http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auSAGvpM7W8&feature=youtu.be
The clip uses continuity editing throughout to ensure a smooth transition between shots which is logical. At the very beginning of the clip, the boy's disability is brought to the audience's attention, the camera begins at a low shot when the boy is speaking and then raises as the dad says his line, this emphasises the fact the boy is 'lower down' than his father and relies on him for care and support. Another camera editing technique which is used is shot-reverse shot and the over the shoulder shot. This technique is used to show the conversation between the call girl and the boy's dad towards the start of the clip and shows the audience the scene from the eyes of the call girl as she asks for the form. Another example of a shot-reverse shot is when she is locking the door. This technique is followed by the use of cut on motion. As the dad lifts the boy and begins to lower him to place him on the bed, the shot cuts to a scene of him actually on the bed, this distracts the audience from any editing cuts which may have been made.
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Analysis of sound and representation of disability
Having analysed the clip, it was apparent that there was a frequent use of non diagetic sounds. The sountracks and sound effects which had been applied to the scenes contributed to an atmosphere of tension and awkwardness.
For the first couple of minutes of the clip, a soundtrack was absent. This was most likely intentional as it caused the scene to become extremely uncomfortable for the audience. Another reason for its absense was because it enabled the audience to be put in the shoes of the characters and feel for themselves a setting of silence.
Another observation of the clip was the dialogue used. The frequent use of short and snappy lines made for a feeling of wanting to skip to the reason why they were there in the first place, and to avoid having to engage in coversation. Unfinished sentences also created an awkward setting. One example of this is when the call girl went to the lock the front door, by unfinishing the sentence she was trying to say, it showed the audience that she was fearful to explain herself as to why she wanted to lock the door to start with. Frequent pauses between characters lines helped build up a sorrounding of tension and added to the quiet ambience of the appartment. Due to the fact the character's voices were quite timid, it drew the audience in and encouraged them to wait in anticipation to what the next line would be. How the dialogue was presented constructed empathy for the characters, mainly the disabled boy, who we felt sorry for, for the situation he had to go through to experience what a boy of his age would.
In order to emphasise the sound of the locking of the door, a microphone would have been placed over or near it to ensure the audience was aware of its significance. The heightened sound of the lock showed that the boy felt unaware and anxious.
A sound bridge began in the scene of the dad waiting in curiosity in the car and continuted to the scene of the boy and the call girl on the bed. The music was expressing an emotion of anticipation as well as an emotion of sadness. Despite the fact it was approaching a love scene, the boy appeared to be vulnerable due to the call girl's dominance and the fact he had placed himself in this situation.
Overall, the idea of the clip is to force the viewers to feel awkward and uncomfortable, just like the characters and to express a build up of events although the audience was fully aware of the reason the boy arrived at her appartment.
For the first couple of minutes of the clip, a soundtrack was absent. This was most likely intentional as it caused the scene to become extremely uncomfortable for the audience. Another reason for its absense was because it enabled the audience to be put in the shoes of the characters and feel for themselves a setting of silence.
Another observation of the clip was the dialogue used. The frequent use of short and snappy lines made for a feeling of wanting to skip to the reason why they were there in the first place, and to avoid having to engage in coversation. Unfinished sentences also created an awkward setting. One example of this is when the call girl went to the lock the front door, by unfinishing the sentence she was trying to say, it showed the audience that she was fearful to explain herself as to why she wanted to lock the door to start with. Frequent pauses between characters lines helped build up a sorrounding of tension and added to the quiet ambience of the appartment. Due to the fact the character's voices were quite timid, it drew the audience in and encouraged them to wait in anticipation to what the next line would be. How the dialogue was presented constructed empathy for the characters, mainly the disabled boy, who we felt sorry for, for the situation he had to go through to experience what a boy of his age would.
In order to emphasise the sound of the locking of the door, a microphone would have been placed over or near it to ensure the audience was aware of its significance. The heightened sound of the lock showed that the boy felt unaware and anxious.
A sound bridge began in the scene of the dad waiting in curiosity in the car and continuted to the scene of the boy and the call girl on the bed. The music was expressing an emotion of anticipation as well as an emotion of sadness. Despite the fact it was approaching a love scene, the boy appeared to be vulnerable due to the call girl's dominance and the fact he had placed himself in this situation.
Overall, the idea of the clip is to force the viewers to feel awkward and uncomfortable, just like the characters and to express a build up of events although the audience was fully aware of the reason the boy arrived at her appartment.
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Analysis of camera work
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTQDipfN8JA&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLFB82E5E1AA5FBC19
The opening of the clip is an example of a Dolly shot. This is a small, smooth movement across the set, setting the scene. The next technique which they have used is an over the shoulder shot. This shot in this particular scene points out the fact Amy has come to him for advice or help emphasising her inferiority. This continues on to a pan of the courtyard and into a medium long shot. The pan of the courtyard scans over the scene, enabling the audience to get an idea as to where the characters are situated and also confirming that as Amy stated she needed to ask the boy something, that this was not an appropriate time. The medium long shot of Amy framed her from head to knee, enabling the audience to catch a glimpse of her costume which in itself gave us an idea as to her role and age within the clip.
As Amy sat inside the car, the mood of the scene and her facial expression automatically told us that there was a sense of confusion. At this point, the camera did a close up shot of her, displaying her face and upper body, however still showing the audience a little of the sorrounding, we were still able to see that she was sat in the car which was a vital prop in the upcoming scenes. At this point, ,the audience can only assume something bad is about to happen. The next scene is a wide shot of the car crash. This emphasises a change of location aswell as allowing us to have a clear view of the car accident and the impact it had on the area sorrounding it, or how it appeared to the characters. The next shot is of the headmaster. This is a medium long shot, from head to knee letting us view his costume to remind the audience of his authority by the way he is dressed.
When Amy's guardian discovers she hasnt sat a single exam, the mood heightens. The use of camera work helps us to identify this. The shots alternate between Amy and her guardian, emphasising the height difference, he is after all a lot taller and this embraces his power over her, it also helps the audience to see how angry and dissapointed he is by 'looking down' on Amy. This is followed by a close up two shot, it allows us to see the emotion on their faces and to see how vulnerable Amy is at this time, this scene wants all our attention to be on feelings at this point. A long shot of the headmasters office helps set the scene and change of location, it allows us to be drawn into the situation and almost feel a sense of power as we observe the high class decor of the room, emphasising a serious moment in time.
As the two adults converse, this is displayed as a low angle shot, this gives a sign of authority like we are looking up to them and take into consideration what they are saying. The camera tilts towards the first goodbye note as Amy packs to leave, this creates a sense of disorentation and drama. The camera then pans to the next letter, a slow movement. Then, it zooms onto the photograph, this focuses our attention on this particular image and in this instance shows what she is leaving behind.
As we approach the end of the clip, the camera takes a seat outside of the window peering in. This allows us to see events through the eyes of Amy and understand how she feels, pushed out. Despite the camera framing inside the window, we are still able to see the window frame, reminding us of the windows importance, and how Amy chose to remove herself from that situation.
When her guardian is informed about her exit, the camera returns to his eye level to show the guilt he feels and to experience it through the eyes of him.
The opening of the clip is an example of a Dolly shot. This is a small, smooth movement across the set, setting the scene. The next technique which they have used is an over the shoulder shot. This shot in this particular scene points out the fact Amy has come to him for advice or help emphasising her inferiority. This continues on to a pan of the courtyard and into a medium long shot. The pan of the courtyard scans over the scene, enabling the audience to get an idea as to where the characters are situated and also confirming that as Amy stated she needed to ask the boy something, that this was not an appropriate time. The medium long shot of Amy framed her from head to knee, enabling the audience to catch a glimpse of her costume which in itself gave us an idea as to her role and age within the clip.
As Amy sat inside the car, the mood of the scene and her facial expression automatically told us that there was a sense of confusion. At this point, the camera did a close up shot of her, displaying her face and upper body, however still showing the audience a little of the sorrounding, we were still able to see that she was sat in the car which was a vital prop in the upcoming scenes. At this point, ,the audience can only assume something bad is about to happen. The next scene is a wide shot of the car crash. This emphasises a change of location aswell as allowing us to have a clear view of the car accident and the impact it had on the area sorrounding it, or how it appeared to the characters. The next shot is of the headmaster. This is a medium long shot, from head to knee letting us view his costume to remind the audience of his authority by the way he is dressed.
When Amy's guardian discovers she hasnt sat a single exam, the mood heightens. The use of camera work helps us to identify this. The shots alternate between Amy and her guardian, emphasising the height difference, he is after all a lot taller and this embraces his power over her, it also helps the audience to see how angry and dissapointed he is by 'looking down' on Amy. This is followed by a close up two shot, it allows us to see the emotion on their faces and to see how vulnerable Amy is at this time, this scene wants all our attention to be on feelings at this point. A long shot of the headmasters office helps set the scene and change of location, it allows us to be drawn into the situation and almost feel a sense of power as we observe the high class decor of the room, emphasising a serious moment in time.
As the two adults converse, this is displayed as a low angle shot, this gives a sign of authority like we are looking up to them and take into consideration what they are saying. The camera tilts towards the first goodbye note as Amy packs to leave, this creates a sense of disorentation and drama. The camera then pans to the next letter, a slow movement. Then, it zooms onto the photograph, this focuses our attention on this particular image and in this instance shows what she is leaving behind.
As we approach the end of the clip, the camera takes a seat outside of the window peering in. This allows us to see events through the eyes of Amy and understand how she feels, pushed out. Despite the camera framing inside the window, we are still able to see the window frame, reminding us of the windows importance, and how Amy chose to remove herself from that situation.
When her guardian is informed about her exit, the camera returns to his eye level to show the guilt he feels and to experience it through the eyes of him.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
Analysis of Mise En Scene displaying represetation of age
Our task was to analyse the Mise En Scene in the clip, finding the ways in which it showed a representation of age, paying close attention to the costumes of the characters, the setting, the props which were used and the character's body language.
One observation of Mise En Scene was the costumes. Near the start of the clip, the girl is dressed in casual clothing, showing a sign of youth, she is not dressed in any sort of work clothing or any elaborate wear, but rather dressing for comfort. It also appeared that the headmaster was clothed in traditional, sophisticated clothing for example a sweater which would usually be linked with an elderly person, someone of authority or with intelligence to a certain degree. His grey facial hair also offers a clue to his age, and therefore his superiority over the girl as he discovers her address and demands to take her back.
Another observation of the clip was the setting and location of the scene. The location plays a huge role in the feeling and mood of the scene, and also helps the audience to engage and become part of the clip they are viewing. One setting in particular which represented age was the headmaster's office. It may not be taken into consideration at first, however if the decor is closely observed you will find that it emphasises the age of its owner. A large room, with oak panneling shows a sign of greatness as it can be referred to a bulding of power such as a palace and a more expensive arrangement in comparison to that of a person in their youth. One of the scenes is based around the crash which the girl has caused, this shows a sign of carelessness on her behalf.
At the beginning of the clip, the audience are shown a group of men carrying hammers and other building eqiuipment, this shows a sign of masculinity and domination, that of a fully grown adult compared to someone in their teens, a person with a respectable role. In the headmasters office, the girls carer is offered a drink of brandy, which is a high class drink as opposed to beer or soft drinks which would be offered in a less authoratative scenario. As the girl prepares to be sent away, we a shown a quick scan of her bedroom. Here, objects such as teddy bears and girly decorations can be found, as well as a child-like writing style on her going away cards which she has left. All these clues tell the audience that she still has very child like manner as well as interests.
The final section of the Mise En Scene is the body language. As the girl confirms that she 'passed her test first time' we can instantly see she was hesitant to answer which shows she is trying to take on skills which she is not able to do, such as driving. As she enters the car with a blank stare at the controls, the audience can see she feels anxious and confused as she continuously repeats them as if she is unsure. This is yet another instance when she shows her true age. After crashing the car, the headmaster arrived and pointed his finger at her, as if to remind her of the damage she has caused, this is also a sign of authority. Automatically, she runs to her carer for comfort, like a small child unable to fight their own battles and instead gain support from their guardian.
Overall, the clip is a good representation of age as it shows the inferiority of a teenager in comparison to her carer. It shows her to be defensless and dependant on those around her to guide her through troubles.
One observation of Mise En Scene was the costumes. Near the start of the clip, the girl is dressed in casual clothing, showing a sign of youth, she is not dressed in any sort of work clothing or any elaborate wear, but rather dressing for comfort. It also appeared that the headmaster was clothed in traditional, sophisticated clothing for example a sweater which would usually be linked with an elderly person, someone of authority or with intelligence to a certain degree. His grey facial hair also offers a clue to his age, and therefore his superiority over the girl as he discovers her address and demands to take her back.
Another observation of the clip was the setting and location of the scene. The location plays a huge role in the feeling and mood of the scene, and also helps the audience to engage and become part of the clip they are viewing. One setting in particular which represented age was the headmaster's office. It may not be taken into consideration at first, however if the decor is closely observed you will find that it emphasises the age of its owner. A large room, with oak panneling shows a sign of greatness as it can be referred to a bulding of power such as a palace and a more expensive arrangement in comparison to that of a person in their youth. One of the scenes is based around the crash which the girl has caused, this shows a sign of carelessness on her behalf.
At the beginning of the clip, the audience are shown a group of men carrying hammers and other building eqiuipment, this shows a sign of masculinity and domination, that of a fully grown adult compared to someone in their teens, a person with a respectable role. In the headmasters office, the girls carer is offered a drink of brandy, which is a high class drink as opposed to beer or soft drinks which would be offered in a less authoratative scenario. As the girl prepares to be sent away, we a shown a quick scan of her bedroom. Here, objects such as teddy bears and girly decorations can be found, as well as a child-like writing style on her going away cards which she has left. All these clues tell the audience that she still has very child like manner as well as interests.
The final section of the Mise En Scene is the body language. As the girl confirms that she 'passed her test first time' we can instantly see she was hesitant to answer which shows she is trying to take on skills which she is not able to do, such as driving. As she enters the car with a blank stare at the controls, the audience can see she feels anxious and confused as she continuously repeats them as if she is unsure. This is yet another instance when she shows her true age. After crashing the car, the headmaster arrived and pointed his finger at her, as if to remind her of the damage she has caused, this is also a sign of authority. Automatically, she runs to her carer for comfort, like a small child unable to fight their own battles and instead gain support from their guardian.
Overall, the clip is a good representation of age as it shows the inferiority of a teenager in comparison to her carer. It shows her to be defensless and dependant on those around her to guide her through troubles.
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Analysis of video clip - Age/Tennage stereotypes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9txb4LYEFHo
I chose this clip from Waterloo Road as i believe that it represents teenagers in a particular way as a result of the storyline and the setting.
Waterloo Road is fixated on the idea of a typical public school filled with the sterotypical teenager from a broken home. The clip shows two teenage girls in the toilets of their school disgussing taking drugs later that night with friends. The scene from this British drama emphasises teenage law breaking and curisosity to take drugs in order to fit in. It makes it appear as though all teenagers have had an experience with a drug related issue.
Teens are often stereotyped as people that get pleasure out of anti social behaviour and are often linked to parties and drug use. The dialogue between the two girls in the cublicle shows them to be unaware of the dangers they could face, as if to say teenagers often dont know what situations they get themselves into. The typical audience of the drama are around this age group and therefore it is a priority that it appeals to them.
I chose this clip from Waterloo Road as i believe that it represents teenagers in a particular way as a result of the storyline and the setting.
Waterloo Road is fixated on the idea of a typical public school filled with the sterotypical teenager from a broken home. The clip shows two teenage girls in the toilets of their school disgussing taking drugs later that night with friends. The scene from this British drama emphasises teenage law breaking and curisosity to take drugs in order to fit in. It makes it appear as though all teenagers have had an experience with a drug related issue.
Teens are often stereotyped as people that get pleasure out of anti social behaviour and are often linked to parties and drug use. The dialogue between the two girls in the cublicle shows them to be unaware of the dangers they could face, as if to say teenagers often dont know what situations they get themselves into. The typical audience of the drama are around this age group and therefore it is a priority that it appeals to them.
Key concepts within media studies
Some of the key concepts within Media are Media language, representation, audience and institutions.
Media language involves a range of different concepts such as cinematography. Cinematography involves different uses of camera work and technique such as its positioning and the different angles it is placed at in order to create different shots and images within a film. Another aspect of the Media language is editing, which involve special effects and transitions. Special effects within a film help bring a scene to life. Sound is another Media concept which includes diagetic and non diagetic sounds. Diagetic sound meaning the noise and sounds which the characters hear themselves such as the scripts they are performing, or the directions coming from the director. Non diagetic sounds on the other hand are sound which only the audience of the film itself can hear, these include soundtracks and background music to help create tension and suspense within a film, or to emphasise a sad scene. Mise en scene is a term used to describe the things involved on a film set, these include the costumes that the actors and actresses are wearing and even the lighting.
The concept of representation means how a certain type or group of people are portrayed on screen. This relates to sterotyping, an opinion we get on a certain group and a belief that they are all alike based on how we view one member or an idea we are given from others. Certain groups which may be portrayed differently within a film may be based on gender, age, ethnicity and religion.
The audience within the Media are the people that view the finished product after it has been distributed and exibited. Institutions within the Media are the producers, the people that create the film, the distributors and the exibitors, people such as cinemas which put the film on display.
Media language involves a range of different concepts such as cinematography. Cinematography involves different uses of camera work and technique such as its positioning and the different angles it is placed at in order to create different shots and images within a film. Another aspect of the Media language is editing, which involve special effects and transitions. Special effects within a film help bring a scene to life. Sound is another Media concept which includes diagetic and non diagetic sounds. Diagetic sound meaning the noise and sounds which the characters hear themselves such as the scripts they are performing, or the directions coming from the director. Non diagetic sounds on the other hand are sound which only the audience of the film itself can hear, these include soundtracks and background music to help create tension and suspense within a film, or to emphasise a sad scene. Mise en scene is a term used to describe the things involved on a film set, these include the costumes that the actors and actresses are wearing and even the lighting.
The concept of representation means how a certain type or group of people are portrayed on screen. This relates to sterotyping, an opinion we get on a certain group and a belief that they are all alike based on how we view one member or an idea we are given from others. Certain groups which may be portrayed differently within a film may be based on gender, age, ethnicity and religion.
The audience within the Media are the people that view the finished product after it has been distributed and exibited. Institutions within the Media are the producers, the people that create the film, the distributors and the exibitors, people such as cinemas which put the film on display.
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