MOCK EXAM FEEDBACK

-Improve exam technique, use this necessary terminology and tactics
- Revise technique in first two questions
-second sentence should begin 'The characters fit the AA genre because..."
- Write more about the jeopardy eg rockets, bombs ect
-Finish points, describe what the missiles look like, how the doctor transfers and the impact of the look of the doctor.
-Answer the questions fully + convey to the examiner that I understand
-concentrate on the things used in the extract such as the teleporting device and the futuristic features of the extract.  
-Concentrate on writing about society in last question
-Make sure that when talking about lighting that it is the correct part.
-Make sure to talk  about nationality of the characters in the extract.

AUDIENCE PROFILE RESEARCH

DETECTIVES ART OF THE TITLE

11/9/14 |  RESEARCH | THE ART OF THE TITLE: DETCETIVES

We accessed the art of the title and used it to watch the intro of the French detective series detectives. One of the ways that you could tell it is a television detective series is because in the opening sequence detective files were shown to show the main characters within in the show. It also had the opening credits in a clear white and black bold font and the title of the programme in a bigger font to make it stand out from the other credits. It also had a catchy theme song which is common amongst television openings.

SHERLOCK HOLMES ART OF THE TITLE

12/9/14 | RESEARCH | FILM OPENINGS: SHERLOCK HOLMES (2009)

In class we watched the film opening titles to the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes. As someone who has watched the Sherlock Holmes series I was excited to watch the opening titles for the film. The opening titles were in a monochromatic colour scheme and each character was introduced by moving image followed by a sepia image and was then transformed into an ink sketch, this process is repeated each time for all the different characters. It clearly shows that Sherlock Holmes is set in the Victorian era the sepia tones in the intro suggest Victorian photography. The credits are handwritten in pen and ink wash, there are ink blots and splatters and the papers are tattered and this establishes the Victorian period. The soundtrack is upbeat and instrumental and fits the pace of the titles. The CGI

PLANNING: THE BRIEF

9/10/14 | PLANNING| THE BRIEF

I am working in a group of three pupils with Amber Giles and Eleanor McChesney. we have chosen Brief 7 (video), the opening sequence of a new film including titles, in any genre or mix of genres such as a comedy or thriller together with a storyboard. Maximum length: three minutes.

PLANNING AUDIENCE PROFILE

 

RESEARCH: FILM DISTRIBUTOR

Today in class we looked at different film distributors and used the website Launching Films to learn about how film distributors work and learnt about all the different types of film distributors. We then decided what film distributor would be appropriate for our film based on the genre and how popular the film would be.

FILMING

Over the half term I, Eleanor and Amber met up to begin filming. We used the canon D60 camera provided by the school and a tripod. The first problem we encountered whilst filming was that the camera would only shoot 8 second shots, as we did not have time to look up how to fix this problem we continued filming and tried to film our shots in these short windows of time. We shot the bedroom shots and the last few shots of the introduction to our horror film. I set up and filmed most of the shots for our film and assisted Amber a little bit in the directing of it. By the end of our 4 hour shoot we had achieved most of the shots we wanted and were happy with the outcome.

CALL SHEET (FIRST DRAFT)

GCSE Media Studies Call Sheet for Psychological Thriller

Shoot date: 21/10/14

Location: 34 Beaconsfield Road, Claygate, Surrey KT10 0PW

 

Camera equipment:

 

Lighting equipment:

 

Harriet Mobile:  07*********                                          Email Address: harriet@gmail.com

Eleanor Mobile:  07********                                           Email Address: Eleanor@gmail.com                

Amber Mobile: 07********                                             Email Address: Amber@gmail.com

 Props:

 

 

Wardrobe Person 1:

 

 

Wardrobe person 2:

 

SCOOP IT

Today in class I used a useful interactive online research tool called scoop it to research thriller codes and conventions. This means I can search online and find related thriller posts, scoop it usefully suggests posts daily.

 
 

 

TREATMENT

10/9/14 | PLANNING | TREATMENT

-ERICA 12 tired eyes, messy hair, pale - sits up in psychiatric hospital and voiceover begins which is a conversation between her parents and a doctor about her mental health. In the conversation the doctor states that she should not yet be released but her parents disagree and request her release.

The opening credits will begin with a cross cut to an old oak desk with green leather which is brightly light with a desk lamp. The desk had early release forms and medical papers scattered across the desk. There will be close ups of the forms and papers whilst the credits are shown in the corner. The desk light will turn off to a black screen and the title of the film will appear.

The shot reopens to the main character's bedroom with her reading on her bed and her parents saying goodnight to her. When her parents leave the room the main girl gets out of bed, puts a pillow under her duvet to mascaraed as a body, pockets a weapon (wire rope) and climbs out the window.

Shot cuts to a young girl FAITH, 9, with her hair tied back, innocent face, small, being physically bullied by two older girls, HANNAH AND CHLOE, 13, tall, hair down, heavy makeup. Main girl sees this as she lurks through the streets at night and has a flashback to when she was younger and was bullied herself. This triggers her to creep up and attack the girls (no shots of actual attack) but a shot of the young girl's reaction to this (shaking and shocked) then runs away.

cross cut back to the girl climbing back through her bedroom window and sneaking back to the bathroom to get rid of the evidence of the murders.

DETECTIVES

We accessed the art of the title and used it to watch the intro of the French detective series detectives. One of the ways that you could tell it is a television detective series is because in the opening sequence detective files were shown to show the main characters within in the show. It also had the opening credits in a clear white and black bold font and the title of the programme in a bigger font to make it stand out from the other credits. It also had a catchy and cheerful theme song which would not be featured in a film opening.

ZEN

During the lesson we watched the opening sequence for the tv show zen. One of the ways in which I know this is of the crime drama genre is because the opening sequence features a man holding a weapon this creates suspense and jeopardy. Another feature of the opening titles is the shot of the questura which is the Italian police which shows that the tv show is of the crime drama genre. The colour scheme of the opening sequence is green, white and red with black silhouettes the use of the colours from the Italian flag suggests that it is set in Italy.

QUESTION 1 SPY KIDS EXTRACT

Spy Kids is a spy-comedy hybrid from the action and adventure genre. A convention of the extract is suspense and jeopardy  this is used in the wedding sequence when they are attacked by helicopters. This is typical of the action and adventure genre because there is often conflict in AA films.

Another convention of the extract is spectacle when during the wedding sequence the newly wedded parents jump off the cliff and there is a high angle shot of the steep cliff this also creates suspense and tension because the audience are unaware of whether or not the couple will survive the jump. It fits the spy-comedy sub genre because after the fall they release heart shaped parachutes which is supposed to be humorous.

STEREOTYPES

A stereotype is a generalization of a group or class of people for example elderly people are often stereotyped as hunched over and slow with a walking stick. In the media stereotypes are used a lot because it helps the viewer connect with the characters on screen. Anti-stereotypes break the normal stereotype for example a teenager who may dress "thuggish" is actually helpful and kind.

MEDIA ESSAY SO FAR

A comparison of how women are represented in fragrance advertisements from the 1920’s, 1960s and 2010

For my comparison I chose adverts from the 1920s, 1960s and the 2010. From my analysis of the adverts I have noticed that the fragrance adverts for woman have progressively become more sexualised. Whilst the emphasis is still focussed on attracting men overtime the adverts have  become more about women being independent and in control. [The 1920’s advert suggests some independence and sexuality but the 2010 advert is much more overt about being sexual and independent.]   

 

Mystikum Parfum by The mystery of flowers 1920s

Mystikum Parfum invites the consumer to share the fantasy. It does this in many ways: one way is the woman in the advert who is portrayed as glamorous and desirable which not only attracts men but also women aspire to be like her or to women who want to just smell like flowers.

 The advert appeals to both men and woman as potentials purchasers. Men will find the seductive pose of the naked model  holding the flowers  very appealing. The advert is targeting men as purchasers by creating the suggestion that the wearer of the perfume will emulate the image the woman in the advert. The advert is suggesting that his girlfriend or wife  will become more attractive and seductive by wearing the perfume.

For women the advert is appealing to their sense of vanity. The description of the perfume entices the consumer because it claims that it will ‘heighten the elusive charm of woman’ meaning that they will become more attractive  to men if they wear the perfume.

It is also described as ‘Europe’s Premier Perfume’. This suggests that the  consumer is buying one of the very best perfumes available.  This again makes the consumer feel important and as though they are buying something special and exclusive as does the claim that you can only buy it at “Better stores”.

The woman in is depicted as very feminine and slightly fragile. The majority of the women of these times would not wish to appear strong or independent although this period in history was very important for the gradual progression of women’s rights. The advert would have been quite daring for its time as it shows a naked woman but simultaneously is appealing to middle to upper class women who would shop at the “better stores”.

The advert also works on a more simplistic level as the woman is holding flower petals which connotes natural beauty and reinforces the floral theme of the perfume. This means that the advert will also appeal to women who simply want to smell of flowers and for whom merely smelling good is an end in itself.

Fleurs de Rocaille by Caron 1960s

The woman featured in the advert is constructed as innocent and flirtatious. The woman is shown wearing white flowers in her hair and a white lacy dress. The colour white has connotations of purity and innocence and so it creates an innocent of the woman in the advert. Although the slogan ‘Lead him down the garden path and lock the gate behind’ conveys a different message. It represents the woman as flirtatious and seductive but still shown as pure and innocent. It creates a positive image of the woman and the perfume and it makes the consumer believe that if they buy and use the product they will be seductive but not promiscuous or un-classy.

The advert represents the woman as independent because she is the key person in the advert. She is shown in the centre of the image and the man who is in the background is out of focus. This presents the woman as the one who is in control of the relationship and that she is not dependent of the man. The man being out of focus in the image also creates mystery and fantasy.

Lady Million by Paco Rabanne 2010

In the advert the model is constructed as independent, as someone who gets what they want and is desirable. In the advert the woman is shown to get everything she wants at the click of her fingers. In the advert many expensive and desirable objects appear, such as shoes, vintage Porsche cars, beautiful clothes and any man she wants. To the consumer the idea of all the material goods and attractive men is appealing, the perfume comes across as elegant and glamorous and the woman is seen as a point of envy. The consumer desires to be liked and possess what the woman who is depicted in the advert has.

The advert is filmed entirely in black and white which creates a vintage feel. Another way in which it does this is the items included in the advert for example the vintage Porsche cars, the photographers’ cameras and some of the clothing the model in the advert wears. This contrasts with the modern dance music used in the advert and some of the modern clothing worn by the men and the woman.

 

SPIDERMAN EXTRACT ANALYSIS

Spiderman is an example of an action and adventure film. One of the ways that you can identify that it is a part of the action and adventure genre is the characters. In the extract Spiderman is the protagonist and is going to take revenge by catching the antagonist, the man who shot and killed his uncle and is currently on the run from the police. Spiderman has only just learnt how to use his powers and is already using them for the greater good by chasing down a villain. Unlike some other super heroes, Spiderman only uses his powers for good and doesn't intend to be violent or hurt others in the process. This shows us that he is like most protagonists in the action and adventure genre.

Another way in which the movie fits the action and adventure genre is the use of speed and motion in the camerawork. The extract includes high angle shots showing the height of the buildings that Spiderman crawls his way up in pursuit of the antagonist, this excites and thrills the audience. There is also the use of fast tracking shots making the audience feels as though they too are in the chase scene.

PERFUME ADVERT AND ANALYSIS

FIRST EDIT OF PHOTO

PHOTOSHOOT RECAP

On Wednesday we began our test photo-shoot. I was partnered with Charlie and my role in the photo-shoot was to be the model and Charlie was the photographer. For our photo-shoot I wore a Japanese kimono and chopsticks in my hair, after some trouble with how to wear the kimono we went searching for a spot to shoot in. As soon as we came out of the classroom I noted that there was a cherry blossom tree (at least I think that's what it was). From my knowledge of Japanese culture I know that Cherry blossom trees are native to Japan and are often featured in Japanese anime  for example '5 centimetres per second '.

We soon began shooting and I realised that posing as a model was not my strongpoint as I don't know how to pull a straight face... But soon Amber and Ollie came to the rescue and Amber began directing me on how to pose which was a great help. Even so it was hard to get the right photo of me. Soon Mrs Mann came along and helped us with getting the correct pose and lighting for the shoot in front of the tree. After a while we got some good quality photos of myself and Amber earing the Kimono.

HERO EXTRACT ANALYSIS

Mis-men-scene

In the extract the scenery is very oriental, it is set in the courtyard of a temple. You can tell that it is set somewhere in Asia, most likely China because of the architecture of the temple and the clothing that the 3 characters shown in the extract are wearing. Jet li and Donnie Yen both wear traditional chinese mens robes, the old man also wears something similar. Not only the clothing but the weapons they use for example the sword that Jet Li uses is very traditionally Chinese.

Editing

In the extract Jet Li is seen to lunge into the air and remain there for quit some time in slow motion. This editing creates suspense and tension. It also creates the feeling that these characters are supernatural and can slow down time and can jump very high and remain in the air for long periods of time. 

Sound 

At the beginning of the extract the percussion builds in pace as the battle grows more tense which creates suspense and jeopardy but  the arrival of the old man in the extract changes the atmosphere. The music played by the old man in the extract and the sound of the raindrops creates a different mood for the battle scene. As well as the old man bringing order to the battle the music and the raindrops reinforce that the fight is orderly and traditional because instead of fast paced music in the background of the battle scene it is slow and calm which 

SOUND IN SERENITY

The sound in Serenity creates suspense and jeprody. It does this by using fast techno music consistently in the background behind the dialogue. The fast tempo creates tension because it makes the viewer expect something to happen. The loud drum beats and techno sounds is a common convention in Action and Adventure. Another sound effect used was mechanical sounds, weaponry and computer sounds, this gives a futuristic feel and the sound of weaponry creates the feeling of a war and a sense of danger.

Later on in the scene when the rebels enter the building in the city the music picks up in pace and then dramatically stops when the girl uses her powers which creates suspense and tension.

SHORT AND TWEET

Twerk! Twerk! Twerk! Is all the southern girl did, she lost the clothes and the innocent façade but what she should really do is work! Work! Work!

QI PREZI

CLICK HERE TO SEE MY PREZI

MISE EN SCENE - THE HURT LOCKER

The mise-en-scéne in the hurt locker represents the film as an action and adventure film. It does this in many ways one of which is the setting, it is set in what seems to be a dry and desert type environment. This suggests that it could be a middle eastern country and be a modern day war setting. The characters clothing also suggest this because most are wearing US army uniforms or wearing clothing items traditionally associated with the Middle East such as a keffiyeh. Throughout the clip of the film you hear tanks, armoured cars and explosions this creates mise-en-scene.