Thursday 23 October 2014

Jack and Rose Binary Opposition

Jack and Rose Binary Opposition

Claude Levi-Strauss was the first to suggest that a narrative was driven by opposing forces, this idea become his theory "Binary Opposition". More detail is given on this idea in my previous blog post "Binary Opposition".
The Protagonists Jack and Rose (in the opening of the film Titanic) are portrayed as binary opposites.
These are the notes I made on their individual introductions. These notes allowed me to create my first essay on what these opposites connote. 

 

Jack:
  • Dark screen
  • Dulled colours
  • Gambling- down to chance
  • Running- no car / transport
  • Walking down to get to boat
  • Scruffy clothes
  • Folk music
  • Fast paced editing
  • Laughing and joking
  • No one moved out of the way for him
  • Very impressed by ship
  • Briefly stopped from getting on the ship
  • Runs under the bridge
Rose:
  • Bright lights / colours
  • Hiding her face
  • Wealth
  • Hand shown first
  • Golden light / carriage
  • Walking upwards, to get to the ship
  • Guaranteed passage
  • Slow casual walking
  • Has a car
  • Purple hat - royal colour
  • High camera angle, people look down on her?
  • People moved out of the way for her
  • Posh white clothes- innocence
  • Choir music
  • Slow paced editing
  • No emotion showed
  • Red lipstick
  • Unimpressed by ship
  • Escorted into boat

Monday 20 October 2014

Examples of Thrillers

Thrillers: Thriller is a genre that revolves around anticipation and suspense. The aim for Thrillers is to keep the audience alert and on the edge of their seats. The protagonist in these films is set against a problem - an escape, a mission, or a mystery. No matter what sub-genre a Thriller film falls into, it will be an  emphasis of the danger that the protagonist faces. The tension with the main problem is built on throughout the film and leads to a highly stressful climax.

Action Thriller: An Action Thriller uses physical action to create suspense within the film. Like a traditional Action film, this sub-genre will often have continuous motion and action including physical stunts, chases, fights, battles, and races. Often, these scenes will contribute to the overall sense of danger that the protagonist is facing. Examples:   Die Hard, Kill Bill Vol. 1, The Bourne Identity.

Crime Thriller: Crime Thriller film is a sub-genre that incorporates the suspenseful aspects of a thriller with a crime film plot. This sub-genre's plot usually centres on a serial killer, murderer, robbery, or manhunt. As opposed to traditional crime films, the storyline focuses both around the criminal and the protagonist. Crime Thrillers use both action and psychological aspects to build tension and suspense. Examples: The Usual Suspects, The Fugitive, Jagged Edge.
Film-Noir: Film Noir is not simply a sub-genre, but rather a term for a distinct, stylistic type of crime-drama or thriller that was popular throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Film-Noir is characterised by a black-and-white style with stark lighting effects. The main character is usually a cynical hero. Film-Noir relies on a narrative voice and various flashbacks to explain the intricate plot. Examples: Sunset Boulevard, The Maltese Falcon, Sweet Smell of Success.
Psychological Thriller: In addition to the traits of a regular Thriller, a Psychological Thriller incorporates elements of drama and mystery film. The suspense in this sub-genre comes from the mind, rather than from a psychical threat. The protagonists in Psychological Thrillers must rely on their mental resources to solve the situation. Because of their nature, many Psychological Thrillers cross over into the Horror genre. Examples: Memento, Rear Window, Taxi Driver.
Science Fiction Thriller: Science Fiction Thriller incorporates hypothetical, science-based themes into the plot of the film. Traditionally, a Science Fiction film will incorporate heroes, villains, unexplored locations, fantastical quests, and advanced technology. These elements can be used in a Science Fiction Thriller to create anticipation and suspense. Often, this sub-genre will explore the "future-gone-bad" theme, including plots that revolve around alien invasions, dystopian scenarios, and super-diseases. Examples: Aliens, Inception, District 9.
Religious Thriller: Religious Thriller film incorporates religious themes, including religious questions, ceremonies, and objects. Though some films can revolve around a specific church, many Religious Thrillers include supernatural experiences not pertaining to a certain religion. Exorcisms, demon possession, and church cover-ups are typical themes of Religious Thrillers. Examples: The Devil's Advocate, The Ninth Gate, The Da Vinci Code.

Saturday 18 October 2014

Codes And Conventions Of The Thriller Genre


The Thriller Genre:
A thriller usually consists of a battle between a protagonist, and an antagonist, caused when there is a disruption in the initial equilibrium. The story then shows a building the tension and suspense, ready for the climax of the storyline. The aim of the protagonist is to restore the equilibrium, where as the antagonist seeks to destroy it.

Conventions Of Thrillers Include:
Low Key Lighting
Quick Cuts
Shadows
Tension Music
Changes in Angle of Shots
Exaggerated Diegetic Sound effects
Montages
Protagonist at mercy of Antagonist

Character Conventions:
The protagonist is a brave courageous person, who is innately good
The antagonist has a hidden identity which the audience will uncover as the film progresses. Often wants revenge on the protagonist because of a past event.

Cinematography Codes for Thrillers:
Close up, and extreme close up shots. Used to show emotion, and to help the audience notice certain things, or link sequences together, important for the narrative.
Shots of antagonist are ambiguous. They often are cut quickly, have low key lighting. Or focus on a silhouette, or shadow.

Editing Conventions:
Jump cuts- helps the narrative
Cross Cutting - helps audience link the narratives into a story

Sound Conventions:
Jumpy non-diegetic, tension building music.

Mise en Scene:
Dark often gothic setting
Low key lighting
Antagonist in dark clothes, Protagonist in everyday clothes
Make up and hair of antagonist often is warped and strange, Protagonist's is usually more normal.
Filmstoke (Often black and white in parts, or even grainy)


Friday 17 October 2014

Mark Scheme For My Blog

Mark Scheme For My Blog

Level 1 0-23 marks

The work for the main task is possibly incomplete. There is minimal evidence in the work of the
creative use of any relevant technical skills such as:

• using ICT effectively to combine images, text, sound and video.
• producing material so that it communicates clearly to the 'reader'.
• using the conventions of web publishing to enable the 'reader' to navigate the material
appropriately.
• holding a shot steady, where appropriate.
• framing a shot, at the appropriate distance, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set.
• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting.
• editing, with appropriate transitions and effects, so that meaning is apparent to the viewer.
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.
• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping
and resizing.
• accurately using language and register.
• appropriately integrating illustration and text.
• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size.

Level 2 24-35 marks

There is evidence of a basic level of ability in the creative use of some of the following technical
skills:

• using ICT effectively to combine images, text, sound and video.
• producing material so that it communicates clearly to the 'reader'.
• using the conventions of web publishing to enable the 'reader' to navigate the material
appropriately.
• holding a shot steady, where appropriate.
• framing a shot, at the appropriate distance, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set.
• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting.
• editing, with appropriate transitions and effects, so that meaning is apparent to the viewer.
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.
• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping
and resizing.
• accurately using language and register.
• appropriately integrating illustration and text.
• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size.

Level 3 36-47 marks

There is evidence of proficiency in the creative use of many of the following technical skills:

• using ICT effectively to combine images, text, sound and video.
• producing material so that it communicates clearly to the 'reader'.
• using the conventions of web publishing to enable the 'reader' to navigate the material
appropriately.
• holding a shot steady, where appropriate.
• framing a shot, at the appropriate distance, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set.
• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting.
• editing, with appropriate transitions and effects, so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.
• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping
and resizing.
• accurately using language and register.
• appropriately integrating illustration and text.
• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size.

Level 4 48-60 marks

There is evidence of excellence in the creative use of most of the following technical skills:

• using ICT effectively to combine images, text, sound and video.
• producing material so that it communicates clearly to the 'reader'.
• using the conventions of web publishing to enable the 'reader' to navigate the material
appropriately.
• holding a shot steady, where appropriate.
• framing a shot, at the appropriate distance, including and excluding elements as appropriate;
• shooting material appropriate to the task set.
• selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting.
• editing, with appropriate transitions and effects, so that meaning is apparent to the viewer;
• using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set.
• manipulating photographs as appropriate to the context for presentation, including cropping
and resizing.
• accurately using language and register.
• appropriately integrating illustration and text.
• showing awareness of the need for variety in fonts and text size.

Marking Criteria for the presentation of the research and planning:

Research and Planning may be presented in electronic format, but can take the form of a folder or
scrapbook at this level. Where candidates have worked as a group, this may be presented
collectively, but teachers are asked to differentiate the contributions of individuals within the group
in arriving at a mark and justifying individual marks on the assessment sheet. As part of the
moderation sample, the moderator will request some research / planning materials.

Level 1 0-7 marks
• There is minimal research into similar products and a potential target audience.
• There is minimal organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
• There is minimal work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
• Time management may be very poor.
• There is minimal use of appropriate digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

Level 2 8-11 marks
• There is basic research into similar products and a potential target audience.
• There is basic organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
• There is basic work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
• Time management may not be good.
• There is basic use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

Level 3 12-15 marks
• There is proficient research into similar products and a potential target audience.
• There is proficient organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
• There is proficient work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
• Time management is good.
• There is proficient use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.

Level 4 16-20 marks
• There is excellent research into similar products and a potential target audience.
• There is excellent organisation of actors, locations, costumes or props.
• There is excellent work on shotlists, layouts, drafting, scripting or storyboarding.
• Time management is excellent.
• There is excellent use of digital technology or ICT in the presentation.


I aim to get somewhere around a level 4 for my blog, so my coursework team and i will keep checking this whilst we blog or make notes in our folder, so we can get our highest possible mark within this part of the project.

Friday 10 October 2014

Basic Narrative


Narrative and story are two very different things. A story is a sequence of events, known as the plot that the writers are usually responsible for. The narrative is the way that those events are put together to be presented to an audience which is the directors main job. When analysing narrative you analyse the way the story is put together including the intended theme, instead of the story itself.

Narrative Includes:

  1. Technical codes
  2. Verbal codes
  3. Symbolic Codes
  4. Structure
  5. Character
  6. Narrative Conflict


Thursday 9 October 2014

Camera Shots and Effects

Camera Shots and Effects

Aerial Shot: Camera moves at a high angle focusing on a moving object.

Tracking Shot: Follows the movements of a moving object, it helps to involve the audience and make them feel within the scene.

Tilt Shot: Camera is stationary but either moves upwards or downwards.

Pan Shot: Camera is stationary but either moves to the left or right.

Extreme Close Up: It shows minor / intimate detail which can give a sense of mystery.

Extreme Long Shot: The setting fills the whole frame.

Long Shot: The subject dominates their surrounding.

Medium Long Shot: The subject and setting are in equal proportion to one another.

Medium Shot: The subject is cut off at the waist. This gives the effect of being able to focus on their costume and emotions.

Over The Shoulder Shot: It is filmed over a subjects shoulder, the effect of the shot is to make the audience fill within the scene.

High Angle: Makes the subject appear to be vulnerable / weak. Camera will be stationary.

Low Angle: Makes the subject appear powerful / important

Cut Away Shot: Is where you focus on something else when action is going on in another shot. It also gives the audience a clue that there is a link between the two shots.

Cut In Shot: Same as a Cut Away but focuses on something else in detail.

Action Match: Cut in film between two objects / settings / subjects where the two shots match.

Eye Line Match: Is where the camera shows what the character on the screen is seeing.

Foley Sound: The sound of everyday sounds reproduced to a film to enhance audio quality.

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Examples of Binary Opposition.


Examples of Binary Pairs:
- Fast / slow
- Strong / Weak
- Tall / Small
- Good / Bad
- Wealthy / Poor
- Moral / Immoral
- Happy / Sad
- Male / Female
- Black / White
- Life / Death
- Calm / Moody
- Interesting / Boring
 

Structuralism - understanding semiotics through its opposite which is called the binary opposite.
Claude Levis Strauss and Roland Barthes developed this idea.
They realised that meaning can never reside entirely within a thing in itself, but only from a complete appreciation of a thing opposite ~ called its binary opposite.
 

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Creature From the Black Lagoon


This is a classic example of changing the genre of a film, this shows that the borderlines between genres is blurred. The film was made in 1954 as a horror film, which wasn't a popular genre at the time. However to get round this Universal changed the opening scene to a rock falling from space therefore making the 'creature' an alien. This twist on the usual Sci-Fi plot made the film a success.

A horror movie's intent is to...
...elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears.
In essence, these movies strive to create a "bump in the night" experience, a purely terrifying moment often experienced as children. These films capitalize on...
...viewer's nightmares, hidden worst fears, revulsions and terror of the unknown.
The horror genre capitalizes also on the presence of evil. While the supernatural may be involved in horror movies, horror movies do not include all movies involving the supernatural.
The science fiction film genre presents a story where...
...the plot depends on the laws of mathematics and the physical sciences, or on the use of technology...