 'beautiful figures' and 'curves' then they compare the bodies they see on the film to their own, the theory suggests that the audience does not passively accept the text and they interpret the meaning of the text based on their own culture/life experience.
Bibliograhy:
http://www.slideshare.net/dphillips4363/reception-theory-presentation-833299
http://www.mediaknowall.com/as_alevel/alevkeyconcepts/alevelkeycon.php?pageID=audience
Friday 21 October 2011
Questionnaire
What is your age group?
16-24 25-34 35-44 44+
What is your favorite genre?
What makes a good villain in a thriller?
What is your prefered ending to a thriller?
Evil character surviving (cliff hanger) Good guy provalling Innocent killed Unexpected
16-24 25-34 35-44 44+
What is your gender?
Male Female
Thriller Comedy Action Romantic Sci-Fi War
What makes you want to watch a film in this genre?
Cast Director Genre Good trailer Storyline
What is your favorite type of character?
Villain Hero Victim Other
Serial Physco Terrorist Other
Which setting do you prefer for a thriller?
City Little village Town Workplace Other
What kind of weapon do you prefer?
Gun Knife Bombs Psychological
What is your favorite sub-genre?
Psychological Thriller Action Thriller Horror Thriller Other
Psychological Thriller Action Thriller Horror Thriller Other
What is your prefered ending to a thriller?
Evil character surviving (cliff hanger) Good guy provalling Innocent killed Unexpected
The results of our questionnaire are as follows, a total of 10 people were asked:
Wednesday 19 October 2011
Our film treatment
The main theme is a man going to the extremes to clear his name and prove his innocence. He must make the government, police and even his own family believe he is not responsible for the murder of the government official.
The distinctive main character is an average going guy with a normal day job as a car factory worker. He has a loving family with a wife and two kids. His life then turns upside down when he loses everything in his life that was important to him, he then has nothing to lose.
The main characters goal is to make everyone believe he is innocent of everything pinned on him and gain the trust and love of his family back. He will do this by holding hostage a government official that knows the truth about his story, but is framing this man instead. As you would imagine, it starts to get out of control and with nothing to lose, who knows what the man will do.
The ones that stand in his way however are the police the government and the the special agents. They are intent in pinning everything on top of him and driving him to extreme lengths.
The stake on him is his life, dignity and family without these three he has nothing to lose in order to keep driving him on to make sure he proves the corruption put upon him.
The location of this film opening is in the suburbs of the city where the man is holding a government official hostage.
The other main and distinctive character is the special agent who wants to make sure the real truth does not get out. That the innocent man will face the consequences and feel the wrath of the governments corruption enslaving the country.
The distinctive main character is an average going guy with a normal day job as a car factory worker. He has a loving family with a wife and two kids. His life then turns upside down when he loses everything in his life that was important to him, he then has nothing to lose.
The main characters goal is to make everyone believe he is innocent of everything pinned on him and gain the trust and love of his family back. He will do this by holding hostage a government official that knows the truth about his story, but is framing this man instead. As you would imagine, it starts to get out of control and with nothing to lose, who knows what the man will do.
The ones that stand in his way however are the police the government and the the special agents. They are intent in pinning everything on top of him and driving him to extreme lengths.
The stake on him is his life, dignity and family without these three he has nothing to lose in order to keep driving him on to make sure he proves the corruption put upon him.
The location of this film opening is in the suburbs of the city where the man is holding a government official hostage.
The other main and distinctive character is the special agent who wants to make sure the real truth does not get out. That the innocent man will face the consequences and feel the wrath of the governments corruption enslaving the country.
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Genre research
Some advantages of Genre is that it can reassure the audience of the world we live in, the films mainly have happy endings by the bad guys dieing or getting arrested and the good guys come off the best, however in real life this doesn't always happen.
Another advantage of Genre is that it offers recognisable conventions so that the audience knows what they are going to see before they see the film, for example: If genre didn't exist then the audience wouldn't know what the film is going to include, however, genre allows the audience to know what the films going to be about, so if they see that the genre is action, then they know the film will include alot of fighting and action.
An advantage for film producers is that genre reduces the risk of failure as some audiences watch films because they like the genre it is under. Producers use genre as a strategy to identify their film to the audience, so the audience know what the film will be about (and if it interests them) just by seeing the genre of the film.
Genre constantly changes which is an advantage because it means the audience wont get bored of that specific genre. It also changes in certain areas (different countries) due to cultural differences and/or religion, this is due to the audiences understanding of life.
A disadvantage of genre is that it tells the audience what the film is about before they watch it, for example if the genre is romance they will know that the film is about love and romance. However, if genre didn't exist then the audience wouldn't know it was romance until they watched it, so a negative of genre is that is tells the audience what they are about to watch instead of going to find out for themselves.
My film genre is an action Thriller and the conventions of this film is that there will most likely be fighting, explosions, gunfire and many more action packed events.
The origins/history of an action film
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_film#History
During the 1920s and 1930s, action-based films were often swashbuckling adventure films in which Douglas Fairbanks wielded swords in period pieces or Westerns.
The 1940s and 1950s saw "action" in the form of war and cowboy movies. Alfred Hitchcock almost single-handedly ushered in the spy-adventure genre, also firmly establishing the use of action-oriented "set pieces" like the famous crop-duster scene and the Mount Rushmore finale in "North by Northwest". That film, along with a war-adventure called "The Guns of Navaronne" directly inspired producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman to invest in their own spy-adventure based on the novels of Ian Fleming.
The long-running success of the James Bond series (which easily dominated the 1960s) essentially introduced all the staples of the modern-day action film. The "Bond movies" were characterized by larger-than-life characters, such as the resourceful hero: a veritable "one-man army" who was able to dispatch villainous masterminds (and their disposable "henchmen") in ever-more creative ways, often followed by a ready one-liner. The Bond films also utilized quick cutting, car chases, fist fights, a variety of weapons and "gadgets", and ever more elaborate action sequences.
Good examples of action thriller:
Steven Spielberg - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_SpielbergSteven Spielberg varies his film genres however he has produced alot of popular films such as 'Saving Private Ryan' 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jaws'.
He is a good director and a good example to use for my genre as he has alot of experience and is very popular amongst the media industry, he has produced alot of brilliant films.
Joel Schumacher has produced alot of films, some examples are 'Phone booth' and 'Batman Begins'.
He is a good director and a good example for my chosen genre because he has produced alot of successful films such as 'Batman Begins', 'Batman and Robin' and 'Phone Booth'.
The negotiator
This film is a very good example of our genre, it is very similar to the film my group is creating as the plot has alot of similarities, such as a man being accused of killing a police officer (law enforcer) and also the fact that nobody believes the character in this film that he didn't kill the person, which is the same scenario in my groups idea. This particular film is very good as it keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, as you want to find out if he is really guilty or not and you also want to see the outcome of his actions. The main character (Samuel L Jackson) also suggests that he shot a man whilst negotiating his way out and trying to prove his innocence, we then go on to find that he didn't shoot him, he just pretended so the police thought he was capable of anything, this tells us that he is a good person as he could of easily killed the person but chose not to, which suggests that he is telling the truth about not killing the police officer. This is a very good film as it gives you alot to think about aswell as including alot of action scenes such as shooting and explosions. Its an all round thriller and very enjoyable.
Thursday 22 September 2011
Film openings
First film opening
Outpost (2008)
The conventions of this genre are that the scenes are very dark, this builds suspense and tension. There is always a lead character that will most likely survive. The killer always has a trademark, for example, the weapon he uses or the method of which he kills. The good guy always defeats the bad guy (Killer) in the end.
The main connotation is that you can see them preparing for a battle, as the one is counting his bullets, they are also in a marines uniform and are driving in an army truck. We can also see that the weather is very cold, and dark. This adds to the emotion as the weather is bad.
Due to the actors being in the Marines, it gets the viewers on their side, and it tells the audience that they are the good guys.
The key signifiers are that you can hear dogs in the background, this makes the audience unsettled as realistically when you hear a dog barking and growling it shows anger. As the film starts, you can hear thunder and the tires on the road driving over puddles, this shows the weather is horrible as its raining, therefore the atmosphere is dull and dark. You can also hear people speaking in a different language (none English) so this suggests that they are in an environment that they are not used to being in, then one actor then asks if he speaks 'any' language, and the other replies 'yes, unlike the rest around here'. When the two men are speaking in the bar, the one says that he can get to a certain area but does not advise it, this suggests that the mission they are going on is very dangerous and is not suitable. Another signifier is the title 'Outpost', as an outpost is a hidden military compound which is in a remote area and very few people know where it is, this would be an ideal location for a horror film.
The sequence tells us that the movie will be about a war as the characters are in uniform and their vehicle is an army truck. The sequence also suggests that they are on a dangerous mission as one character says 'I wouldn't recommend going there'. The introduction also insinuates that something bad is going to happen as the weather is bad, there is tension amongst the characters and they are preparing their guns.
The audience that is being targeted would be people that like horror movies and also those that like films about war. I know this because it has all the codes and conventions of a horror movie and also that they are wearing war uniforms and are driving in an army truck. In addition, I also know this because of the title 'Outpost', as its a military compound that is hidden, which is related to war.
Second film opening
Blitz (2011)
Genre: Crime / Thriller
The conventions of this genre is that the film usually involves kidnappings, revenge, heists, ransoms and captivities. This genre provides thrills and will keep the audience on the egde of their seat whilst the plot builds up to a climax. Crime-Thrillers usually keep the attention away from the criminal or the detective, so that the audiences focus is on the suspense and danger that is included in the film.
The technical and symbolic codes in the sequence are that when the sequence starts, you can hear calm and relaxing music, which fits in with the characters emotion as he is lyeing down on the sofa relaxing. We also see the character by a long shot, this is so we can see his environment which suggests he is at home relaxing. We also see from the characters body language and facial expression that he has just been woken up, we can tell its night time as the room is dim and lit up by lamps. We then get a close up of him pouring alcohol into his cup, which tells us about the characters personality as he likes to drink. The character then gets a Hurly which is used in hocky, this tells us that the character is dangerous.
The key signifiers are that you can hear people making noise in the background, this suggests that its a nasty area and this fits into the crime genre. You can also hear a dog barking, which suggests it is reacting to the noise being created by the people. As he looks out of the window, you can see them surrounding a car, he then picks up a hurly, which he will use as a weapon. As he approaches them, you can see that they are wearing hoodies and also have weapons (apart from the crowbar used to get into the car), this fits into the stereotype of the misbehaving youth of the 20th century which tells us they are the bad guys here. As they are fighting, you can see cars in the background driving by, this shows that the setting is in a main town and it is busy.
This sequence tells us that the movie is going to contain alot of action such as fighting and that the audience will enjoy the thrills. It suggests that the rest of the movie will be about the character stopping people from doing wrong (as he takes it into his own hands when stopping the thiefs).
The audience being targeted is people that like a film with alot of action and thrill, I know this because they have put fighting in the very first scene which will appeal to the audience and make them want to see more.
Third film opening
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Genre: Action / War
War movies often relate to the wars that took place in history or sometimes they can be made up. The film tells a story that took place and can make the audience emotional as they can relate to it. It also makes the audience think about all the people that took part in winning the battle as most people watching would have been effected by the war due to their grandparents participating in it.
The technical and symbolic codes in this sequence are that the camera is panning along and showing the characters emotion as he walks, he walks with a limp and looks very emotional, we also get a close up and can see tears in his eyes as he looks into the cemetry. As he is walking, you can see people following him behind, these look like they are family as they look concerned for the character and are following him into the graveyard. We also see an American and French flag which suggests the film will be about the war. The music that continues throughout the opening scene is very relaxing and calm, this adds to the emotion that has been created by the characters acting.
The key signifiers are that you can hear relaxing and calm music played throughout which adds to the emotion created by the characters, the war is a sensitive subject and the music helps add even more sensitivity to the emotion. We also see a grave yard, which signifies death, we also can see that it is related to the war by the way the graveyard is set out, this creates even more emotion as it makes the audience think about all the war heroes that died to protect the country.
The sequence tells us that the movie will be about War, it also suggests that we are going to see the old mans version of the war as we start to 'go into his eyes' at the end of the scene. In addition, this suggests we are going to see alot of action as war movies contain a lot of fighting and explosions.
The audience being targeted are people that were involved in the war and also people that want to find out what happened or/and are interested in the war that took place.
Outpost (2008)
Genre: Action Horror
The conventions of this genre are that the scenes are very dark, this builds suspense and tension. There is always a lead character that will most likely survive. The killer always has a trademark, for example, the weapon he uses or the method of which he kills. The good guy always defeats the bad guy (Killer) in the end.
The main connotation is that you can see them preparing for a battle, as the one is counting his bullets, they are also in a marines uniform and are driving in an army truck. We can also see that the weather is very cold, and dark. This adds to the emotion as the weather is bad.
Due to the actors being in the Marines, it gets the viewers on their side, and it tells the audience that they are the good guys.
The key signifiers are that you can hear dogs in the background, this makes the audience unsettled as realistically when you hear a dog barking and growling it shows anger. As the film starts, you can hear thunder and the tires on the road driving over puddles, this shows the weather is horrible as its raining, therefore the atmosphere is dull and dark. You can also hear people speaking in a different language (none English) so this suggests that they are in an environment that they are not used to being in, then one actor then asks if he speaks 'any' language, and the other replies 'yes, unlike the rest around here'. When the two men are speaking in the bar, the one says that he can get to a certain area but does not advise it, this suggests that the mission they are going on is very dangerous and is not suitable. Another signifier is the title 'Outpost', as an outpost is a hidden military compound which is in a remote area and very few people know where it is, this would be an ideal location for a horror film.
The sequence tells us that the movie will be about a war as the characters are in uniform and their vehicle is an army truck. The sequence also suggests that they are on a dangerous mission as one character says 'I wouldn't recommend going there'. The introduction also insinuates that something bad is going to happen as the weather is bad, there is tension amongst the characters and they are preparing their guns.
The audience that is being targeted would be people that like horror movies and also those that like films about war. I know this because it has all the codes and conventions of a horror movie and also that they are wearing war uniforms and are driving in an army truck. In addition, I also know this because of the title 'Outpost', as its a military compound that is hidden, which is related to war.
Second film opening
Blitz (2011)
Genre: Crime / Thriller
The technical and symbolic codes in the sequence are that when the sequence starts, you can hear calm and relaxing music, which fits in with the characters emotion as he is lyeing down on the sofa relaxing. We also see the character by a long shot, this is so we can see his environment which suggests he is at home relaxing. We also see from the characters body language and facial expression that he has just been woken up, we can tell its night time as the room is dim and lit up by lamps. We then get a close up of him pouring alcohol into his cup, which tells us about the characters personality as he likes to drink. The character then gets a Hurly which is used in hocky, this tells us that the character is dangerous.
The key signifiers are that you can hear people making noise in the background, this suggests that its a nasty area and this fits into the crime genre. You can also hear a dog barking, which suggests it is reacting to the noise being created by the people. As he looks out of the window, you can see them surrounding a car, he then picks up a hurly, which he will use as a weapon. As he approaches them, you can see that they are wearing hoodies and also have weapons (apart from the crowbar used to get into the car), this fits into the stereotype of the misbehaving youth of the 20th century which tells us they are the bad guys here. As they are fighting, you can see cars in the background driving by, this shows that the setting is in a main town and it is busy.
This sequence tells us that the movie is going to contain alot of action such as fighting and that the audience will enjoy the thrills. It suggests that the rest of the movie will be about the character stopping people from doing wrong (as he takes it into his own hands when stopping the thiefs).
The audience being targeted is people that like a film with alot of action and thrill, I know this because they have put fighting in the very first scene which will appeal to the audience and make them want to see more.
Third film opening
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Genre: Action / War
The technical and symbolic codes in this sequence are that the camera is panning along and showing the characters emotion as he walks, he walks with a limp and looks very emotional, we also get a close up and can see tears in his eyes as he looks into the cemetry. As he is walking, you can see people following him behind, these look like they are family as they look concerned for the character and are following him into the graveyard. We also see an American and French flag which suggests the film will be about the war. The music that continues throughout the opening scene is very relaxing and calm, this adds to the emotion that has been created by the characters acting.
The key signifiers are that you can hear relaxing and calm music played throughout which adds to the emotion created by the characters, the war is a sensitive subject and the music helps add even more sensitivity to the emotion. We also see a grave yard, which signifies death, we also can see that it is related to the war by the way the graveyard is set out, this creates even more emotion as it makes the audience think about all the war heroes that died to protect the country.
The sequence tells us that the movie will be about War, it also suggests that we are going to see the old mans version of the war as we start to 'go into his eyes' at the end of the scene. In addition, this suggests we are going to see alot of action as war movies contain a lot of fighting and explosions.
The audience being targeted are people that were involved in the war and also people that want to find out what happened or/and are interested in the war that took place.
Sunday 18 September 2011
Outpost - Poster analysis
The genre of the movie is action horror
An example of technical codes used in this genre are the camera angles, they create fear and tension by using close ups and ground level angles. The characters clothing, hair and make up are all examples of Symbolic code, as they are used to make a character look scary which will make the film scary. Another example is the setting and location, this can set the scene and create fear within the film.
The conventions used are that the film has a villain, who is usually physcopathic and will more than likely have his own way of killing people, such as stabbing, strangling etc. On the other hand, there is a good character, who competes with the villain and will overcome the villain at the end of the film. The aim of of the genre is to generate fear into the audience, this is created by using peoples vulnerabilities, such as the dark. blood, spiders etc.
The signifiers in the poster include the title 'Outpost', this is written in the colour red which signifies blood and violence. The title itself is also a signifier as an Outpost is a small military compound which is in a remote area hidden away from people, this would be an ideal location for a horror movie. The soldiers behind the title that are overlooking suggests that they are the bad guys, this is because they are standing in the dark and also have a none-human look in their face.
The denotative levels of meaning on the poster is that there is a group of German soldiers with none-human faces, they are also staring straight ahead which will create fear into the viewers eyes as they stare at each other!
The connotative meanings in the poster is hatred as they are Nazi zombies, they were taught to hate everyone and everything that wasnt German and now they are living dead, it makes the hatred even worse as they will be seeking revenge to those who killed them.
They are communicating to the audience by using a historical event which will interest many but adding their own little story such as the living dead. They are using all the traditional ways of expressing a genre, such as darkness and red which is a good way to create the scary factor.
Tuesday 13 September 2011
Idea for our movie introduction
Today we organised our group for our movie introductions.
- Jake Tolliday
- Ryan Mills
- Jack Denning (myself)
Our group is doing a psychological thriller which is about a man going to the extreme to clear his name.
- Jake Tolliday
- Ryan Mills
- Jack Denning (myself)
Our group is doing a psychological thriller which is about a man going to the extreme to clear his name.
Analysing a movie poster
The above poster is from the film 'Shutter Island'
The genre of this film is a Physcological thriller.
The codes and conventions of the genre
The codes and conventions from this genre is that it uses a dark setting by using lowkey lighting, this creates suspense and engages the audience. We see a variety of camera angles to get different views of what is going on, a popular one is an eye view, so the audience feels like an observer and feels engaged in the film. The symbolic codes are the facial expressions to express which actors are 'insane' and which actors are 'normal'. The story can get confusing so its important that the audience can clearly see who is who. The use of make up can also indicate who is a patient at 'Shutter Island' as they are pale and look ill.
Key signifiers of the poster
The key signifiers of the poster are that you can see the main actor holding a match stick, this indicates to me that he is looking for something and he is being kept in the dark as his surroundings are dark but the match lights his face up, he is also looking over the island which tells us the setting is on an island.
You can also see that it says 'Someone is missing', so this also indicates that he is looking for someone.
The island itself is very dark and the weather looks dark and gloomy, this gives the impression that the island is very lonely and isn't a nice place to visit.
Denotative levels of meaning in the poster
The denotative levels of meaning in this poster is that we can see a building, which in my opinion looks like a Prison as it is very dark and has towers, there is also no easy access or escape as its surrounded by water which would be an ideal place for people that need to be maintained. The image of the island is like someone has created it with photo's, as there are squares around certain parts of the island, this gives an idea that the island isn't real or how it seems.
Connotative levels of meaning in the poster
What I associate with the dark building is a prison, simply because it looks deserted and the building itself is very dark, therefore its a place that doesn't attract to me and a place I wouldn't like to visit! The match stick that the main actor is holding I would associate with danger, as match sticks can cause a fire and its dangerous. The poster overall suggests to me that the film includes danger, mystery, darkness and loneliness. This would be enough to make me want to see the film!
What is the poster communicating and why?
The poster is communicating with the audience with a range of images and by making the intended audience interested, it also doesn't give too much away so this would make a person curious and this would be enough to make them go and see it.
The codes and conventions of the genre
The codes and conventions from this genre is that it uses a dark setting by using lowkey lighting, this creates suspense and engages the audience. We see a variety of camera angles to get different views of what is going on, a popular one is an eye view, so the audience feels like an observer and feels engaged in the film. The symbolic codes are the facial expressions to express which actors are 'insane' and which actors are 'normal'. The story can get confusing so its important that the audience can clearly see who is who. The use of make up can also indicate who is a patient at 'Shutter Island' as they are pale and look ill.
Key signifiers of the poster
The key signifiers of the poster are that you can see the main actor holding a match stick, this indicates to me that he is looking for something and he is being kept in the dark as his surroundings are dark but the match lights his face up, he is also looking over the island which tells us the setting is on an island.
You can also see that it says 'Someone is missing', so this also indicates that he is looking for someone.
The island itself is very dark and the weather looks dark and gloomy, this gives the impression that the island is very lonely and isn't a nice place to visit.
Denotative levels of meaning in the poster
The denotative levels of meaning in this poster is that we can see a building, which in my opinion looks like a Prison as it is very dark and has towers, there is also no easy access or escape as its surrounded by water which would be an ideal place for people that need to be maintained. The image of the island is like someone has created it with photo's, as there are squares around certain parts of the island, this gives an idea that the island isn't real or how it seems.
Connotative levels of meaning in the poster
What I associate with the dark building is a prison, simply because it looks deserted and the building itself is very dark, therefore its a place that doesn't attract to me and a place I wouldn't like to visit! The match stick that the main actor is holding I would associate with danger, as match sticks can cause a fire and its dangerous. The poster overall suggests to me that the film includes danger, mystery, darkness and loneliness. This would be enough to make me want to see the film!
What is the poster communicating and why?
The poster is communicating with the audience with a range of images and by making the intended audience interested, it also doesn't give too much away so this would make a person curious and this would be enough to make them go and see it.
Friday 9 September 2011
Hello, My name is Jack Denning....
Hello,
My name is Jack Denning and I am a student at King Edwards Sheldon Heath sixth form.
This is my blog for Media where I will keep you up to date and post my work for you to view.
I am 16 years old approaching 17 in October.
I am a very sporty person and I play a lot of Football in my spare time, In addition I also like creating websites and designing them for myself and other people, this is what I want to do as a career when I leave sixth form.
Thanks your reading and I hope you enjoy my blog!
My name is Jack Denning and I am a student at King Edwards Sheldon Heath sixth form.
This is my blog for Media where I will keep you up to date and post my work for you to view.
I am 16 years old approaching 17 in October.
I am a very sporty person and I play a lot of Football in my spare time, In addition I also like creating websites and designing them for myself and other people, this is what I want to do as a career when I leave sixth form.
Thanks your reading and I hope you enjoy my blog!
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