Monday, 28 September 2015

Camera angles

Camera Angles 


Close up: 


The close up shot is used to show an individuals emotion through facial expression. 





Extreme close up:

Shows a very detailed facial expression often used to to show extreme emotion for example anger or sadness. 






Master shot: 


The master shot show the setting of a scene and allows the viewer to come to terms with their surroundings.  








Medium shot:

The medium shot which is usually used on showing an individual from around 5 yards away showing their upper torso. This shows the posture and body language of the character.  









High angle shot:

A high angle shot is used to make an object or person look small compared to their surroundings or inferior to the viewer. 






Low angle shot:

A low angle shot is used to make the subject of the image look bigger or more dominant as it makes the viewer feel smaller and therefore more vulnerable. 






These camera angles will help when we are filming our coursework as we will know what camera angles represent different people in different situations. e.g. if someone is inferior have a high angle shot to make them look small and if the person is dominant have a lower angle shot to make them look taller.

About me

About me:


Hi my name is James and this is my media studies blog!
Here you can see what I am getting up to during my time in my AS media course.
I will be posting about things that I have learnt about such as camera angles and
how movies are put together etc.
I bit about me I enjoy going out for runs regularly and I have a real passion for Football
Anyway welcome to my media studies blog
Enjoy!


Tuesday, 22 September 2015

Mise en Scene

Mise en Scene


Mise en Scene is a french phrase for everything that is in a single shot of film of picture. 

Mise en Scene is what takes up everything in the frame that the audience is viewing. That includes whatever is in the background this could be a small room to a large landscape. This helps establish a rough location to the audience. In this image we see that the film is based in outer space  so background helps us see where the subject is roughly.

In the Midground/Foreground shows what is going on in the frame. his lets the audience know what is going on during a sequence. In the image we can see that there is an astronaut flying away from the earth and what appears to be part of a space ship. This gives the audience an idea of what is going on in the film from a still movie poster this helps determine the genre as a thriller.
Mise en scene is also whatever is in a shot this can be scenery or just objects lying around.
For example if a shot was being taken in a family home you would want family pictures on fridges with toys scattered around a room as it wouldn't make sense if there was a gun on the floor of a family home as that would bring suspicion and sinister codes and conventions to the audience.
Mise en scene can also include costumes in a certain environment e.g. in an office suit and tie or in space, Space suit.

Combine all these and you get everything in the image and you get "Mise en Scene" 

Here for example we have the cover shot from the film Gravity. Its a master shot and shows the viewer what they should expect from the film. The bright flash is positioned in the centre of the image directing the viewers attention almost like an explosion which signifies danger, even though it is quite clearly is the sun on the edge of the earth which can either represent morning or evening which could imply the meaning " The night is just as dark as it is just before the dawn" which means that there could be hope around the corner for this astronaut who is clearly in trouble. The position of the astronaut almost between space and the earth shows isolation and makes us feel that the subject is vulnerable and surrounded by darkness. The darkness gives the viewer a sense of a sinister force and death in space, especially considering that the darkness and the earth is separated by light which would show how empty and deadly space is compared to the comfort of our own homes. The image is also blurred which implies speed which shows the audience that the film is going to be fast paced or that something in the film is going to be travelling fast. 



This poster for Jaws is also a great simple way of showing different pieces of information given to the audience as mise en scene. First the word Jaws is written in red which is the same colour as blood which signifies that this film is a horror or thriller. We can also see tat the water is very deep which would mean that no one would be able to see that far beneath the surface which is why the swimmer and Shark are separated so much. The swimmer is shown as being very vulnerable as she is almost completely naked which means she has no protection against anything what so ever that is beneath her. She is also Blonde which in horror movies is a sign of being innocent and vulnerable e.g. PHSYCO.
The image of the shark is also very large compared to the female which shows her as a disadvantage. The fact that the shark is looking up at her as well shows that it is "interested" in her and with its mouth open showing its very large teeth with the snout pointing like an arrow towards her it looks very dangerous which further indicates the genre of the movie.   



Rules of photography

Rules of Photography


Rule of thirds: 



The rule of thirds implies splitting an image into 9
equal pieces so basically a 3x3 grid. Then when taking
the picture you will then need to organise or place
 the main subjects of the image on the lines and the
cross overs of the lines. For example in this image we
have a cheetah and as we can see it is placed on two
 cross over sections of the lines drawing attention to
the viewer. The horizon is always placed on the horizontal
 lines, the same applies to this image.


Balancing Elements: 


The purpose of balancing elements is to help balance out 
an image. If we look at an image as if it were a seesaw and
 one side had more going on then the image would be 
unbalanced. So we have to balance it out with something 
on the other side of the picture which most of the time is in the foreground this then balances the seesaw and therefore the image. 



Leading lines:



Humans when looking at an image imagine lines to help
 them look at the structure. We can aid this in photography by
implementing natural lines that contrast with perspective giving a distance decay effect i.e. things get smaller the further you move away.





Symmetry and Patterns: 



For the viewer of an image an image that has similarity's to
itself it is easier to see and comprehend what the image is
and so the viewer tends to like the image more than if the
image had no similarity's at all. Symmetrical sides and Patterns
are great examples of this.






 Angles and Viewpoints: 



   
Angles and Viewpoints help us understand the shape and size of shapes and objects. For example the low angle used in the image here of the Eiffel Tower has been used to show the size of the structure to the viewer.  



Background: 




The background of an image can be used to show where the main subject is or concentrate the focus of the picture on the subject in the foreground. For instance a plain background attracts the attention to the main subject but a detailed background is usually used to tell the viewer where the subject is. The picture (left) shows a run down city area with graffiti and sets the scene if a subject was placed in the foreground.


 

Depth:



Depth can be used to but the viewers focus on a certain object in the image in relation to far away it appears to be. other "subjects tend to be blurred out or out of focus be we can usually still see what they are like in this image we can CLEARLY see the cigarette by the curb but we can still tell that there is a car on the road even though its out of focus.

 

Framing:



Framing is where we use man made or natural objects as frames for an image. For example this cave creates a natural frame for the image.





Cropping:  




Usually photographers don't always get the perfect focused image as we have here. The reason why this appears to be a good shot is due to the fact that most of the image has been cropped out which makes us think that this was the final image where in actual fact most of the image is probably cropped out.



Experimentation:




Due to the fact that we have entered a digital age we can now experiment with trial and error more than in the past when film was the only method of photography so it was a one off. But now we can take multiple images without worry of ruining a photo as you can always delete it and take another one slightly differently.






Monday, 21 September 2015

Link and description to a scene of Waynes World

My Media Studies film scene copy


Here is the Youtube link to the video
During the filming of the scene we only really had to work with 4 camera angles as we were sitting in a relatively refined environment. This made the filming simple and effective. We initially sung the lyrics of the sang Bohemian Rhapsody in the car word for work out of key like in the original film "Waynes World" however we played a backing track over the top as it was originally done in the film and our singing made peoples ears bleed, It would of been better if you could hear our voices as it would of made the environment more realistic instead of looking like a music video which it wasn't supposed to be. Each shot actually took around several takes each in order to get it close to the original.

The lighting we used was simply the indoor car lights and the torch on the back of Jacks I.Phone.
From this we learned that we would need more lighting equipment like torches and reflective sheets and that in order to achieve the perfect flow through editing people need to maintain the same position exactly as they were in the last shot so it looks like both shots were taken at the same time.
The editing wasn't great either as you could see people laughing and not realizing that we were singing at that time so they were just sitting there not doing anything, this could of easily been edited out so that the sequence flowed better and seemed more professional.

















This is the music video for the original song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen. It is a classic rock song with impressive vocals and instrumental parts. The song in my opinion has two halves one being the "MAMMA just killed a man" versus and the "He's just a poor boy" versus. The reason for ths is because the beat and key changes as if they are two entirely different songs stuck together which is why it is so unique.

















This is a screen shot of the Waynes world scene with Bohemian Rhapsody in the car.
As you can see comparing our version to this that we "Tried" to  replicate the Mise en scene in the footage however the only thing that is similar to ours and theres is that it is in a car, with a moving background, and the fact that the closest left character (Wayne) is wearing a hat and black hair which we replicated with a hat and a black wig. The rest of the Mise en Scene that we tried to replicate wasn't up to scratch. For example, the steering wheel is on the wrong side in our clip and everyone is in the wrong clothing in the back. The camera work isnt that good either the establishing shot is originally outside the car but we couldn't  do this without revealing that the car isn't moving so ours is inside which is noticeable. 

Sunday, 20 September 2015

Top 5 music videos

Back again with another top 5 and this is for Music Videos
Lets Go!!!


5. 
Okay at number 5 is the video for Maroon 5's Payphone. To be fair it looks more like something from out of a Hollywood action movie than a video used to present a song but it is what it is. If you don't believe me when I say that it looks more like a Hollywood blockbuster then you can watch it by clicking the link below. It has a bank robbery with an obvious love story beneath, a Car robbery, a car/police chase (with helicopters exploding) and an exploding car at the end. The amount of money that would have been needed for this video must of been very high especially for the type.
click here to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRaWnd3LJfs



4.
 At number 4 is Duke Dumont with Need U (100%). The video pretty much just consists of people dancing around this one guy who has a radio stuck inside him whilst its playing the tune the video is presenting and people are dancing to it. This sends a message to the viewer as they then might think that they have to dance to it as well which may end up in them buying the song. To watch click below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnJIb4A-DuY








3.
 Number three is Muse with Dead Inside. The video only consists of the band playing the tune and some ballet dancers. What makes this video so good for me is that it is so simple and easy to make there are no moving shots only still ones so we can focus on the movement of the cast rather than the camera. The choreography of the dancing is also very good as it goes well with the lyrics of the song as if they are speaking through dance which is quite effective. The dust used on all objects creates a great effect when moved to emphasis motion which really works well on the close ups on the musical instruments it is used to show you the music through motion of the band.

To watch press here: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=I5sJhSNUkwQ






2.
 Rudimental come in at number 2 with Waiting all night which is a truly inspirational video about a man who looses his leg but finds a way around it. It shows just how much friends can help in a tricky situation and how there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
To watch click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M97vR2V4vTs






1.
 My Favorite music video of all time is Bingo Players with Get up (Rattle). The video is literally Ducks getting angry at a group of stereotypical teenage boys because they stole a purse and beating them up for it... enough said. However I must go on as the camera angle used are really quite clever and you as the viewer can relate them to Horror or thriller movies when it comes to build ups and tension. You can see that they have been inspired by that genre as most of the video is set at night and with your slow zoom in and fast interchanging chase scenes. There is no sound for the actual actions going on in the actual video which prevents the viewer from getting distracted from the music.

To watch click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_BGKyAKigs

These music videos are important as they will help me in the future when making film intros for our Preliminary task and Examinated piece where I am to be the sound-man. Music videos always have there editing and sound in time with the beat of the music. This helps it flow well as t wouldn't make sense if the editing switched clips off beat as it would confuse the audience. It also gives me an idea on what sound effect work well for whatever situation, like a muffler or pitch alteration or a fade in/out.
Watching these films and music videos helps me develop a more critical eye as it allows me to see what a professional finished product looks like in comparison to our finished product which also in tern allows me to develop my creative side as I will want to aspire to try and create something at the same level.







Saturday, 19 September 2015

Top 5 musical artists

My Top 5 Musical Artists 


5. Pegboard Nerds 
At number 5 are definitely the Pegboard Nerds. They have produced some crazy tunes in their time with their own unique style, which is quite aggressive but makes you dance around like an absolute idiot at times. Trust me it has happened. Their genre is in heavy Electronic music with my personal favourite song being Razor Sharp. To listen click on the link here: 






4. Deadmau5 
You might of recognized this artist from my favourite albums blog post and your right. Its Deadmau5. 
Again I love this guys stuff simply because he has his own style of things. Many artists these days seem to copy styles from others. I can only really like an artist if they have their own iconic style if you will. 
My favourite song that Deadmau5 has produced is Raise your weapon click the link to listen:



3. Tristam 
As you can tell from my choices so far I LOVE electronic music... and Tristam is no different. He combines Electronic music (mainly Dub-step) with brilliant vocals and lyrics that always seem to tell a story. his music varies from relatively clam to relatively heavy. My favourite song by Tristam right now is Crave. To listen click the link below. 



2. Muse
The only non electronic artist/band on this list is Muse and for good reason they are probably one of the best bands to come out of England and that's a big achievement considering the British history of bands like the Beetles and the Rolling stones. They fill the genre of heavy rock and in my opinion hardly anyone gets close to the quality of music they produce in that genre. My favourite song by Muse currently is Reapers to listen click the link below: 




1. Nitro Fun  
May favourite artist here is Nitro Fun. He has produced some great tunes in his time all are fast paced and mainly consist of video game sound effects which for a gamer as myself is epic and great to listen to whilst running or doing revision. My favourite song right now is Safe and Sound. To listen click the link below: 

Thursday, 17 September 2015

Top 5 albums

My top 5 music Album's 





5. Deadmau5 
4 x 4=12 
Released on the 6th of December 2010 4 x 4=12 is defiantly one of my personal favourites. 
I am personally a big fan of electronic music and Deadmau5 defiantly has his own unique style different to other electronic artists which I am a massive fan of.  
   




4. Daft Punk 
Random Access Memory's 
Released on the 17th of May 2013 this is my favourite album from the french duet (Daft Punk). 
It won a Grammy for the best album of the year in 2013 and fills the genre of Funk and Disco music rather like the early electronic music in the 80's 90's. 







3. Monstercat 
Ascension  
Released on the 21st of may 2014 if you like electronic music you should check out Monstercat. 
As a recording label they release a combination of songs from many rising artists in the genre defiantly worth a look.








2. Muse 
Drones 
The latest album by Muse, this is the best album released  personal  the trio in my opinion. 
Released 8th June 2015 it is a brilliant rock album. 
If you like Rock then you will love this album. 








1. Monstercat 
Aftermath 
My personal favourite album is another Monstercat collaboration album but number 12. 
Released on the 11 march 2013 this is my favourite album. I love electronic music because of its pace and rhythm and as far as I'm concerned this album is as good as you can get.  




  

Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Top 5 films

My Top Five Films 


5. Prometheus: Is a take on the events before the world famous Alien series. 
It is gripping and at times scary. The use of jump scares and gradual build ups
 really grabs your attention. The Mise en Scene in this film is mainly done through CGI which looks really good and believable. The costumes are really good and helps link to the Alien films, it really has a strong science fiction vibe to it and with amazing CGI it looks real which is another reason why I really like this film. I would place Prometheus no.5 on my top five films. 


4. Hot Fuzz: A classic from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost about the British police. 
The film is really a big joke with gore and comedy being implemented on your 
average crime drama making a very funny parody on our Police force (service sorry). The mise en scene in this film is rather clever as it puts your police chase and crime which you would normally see in a city Cops vs Robbers style film based in your typical posh countryside village  which normally you would expect a polite low crime rate area, however there are massive shoot outs and violent deaths which were made to be overly graphic so that it was funny. So the mise en scene is very clever in this film.  
So Hot Fuzz sits quite comfortable at no.4. 


3. The Dark Knight: It's Batman... so you know its good. This film is intense and 
gripping defiantly the best superhero film to come around for a long time. 
The Joker played by Heath Ledger is some of the finest acting you will 
find in any film, In my opinion Heath Ledgers Joker is the best villain in any film ever for a number of reasons... The joker is scary in his own right with his looks and personality but what really sets him apart from your previous Jokers who don't get me wrong, were scary was how the HL joker behaved in conversation. His voice was low and rasping however it had quite a range to it so it would be higher pitch for other situations, he also licks his lips a lot between words showing that he is hungry for Chaos. He is also realistic with modern view which many of the audience will agree with in some cases more than Batman which means in essence the audience cannot see him as truly bad or ever really loosing.. 


2. Fast 5: The fifth addition to the fast and furious series and in my 
opinion the best this is the first time we see the entire cast group together and 
what a ride it is. Defiantly living up to its name of being FAST. Therefore 
it makes no.2 on my list. 
 


1. Interstellar: This film wins my top spot when it comes to films... Why? 
If you watch this film you may notice just how immersed you become in the 
way of time and isolation. This film really makes you think and feel for everyone involved.
 With great performances from Matt Damon, Mathew Maccnaughay, Michael Cane and Anne Hathaway this film makes my no.1 spot. 
  

Monday, 14 September 2015

Deconstruction of an opening scene

Click below to watch the opening scene of Fast and Furious 6
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_Q6_weawSY


 To begin with I am focusing on the opening scene of Fast and Furious 6

The First cut that we see is a Panoramic sweep slowly pressing out into the sea below to show the viewer the setting and to emphasize motion. As the cars (the main focus of the scene) are very fast.
Then we get a close up into the interior of the cars with a gear shift and a push on the throttle.
This gives the viewer a sense that the drivers are in full control of their cars and that they know what they are doing. The motion is very quick and responsive keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.


We then get a close up on both
drivers (Paul Walker as Brain O Connor and Vin Diesel as Dom Toretto) We see their facial expressions and they both show deep concentration as you should be when your driving a car at 100mph on a cliff edge.Then we get a few bird's eye view shots and a repetition of closeups and sweeping panoramic shots with a few movement shots of the speeding cars.





Sunday, 13 September 2015

Introduction to Blog

Hiya! My name is James Redish and this is my AS Media Studies blog!
Here I will be posting regularly on work that I have done or how I intend to do it.
This should hopefully help me to brainstorm and keep track of my ideas that I have had throughout the course, this will allow me and you t see how my blog has developed throughout my time studying Media.
I chose media as I have always been interested in the film industry and how films are made.
I enjoy watching films and I made a few (reaaaaaalllllyyyyy bad ones in the past with friends) when I was much younger. I really hope that I help develop my creative side during this course.

Here's a little bit about me with what films and music videos I like!
Thank you and enjoy exploring my blog!