Friday 12 February 2016
Question 7 - Miss Georgiou
Question 7
For our preliminary task, we had to film a small scene of a conversation in order to get a better idea of how to use the equipment to make our final opening sequence. Our scene had to consist of, as a whole, a walking scene of a character, and a scene of a conversation between two characters. We had to film an over the shoulder shot, a long shot, a mid-shot, a close-up and a panning shot that would make up our small narrative of the preliminary task.
We struggled in making the over shoulder shot the most when filming our preliminary task. We were supposed to film myself walking to a table, while the camera would be above my shoulder looking ahead, by having someone walk behind me as we filmed. We struggled with this as the camera would keep bouncing around when the cameraman walked as he had to hold the camera high above his head while walking, so it would come out looking bad and poorly done, due to the shakiness of the footage and it being unable to focus, and subsequently blurry, that was hard to watch and wasn't worth keeping. We resolved this by having me walk at a slower pace so the ca meraman could keep himself steady while he filmed and so there wasn't a rushed feeling to the shot, due to the cameraman being able to take his time while walking and not getting the natural bounce that happens when you walk faster, we also experimented with different filming styles for the OSS, like having it in a fixed position while I walked by but we decided that moving the camera would be more interesting and keep a flow to the scene.
We learned how to set up the tripod properly. This was quite difficult to do at first when we didn't know how to extend the tripod due to there being a lot of different levers and knobs, although we had a demonstration we still found it difficult to work the tripod due to not having any previous experience with a tripod. We overcame this difficulty by testing the different devices on the tripod until we found out what we needed to, although what we didn't know our teacher was able to fill us in on, and after spending a short time learning the process we were able to get full movement and angles. Once we knew we were able to extend it fully and make sure that were getting stable shots that were at a height level that we wanted and also how to operate smaller parts of the tripod to be able to angle the camera properly and get shots that would be hard to do on a tripod, like a cantered angle.
We learned how to use the camera properly as well. The camera itself was tricky to operate as nobody in the group was familiar with using it to record, so we had to mess around with the buttons at first until we know how to use different elements of the camera like zooming it and out, which helped us to set up different shots and film easier, something that would benefit greatly later on when we were filming for real. We also learned how to properly play back footage, so that when we were done filming a shot we could go back and make sure the scene had been done right, or if it needed to be re-filmed. This saved us time as we wouldn't have to spend time going back to our computers, watching back the footage in final cut, deciding it wasn't good enough and then having to go back out and re-film some scenes.
We got a better idea of editing and sound in our piece as well. By using Final Cut Pro X, we were able to take all of the different clips we had recorded and put them together in order to come out with a very professional looking final piece, which helped us get a better feel for editing when we had to do it for our opening sequence. We also learned how to add sound to our productions properly and without them sounding too jarring for the audience to hear, something that also helped us when making our final piece as we knew how to put in these different sound files in a quick and properly done way. However we did have problems with Final Cut Pro X in that nobody in the group knew how to use it, meaning we were slow when putting together our pieces as we had basic knowledge of the tools and effects at our disposal and weren't sure how to properly put them. We fixed this by getting help from the technicians and spending more time trying out the different features of the program, so that we could know how to properly use the device and it's limitations so that we could edit and put together our task quicker, something that would allow us to speed up our real production greatly and not mean we had wasted time.
We learned multiple different things when making our preliminary task involving the production process and how to do it properly in an efficient manner. We learned how to properly set up and use a tripod in order to get better stability of the camera and be able to maneuover it with it coming out wonky and amateur. We also learned how to set up camera angles properly so when it came to making our opening sequence we would know what we are doing and be able to set up all the camera shots quickly and effectively. I also learned how to use final cut pro x better and get more familiar with the different ways to use it, so that when we would make our final piece it wouldn't be too hard to use and we could try out more professional techniques. The overall benefit of the task was to gain a good, sound knowledge on all the aspects of the production of making a low budget thriller opening sequence, so that when we got around to actually coming to film the piece it would be quicker and of a higher quality, as we already knew what we had to do and how to overcome and challenges we had with production.
Thursday 11 February 2016
Question 2 - Miss Georgiou
Question 2
In my thriller opening sequence, the main victim of the narrative is a female character. The audience see her represented as being weak, due to her not being able to defend herself from the killer, as well as innocent, as she is seen wearing a white shirt, with a brightly colored costume connoting innocence. This has been done to connote to the audience that she is a weak character and won't be able to defeat the killer, increasing audience interest as they want to see how well she will do, as well as showing the audience that she is innocent, increasing sympathy for the character because she will eventually die and she doesn't deserve it. The innocent portrayal of the character supports her age of being a teenager. This shows that gender has been stereotyped in my opening sequence because it portrays the female as being weak, a common stereotype of female characters. The age of the female adds to the stereotype of the victim being weaker as she is physically undeveloped compared to the older male killer, and will be unable to oppose him physically.
In my piece, the killer is a male character with a stereotypical portrayal and is experienced at killing people. The killer is presented as being a sinister character by the way of his costume, which is a dark tracksuit with a black face mask, he also carries a knife that he uses to attack the victim. This has been done to connote to the audience that he is an evil character based on how he chooses to wear black clothes and uses a knife with the intent on killing people with it. He is an older character as he is able to properly use a knife as if he has experience with it, meaning he will be able to kill his victims quickly and efficiently. Gender is still stereotyped because it is common for the killer to be a male as he can, stereotypically, overpower the female characters and get away with his killing spree.
A relationship is created between the audience and the female victim because she is seen as an innocent character. The victim wears white to connote that she is a good character, unlike the killer wearing a darker costume. This has been done to connote to the audience that she hasn't done anything wrong to deserve being set upon by the killer. The purpose is to have the audience want to support her and want her to survive, making the audience pay more attention to her character and beginning to know more about her throughout the scene to see if she can overcome the killer in some way.
A relationship is created between the killer and the audience as they dislike him and know that he will cause trouble. In my thriller opening, the audience see the killer pursuing the victim throughout the sequence. This has been done to connote a to the audience that he will bring death with him and cause trouble for the characters for the film by potentially killing them. The purpose of this is to make the audience dislike the killer as they know he will kill someone and not be brought to justice, while also killing many people who don't deserve it. This also creates fear in the audience as they can see how strong he is and how dangerous he is and that he might hurt them if he gets the chance.
A relationship is created between the audience and the narrative as it begins very relatable. Through an establishing shot, the audience see the victim entering her house and, through slow-paced editing, see her going about her day. This shows the victim as being an ordinary person just going about her day, as she does mundane things before the killer appears later on in the clip. This creates a relationship between the audience and the narrative as they can relate to what the victim is doing, everyday chores, and can see themselves in her shoes, making the attack of the killer hit them on a more personal way as they can see themselves in the role of the victim.
The audience feel fear throughout the scene as the killer is represented as someone who can find his victims, no matter what they try to get away and no matter who they are. The audience see the killer get knocked back by the victim and, through a low angle shot, see him break through the front door and attack the victim with a knife. This represents the killer as being strong as he can break through a door and get to the victim, as well as being able to use a knife against the victim, something that will kill her quickly and brutally. This creates fear in the audience as the killer is represented as someone who can move around quickly and catch up to his prey, being able to kill them without being found.
Question 1 - Miss Georgiou
Question One
Our media product brief was the opening sequence to a thriller film. The sequence had to be at least two minutes long. I worked by myself in a group, although I had the help of two other people when filming as I couldn't play all parts.
One convention of the genre is that the victim is usually female. The victim is usually portrayed as a defenseless female running fro the killer, the audience can see this in films like 'Scream' where the victim runs away from an unknown killer. This is done because it shows the female as being weak and that she will not be able to survive the attacks from the killer. This convention is important to include because it allows the audience to understand how terrifying the killer is, and how hard he will be to stop, as the audience doesn't see the killer, so the audience rely on the response from the victim in the scene from 'Scream' to gauge the lethality of the killer.
A different convention of the thriller genre is the inclusion of a male killer. The audience often see the male killer be able to overpower and kill multiple victims during the film without being caught or killed until the end of the film. This has been done because it allows the audience to see the power he has as an antagonist and how he will be hard to stop for other characters. The purpose of this is to have someone counterbalance the weaker, female victims, and set up a character that everyone will have trouble defending themselves from. The use of a male killer is shown in 'Disturbia', as the victims in the film have to oppose the male killer who is able to overpower the characters at multiple instances.
A more mise-en-scene related convention is the use of weapons. In thriller films, the killer usually uses a form of weapon, like a knife or an axe, in order to easily kill their target without drawing too much attention and putting them through pain. This is done to show danger in the scenes that the weapons are in, and that people in the scenes face the possibility of getting seriously injured or even killed. The purpose of this is to show how much power the killer has over his victims as he can end their lives when he chooses to and with as much brutality as he wants. An example of weapons shown in films is in 'The Shining', where the killer, Jack, uses an axe to chop down a door to get to his victim and potentially use it on her.
A convention used in thriller films is that the setting is usually an abandoned setting where no one will find the killer and be able to stop him. In most thriller films, the events of the film will take place in an abandoned building or forest so that no one will stumble across the scene of the crime. This is done so that the the victim will have nowhere to run and have little chance of escaping the killer. The purpose of this is to connote to the audience that the victim will have a slim chance of escaping from the killer alive. An abandoned setting shown in a thriller film is the remote bathroom setting of 'Saw', where the two victims are unable to escape and have no way to escape the room, as all doors are heavy and thick metal doors.
A useful convention of the thriller genre is that the killer's identity should be hidden from the viewer to create an enigma. For example, in a thriller film the killer will be masked and so the victims will be unable to identify the killer, allowing him to get away without anyone capturing him. This has been done to create an enigma for the audience in that nobody will know who the killer is, and so have no way of finding a weakness. The purpose of this is to show how unstoppable the killer is, and the victims will have a particularly hard time bringing him to justice. This is shown in 'Halloween', as the audience see the killer, Michael, wearing a novelty clown mask to cover up his identity so nobody will know that he is the killer.
A different convention of the thriller genre is that the film will use on-screen sound for effect. Some films will esu people banging on doors or running down hallways, usually from the killer. This is done because it creates suspense in the audience so they know that these sounds indicate that something big and potentially dangerous is coming for the victim will come for the victim. The purpose of this is to show that the victim will come to an inevitable death or fight with the killer. This is seen in 'The Shining', when the killer Jack chases his victims down a hallway and begins to bash the door in, creating a repetitive sound, made to simulate a heartbeat and how the victim will lose hers soon.
The use of a female victim is present, from my research, in the the thriller film 'Scream'. The audience see the girl running from the killer throughout the intro but she is finally killed by him at the end. The purpose of this is to show the killer's strength and ability to kill whoever he wants, whenever he wants without feeling any remorse about it.
The use of a male killer is shown in the film 'Disturbia'. In that film, the male killer is able to overpower multiple women, the male victim and the victim's mother. The purpose of this is to create suspense for the audience, as they want to know if the victim will be able to stop the killer before he kills them.
In my research, I found that the film 'Halloween', uses weaponry in the events of the film. In this film, we see a point of view shot of the killer using his knife to kill his sister, by stabbing her. The purpose of this is to show the brutality of the killer and how he has no qualms with killing people when he wants to.
In my research, I found that the film 'Saw' uses an isolated setting for the location and for effect. The film takes place in a small, dirty, isolated bathroom, with no way for the victims to leave due to heavy metal doors barring them away from the public and anyone that can help them. This has been done to show that the victims will have to work to find their own way out and outsmart their captors. The purpose of an isolated setting is also to show that the killer will be able to get away with the murders if he is not stopped.
In my research, I found that the convention of the killer's identity being hidden is shown in the thriller film 'Halloween'. In this film, the audience see a point of view shot of the killer picking up a mask, iconography, and putting it on his face, obscuring his identity. This has been done to make sure the audience does not recognize the killer's identity and further the enigma as the people trying to catch him will not know the face they are looking for. The purpose of this is to show how it will be difficult for the victim to track the killer and bring him to justice, as they don't know who he is.
The use of on-screen sound is shown in the thriller film 'The Shining' for effect. The audience see the killer trying to chop down the door, with each thud being loud and repetitive, one after the other. This has been done to sound out the impending doom of the victim as the killer is getting closer to killing his victim. The purpose of this is to create suspense as the audience do not know when the killer will break through the door, and be able to kill the victim.
In my media product, there are some similarities with 'Scream', in that we both have a female victim that gets killed. In my opening sequence, the female victim is first attacked by the killer, runs away, and is then killed by the killer, this is shown through the cinematography for the scene, as the audience see a long shot of the female victim getting stabbed. This has been done to show how she is weaker than the killer and will be unable to fight back against him. This mirrors the opening sequence of 'Scream'. I took inspiration from 'Scream' as it was a conventional thriller film that the audience can relate to because it takes place in a domestic setting, meaning that the audience can see themselves in the victim's shoes, increasing the suspense, as well as both pieces having a female victim. I decided to have a female victim because it would be more conventional and get sympathy for the victim as she wouldn't stand a chance against the killer.
Although, unlike the killer in 'Scream', I wanted the victim to be able to immobilize the killer until the audience thinks she has gotten away, then out of nowhere she gets stabbed by the killer. This is shown through the non-diegetic sound used in the scene where the victim is running away from the killer, as the sound of violins gets higher as she gets further away from the killer. This was done to connote the heightened sense of suspense in the scene, as the audience doesn't know if she will get away or not. I did this because it would make for a surprise in the audience as they think the victim has gotten away, then out of the blue she gets stabbed by the killer. I did this because it would make for a surprise in the audience as they think she will be able to escape, but the killer manages to get the jump on her.
Another similarity my opening sequence has with 'Scream' is that the mise-en-scene setting is the victim's home. In my opening sequence, the audience can see that the events take place in the victim's home, and just outside. 'Scream' also uses the victim's home as a setting for the opening sequence. I used a domestic setting because I feel it creates a relationship between the victim and the audience as they feel as if they are in the victim's shoes, being in a place where the same scenario could happen.
Both my media product and 'Scream' use a knife in the piece when the killer attacks the victim. In my opening sequence, the audience see the killer wielding a knife to attack and kill the victim. 'Scream' features a knife as the victim talks on the phone to the killer, she plays with a knife in the block, connoting the danger she will be in and her oncoming death. I used a knife in my opening sequence to connote the danger that the victim is in, and how the audience should understand that she will most likely die, due to her not having the ability to protect herself properly.
My media product and 'Scream' focus on keeping the killer's identity hidden. In my opening sequence, the audience see the killer in the woods at night, wearing a balaclava to hide his identity. The audience can see in 'Scream', that the killer isn't seen in the opening sequence because he does't appear at all, remaining mysterious and allowing the audience to create an enigma in their own heads as they don't know what to expect from the killer, instead using the victim's expression as a means for finding out what the killer. I made the killer's identity hidden in order to create tension in the audience as they don't know who the killer is and what his significance to the plot is.
My media product and 'Scream' also feature on-screen sound that is used in a foreboding manner. In my opening sequence, the audience hear the sound of the victim screaming . The audience can hear, in 'Scream', the sound of a phone ringing as the scene starts, creating a shock in the audience as the action takes them off guard and sets the pace for the beginning of the film as it shows the audience that it will be fast paced and she will have to think quickly to survive. I used the on-screen sound of someone screaming because it connoted that she was in immediate trouble and was going to get hurt, the scream being used as a scream for help to the audience, although they feel suspense as they know they can't get in to help her.
A different convention of the thriller genre is the inclusion of a male killer. The audience often see the male killer be able to overpower and kill multiple victims during the film without being caught or killed until the end of the film. This has been done because it allows the audience to see the power he has as an antagonist and how he will be hard to stop for other characters. The purpose of this is to have someone counterbalance the weaker, female victims, and set up a character that everyone will have trouble defending themselves from. The use of a male killer is shown in 'Disturbia', as the victims in the film have to oppose the male killer who is able to overpower the characters at multiple instances.
A more mise-en-scene related convention is the use of weapons. In thriller films, the killer usually uses a form of weapon, like a knife or an axe, in order to easily kill their target without drawing too much attention and putting them through pain. This is done to show danger in the scenes that the weapons are in, and that people in the scenes face the possibility of getting seriously injured or even killed. The purpose of this is to show how much power the killer has over his victims as he can end their lives when he chooses to and with as much brutality as he wants. An example of weapons shown in films is in 'The Shining', where the killer, Jack, uses an axe to chop down a door to get to his victim and potentially use it on her.
A convention used in thriller films is that the setting is usually an abandoned setting where no one will find the killer and be able to stop him. In most thriller films, the events of the film will take place in an abandoned building or forest so that no one will stumble across the scene of the crime. This is done so that the the victim will have nowhere to run and have little chance of escaping the killer. The purpose of this is to connote to the audience that the victim will have a slim chance of escaping from the killer alive. An abandoned setting shown in a thriller film is the remote bathroom setting of 'Saw', where the two victims are unable to escape and have no way to escape the room, as all doors are heavy and thick metal doors.
A useful convention of the thriller genre is that the killer's identity should be hidden from the viewer to create an enigma. For example, in a thriller film the killer will be masked and so the victims will be unable to identify the killer, allowing him to get away without anyone capturing him. This has been done to create an enigma for the audience in that nobody will know who the killer is, and so have no way of finding a weakness. The purpose of this is to show how unstoppable the killer is, and the victims will have a particularly hard time bringing him to justice. This is shown in 'Halloween', as the audience see the killer, Michael, wearing a novelty clown mask to cover up his identity so nobody will know that he is the killer.
A different convention of the thriller genre is that the film will use on-screen sound for effect. Some films will esu people banging on doors or running down hallways, usually from the killer. This is done because it creates suspense in the audience so they know that these sounds indicate that something big and potentially dangerous is coming for the victim will come for the victim. The purpose of this is to show that the victim will come to an inevitable death or fight with the killer. This is seen in 'The Shining', when the killer Jack chases his victims down a hallway and begins to bash the door in, creating a repetitive sound, made to simulate a heartbeat and how the victim will lose hers soon.
The use of a female victim is present, from my research, in the the thriller film 'Scream'. The audience see the girl running from the killer throughout the intro but she is finally killed by him at the end. The purpose of this is to show the killer's strength and ability to kill whoever he wants, whenever he wants without feeling any remorse about it.
The use of a male killer is shown in the film 'Disturbia'. In that film, the male killer is able to overpower multiple women, the male victim and the victim's mother. The purpose of this is to create suspense for the audience, as they want to know if the victim will be able to stop the killer before he kills them.
In my research, I found that the film 'Halloween', uses weaponry in the events of the film. In this film, we see a point of view shot of the killer using his knife to kill his sister, by stabbing her. The purpose of this is to show the brutality of the killer and how he has no qualms with killing people when he wants to.
In my research, I found that the film 'Saw' uses an isolated setting for the location and for effect. The film takes place in a small, dirty, isolated bathroom, with no way for the victims to leave due to heavy metal doors barring them away from the public and anyone that can help them. This has been done to show that the victims will have to work to find their own way out and outsmart their captors. The purpose of an isolated setting is also to show that the killer will be able to get away with the murders if he is not stopped.
In my research, I found that the convention of the killer's identity being hidden is shown in the thriller film 'Halloween'. In this film, the audience see a point of view shot of the killer picking up a mask, iconography, and putting it on his face, obscuring his identity. This has been done to make sure the audience does not recognize the killer's identity and further the enigma as the people trying to catch him will not know the face they are looking for. The purpose of this is to show how it will be difficult for the victim to track the killer and bring him to justice, as they don't know who he is.
The use of on-screen sound is shown in the thriller film 'The Shining' for effect. The audience see the killer trying to chop down the door, with each thud being loud and repetitive, one after the other. This has been done to sound out the impending doom of the victim as the killer is getting closer to killing his victim. The purpose of this is to create suspense as the audience do not know when the killer will break through the door, and be able to kill the victim.
In my media product, there are some similarities with 'Scream', in that we both have a female victim that gets killed. In my opening sequence, the female victim is first attacked by the killer, runs away, and is then killed by the killer, this is shown through the cinematography for the scene, as the audience see a long shot of the female victim getting stabbed. This has been done to show how she is weaker than the killer and will be unable to fight back against him. This mirrors the opening sequence of 'Scream'. I took inspiration from 'Scream' as it was a conventional thriller film that the audience can relate to because it takes place in a domestic setting, meaning that the audience can see themselves in the victim's shoes, increasing the suspense, as well as both pieces having a female victim. I decided to have a female victim because it would be more conventional and get sympathy for the victim as she wouldn't stand a chance against the killer.
Although, unlike the killer in 'Scream', I wanted the victim to be able to immobilize the killer until the audience thinks she has gotten away, then out of nowhere she gets stabbed by the killer. This is shown through the non-diegetic sound used in the scene where the victim is running away from the killer, as the sound of violins gets higher as she gets further away from the killer. This was done to connote the heightened sense of suspense in the scene, as the audience doesn't know if she will get away or not. I did this because it would make for a surprise in the audience as they think the victim has gotten away, then out of the blue she gets stabbed by the killer. I did this because it would make for a surprise in the audience as they think she will be able to escape, but the killer manages to get the jump on her.
Another similarity my opening sequence has with 'Scream' is that the mise-en-scene setting is the victim's home. In my opening sequence, the audience can see that the events take place in the victim's home, and just outside. 'Scream' also uses the victim's home as a setting for the opening sequence. I used a domestic setting because I feel it creates a relationship between the victim and the audience as they feel as if they are in the victim's shoes, being in a place where the same scenario could happen.
Both my media product and 'Scream' use a knife in the piece when the killer attacks the victim. In my opening sequence, the audience see the killer wielding a knife to attack and kill the victim. 'Scream' features a knife as the victim talks on the phone to the killer, she plays with a knife in the block, connoting the danger she will be in and her oncoming death. I used a knife in my opening sequence to connote the danger that the victim is in, and how the audience should understand that she will most likely die, due to her not having the ability to protect herself properly.
My media product and 'Scream' focus on keeping the killer's identity hidden. In my opening sequence, the audience see the killer in the woods at night, wearing a balaclava to hide his identity. The audience can see in 'Scream', that the killer isn't seen in the opening sequence because he does't appear at all, remaining mysterious and allowing the audience to create an enigma in their own heads as they don't know what to expect from the killer, instead using the victim's expression as a means for finding out what the killer. I made the killer's identity hidden in order to create tension in the audience as they don't know who the killer is and what his significance to the plot is.
My media product and 'Scream' also feature on-screen sound that is used in a foreboding manner. In my opening sequence, the audience hear the sound of the victim screaming . The audience can hear, in 'Scream', the sound of a phone ringing as the scene starts, creating a shock in the audience as the action takes them off guard and sets the pace for the beginning of the film as it shows the audience that it will be fast paced and she will have to think quickly to survive. I used the on-screen sound of someone screaming because it connoted that she was in immediate trouble and was going to get hurt, the scream being used as a scream for help to the audience, although they feel suspense as they know they can't get in to help her.
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