There are various camera angles, shots, movement and composition that are used in music videos. To explain them I have created a Prezi to go through in detail what they all are.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Possible Artist and Songs - Nick Gardner
Out Of The Clouds
The Way It Sounds
Friday, 16 September 2011
AS Coursework Essay
“Explain the methods you used to attract your audience in your AS coursework.”
During Year 12, we were taught how different and diverse audiences are, we learnt that film companies these days spend a lot of time and money into researching their target audiences, their interests , hobbies and lifestyles can determine what goes into a film. Our task for our coursework was to film and edit the opening of a Thriller film. As a group we researched the techniques that are used in filming and editing as well as the main conventions that are used in order to attract target audiences. We focused on 4 main areas whilst filming our opening ; Camera , Editing, Mise-En-Scene and Sound.
Camera is important as there are many different shots and camera angles to use whilst filming. Before we started to film, we knew that it was important to plan the storyboard with each individual shot and the effect of that shot. To do this we needed to research which types of shots and angles are used in Thriller films today. By watching examples of Thriller openings we knew that “Close Ups” were an important feature as audiences react to what they see on the screen whether it be a murder weapon or severed head. We incorporated this into our Thriller opening by using close up shots on the agency symbol tattoos on different characters. This attracts the audience as it makes them question the significance of this mysterious symbol and whether or not these people are linked. Thrillers are meant to keep the audience thinking and questioning what they are seeing. Our audience would want to know the answer to the possible link and we as a group felt that we should not directly give it to them but rather give them more clues as seen later on in our opening where one of the characters opens a briefcase with two documents with the symbol on it as well as the identities of two of the characters. As it was the opening of a film it was important not to give too much away and reveal it all in the end and give our audience the chance to figure it out for themselves.
One other important camera technique we made use of was the shot composition and framing. Throughout our film opening we follow two men in suits walking and we composed the shot to only show the men at mid-height bodylength and not reveal their faces. This type of shot surrounds the two men in mystery and suspense which makes the audience think about what they are doing and where they are going. It also adds an element of danger coming from these two men as their identities are unknown to the audience. We never reveal in the opening what these two characters were up to and who they were, never revealing all the parts of a story in commonly used in films nowadays especially Thrillers and this is what we wanted to do.
There are also many Editing techniques that are crucial to define the genre of a film to an audience. Because this was an opening to a film, credits and titles are normally shown to show who was involved in the film making process. But they also set the mood and tone for the film and set the audience up for what they were about to watch. We chose a particular font for our credits as well as a different font for our film title. A font for a Thriller title is normally quite plain and simple and we decided to stick to that convention. By doing this it attracts our target audience to our film. By doing this, our target audience knows what they are in for and what to expect this movie to be about, we really had to define the genre in our opening and I think we achieved it. Another technique that we used was a lack of a motivated cut. A motivated cut is where a character in the film is looking at someone/something and the camera cuts to it to reveal it to the audience. In our opening we see a door open and the character looks at the door but we do not cut to the door to see who is there, the shock on his face makes the audience want to see who it is but we chose not to give them it and this creates suspense and therefore attracts our audience.
Mise-En-Scene relates to the props, lighting and setting of each shot and it is important as we had to make our opening as authentic as possible. Costume is an important part of it and we made sure that each character that we created had a set costume which would fit within the Thriller genre. The two men wore black suits in order to convey them as smart dressed and serious. The boy in our opening wore casual everyday type clothes in order to display his innocence and normality. The gun and the laptop were important props as it attracts the tech loving, gadget males that will expect to see this sort of feature in a Thriller film. Props are essential to the story and can also play a big role with each character. We chose to set many of our scenes in rural towns and urban settings. We specifically chose the paths and alleyways for the two suited men to walk down in order to create mystery as we did not reveal too much of their surroundings. By keeping the audience guessing it draws them in with the film and many Thrillers tend to do just that and this is was we were aiming for.
Thriller films also tend to use a musical score as well as just dialogue. Because we chose not to feature any dialogue in our opening it leaves it up to the audience to interpret what is going on in the screen through what they are seeing rather than hearing. We also decided to use a musical track in the opening to set the mood of the film. We as a group chose a copyright free song to match the scenes as well as create intensity through the sound. Sound in a film attracts audience as seen with many films such as Tron Legacy or Inception.
During Year 12, we were taught how different and diverse audiences are, we learnt that film companies these days spend a lot of time and money into researching their target audiences, their interests , hobbies and lifestyles can determine what goes into a film. Our task for our coursework was to film and edit the opening of a Thriller film. As a group we researched the techniques that are used in filming and editing as well as the main conventions that are used in order to attract target audiences. We focused on 4 main areas whilst filming our opening ; Camera , Editing, Mise-En-Scene and Sound.
Camera is important as there are many different shots and camera angles to use whilst filming. Before we started to film, we knew that it was important to plan the storyboard with each individual shot and the effect of that shot. To do this we needed to research which types of shots and angles are used in Thriller films today. By watching examples of Thriller openings we knew that “Close Ups” were an important feature as audiences react to what they see on the screen whether it be a murder weapon or severed head. We incorporated this into our Thriller opening by using close up shots on the agency symbol tattoos on different characters. This attracts the audience as it makes them question the significance of this mysterious symbol and whether or not these people are linked. Thrillers are meant to keep the audience thinking and questioning what they are seeing. Our audience would want to know the answer to the possible link and we as a group felt that we should not directly give it to them but rather give them more clues as seen later on in our opening where one of the characters opens a briefcase with two documents with the symbol on it as well as the identities of two of the characters. As it was the opening of a film it was important not to give too much away and reveal it all in the end and give our audience the chance to figure it out for themselves.
One other important camera technique we made use of was the shot composition and framing. Throughout our film opening we follow two men in suits walking and we composed the shot to only show the men at mid-height bodylength and not reveal their faces. This type of shot surrounds the two men in mystery and suspense which makes the audience think about what they are doing and where they are going. It also adds an element of danger coming from these two men as their identities are unknown to the audience. We never reveal in the opening what these two characters were up to and who they were, never revealing all the parts of a story in commonly used in films nowadays especially Thrillers and this is what we wanted to do.
There are also many Editing techniques that are crucial to define the genre of a film to an audience. Because this was an opening to a film, credits and titles are normally shown to show who was involved in the film making process. But they also set the mood and tone for the film and set the audience up for what they were about to watch. We chose a particular font for our credits as well as a different font for our film title. A font for a Thriller title is normally quite plain and simple and we decided to stick to that convention. By doing this it attracts our target audience to our film. By doing this, our target audience knows what they are in for and what to expect this movie to be about, we really had to define the genre in our opening and I think we achieved it. Another technique that we used was a lack of a motivated cut. A motivated cut is where a character in the film is looking at someone/something and the camera cuts to it to reveal it to the audience. In our opening we see a door open and the character looks at the door but we do not cut to the door to see who is there, the shock on his face makes the audience want to see who it is but we chose not to give them it and this creates suspense and therefore attracts our audience.
Mise-En-Scene relates to the props, lighting and setting of each shot and it is important as we had to make our opening as authentic as possible. Costume is an important part of it and we made sure that each character that we created had a set costume which would fit within the Thriller genre. The two men wore black suits in order to convey them as smart dressed and serious. The boy in our opening wore casual everyday type clothes in order to display his innocence and normality. The gun and the laptop were important props as it attracts the tech loving, gadget males that will expect to see this sort of feature in a Thriller film. Props are essential to the story and can also play a big role with each character. We chose to set many of our scenes in rural towns and urban settings. We specifically chose the paths and alleyways for the two suited men to walk down in order to create mystery as we did not reveal too much of their surroundings. By keeping the audience guessing it draws them in with the film and many Thrillers tend to do just that and this is was we were aiming for.
Thriller films also tend to use a musical score as well as just dialogue. Because we chose not to feature any dialogue in our opening it leaves it up to the audience to interpret what is going on in the screen through what they are seeing rather than hearing. We also decided to use a musical track in the opening to set the mood of the film. We as a group chose a copyright free song to match the scenes as well as create intensity through the sound. Sound in a film attracts audience as seen with many films such as Tron Legacy or Inception.
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Key Terms
I created a short revision video for all the key terms we are expected to know and use over the course of our A2 Media Studies :
Monday, 5 September 2011
Artist Research- Green Day
Green Day are a punk rock/alternative band who stand to go against the norm and challenge political views.
The video for "Know Your Enemy" displays Green Day as being quite rebellious and dangerous. The dark night time setting for the video suggests this as well as the intense fire display at the end. The voyeur helicopter shots and lights suggest that they are are on the run and police are looking for them. The lyrics as well are aggressive and this shows their violent nature.
There are many symbols in this video for "American Idiot" which suggest many things about who Green Day are. The most obvious is the green American flag in the background which is seen as quite a sacred thing in America and for them to change it can be seen as rebellious and unpatriotic. The setting of an empty warehouse makes them look as if they are hiding as outlaws. The green slime at the end also shows their creative and fun nature which is unique to their image.
This album cover for their 3rd album Dookie shows Green Day's explosive nature. The layout of the album cover combines many different images with different meanings. The nuke mushroom cloud with the Green Day logo shows their explosiveness and rebellious side. The position and font of the Dookie title is wonky and shows their childish side as well. There is a lot going on in the image with the crowd and the animals.
This album cover of "American Idiot" shows Green Day's move from punk rock to more alternative rock.
The black background fits in with the bands colour scheme
Green Day are regarded as a great band to see live as they entertain and interact with the crowd well. Billie Joe regularly brings up young fans to sing songs along with the band or play his guitar. In the picture below we see him firing a T-Shirt gun which clearly shows his fun side.
Here we see Billie Joe firing a water pistol at the fans in the mosh pit. This shows his image as being very humorous and childlike, he doesnt really care and likes to do things that other artists generally would not do.
The video for "Know Your Enemy" displays Green Day as being quite rebellious and dangerous. The dark night time setting for the video suggests this as well as the intense fire display at the end. The voyeur helicopter shots and lights suggest that they are are on the run and police are looking for them. The lyrics as well are aggressive and this shows their violent nature.
There are many symbols in this video for "American Idiot" which suggest many things about who Green Day are. The most obvious is the green American flag in the background which is seen as quite a sacred thing in America and for them to change it can be seen as rebellious and unpatriotic. The setting of an empty warehouse makes them look as if they are hiding as outlaws. The green slime at the end also shows their creative and fun nature which is unique to their image.
This album cover for their 3rd album Dookie shows Green Day's explosive nature. The layout of the album cover combines many different images with different meanings. The nuke mushroom cloud with the Green Day logo shows their explosiveness and rebellious side. The position and font of the Dookie title is wonky and shows their childish side as well. There is a lot going on in the image with the crowd and the animals.This album cover of "American Idiot" shows Green Day's move from punk rock to more alternative rock.
The black background fits in with the bands colour scheme
Green Day are regarded as a great band to see live as they entertain and interact with the crowd well. Billie Joe regularly brings up young fans to sing songs along with the band or play his guitar. In the picture below we see him firing a T-Shirt gun which clearly shows his fun side. 
Here we see Billie Joe firing a water pistol at the fans in the mosh pit. This shows his image as being very humorous and childlike, he doesnt really care and likes to do things that other artists generally would not do.
Artist Research - Jay-Z
Jay-Z is a successful rapper who has won numerous awards for his unique rapping techniques. Jay-Z's image has changed dramatically in the last 15 years, he started out as a tough gangster turning to a stylish wealthy entrepreneur.
This music video for one of Jay-Z's earlier songs, "99 Problems", is set in Brooklyn, NY. This is Jay-Z's hometown where he grew up, most of this video is filmed at his neighbourhood of Marcy Projects. Jay-Z regularly refers to this place because he is proud of where he came from, this is a very typical attitude for rappers. The entire video is in black and white giving it more of a classier feel but with more modern imagery. The video typically depicts an "ordinary day" in his life from getting pulled over by cops, hanging out with friends and even attending dog fights which was edited out in some countries. The ending is also dramatic as we see Jay-Z being shot several times, this is meant to show his gangster side to him and that such crimes were normal back in his neighbourhood.
Jay-Z was the head of Def Jam Recordings from 1998 to 2007. During that time he launched artists such as Rihanna, Kanye West and Ne-Yo. This adds to his many successes as not just an artist but also an entrepreneur. He also has his own designer clothing line called Rocawear.
Jay-Z is one of the few rappers who is known for his amazing live performances where he interacts with the crowd frequently. Jay normally collaborates with many other successful artists during live peformances as well as on his records. Some artists he has performed with are:
- Akon
- R.Kelly
- Linkin Park
- Missy Elliott
- Pharrell
- Coldplay
- Beyonce
In 2008, Jay-Z was chosen to headline Glastonbury which was seen as controversial as he was the first major hip/hop artist to do so. Glastonbury is generally seen as a guitar driven festival, Noel Gallagher of Oasis was his major critic saying that 'Im sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong.
Jay-Z's response to this was opening with a cheeky cover of Oasis hit "Wonderwall". Critics then praised him for doing so and described the performance as a success.
Jay-Z is also very active in politics being one of the main celebrity supporters of Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential election. Jay-Z actively called for voters to vote for Obama and took part in his campaign. Jay-Z performed with Beyonce at the President's Inauguration ball.
This music video for one of Jay-Z's earlier songs, "99 Problems", is set in Brooklyn, NY. This is Jay-Z's hometown where he grew up, most of this video is filmed at his neighbourhood of Marcy Projects. Jay-Z regularly refers to this place because he is proud of where he came from, this is a very typical attitude for rappers. The entire video is in black and white giving it more of a classier feel but with more modern imagery. The video typically depicts an "ordinary day" in his life from getting pulled over by cops, hanging out with friends and even attending dog fights which was edited out in some countries. The ending is also dramatic as we see Jay-Z being shot several times, this is meant to show his gangster side to him and that such crimes were normal back in his neighbourhood.
Jay-Z is one of the few rappers who is known for his amazing live performances where he interacts with the crowd frequently. Jay normally collaborates with many other successful artists during live peformances as well as on his records. Some artists he has performed with are:
- Akon
- R.Kelly
- Linkin Park
- Missy Elliott
- Pharrell
- Coldplay
- Beyonce
In 2008, Jay-Z was chosen to headline Glastonbury which was seen as controversial as he was the first major hip/hop artist to do so. Glastonbury is generally seen as a guitar driven festival, Noel Gallagher of Oasis was his major critic saying that 'Im sorry, but Jay-Z? No chance. Glastonbury has a tradition of guitar music and even when they throw the odd curve ball in on a Sunday night you go 'Kylie Minogue?' I don't know about it. But I'm not having hip hop at Glastonbury. It's wrong.
Jay-Z's response to this was opening with a cheeky cover of Oasis hit "Wonderwall". Critics then praised him for doing so and described the performance as a success.
Jay-Z is also very active in politics being one of the main celebrity supporters of Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential election. Jay-Z actively called for voters to vote for Obama and took part in his campaign. Jay-Z performed with Beyonce at the President's Inauguration ball.
Artist Research - Beyonce
Beyonce's music varies over many genres such as Pop, Soul , RnB and hip hop. As an artist her music is constantly changing in order to keep up with modern tastes, but not only is her music changing her image changes as well.
Beyonce's first album "Dangerously in Love started off her career as an RnB and Hip-hop artist.
The album cover shows Beyonce as being elegant, sexy and glamorous. The dress code of a revealing diamond top not only shows her wealth but also the sex appeal that surrounds her. This appeals to men who instantly notice her body. Her eyes are also looking directly at you and it is as if she is trying to lure you in. The way her arms are positioned is intentional in order to show off her body but also the diamond top. Her hair looks "windswept" and this is done on purpose to show her beauty.
The image of Beyonce takes up most of the cover and this shows she is the center of attention. The artist's name and album name is positioned in the corner intentionally as that is not the main focus. The framing of the image cuts out her lower part of her body in order to emphasise her upper body and her face. As this is her first album the artist's name is not too important but her image is important as the audience will see this album cover and remember her. The image is very daring and it clearly shows Beyonce in all her glory.
Beyonce has evolved as an artist and her image has changed as well. The cover of her latest album shows this. In this picture we see Beyonce with her arms on her hand staring out into the distance. The blank olive background clearly emphasises Beyonce and makes her stand out. Her position on the cover interferes and covers her name, this makes her look rebellious. The Mise En Scene also suggests this with the blonde hair, black eyeliner and fur scarf/top. This portrays her as being wild and sort of minimalist in a sense. The makeup and style of her hair makes her look fierce and like an animal. This image is a change from the glamorous , luxurious Beyonce we are used to. There is still a hint of this though with the golden wrist guard/bracelet.
The position of her body and arms shows her trying to display her beauty. The lighting makes her skin look much brighter which can denote a sense of innocence. Her eyes are looking away from the camera, this lack of eye contact portrays her lack of interest.
Beyonce's Alter-Ego - Sasha Fierce
Beyonce is unique as an artist because she has created an alter-ego called Sasha Fierce who is her sexy, aggressive side. She said that Sasha was being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy, too sexy", stating "I'm not like her in real life at all ... I'm not flirtatious and super-confident and fearless like her. What I feel onstage I don't feel anywhere else. It's an out-of-body experience. I created my stage persona to protect myself so that when I go home I don't have to think about what it is I do. Sasha isn't me. The people around me know who I really am."
Beyonce's live performances are normally very extravagant with stunning visuals and stunts. She cares about her fans and creates these dance routines which is part of her image. Beyonce also prides herself on the way she dresses wearing up to 10 different outfits during one show! Beyonce also takes pride in being a woman and standing up for feminist views and she has an all-female band called Sugar Mama. This shows her as being very feminine but also proud. Her live performances have gained her a lot of critical success:
Tamara Hardingham-Gill of the Daily Mail wrote, "many industry experts have been tipping Beyoncé as the next Michael Jackson. While it’s far too early for such comparisons, she certainly proved that she is one of the most exciting and talented performers around and may well go down in history as such".
Beyonce's first album "Dangerously in Love started off her career as an RnB and Hip-hop artist.
The album cover shows Beyonce as being elegant, sexy and glamorous. The dress code of a revealing diamond top not only shows her wealth but also the sex appeal that surrounds her. This appeals to men who instantly notice her body. Her eyes are also looking directly at you and it is as if she is trying to lure you in. The way her arms are positioned is intentional in order to show off her body but also the diamond top. Her hair looks "windswept" and this is done on purpose to show her beauty.
The image of Beyonce takes up most of the cover and this shows she is the center of attention. The artist's name and album name is positioned in the corner intentionally as that is not the main focus. The framing of the image cuts out her lower part of her body in order to emphasise her upper body and her face. As this is her first album the artist's name is not too important but her image is important as the audience will see this album cover and remember her. The image is very daring and it clearly shows Beyonce in all her glory.
Beyonce has evolved as an artist and her image has changed as well. The cover of her latest album shows this. In this picture we see Beyonce with her arms on her hand staring out into the distance. The blank olive background clearly emphasises Beyonce and makes her stand out. Her position on the cover interferes and covers her name, this makes her look rebellious. The Mise En Scene also suggests this with the blonde hair, black eyeliner and fur scarf/top. This portrays her as being wild and sort of minimalist in a sense. The makeup and style of her hair makes her look fierce and like an animal. This image is a change from the glamorous , luxurious Beyonce we are used to. There is still a hint of this though with the golden wrist guard/bracelet.
The position of her body and arms shows her trying to display her beauty. The lighting makes her skin look much brighter which can denote a sense of innocence. Her eyes are looking away from the camera, this lack of eye contact portrays her lack of interest.
Beyonce's Alter-Ego - Sasha Fierce
Beyonce's live performances are normally very extravagant with stunning visuals and stunts. She cares about her fans and creates these dance routines which is part of her image. Beyonce also prides herself on the way she dresses wearing up to 10 different outfits during one show! Beyonce also takes pride in being a woman and standing up for feminist views and she has an all-female band called Sugar Mama. This shows her as being very feminine but also proud. Her live performances have gained her a lot of critical success:
Tamara Hardingham-Gill of the Daily Mail wrote, "many industry experts have been tipping Beyoncé as the next Michael Jackson. While it’s far too early for such comparisons, she certainly proved that she is one of the most exciting and talented performers around and may well go down in history as such".
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