TV

 PREP Write out these terms under the class post and define them:

SCHEDULING - the day and time a programme is arranged to be aired on TV.

LIVE TELEVISION - this is any programme on TV that is being broadcasted in real-time . The events are live and are happening at the same time they are being viewed by the audience.

'SECOND SCREENING' - this is where audiences use social media when viewing live TV. They can get involved in online discussions and tweets about the programme they are watching. This is called second screening and it encourages the audience to be active rather than passive.

AUDIENCE INTERACTIVITY - this is where viewers are encouraged to vote for their favourites on programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing. It increases the number of views and also increases the viewers loyalty and commitment to the channel or programme by voting on a regular basis. 

THE WATERSHED - this is the time where TV channels can begin to shown content that would be unsuitable for children. In the UK the time for this is currently 9pm.

PEAK VIEWING TIME - this is the time of day when the majority of people are watching television and when the advertising costs the most. The time for this is 6pm to 10:30pm

HIGH PRODUCTION VALUES - money spent on the production in terms of design, set, costumes, location etc to make the programme look good

FILM MAKING

 PREP Write about the film making that you have done over the last two weeks. Add photos to support and illustrate your post.

Paragraph 1: Your production company logo

Write about how you made it, explaining the process and referring to the equipment - the Hue camera, the Mac,  the name of your Production Company, the sound effects.

Paragraph 2: Your table top filming

Write about the filming. Explain some of the items that you had on the table and how you handled the camera. Explain what you wanted the audience to focus on (if you paused to make them look at anything in particular).

Paragraph 3: Your 'live action' filming

Explain what you filmed here and how you wanted the film opening to develop in this bit.

Paragraph 4: Editing

• What sound effects did you add to the Production Company logo?
• What track did you put down under the rest of the film?
• What was your FILM TITLE?
• What credits did you add (like actor names)?

Paragraph 5: Your views

How did you think that your production went? Were there any challenges, disasters or triumphs?

For our production company logo, we chose to take a picture of the red beret and the gloves that feature in our live action clip. Firstly, we connected the Hue camera to the mac and arranged the camera into the correct position to give a birds eye view. Once we were satisfied with the arrangement, we took a few pictures and transferred it onto photo booth so that we could add a filter to it. The filter we chose accentuated the atmosphere of the photo and created more of a mysterious image. The  name of our production company was "Indigo Studios" and this appeared in writing over our company logo. We also created stop motion animation by using the Hue camera and the prop of a toy car. Our company name was Speed Media and this was written on a white piece of paper and we moved the car bit by bit and took multiple pictures. This was then put together to create a clip of stop motion animation, introducing our production. When we began to edit, we added the sound effect of a screeching car to bring the stop motion animation to life.

To add to our film making, we experimented with table top filming in which we laid out various objects over black cloth and hovered the camera above to create a moving sequence. The array of object sparked our imagination as we began to create a possible story for our film. The theme that stood out to us was a murder story with an essence of thriller and mystery. Knowing this, we decided to zoom in on particular objects throughout the sequence in order to foreshadow the events of the storyline. At one point, the camera zooms in on The Times newspaper front cover, the headline being “gone missing”. This was in order to focus the audience’s attention on those words to hint at the story to come. Not only is the camera moving throughout the sequence, so are some of the objects. A hand comes into the frame and opens the briefcase revealing money and a mysterious passport, creating a sense of unease as the audience is unaware of who the person is moving the objects, Furthermore, towards the end of the filming I lay out blood covered money and blow out the flickering candle as the camera then zooms in on the rising smoke. This could have a menacing effect and draw the audience into wanting to continue to watch the film as it suggests a dark turn could be on the way. The whirling smoke also suggests the unravelling of a mystery.

Our next challenge was to produce some live action film making to add to the opening. With the film storyline in mind, we discussed what characters would appear in the filming and how we wanted them to be portrayed. Our main character was the murderer, so we knew that she would have to feature in the snippet of live action. Emily played the murderer and she wore a red beret, gloves and a scarf to allow her to fully immerse herself into the character and Eloise played the victim. Next, we had to think through the best places to film, where would be the most atmospheric? In the end we decided to film the first scene in the tunnel because we thought it had a real sense of eeriness and mystery. We positioned the camera in front of the white, heavy doors and the actresses stood on the other side. They were visible through the oval shaped window which framed them in a dramatic way because you could only see them from their shoulders up. The camera then zooms in on Emily as she gives a significant look straight to into the lens before it zooms out and we no longer see Eloise, we can presume she was killed. Our imaginations work more powerfully when we don’t always see the full story played out which was the aim of our opening. Another scene we filmed took place in some woodland we discovered. I wore a long cape and walked alone (or so I thought) up a leafy path when Emily walked into frame and followed me, the suggested next victim. The sun is shining through the trees directly in front of the camera which creates lots of rays of light against the lens. The scene cuts out so the audience don’t know if I survive or not which would hopefully make them want to discover what happens in the rest of the film.

Once we had all the footage we needed, it was time to edit! We transferred the filming onto the mac and used iMovie to edit. The table top film and our live action film were put together and they effectively flowed into each other. We chose the song “We’ll Meet Again” to layer over the film because we felt like it suited the tone of it. The song has a minor key however it is most commonly used in association with the war and hope and so placing it in a creepy story gives it an unusual twist in the meaning of the words “we’ll meet again”. As well as that, we edited the film name into the table top film, the title appears as the smoke whirls into the lens. The title is “Lady in Red”. We thought it really suited the film seeing as red has connotations of blood and murder. However, it also worked well because Emily (the murderer) wears red throughout the live action meaning the title works of a few levels and is open to interpretation. We also edited in the credits and had our names appear while the camera moved along the table

Personally, I think the production was a success, I really enjoyed the process of creating it and how open the concept was to our imagination. I found the editing side of it more challenging because some of it was quite tricky to work out like fading out the song and adding in sound effects. Although I was pleased with the final result and I think it looked like a professional opening to a film.

STOP MOTION ANIMATION

 Today in media, we focused on stop motion. We chose  Speed Media as our company name and collected a piece of paper and a toy car. Then we set up the camera and worked out how to get the best shot by positioning the camera in the right place. Once that was all in place we were able to start the process. We moved the car by a fraction and took a photo each time which created a sequence of images that were put together to create a short clip. 

MAKING A FILM OPENING

 PREP Write up an account of what you did in the lesson. Start your post by copying the information from the PREP post (about the research that you did). Then describe your filming. Add a photo if you wish

Today in media in our groups, we laid a black cloth over the tables to create a surface to start the table top credit sequence.  We were then handed lots of interesting and unusual objects, like letters, old photos of unknown people and we also added in some of our own objects.  We discussed what objects we wanted to be significant and then decided we would zoom in on them.  As well as that, a few of us, to add some life to the sequence. interacted with the objects to create an unnerving feel as you don't know whose hands they are and what the interaction might foreshadow.  Once we had a story in our head and a sense of the genre and what we wanted the introduction to be like, we filmed the sequence in one take.  The camera was moving, so it took a few tries to get it working smoothly.  Once we had our final take, we transferred it to the computers in the media studio to begin our editing.  We thought about what music would suit the tone of the piece.  We chose 'We'll meet Again' as it is associated with the war and connected with our choice of objects.  We also wrote the names of our chosen director and performers to make it a realistic credit sequence. The following week, we continued to edit our film opening and we also filmed some live action to include in our credit sequence 

FILM OPENING CONVENTIONS

 PREP To prepare for tomorrow's practical work of filming an opening sequence, please watch the following two title sequences which are filmed in in a similar 'table top' style. 

• Delicatessen (dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 1991)
• To Kill A Mockingbird ( dir. Robert Mulligan,1962)
• Extension work: there are many other opening sequences on the website Art of the Title

For each title sequence, write three sentences about how the conventions of film openings are used. 

The title of your prep blog post is FILM OPENING CONVENTIONS

Copy /paste the lines above and add the two images below : 

• what titles and credits appear on screen?
• how is the film's genre conveyed? 
• what use is made of sound?
• what hooks the audience and makes us want to carry on watching    

 

The opening of Delicatessen is filmed in a "table top" style. The title and credits are written among a seemingly random array of objects. The camera pans and reveals more and more unusual objects as the credits are shown. The opening shots show us a man hiding in a bin and another man launching down on him with a big kitchen knife suggesting a horror genre. The use of music backs this up as it is a discordant accordion which is atmosphere but also implies there might be a slightly comic humour to the film. The audience is hooked by the introduction of the two men at the start and eerie and suspenseful credit sequence makes the audience wait to see what will unfold.

The credit sequence for To Kill a Mocking Bird follows a similar "table top" style. We see a young girl use a crayon to reveal the title. The credits then follow hidden among the unusual objects in the girl's box. The film's genre is conveyed through a slow but engaging credit sequence which suggests it could be a drama and the use of music supports this. We hear a young girl humming right at the beginning and at the end of the sequence we hear her giggling which creates an unnerving atmosphere. This is heightened by a ticking clock which comes in, to be taken over by full orchestration and then comes seeping back in again.   An audience would want to continue to watch because we feel we are being drawn into the life of a young girl and we feel that the clock has some significance while the score hints that there are big emotions to come.

CUFFS

 

• As we watch the episode, notice how the different plot lines are woven together, how the editing links them and how the characters develop. The programme is much more than a series of police cases - although the excitement, tension and drama drives the narrative along. The audience also starts to empathise with the individual police officers and in some cases the people that they are dealing with.
• Who do we start to empathise with?

I start to empathise with some of the police officers as more of their character is revealed and we see them in difficult and uncomfortable situations. Firstly, when Jake is prompted to make his first arrest we see him get spat on and completely embarrassed. I really empathise with him at that point because that was not an ideal start to the job and you can see the panic in his face as a crowd starts to form around him.

 As well as that, I found myself understand and empathise with Ryan when I saw him vulnerable as Benson almost attacks him. You can see Ryan in a different light, he is no longer the strong and bossy mentor. Instead we can see him alone in danger and in need of protection and support.

THE AVENGERS: SOUND

PREP Watch the first 10 minutes (after the title sequence is over) of The Avengers on Clickview. Analyse how sound is used in the extract to create meaning. You can use any part of the opening scenes - both the opening scene at the seaside at Little Bazeley or the scene in Emma Peel's flat

• first identify an example - use terminology such as diegetic sound, non-diegetic sound, dialogue.
• then give the example - " Little Bazeley is constructed as a seaside village through realistic sound codes such as..."
• "One example of how sound is used is when Steed makes conversation with Emma Peel..."
• then explain what meaning is created - "In the exchange of dialogue between the fisherman and the undercover agent who arrives from the sea they talk about...... which creates suspicion and comedy because....."
• "Steed's dialogue reveals his accent and shows that he is..." "What Steed says to Emma Peel suggests that he feels in charge because...." /  "Emma's comment about the coffee and cream show that..." / "Emma's throwaway comment about having just finished a scientific article shows that..."

At the start of the episode, it is clear we are by the seaside. This is enhanced through the use of diegetic sounds which include, seagulls and the sound of the waves. This helps the audience watching feel immersed and establishes the world of the story. The use of these realistic sounds create a sense of atmosphere that builds into the moment where an unknown shape emerges from the sea. The sound of the seagulls continuous cawing creates a feeling of tension.

The non-diegetic music used in this sequence is very distinctive and particular to the period. It starts with a menacing trumpet sound that creates an ominous sense that something unusual or dramatic might be about to happen. Then the music changes to a more light hearted percussive sound that reassures the audience and hints at a light hearted tone to the show. This strange combination in the music keeps the audience watching as they suspect something might happen but also reassures them this is a safe and comfortable show to watch. In 1961 the country was worried about the Cold War so they wanted to watch a show about spies that was entertaining but made them feel safe and this score works to enhance that.