Tasks

1. Give an outline of your story - we ran some practice 'tweets' in class during the last week of term, these outlines should be longer than this.
I need these outlines to state what is going to be the story of the whole film, not just the opening sequence. This outline should be a decent sized paragraph. Post this on your blog.

2. Try and discuss your idea and outline with a friend or family member and gather some feedback from them. Post some of the points from the discussion on your blog. You may have go some ideas from them, you might not agree with them but at least show that you have had some feedback. If you wish, extend the discussion with another or several others.

3. Create a rough script of the sequence. Write it in an appropriate format. I will post an example of a script to help you.

4. Look for the location of your filming and take photographs of these locations. Post these as well.

Work

I thought I would have time to add some homework to the blog today - not the case!!!!

I will post holiday tasks up online on Wednesday (Sydney time).  Please look out and get the tasks completed over the break!!!


Happy Christmas to you all and have a sensible NYE!!

Generating your film idea

Throughout the discussions we have had in class so far, you should have a rough idea of what you are going to produce for your opening sequence.

I like the idea of someone making a journey. I will outline an idea and some example clips which may play a part in influencing my ideas.

I know what I am like in the mornings - I am not the best (as you well know). I am going to plan a 'getting ready to leave the house' sequence. Pete Fraser, the Chief Examiner has stated that he doesn't want to see these types of sequences, so I will plan this as an example.


The first thing I am going to think is films videos which show people walking along the street or getting ready in the morning.....

In the opening sequence of The Devil Wears Prada, we see the character
Andie getting ready for her first day at Runway Magazine. Her sequence
of events is cut with sequences of 'fashion girls' getting ready for their day at work.
Andie does not select her clothes or put her makeup on with the same care
and attention as the 'fashion girls'. She collects her breakfast on the way to
work - a bagel, while we see on girl have a handful of almonds for her breakfast.
We see Andie arrive at the Runway office via public transport - metro and walking, while some girls are seen to catch a taxi.
She arrives at the Runway office and awaits the interview with Miranda Priestly.

In this opening sequence of Closer, we see two of the characters walking toward each other. They are walking along a busy London street and they are among the many commuters (presumably) on their way to work. They notice each other in their respective sections of the crowd and smile.
Natalie Portman's character seems eager to meet Jude Law's character and she walks across the road too early and is hit by a black cab.
As she is lying on the ground, she looks up and smiles at Jude Law's character and says, 'hello stranger.'
She is then taken to hospital.
We are unaware at this stage that the characters hadn't met before.




In Definitely Maybe, we see Ryan Reynold's character leaving his office to go and collect his daughter from school. We hear him speak over the visual action that he loves this journey - going to collect his daughter twice a week from school and she stays over in his apartment. As he walks long the street in New York, he has a soundtrack playing in his ears through his MP3 player and we hear it as the music over the action.
One he arrives at the school, chaos is breaking out as the students had had a sex education class during the day. The camera zooms in on the daughter - she looks very serious and says to her father 'We need to talk'.





This is a music video clip - Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve.
The clip shows the band's lead singer Richard Ashcroft walking along a street in East London.
Richard Ashcroft walks along the street in an almost straight line and is singing along to the musical soundtrack. As he walks, he bumps into people, or cars are needing to stop suddenly. The people he bumps into are shocked as he continues to walk along, however, one person in the clip screams and yells at him but he is oblivious to this as he keeps singing.
This clip has been parodied in Vindaloo by Fat Les - a football anthem.

BBFC

Please complete the following and post on your blog.


What is the BBFC? (and give background information)

What are the BBFC logos and what do they mean?
Give three examples of films for each logo.

How are these used in reference to targeting audiences?

Sequence Timeline

Create a timeline of an opening sequence.
Use www.artofthetitle.com or www.youtube.com to find this sequence. Choose one with a reasonable length - approx 3 mins in length.

You will then note the time and activity occurring in the sequence on a timeline. Note all of this on paper or Word format and attach this to your blog.

The purpose of this is to help you think about the titles and credits you will need to place on your opening sequence.

I have used 'Scott Pilgrim vs the World'. The sequence extends beyond three minutes. I have written out the sequence of events in green ink, then the technical personnel working on the film were written in blue ink. These title plates would need to be added to the sequence timeline.

http://www.artofthetitle.com/2011/01/03/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world/

Representation in TV Drama - Ethnicity

Watch and analyse this clip and focus on stereotyping.

Exam Question Practice 1

Extract: Eastenders (BBC Productions)

Extract Length: 2 mintues, 38 seconds.

Answer the question below with detailed reference to specific examples from the extract only.


Discuss ways in which the extract constructs representations of SEXUALITY using the following:

• Camera Shots, angles, movement and composition
• Editing
• Sound
• Mise-en-scene

Production Company Name and Logo

You need to create a production complany name and logo. This should be used on all of your coursework as well as being at the front of your two minute coursework film.

You should come up with a unique name and logo. Google any prospective names so that you won't (accidently) use someone else's production name as these could be registered and copywrited. I certainly don't want you getting into trouble over this!

Analysis of an Opening Sequence

City Of God opening scene analysis

City of God starts with a extreme close up of a very sharp blade scraping a rock in order to make it sharper, as this is happening the camera cuts to a blank screen repeatedly making it difficult for audience to see the blade but easy to hear (diegetic onscreen sound) the blade being sharpened, which gives audience suspense because they do not know what the blade is being sharpened for. As the scene continues many crosscutting is used, where many alternate shots of lines of action occurring simultaneously in different places. The crosscutting and close up of carrots being pealed and chickens being killed in order for them to be eaten, this shows us that this whole bunch of people who are preparing the chicken are very different to European culture as they don’t kill animals in preparation for their dinner, and they go out and buy theirs. Also crosscutting of close up shot of people with no shoes shows that this place the chicken is being prepared is sort of a poor place and maybe even a slum. The fact that these people are not going to supermarket for their chicken, and the fact that they have actual alive chickens shows that this community is separate from the things like shops etc.  

 As the chicken and everything else is prepared, audience can hear an on screen diegetic sound from people drumming, the drumming is of a Brazilian style, therefore assuming the film is set in a slum in Brazil.

A close up of a chicken wriggle themselves from a rope is shown and as the chicken gets out of rope and into a alleyway, the diegtic onscreen sound of the drumming suddenly stops and cuts to a extreme close up of a chickens blood on a plate, emphasising the theme of the film is got to do with blood and killings, symbolising that the chickens are just the start of the killings that is going to be made. After the blood shot, parallel editing is used, to show close of a dark man speaking in a foreign language saying “oh fuck the chicken got away, get it” then long shots of a gang is shown with guns, this shows that the man speaking is a group leader of a gang who is armed, emphasising again that this film theme is killing as every gang member has a gun.  Also shows how the community is separate as every gang member has a gun, in countries such as England this will simply not happen because of the police, however this shows that the area is a slum and the community is separate from law, showing that lots of crime can happen. 

Then crosscutting is used between two scenes, one scene is a young adult who wants to be photographer, talking to his friend about how risky the shot he has to take to become a photographer is, and the gang leader and his gang chasing the chicken eventually to the middle of the road. As the gang leader is chasing the chicken someone comes in his way, he pushes the person down a pulls out a gun and threatens to kill that person, showing how this gang leader is in power of the whole community and can do what he wants, the camera shot used is a over the shoulder shot from behind the gang leader from a high angle whilst the victim is on the floor, the audience attention is captured as this shot shows how much power the gang leader has and how everyone is scared of him in the slum.  The photographer and gang leader meat each other on opposite side of the road and gang leader tells photographer to grab the chicken who is in the middle of the road. As photographer  is trying to get the chicken the gang say “oh shit police”, a long shot of people running is used, however the gang leader orders his gang to “don’t fucking runoff”  and they all come back with their guns pointed and ready to use at the police officers who is behind the photographer, the photographer realises that the guns are pointed from police at the gang and gang at the police and he is in the middle of all this and doesn’t know what to do and says “if I run I die and if I stay I die” then the film cuts to start of the film, showing that this is the end. This opening scene creates enigma as the audience wants to know why the gang and police is in a gang war and how photographer has got himself in this situation and why he is in danger of being killed if he takes a particular shot. Also establishing some of the central characters of the film, the photographer and gang leader.

The gang leader creates an interest in audience as he isn’t the normal type of person, he is in fact a rebel who seems to be ruthless and horrible person who is in control of the whole slum and is even against the police, and nobody can stop him because of his big armed gang. Also the photographer creates interest for audience as he seems to be very quite calm, risk taking (willing to take a shot even if it would mean his life) and the fact that the character isn’t caught up in the gang violence shows he is protagonist and gang leader is antagonist. Both of these character are contrast each other, which also grabs audience attention to see why the photographer isn’t a bad person and why gang leader is.

Most of the title sequence is done before the film starts in blue in a black background, the title sequence is very simple and as the film starts the rest of the title sequence is done in white in the bottom right hand side of the screen, making it hard to see, unless good attention is paid, this is because the film is very fast paced even from the start, and therefore doesn’t want to distract the audience from what is going on in the film and audience have to keep up with what is going on or they will miss what happened as the film is fast paced and many things can be missed out, that is why most of the title sequence is done before the movie start.

Research into Film Genres 2

You should create a survey based on people's preferences of film genre. This information should lead to you making a decision on what would be appealling for your target audience.

You should also ask people about their favourite films / actors / actresses / directors.

You could create a survey using survey monkey or posting it on your social networking page.

This information should be posted to your blog - either through a screen dump, or copying from survey monkey. You could write a survey, photocopy the page and then graph your findings.

You should have at least 20 responents.

Coursework

Today, we start your coursework...

Your task is to research, plan and create a TWO MINUTE opening sequence to a film which will potentially last for 90 to 100 minutes.

The sequence also needs to include the opening titles to the film.

I will include several examples of opening sequences for you to look at. You should choose three sequences and analyse them.

All of your pracical coursework needs to be posted to your blog.

Some of the sequences below last longer than two minutes, please look at them, but YOUR sequence is to be two minutes in length.

Unfortunately, YouTube does not have a huge variety of films on the site as they infringe copyright rules.

Research into Film Genres.

Choose five out of the following list and research into the film genre. Give three film titles to fit into each genre.

• horror
• romance
• drama
• adventure / action
• war
• comedy
• thriller
• western
• musical
• kids / universal
• indie / arthouse
• anime
• teen
• sci fi

You may also like to listen to the Radio 1 Story on the Vampire theme in Popular Culture. This is available on www.bbc.co.uk/radio1 but it is only online until next Monday 14th November, 2011.

Camera Angles

With the clip, you need to look at the Camera work. You should look at camera angles and editing.

Write a piece analysing the clip.

Sound

To make a change from the representation essays - I would like you to discuss the use of sound (non and diegetic).

The clip is the extended version of Thriller by Michael Jackson.

·                    Diegetic sound: It is sound that the characters can hear as well as the audience, and usually implies a reaction from the character. Also called "literal sound" or "actual sound":

o                               Voices of characters;

o                               Sounds made by objects in the story; and/or like heart beats of a person

o                               Source music, represented as coming from instruments in the story space.

o                               Basic sound effects, e.g. dog barking, car passing; as it is in the scene

o                               Music coming from reproduction devices such as record players, radios, tape players etc.

·                    Non-diegetic sound: It is sound which is represented as coming from a source outside the story space, i.e. its source is neither visible on the screen, nor has been implied to be present in the action. Also called "non-literal sound" or "commentary sound":

o                               Narrator's commentary;

o                               Voice of God;

o                               Sound effect which is added for dramatic effect;

o                               Mood music; and

o                               Film Score

Non-diegetic sound plays a significant role in creating the atmosphere and mood within a film. (or other Media)

Very commonly diagetic shift occurs from one to the other, for example when characters are listening to music, then start dancing and the music becomes non-diagetic to indicate being 'lost in the moment'.

20 second Preliminary Task

You should have shot your film and been using the half term break to edit this.
At the time of writing - one student has blogged in the last week!!! Well done to Abigail and she has completed her film task. Two students are still yet to blog at all!

You should keep your blog up to date and blog at least weekly!!!

Representation in TV Drama 3

Today we looked at Status. The section I want you to look at begins at 1.06 into the video.

Video Preliminary Task

As stated during the week in lesson time, your 20 second video clip should be filmed in school this week.

You will need to edited it over half term break and have it posted to your blog by Friday 4th November, 2011.

You will need to create a You Tube account in order to upload your clip.

Representation in TV Drama 2

Here is the clip for today's lesson.

In this extract, we looked at the Representation of Age. You need to respond to the clip and answer in Exam format.

This is due next Monday - 17th October, 2011.

Representation in TV Drama 1

This was the clip shown in yesterday's lesson.

You should look at the first half of the clip (4 minutes, 27 seconds) and discuss the gender roles represented in the clip.

You need to discuss the clip in accordance to how the exam will be set out.

ie. Discuss the gender roles and then relate them to; Camera Shots, Angles, Movement and Composition; Editing; Sound and Mise-En-Scene.


Each week, you will have a different Representation to view and answer. These pieces will be due the following Monday.

Camera Angles and Shots

You need to show an understanding of the various types of camera angles and shots you will be using when making your clips.

You need to find examples of photographs demonstrating the various angles and shots. Photographs can be found online through Getty images or any other copyright free site. You may (and I would prefer it) wish to take the photographs yourself!

Planning the Video Preliminary Task

You need to start planning the Video Preliminary Task.

You should conduct a location search and find areas within the school which would be suitable for filming. You should also record the times these areas are free.

Next, book and organise the talent appearing in the sequence. You may like to choose a drama student (so that they could link your clip to their coursework). You will need to ensure the actor or actress is available when you want to film.

You need and basic script for the actor / actress to follow with wording and directions.
i.e. what is going to happen and what are the actors going to say?


I also would like you to think about the types of shots you will be using in the sequence. You need to have a vary of camera shots and angles in your sequence. You should take photographs of the shot varieties and show you understand them.

Welcome Back!

A new year and new students.

This will be the 'hub' blog for the AS Media Studies course. We will be following the OCR Exam Board.

All set work will be posted to this blog as well as links to your fellow students' blogs. It is always a good idea to look at your classmate's work and see their progression.

So far, you should have written an article on the school's GCSE results and then create a cover for a school magazine. Save these as jpgs and then upload them to your blog along with an explanation of the task and an evaluation.