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Thursday 9 December 2010
Monday 29 November 2010
Tuesday 23 November 2010
Denotation and Connotation of Horror film images
'Gothika'
Denotation
Woman in front of wall with red writing on it. Saying 'Not Alone'.
Connotation
'Not Alone' symbolises how she may not actually physically be alone or mentally.
Her tracksuit highlights that she may be at home or somewhere comfortable as she has not made an effort with her clothes. The red writing could be blood, therefore showing us she is in trouble and red signifies anger or danger.
'Halloween'
Denotation
Man wearing a mask, looking over a stair banister holding a big knife.
Connotation
Low angle shot to show that he is in control and holds the power within the shot, and the fact he is holding a knife shows he could be bad/evil.
'Scream'
Denotation
Connotation
Horror Film Treatment
In my opening horror film sequence, the opening shot will be an establishing shot of two girls in a plain, simple room with just a few book shelves and some plain furniture. They will be in the middle of the room, sitting opposite each other, and in between them is a Ouija board. The lighting will be candle light, but still quite bright. They will be laughing and joking about it, moving the glass around a lot. There will be an over-the-shoulder shot of them doing this, and the laughter will become quite distant and faint, and the light will get slightly dimmer. There will then be a close up shot of one of the girls laughing, and another close up of the other laughing still, but looking slightly unnerved. There is then a long shot, and the girls will decide to get up, walking out of shot through a door. The board in left abandoned in the middle of the floor. There is a zoom shot of the glass, and it will slowly start to move across the board on its own. As it is moving, one of the girls comes back in. There is a close up shot of the glass still moving, and then a mid shot of her staring at it in disbelief. There will be quite slow, sinister and repetitive music play, building up the tempo.
There is a mid shot of the board and the candles surrounding it will then suddenly go out together, leaving the room in darkness. All you will be able to hear is the gasp of the girl, then some fumbling and the striking of a match. There is a close up shot of the girls face, holding the candle below her chin, with just her face in light. She is breathing heavily, and then starts to shine the candle around the room slowly. The shot will be a panning shot, following the candle. It will pass over a bookshelf, the door, another bookshelf and then a very sinister masked face. She passes the candle over this, with the camera still following, then quickly pulls it back to where the face was. There are only old books illuminated by the candles. There is a mid shot of the girl who is holding her breath and still holding the candle up to the bookshelf and there is silence for a second, then the loud scream of the other girl is heard from the distance, and it cuts to black.
Friday 19 November 2010
Conventions of the Horror Thriller
Within the horror thriller, I expect to see certain elements. These are known as the codes and conventions. They help signify to the audience what genre of film they are watching and enable the audience in advance to have an idea of the kind of pleasures they will recieve from watching the film. That is with a horror film the pleasure of blood, death, gore, and with a thriller that of suspense, fear and action, or possibly supernatural elements.
Below is my list of the key codes and conventions of the horror/thriller genre:
HORROR:
THRILLER:
Below is my list of the key codes and conventions of the horror/thriller genre:
HORROR:
- death
- blood
- knives
- torture
- darkness
- isolation
- paranormal
- victims
- ghosts
- screaming
- footsteps
- puppets
- mutation
- creaking doors
- trees
- wind
- clowns
- banging
- ripping
- bad omens
- storms
- creepy children
- psychos
- twists in the plot
- dolls
- hooded figures
- rats
- owls
- church bells
- creepy music
- candles
- pain
- fear
- scratching
THRILLER:
- mystery
- action
- false sense of security
- chase sequences
- kidnap
- fire
- shouting
- guns
- murder
- weapons
Prelim Post Production
We have begun to edit our prelim tasks, and although they are not finished we have managed to cut our scenes to form a basic sequence. We used a programme called Final Cut Server (below).
We had to upload all of our sequences we filmed, and put them in to the 'rush bin'. We did this so that if anything went wrong, we had back-ups of our clips.
We then chose the clips that we wanted to use, and put them in the 'log bin'. We named them so that they were easily recognizable, making the diting process easier (e.g. Felix close-up). On Final Cut Server, there are two screens so you can see what you are doing. The first screen shows the clip you are using, and the second shows the editing clip. Below is the time-line window, where you can cut and organise the clips. We used our storyboard for reference and were able to see which shots were needed where.
This related to choosing the correct shot order. We played around with different clips to see which ones made the most sense in the sequence, and which shots were appropriate within the script. For example, we placed our character one above character two when he was giving him and order, resulting in a low angle shot showing character one had the power. We would choose this shot over a wide angle shot with the same dialogue, because it is mroe relevant to what is being said.
To make the clips flow smoothly, we experimented by making sure our clips overlapped on the time-line. However, positioning them correctly was often quite tricking on the time-line, because we had to be very precise.
I really enjoyed the editing of the prelim task, because it allowed us to be creative and come up with our own interpetation of the scene, and luckily we had shot many different shot types, so we had a lot of material to work with.
We had to upload all of our sequences we filmed, and put them in to the 'rush bin'. We did this so that if anything went wrong, we had back-ups of our clips.
We then chose the clips that we wanted to use, and put them in the 'log bin'. We named them so that they were easily recognizable, making the diting process easier (e.g. Felix close-up). On Final Cut Server, there are two screens so you can see what you are doing. The first screen shows the clip you are using, and the second shows the editing clip. Below is the time-line window, where you can cut and organise the clips. We used our storyboard for reference and were able to see which shots were needed where.
This related to choosing the correct shot order. We played around with different clips to see which ones made the most sense in the sequence, and which shots were appropriate within the script. For example, we placed our character one above character two when he was giving him and order, resulting in a low angle shot showing character one had the power. We would choose this shot over a wide angle shot with the same dialogue, because it is mroe relevant to what is being said.
To make the clips flow smoothly, we experimented by making sure our clips overlapped on the time-line. However, positioning them correctly was often quite tricking on the time-line, because we had to be very precise.
I really enjoyed the editing of the prelim task, because it allowed us to be creative and come up with our own interpetation of the scene, and luckily we had shot many different shot types, so we had a lot of material to work with.
Filming the Prelim
I was in a group of four people for our prelim filming task, which was filmed in a classroom. We white balanced the camera to make sure it was right for the lighting in the room, and we had to make sure the exposure was correct. We started our task with an establishing shot, and filmed the whole of the sequence using this type of shot. We then did the same with an over-the-shoulder shot facing our first character, and then filmed it the whole way through facing the second character. We repeated this process of filming the sequence the whole way through for our close-up shots of both characters. We filmed like this so that editing would be easier, as we had more shots to work with, and so that we didn't miss anything crucial. We then did some of our own improvised shots, such as focusing on the sliding back and forth of the rubix cube, the slamming of the cube, and the entry of our first character in to the room. One problem we did find was that because of the room we had to film in, the lighting was often quite hard to get right. We also had a few problems with getting an over-the-shoulder shot of character two, as character one kept blocking his face due to the fact he was standing and character two was sitting. To fix this we had to put the tripod quite high up, to match the shoulder of character one, creating a low angle, over-the-shoulder shot. One thing we made sure of was that we didn't break the 180 degree rule, to keep the continuity. I enjoyed filming the task, and it taught me a lot of adjusting the camera to suit different shot types.
Monday 11 October 2010
Using The Camera
We have been learning lots about how to use the camera, looking at different shot types, movement & framing and composition.
Basic Camera Shots:
Extreme Wide Shot
Very Wide Shot
Wide Shot
Mid Shot
Medium Close Up
Close Up
Extreme Close Up
Cutaway
Cut-In
Two-Shot
Over-The-Shoulder-Shot
Noddy Shot
Point Of View Shot
Weather Shots
The 180 degree rule is very important when using the camera, as it helps maintain continuity by ensuring that the action within the scene takes place behind an imaginary 180 degree line. If this line is crossed, then the change in perspective can become disorientating and confusing.
The rule of thirds states that an image can be divided up in to nine equal parts, by two evenly spaced horizontal lines, which creates more focus on the object within the middle 'box', emphasising importance.
Spatial relationships are also very important for ensuring that the eyeline matches work, and also that if, for example, you go from a wide shot to a close up, you don't get somebody else's arm or leg in the shot. This is to help with the editing and continuity.
Video showing the 'Seven Deadly Sins' of Camerawork:
Mistakes In The Practice Shoot:
In our first filming task, my group and I managed to break the 180 degree rule, whilst doing an over the shoulder shot, but other than some issues with lighting, everything else was okay!
Basic Camera Shots:
Extreme Wide Shot
Very Wide Shot
Wide Shot
Mid Shot
Medium Close Up
Close Up
Extreme Close Up
Cutaway
Cut-In
Two-Shot
Over-The-Shoulder-Shot
Noddy Shot
Point Of View Shot
Weather Shots
The 180 degree rule is very important when using the camera, as it helps maintain continuity by ensuring that the action within the scene takes place behind an imaginary 180 degree line. If this line is crossed, then the change in perspective can become disorientating and confusing.
The rule of thirds states that an image can be divided up in to nine equal parts, by two evenly spaced horizontal lines, which creates more focus on the object within the middle 'box', emphasising importance.
Spatial relationships are also very important for ensuring that the eyeline matches work, and also that if, for example, you go from a wide shot to a close up, you don't get somebody else's arm or leg in the shot. This is to help with the editing and continuity.
Video showing the 'Seven Deadly Sins' of Camerawork:
Mistakes In The Practice Shoot:
In our first filming task, my group and I managed to break the 180 degree rule, whilst doing an over the shoulder shot, but other than some issues with lighting, everything else was okay!
Camera Operations & Functions
In our Media lessons we have been introduced to video cameras and how to use them. We have been looking at the functions and operations of video cameras, such as timecode, white-balancing, aperture settings, focusing etc.
Today's cameras are highly sophisticated machines, and are capable of many things.
Important Camera Features:
Recording Speed - You should only ever record to video tape at a speed of Standard Play
Your camera and your VCR will let you select Extended Play and Super Long Play but you should only ever use this feature if its to record a television show that you want to watch at a later time.
Date/Time Imprint - On your camera, the control which turns your date/time feature on and off is probably a menu item. You must know where it is because once this information has been imprinted on your camera, it CANNOT be removed. This means that the date and time will be on every foot of what you are recording unless it is turned off before shooting.
tip: Before shooting, film something for ten seconds with the date/time imprint on. Then turn the feature off for the rest of the day, so you know when it was shot, but the date and time does not appear on every shot.
Fade and Dissolve Control - If you want to edit the tape which you shoot, DO NOT use this feature. If you do fade or dissolve within the camera, you cannot remove this special effect.
Zoom - On the cameras which we used, the zoom was the second dial away from the lense, but you should only use the zoom sparingly, because if it is used too much the film looks as though if it is shot on a roller coaster, and is difficult to watch. The zoom feature is useful for turning a wide shot in to a close up shot.
White Balance - We learnt how to white balance a camera by zooming in to a white object and flicking the white balance switch to A. We do this so that the camera can detect what is white under the light you are working in. If the light changes, the camera must be re white-balanced. White balance ensure that the colours captured by your camera are reproduced accurately.
Focus - The adjustment of the lens so that the image you are filming is represented clearly and sharply in your view finder or moniter. Auto focus is a mechanism built in to all cameras which enables cameras to constantly refocus, keeping everything within the frame focused. There will be a switch on your camera allowing you to select 'Auto' or 'Manual'. Manual focus allows you to focus your camera manually, using the ring near the lense to keep the camera focused.
Viewfinder - The diopeter control on your viewfinder is a focusing mechanism which allows you to adjust the viewfinder for your eyesight.
In filming, it is important to use a tripod. We practiced setting ours up, then taking it down again, to familiarise ourselves with it. The tripod is easy to set up, but must be level. Tripods are better than using the camera handheld because they keep the camera steady and still, and if you are repeatedly filming a shot it is easy to re-create that shot because the tripod will help to keep the camera in the same position. In certain films however, like the Blair Witch Project, a handheld camera will be used to create a 'home-made' video effect.
To get a straight image from the tripod, you bubble the camera. This means loosening the nuts on the tripod a tiny bit, so you can move and re-align the camera until the bubble is position in the centre of the black lines. Once this is done, you then tighten the nuts again.
Today's cameras are highly sophisticated machines, and are capable of many things.
Important Camera Features:
Recording Speed - You should only ever record to video tape at a speed of Standard Play
Your camera and your VCR will let you select Extended Play and Super Long Play but you should only ever use this feature if its to record a television show that you want to watch at a later time.
Date/Time Imprint - On your camera, the control which turns your date/time feature on and off is probably a menu item. You must know where it is because once this information has been imprinted on your camera, it CANNOT be removed. This means that the date and time will be on every foot of what you are recording unless it is turned off before shooting.
tip: Before shooting, film something for ten seconds with the date/time imprint on. Then turn the feature off for the rest of the day, so you know when it was shot, but the date and time does not appear on every shot.
Fade and Dissolve Control - If you want to edit the tape which you shoot, DO NOT use this feature. If you do fade or dissolve within the camera, you cannot remove this special effect.
Zoom - On the cameras which we used, the zoom was the second dial away from the lense, but you should only use the zoom sparingly, because if it is used too much the film looks as though if it is shot on a roller coaster, and is difficult to watch. The zoom feature is useful for turning a wide shot in to a close up shot.
White Balance - We learnt how to white balance a camera by zooming in to a white object and flicking the white balance switch to A. We do this so that the camera can detect what is white under the light you are working in. If the light changes, the camera must be re white-balanced. White balance ensure that the colours captured by your camera are reproduced accurately.
Focus - The adjustment of the lens so that the image you are filming is represented clearly and sharply in your view finder or moniter. Auto focus is a mechanism built in to all cameras which enables cameras to constantly refocus, keeping everything within the frame focused. There will be a switch on your camera allowing you to select 'Auto' or 'Manual'. Manual focus allows you to focus your camera manually, using the ring near the lense to keep the camera focused.
Viewfinder - The diopeter control on your viewfinder is a focusing mechanism which allows you to adjust the viewfinder for your eyesight.
In filming, it is important to use a tripod. We practiced setting ours up, then taking it down again, to familiarise ourselves with it. The tripod is easy to set up, but must be level. Tripods are better than using the camera handheld because they keep the camera steady and still, and if you are repeatedly filming a shot it is easy to re-create that shot because the tripod will help to keep the camera in the same position. In certain films however, like the Blair Witch Project, a handheld camera will be used to create a 'home-made' video effect.
To get a straight image from the tripod, you bubble the camera. This means loosening the nuts on the tripod a tiny bit, so you can move and re-align the camera until the bubble is position in the centre of the black lines. Once this is done, you then tighten the nuts again.
Thursday 30 September 2010
What is a Thriller?
In our media lessons, we have studied a film called 'The Usual Suspects', which is a thriller. We looked at different elements such as lighting, mis-en-scene and sound which help make the film a thriller.
What is a thriller?
- good versuses evil
- hidden twists in the plot
- hidden character identities
- dark lighting
- murder
- flashbacks (to help explain the story)
- death
- mystery
- criminals
- police
- lighting e.g. ambient, natural or low and artificial
What is a thriller?
- good versuses evil
- hidden twists in the plot
- hidden character identities
- dark lighting
- murder
- flashbacks (to help explain the story)
- death
- mystery
- criminals
- police
- lighting e.g. ambient, natural or low and artificial
Denotation/Connotation
Denotation, Connotation.
Denotation is what is in an image. For example, a picture of a heart, the denotation would be that there is a heart in the picture.
Connotation is what is meant by what is denoted. If the denotation is that there is a heart, the connotation could be love or affection, as this is what the heart represents.
Signifier, Signified, Sign.
The image below is an advert. The signifier is what is in the advert, the signified is meant by this and the sign is what the overall signifier and signified represents.
Signifier + Signified = Sign
Denotation is what is in an image. For example, a picture of a heart, the denotation would be that there is a heart in the picture.
Connotation is what is meant by what is denoted. If the denotation is that there is a heart, the connotation could be love or affection, as this is what the heart represents.
Signifier, Signified, Sign.
The image below is an advert. The signifier is what is in the advert, the signified is meant by this and the sign is what the overall signifier and signified represents.
Signifier + Signified = Sign
In this advert, for Tipalet cigarettes, the signifier is that a man is smoking a Tipalet cigarette and gaining attention from a woman, and it reads 'blow in her face and she'll follow you anywhere'. The signified is that the cigarette is bringing two people together, and the sign is that if you smoke Tipalets and you are a man you will gain female attention.
About Me!
Hello! My name is Daisy Baldwin and I live in a village called Henfield, close to Brighton. I have always lived near to Brighton and it's my home town, and I was at school at Hurstpierpoint college before Hurtwood. I have 3 older brothers and live with one of them and my parents..
I chose to do media because i am interested in films and enjoy creative subjects. I also like films and I couldn't pick a favourite but I loved Man On Fire and Taken ( thrillers) and also comedies. I love music aswell and like all kinds, especially indie,and r'n'b.
I chose to do media because i am interested in films and enjoy creative subjects. I also like films and I couldn't pick a favourite but I loved Man On Fire and Taken ( thrillers) and also comedies. I love music aswell and like all kinds, especially indie,and r'n'b.
Wednesday 29 September 2010
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