Having watched a clip of Rome, I can see how status is represented. We see how the slaves are shown through them working. We also see how the higher status men in the army are portrayed by them working behind a desk, are not doing anything practical. The status of women is shown to be very low, through the only female character we see. Also, through the dialogue the soldiers use, when they talk about women, shows how low they think of women.
Camera is used in this clip to show the status of people. The clip opens with an establishing shot of the scene that pans, not only does it set the scene for the audience we see men, the soldiers seen as slaves. They are shown to be doing a service which is all they are useful for. There is also a high angle used which emphasises their low status. We also see a pan and what we presume to be a slave standing in a room doing work. We then see a mid-shot of the man being spoken to, but he never speaks back, showing that he is not to speak unless he is told to.
We see two guys having a discussion, in an office, where one is sitting behind the desk probably looking at some paperwork; this shows that he has a higher status than all the other characters. This scene opens with a two-shot, showing that they having a conversation. This is shown in a low angle, which connotes they are of a high standard. When both men are talking, we get a sense that the younger man has a higher status than the older man. Through the close-ups used of their faces, not only do we get to see their facial expressions, but through the facial expressions, status can be explained. For example, the close up of the older character is serious, however the other characters face shows that he is not bothered what he thinks, and that its up to him what he decides.
When the scene moves we see a long-shot we see a soldier, and as the shot comes closer to the character we can see that it is a female. The two characters are having sexual intercourse; however it seems to be just a “one-time” thing as it is outside, in public behind a tree. This shows that the women have low status and are not valued by any of the people. We see very little of the female character and she has no speech throughout. With the camera following the male character, adds to the sense that the female character is not important and is only there to pleasure the male character. Towards the end of the scene, the main male character addresses another character, the camera shows him in a high angle, connoting that he has a lower status to the main character, also he addresses him with “sir” adding to the sense he has a lower status. The main character addresses another character, maybe his son, by “boy”, the boy is shown in a high angle to him, stating that he also has a lower status.
To conclude status is shown through camera very well. It is easy for the audience to distinguish the different status' involved in the clip. The representation of the lower status is very stereotypical, for example the female character represents women in a stereotypical way in that time period.The representation of higher status is also stereotypical in that time period, showing that men, have a higher status. Also in the clip has a majority of male characters, this indicates the target audience.
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Sunday, 29 November 2009
Analysis Of Gender In Skins
The clip I watched was (First 5 minutes) Skins Series 3 Episode 1
Having watched the clip I could see a clear difference in the way genders are portrayed. Gender is portrayed through the different characters shown, the young teenage boys, middle aged men, teenage girls, and the elderly are all depicted differently. The teenage boys are shown to be the typical teenage boy, and rebels. The middle aged man is shown to be a typical working man. The teenage girl is shown to be a normal teenage girl, although she doesn't seem bothered of what is going on around her. The elderly woman is shown to be a typical aged woman, and fragile.
From the beginning of the clip an assumption is made that the character shown in the close-up is a boy. This is because the trainers are shown and you can see the male skateboarding. In this scene there is a low angle and a long take to create anticipation within the audience because they want to see who the boy is. It then changes into a higher angle where the skills of the skater become apparent to the audience. Most of the shots are short and fast to give excitement to the clip. These cuts also help the story to move on, as we can see the skater moving towards a destination, this is known as an action code, as the audience are aware that the story is moving on. These few scenes are all matched cut, as the images match and have an invisible edit. When the character stops, he takes out his phone and reads a text message. A close-up of the text message is shown, so the audience know who said it, and what it says. The text message says "Sparking ur last spliff". This shows that the person who sent the text message is a teenager. The language used in the text which suggests it's from a teenager is "ur" and "spliff". "Ur" is shorthand, which mainly teenagers use, and "spliff" is also a word that teenagers use. We then see the characters face through a mid close-up.
In the next scene, as three teenagers are sitting down and talking they witness a car accident. The driver, a middle-aged man comes out of his car angry; we see his emotion through the close up of his face. Having a close up of the characters face, after the incident, is called a reaction shot. Also having a scene with the friends having a conversation and a scene with a car accident is called a cross-cut, as we see two narratives here. Having more than one narrative in a TV drama is usual as it creates entertainment, and makes it more interesting for the audience. The scene then goes to a long-shot which shows the middle aged man wearing a suit, which represents his age and also suggests that he works.
After the middle aged man gets out of his car he approaches an elderly woman. We see that she is frightened by that man that is approaching her, by the expression on her face. The middle aged man assumes she saw what happened which suggests that elderly people are nosey and always know what is happening. Also to represent that she is an elderly women, he asks for her mobile number, but she says that she has not got one. This portrays her age, as it is stereotyped that old people are not good with new technology.
To conclude, the clip of skins shows gender through editing. Many different types of editing were used, mainly matched cut, emotion, and story. The matched cut was used for invisible edit, which showed verisimilitude. Emotion was shown through different shot types, but mainly through close-ups. There were quite a few scenes where a mixture of long and short takes were used. Having long takes is good to create tension within the story, and having short takes creates excitement as the pace is fast. The editing used in the clip at the beginning when the character is skating and only the feet are shown, shows the age as well as the gender being a teenage boy, this scene has a polysemic effect as the audience may feel that not only teenage boys skate and wear trainers that are shown in the clip, it may have been a female character. There are two possible interpretations of this particular scene.
Having watched the clip I could see a clear difference in the way genders are portrayed. Gender is portrayed through the different characters shown, the young teenage boys, middle aged men, teenage girls, and the elderly are all depicted differently. The teenage boys are shown to be the typical teenage boy, and rebels. The middle aged man is shown to be a typical working man. The teenage girl is shown to be a normal teenage girl, although she doesn't seem bothered of what is going on around her. The elderly woman is shown to be a typical aged woman, and fragile.
From the beginning of the clip an assumption is made that the character shown in the close-up is a boy. This is because the trainers are shown and you can see the male skateboarding. In this scene there is a low angle and a long take to create anticipation within the audience because they want to see who the boy is. It then changes into a higher angle where the skills of the skater become apparent to the audience. Most of the shots are short and fast to give excitement to the clip. These cuts also help the story to move on, as we can see the skater moving towards a destination, this is known as an action code, as the audience are aware that the story is moving on. These few scenes are all matched cut, as the images match and have an invisible edit. When the character stops, he takes out his phone and reads a text message. A close-up of the text message is shown, so the audience know who said it, and what it says. The text message says "Sparking ur last spliff". This shows that the person who sent the text message is a teenager. The language used in the text which suggests it's from a teenager is "ur" and "spliff". "Ur" is shorthand, which mainly teenagers use, and "spliff" is also a word that teenagers use. We then see the characters face through a mid close-up.
In the next scene, as three teenagers are sitting down and talking they witness a car accident. The driver, a middle-aged man comes out of his car angry; we see his emotion through the close up of his face. Having a close up of the characters face, after the incident, is called a reaction shot. Also having a scene with the friends having a conversation and a scene with a car accident is called a cross-cut, as we see two narratives here. Having more than one narrative in a TV drama is usual as it creates entertainment, and makes it more interesting for the audience. The scene then goes to a long-shot which shows the middle aged man wearing a suit, which represents his age and also suggests that he works.
After the middle aged man gets out of his car he approaches an elderly woman. We see that she is frightened by that man that is approaching her, by the expression on her face. The middle aged man assumes she saw what happened which suggests that elderly people are nosey and always know what is happening. Also to represent that she is an elderly women, he asks for her mobile number, but she says that she has not got one. This portrays her age, as it is stereotyped that old people are not good with new technology.
To conclude, the clip of skins shows gender through editing. Many different types of editing were used, mainly matched cut, emotion, and story. The matched cut was used for invisible edit, which showed verisimilitude. Emotion was shown through different shot types, but mainly through close-ups. There were quite a few scenes where a mixture of long and short takes were used. Having long takes is good to create tension within the story, and having short takes creates excitement as the pace is fast. The editing used in the clip at the beginning when the character is skating and only the feet are shown, shows the age as well as the gender being a teenage boy, this scene has a polysemic effect as the audience may feel that not only teenage boys skate and wear trainers that are shown in the clip, it may have been a female character. There are two possible interpretations of this particular scene.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Freak Analysis - Gender
In the clip the representation of gender is shown through the characteristics of the characters. The male characters are stereotyped to only be interested in girls party's and video games whereas the girls are shown to be not as important.
The character of "freak" (Lucy) is quite lonely and is not included with the rest of the characters. The conversation she has with her brother generally shows her age as he talks about her being his "little sis". This shows he is quite protective over her and also shows a stereotype that girls have to be protected and that boys do not need to be protected as much.
The character of "freak's" step brother is shown to be very cocky and only concerned about his own feelings. This shows the stereotype of boys only being interested in themselves and their social lives. He has a very negative attitude towards his step sister, he doesn't like her to be involved in anything he does as we see when they are on the bus and he says "it's invite only".
The Girls in the party show a stereotype of always being on competition with one another wanting to look better than the other and were the guy’s girlfriends comes over the other girls acts as if she hasn't done anything wrong. This is showing a negative view of girl’s relationships with one another being a competitive and jealous usually over the boys.
Overall the clip shows a clear difference between the two genders stereotyping the boys to only be interested in themselves, parties, girls and video games whereas girls are shown to be moody, easy and in competition with one another, apart from Freak(Lucy) who shows a more realistic representation of some teenage girls struggling with self confidence and not fitting in.
The character of "freak" (Lucy) is quite lonely and is not included with the rest of the characters. The conversation she has with her brother generally shows her age as he talks about her being his "little sis". This shows he is quite protective over her and also shows a stereotype that girls have to be protected and that boys do not need to be protected as much.
The character of "freak's" step brother is shown to be very cocky and only concerned about his own feelings. This shows the stereotype of boys only being interested in themselves and their social lives. He has a very negative attitude towards his step sister, he doesn't like her to be involved in anything he does as we see when they are on the bus and he says "it's invite only".
The Girls in the party show a stereotype of always being on competition with one another wanting to look better than the other and were the guy’s girlfriends comes over the other girls acts as if she hasn't done anything wrong. This is showing a negative view of girl’s relationships with one another being a competitive and jealous usually over the boys.
Overall the clip shows a clear difference between the two genders stereotyping the boys to only be interested in themselves, parties, girls and video games whereas girls are shown to be moody, easy and in competition with one another, apart from Freak(Lucy) who shows a more realistic representation of some teenage girls struggling with self confidence and not fitting in.
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Analysis Of Gender In Cold Feet
An analysis of gender in Cold Feet
After watching a clip of Cold Feet I can see a clear stereotype between males and females. One main stereotype being that females are the gender that stay at home and cook, whilst males go to work and earn money for the family.
In the first scene we see the wife in the kitchen cooking. This shows a major stereotype which states women should stay home and cook. This can be seen as both positive and negative. Most women believe they have the same rights as males to be in the workplace, so this will be seen as a negative for this type of woman. For generally old fashioned people who still believe that women should stay home and be a housewife whilst the male goes to work will see this as a positive. We then see her husband sitting on the table in a suit, as if he has just come home from work. While he sits at the table he tells his wife of an investment he has made, which didn't work out, so she gets very angry with him. As the scene progresses another stereotype comes apparent, which is that women are generally smarter than males. This is emphasised when the husband makes a very bad mistake and his wife gets very annoyed with him. They then talk about how she was never involved in investments in the past and now she will be, which shows that she believes she has to watch over everything he does. This shows another stereotype that males should not be trusted.
In the next scene we see a couple shopping for baby items. We see yet another stereotype in this scene. We see the wife walking around the shop/supermarket picking up items and putting them into the shopping basket which her husband is holding. This is part of the stereotype that men hold women's bags whilst they are shopping. We then see the husband pick up an item, but then the wife picks up the bigger, more expensive product. The husband then complains about the price of the product, insisting that there is no difference between either product. The wife then persuades her husband that it's the best product for the baby. This is a stereotype because the males are usually the ones to try to get the cheaper product, but the females always want the best products possible. Most males will see these particular stereotypes as a negative because they do not want to seem like they are controlled by women, whereas women will see it as a positive because this shows that they have control over women.
To conclude, the representation of gender is shown through mise-en-scene. The stereotypes are shown through their actions. For example the stereotype of females being a housewife is shown where the wife is cooking. The stereotype that the men are the workers is shown with the husband sitting at the table in his suit. Also the male is shown to make a lot of mistakes, which shows that he does not know what he is doing. Both representations have a polysemic effect, being either positive or negative, depending on the audiences point of view.
After watching a clip of Cold Feet I can see a clear stereotype between males and females. One main stereotype being that females are the gender that stay at home and cook, whilst males go to work and earn money for the family.
In the first scene we see the wife in the kitchen cooking. This shows a major stereotype which states women should stay home and cook. This can be seen as both positive and negative. Most women believe they have the same rights as males to be in the workplace, so this will be seen as a negative for this type of woman. For generally old fashioned people who still believe that women should stay home and be a housewife whilst the male goes to work will see this as a positive. We then see her husband sitting on the table in a suit, as if he has just come home from work. While he sits at the table he tells his wife of an investment he has made, which didn't work out, so she gets very angry with him. As the scene progresses another stereotype comes apparent, which is that women are generally smarter than males. This is emphasised when the husband makes a very bad mistake and his wife gets very annoyed with him. They then talk about how she was never involved in investments in the past and now she will be, which shows that she believes she has to watch over everything he does. This shows another stereotype that males should not be trusted.
In the next scene we see a couple shopping for baby items. We see yet another stereotype in this scene. We see the wife walking around the shop/supermarket picking up items and putting them into the shopping basket which her husband is holding. This is part of the stereotype that men hold women's bags whilst they are shopping. We then see the husband pick up an item, but then the wife picks up the bigger, more expensive product. The husband then complains about the price of the product, insisting that there is no difference between either product. The wife then persuades her husband that it's the best product for the baby. This is a stereotype because the males are usually the ones to try to get the cheaper product, but the females always want the best products possible. Most males will see these particular stereotypes as a negative because they do not want to seem like they are controlled by women, whereas women will see it as a positive because this shows that they have control over women.
To conclude, the representation of gender is shown through mise-en-scene. The stereotypes are shown through their actions. For example the stereotype of females being a housewife is shown where the wife is cooking. The stereotype that the men are the workers is shown with the husband sitting at the table in his suit. Also the male is shown to make a lot of mistakes, which shows that he does not know what he is doing. Both representations have a polysemic effect, being either positive or negative, depending on the audiences point of view.
Fantasy Film Making Part 2
The Betrayal
Synergy
Synergy
Due to the fact that me and my partner had £0 for a budget, we were unable to include any synergy in our film.
Budget Review
Synergy £0
Production Budget £250,000
Money Remaining From Stage 1 £0
Current Budget £250,000
Crew
The director that will be used in the film is Noel Clarke. He will be charging £100,000 to direct the film. A positive impact for using Noel Clarke is he has directed a film very similar to this before, which will enable him to create more verisimilitude. A negative impact is he is generally inexperienced and he is not well known, so it will be harder for people to hear about the film.
The production team that will be used is very amateur. They will be charging £10,000 to produce the film. A positive impact for using the amateur production team is that it will create more verisimilitude. A negative impact is the filming will generally be of poor quality.
The editor that will be used is a very amateur editor. They will be charging £10,000 to edit the film. A positive impact of using an amateur editor is in some ways it can create more verisimilitude because the editor does not know how to edit professionally, so it will look more realistic.
We will be using no special effects in our film because it wouldn't look like a proper street film and the reality of the film will be taken away.
The total cost for the crew is £120,000
Equipment
The camera's that will be used are Sony DSR-PD150's. We will be buying 2 cameras, at the cost of £3000. A positive effect of using these cameras are they are cheap and maneuverable. A negative effect is that the cameras don't have great quality compared to other high-tec cameras.
We will be buying 100 tapes for our camera, which costs £330. A positive effect of this is that it is very cheap. A negative effect is they are poor quality.
The computer we will be buying is a Mac Pro. This will cost £2500. A positive effect of using this computer is we will be able to edit the film. A negative effect is that it is a big loss of money.
The editing software we will be using is Final Cut Pro. This will cost £800. A positive effect of using this editing software is we will be able to edit the film. A negative effect is that it is a big loss of money.
No special effects will be used in the film. A positive effect of this is it looks more realistic.
Budget Review
Budget £250,000
Total Cost For Crew £120,000
Total Cost For Equipment £6630
Remaining Budget £123,370
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Compare and Contrast 24 Hour Party People's production to that of a Hollywood film
24 Hour Party People (Dr Michael Winterbottom, 2002) is a production of Film Four, a British independent company. The film's focus is music in Manchester between 1976 - 1992. During the film we follow the life of Tony Wilson, who interacts with the audience throughout the film.
24 Hour Party People have used one main type of synergy, which is music synergy. This is done by getting artists to create tracks for the movie. This is synergy because it helps to advertise the music soundtracks and also the film itself, because of the big name artists who are involved. In 24 Hour Party People the example of music synergy that we see are music tracks created by "Happy Mondays" and "The Sex Pistols". This is different from a Hollywood film as we would see more examples of product placement, where companies pay the producers of a film to have their product shown. When the product is shown it is then emphasised by the type of shot which is used, which is usually a close-up. An example of this is the "Apple" logo being seen on the majority of laptops and computers used in films. The reason that 24 Hour Party People used music synergy is because most companies would not want to have their products shown in the film due to the themes. The themes of 24 Hour Party People are sex, drugs and rock and roll. The companies who are likely to be involved in synergy would not like involvement in this type of film because they think it would not be successful.
Film Four production company have a very big advantage where cross media convergence is concerned. This is because they have Channel 4 as their parent company, which allows their film to be advertised on Channel 4, Film 4, More4 and E4. A few years after the release of the film it can then be broadcast on each of the channels. Neither process will cost the production company because all of the channels are owned by Channel 4. Hollywood companies also do this with their films. An example of this would be Vivendi Universal, which is the parent company of Universal Studios. It also owns many other companies, including record labels like BMG and Universal Music Group. Any subsidiaries of Vivendi Universal have easy access to many different formats of media to advertise and market their films with very little or no cost. This is more advantageous for Hollywood films rather than independent films because they are more well known, so advertising and reviews will be more beneficial.
New Media Technology used in 24 Hour Party People is editing, cinematography and sound. This is because they have a considerably low budget, and also they wanted to create a high level verisimilitude. The New Media Technology allowed the soundtracks of 24 Hour Party People to be added with great ease. Also there is a considerable amount of movement with the camera during the film which would not be possible with the cameras used around 30 years ago. Also it is very easy to make mistakes with a film like 24 Hour Party People so new advances in editing software is essential. Using a machine like a Moviola, editing for a film like 24 Hour Party People would take a very long time. Whereas Hollywood films use New Media Technology differently. They use a wide variety of special effects etc. This is because of the types of movies they make, and the large budgets they have. For example "2012" was made with a budget of around $260 million, which allows them to use many effects and perfect the film as much as possible. Editing for a Hollywood film is also important, because they can sometimes film the same scene many times and mix in parts of the scenes with each other, so new advances in editing software are also essential for Hollywood films.
New Media Technology has effected both independent and Hollywood production companies. New Media Technology has allowed both types of production companies to film and edit using cheaper methods. Although some editing and special effects software can be difficult to use, they are easier to use than a Moviola. Hollywood films receive very big budgets for their films, so they use New Media Technology as much as possible, so that audiences will stay interested in the film. New Media Technology has effected audiences, by allowing almost anyone to create their own films. This can help independent production companies because they take on actors who are not well known, so New Media Technology can help unknown actors to be realised by independent companies such as Film Four.
24 Hour Party People have used one main type of synergy, which is music synergy. This is done by getting artists to create tracks for the movie. This is synergy because it helps to advertise the music soundtracks and also the film itself, because of the big name artists who are involved. In 24 Hour Party People the example of music synergy that we see are music tracks created by "Happy Mondays" and "The Sex Pistols". This is different from a Hollywood film as we would see more examples of product placement, where companies pay the producers of a film to have their product shown. When the product is shown it is then emphasised by the type of shot which is used, which is usually a close-up. An example of this is the "Apple" logo being seen on the majority of laptops and computers used in films. The reason that 24 Hour Party People used music synergy is because most companies would not want to have their products shown in the film due to the themes. The themes of 24 Hour Party People are sex, drugs and rock and roll. The companies who are likely to be involved in synergy would not like involvement in this type of film because they think it would not be successful.
Film Four production company have a very big advantage where cross media convergence is concerned. This is because they have Channel 4 as their parent company, which allows their film to be advertised on Channel 4, Film 4, More4 and E4. A few years after the release of the film it can then be broadcast on each of the channels. Neither process will cost the production company because all of the channels are owned by Channel 4. Hollywood companies also do this with their films. An example of this would be Vivendi Universal, which is the parent company of Universal Studios. It also owns many other companies, including record labels like BMG and Universal Music Group. Any subsidiaries of Vivendi Universal have easy access to many different formats of media to advertise and market their films with very little or no cost. This is more advantageous for Hollywood films rather than independent films because they are more well known, so advertising and reviews will be more beneficial.
New Media Technology used in 24 Hour Party People is editing, cinematography and sound. This is because they have a considerably low budget, and also they wanted to create a high level verisimilitude. The New Media Technology allowed the soundtracks of 24 Hour Party People to be added with great ease. Also there is a considerable amount of movement with the camera during the film which would not be possible with the cameras used around 30 years ago. Also it is very easy to make mistakes with a film like 24 Hour Party People so new advances in editing software is essential. Using a machine like a Moviola, editing for a film like 24 Hour Party People would take a very long time. Whereas Hollywood films use New Media Technology differently. They use a wide variety of special effects etc. This is because of the types of movies they make, and the large budgets they have. For example "2012" was made with a budget of around $260 million, which allows them to use many effects and perfect the film as much as possible. Editing for a Hollywood film is also important, because they can sometimes film the same scene many times and mix in parts of the scenes with each other, so new advances in editing software are also essential for Hollywood films.
New Media Technology has effected both independent and Hollywood production companies. New Media Technology has allowed both types of production companies to film and edit using cheaper methods. Although some editing and special effects software can be difficult to use, they are easier to use than a Moviola. Hollywood films receive very big budgets for their films, so they use New Media Technology as much as possible, so that audiences will stay interested in the film. New Media Technology has effected audiences, by allowing almost anyone to create their own films. This can help independent production companies because they take on actors who are not well known, so New Media Technology can help unknown actors to be realised by independent companies such as Film Four.
Sunday, 15 November 2009
Analysis Of Age In Skins
From the clip we can see a clear representation of age being shown. The representation of age shows us that all of the teenagers in the clip have shown the stereotype that most teenagers are very lazy, swear, and use their phones a lot.
Tony’s character shows the same characteristics as most teenage boys. He wakes up to the noise of the alarm, works out, admires his looks and blasting his music early in the morning. But we can see from the clip that Tony differs from most teenage boys aswell, as his room is very clean and neat, he has t-shirts in his draw put out so they are colour co-ordinated. Tony has a cocky attitude when it comes to his parents as he locks the bathroom door, climbs out the window and comes back inside to the swearing of his father. Also we can see that he is willing to help out his sister, as she comes home in the morning and he distracts his parents to allow her to come in. The way that Tony does this, we can tell this is a regular job for him.
At the beginning of the clip when Tony is exercising, RnB/Hip Hop is played which shows his age because teenagers are into music from this genre. From the music that Tony plays to allow his sister to sneak into the house, we can see that he is into the same sort of music as most teenagers. This is a good example of sound perspective as it makes the audience feel like they are in the room with Tony and his father. When Tony is leaving the house, we hear a drilling noise which is foley sound. When Michelle is walking into the cafe, we see that Syd is into the same music, as music from the same genre is played. This image of Tony is then turned around, when he starts to sing choir music, we can see that most teenagers do not like this sort of music because they start to laugh at him as he sings. Shortly after Tony finishes singing, a teenage girl approaches Tony and tells him that Drum'N'Bass music would be played at her party.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
New Technology In Production
How editing was completed 30 years ago
The initial editing of all films was done with a positive copy of the film negative called a film workprint by physically cutting and pasting together pieces of film, using a splicer and threading the film on a machine with a viewer such as a Moviola. In the past, the use of a film positive (not the original negative) allowed the editor to do as much experimenting as they want, without the risk of damaging the original. When the film workprint had been cut to a satisfactory state, it was then used to make an edit decision list (EDL). The negative cutter referred to this list while processing the negative, splitting the shots into rolls, which were then contact printed to produce the final film print or answer print.
How editing has been revolutionised today by digital technology
Production costs have greatly decreased with introduction of reasonably cheap and advanced computing hardware and software. The average consumer is now able to produce and distribute advanced film materials themselves. The average person is aided by a digital video camera, an appropriate editing software and the Internet. These tools are being incorporated into mobile phones. Users from a young age are developing the technological knowledge and skills to become potential directors themselves.
Types of digital technology available today to complete editing
Some editing programs include Avid, Final Cut, I-Movie, Magix Movie Pro, Windows Movie Maker, Adobe Premiere Elements 8, Cyber Link Power Director, Corel Video Studio, Pinnacle Studio, Roxio Creator.
How technological convergence has revolutionised editing for institutions
Time: It is much quicker to edit a film using a digital editing programme, which saves companies money on the amount of time they need to stay in post-production.
Convenience: Digital editing programmes allow the editor to assemble sequences, correct mistakes, copy frames and add effects very easily.
Portability: Rather than having to use a large, metal machine, digital editing can be done on any PC or MAC and a digital editing programme.
Cost: Linear film-editing machines were expensive to manufacture and maintain, with access usually limited to people involved in the film industry. An industry standard digital editing suite can be purchased for as little as £2000 – the cost of a high-spec PC, good quality speakers and a professional editing programme.
How new media technology in that area has impacted on audiences
Editing has impacted on audiences by helping to keep them interested in the film. This is done by editing out any unnecessary parts to the film, so scenes do not drag on for a long period of time. Also editing has become so easy, with a little bit of practice, almost anyone can do it. This is good for audiences because they can create a film of their own and could potentially put them in the film industry.
Here is the link for Shani Naik's research on Special Effects & Graphics
http://shaninaikyear12asmediastudiesblog.blogspot.com/
Here is the link for Charandas Singh's research on Special Effects & Graphics
http://csinghmedia.blogspot.com/
Saturday, 17 October 2009
Channel 4 Remit
1) One similarity between Channel 4 and an independent film production company is that they demonstrate innovation, and they experiment with different narratives. Also both companies appeal to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society by showing media which a lot of people would like to watch.
2) One Channel 4 gained the ability to sell their own advertising space I think they started to change the programmes on the channel and started to become very different. More acquisitioned programmes have been introduced, such as Friends and ER.
3) Channel 4 lead to innovations because they started showing documentaries, now all the British Terrestrial TV Channels have some form of a documentary showed. Also they showed programmes with scenes of homosexuality which was very controversial, this lead to other channels showing programmes of similar material.
4) Channel 4 has strayed from the remit by not including programmes of an educational nature or value. Although they show documentaries they do not have any educational values due to the nature of the programmes, such as "The World's Biggest Penis."
5) I think Channel 4's factual programmes do not have the same educational value as the educational programmes from 25 years ago. 25 years ago programmes were shown which had some form of educational value but these days there is hardly any shows with any educational value.
6) I think Channel 4 does still keep to some aspects of the remit. They have some programmes which show innovation, creativity and experiment. Programmes that show this are "Scrapheap Challenge, Wife Swap and Friends."
7) Channel 4's ownership of Film 4 Productions is an example of vertical integration. This is because Channel 4 does not produce any of it's own shows, they either pay for a company to produce the shows (commission) or pay a company for the rights to broadcast the programme (acquisition).
2) One Channel 4 gained the ability to sell their own advertising space I think they started to change the programmes on the channel and started to become very different. More acquisitioned programmes have been introduced, such as Friends and ER.
3) Channel 4 lead to innovations because they started showing documentaries, now all the British Terrestrial TV Channels have some form of a documentary showed. Also they showed programmes with scenes of homosexuality which was very controversial, this lead to other channels showing programmes of similar material.
4) Channel 4 has strayed from the remit by not including programmes of an educational nature or value. Although they show documentaries they do not have any educational values due to the nature of the programmes, such as "The World's Biggest Penis."
5) I think Channel 4's factual programmes do not have the same educational value as the educational programmes from 25 years ago. 25 years ago programmes were shown which had some form of educational value but these days there is hardly any shows with any educational value.
6) I think Channel 4 does still keep to some aspects of the remit. They have some programmes which show innovation, creativity and experiment. Programmes that show this are "Scrapheap Challenge, Wife Swap and Friends."
7) Channel 4's ownership of Film 4 Productions is an example of vertical integration. This is because Channel 4 does not produce any of it's own shows, they either pay for a company to produce the shows (commission) or pay a company for the rights to broadcast the programme (acquisition).
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Fantasy Film Making Part 1
The Betrayal
In the lesson, each group was told to pick a piece of paper from each category, and my group picked out the production company of Brasso Films + Partners, the budget of £0 and a scenario of. "A rough drama about a young African immigrant growing up in London's gang culture.
Synopsis
A young boy comes from Africa for a better life, but it isn't as he expected. Shortly after he arrives he finds out where his uncle lives. A little while after moving into his uncle's house, his uncle starts to abuse him which drives him to leave, and with nowhere else to stay, live on the streets.
He starts shoplifting so that he can survive, a local gang witness his shoplifting and decide that the could have him in their gang. To initiate him into the gang, the gang members challenge the boy to stab someone. With the amount of peer pressure building up, he agrees to stab a person. A month after the stabbing, the gang set up a robbery, where the young African immigrant is betrayed by the gang.
He starts shoplifting so that he can survive, a local gang witness his shoplifting and decide that the could have him in their gang. To initiate him into the gang, the gang members challenge the boy to stab someone. With the amount of peer pressure building up, he agrees to stab a person. A month after the stabbing, the gang set up a robbery, where the young African immigrant is betrayed by the gang.
Location/Sets
The first location that will be used in the film is my garage. This will be used as the bedroom in the uncle's house. Only the garage will be seen as part of the uncle's house, this is to give the viewer a feel of what the rest of the house could be.
The second location will be Nisa Local/Grove. This will be used to stage the shoplifting scene where gang confronts him. This is a shop which is owned by a friend's dad.
The third location will be Goodmayes Park. This will be used for the scene where the stabbing takes place.
The fourth location will be Amanveer's house. This is where the robbery is going to take place.
The fifth location will be at the end of Amanveer's road. This is just after the gang betray the young boy, and where he is caught by a police officer.
The total costs for sets and locations are £0.
The second location will be Nisa Local/Grove. This will be used to stage the shoplifting scene where gang confronts him. This is a shop which is owned by a friend's dad.
The third location will be Goodmayes Park. This will be used for the scene where the stabbing takes place.
The fourth location will be Amanveer's house. This is where the robbery is going to take place.
The fifth location will be at the end of Amanveer's road. This is just after the gang betray the young boy, and where he is caught by a police officer.
The total costs for sets and locations are £0.
Characters and Actors
The main character in the film is David, he is the young immigrant from Africa trying to survive on London but gets caught up in the gang life. He will be played by a friend called Alex.
David's uncle is called Trevor, he abuses David when he comes to stay at his house. He will be played by a friend called Dami.
One member of the gang that approaches David is called Sean. He is the leader of the gang. He will be played by a friend called Orlstyne.
Another member of the gang is called Paul. He will be played by a friend called Dilip.
The police officer that arrests David is called Pc Phillipson. He will be played by Mr Phillipson.
The total costs for the actors are £0.
David's uncle is called Trevor, he abuses David when he comes to stay at his house. He will be played by a friend called Dami.
One member of the gang that approaches David is called Sean. He is the leader of the gang. He will be played by a friend called Orlstyne.
Another member of the gang is called Paul. He will be played by a friend called Dilip.
The police officer that arrests David is called Pc Phillipson. He will be played by Mr Phillipson.
The total costs for the actors are £0.
Music
The theme music for the opening sequence of the film are African drums. The artists of this are me and Amanveer.
When David arrives at his uncle's house African drums will also be played. The artists of this are me and Amanveer.
A competition will be held for 3 other pieces of music which will be involved in the film. One piece of the music held when the gang approach David outside the shop and another when the robbery is taking place. The last piece of music will be played when David gets arrested, but sirens will also be used in the background. The artists of these pieces of music will be the competition winners.
The total costs for music are £0
When David arrives at his uncle's house African drums will also be played. The artists of this are me and Amanveer.
A competition will be held for 3 other pieces of music which will be involved in the film. One piece of the music held when the gang approach David outside the shop and another when the robbery is taking place. The last piece of music will be played when David gets arrested, but sirens will also be used in the background. The artists of these pieces of music will be the competition winners.
The total costs for music are £0
Budget Review
The budget for the film is £0
The total cost for sets and locations are £0
The total costs for actors are £0
The total costs for music is £0
The remaining budget is £0
The total cost for sets and locations are £0
The total costs for actors are £0
The total costs for music is £0
The remaining budget is £0
Target Audience
The age range of the target audience is 13-20. This is because these are the main ages for gang crime and I think if young people can understand why they shouldn't go into gangs, this can help.
The main gender for this film are males. This is because the majority of gang members are males.
The interests/film consumption I will be aiming my films at are teenagers who watch films such as Kidulthood and Adulthood. These are good examples because they also look at the negatives of gang crime.
There is so main ethnicity that my film is aimed at because gang members are from many different cultures.
The location which I would like to aim my film at is London. This is because there is a huge number of gangs in London, and if the consequences of gang crime are publicised more, I think teenagers will think twice before the go into a gang.
I think my film will represent Britishness by showing the culture of gang crime, and the consequences of being in a gang. Also the majority of the actors involved are British, which also brings the aspect of Britishness into it.
The main gender for this film are males. This is because the majority of gang members are males.
The interests/film consumption I will be aiming my films at are teenagers who watch films such as Kidulthood and Adulthood. These are good examples because they also look at the negatives of gang crime.
There is so main ethnicity that my film is aimed at because gang members are from many different cultures.
The location which I would like to aim my film at is London. This is because there is a huge number of gangs in London, and if the consequences of gang crime are publicised more, I think teenagers will think twice before the go into a gang.
I think my film will represent Britishness by showing the culture of gang crime, and the consequences of being in a gang. Also the majority of the actors involved are British, which also brings the aspect of Britishness into it.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Comparative Analysis
Introduction
The two films that I will be looking at are Four Brothers and Kill Bill: Vol.1. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is the independent film of the two. The director of the film is Quentin Tarantino, who is known to make/direct films using actors and actresses that would not usually work together. One of the main companies involved in the production is Miramax Films. In this essay I will be looking for the differences or similarities between the two films using these factors:
Actors/Characters
Sound (Dialogue and Music)
Camerawork
Editing
Mise-en-scene (Location, props etc.)
Actors/Characters
In Four Brothers, the actors/characters involved in the film were chosen very carefully. The stereotype of brothers is that the youngest never gets to do what the older brothers are doing, and in this film it is shown like this as the younger brother doesn't get to use guns like the older brothers. In Kill Bill: Vol.1, Uma Thurman the main character known as "The Bride" plays the character of a lady looking for revenge as she is beaten up close to death. Although the two stories of revenge are different, the characters in each film play with similarities as they do not have any limits until they get their revenge.
Sound
In Kill Bill Vol.1, most of the music used is very dramatic because the scenes involve a lot of action, and the music increases the atmosphere for the person watching the film. Also there are some moments in the film where slow music is played where "The Bride" is injured and in hospital. In Four Brothers there is a variety of music that is used. When the mother is murdered, there is slow music that is played to help the person watching the film to feel the atmosphere, which is very similar to Kill Bill. There is also music used in some parts of the action scenes which is also similar to Kill Bill. There are many similarities in sound because both films are in the same genre and the storyline of revenge ensures this.
Camerawork
In Four Brothers the camerawork is very complex because there are scenes which would be hard to film. For example there is a scene in the film where there is a car chase, and with it being very slippery due to snow it must have been very hard for them to film. In Kill Bill, there are also some complex scenes that have been filmed. For example, the scene where "The Bride" comes to find O-Ren Ishii and then her gang The Crazy 88's try to fight her off but do not succeed. This is a complex scene to film as the fight is filmed on many different levels. There are similarities of the camerawork from both films as they both have very complex scenes throughout each film.
Editing
The editing involved in Kill Bill Vol. 1 is not complex at all. The only main part of editing involved is where The Crazy 88's and "The Bride" have their battle. There is so much blood in the scene that the editors decided to turn the battle into a black and white scene. In Four Brothers there are no editing effects which are added to the film, this makes it look more real and gives the person watching the film a better feeling of the film.
Mise-En-Scene
In Four Brothers the locations used in the film are mainly based around Detroit, USA. This is because this is a city which has a high gun crime rate, which brings reality into the film once again. Also the producers used another reality factor, where "Victor Sweet" dominates the majority of the city, which also happens in a lot of cities in USA. The main props being used in Four Brothers are guns, this is due to the nature of the film. Also there are a lot of cars being used in the film too, which shows a high budget involved in the production of the film. In Kill Bill Vol. 1 the main location is Japan, this is where O-Ren Ishii is located and the battle dominates the majority of the film. The main props that are used are swords, this is because "The Bride" and O-Ren Ishii are trained sword fighters when they meet each other. Another main prop that is used are costumes. Most of the characters involved in the film have their own costume, apart from The Crazy 88's, this helps the viewer to distinguish each character.
Conclusion
To conclude this essay, I can see that between both films, there are similarities, and although Miramax (Producers of Kill Bill Vol. 1) had a bigger budget, I believe that Paramount (Producers of Four Brothers) were the better producers and put their budget to good use. I think looking back at the factors which I have stated in the introduction, Four Brothers was the better film, because of the difficult situations in the film and how the producers coped with it.
To conclude this essay, I can see that between both films, there are similarities, and although Miramax (Producers of Kill Bill Vol. 1) had a bigger budget, I believe that Paramount (Producers of Four Brothers) were the better producers and put their budget to good use. I think looking back at the factors which I have stated in the introduction, Four Brothers was the better film, because of the difficult situations in the film and how the producers coped with it.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Life Of A Film - Four Brothers
Four Brothers
Synopsis
Four adopted brothers come together as their mother is killed. They then find out after that she was set up to be murdered. The four brothers Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Jack (Garrett Hedlund), Angel (Tyese Gibson) and Jeremiah (Andre Benjamin) think that the police aren't doing their job properly, so they decide to take matters into their own hands.
Production
The budget for Four Brothers was around $40,000,000.
The production company's that provided the finance are Paramount Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures. Some films created by Paramount Pictures are; The Avengers, Iron Man 2 and The Wheelman. A few films created by Di Bonaventura Pictures are; Salt, Red and Transformers.
The production company's that provided the finance are Paramount Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures. Some films created by Paramount Pictures are; The Avengers, Iron Man 2 and The Wheelman. A few films created by Di Bonaventura Pictures are; Salt, Red and Transformers.
Distribution
The film's theatrical distributors include Paramount Pictures and United International Pictures. It has been distributed in the USA, Switzerland, Argentina, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden and Singapore. The home film distributors are Paramount Home Entertainment and Veronica. They were distributed in Netherlands, USA, Germany and Sweden.
Exhibition
The box office takings of Four Brothers was;
$21,176,925 (USA)
£789,718 (UK)
CZK 309,130 (Czech Republic)
€207,482 (Netherlands)
A more detailed account of the takings can be seen here.
I would expect to see this film shown in Romford Vue because it is a very good film, and I would expect many people to enjoy a film like this.
As home exhibition, Four Brothers is available on DVD, Blue-Ray and streaming off the Internet.
$21,176,925 (USA)
£789,718 (UK)
CZK 309,130 (Czech Republic)
€207,482 (Netherlands)
A more detailed account of the takings can be seen here.
I would expect to see this film shown in Romford Vue because it is a very good film, and I would expect many people to enjoy a film like this.
As home exhibition, Four Brothers is available on DVD, Blue-Ray and streaming off the Internet.
Horizontal & Vertical Integration
Paramount Pictures and Di Bonaventura Pictures are not subsidiaries of a larger companies. Paramount own a distribution company, but Di Bonaventura Pictures have only distributed 1 film.
Comparing films created by Di Bonaventura Pictures and Paramount, I can see that Paramount have been involved in the production and distribution of many of Di Bonaventura's films.
There are no clear signs of horizontal integration between Paramount and Di Bonaventura Pictures, but it could be said that there is a lot of co-production between the two companies.
There is however, clear signs of vertical integration in Paramount, because they have produced and distributed many films.
Comparing films created by Di Bonaventura Pictures and Paramount, I can see that Paramount have been involved in the production and distribution of many of Di Bonaventura's films.
There are no clear signs of horizontal integration between Paramount and Di Bonaventura Pictures, but it could be said that there is a lot of co-production between the two companies.
There is however, clear signs of vertical integration in Paramount, because they have produced and distributed many films.
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Media Summer
During my summer holidays I watched TV, a number of films, and also listened to many songs.
When watching TV, one of the programmes I watched was Eastenders. What I liked about this programme is the different storylines which are involved, some of which last long and leave the audience is suspense. I also watched Dragons' Den. What I like about this programme is that people come up with good and bad inventions and I like to see what they have created. Also real money was being involved which means that the people pitching their ideas had to get them across to the Dragons' very well otherwise they would not be investing any money in the entrepreneur and their ideas.
One film I watched was Four Brothers. What I liked about this film is the four brothers come together to find the killer of their mother, and also the action involved made the film even more appealing. Another film I watched is The Fast And Furious. What I liked about this film is there are many street racing cars involved, and there is an undercover policeman trying to solve a series of robbery cases.
Some of the songs I have listened to have been by Michael Jackson. One reason I began to listen to these songs are because of the fact that he had died and with the majority of his songs being played on music channels, this reminded me of his good songs.
When watching TV, one of the programmes I watched was Eastenders. What I liked about this programme is the different storylines which are involved, some of which last long and leave the audience is suspense. I also watched Dragons' Den. What I like about this programme is that people come up with good and bad inventions and I like to see what they have created. Also real money was being involved which means that the people pitching their ideas had to get them across to the Dragons' very well otherwise they would not be investing any money in the entrepreneur and their ideas.
One film I watched was Four Brothers. What I liked about this film is the four brothers come together to find the killer of their mother, and also the action involved made the film even more appealing. Another film I watched is The Fast And Furious. What I liked about this film is there are many street racing cars involved, and there is an undercover policeman trying to solve a series of robbery cases.
Some of the songs I have listened to have been by Michael Jackson. One reason I began to listen to these songs are because of the fact that he had died and with the majority of his songs being played on music channels, this reminded me of his good songs.
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