Sunday, 31 October 2010
Friday, 22 October 2010
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Real media artifact - About a girl
I have chosen to analyse a short film called about a girl. I chose to abalyse this particular short film as i think it has a particularly good storyline that is relevant and modern whilst also having a great twist at the end. the link to watch this clip is shown below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL2z8Qzn1dc
The opening scene to this short film is a long shot of a young girl singing and dancing in a field with a light blue slightly cloudy sky. To the audience seeing this for the firs time they would assume that this is just a normal girl having fun and being happy however the girl is just a silhouette at this point showing that this could have a deeper meaning. The director has used this scene to lead the audience into a false sense of security which allows him to have a bigger impact when the audience realise what the young girl is actually like. The second scene is a tracking shot of the young girl however she is now being portrayed in a completely different light to shock the audience. The director has used the costume of the girl very well to show a stereotypical "chavvy" young girl. The girl has been given big hoop earrings showing she is trying to act older and has long, greasy hair to show her lack of wealth. The background has also been used quite effectively as a typical council and industrial estate is shown which the audience will immediately associate with poverty and so have a rough idea of what is going to happen in the next few scenes. The director has also used clever dialogue and accents to create the perfect stereotypical lower class child. This is important is a short film as there is only a short period of time in which the director has to convince the audience what his characters are supposed to be like.
Low level lighting is used to show a gloomy poor town and depression. The lack of colour is also used well in these scenes as it makes everything look worn and dirty. This is to make the audience feel sorry for the young girl. we know this as the director specifically keeps reminding the audience by using careful dialogue such as when the young girl say's to her dad "I’m not a kid" when really she is only 13 and this is what a typical child would say as they always want to be older.
The tracking shot that has been used is a medium close-up. This shot means that it is easy to see the girls facial expressions and body language whilst also being able to hide something which leads to the surprise at the end. It is important for the director to show the girls body language and facial expressions as this is what creates her character and makes it so convincing. The tracking shot has been created using hand held camera. this creates an unsteady affect which would make the audience feel like they were there ones that the girl is talking to. Careful use of zooming in and out is also used during this tracking shot to keep the audiences attention, whilst also cutting to scenes that she is explaining which keeps the story relevant.
A particularly good scene used in this short film is when the tracking shot cuts to show the young girl having fun with her friends as this would convince the audience that she is innocent just before it is revealed that she was pregnant and was getting rid of a baby. Careful use of dialogue was again used to hide this showing that this has been well thought out and this is why it is so effective. The best shot in this short film is near the end when a crane shot is used to show her throwing the baby in a plastic bag into the river. This makes the young girl look small whilst the situation is actually very serious and so has a great impact on the audience.
Overall i think that this short film is very well thought out and has a great build up to an even better twist at the end and so i will look closely at this when planning my own construction.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL2z8Qzn1dc
The opening scene to this short film is a long shot of a young girl singing and dancing in a field with a light blue slightly cloudy sky. To the audience seeing this for the firs time they would assume that this is just a normal girl having fun and being happy however the girl is just a silhouette at this point showing that this could have a deeper meaning. The director has used this scene to lead the audience into a false sense of security which allows him to have a bigger impact when the audience realise what the young girl is actually like. The second scene is a tracking shot of the young girl however she is now being portrayed in a completely different light to shock the audience. The director has used the costume of the girl very well to show a stereotypical "chavvy" young girl. The girl has been given big hoop earrings showing she is trying to act older and has long, greasy hair to show her lack of wealth. The background has also been used quite effectively as a typical council and industrial estate is shown which the audience will immediately associate with poverty and so have a rough idea of what is going to happen in the next few scenes. The director has also used clever dialogue and accents to create the perfect stereotypical lower class child. This is important is a short film as there is only a short period of time in which the director has to convince the audience what his characters are supposed to be like.
Low level lighting is used to show a gloomy poor town and depression. The lack of colour is also used well in these scenes as it makes everything look worn and dirty. This is to make the audience feel sorry for the young girl. we know this as the director specifically keeps reminding the audience by using careful dialogue such as when the young girl say's to her dad "I’m not a kid" when really she is only 13 and this is what a typical child would say as they always want to be older.
The tracking shot that has been used is a medium close-up. This shot means that it is easy to see the girls facial expressions and body language whilst also being able to hide something which leads to the surprise at the end. It is important for the director to show the girls body language and facial expressions as this is what creates her character and makes it so convincing. The tracking shot has been created using hand held camera. this creates an unsteady affect which would make the audience feel like they were there ones that the girl is talking to. Careful use of zooming in and out is also used during this tracking shot to keep the audiences attention, whilst also cutting to scenes that she is explaining which keeps the story relevant.
A particularly good scene used in this short film is when the tracking shot cuts to show the young girl having fun with her friends as this would convince the audience that she is innocent just before it is revealed that she was pregnant and was getting rid of a baby. Careful use of dialogue was again used to hide this showing that this has been well thought out and this is why it is so effective. The best shot in this short film is near the end when a crane shot is used to show her throwing the baby in a plastic bag into the river. This makes the young girl look small whilst the situation is actually very serious and so has a great impact on the audience.
Overall i think that this short film is very well thought out and has a great build up to an even better twist at the end and so i will look closely at this when planning my own construction.
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Monday, 18 October 2010
Real media artifact analysis - Virus
I have analysed a short horror film entitled virus to improve my understand of the genre and how to make an effective short film. The link to this short film is listed below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItnNFEKiMt4
It is clear at the begining of the first scene what genre this short film is. This is because The first shot that is used is an establisher and begins at night outside. This is typically represnted in horror films as only bad thing happen at night due to the darkness and feeling of the unknown. Low level lighting has also been used inside the office to further convince the audience that something bad is going to happen as typically lower level lighting can be depressing and represent evil. in this particular short film the lighting creates an eerie vibe that instantly tells the audience they should be scared.
The first few shots are establishers. I beleive that this is key in a short film as there is not a lot of time and so a lot of information has to be told to the audience whilst also being relativley simplistic. Establishing shot allow this as they show the audience exactley where the film is set and will then have a better understandig of what is going on. I think that the director would want the audience to have the best understanding of the film as possible as this allows the audience to relate to what is happening and so makes the film scarier.
The CCTV shots used in this film give the effect that the characters are being watched. This is something that is typically used in horror films as before something bad is going to happen the victims are usually watched and so it creates a good build up before the action starts.
Toderovs narrative theory is represented well in this film. This is shown well in this particular short film. This is shown as at the begining although an eerie vibe has been created due to the lighting and lack of sound there is nothing bad happening in the scene showing an equilibrium. The film then moves into disequilibrium as the main character is attatcked and so the audience should be disturbed. The short film then moves back into a slight equilibrium whereby nothing bad is going to happen however it is an alternate equilibrium as the main character is dead and the audience are told this is going to happen again.
The director has used little or no dialogue in this short film. i think that this has been used very effectivley in this horror as it creates a good build up of tension and so makes the film much scarier. The diagetic background sound creates a unique vibe that enhances how eerie the scene is portrayed. this means that seemingly normal sounds such as a hoover or door closing become scary and set up the perfect scene for evil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItnNFEKiMt4
It is clear at the begining of the first scene what genre this short film is. This is because The first shot that is used is an establisher and begins at night outside. This is typically represnted in horror films as only bad thing happen at night due to the darkness and feeling of the unknown. Low level lighting has also been used inside the office to further convince the audience that something bad is going to happen as typically lower level lighting can be depressing and represent evil. in this particular short film the lighting creates an eerie vibe that instantly tells the audience they should be scared.
The first few shots are establishers. I beleive that this is key in a short film as there is not a lot of time and so a lot of information has to be told to the audience whilst also being relativley simplistic. Establishing shot allow this as they show the audience exactley where the film is set and will then have a better understandig of what is going on. I think that the director would want the audience to have the best understanding of the film as possible as this allows the audience to relate to what is happening and so makes the film scarier.
The CCTV shots used in this film give the effect that the characters are being watched. This is something that is typically used in horror films as before something bad is going to happen the victims are usually watched and so it creates a good build up before the action starts.
Toderovs narrative theory is represented well in this film. This is shown well in this particular short film. This is shown as at the begining although an eerie vibe has been created due to the lighting and lack of sound there is nothing bad happening in the scene showing an equilibrium. The film then moves into disequilibrium as the main character is attatcked and so the audience should be disturbed. The short film then moves back into a slight equilibrium whereby nothing bad is going to happen however it is an alternate equilibrium as the main character is dead and the audience are told this is going to happen again.
The director has used little or no dialogue in this short film. i think that this has been used very effectivley in this horror as it creates a good build up of tension and so makes the film much scarier. The diagetic background sound creates a unique vibe that enhances how eerie the scene is portrayed. this means that seemingly normal sounds such as a hoover or door closing become scary and set up the perfect scene for evil.
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
From Mrs S
Not a bad analysis, but I think it lacks detail. You need to explain exactly how shots work and why specifically they're used. This info would be useful when you plan your own film.
Friday, 8 October 2010
Real media artifact analysis - INSiDE
The short film i have decided to analyse is called INSiDE. The film is about a man wih multiple personality disorder. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjTOs1L3SBg
The first camera shot has been blurred. This is to show that it is unclear what is happening at the moment however as the shot becomes back into focus it is clear that the first scene is based in a hospital or mental institution of some sort. The audience knows this due to the all white costume and mise-en-scene which is typical of this sort of institution. This shows the director has used the enigma theory which represents mystery.
The lighting throught the scene remains similar and is quite simplistic as it is just overhead. Allthough it is quite simplistic it is also quite effective as it shows a sinister vibe to the film creating mystery and evil. The lighting could also represent that there is nothing wrong with the institution on the surface however something evil or dark is happening beneath the surface.
The director has used a lot of close up shots in this short film. This has allowed the director to change the scene and characters fairly quickly making the abnormality of the scene more apparent which helped when trying to represent a mental illness. Using the tracking shots also makes the audience feel like they are in the scene next to the actors which is always usefull in horror and thriller films as it is scarier and more intence.
Toderov's narative theory is also present in this short film. The begining of the film shows equilibrium as it is a calm safe environment that is being controlled however the film then moves into a disequelibrium whereby there characters are out of control and it is unclear what is happening. The last section of this theory is represnted at the end whe the main character is once again on his own and calm however this is a diffirent equilibrium as the audience now know what is wrong with the man and so understand what he is trying to do.
Overall this is a very effictive short film however is also quite simplistic. I think the reason behind this film being so effective is due to the fact that the idea behind the film is very well thought out and has not been over complicated and so i shall use this knowledge when planning my own construction.
The first camera shot has been blurred. This is to show that it is unclear what is happening at the moment however as the shot becomes back into focus it is clear that the first scene is based in a hospital or mental institution of some sort. The audience knows this due to the all white costume and mise-en-scene which is typical of this sort of institution. This shows the director has used the enigma theory which represents mystery.
The lighting throught the scene remains similar and is quite simplistic as it is just overhead. Allthough it is quite simplistic it is also quite effective as it shows a sinister vibe to the film creating mystery and evil. The lighting could also represent that there is nothing wrong with the institution on the surface however something evil or dark is happening beneath the surface.
The director has used a lot of close up shots in this short film. This has allowed the director to change the scene and characters fairly quickly making the abnormality of the scene more apparent which helped when trying to represent a mental illness. Using the tracking shots also makes the audience feel like they are in the scene next to the actors which is always usefull in horror and thriller films as it is scarier and more intence.
Toderov's narative theory is also present in this short film. The begining of the film shows equilibrium as it is a calm safe environment that is being controlled however the film then moves into a disequelibrium whereby there characters are out of control and it is unclear what is happening. The last section of this theory is represnted at the end whe the main character is once again on his own and calm however this is a diffirent equilibrium as the audience now know what is wrong with the man and so understand what he is trying to do.
Overall this is a very effictive short film however is also quite simplistic. I think the reason behind this film being so effective is due to the fact that the idea behind the film is very well thought out and has not been over complicated and so i shall use this knowledge when planning my own construction.
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Focus group analysis
Below i have analysed the focus group questionnaire that i haded out to five people about a short film that has already been created. The link for the film is on the previous post.
1)
The first question i asked was what in the short film stood out to you the most. Two people said story line showing that this played an important part in this short film and so i will have to take this into consideration when planning my product. Actors, Dialogue and lighting all scored one vote this shows that they were still important parts of this short film and so should be looked at in more detail however Mise-en-scene and music scored no votes showing that these are less important aspects.
2)
The second question i asked was do you think the film made sence. four of the five people asked said yes showing that a short film can be quite abstract and still work so i will use this knowledge when planning my construction.
3)
I then asked if the film left you wanting more. Three out of the five people said yes. This shows that this short Film is quite affective and so i should study it in more detail to help with my own construction.
4)
The fourth question i asked was do you think there was enough of a story line to this film. Four out of the five people that i asked said that they did think there was a good story line showing that it would be appropriate to futher reeach this shor film. The one person that did say no stated that the only reason they had said no was because they did not get the film at all.
5)
I then asked what genre my focus group thought the film was. The majority said thriller hawoever two said horror showing that it is possible to converge two or more diffirent genres and still create a good film.
6)
The sixth question i asked my focus group was would you pay to watch this short film. Three people said yes and two people said no. This shows me that although this is a very good short film people are not used to paying for them and so will probabl not in future as they can already see them for free.
7)
Five out of the five people i asked said that they thought that the lighting and costume were appropriate. this further confirms that this is a good example of what i should base my own product around.
8) What do you think was the worst part of this short film was the eighth question i asked. Most people stated that the worste part was the opening scene as it felt a bit dramatic and a bit far fetched for the actual situation. one person stated that they did not like the ending however this was because they did not understand the clip. As there is not a lot of bad feedback it shows that the film has been well thought out and executed well.
9) What did you think was the best part of the short film was the ninth question i asked. The majority said that the twist in the middle was there favourite and so i think it would be good to have a twist in my construction as it makes the film less predictable and so more exciting.
1)
The first question i asked was what in the short film stood out to you the most. Two people said story line showing that this played an important part in this short film and so i will have to take this into consideration when planning my product. Actors, Dialogue and lighting all scored one vote this shows that they were still important parts of this short film and so should be looked at in more detail however Mise-en-scene and music scored no votes showing that these are less important aspects.
2)
The second question i asked was do you think the film made sence. four of the five people asked said yes showing that a short film can be quite abstract and still work so i will use this knowledge when planning my construction.
3)
I then asked if the film left you wanting more. Three out of the five people said yes. This shows that this short Film is quite affective and so i should study it in more detail to help with my own construction.
4)
The fourth question i asked was do you think there was enough of a story line to this film. Four out of the five people that i asked said that they did think there was a good story line showing that it would be appropriate to futher reeach this shor film. The one person that did say no stated that the only reason they had said no was because they did not get the film at all.
5)
I then asked what genre my focus group thought the film was. The majority said thriller hawoever two said horror showing that it is possible to converge two or more diffirent genres and still create a good film.
6)
The sixth question i asked my focus group was would you pay to watch this short film. Three people said yes and two people said no. This shows me that although this is a very good short film people are not used to paying for them and so will probabl not in future as they can already see them for free.
7)
Five out of the five people i asked said that they thought that the lighting and costume were appropriate. this further confirms that this is a good example of what i should base my own product around.
8) What do you think was the worst part of this short film was the eighth question i asked. Most people stated that the worste part was the opening scene as it felt a bit dramatic and a bit far fetched for the actual situation. one person stated that they did not like the ending however this was because they did not understand the clip. As there is not a lot of bad feedback it shows that the film has been well thought out and executed well.
9) What did you think was the best part of the short film was the ninth question i asked. The majority said that the twist in the middle was there favourite and so i think it would be good to have a twist in my construction as it makes the film less predictable and so more exciting.
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