Preliminary

Preliminary Behind the Scenes

Preliminary Planning and Storyboard

Initial Planning

Final Preliminary Storyboards

Modern Thriller Analysis: The Others

The Others Analysis

Preliminary Analysis

Filming Practice, Smashmouth

We had our first chance at filming practice at the beginning of October and were given the task to practise using two camera techniques including shot-reverse-shot and match on action. 

Various examples of match on action are seen mainly when the characters are running around the building and out towards the cars. The first match on action is at 0:12 seconds, and again at 0:19 seconds. This continues throughout the video. A shot-reverse-shot is found between 1:09 seconds and 1:14 seconds where the camera continuously switches between the two characters.

When editing the footage, we came across the song 'All-star' by Smash mouth and found that it particularly complimented the footage. We made sure that the climaxes such as running and large reactions were played with the chorus of the song. At 0:42, you can see that the character begins to run, the chorus starts.

At 1:40, the video begins playing in slow motion which exaggerates the fact that this character has made the wrong decision of going to the wrong car.

Again at 1:58, the camera has a slightly red effect and is played in slow motion as the character falls to the floor (using an eyeliner match by putting the audience in the place of what the character may be experiencing). By using a red tint, the video is conveying that the character may have had blood shot eyes and felt dizzy after being punched.

We faded the music at the end of the video because the video was distracting to end in the middle of the song and so to allow the video to freely and easily end without distraction.

Continuity Editing

Camera Shots and Continuity Editing

180 degree rule

The 180 degree rule mainly to establish/maintain the screen direction of the actors or action within a scene. This makes scenes easier to follow because the angles used by the camera follow a specific guideline that prevents the audience from getting confused.

The line of action is used in the 180 degree rule as a space to show where the camera is able to move.

During the 180 degree rule, the viewers are usually given an establishing shot to give basic geography of the scene and secondly determines the screen direction of the actors.

If the camera does not go over the line of action, then it has successfully completed the 180 degree rule.

Here is an example of how the 180 degree rule is used.

Shot reverse shot

shot reverse shot is a technique where one character is seen looking at another character, this second character is then show looking "back" at the first character. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the audience automatically assumes they are looking at each other.

Shot reverse shots are usually set up with three camera angles. One of both of the characters, one of an over the shoulder shot of character 1, and the same of character 2.

By constantly switching from one character to the other, we are creating a shot reverse shot. It is important to realise that a characters reaction is just as important as the speech, which is why shot reverse shots are used. An example is below,

Match on Action
Match on action is used to allow a scene to continually flow. It is known as a change in perception of the camera without disrupting the scene to enhance the audience's understanding.
This example from youtube of match on action shows at 0.24 seconds where the camera changes shots to see more closely at the dominant character of the scene lighting a match. The camera doesn't disrupt the scene because the subtle change of perception allow the scene to follow on through. 

Title Sequence Analysis-Grease

Title Sequence Analysis-Grease

The opening title was displayed like this at the very beginning of the opening sequence.

All of the main characters like Danny, Sandy, Rizzo and Kenickie were displayed like this.

The minor characters like the T-birds and the Pink ladies were displayed on billboards and as we followed the cars down the street throughout the opening sequence, all of the billboards that we passed had different names on them for the jobs that these people did on the movie.

 

With the order of the titles, I learned that the main characters are always displayed first. This allows for the audience to see who is starring so that they get a better interpretation of the movie before it has begun. The visuals in opening sequence really help the audience to understand the personality traits of all the characters. For example, Kineckie is introduced inside a car, which lets the audience know that he enjoys cars and can be a big tomboy. This is also the case for the T-birds who are introduced wearing black leather jackets! The song "grease" that is played during the opening sequence is bouncy, catchy and very likeable. This allows the audience to presume what type of movie is about to begin. By editing the credits onto billboards (like the above photo) provides an idea of the timeframe that the movie is set, this is because Grease was set in the 1950's and so many advertisements were done using billboards.

Marnie Analysis

Marnie Youtube Analysis Of Robbery Scene

Coraline-Opening title

Coraline-Opening Title 

Coraline is an animation/fantasy/mystery based on a girl who finds a world that is a strangely idealised version of her frustrating home that she lives in, however this supposed 'better' fantasy world contains dark secrets.

At the opening of the title sequence, the credits appear on a red/brown canvas. The writing is supposedly meant to look as if it had been stitched onto the canvas which links in with the  main features of the movie in different ways. This is the first sign of what the movie may entail and key features that appear throughout.

The string instruments that are played at the beginning of the sequences suggest childlike fantasy and slightly puzzling atmosphere. I think this because each note is played slightly different and so the music bounces, creating an unsettling feeling.

The credits that show at first are to show who helped produce the movie.

Again, When the title is shown at 20 seconds into the sequence. It is clearly shown as being stitched onto the canvas, The 'O' in Coraline is replaced with buttons which links in with key features to the movie. soon after the word 'Coraline' is shown, voices of little children begin singing with the soundtrack. This again enforces the childlike fantasy to the movie.

After the movie titles, the credits begin to show names of the voices that are featured. Again the music is still unsettling beats with some 'oo's and 'aah's subtly found. When the animation begins to show, everything that is done in this flows very clearly and nicely. for example, the puppet flows through the window very slowly and controlled, and when cutting the puppet open, the scissors are easily flowing through the material. This suggest smoothness and being able to watch with ease.

Also at the beginning of the scene, we are seeing everything through the eyes of the character that is cutting and changing the puppet. The lead animators credits then show. They are in lower case letters which suggests ease.

The same features are seen through the rest of the opening sequence. These features being the music like that of a nursery rhyme contrasting with the quite dark and slightly sinister narrative of a puppet being cut up and changed into a doll to look like the main character Coraline. The ease and subtlety of the movements within this scene add relaxation. As opposed to being quite rough and sharp with the puppet, the character changing the puppet is very carefully moving. However the scene as a whole could be perceived as slightly disturbing as we do not know who is recreating the puppet or why they are doing it. This allows the audience to be more intrigued to watching the rest of the film, preparing them for what is to come.

As you can see, the end shot is very similar to the first shot with cleverly and nicely finished the title sequence.

Thriller Conventions

Thriller Conventions

The aim for a thriller genre is to create suspense, tension and excitement of the audience. The general thriller can be paced at a steady speed with fast peaks or a breakneck speed. Suspense is a crucial element to creating a well made thriller. It keeps the audience intrigued and "at the edge of their seats". On this blog I will explore closely common plots, character archetypes and examples of sub-genres of a thriller.

Sub-genres

Conspiracy thrillers- In these types of thrillers you would usually find a loved hero in a sticky situation. As the movie/drama progresses, unveiled villains will appear and the situation will be solved. Example: The Bourne Ultimatum with Matt Damon

Crime thrillers- crime thrillers more often than not focus on the criminal activities of the villains and their activities leading up to a crime being done. They are known to emphasise action over psychological contexts. Example: Inside Man

Disaster thrillers- These focus on a journey of a group of people/ person and their fight for survival against natural disasters (such like the movie 2012). It could also include the wrong doing of a human activity causing mankind to be driven to the brink of extinction

Mystery thrillers- These thrillers are based more over on the psychological aspects of ones mind and how the protagonists decode mysteries within their lives. Audiences are usually ones to help unsolved the mysteries. Example: Flight Plan with Jodie Foster

Supernatural thrillers- also linked with horror movies, supernatural thrillers focus on beings of spirit or ghosts that interfere with the life of the protagonist and their journey to unsolving what happens to them. An example of this thriller is "The Others" starring Nicole Kidman.

Character Archetypes and Narrative conventions

a common occurrence in thrillers is a liked character being taken hostage and the protagonists job to find and save them. This is the case in the thriller "Taken" starring Liam Neeson.

Dark light and nighttime is also evident in a lot of thrillers. Like "The Purge", The characters are fleeing around a city during the middle of the night to save themselves from danger.

An even more common plot is the journey to allow good to triumph over evil! this evil could be natural disasters or human caused. eventually the protagonist(s) finds a way to triumph and to eventually have a happy ending that leaves the audience questioning yet praising the outcome. 

more examples:

-protagonist faces death

-the forces of an antagonists may seem initially cleverer than that of the protagonist

-a quest or journey for the protagonist

-a mystery to be solved

-all actions made by characters are usually realistic and believable

-the desire for justice and morality to individuals

- an interesting aspect is the small presence of innocence and optimism in what seems like a corrupt world the allow the audience to believe there is a way out!

-each character is dragged into a dangerous conflict that could result in death.

Introduction

What is Media Studies for?

Media Studies is a way for people of the world to find out more about the production of different types of Media and the affect it has on society. For me, I chose media because i've always been interested in the production and making of movies and the way in which certain/different people get portrayed through direct media such as magazines or the news.

My taste in films, directors and actors are not so typical for most teenagers. Although I do enjoy old classics and rom-coms such like Grease and The Notebook, I enjoy films with a deeper meaning. For example, The Fault in Our Stars pictured above is not so much of a typical love story, but more a truthful real life scenario based on events that could really happen! 

I chose to embed the Great Gatsby trailer from youtube because I love this film! Not only do I love the actors such as Leonardo Dicaprio and Carey Mulligan, but the 1920's costumes and culture within the film is particularly likeable. I also enjoy the music in parts of the movie (such like the beginning of the trailer) because it compliments the atmosphere very well which is unexpected given the time that this movie is set in combined with the very 21st century music.