Tuesday, 14 November 2017
Thursday, 9 November 2017
Music Video Codes and Conventions (Arvil Lavigne, Sk8er Boi)
Avril Lavinge
Avril Lavigne is presented in the music video the whole time. She appears to be the main character in the story and the person everyone wants to be. She is always singing the song in the video which shows the followers that she has real talent which promotes her song even more. She jumps on the cars and everyone is loving her and she is completely the center of attention, she sings with a lot of enthusiasm almost as if it is a real life concert. Towards the end when Avril Lavigne is on the car giving the crowd almost a private concert, she is singing into the camera and staring right at it (in a very close up shot), this is done to build a relationship with the audience and so the audience once again know she is a true superstar. There are also a lot of close ups when her and her friends are skating down stairs, this is showing that she isn't scared to take risks and the viewers love this!
In the music video the visuals are illustrating exactly what the lyrics are saying. It is more or less helping the lyrics create a story in the viewers minds. When she says 'she does ballet' there is a close up of someone's foot while they put ballet pumps on. And when it says 'he was a skater boy' the boy is jumping around on his skateboard to portray that they are stereotypical students in school.
Screens often feature in music videos like when the skater boy is filming Avril while she performs to the crowd while on the car. We see him recording her and then we go into his camera, which is very clever.
- Performance - the singer / band are seen to be playing, to provide authenticity, so that followers believe in the talent and can see their star. Record labels sign stars and promote them to ensure sales.
- Star - use of close-ups, sometimes direct eye contact with audience, to build relationship with audience
- The visuals (what the star and other characters are seen doing) illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics (the 'story in the words'). Illustration = the visuals play out the story more or less literally; amplify = the words in the lyrics are only the starting point and the story develops in other directions; contradiction / disjuncture = the visuals do not interpret the words of the lyrics and may even show something contradictory.
- The narrative usually features the performer in 'real life' situations but often with experimental types of film making such as hand-held, dramatic camera angles, symbolic codes and lighting
- The visuals are usually cut to the beat of the music; the editing is often fast-paced; there is often use of montage, ellipsis and intercutting, stylish effects
- Refrain - repeated chorus, sometimes with variations
- Intertextuality - references to other media, films, performances, events
Avril Lavigne is presented in the music video the whole time. She appears to be the main character in the story and the person everyone wants to be. She is always singing the song in the video which shows the followers that she has real talent which promotes her song even more. She jumps on the cars and everyone is loving her and she is completely the center of attention, she sings with a lot of enthusiasm almost as if it is a real life concert. Towards the end when Avril Lavigne is on the car giving the crowd almost a private concert, she is singing into the camera and staring right at it (in a very close up shot), this is done to build a relationship with the audience and so the audience once again know she is a true superstar. There are also a lot of close ups when her and her friends are skating down stairs, this is showing that she isn't scared to take risks and the viewers love this!
In the music video the visuals are illustrating exactly what the lyrics are saying. It is more or less helping the lyrics create a story in the viewers minds. When she says 'she does ballet' there is a close up of someone's foot while they put ballet pumps on. And when it says 'he was a skater boy' the boy is jumping around on his skateboard to portray that they are stereotypical students in school.
Screens often feature in music videos like when the skater boy is filming Avril while she performs to the crowd while on the car. We see him recording her and then we go into his camera, which is very clever.
Saturday, 4 November 2017
editing
Analyse how editing is used in the extract from Cuffs to create meaning. Refer to at least two examples
from the extract in your answer. (This means that a good candidate will
write fully and freely, covering more than just 2 examples, as we practiced in class)
In Cuffs, there is a lot of editing that goes into it, that we don't even think about but when you carefully watch you realise how much is put into it.
Firstly, there is a shot reverse shot very often. When the man is about to jump off the building there is a lot of shot reverse shot which shows that two people are having a conversation with each other and the editor clearly wants the audience to see both peoples faces and emotions. Another time that there was a lot of shot reverse shots was in the car when Ryan Draper and Jake are having a conversation. We see both of them at different times so we can focus on how they feel.
Next, there were a few dissolve transitions. When the four police officers were in the car park training (running up and down the road), the dissolve transition was used several times. They did this to signify that time is going by. They would have been training for easily an hour so by doing this the audience knows it has been a long time but it cuts the clip down.
In Cuffs, there is a lot of editing that goes into it, that we don't even think about but when you carefully watch you realise how much is put into it.
Firstly, there is a shot reverse shot very often. When the man is about to jump off the building there is a lot of shot reverse shot which shows that two people are having a conversation with each other and the editor clearly wants the audience to see both peoples faces and emotions. Another time that there was a lot of shot reverse shots was in the car when Ryan Draper and Jake are having a conversation. We see both of them at different times so we can focus on how they feel.
Next, there were a few dissolve transitions. When the four police officers were in the car park training (running up and down the road), the dissolve transition was used several times. They did this to signify that time is going by. They would have been training for easily an hour so by doing this the audience knows it has been a long time but it cuts the clip down.
Tuesday, 31 October 2017
mise-en-scene
During Cuffs, mise-en-scene does occurs quite regularly. At the very beginning of the episode when the head police officer is giving his speech to the knew people in the department, we can see his importance through the use of everyone who is looking at him looks interested (they have straight backs, giving eye contact) however if they did not look at him with importance we would get the impression that he doesn't mean anything to them and isn't treated well. We also know that the speech is important as they are all dressed in proper uniform and have white gloves on which wouldn't be worn unless something special is occurring. Finally, we can see it is located in the Police Head Quarters which signifies its importance once again.
Next, on the beach as the police officer walks towards the drunken stag due and the nudists, the stag due men are wearing a lot of props to show that they are drunk and not serious. They were all wearing matching viking hats which shows that to them they think they can rule the police officer and the nudists, they also all have matching football or rugby tops on which shows that they are very close with each other and come us one. Interestingly, they also have a human sized play doll which one again shows they are there for a bit of a laugh. The nudists cover up with there towels immediately when the officer arrives and the audience are almost waiting for the towel to drop which would be quite humorous.
Something to do with location is that when the police arrived at the troubled mans house, the first thing the audience see is alcoholic bottles all of the place, the room was dark too which shows he has no pride over it and doesn't care at all.
Next, on the beach as the police officer walks towards the drunken stag due and the nudists, the stag due men are wearing a lot of props to show that they are drunk and not serious. They were all wearing matching viking hats which shows that to them they think they can rule the police officer and the nudists, they also all have matching football or rugby tops on which shows that they are very close with each other and come us one. Interestingly, they also have a human sized play doll which one again shows they are there for a bit of a laugh. The nudists cover up with there towels immediately when the officer arrives and the audience are almost waiting for the towel to drop which would be quite humorous.
Something to do with location is that when the police arrived at the troubled mans house, the first thing the audience see is alcoholic bottles all of the place, the room was dark too which shows he has no pride over it and doesn't care at all.
Saturday, 28 October 2017
exam q1- camera work
Different camera works are being used in Cuffs in series 1, episode 1. For example at the very beginning of the episode there is an establishing shot of Brighton, this is showing the audience where the series will be set, what is happening there and to see what the weather and scenery is like. These are normally high angel shots as it shows you everything quickly and clearly. Another time where there would be an extreme wide shot or just a wide shot is when the police cars are chasing a certain something, these shots also tend to either slowly zoom out and go into a different scene or zoom into the actual police car and show what is happening in more detail.
However, Cuffs does also have a lot of camera shots where it is an extreme close up which is sharing peoples emotions so the audience can connect with them. When the fictional character PC Ryan Draper got punched by the people on the beach there is an extreme close up of his face while he wipes the blood of his nose, this is there so we will sympathise for him and can clearly see his anger and pain.When the man is wanting to commit suicide, the camera zooms in and becomes an extreme close up shot of his arms and we see all the cuts on them, this shows the audience he isn't in a good mindset.
There are times when they are using a hand held camera for the effect that they are running of trying to escape. This is used in scene when the police are chasing people or trying to track them down, this gives the impression that the camera being used from the polices point of view.
However, Cuffs does also have a lot of camera shots where it is an extreme close up which is sharing peoples emotions so the audience can connect with them. When the fictional character PC Ryan Draper got punched by the people on the beach there is an extreme close up of his face while he wipes the blood of his nose, this is there so we will sympathise for him and can clearly see his anger and pain.When the man is wanting to commit suicide, the camera zooms in and becomes an extreme close up shot of his arms and we see all the cuts on them, this shows the audience he isn't in a good mindset.
There are times when they are using a hand held camera for the effect that they are running of trying to escape. This is used in scene when the police are chasing people or trying to track them down, this gives the impression that the camera being used from the polices point of view.
Tuesday, 10 October 2017
Exam q5
The Avengers- explain how social contexts influence television programmes
The social contexts influences television programmes quite a lot in today's world. In the Avengers, we very quickly begin to understand that it was set quite a while ago, in the 60's, from the way the characters speak and the words they say, for example Piggy Warren says to John Steed ''ah, hello boy'' and ''didn't think so boy'', this shows that in those days people referred to men as 'boys' oppose to their name. Also, in the same scene, we are able to see how humor in shows has changed. Steed lights the mans beard on fire very naturally and calmly however now a days, something humorous is very different to that.
We are able to see that the people still care very much about war and that it is still often on their minds because the man in the pub just quickly grabbed a riffle gun, however, now in England, it is completely illegal to have a gun without a reason. Also, we see a squadron bunker which looks very run down as all the beds are rusty and the walls are practically gone! This shows that war was a while ago as everything is destroyed but no one will knock it down as it is a memory of the soldiers and air force from war.
They talk about afternoon tea in the Avengers which is very posh terminology for someone to say now. A very old line that they said would be 'sugar or tea?' which referring to what they want in their cups of tea. Another example of it being set many years ago is their outfits. Mrs Peel wearing leather from head to toe, with a few white accessories here and there while Steed also has a bowler hat on which he uses to threaten people by throwing it and hitting them with the steel part.
The social contexts influences television programmes quite a lot in today's world. In the Avengers, we very quickly begin to understand that it was set quite a while ago, in the 60's, from the way the characters speak and the words they say, for example Piggy Warren says to John Steed ''ah, hello boy'' and ''didn't think so boy'', this shows that in those days people referred to men as 'boys' oppose to their name. Also, in the same scene, we are able to see how humor in shows has changed. Steed lights the mans beard on fire very naturally and calmly however now a days, something humorous is very different to that.
We are able to see that the people still care very much about war and that it is still often on their minds because the man in the pub just quickly grabbed a riffle gun, however, now in England, it is completely illegal to have a gun without a reason. Also, we see a squadron bunker which looks very run down as all the beds are rusty and the walls are practically gone! This shows that war was a while ago as everything is destroyed but no one will knock it down as it is a memory of the soldiers and air force from war.
They talk about afternoon tea in the Avengers which is very posh terminology for someone to say now. A very old line that they said would be 'sugar or tea?' which referring to what they want in their cups of tea. Another example of it being set many years ago is their outfits. Mrs Peel wearing leather from head to toe, with a few white accessories here and there while Steed also has a bowler hat on which he uses to threaten people by throwing it and hitting them with the steel part.
Thursday, 5 October 2017
exam q2
Analyse how far the extract depicts the polices point of
view rather than the criminal’s point of view:
In the series Cuffs, at the very beginning of episode 1 they use a voice over to aware the audience on what the police have to do. This effects the audience as it shows the police as heroic people and it tells us that they have to work really hard to get where they are now. From the voice over we begin to quickly trust them as they seem to have a lot of experience, we see Ashley Walters stride across the beach with confidence while the voice in the background explains what a life as a police officer is like.
On the beach, the police officer is very outnumbered, this makes us feel very sympathetic for him, especially when the Stag Due punch him. He is trying to fix a conflict resolution, he's there to diffuse conflict not escalate it. Although, we are shown that the stag due's aren't criminals they just happened to commit a crime of punching the police officer. The police officer doesn't touch or hurt anyone until they go out of line or start hurting him. This creates an image that the police are really there to fix problems not make them worse.
When the two officers show up at the door of the man (who is a potential criminal), even though he is threatening them with a knife they know he truly is very vulnerable so they are kind and allow the man to trust them. The officers voice comes across very gently and the soft music in the background that is cutting in makes him seem even kinder and respectful.
The audience soon realise how difficult a police officers job is, we see an innocent man just stopping at the shops to grab so food and then he gets randomly murdered. This is the kind of things the police have to deal with which shows them as very admiral.
The audience soon realise how difficult a police officers job is, we see an innocent man just stopping at the shops to grab so food and then he gets randomly murdered. This is the kind of things the police have to deal with which shows them as very admiral.
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