Thursday 12 January 2012
Wednesday 11 January 2012
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Tuesday 13 December 2011
Collateral Analysis
Today we analysed the camera angles, mise-en-scene, sound and editing of a clip from Collateral. Here are my notes on each section.
Thursday 3 November 2011
Analysis of Thriller Openings
Below are my analysis' of the students' final pieces from last year, according to the mark scheme. I have included the marks I awarded them and the marks they actually received.
My favourite opening was 'Suicide on Southward Street' as it had the most varied locations and use of camera angles as well as including some characteristics of thrillers such as mystery and tension.
My favourite opening was 'Suicide on Southward Street' as it had the most varied locations and use of camera angles as well as including some characteristics of thrillers such as mystery and tension.
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Camera Angles and Shots
Close-up: used to show emotion
Extreme Long Shot: up to half a mile away, used to show setting
Low Angle Shot: to show a character as important, intimidating, powerful
High Angle Shot: to show a character is not as important, is a victim, is loved
Wide Angle Shot: shows the significant characters in a scene and links them to setting
Framing Shot: uses the setting/scenery to set a moment in a scene
Point of View: shows a scene through the eyes of a character or protagonist
Two Shot: shows two people in the shot, sometimes isn't purposefully clear, but can be used to show a relationship between two characters
Establishing Shot:
indicates where the action will be, is usually outside
Master Shot:
used at the beginning and end of sections
I will need to use as many of these angles and shots in my preliminary task and final task as well as be able to analyse them when studying different media's.
Representation
The media presents reality in a way they want us to view it. It is represented as how they want it to be seen.
'The media do not offer us a transparent window on the world but a mediated version of the world. They don't just present reality, the re-present it.'
When analysing representation in a piece of media, you need to look at:
'The media do not offer us a transparent window on the world but a mediated version of the world. They don't just present reality, the re-present it.'
Buckingham 2003
When analysing representation in a piece of media, you need to look at:
Gender
Age
Ethnicity
Sexuality
Class/Status
Physical ability/Disability
National/Regional Identity
Monday 3 October 2011
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Storyboard: Karma
NB: I would make the lighting in the whole of the opening darker to add a mysterious effect.
Mise-en-Scene is made up of...
Mise-en-Scene is french for 'put in the scene'
The director decides what is put in the scene and what is not. So everything is there for a reason, and what is not there has been left out for a reason.
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Alfred Hitchcock's: Psycho (1960) 'The Shower Scene'
Mise en Scene
Costume: Female is wearing a silk dressing gown showing she's very feminine and maybe wealthy. Attacker is covered up in something like a thick dressing gown; the face is not covered as the victim will be dead after but we can only see the outline of their face to create the mystery of the killer for the audience. The dressing gown may be worn to show they are staying in the hotel too and have not come in from the street to reduce suspicion of them.
Lighting: everyday, although hard to see in black and white. It is focused on her when in the shower; then the silhouette of the attacker is enhanced for us to be aware of the danger.
Acting: she is casual as she is alone. Rips up the paper she has been writing on and goes to put it in the bin but looks around, considers it and flushes it down the toilet instead; meaning she does not want it to be found and is an important part in the story. As she is washing, the attacker creeps up on her with a knife. She screams loudly but the attacker just stabs her body seven times, then flees. He seems as though he has planned everything and is not hesitant of her murder.
Props: she is writing in a notebook of some kind jotting down notes, which she ends up disposing of showing she has something to hide. The attacker murders her with a knife, by stabbing her slowly, prolonging her death; maybe he is getting revenge.
Setting: the clip starts in the hotel bedroom where she is alone. It is quite standard showing she is most likely staying there alone. She then goes into the bathroom and starts having a shower, which is where the murder takes place.
Camera Angles
Close-up of the blood going down the drain after the murder, signposting it's over; could be a metaphor for her life going down the drain, ending
Extreme close-up of her eye wide open when she is dead, looking surprised, she was not expecting the attack
Framing shot of her in the shower cubicle, washing and unaware of company. This is also the famous shower scene and so it's framed to just include the shower cubicle
Sound
Selective sound of the shower curtain when the attacker announces himself; this also starts the loud, screeching music.
Ambient sound is used when the clip starts; it is very calm and delicate just as the lady is acting. During the stabbing, screeching music is used to emphasise the danger of the scene.
Sound effects are used to emphasise the stabbing which is what kills her
Editing
A reaction shot is used when the lady turns around to find the attacker standing in front of her with knife; it shows the horror and terror on her face
A dissolve shot is used when there is a close up of the water going down the tap which then turns into her eye where it then zooms out; this could be done to show her blood is draining out of her, as is her life.
Monday 26 September 2011
Thursday 22 September 2011
Sunday 18 September 2011
Friday 16 September 2011
Monday 12 September 2011
Sherlock Holmes - Thriller Analysis
Sherlock Holmes (the 2009 film re-make) is a Crime Thriller which also has elements of action, adventure and mystery. There is a lot of violence and mystery as well as death. It also features dark magic and crime solving giving the film it's thriller genre.
The lighting is mostly dark, but natural to the setting. Everything is dirty and dingy as it is set in the industrial period in central London so the air is generally misty and polluted but this effect fits with the ambiance of the film. Although the film is mainly low lighting, in scenes when discussing Irene Adler, Holmes' love interest, the lighting is very bright; this could signify that the film is set through his eyes meaning most things seem dull to him apart from Irene.
There are a lot of mid shots to show the full view of the scene as well as panning when characters are walking to/from the camera. There are also crane shots when a new location is introduced. At intense moments of speech, the camera is close-up to their face with the light focused on them also. In one moment, Dr. Watson pauses as he realizes something. To emphasize this, the camera zoom from a mid shot to a close-up of his face while the sound increases till it stops as the zoom stops.
There is a lot of eerie music throughout the film to emphasise the mystery of the plot. There a chilling non-diegetic sounds inserted to exaggerate moment. When Holmes is describing his process of attack, all diegetic noise is dimmed and he becomes the voice of god narrating his actions, the movement is also slowed. During a fight scene, there is quirky non-diegetic music which speeds up as the fight progresses; the diegetic sound is decreased but the punches and hits are exaggerated, adding to the raciness of the scene. During a chase scene, the edits are fast and so the non-diegetic music increases pace to add anticipation.
The editing of the film is generally slow, although it becomes quick during fights and chases adding pace. There is a scene where Holmes is fighting with a large french man and at a couple of moments, a comic sub-title appears on the screen, as the character's are speaking french, reading 'one moment please' as they are fighting.
Wednesday 7 September 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)