Sound

Music can be important in the scene to increase the intensity or pace of the scene and make the audience feel a certain way- for example an up beat loud piece of music for an action and computer generated for a science fiction. 

Diegetic sound:

sound that comes naturally from the scene- for example a sound that is made from a prop, moving chair.

non- diegetic sound:

sounds that aren't natural to the scene, for example a Will narrating the story of an Inbetweeners episode, voice overs and soundtracks.

Horror Genre

Genres are forever changing in order to keep the audience interested. If a genre was to continue making the same films over and over the audience would be come desensitised and no longer interested-

An example of this is the horror genre over time:

1930-40
Dracula, Frankenstein and werewolves

60s
psycho

70s
slashers

80s
Nightmare On Elmes Street

90s
teen horrors

Representations

methods:

• colours
• clothing
• camera angles
• facial expression
• scenery
• make up
• audio
• lighting
• body language

Darth Vader is presented as the antagonist through the setting and props:

• appears out of smoke
• dead bodies on the floor
• stormtroopers all carrying guns but Darth Vader has no weapons. Power- leader shows importance.
• white setting is futuristic which reflects of the science fiction genre.

facial expression and body language 

• walks in, puts his hands on his hips, looks down at the corpse 
• higher than everyone else 

lighting and colour

• walks through the smoke/ distraction
• different colours costume

The characteristics of the scene all contribute in order to create a story and genre which is something that I should consider when trying to make my 2 minute opening. When making my opening I need to analyse every feature because it is in such a small section of time it is important to convey the appropriate message to the audience through the setting, props, facial expression, body language, lighting and colours.

We looked at a scene in 'Kiddulthood' which used camera angles in order to represent emotions of the characters-


A high angled shot-
looking down on the character, can make the character appear vulnerable or weak

a low angled shot
where the character is shown from below. This can make the character appear more powerful or threatening

a two shot
shows two people together, this can be used to show a relationship between two people or a conversation

a long shot
shows that someone is isolated and alone or can be used to show a building and set the scene. when a long shot shows a scene it is called an establishing shot.

a close up shot
could show the emotions of a character or their thoughts

an extreme close up 
could be used in a situation to show the hightening of tension.

a mid shot
shows most of the character and can be used for conversations or close action scenes.

point of view shot
camera is as if that character is holding it.

Representation is the way people, groups and cultures are shown by the media. Media shows us the truth but an interpretation of the truth.
Semiotics. This is the study of sign systems which allows us to understand how meaning is being created...

a signifier is what the object is itself for example 'rose'. Yet an actual image of a rose and the fact that it symbolises love and passion is the signified.

Semiotics is the study of sign systems which allows us to deconstruct media texts to understand how meaning is being created. A sign is the smallest element of meaning. Signs will be group together to create large units of meaning. These are called codes, which can be decoded or interpreted.

Denotation
The sign denotes- the literal meaning of a sign

Connotation
The sign connotes- the interpreted meaning of a sign or signs.

For example: a rose denotes natures flowers but in the context could connotes the growth, love or passion.

This is useful for our opening as it shows that by putting certain objects into the scene it can imply a certain message about what the audience are to take from it, for example we could include stereotypical romantic props like a rose if we were to make a romance.

Narrative Theory

Narrative- how is the story being told?

explores the conventions of:

• Genre
• Character
• Form
• Time

Linear structure

• Beginning

Audience introducred to the characters and the initial story.

• middle

Events occur and the story builds. 

•  end

closure.

open structure

the audience are left to wonder what happens next time and make sense of it themselves. An example of an open structure film is inception. 

Closed structure

Definite ending- clear conclusion for the audience.

Circular structure

The narrative begins at the end events (often with the climax) the audience are taken on a journey arriving back where they started. An example of this is pulp fiction.

Narrative theorists

Propp- Narrative driven by characters mostly, heroes and villains. 

Barthes- Narritive was created by a series of codes- these codes are: action codes, enigma, semic, symbolic and cultural.

Todarov- Narrative goes from a state of equilibrium back to an altered sense of equilibrium.
Levi- Strauss- describes narrative theory as a conflict between binary opposition. Focusing on binary opposites to emphasies the roles.

Editing and Narrative

Narrative- changing the order of the story

Editing- when you put something in order or together to create a meaning

Supersize me: narrative structure

1. clip of the man buying the meal 
2. starts to eat it
3. 5 minutes later
4. clip of him eating 
5. 10 minutes later
6. him eating (feeling ill)
7. 15 minutes 
8. another clip of him eating
9. 22 minutes later
10. see him put his head out of the car window
11. shot of the sick on the floor

This is an example of the narrative structure creating a story for the audience, because we aren't shown the 22 minutes as it could become boring for audience they cut out specific bits and edit them together in order to make it more interesting. The time intervals (5, 10, 15, 22 minutes later) are ellipses which, in this case are used to make the audience fill in the gaps. 

Screen wipe

Puts different pieces of footage together to manipulate the situation for example in this case we didn't physically see the man we saw his head out of the window and a shot of the sick therefore as the audience we put these two together when in fact this could have not been what happened at all. 

In a reality TV show there are cameras everywhere all from different angles which are filming 24 hours therefore the producers could take pieces of different conversations and put them together in order to create a different story so that it is interesting for the audience. The manipulation of the editing creates a different narrative which makes a different meaning. 

Hollywood Studio System

In the 1920s films were known for a specific narrative structure combined with a set of cinematic expressions of narrative. Certain genres became a reliable return of investment as musicals became a "classic" form of genre and certain actors become associated with certain genres for example James Cagney in gangsters and John Ford in westerns.

These factors lead Hollywood studio systems to be known for their own house style which  meant the audience and public had a set of expectations for each studio system.

fall of the studio system

3rd May 1948
vertical integration is when one company owns production, distribution and marketing- keeping costs down.

• Rapid growth of production
• rise in the television
• films became TV series

Rise of the stars:

• freekabce
• scouted for talent, glamour, charisma
• transformed elements of film production
• talent scouts, dialogue coaches

Key Concepts Of Genre

It is argued that there is not definition for genre as anything can be classified as anything and with the developing world the boundaries of genre will always be changing.

Genre is a type of classification:

• sub genre- this is a genre with a certain theme, for example; occult thriller is a different type of thriller to a psychological thriller. This is important within genre as an audience will become desensitised to a certain type of thriller if they see the same thing over and over. The film will no longer have the effect it should have.

• Hybrids- this is a mixture of two different genres. for example; action thriller or  romantic comedy. Hybridisation happened in the 50s.

issues and debates of genre:

genre is a constant state of flux as it is always changing due to external influences; for example the economy, politics or social change. However it is easy sense genre through:

•  familiar narrative
• mise- en- scene
• actors: for example certain actors on acting in a certain genre for example Jonah Hill in comedies.
• style representation
•  iconography- these are symbols that would represent it as a genre; a good example of this is tumble weed in a western. As soon as an audience were to see the tumble weed it would be clear that they are watching a western. 

However some of these traits we expect to see in certain genres could be cross generic (feature in more than one type of film), for example we could see settings in thriller the same as a murder mystery. 

Genre is constantly being renegotiated between industry and audience- a combination of familiar reassurance and new tricks.


 Genre is a way of working through important myths and fears through

• repetition
• variation
• resolution

Genre is a way of making the audience feel a sense of reassurance in the world through the justice that is put in at the end of a film, "baddies" being punchied and the good people ending up on top.

How can genre aid you in relation to your brief?

Before we make our opening to a fiction film we need to be able to pick a genre to base it upon. In lessons we have been learning about what genre is and if it even exists. Genre is social, cultural, economic and political changes all effected by the sound system and therefore the changing and development of genre. As soon as we can understand which type of music, lighting and camera angles constitute to each type of genre it will help us to have a better understand of what we should include in our 2 minute opening.  

Main Breif Task

Main Task:

The titles and opening of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of two minutes. All of the work has to be original.

Assessed on:

• Research
• Planning
• Filming (pre production)
• Editing (post production)