One very noticeable thing when looking at sound in this extract is that there is no soundtrack for the majority of it. This helps to build tension because awkward silences are created. After being invited in, there is very little conversation going on between Blake, his father and the call girl. All that we hear is the sound of footsteps and Blake's wheelchair.
Most of the dialogue in the extract is very short so it is like they are avoiding talking to each other. There also a lot of unfinished sentences because the characters seem to not know what to say out of embarrassment or awkwardness. The characters also seem to stutter a lot to show that they are not relaxed.
After the father leaves, the call girl starts locking the door. The sound of the locks is very loud and has probably been enhanced by fitted microphones on set. The reason for this is to show Blake's feeling of vulnerability with being locked in a room. After realising Blake's discomfort, the call girl starts to unlock the door and starts talking but not finishing her sentences ("I'll just leave it... just in case you want..."). This shows how uncomfortable she is and how she fears she may have frightened Blake. The call girl starts trying to make conversation to which Blake just stares at her unable to think of what to say
The scene then shows Blake's dad outside, where ambient sounds of cars in the distance can be heard. He turns on the radio which starts to play very happy classical music. This is asynchronous as it doesn't reflect the father's anxious feelings. He quickly turns it off. We then hear the diegetic sounds of him winding down the window, fidgeting on his chair and accidentally beeping his car horn. This is all done while there is still no soundtrack which makes these sounds appear louder and makes the car horn more startling
As the scene cuts between the two locations, a sound-bridge of non-diegetic music is heard. The music sounds quite sad and pitying as the call girl starts to come on to Blake. The instrument used is a harmonica which is an instrument associated with the blues which is a style of music where the singer sings about their troubles
Thursday, 29 September 2011
Use of editing to represent disability in Secret Diary
The editing in Secret Diary has specifically been done to create an awkward atmosphere. After opening the door, an eye-line match is used to show the call girl looking at the boy in a wheelchair , Blake, and then his father who has helped him get there. After inviting them in, there is another eye-line match used when Blake is looking at the call girl as she asks for the money. We then see a shot of her not knowing who she should be asking as she first looks at the father and then Blake. Blake then asks his father to get the envelope of money out of his bag. It cuts to a shot of Blake looking embarrassed while his father rummages through the bag. Each shot seems to go on slightly longer than it should to emphasise the awkwardness of the situation.
The call girl then leaves the room for a while and Blake hints at his father to lift him over to the bed. During this part, an action match is used to show him going to lift Blake, and then lifting him in the next shot. After, there is a short exchange between Blake and his father where shot-reverse shot is used to show their reactions to the awkward conversation. It then cuts to a shot of the call girl returning as this is happening and then nearly leaving again to leave them to have a private moment. An eye-line match of Blake and his father noticing the call girl is used so she decides to stay. The father then asks if they have talked about what Blake is capable of doing. A shot-reverse shot is used again to show the uncomfortable looks on their faces. It also cuts to a quick shot of Blake saying yes so his father stops talking. Next there is a over-the-shoulder shot from the perspective of the call girl showing both the father and Blake as the father says he is leaving. This shot lasts for what feels like a long duration of time. Then there is an action match shot when Blake's father kisses him on the forehead.
After Blake's father leaves, the call girl goes to lock the door. There is then a shot-reverse shot between Blake and the call girl to show Blake's feeling of vulnerability and the call girl noticing. There is then a series of shot-reverse shots as the call girl tries to make small talk with Blake, but when Blake is on screen he says nothing. This enhances the feeling of awkwardness.
The scene then cuts to Blake's father outside opening the car door. An eye line match is used when he looks up towards the room that Blake is in. This shows how anxious he is feeling about his son and he is hoping he is alright. After entering the car there is a series of jump cuts as the father turns on the music and turns it off, fidgets on his seat and plays with the window. This fidgeting expresses his anxiety and the jump cuts make it look disjointed and emphasises his inability to be relaxed.
The scene then cuts back to Blake and the call girl in the room. This scene privileges the master shot of the call girl being physically higher in the frame as she leans over him because it keeps cutting back to it. This shows that she is now more confident in the situation and is in control
The call girl then leaves the room for a while and Blake hints at his father to lift him over to the bed. During this part, an action match is used to show him going to lift Blake, and then lifting him in the next shot. After, there is a short exchange between Blake and his father where shot-reverse shot is used to show their reactions to the awkward conversation. It then cuts to a shot of the call girl returning as this is happening and then nearly leaving again to leave them to have a private moment. An eye-line match of Blake and his father noticing the call girl is used so she decides to stay. The father then asks if they have talked about what Blake is capable of doing. A shot-reverse shot is used again to show the uncomfortable looks on their faces. It also cuts to a quick shot of Blake saying yes so his father stops talking. Next there is a over-the-shoulder shot from the perspective of the call girl showing both the father and Blake as the father says he is leaving. This shot lasts for what feels like a long duration of time. Then there is an action match shot when Blake's father kisses him on the forehead.
After Blake's father leaves, the call girl goes to lock the door. There is then a shot-reverse shot between Blake and the call girl to show Blake's feeling of vulnerability and the call girl noticing. There is then a series of shot-reverse shots as the call girl tries to make small talk with Blake, but when Blake is on screen he says nothing. This enhances the feeling of awkwardness.
The scene then cuts to Blake's father outside opening the car door. An eye line match is used when he looks up towards the room that Blake is in. This shows how anxious he is feeling about his son and he is hoping he is alright. After entering the car there is a series of jump cuts as the father turns on the music and turns it off, fidgets on his seat and plays with the window. This fidgeting expresses his anxiety and the jump cuts make it look disjointed and emphasises his inability to be relaxed.
The scene then cuts back to Blake and the call girl in the room. This scene privileges the master shot of the call girl being physically higher in the frame as she leans over him because it keeps cutting back to it. This shows that she is now more confident in the situation and is in control
Use of camera work to represent age in Monarch of The Glen
The extract begins with a dolly shot men on a farm doing manual labour. The dolly shot was probably chosen so that we can appreciate how many people are involved in the work and how hard they are working. The next shot is a medium long shot which features the young girl, Amy, coming outside to join the younger male worker. This type of shot was used to show the clothes she is wearing which contrasts with the clothes of the other characters. She is dressed more like a teenage girl than a worker. The shot pans to follow her as she walks over to him and changes to an over-the-shoulder shot from the the young male looking at Amy. This shot makes her look smaller due to the distance between her and the male (the male being closer to the camera, therefore looking bigger) which could be subtly implying her youth.
After being asked to drive the truck, the camera tracks forward towards the car into a close-up to show her sitting in the driver's seat. A close-up shot was used to allow the audience to see her confused expression at trying to start the car. After crashing and exiting the car, Amy's Boss, Paul, the young male and another woman all run over to see whats happened. It is during the exchange with Paul and the older man who she crashed into that Amy is seen in the bottom of the shot, shorter than the other characters. This is possibly to emphasise how much younger she is compared to them. Then there is a close-up shot of Amy and the other woman which shows her worried expression and again how much shorter she is
In the next scene, there is an establishing shot of a study as Paul and the headmaster enter. As Paul walks over to a decanter to pour some brandy, we see him from a low angle. This low-angle camera work is continued throughout the scene as we are meant to be sympathising with Amy, so we see it from her point of view. As Paul exits the study to tell Amy off the camera tracks to follow Amy as Paul pulls her to the side. These scenes are shot at Amy's height to put us in her position
After a montage sequence, we go to a scene in Amy's bedroom. The camera tilts down to show the magazines scattered on the bed (prop associated with teenagers) and shows her putting down a note. The camera pans to the right to show another note. The camera then zooms into a picture on the mirror which shows her and the other workers on the farm during happier times
After being asked to drive the truck, the camera tracks forward towards the car into a close-up to show her sitting in the driver's seat. A close-up shot was used to allow the audience to see her confused expression at trying to start the car. After crashing and exiting the car, Amy's Boss, Paul, the young male and another woman all run over to see whats happened. It is during the exchange with Paul and the older man who she crashed into that Amy is seen in the bottom of the shot, shorter than the other characters. This is possibly to emphasise how much younger she is compared to them. Then there is a close-up shot of Amy and the other woman which shows her worried expression and again how much shorter she is
In the next scene, there is an establishing shot of a study as Paul and the headmaster enter. As Paul walks over to a decanter to pour some brandy, we see him from a low angle. This low-angle camera work is continued throughout the scene as we are meant to be sympathising with Amy, so we see it from her point of view. As Paul exits the study to tell Amy off the camera tracks to follow Amy as Paul pulls her to the side. These scenes are shot at Amy's height to put us in her position
After a montage sequence, we go to a scene in Amy's bedroom. The camera tilts down to show the magazines scattered on the bed (prop associated with teenagers) and shows her putting down a note. The camera pans to the right to show another note. The camera then zooms into a picture on the mirror which shows her and the other workers on the farm during happier times
Monday, 26 September 2011
Use of mise-en-scene to represent age in Monarch of The Glen
The extract opens with a shot of middle-aged and older men working on a farm Scotland. They are all wearing working clothes (such as thick coats and hats), carrying tools of labour and loading things onto the back of a truck which gives the impression that it is a very adult environment. The next shot shows two younger characters, both dressed in more casual clothes. The girl, who's name is Amy and is the youngest character at 16, is wearing a light coloured shirt and blue jeans which contrasts with the darker, duller colours of the older characters. This could possibly be to set her apart from them. The boy, who is a few years older, is wearing a grey hooded jumper which makes him fit in more with the older characters but his clothes are still casual to show his youth
Amy is asked to drive a truck by Paul, the man she is working for, to which she obliges. But once in the driver's seat, her body language looks confused and unsure about what exactly she needs to do. This reflects her youth because most young people would be confused about how to drive. After eventually starting the car and beginning to drive, she soon crashes straight into a another car. The driver of the other car, an older man, emerges from his vehicle and seems to know who Amy is as he shouts at her. He is dressed formally in a tweed jacket and a v-neck jumper which are clothes associated with older men. Three other characters run over to Amy to see if she is alright. As they do this, she positions herself behind Paul, hiding from the older man. This is the behaviour similar to a young child hiding behind her parent
The next scene shows Paul and the older man, who has now been revealed to be Amy's headmaster, walk into a study. The study is very old fashioned looking, with wooden panelling on the walls and many books. Paul also pours the headmaster a glass of brandy from a decanter which is a drink associated with older people. After finding out that Amy hasn't sat any exams, Paul angrily approaches Amy and starts telling her off. He points his finger at her which is a gesture that adults usually do to young children. After realising that she isn't going to get her way, she flings her arms down childishly and storms off which represents her immaturity.
After a montage sequence of the men working, we see Amy's room. Her bed is covered with magazines (a prop associated with teenagers) and she leaves two notes written in pink squiggly handwriting, one of them next to a teddy bear. All of these things mentioned connote youth.
Amy is asked to drive a truck by Paul, the man she is working for, to which she obliges. But once in the driver's seat, her body language looks confused and unsure about what exactly she needs to do. This reflects her youth because most young people would be confused about how to drive. After eventually starting the car and beginning to drive, she soon crashes straight into a another car. The driver of the other car, an older man, emerges from his vehicle and seems to know who Amy is as he shouts at her. He is dressed formally in a tweed jacket and a v-neck jumper which are clothes associated with older men. Three other characters run over to Amy to see if she is alright. As they do this, she positions herself behind Paul, hiding from the older man. This is the behaviour similar to a young child hiding behind her parent
The next scene shows Paul and the older man, who has now been revealed to be Amy's headmaster, walk into a study. The study is very old fashioned looking, with wooden panelling on the walls and many books. Paul also pours the headmaster a glass of brandy from a decanter which is a drink associated with older people. After finding out that Amy hasn't sat any exams, Paul angrily approaches Amy and starts telling her off. He points his finger at her which is a gesture that adults usually do to young children. After realising that she isn't going to get her way, she flings her arms down childishly and storms off which represents her immaturity.
After a montage sequence of the men working, we see Amy's room. Her bed is covered with magazines (a prop associated with teenagers) and she leaves two notes written in pink squiggly handwriting, one of them next to a teddy bear. All of these things mentioned connote youth.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Representations of Ethnicity in Skins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zda8Mt0GIs&feature=relmfu
The scene begins with Maxxie, a white, gay male, sitting outside his best friend Anwar Kharral's birthday party. Maxxie is refusing to enter the party because he feels he won’t be accepted because Anwar’s family are Muslims and homosexuality goes against their religion. Anwar is the only one who knows that Maxxie is gay and he hasn’t told his father, a strict, devout Muslim who also has a very high opinion of Maxxie, because he is worried that he won’t allow them to be friends.
Anwar phones Maxxie asking where he is, telling him to come inside. Maxxie is just about to leave when Anwar walks outside to try and persuade him into joining the party. Mr Kharral, wearing traditional Asian clothing, follows and spots Maxxie. Pleased to see him, he gives Maxxie a welcoming hug, explaining that his wife has made a lamb bhuna because he knows how much Maxxie likes it. Anwar tries to interrupt him by revealing that Maxxie is gay, but he doesn’t pay attention. Maxxie finally cuts him off by simply saying that he is gay and always has been. There is a pause, where Mr Kharral stops smiling for a moment leading the audience to believe he is going to be angry. But then his friendly demeanor returns as he explains that even though he doesn't understand or agree with homosexuality, he doesn’t mind because he believes that one day his god will help him understand it. He then once again invites Maxxie to join the party.
This scene represents Muslims in a very positive way as it shows them to be tolerant and non-judgmental. It also goes against some of the negative stereotypes of Muslims that are often shown in the media.
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Key Media Concepts
Are key media concepts are:
Media Language
Representation
Audiences
Institutions
Media Language
Cinematography - Cinematography refers to the camera work (angles, camera movement) in a film/TV series
Editing - Editing is the way a sequence is put together. The way a sequence is edited can affect the way we feel (For example, fast editing can make a viewer excited)
Sound - Sound in films and TV series will be either diagetic or non-diagetic. Diagetic sound refers to sound that can be heard by the characters while non-diagetic sounds (such as a film score) cannot
Mise-en-scene - Everything that appears in a shot such as props, setting, costumes lighting etc. The mise-en-scene is carefully chosen to help to create a certain atmosphere within a film/TV series. For example, very low lighting and a dark, isolated setting can be used in a horror film to help to create a tense atmosphere
Representation
Representation refers to how people or groups of people are presented by the media. Some examples of the groups that are represented in the media are:
Age
Gender
Ethnicity
Sexuality
Regional Identity
Ability/Disability
Class/Social Status
Audience & Institution
Institution refers to the people who create the media and try to attract more consumers through advertising. The consumers of the media are the audience
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