Reflection from 2nd Workshop

Reflection: 2nd Workshop

This workshop really helped me to throughly understand the most popular camera shots used in camera work such as establishing shot, over shoulder shot,   which were explained to us in great detail and this by illistratinh these camera angles in a clip made by the teachers. Continuity editing helped me not make obvious mistakes when editing in iMovie. I learnt that when using the 180 degree rule the line the invisible line should never be broken. The 30 degree rule was something I had never heard about until this workshop.

The teacher showing us what is considered wrong editing gave me a clear understanding of how I should edit in the future. Overall this workshop will most defiantly help me when we start filming our pleminary exercise in the coming weeks.

Reflection from 1st Media Workshop

Reflection: First Workshop

In the first workshop I learnt how to analyse dvd covers and compare between two different genres of film. We explored the many representations of teens and took what we learnt to take appropriate photos for a teen dvd cover. This pratical really helped me put my photography and photoshop skills to great use.

I learnt that you can spot many things that can tell us the genre of a film and what type of audience it has been targeted towards. The colours on the two examples we were shown were not difficult to guess the audience because of the what the colours represent.

The way characters are posing can illistrate their personality and what they think of themselves. Hidden meanings can make us understand who is the dominant character which relies solidly on facial features, props their holding and where they've been positioned on the dvd cover.

Shorter version of the Coffee shop script

Jessie enters the coffee shop to meet Florence.

JESSIE

Hey.

FLORENCE

(Nervously laughs)

Hi, it’s been a long time since we’ve hanged out right!

(Camera pans until Jessie reachers her seat. Using the 180 degree rule, we follow behind Florence's left shoulder)

JESSIE

(Shrugs and goes to sit down at the table opposite Florence)

Since you and Rob got together we stopped hanging out.

FLORENCE

Listen, Jessie I’m sorry about how I’ve handled things between us. I hope we can be like we were before all of that.

JESSIE

(Sarcastically laughs)

That’s only because you and Rob broke up!

(Using the 180 degree rule, we follow behind Jessie’s right shoulder)

(Waitress enters the scene and walks up to their table)

(Camera immediately looks up at the waitress. A high angle shot is used so we see all characters present in the scene)

END OF SCENE

Continuity Editing- Alice walking through door

MY TARGETS

This year I am aiming to achieve a B grade in AS Media. To achieve this I must:

• Constantly use media language/terminolgy in all of my work
• Talk about basic aspects such as (genre, character, sound, mise en scene and lighting)
• ALL work should be completed to a satisfactory standard

How is the chicken used as a metaphor in the opening of City of God?

The opening of the City of God the genre is instantly established as an action crime drama. An extreme close up of someone sharpening a butchers knife against a flat surface of a rock which is a signifier of danger, along with the diegetic sound of the knifes impact against the rock which is alarming. We are then shown a quick shot of a chicken’s throat being cut instantly. Many cut in’s have been edited in of the chickens being plucked and prepared to be cooked. This allows the audience to understand exactly what is happening. Large quantities of shots have been added to give a fast paced and busy atmosphere, which makes me, feel wary.

We establish the movies genre when the fast paced chase scene begins. This chase scene includes most of the conventions associated with a high adrenalin chase scene in an action movie. However it’s not a person being chased, it is a chicken, which brings a humorous approach to the scene.

The chicken is used as a metaphor to describe mainly the position the boy is in but also the general way of living in the Brazilian slums including the high rate of gang crime. The chicken has escaped from being slaughtered for food however is spotted by a group of boys and men who hunt it down.

When the boy is standing face to face with the chicken that the group have been chasing the police turn up and the narrative starts.

“If you run away, they will get you. And if you stay, they’ll get you”

We come to understand that the boy can’t run or stay, because either way they’ll find him and this is exactly what position the chicken is in. The chicken who escaped was chased and shot at but if it didn’t escape it would also been killed. Both are trapped within the slums. The directors Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund decided to purposely use the chicken as a metaphor in this scene to foreshadow how what will happen later i the film. Metaphors are used to suggest a resemblance or to represent something.

Tracking for a camera shot has been used to follow the chicken when it’s escaping to give the audience a sense of rush as the camera follows the chicken but it is clear a tripod hasn’t been used. This gives the scene a natural and gritty effect. We feel start to feel sympathetic for the chicken because the camera is at the chicken level of perspective so we begin to understand it’s running for it’s life.

Close ups have been specifically used to outline characters expressions or emotions in great detail. For example a close up has been used in the shot of the leader of the gang. He has spotted the chicken escaping and orders the others to go after it. He starts laughing and we get a clear view of his horrible overbite teeth and we instantly have a bad feeling about this character because his laugh is almost evil. We get given various glimpses of the stages the chicken had to go through to free it’s foot from the string to escape. This shots illustrate how much the chicken resembles the desperation of a human being.

A bird’s eye view/close up shot has been used in the chase scene of the chicken frantically running from the gang. A bird’s eye view shot is mostly used to observe or in this case to classify the dominant character and the subservient character who is the chicken in this case. This illustrates the gang’s power and authority compared to the chicken.

Panning to the left is used once the gang appear down another alleyway in the slums. A gang and the demanding ringleader ambush the alleyway that was once quiet. This illustrates the chaos of the chicken’s escape, which has caused other residents in the slums to be pushed and threatened. This tells the audience how the gang members treat the other people living in the slums.

A long shot is used when the boy and his friend are walking before the gang arrives; this is used to establish the location.

The main extreme close ups of people dancing, preparing food and playing drums and other various instruments are exceptionally fast and we are only given glimpses of each shot. This creates uncertainty and confusion.

Sound has been used precisely within the opening sequence. The first image we see is of a butcher’s knife being sharpened, but a black screen also dominates the screen constantly, which creates suspense at this early stage. However we still hear chilling sound of the knife making contact with the rock which is diegetic.

The non-diegetic music stops once the chicken has escaped from the crowded groups of people and cuts to a close up of a pool of blood on a plate.

The chicken eventually realises it’s trapped again once the gang catch up. He is faced with the boy, Rocket. This shot is much like a comparison between the two but we come to realise that the Rocket can never be more dominant; the chicken and himself are equal.

Pleminary exercise script- The Coffee Shop

The Coffee Shop

JESSIE enters the coffee shop to meet Florence.

JESSIE

Hey.

 

FLORENCE

Hi, it’s been a long time since we’ve hanged out.

JESSIE

(SHRUGS AND GOES TO SIT DOWN OPPOSITE FLORENCE AT THE TABLE)

Since you and Rob got together we stopped hanging out.

 

FLORENCE

Listen Jessie I’m sorry about how I’ve handled everything. I hope we can be like we were before all of that.

 

JESSIE

That’s only because you and Rob broke up!

 

Using the 180 degree rule, we follow behind Jessie’s shoulder

(WAITRESS ENTERS THE SCENE AND WALKS UP TO THEIR TABLE)

 

We immediately look up at the waitress. A high shot is used so we see all characters present in the scene.

 

WAITRESS

(LOOKS AT FLORENCE AND SMILES)

What can I get you?

 

FLORENCE

I’ll have a hot chocolate please.

We follow behind Jessie’s shoulder.

 

JESSIE

(STARES AT FLORENCE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS)

 

FLORENCE

Jessie?

 

JESSIE

I can’t do this, you get a boyfriend and pretend we never met and now you’re no longer together you want to be friends.

 

WAITRESS

I’ll come back in a few minutes.

JESSIE

No, I’ll have a coffee to go please.

WAITRESS

(Shakes her head, smiles and walks away in a rush)

Camera is positioned in the middle of Jessie and Florence for a full shot.

 

FLORENCE

Your blowing this way out of proportion! I know it’s my fault.

JESSIE

Damn right it is!

 

FLORENCE

Jessie please

(HESITATES)

You’re my best friend

 

JESSIE

Things have changed.

 

FLORENCE

(LOOKS DOWN AT HER LAP)

 

We close up on Florence’s face while Jessie is talking in the background.

 

JESSIE

I’m moving to Canada, my mum has been offered a job over there. I’m leaving in 2 weeks.

Camera looks at Jessie from behind Florence’s shoulder.

 

FLORENCE

(HEAD SHOOTS UP)

What?! You only tell me now!

 

JESSIE

You’re lucky I even told you. A friend is expected to be there for their friends. You weren’t there.

 

FLORENCE

You hate me, I can’t believe this!

 

JESSIE

I could never hate you Florence. But we can’t pretend the last few months didn’t happen.

 

We centre back to the middle of the table with a view of each character.

WAITRESS

Here’s your coffee to go.

 

JESSIE

(RUMMAGES THROUGH HER PURSE AND HANDS THE WAITRESS THE MONEY)

Thank you.

 

WAITRESS

You’re welcome.

(SMILES AND WALKS AWAY)

*PHONE RINGS*

We close up of Florence’s phone screen on the table. Caller I.D reads ‘Rob’.

 

FLORENCE

(LOOKS UP AT PHONE AND LOOKS AT JESSIE WATCHING HER PHONE)

 

JESSIE

(FLINGS HANDS IN THE AIR AND STANDS UP)

Go run after Rob like you always do! I’m gone. Bye Florence.

We follow Jessie to the shop door and pan while she’s running for a bus. Camera then turns around to see Florence looking out the window.

END OF SCENE

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