http://prezi.com/ek_0fze2veih/charlies-blog/
Propp’s theory.
The Help.
The hero: Skeeter, Skeeter is the hero because she is trying to help the black maids and portrays their side of events. Her book is there to give black people at the hope time and risks her life to help them and show their side of events.
The villain: Miss Hilly. She is a racist and sacks her maid because her maid using the inside toilet. She treats them badly throughout and lies about her maid and treats everyone badly.
The donor: Minny Jackson. Gives her stories about her treatment as a maid and risks her own life to help Skeeter.
The helper: Aibileen Clark. Helps her with her stories and is the first maid to help her start the book.
The princess: All black maids. They are all being helped with the book being written.
The dispatcher: The editor of the book sends her on the task to write the stories from their point of view.
The false villain: Her mother is portrayed throughout the film as a bad person who has messed up her life and doesn’t support her daughter. However at the end she defends her against Miss Hilly.
Overall I believe both theories have an element of truth about them, however not all films follow these conventions.
The film only uses snippets of film. This creates suspense. They also use a handheld camera which creates the idea that this has all been filmed by the actors which creates the effect of real life. The 'villain' in the film is not seen which creates the idea of the unknown, adding more fear for the audience.
A sub genre.
A sub genre is a genre within a main genre. This can be linked across many genres however. There are different sub genres to make up all genres. So taking two genres and combining them to make a sub genre.
A hybrid sub genre.
A hybrid sub genre is a taking more than one sub genre and putting them together, for example disaster and crime.
The audience are introduced to her mother, whom we believe to be rubbish, and ends up being a caring mother.
His father who has alzeimers, his sister and her son. Who are all very likeable.
They use high key lighting to keep everything fun.
They use an up beat pop song sat the end of the film so that everyone knows they will be together. This song is 'Hey soul sister' by Train.
She hears him saying to his sister thjat he doesnt love her and therefore avoids him, however he gives abig romantic gesture and that gets her back.
Action movies: The conventions of an action movie is:
Dialogue: They often use short, effective words to create a good impact. Often use catchphrases. The often use an interrogation and this is when they give all of the information in one go.
Camera work: During a car chase they often use high angle shots to capture the full image of the chase. They alos use quick transitions between shots in order to confuse the audience and make them feel as if they are part of the chase.
There is usually a goodie and a baddie, usually an organisation. There is also a fake hero who turns out to be a villain. For example, in the film Salt, we believe Detective Salt to be a good guy, however we are shocked to find out she might not be, we are also shocked to find out that her boss is actually a baddie, she kills him.
Objects always include fast cars/bikes, dangerous chases, usually include jumping off buildings, etc.. They always have weaponary and dark clothing.
The plot is usually a good guy in search of answers, which they get, they then go after the bad guy, and usually they manage to kill them and end their threat.
This is an extreme wide shot which are generally used in films to set the scene, usually at the beginning. 
This is a very wide shot, these can also be used to set a scene at the beginning of the film. 
This is a mid shot which is used in order to capture gestures that a character makes, a standard shot for directors. 
This is a medium close up as it is table height, we still see their gestures, however we are more able to see more of the minute facial expressions. 
This is an extreme close up and is used rarely in films, it is used for effect and posters mostly. 
This is cut in shot which focuses on certain parts of the body. Not used often in film and tv. 
This is a weather shot and is used in journalism and also in films where weather is important, for example, the day after tomorrow. 
This is an example of Shot reverse shot. It is used to capture the emotions of the two characters during a set of dialogue! Usually the camera will look at the character who is speaking. 
This is the 180 degree rule. This is where the camera can only stay on one side of the action, if it were to break the rule, the audience would feel disorientated. Sometimes the directore purposely breaks this rule, for example in 'The Shining' Jack Nicholson is talking to another character in the bathroom, however when the director breaks the 180 degree rule we understand that he is actually talking to himself. 
This is an example of match on action as it looks to the audience as if the camera has followed the man as he opens the door and then enters it. It is as if this is happening in real time and is one fluid action.
Film Evaluation 
I recently watched a film called, 'Me, Myself and Irene.' It is a film starring Jim Carrey and Renee Zellweger. The plot is a police officer whos life seems to be perfect turns upside down when he is driven home from his marriage. His wife falls in love with the black, dwarf chauffuer, when she is giving birth, Carrey believes the children are his, however when his wife has three black babies, he starts to get suspicious however says nothing about it. His wife then runs away with the chauffuer amd leaves him with the three children. Even though he is devastated, he says nothing. He then loses all respect in the community and people treat him as though he is nothing to them. One day, he suddenly flips and an alter ego - Hank, is born. He is a rude, angry and horny man who has no consideration to others thoughts or feelings. The total opposite to Charlie. Then one day, a pretty young lady called Irene (Zellweger) apperas in Charlie's life as a woman who is secretely in deadly danger from a few bent coppers. Charlie/Hank must try and save Irene from them and return her to New York safety. However on the journey Charlie/Hank falls for Irene and both men are in competition to win the young girls heart.
This image below is my favourite part of the film. The use of the close up highlight Carrey's acting as he transforms from Charlie to Hank. It captures the minute facial expressions which makes this moment even funnier.
Mrs Browns Boys.
I recently saw a comedy series about an Irish grandmother who has a house full of her grown up kids. The series follows her day to day life with her children and the issues she has to face, usually because of them. She is a conventional old lady however, she swears, she drinks and makes inappropriate jokes with her friend: 'Winny.'
I like this program as it doesnt try to hide the fact it is in a studio and often makes 'mistakes,' forexample a camera man might get in the shot, the actor playing playing Agnes Brown would then acknowledge this and make a joke out of it. I think this is hilarious as it isnt trying to fool the audience and even though it breaks the idea of being emmersed in the program itself, the keep the audiences attention the whole way through and usually these mistakes as to the humour.
This is one of the moments where they break the illusion and allow us to laugh with the actors:
I also enjoy the moments when Mrs Brown talks directly to the audience. We know there is an audience as we see them during the opening credits, which again breaks the illusion however it doesnt matter as it makes the comedy of the show more effective.
This the moment where Mrs Browns has mistaken drugs for sleeping pills and is feeling the effect.
My ventures and how they apply to media.
I have recently been in a production of 'where the mangrove grows' in the Latchmere theatre. I played the part of Shaun, a troubled young boys in care. He has a care worker, 'Mike' who has many issues of his own. Shaun has quite a difficult life in the care home and a turbulent relationship with his carer. He owns a book which he 'borrowed' from the library. It is all about African mangrove swamps. When Shaun looks out of the window of his bedroom, he believe he can see a mangrove, however Mike dashes this dream telling him it is an oak tree in a park. When their friendship reaches breaking point, 'Charles' appears. He is an African man who has come to take Shaun away from the clutches of this care home and back to Africa to meet his wife, 'Mrs Charles' and his many children. Whether this is Shaun's imagination or Charles is real, is down to the audience and how they react to the play. One day, Mike catches Shaun trying to climb out of his Attic room window to get down to see Charles.. He can also see that Shaun has broken his chair in making a paddle with which Charles and Shaun can travel into the mangroves. However Mike walks in before Shaun can escape and performs a devastating act of abuse on Shaun, this violation drives Shaun to commiting suicide. He hangs himself by the red tie given to him by Mike earlier in the play. 
The play is very topical at the moment. It mirrors what is occuring in the media today, in specific, the Jimmy Saville case. The media are presenting him as a total villain who did this just because he could. However the play explores the inner workings of a 'paedophiles' mind, and particularly, what drives them to carry out these disgusting acts. There are many psychological issues with abusers which should be taken into account, it isn't the 1 dimestional casre that the media present it to be. The play didn't show Mike to be a victim, what he did was wrong, however we explored issues with family, home life, his love for the young boy (my character) and his want for Shauns attention. Shaun, of course, is the victim in this tale of woe, however Mike isn't the monster the media would portry him to be, he and Shaun shared many happy moments throughout the play, and it was only the very end when this is abuse occurred. Planning for Preliminary.
Cameraman: Charlie. (Me)
Editor: Brolin
Director: Daniel.
We started by thinking about a genre we wanted to centre our Preliminary task around. We decided to use a crime genre as the conventions aren't difficult to include, also we found this the most interesting as a group and wanted to appeal to people our age as this is something we can all sympathise with and we understand what our generation want.
We started by created a script. We wanted to make it sound dramatic whilst keeping it simple. After this, I went to find a suitable location for our chosen plot (a mafia boss giving an order to a servant). I went to find an office in the school that would be suitable for us.
Once we found this we drew up a storyboard of what we wanted to happen in each scene:
Once this was done, I was given the task of creating the floor plans for each storyboard. As I knew the layout of the office and after speaking to Daniel, ( the Director) I was able to simply draw the floor plans whilst drawing in the positions of the camera. I then drew in where the characters would be at each moment. It was quite easy as we made sure the plot was simple yet effective. So most of the scene was stationary in the office. Here are the individual floor plans:
After this, we created a shot list, this was done as it is easier for us to film and cuts out a lot of time as we knew what he had to do at each moment due to the schedule created for us. He described the shots required, scene numbers and descriptions of the shots. So Daniel and I knew where we had to position the camera.
Evaluation of our Preliminary task.
Our Preliminary was a simple story about a man being given a task by his boss. We were going to make it a comedy and add a surprise twist at the end, however making a comedy can be diffcult, and maybe what we find funny on the day, could in fact, be abismal when watching it back. We therefore played it safe and decided that a simple story would allow us to focus more on the media side rather than creating something to make people laugh as it could distract us from the point of the task.
We therefore decided that the genre of the film is crime/thriller. We took examples from classic gangster films like the Godfather or Goodfellas.
We decided to aim for a young adult to middle aged audience, like the Godfather.
We had three members of our group. I was the camera man, Daniel was director and actor and Brolin was editor and actor. As we had no lighting available I had to look for a location with the perfect lighting.
We wanted to create a simple but effective piece of drama that would enable us to focus on what was needed from the media side of the task rather than the acting. However Daniel and Brolin both do drama as well as myself so we weren't too worried about it.
We wanted to include, match on action, over the shoulder shots and not break the 180 degree rule. We also wanted to use a variety of other shots and explore the most effective of the ones used. This is very much like the Godfather, especially the scenes with Don Corleone.
When making the film we discussed how to use different techniques. When using the camera we used different levels, close ups, etc.. to highlight the status of the two characters in the scene and the intimidation. We also used diegetic sound to create more of an atmosphere and to highlight the threat and tone of the scene. We decided not to use props and keep it plain. I think cutting away to a prop would break the tension of the scene, we therefore decided to have long takes and only cut to the two characters. At the start of the scene, I chose to follow Daniel to the door using a handheld camera which makes the scene look realistic. We then had match on action of Daniel opening the door and then entering the door. This was difficult and we had to time it perfectly so that it looked realistic. Credit to Brolin - the editor as he was able to time this perfectly.
Here is our main task:
Main task:
Here is a scene from Warrior, this highlights the floating image idea, it's clever as it again shows the scenes, but it doesn't use too much film time and still has an impact on us as we get the information we need through a unique, interesting way. This isn't a part of the film, however we have taken influence from a video that someone has created.
However we weren't sure whether we would be able to do this and didnt want to get ahead of ourselves, so we looked at other opening credits to find some that are exciting and make the audience feel obliged to keep watching.
The opening credits to Resevoir dogs is very interesting as it starts with a small scene, it then goes into them walking toward the camera, as they walk the camera goes into close up of the individual characters with the actors name below. Once the get far enough away, it blacks out and the rest of the credits are introduced. They use a cheery song to lull us into a fall sense of security. Gradually a man screaming in pain gets louder as the music fades out, this is a section from much later on in the film, but Tarrantino uses it at the beginning to keep us interested in his film and intrigued enough to keep watching. I think this is clever as this introduction of screaming before the light comes back means we are instantly hooked and intrigued, this will then carry us on so that we can watch the film. Here are the credits. Brilliant!
Audience.
We are doing action, mystery, crime. We are doing opening credits in this style as we want it to be intriguing and exciting. From our research we found that the opening credits of a lot of action films are the most creative. For example Reservoir dogs or Kill Bill.
As a group we looked at the most common audience with action films.
We found that young people aged 18 – 44 are the most common types of action movie watchers. We also found that males were more inclined to watch an action film and that people without kids are more interested.
This is down to the fast paced action of films which is more appealing to a younger audience, however not too young as the action film would have to lower it’s content to allow younger audience members. Which is why most action films are ‘18.’
The fact that more males watch the film is interesting as it means we will have to add more of a masculine edge to the opening credits. More bachelors watch this style of genre as they don’t have children to ruin their lives. They can happily indulge their love of action films without having to worry about their children and whether the ‘content is suitable.’
We took this information and decided it was best to take this further when filming. We will use more sound to add suspense and excitement to the task. We will also use content which may be frightening to younger viewers, to enhance the target audience’s experience.
Criminal Minds Case Study.
Myself and my group were asked to write a case study on the crime drama: Criminal minds.
We decided to split this into four categories and each of us would write about these categories.
Summary - Nasmin.
Representations - Nile.
Camera/Mise en scene - Mica.
Genre conventions - Charlie, (me). Summary. (Nasmin)
For my case study it was based on Criminal Minds, this airs ever night at 9pm on Sky Living.I watch this program every night however i will be basing this summary on the most recent episode. Within this episode briefly, it was about a convict whom had escaped from an ambulance after suffering from a bad allergic reaction. He continued killing people and stitched his victims mouth shut as his signature mark.
Within this episode it had touched on many different things such as disability and communication.
On the bases of disability the convict found that although he had a hearing aid he preferred to use sign language as he had restricted himself for a long time from speaking. This was really well presented within this clip with the great use of flash backs, two-shots and fade in’ of white and black. These techniques made the transition very smooth. As the transitions took place to highlighting the reality and distinctively when he has gone back to remembering himself as a child what it was like for him growing up having to deal with the difficulty of not being able to hear properly, having a stutter which made him conscious of people’s views on him and even after he had the opportunity to hear he still used sign language to communicate with others.
Communication on the other hand had been representing clearly, however they also highlighted the issues it may rise in the work place such as the office when dealing with criminals on a day to day basis. Good communication is key, when working as a team, as everyone should be able to understand each other and work effectively with one another.
If there is a communication barrier, this would result in others having the wrong interpretation of something which may have been vital. However the over the shoulder shots, close ups, two-shots and medium shot of two characters illustrate this well as one confronts the other about the interruption which had happened, making it so that the point which was to be given to the entire team so they were aware of the case had gone a miss. This can cause conflict within the work place amongst workers – teammates. We can see the frustration in which one feels towards the situation through the close up shot of his face but also the medium shot which illustrates the tension in his neck and bluntness within his shoulders.
This was a great episode, but looking at it from a media student perspective you are able to pick apart a scene and read into each characters emotion using mis-en-scene something as simple as the natural lighting in the room, the diegetic/ non-diegetic sound and many camera techniques. And the pan which is used in the group discussion is a great technique used by the camera man to capture everyone and their body language; we can get the full feel of the entire room and not just one person. We get jump cuts also from the entire room to activates happening outside the briefing room- of the criminal back to a quick close up of one of the members of the team asking a probing question.
Genre Conventions. (Charlie)
When looking at crime drama we have to establish the Conventions of this genre. Criminal Minds fits under the category of a ‘crime drama,’ as it conforms to the conventional Police Procedural drama. It contains a hierarchal relationship between officers and a fight to find the criminal. However the programme differs in its exploration of the criminal rather than the crime. The central characters of the piece are all highly trained, special agents who deal with high profile, exaggerated cases. For example – a psychiatrist serial killer who murders people using their deepest fears. This is an unrealistic storyline for a conventional crime drama; however it provides entertainment for viewers. As television progresses, the conventions of Crime Drama are also changing. We are no longer in a World of realism and sense ‘The Bill,’ we have now plunged into a state of unrealistic storylines, characters, etc. In order to entertain the public.
The narrative of the piece as we are taken on a journey through the minds of the criminals, we see flashbacks to their childhood for example and we see a clear correlation between the way they were treated and the way they now treat others. However realism is shunned again when looking at the characters, especially the law enforcement team. They are all special agents, they all carry guns in holsters and have intense debates about the case and what they believe the answer is. These are then followed by miraculous brainwaves which give them the solution to the whole investigation. A convention we now see in so many crime dramas, however sadly not in reality.
The use of props is also important. We going to a location where a crime has been committed, we often see the conventional objects we would expect to find, a line of tape to cordon off the area, a forensics team investigating the murder, etc.. However when the climax reaches and the officers finally find the criminals whereabouts, they often run in, wearing no armour and no reinforcements, thus glamorising the police giving them a brave, heroic status, which is again something we wouldn’t find in reality.
The conventions of a Police Procedural drama would be investigations, which are often shown, meetings to discuss the evidence found, however these often break out into heated arguments and the excitement of the ‘chase’ without the responsibilities that the police have to face when solving a crime.
The audience are constantly made to feel a sense of tense excitement which is resolved at the end of the programme when the ‘killer is caught,’ which is a convention of all Crime Thrillers. Nevertheless, reality tells us something different, solving a crime can be an extensive task where police spend hours looking at evidence, dwelling over paperwork and waiting for a breakthrough, (The Wire) however crime dramas cut these moments out due to the lack of entertainment experienced, thus making it an hour long, action packed thriller, which may not resemble reality, but it provides the amusement we crave and means we continue watching.
Representation (Nile).
Criminal Mind's is a tv show in which an elite group of profilers analyse the nation's most dangerous criminal minds in an effort to anticipate their next moves before they strike again.
Above are the key members of the Criminal Minds team, from left to right, we can see: Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), Shemar Moore (Derek Morgan), and A.J. Cook (Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau), Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss), Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia), Matthew Gray Gubler (Spencer Reid) and Thomas Gibson, who plays Aaron Hotchner.
The majority of key investigators in Criminal Minds are male and this is, in fact, still the case today. You’ll find there are many more male investigators than female investigators. Female characters in crime shows or crime films are usually used for “eye-candy” for men hence their looks. The women, all three of them, have young, attractive faces which was obviously deliberately when casting. Also, they could be there just to give males a helping hand. As you can see, the men have more prevalence in this photo whereas the women have been put to the back. They look smaller and less important. In the photo, the men are shown to be smart and clever looking because of the fact they’re all wearing suits. Smart clothing is usually used in detective shows to imply smartness and intelligence. The women appear to be wearing casual clothing which could connote that maybe they aren't as smart as the men.
Also, the fact that in the picture above, the order, if you think about it, goes from older to youngest, The two oldest, more intelligent looking men are at the at front of the picture and the youngest people are behind them. This could maybe show their status in the show or their roles in this programme. This could also show the representation of old people in society, how much intelligence and wisdom they have and how necessary they are in some situations
Also, the fact that in the picture above, the order, if you think about it, goes from older to youngest, The two oldest, more intelligent looking men are at the at front of the picture and the youngest people are behind them. This could maybe show their status in the show or their roles in this programme. This could also show the representation of old people in society, how much intelligence and wisdom they have and how necessary they are in some situations
The female characters in this programme are usually portrayed to be quite intelligent but quite stereotypically flirty and fun-loving people. The team specializes in the psychological profiling of criminals – basically, their job is to get inside the criminal’s head so they can catch their target. The women may be used to maybe use seduction to get information out of the male criminals since the women in this show are all young, intelligent and portrayed as quite flirty characters. Also, the fact that Jennifer has blonde hair could maybe conform to the "dumb blonde" stereotype. She can sometimes get emotionally attached to suspects which could also conform to the stereotype that women are emotional. Male roles in this programme are shown to be more physical and more intelligent than female characters, for example: Spencer Reid. Reid is a brilliant psychological profiler, he is the youngest member of the team and has the highest IQ. He has a variety of other talents though and knows a high amount of chemistry and mathematics. He has photographic memory and can read quite fast. This reinforces male dominance in this programme. Women are usually made to stay at the computers and away from the action unless they're specifically needed.
Penelope is dating another FBI analyst but has a joking; friendly relationship with Derek Morgan, Derek calls her “baby girl” and “sugar”. She’s a computer nerd (which reinforces her intelligence) but she cares a lot about her appearance: changing her hair colour and style nearly every episode and she also wears quite unusual accessories. This could reinforce how women are maybe represented in this show to be quite immature. Male gaze is used in this programme too, not just for the male audience but because the woman is usually used to gain information from criminals through the use of seduction. They'll flirt or maybe show interest in the criminal so the criminal opens up to them.
There are more male characters than female, but only by one. The four males and three females make up a team of experts in the “Behavioural Analysis Unit (BAU) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Camera/ Mise en scene/ Sound... (Mica)
Throughout the Christmas Holidays Criminal Minds is one of the main TV shows I've been engaged in. Its an American crime drama, which premiered on the network CBS September 22nd 2005. One of the main reasons why I enjoy this show is because it differs from other crime dramas, by focusing on profiling the criminal (psychologically), rather than the crime itself. The series follows a team of profilers from the Behavioral Analysis Unit which is part of the FBI. The show was created by Jeff Davis and produced by The Mark Gordon Company in association with CBS Television Studios.
Criminal minds is shown here in the UK on t 'Skyliving,' channel. The programme is aired at different times during the day which could be from 1pm- onwards where they play back-to-back episodes, or at night usually from 10pm.
Criminal MindsCriminal minds did have a spin off; Criminal minds: suspect behaviour which debuted February 16th 2011, but due to low ratings the spin off was then cancelled after 13 episodes. However on March 14, 2012 CBS renewed the original Criminal Mind for an eighth season, which premiered September 26th, 2012.
CAMERA SHOTS, EDITING, SOUND & MIS EN SCENE
Common shots used in Criminal Minds include, high angle, birds eye or mid shots these shots are usually used to introduce the location/setting. Even though the main set is based in Virginia USA, being a crime drama locations vary throughout each episode, from country to country. The movement of the camera over looks the location, as it does the opening credit which states the name of the location appears at the bottom of the screen, this usually takes place within the first 2mins of the show.
Sound is an important part of the narrative, as it helps tell the story; the use of non diegetic sound helps maintain the pace of the show it also helps the audience identify what's going on, for example when a crime is taking place, the pace & rhythm of the music may increase. However the diegetic/ambient sound used helps the audience understand the narrative and location, e.g city, (street sounds), as well as the dialogue. The dialogue and communication between the characters is vital as it's the key way for the viewer to get an understanding of what's going on and the relationship with characters within the team.
The camera shots and editing used also helps the establish the relationship with others, and the intensity of certain situations that take place. Fast cutting, jump cuts and cross cutting are used to portray tension/danger or to create suspicion. A lot of continuity is used to help the flow of the show, the audience get a clear understanding of what's happening. Medium shots and Close ups are used usually with long shots which is done to show the emotion and actions of a particular character. To build apprehension and to position the audience into feeling uncomfortable steadicam is used a lot in Criminal Minds especially when a crime is taking place, this is done to avoid having to cut to another scene. However hand held cams is also used to maintain the realism within the show, which makes it's it more entertaining.
The lighting in Criminal Minds is used creatively colours such as, black, blue and brown are used to represent the police work force, also both high key and low key lighting are used. High key lighting is usually appears when a crime has been solved, whereas low key lighting is often used to encode suspense. Smart/casual clothing is usually worn by the BAU, usually the clothes are plain dark colours to emphasise the specialist nature of their work. Each of the characters carry around a F.B.I badge and gun; occasionally they'll wear F.B.I vest when going to catch a criminal. The props used in the show are considered important, as they represent the genre and gives the audience a clear understanding. Throughout the series of Criminal Minds there'll be objects/props such as; guns, badges, crime scene tape, police cars, flash lights, jail cell, computer technology which is mainly used to help profile suspects.The BAFTA's.
I recently watched the BAFTA's and found some of the award winners undeserving. However some awards were spot on.
I have a passion for acting and aspire to be an actor one day, hopefully winning a BAFTA. My role models are such brilliant actors like: Christoph Waltz, Daniel Day Lewis, Tom Hanks and many more.
This is why I am happy that Christoph Waltz won the award for his role in Django Unchained. He is a phenomenal actor who manages to take a sinister character and twist it to contain elements of humour and tension, which adds to the sinister characteristic.
The sheer volume to which Daniel Day Lewis prepares for a character is brilliant. He chooses his parts very carefully and will live as that part for a huge amount of time just so that he can feel as though he is that person, this leads to a superb performance in every film and I am happy he won the award for Best Actor.
However, when it comes to directors, I am disappointed that Ben Affleck won the award for Best Director. He went off the rails for such a long time and appeared in some terrible films, he even ruined one of my favourite films - 'Pearl Harbour.' However he makes one good film - Argo - and all of a sudden he is worthy of a BAFTA, when some of the other directors there such as Quentin Tarantino and Ang Lee have gone on to make some magnificent films. Ang Lee directed the smash hit - Brokeback mountain. And while it isn't my kind of film, it has been classed as one of the best directorial displays in the world. Ang Lee won the Bafta for this film. Quentin Tarantino has directed so many classic films, (which he has also written), like Pulp Fiction and Inglorius Basterds. Yet Ben Affleck claims the accolade for a film that refuses to carry the same emotional depth as Django and French film - Amour - which, for its sheer emotional baggage, should have been nominated for Best Film.
So the message of this is: Ben Affleck didn't deserve the award he was credited with, as there are so many other directors who have made better films in the last 8 months.
Editing.
We were all given the task of finding 10 random pictures on google. These are my results:
I found a group of 'chavs,' a peaceful road, a sad old man, a war torn street, the furniture building which was set alight during the London riots, a car driving away, a group of men from the 1930's, the map of Alaska from the simpsons and an old man walking alone.
We were then given the task of taking these images and changing their order to create a story. This was the end result:
Shot 1 is a representation of the London riots and the disaster and mayhem that young people caused. This then leads into an empty, ruined street, highlighting the after effects of what occured as a result of the actions of young people in today's society. We then introduce the protagonist, a lonely old man who is shunned by a teenage society. We then see the society that the main character grew up in and how happy he was. Shot 5 is his depressed facial expression and what today's society consists of which leads into the image of a bunch of chavs sitting on a fence.We, as an audience, stereotypically assume that they are up to no good. A gross generalisation, but as the first image highlights, we have created this image, only we are to blame for the stereotypes with which we are branded. Shot 7 is a clear road, we see in the rear view mirror, a dirty track, thus highlighting the road ahead is a bright one, thus leading into the image of this view of 'eternal bliss' in the future. The final shot highlights the end of the characters search for a state of eutopia.
The meaning of the pictures change when placed in a different order, which is something directors think about when creating their films. However the dialogue tells us everything we need to know.
Different types of editing:
There are many different types of editing used in film. However today I was looking at a 'match cut' which is the link between two different objects or two different spaces. This is done to 'link the scene' despite filming the two things separately. It helps to create match on action. This is an example from Alfred Hitchcock's film - 'The Birds' in which Tippi Hedran is simply walking to a shop, the match cut helps to create this match on action. Also - Watch out for Hitchcock's cameo toward the end of the clip.
Film Industry and you.
Evaluation of clips
I took three clips from our main task and evaluated them to see whether they appeal to our target market or not. Its a helpful exercise as we can analyse where we are appealing to the target audience and what areas we need to work our to make our chosen genre more obvious to audiences. If any of these shots were to be used in a poster, I need to see whether people would understand what it is that we are trying to deliver to them.
Clip one.
This clip shows a bloodied bat, a bloodied face and an Ace of Spade dropped on a beaten mans body. This clip clearly highlights the conventions of a thriller. The fact that we don't know who is holding the bat draws the audience in as we want to know who has inflicted the violence. As it is the beginning of the film we know that we will soon find out who he is, which recognises the convention of a mystery. The bloodied bat with the blood on the face makes the audience feel excited as we want to see blood and action, this is the reason people go to watch action/thrillers. It plays with our need for answers and our love of violence. The Ace of spades lying on the dead mans torso again highlights danger and mystery, usually associated with gambling it shows risk. We are excited by what could or couldn't happen. The dark colours around the man again adds to the element of uncertainty. Which excites the audience. It also means we see that something dark is going to happen later in the film which causes this attack. The element of foreshadowing means we are eager to know - what happens next?
Clip two.
This clip shows a blurred face dropping an ace of spades onto the camera which is a POV of the body thus making us feel part of the action.
The light behind the man could highlight how he has left a happy life behind in order to seek violence or revenge. This helps us empathise with the character as we want to know his backstory, why has he left his life and identity behind in his quest for violence?
The fact that the face is blurred highlights the mystery element again, however it teases the audience more than the first shot did as we can almost see who the character is however we struggle to make out his full identity.
The fact the character is wearing mostly black could symbolise the darkness that has surrounded this character due to an event in the film. He cannot escape the dark cloak of grief or anger. The white shirt underneath the black jumper again helps us to sympathise with the protagonist as we realise he isn't bad man, underneath he is good, however it is the grief he has felt which has left him with a cold exterior.
The red tie enforces the argument of danger and violence in the film which excites audiences who come to watch the film because of its danger element.
Clip three.
The third clip is of a slumped character with a bloodied face and shirt, he is still alive and in many shots which means the audience can assume the mystery character is here to get revenge on him.
The blood running down his cheek and shirt highlights the element of violence which the audience hope to see throughout the film.
It is the beginning scene of the action film and the audience's attention is grabbed by the obvious convention of blood and violence which makes the audience feel, not only drawn into the world of violence but they also think about the rest of the film and how inappropriate the content will be for young children, their is an element of importance for the audience, exclusivity.
The lights from outside dotted around highlights the element of mystery, what is going on here? Is it revenge or is it a sudden attack? The use of lighting in the first shot to highlight the happy life the protagonist has left behind could be used here. Is this man good or not? There seems to be elements of both. Everything is not as it seems.
