This is for our As Media coursework
Made By: Ed Skinner, Kim Goldspink, Shannon Hutton and Joe Wright
Monday, 30 November 2009
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Poster Analysis...
Cloverfield
-This poster is for the film Cloverfield. When you first look at it the first thing that stands out is how dull the image is and you are drawn into the light bit of the photo which is the skyline and all the buildings and they look like they are on .
- In the foreground you have the statue of liberty which is a famous landmark of New York but it has now has no head therefore could be meaning destruction is going to happen in the film.
-This poster is for the film Cloverfield. When you first look at it the first thing that stands out is how dull the image is and you are drawn into the light bit of the photo which is the skyline and all the buildings and they look like they are on .
- In the foreground you have the statue of liberty which is a famous landmark of New York but it has now has no head therefore could be meaning destruction is going to happen in the film.
- Many people may see this poster and may want to watch it to see why the statue of liberty has no head and why is New York is being destroyed.
- The title Cloverfield on the poster is lighter then the main picture making it stand out it is also slightly blurred which could be something to do to the film.
- The cove/poster has the same colour range. Which is quite dark.
British and Hollywood films...
Investigate a recent British film of your choice and look at the success in terms of attendance, profit, awards and then do the same with a recent and similar type of Hollywood film with the same/similar genre.
British Film
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Director - Mike Newell
Writer - Steve Kloves (screenplay) J.K. Rowling (novel)
Release Date - 8th November 2005
Genre - Adventure/ Family/ Fantasy/ Mystery
Plot -Harry finds himself selected as an underage competition in a dangerous multi wizardary school competition.
Awards - Nominated for an Oscar. Another 9 wins & 28 nominations
Budget - £75 million
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Director - Mike Newell
Writer - Steve Kloves (screenplay) J.K. Rowling (novel)
Release Date - 8th November 2005
Genre - Adventure/ Family/ Fantasy/ Mystery
Plot -Harry finds himself selected as an underage competition in a dangerous multi wizardary school competition.
Awards - Nominated for an Oscar. Another 9 wins & 28 nominations
Budget - £75 million
Hollywood Film
Twilight
Director – Catherine Hardwick
Director – Catherine Hardwick
Writer – Mellissa Rosenberg (screenplay) Stephanie Meyer (novel)
Release Date – 19th December 2008
Genre – Drama/ Fantasy/ Romance/ Thriller
Plot – A teenager girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire.
Awards – 19 wins & 4 nominations
Budget - $37 million
Release Date – 19th December 2008
Genre – Drama/ Fantasy/ Romance/ Thriller
Plot – A teenager girl risks everything when she falls in love with a vampire.
Awards – 19 wins & 4 nominations
Budget - $37 million
Opening Analysis...
Vacancy – Thriller
Sub genre – Horror
Released – 15th June 2007
Director – Nimrod Antal
Plot – A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and finds hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film
Music/ Sound – The music is very intense and repetitive, it is kind of frantic in a way like music you would here if someone is trying to escape. Night time noises in background.
Setting – The opening of the film is set in a dark desolate area in the middle of no where we see this with the long shots of just the car and the headlights visible. Alone/solitude the area is isolated as no signal on the radio.
Characters – Can’t see much of them/ hidden tension between both on them in the car – stereotypical average couple arguing. The man tries to lighten the mood with jokes they may be a couple that have split up and for some reason in the car together coming from somewhere where they had to pretend they were still together.
Narrative – Shortcut along dark back roads. No radio – isolation. There is recurring images of the man rubbing his eyes indicating tiredness.
Departed – Thriller
Sub genre – Gangster
Released – 6th October 2006
Director – Martin Scorsese
Plot - Two men from opposite sides of the law are undercover within the Massachusetts State Police and the Irish mafia, but violence and bloodshed boil when discoveries are made, and the moles are dispatched to find out their enemy's identities
Music/ Sound - Voice over – stereotypical gangster voice.
Setting – Seagulls in the background indicates close to the sea then tells us it’s in Boston. Fighting/ Racism/ Corruption.
Characters – use of shadow to hide the identity of the main character and being in the dark could show that he is dangerous and shouldn’t be known – protagonist, mystery, underground. Young lad – complete opposite naïve, innocent, emotional.
Narrative – Respected around the neighbourhood everyone knows him as the little boy knows where he lives already. Lots of money showing that he is well off and he hands it out as if he has got control of everything.
Sub genre – Horror
Released – 15th June 2007
Director – Nimrod Antal
Plot – A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel and finds hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film
Music/ Sound – The music is very intense and repetitive, it is kind of frantic in a way like music you would here if someone is trying to escape. Night time noises in background.
Setting – The opening of the film is set in a dark desolate area in the middle of no where we see this with the long shots of just the car and the headlights visible. Alone/solitude the area is isolated as no signal on the radio.
Characters – Can’t see much of them/ hidden tension between both on them in the car – stereotypical average couple arguing. The man tries to lighten the mood with jokes they may be a couple that have split up and for some reason in the car together coming from somewhere where they had to pretend they were still together.
Narrative – Shortcut along dark back roads. No radio – isolation. There is recurring images of the man rubbing his eyes indicating tiredness.
Departed – Thriller
Sub genre – Gangster
Released – 6th October 2006
Director – Martin Scorsese
Plot - Two men from opposite sides of the law are undercover within the Massachusetts State Police and the Irish mafia, but violence and bloodshed boil when discoveries are made, and the moles are dispatched to find out their enemy's identities
Music/ Sound - Voice over – stereotypical gangster voice.
Setting – Seagulls in the background indicates close to the sea then tells us it’s in Boston. Fighting/ Racism/ Corruption.
Characters – use of shadow to hide the identity of the main character and being in the dark could show that he is dangerous and shouldn’t be known – protagonist, mystery, underground. Young lad – complete opposite naïve, innocent, emotional.
Narrative – Respected around the neighbourhood everyone knows him as the little boy knows where he lives already. Lots of money showing that he is well off and he hands it out as if he has got control of everything.
Monday, 26 October 2009
Production Tips
Diegesis
Diegesis is the combination of diegetic and non-diegetic to give the moving image a meaning for the audience, sound is mostly used.
Diegetic material is what exist in the text itself, so the characters are aware of it. Examples of this is dialogue, sound effects which are heard by characters (like thunder), background music that is heard by characters and dialogue between characters. Non diegetic material is added for the audience for example, atmospheric music, soundtrack music, voice-over narration.
There are some sounds that can be both for example, a character' thoughts in a voice-over are diegetic in that the character is aware of them, but non-diegetic in the sense that other characters are not.
Micro and macro origination
To shoot material appropriate, you need to use the micro-macro stratergy. A fiction film will follow conventions of a certain genre of film, in this case the micro elements - types of camera work, music, style of titles, dialogue, setting and place - these will all add up to the macro theme and set of representations.
Camera work and framing
Most camera work should be shot using a tripod unless a hand held shot effect is what is required. Zooming is rarely used in a film so it is best to avoid it unless you want the apperance of amatuer footage. A widescreen framing should be used as we are using film as the medium. For a film it is suggested you mostly use mid-shots, and long shots, with close-ups used sparingly.
The 'rule of thirds' is used for framing shots. Imagine the frame is made up of 9 squares. The eye is drawn to the off centre areas, so it is best to avoid the central square and position objects just off centre as this adds concentration on the image.
Combining different shot types anddistances is essential to the language of film. An effective combination is going from a long shot to a mid-shot and then to a close up.
Camera angle increases the power of the character. High-angle shots reduce the power and low-angle shot increases it.
Mise en scene
Mise en scene is about the atmosphere and continuity. It is the most difficult element of production to get right. The costume, lighting, locations, and props need to be carfully selected to create the right feel. It needs to be maintained shot by shot.
Lighting
Five tips about light.
1) Use natural light - sunlight, in shadow, in mist, through rain - depending on the affect, and time as you need to wait for right conditions.
2)Use cheap and cheerful artifcial light - you can make use of candles, fireligh, torches, car headlights, security lights, neon signs and street lighting.
3) Create colour filters - shine light through coloured liquids, vases, ornaments.
4) Position the light source for effect - lighting a scene from above, below or in a obscured way will create different kinds of atomosphere
5)Lighting a scene is a scientific process. Once you have explored what your light sources can provide, experiment with the interaction of light with the objects in you frame.
Combining sound, image and titles
The title needs to be appropriate it has to have the right font, colour and size. It will have to be placed either over black between shots or over the action and how long each title is on the screen. Also, adding music to add abience to the start of the film must be in keeping with the tone anf pave of the film.
The grammar of non-linear editing
You need to observe the rules of grammar that apply to editing, creating continuity and the right rhythm and pace. Making sure the correct transition has beenused is essential. Avoid transitions that have not got the conventions of the type of film being construsted. Hard cuts should be used for at least 90% of the sequences. The only exception is the transition between a title and images, but these need to be consistent and not all different. The editing is meant to be invisable so the viewer believes in the reality of the fiction that is unfolding. Editing allows you to do thinks that aren't possible in real life, the careful execution of these forms of manipulation without distracting or confusing the audience is what is calledd the 'grammar of the edit'.
Diegesis is the combination of diegetic and non-diegetic to give the moving image a meaning for the audience, sound is mostly used.
Diegetic material is what exist in the text itself, so the characters are aware of it. Examples of this is dialogue, sound effects which are heard by characters (like thunder), background music that is heard by characters and dialogue between characters. Non diegetic material is added for the audience for example, atmospheric music, soundtrack music, voice-over narration.
There are some sounds that can be both for example, a character' thoughts in a voice-over are diegetic in that the character is aware of them, but non-diegetic in the sense that other characters are not.
Micro and macro origination
To shoot material appropriate, you need to use the micro-macro stratergy. A fiction film will follow conventions of a certain genre of film, in this case the micro elements - types of camera work, music, style of titles, dialogue, setting and place - these will all add up to the macro theme and set of representations.
Camera work and framing
Most camera work should be shot using a tripod unless a hand held shot effect is what is required. Zooming is rarely used in a film so it is best to avoid it unless you want the apperance of amatuer footage. A widescreen framing should be used as we are using film as the medium. For a film it is suggested you mostly use mid-shots, and long shots, with close-ups used sparingly.
The 'rule of thirds' is used for framing shots. Imagine the frame is made up of 9 squares. The eye is drawn to the off centre areas, so it is best to avoid the central square and position objects just off centre as this adds concentration on the image.
Combining different shot types anddistances is essential to the language of film. An effective combination is going from a long shot to a mid-shot and then to a close up.
Camera angle increases the power of the character. High-angle shots reduce the power and low-angle shot increases it.
Mise en scene
Mise en scene is about the atmosphere and continuity. It is the most difficult element of production to get right. The costume, lighting, locations, and props need to be carfully selected to create the right feel. It needs to be maintained shot by shot.
Lighting
Five tips about light.
1) Use natural light - sunlight, in shadow, in mist, through rain - depending on the affect, and time as you need to wait for right conditions.
2)Use cheap and cheerful artifcial light - you can make use of candles, fireligh, torches, car headlights, security lights, neon signs and street lighting.
3) Create colour filters - shine light through coloured liquids, vases, ornaments.
4) Position the light source for effect - lighting a scene from above, below or in a obscured way will create different kinds of atomosphere
5)Lighting a scene is a scientific process. Once you have explored what your light sources can provide, experiment with the interaction of light with the objects in you frame.
Combining sound, image and titles
The title needs to be appropriate it has to have the right font, colour and size. It will have to be placed either over black between shots or over the action and how long each title is on the screen. Also, adding music to add abience to the start of the film must be in keeping with the tone anf pave of the film.
The grammar of non-linear editing
You need to observe the rules of grammar that apply to editing, creating continuity and the right rhythm and pace. Making sure the correct transition has beenused is essential. Avoid transitions that have not got the conventions of the type of film being construsted. Hard cuts should be used for at least 90% of the sequences. The only exception is the transition between a title and images, but these need to be consistent and not all different. The editing is meant to be invisable so the viewer believes in the reality of the fiction that is unfolding. Editing allows you to do thinks that aren't possible in real life, the careful execution of these forms of manipulation without distracting or confusing the audience is what is calledd the 'grammar of the edit'.
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Somers Town - After Viewing...
After Viewing
Genre
Somers Town was initially conceptualised as a short film, ratehr than a full length feature. Running just over an hour in total the film is shorter than most mainstream releases; it may represent a departure from your cinema viewing experiences in other ways, too.
4. How would you caegorise this film in terms of genre? Does it remind you of any other films you have seen?
I would categorise this ilm in terms of genre as a comedy as you have quite a lot of things in the film that make you laugh, it could also be slightly romantic as you have the love triangle between Tomo, Marek and Maria. It doens't remind me of any other films i have seen.
5. What do you think is the film's appeal for audiences?
I think the films appeal to the audience could be the fact that it is a British film set in Somers Town in London, and the fact that it is shot in black and white. Also originally it was meant to be only a short video lasting up to about 10 minutes but then they continue to create it into a short film so it had a low budget.
6. As well as being in black and white, the film is subtitled during the conversations in Polish between Marek and his father; there is also sections in French. In what ways do thes factors affect you responses to the film, the situation and the characters?
The factors affect the responses to the film as it shows how the English see the Polish and how they think they are and also how the English may see the French and the connections we have with the Polish and French.
7. Shane Meadow 2006 release 'This is England' won a number of awards. What similarities and differences can you identify between Soemrs Town and This is England?
Both films have Thomas Turgoose in them as a main character. They are both set around a similar area and the main characters and main storyline is about children/teenagers.
Representation
Somers Town gives the viewer a very close up portrayal of two teenage boys struggling to fit into an adult world. In various scenes we see Tomo and Marek being lonely and vunerable, mischievous and aggressive, intoxicated, infatuated, undressed and attending to their physical needs.
8. To what extent do you think the audience is expected ti be 'comfortable' with this portrait of two teenagers?
The audience is expected to be comfortable with the portrait of the two teenagers as it is what many people see teenage boys like so the audience should be comfortable with it.
9. A sign on the estate reads 'children playing on these ground is pohibited'. In what different ways do Tomo and marek seek to amuse themselves within this environment? Do you think the film encourages us to judge any of the actions?
Tomo and Marek seek to amuse themselves within this environment by helping Graham one of the peopel living near Marek by helping him rent out deck chairs to people for example. They also amuse themselves by talking to Maria andtaking her out. Marek also takes lots of photos mainly of Maria which passes the time. I don't think the film enourages us to judge any of the characters or their actions as we dont know everything about them as all we know about Tomo is that he has ran away from his broken hom in Nottingham and that Marek is in London because his dad is working on the construction of the tunnel, so we cant really judge them or their actions.
10. What messages about childhood and adolescence do you, or could you take away from the film?
The message about childhood and adolescence is that Tomo and Marek are very lonely in the film as Tomo has ran away and marek is left to find thinks himself whiles his dad goes to work. I don't theink the film gives a very positive view on the teenagers as it shows them getting drunk and Tomo getting beaten up this is just showing teenagers are just thug like and dont really care which isn't true about all teenagers.
11. Do your reactions towards the boys change at different points in the film? Which moments in particular;
a)encourages you to sympathise with the boys.
- With Tomo when he gets beaten up as he is left with nothing only the clothes that he is wearing.
- When marek is left all on his own everyday when his dad goes to work and he doesn't know anyone around as at this point he has not met tomo
b) Make you unsympathetic towards them
-When they relise maria has gone back to France and they think the best way of getting over her is getting drunk
- When they steal the back of clothes and then sell it to Graham
12. Some of the other character include marek's father, Mariusz, Graham the cockney neighbour, and the French waitress Maria. To what extent would you agree that meadowns is playing with stereotypes in his representation of tehse character?
Meadows is playing with stereotypes in his representation of these characters as they are what most peoplr think that is the typocal character like Mariusz is always working as that is what he has come to London for ad then he gets home and drinks woth his mates. Graham the cockney neighbour always selling things whih ar echeap knock offs most probably, and then their is Maria the french waitress which both Tomo and Marek both fall in love with and France is known as a very romantic country. So overall i think the film is very stereotypical on the characters.
Genre
Somers Town was initially conceptualised as a short film, ratehr than a full length feature. Running just over an hour in total the film is shorter than most mainstream releases; it may represent a departure from your cinema viewing experiences in other ways, too.
4. How would you caegorise this film in terms of genre? Does it remind you of any other films you have seen?
I would categorise this ilm in terms of genre as a comedy as you have quite a lot of things in the film that make you laugh, it could also be slightly romantic as you have the love triangle between Tomo, Marek and Maria. It doens't remind me of any other films i have seen.
5. What do you think is the film's appeal for audiences?
I think the films appeal to the audience could be the fact that it is a British film set in Somers Town in London, and the fact that it is shot in black and white. Also originally it was meant to be only a short video lasting up to about 10 minutes but then they continue to create it into a short film so it had a low budget.
6. As well as being in black and white, the film is subtitled during the conversations in Polish between Marek and his father; there is also sections in French. In what ways do thes factors affect you responses to the film, the situation and the characters?
The factors affect the responses to the film as it shows how the English see the Polish and how they think they are and also how the English may see the French and the connections we have with the Polish and French.
7. Shane Meadow 2006 release 'This is England' won a number of awards. What similarities and differences can you identify between Soemrs Town and This is England?
Both films have Thomas Turgoose in them as a main character. They are both set around a similar area and the main characters and main storyline is about children/teenagers.
Representation
Somers Town gives the viewer a very close up portrayal of two teenage boys struggling to fit into an adult world. In various scenes we see Tomo and Marek being lonely and vunerable, mischievous and aggressive, intoxicated, infatuated, undressed and attending to their physical needs.
8. To what extent do you think the audience is expected ti be 'comfortable' with this portrait of two teenagers?
The audience is expected to be comfortable with the portrait of the two teenagers as it is what many people see teenage boys like so the audience should be comfortable with it.
9. A sign on the estate reads 'children playing on these ground is pohibited'. In what different ways do Tomo and marek seek to amuse themselves within this environment? Do you think the film encourages us to judge any of the actions?
Tomo and Marek seek to amuse themselves within this environment by helping Graham one of the peopel living near Marek by helping him rent out deck chairs to people for example. They also amuse themselves by talking to Maria andtaking her out. Marek also takes lots of photos mainly of Maria which passes the time. I don't think the film enourages us to judge any of the characters or their actions as we dont know everything about them as all we know about Tomo is that he has ran away from his broken hom in Nottingham and that Marek is in London because his dad is working on the construction of the tunnel, so we cant really judge them or their actions.
10. What messages about childhood and adolescence do you, or could you take away from the film?
The message about childhood and adolescence is that Tomo and Marek are very lonely in the film as Tomo has ran away and marek is left to find thinks himself whiles his dad goes to work. I don't theink the film gives a very positive view on the teenagers as it shows them getting drunk and Tomo getting beaten up this is just showing teenagers are just thug like and dont really care which isn't true about all teenagers.
11. Do your reactions towards the boys change at different points in the film? Which moments in particular;
a)encourages you to sympathise with the boys.
- With Tomo when he gets beaten up as he is left with nothing only the clothes that he is wearing.
- When marek is left all on his own everyday when his dad goes to work and he doesn't know anyone around as at this point he has not met tomo
b) Make you unsympathetic towards them
-When they relise maria has gone back to France and they think the best way of getting over her is getting drunk
- When they steal the back of clothes and then sell it to Graham
12. Some of the other character include marek's father, Mariusz, Graham the cockney neighbour, and the French waitress Maria. To what extent would you agree that meadowns is playing with stereotypes in his representation of tehse character?
Meadows is playing with stereotypes in his representation of these characters as they are what most peoplr think that is the typocal character like Mariusz is always working as that is what he has come to London for ad then he gets home and drinks woth his mates. Graham the cockney neighbour always selling things whih ar echeap knock offs most probably, and then their is Maria the french waitress which both Tomo and Marek both fall in love with and France is known as a very romantic country. So overall i think the film is very stereotypical on the characters.
Somer Town - Notes...
Before we watch the film we had a lecture on British film and about Somers Town these are the notes that i took during it.
British Films normally include
British Films normally include
- Working Class Heroes
- Breaking Taboos
- Getting Ideas
- A Sense of Place
- Displacement - mobility, leaving identity behind and making a new one.
- Outsiders
Somers Town is about a boy called Tomo who come down to London from Nottingham as he has run away from a broken home. He then meets marek and in away they adopt each other as Marek has moved to London as his Dad is working on the construction of the Euro tunnel. They then meet Maria who is a stereotypical character being a French waitress who they both end up falling in love with which bring the two boys closer to do things for Maria but then it also pulls them apart as they want to know who she likes the most. Somers Town is a comedy as there is funnny parts in it like trying to rent out the deck chairs. The film is about Marek and Tomo re-inventing themeselves and finding out who they really are. The film is the British questioning the classes and looking towards Europe trying to say something.
Somers Town - Before viewing...
Before viewing
In search of a Midnight Kiss - Alex Holdridge
The Man Who Wasn't There - Coen Brothers
The man who wasn't there is a 2001 black and white film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. One review of the film said ' it is a slow, certainly, maybe even meandering, but the emotional pull of the finale belies anything youmight expect from a Coens movie. A masterpiece? Quite possibly. It's certainly worth seeing twice to find out.' Set in a sleepy Northern California town in the 1940s, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen's The Man Who Wasn't There stars Billy Bob Thornton as Ed Crane, a humble barber who suspects his hard hearted and hard drinking wife Doris is of having an affair with her boss. When a stranger breezes into town hinting at the fortune to be made investing in an outlandish sounding new invention called dry cleanin, Ed hatches a blackmail scheme he hopes will make him rich and get him some revenge at the same time. His plan goes horribly wrong when he accidentally commits a murder for which Doris ends up being blamed, landing her in jail and Ed at the Mercy of big city lawyer Freddy.
Manhattan - Woody Allen
3. The film is named after Somers Town, the part of London in which it is set. most of the filming also took place on location in that area.
Although it was filmed in 2008, Somers Town was shot in black and white.
1. Why do you think a modern director would choose to produce a film in black and white, rather than colour? What effects might they be hoping to achieve?
A modern director may have chosen to film in blacka dn white as it makes the film look similar all the way through as it is all the same colours throughout, as some places can look completely different to what you wan them to look like in colour, it can also make the place look too busy if there is too many bright colours which stand out. The viewer while watching a black and white film can imagine what colours that the place may be and that may make them feel that they are putting an imput into the film.
2. Choose three modern films shot in black and white. Find out their release date, their genre, the directors reputation and the critical reaction to the film
In search of a Midnight Kiss - Alex HoldridgeIn search of a midnight kiss, is a black and white, romantic comedy, it was released on the 16th August 2007 in the UK. 85% of critics rated the film positively based on 48 reviews, with the agreement that its 'Funny, quirky and bittersweet, In Search of a Midnight Kiss is a romantic comedy with a heart and a brain - and stands as a sharp debut for director Alex Holdridge' In search of a Midnight Kiss follows Wilson, a 29 year old man who has just suffered through the most miserable year of his life. A new arrival to the City of Angels, Wilson ends up alone and penniless as New Years eve approaches, and vows to lock his doors, his best friend Jacob talk him into posting a personal ad. In seemingly no time the message leads Wilson to Vivian a young women determined to be with the right man at the stroke of midnight. She leads Wilson on a eventful trip through the nighttime street of L.A. that he will never forget.
The Man Who Wasn't There - Coen BrothersThe man who wasn't there is a 2001 black and white film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. One review of the film said ' it is a slow, certainly, maybe even meandering, but the emotional pull of the finale belies anything youmight expect from a Coens movie. A masterpiece? Quite possibly. It's certainly worth seeing twice to find out.' Set in a sleepy Northern California town in the 1940s, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen's The Man Who Wasn't There stars Billy Bob Thornton as Ed Crane, a humble barber who suspects his hard hearted and hard drinking wife Doris is of having an affair with her boss. When a stranger breezes into town hinting at the fortune to be made investing in an outlandish sounding new invention called dry cleanin, Ed hatches a blackmail scheme he hopes will make him rich and get him some revenge at the same time. His plan goes horribly wrong when he accidentally commits a murder for which Doris ends up being blamed, landing her in jail and Ed at the Mercy of big city lawyer Freddy.
Manhattan - Woody AllenManhattan was released the 25th April 1979 it is a simple romantic comedy back in '79 Manhattan which got quite a bit of praised, and even now is consistently on 'The Best Films' list nearly any English speaking critic. A TV comedy writer sick of the paps is forced to churn out and harbouring novelist. His love life is in bad territory he is tormented by his second ex-wife Jill is a lesbian who has written a tell all book about their marrige, and he is dating teenager Tracy to whom he refuses to commit and keeeps hinting that a break up may be best. While he makes a last decision to quit his job and devote all of his time to book writing, and moans about what the lack of a full time job will do to him.
3. The film is named after Somers Town, the part of London in which it is set. most of the filming also took place on location in that area.
a) Given the London location, what iconographic sights and sounds might you expect from the film?
You would expect tof ind the normal sights you associate London with like busy streets, big buses, the London bridge and just things that you think about when you hear London, but i don't no where abouts Somers Town is in London so don't know what you are expected to see in that area.
b) What are your expectations about character and narrative based on this setting?
I odnt really have any expectations based on the settings as i'm not sure what it is like and dont really no what the film is about.
Monday, 12 October 2009
Once Upon a Time in the West - Opening...
Once Upon a Time in the West is a western film which is a sub genre of Thriller. Genres allow films to be categorised they are helpful to the film industry and audiences. Audiences use genre to help make a guess of what they will and won't like. So if someone in an audience liked westerns then they may chose a film of that genre. A sub genre is a genre within a genre.
The film starts with sound of strong wind which builds the tension already as you normally get strong winds in desolate empty places. Then you hear the sound of the door creaking open very slowly which creates anticipation as you want to know what or who is going to come through the door. At the beginning of the film it has a lot of digetic sounds which is sound that is natural to the film for example there is bird that you can here in the background and the door creaking open. Non-digetic sound is the sound that isn't natural for example music that is just being played and is not actually in the film and has just been added.
The next thing you see is an old man, who looks like the station ticket collector, writing on a chalk board and you hear the sound of the chalk squeaking on the board this sound isn't i nice sound and makes you cringe, this may be warning us by telling us something bad is going to happen to him. The camera then goes back onto the door and you hear the loud footstep of the cowboy walking in the camera stays on his feet and then slowly pans up so you see the whole of the cowboy and what he looks like. This shot makes the cowboy seem powerful and the way he entered the station and the sound of his footsteps also make him seem powerful. The camera is then zoomed out and you see other cowboys around the station this shows that the old man is surrounded and there is no where to go.
Throughout the opening there isn't much talking all that is used is digetic sounds to help build the tension and makes you wonder why are the cowboys there. The camera angles and different shot help the opening by having quick share transitions to show where most of the different sounds are coming from.
The film starts with sound of strong wind which builds the tension already as you normally get strong winds in desolate empty places. Then you hear the sound of the door creaking open very slowly which creates anticipation as you want to know what or who is going to come through the door. At the beginning of the film it has a lot of digetic sounds which is sound that is natural to the film for example there is bird that you can here in the background and the door creaking open. Non-digetic sound is the sound that isn't natural for example music that is just being played and is not actually in the film and has just been added.
The next thing you see is an old man, who looks like the station ticket collector, writing on a chalk board and you hear the sound of the chalk squeaking on the board this sound isn't i nice sound and makes you cringe, this may be warning us by telling us something bad is going to happen to him. The camera then goes back onto the door and you hear the loud footstep of the cowboy walking in the camera stays on his feet and then slowly pans up so you see the whole of the cowboy and what he looks like. This shot makes the cowboy seem powerful and the way he entered the station and the sound of his footsteps also make him seem powerful. The camera is then zoomed out and you see other cowboys around the station this shows that the old man is surrounded and there is no where to go.
Throughout the opening there isn't much talking all that is used is digetic sounds to help build the tension and makes you wonder why are the cowboys there. The camera angles and different shot help the opening by having quick share transitions to show where most of the different sounds are coming from.
Saturday, 10 October 2009
No country for old men - Opening...
No Country for Old Men id a 2007 crime thriller film directed by the Coen brothers. It tells the story of a botched drug deal and the ensuing cat and mouse drama, as three men crisscross each other's paths in the desert landscape of 1980 West Texas.
The film starts with establishing shots of the desert landscape of West Texas. this give us the feeling of desolate area which is wide open which gives the feeling of isolation as there is nothing around and no one around. This bring tension and is what starts to make the film more like a thriller as it has already got you asking questions about it.
The next scene shows a police officer arresting a man . However we do not see this mans face which creates more tension and suspence as you want to no who has been arrested. The man that has been arrested also has some sort of tank on him this creates even more tension as you want to no what itis and what it is used for. While the police officer is on the phone to the Sheriff the man that has just been arrested is going through his handcuffs so that they are in front of him this makes you want to no what is going to happen next as you have scene what it is like outside and there isn't really anywhere to run to so you want to no what he is going to do. The man then attacks the police office and strangles the police officer from behind with the chain of the handcuffs. this now makes the film more tense and has more action in as you have just had a police officer get killed by the man that he just arrested this make you want to no why the man just killed him. It brings death into the film but not only death also murder. The next thing you see is the murdered washing all the blood off his hands and it seems like an everyday thing to him and he doesn't seemed phased by it.
The film starts with establishing shots of the desert landscape of West Texas. this give us the feeling of desolate area which is wide open which gives the feeling of isolation as there is nothing around and no one around. This bring tension and is what starts to make the film more like a thriller as it has already got you asking questions about it.
The next scene shows a police officer arresting a man . However we do not see this mans face which creates more tension and suspence as you want to no who has been arrested. The man that has been arrested also has some sort of tank on him this creates even more tension as you want to no what itis and what it is used for. While the police officer is on the phone to the Sheriff the man that has just been arrested is going through his handcuffs so that they are in front of him this makes you want to no what is going to happen next as you have scene what it is like outside and there isn't really anywhere to run to so you want to no what he is going to do. The man then attacks the police office and strangles the police officer from behind with the chain of the handcuffs. this now makes the film more tense and has more action in as you have just had a police officer get killed by the man that he just arrested this make you want to no why the man just killed him. It brings death into the film but not only death also murder. The next thing you see is the murdered washing all the blood off his hands and it seems like an everyday thing to him and he doesn't seemed phased by it.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Thriller films...
There are many different types of thrillers, there are suspense thrillers, action thrillers, adventure thrillers and sci-fi thrillers. A thriller is a film that rentlessy pursues a single minded goal, to provided thrills and keep the audience cliff hanging at the 'edge of their seats' as the plot builds towards a climax. The tension usually arises when the main character is placed in a menacing situation or mystery, or an escape or dangerous mission from which an escape seems impossible. Life itself is threatened, usually because the principal character is unsuspecting or unknowingly involved in a dangerous or potentil deadly situation. Plots of thrillers involve character which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces - the menace is sometimes abstract or shadowy. Thriller films are known to promote intense excitment, suspense, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectations, uncertainty, anxiety, and nervewracking tension.
Monday, 5 October 2009
Final Cut Express...
Final Cut Express is a non linear video editing application. It is designed for editing videos and is used by amateurs and professionals. We had someone come into our lesson to teach us how to use it so we can edit our videos that we have recored and what we will record.
Friday 2nd
The layout of final cut is very simple and easy to understand while using it. It has the videos and different clips on the top left hand side and these can be organised by creating 'bins' these are jus folders which will help you organised your clips from different projects. There is then the viewer window which is where you watch the clips. Next to that there is then another viewer but this one is where you can view a certain place in the clip and then play it back. Underneath all that you then have the time line which is measured in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. Frames are every seperate image in the clip.
We learnt how to input a video on to the programme and how to drag it into the viewer so you can watch it. Then we got told about useful keyboard shortcuts for example instead of keep clicking on play every time you want to play it you can just hit the spacebar to play and pause it. Other useful keyboard shortcuts were J which rewinds the video K pauses the video and L fast forwards the video, J and K can increase in time if pressed again so therefore it will rewind or fast forward quicker.
We then uploaded our own clip that we had recored of the sixth form and learnt hom to crop it so we only have the section we needed. First you watch the video and the then when you what you clip to start from and you press I this is telling it that you want this as you start time then you keep watcing it till you come to the time you want to finish your clip then you press O. That is then your seperate clip that you have cropped and you can watch it inthe second viewer and the whole video in the first viewer.
Friday 9th
We had another lesson on learning about the programme final cut express. This time we learnt how to crop the video by just viewing it and then pressing escape when we wanted to crop it to make that a new clip. We also learnt how to import music onto final cut express and how to insert it right in the middle of the clip so the video isn't showing but the music is playing. we also got showed how to overwrite the video which meant the music deleted the video which was underneath it so then you lost some of the video and the we got taught how to actually play in over the video. Aswell as doing this we also went over the other things we did like the keyboard shortcuts which really help and are easier to use then to have to keep using the mouse to do everything.
Friday 2nd
The layout of final cut is very simple and easy to understand while using it. It has the videos and different clips on the top left hand side and these can be organised by creating 'bins' these are jus folders which will help you organised your clips from different projects. There is then the viewer window which is where you watch the clips. Next to that there is then another viewer but this one is where you can view a certain place in the clip and then play it back. Underneath all that you then have the time line which is measured in hours, minutes, seconds and frames. Frames are every seperate image in the clip.
We learnt how to input a video on to the programme and how to drag it into the viewer so you can watch it. Then we got told about useful keyboard shortcuts for example instead of keep clicking on play every time you want to play it you can just hit the spacebar to play and pause it. Other useful keyboard shortcuts were J which rewinds the video K pauses the video and L fast forwards the video, J and K can increase in time if pressed again so therefore it will rewind or fast forward quicker.
We then uploaded our own clip that we had recored of the sixth form and learnt hom to crop it so we only have the section we needed. First you watch the video and the then when you what you clip to start from and you press I this is telling it that you want this as you start time then you keep watcing it till you come to the time you want to finish your clip then you press O. That is then your seperate clip that you have cropped and you can watch it inthe second viewer and the whole video in the first viewer.
Friday 9th
We had another lesson on learning about the programme final cut express. This time we learnt how to crop the video by just viewing it and then pressing escape when we wanted to crop it to make that a new clip. We also learnt how to import music onto final cut express and how to insert it right in the middle of the clip so the video isn't showing but the music is playing. we also got showed how to overwrite the video which meant the music deleted the video which was underneath it so then you lost some of the video and the we got taught how to actually play in over the video. Aswell as doing this we also went over the other things we did like the keyboard shortcuts which really help and are easier to use then to have to keep using the mouse to do everything.
Friday, 25 September 2009
First blog....
Well... this is my first blog on here and i'm not sure what to say but hopefully all will make sense.
So lets start with the simple things my name is Shannon and i'm 16, i'm currently doing my Alevels at Reepham College. I am studying Maths, Art, Photogrpahy and Media. I guess you could say i am quite a creative person from the subjects i have taken.
The reason for doing this blog is for our Media course and many things that we have done are going to be put on here for all to see.
So yeah... this is my first blog..Done! :)
So lets start with the simple things my name is Shannon and i'm 16, i'm currently doing my Alevels at Reepham College. I am studying Maths, Art, Photogrpahy and Media. I guess you could say i am quite a creative person from the subjects i have taken.
The reason for doing this blog is for our Media course and many things that we have done are going to be put on here for all to see.
So yeah... this is my first blog..Done! :)
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