Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Unit 22 - A1 - Technical features camera language

Camera language 


Scream queens 

The TV show scream queens has uses many technical features which have camera shots, angles, movements and even editing and sound. In this blog I will be talking about the different technical features which are used and how they impact the audience. 



Target audience 

The target audience for scream queens would be 13 - 19 as people these ages will find it more entertaining as they may be able to relate to the problems which are being shown in the show. Adults wouldn't particularly find this interesting as they may not find it as good as those who are younger then them. Furthermore, the primary target audience would be girls as it has everything that girls like. For example, clothes, shopping, sleepovers etc which is why many girls would like this show. However, the secondary primary target would be boys. Not all boys would like this however some would find it entertaining as it has violence scenes, swearing, blood and a mysterious killer in a devil suit. 

The pleasures the audience may get from this Tv show would be social interaction and even personal identification. For example, there is a mean girl who bullies most of the girls. Some of the girls may be able to relate as they may be bullied. Another pleasure the audience would get from this TV show is also social interaction as what happens in each episode people would go online to talk about what they saw to their friends. This helps the TV show to get more views as people who don't know about the show will also get involved. 


Camera shots

Scream queens uses a variety of camera shots. These shots are used to make a certain scene intense, or see what is in the background or even what is around the person. For example, in this shot a medium close-up is used on Chanel number 5 to show us her distaste and shocked expression on what is happening. Using a medium close-up allows the audience to see the characters facial expression clearly. Just from this picture we can connote that she is unhappy about what she sees. Not only does her face show shocked but it also shows disgust that whatever she is seeing isn't making her happy. This creates a negative atmosphere because her expression shows us how much she is against what is happening. Furthermore, this type of shot would effect the audience because it is building tension to the scene as audience can convey from the emotions of dislike. 






A second shot type which is used is close-up. From this the audience can identify the feelings of fear the character are feeling from a closer shot. We are able to see the fear showing across her face. This makes the audience frightened about what is about to happen to the girl. This shot would arise questions out of the audience as we see a bright light coming towards the girls face. We are thinking what is happening? why is her body buried? Also from the panicked look on her face it shows us that something bad is going to happen to the girl. This would effect the audience because we the audience are also scared with the girl as we are zoomed into her face seeing her fear makes us scared about whats to happen. Also using this shot type when something like this is happening makes the scene more terrifying as we are zoomed in. However, if this was shot from a distance it wouldn't be as scary because the we wouldn't be able to see much making the scene boring. 




Another shot type which is used is medium long shot.  This frames the person from head to knees. For example, we can see what they’re holding, what they’re wearing and the background. From this shot we can denote a bunch of girls screaming while looking horrified. I connote that something bad has happened which is causing the girls to react in the type of way. Due to some of them being half naked it makes us question what was happening before and why are they all of a sudden looking scared. Using a medium long shot on the characters like this shows the girls body language. For example, some of the girls hands are spread out wide showing us just how terrified they are. If we were to zoom in we wouldn't of been able to see this. The benefit of this shot type has on the audience is why? why are these girls screaming as we can't see what they are looking at, this would create a suspense atmosphere as we try to figure out what is happening. 





Another shot which is used is long shot. This allows the audience to see what is happening in the background so they get can get an idea of setting and also a further distance from the characters as we can see their outfits. What I denote from this scene is fear. Just from looking at this picture I can denote that something bad is going to happen. This is due to Chanel number 2's hands. Fiddling with your hands is a sign of nervousness. The benefit of this shot would be the effect it has on the audience as they will all start to get nervous also as they know what is going to happen. Furthermore, the person she is facing also puts the audience on edge. 






Finally another shot which is used is extreme close shot. When using an extreme close up you are going into the characters personal space. We are able to see emotions that wouldn't be seen from afar. Using an extreme close up will intensifies that the character is feeling. What I can connote from this shot we don't know what has happened to the character as we can only see the their face however, from her facial expression we can see that she is panicked. The benefit this type of shot would have on the audience is it would draw our attention. The use of the zoom in emphasizes the dramatic importance of the scene making it stand out and making the audience scared due to the close up of her face emphasizing how scared she is. 




Camera angle 

Scream queens uses a variety of camera angles in its show. Camera angles affect how we the audience perceive it. Are the characters going to be appear inferior or superior? Are they making eye contact with us or with somebody else? Scream queens use these angles to show us. For example, in the picture we see three girls making eye contact with us. This angle is usually used to make us the audience feel neutral with the characters. However, the eye level angle has three girls looking directly at the camera with intimidating eye contact. The effect this has on the audience is to make us feel inferior to these girls due to the glare they are giving us. We would cast our eyes down as this angle is used to make the show look realistic and with the eye contact we the audience would cast our eyes down due to their piercing stare. 



Another camera which is used in scream queens is low angle. This angle is mostly used when a villain is being shown. This is because the effect of this angle is making the person look dominating and threatening. The effect this shot would have on the audience is to making them seem small, especially in this shot. We can see a man in a red devil costume with a chainsaw and blood on the floor shows us this person is dangerous. This would make the audience scared. The effect this would have on the audience is making them feel inferior as this shot makes the character look tall and strong while it would make us feel small and weak.



Camera movement 
Scream queens uses a range of camera movements. Camera movements is different ways the camera man follows the people being filmed. Each camera movement has their own way on showing a certain scene. For example, the video shows a tracking movement. This is when the camera is following the character. The effect of this shot is to keep characters within the frame. Directors would use this to keep a constant movement with the person being shot. The effect on using this is because it makes the audience focus on particular subject or character.


                                                        
Another camera movement which is used is panning. This is used to allow the audience to observe what is happening. In the video panning is used slowly to show us the girls plan. The effect this would have on the audience is because of the slow panning we know that the girls will be up to no good. This movement is used to build up suspense. If it were quick it wouldn't look appealing as we are going from one person to another. 






Combining a camera shot and camera movement


From this video I will be combining a camera shot and a camera movement to analyse its meaning, the effect it has on the audience and why this would be used. The use of zooming in and using a close up at the same time enables the scene to be more dramatic. We are able to see close-ups of the different girls and see their facial expressions. This makes the scene dramatic as we get to see all their reactions and it makes the scene more intense. Zooming in on the girls face while they are screaming is more dramatic as we get a better look of the horrified expressions which are on the girls face. This makes it more entertaining for the audience as we get a better look at reactions to the situation. 



Sound

Scream queens

Having sound in films or TV shows helps to make it more interesting when watching. Without sound movies wouldn't be as entertaining. When watching films or TV programs we have sound in the background like music to set the mood. If there's a romantic scene then there is a nice voice singing in the background making the scene appealing. Or there would be music and sound effects to help tell a story by making it more realistic to what we are watching.




Scream queens uses a variety of sounds in the show. For example, the video beside shows Chanel number 2 running away from the masked killer. Before he even appears a score is used to create an eerie, spooky feeling. This type of music builds up fear within the audience as they know something bad is about to happen. This effects the audience as they become scared in anticipation to what will happen next. By using this type of sound the directors are tapping into our fears and enhance the emotional impact of scenes. The soundtrack which is used in this helps to make the intensity of action taking place. The soundtrack is able to describe the fear they are feeling making us the audience feel excitement and fear for what is going to happen next. 





Another sound which is used in scream queens is non - digetic sound. This is when the audience are able to hear what the characters are thinking. Usually this is used to show the characters true feelings as they might not say what they feel out loud. This scene also contains some mild swearing. This would be used because  it emphasises the hate Chanel has for Chanel number 2.  






The use of the soundtrack in this scene makes the scene have this weird vibe feeling. The character Hester is a weird girl and the fact that she's walking around in someones wardrobe and wearing someones else's clothes makes the scene freaky. However, when she is caught it goes to a score which makes the audience jump as the girl has been caught. It's like being caught with your hand in the cookie jar. 




Editing 


Having editing in a TV show/ is meant to look invisble and not been seen. This is good for movies as people can edit something and without making the film/TV show look bad.  



The editing technique which is used on this scene is a jump cut. When the Chanel and Chanel number 2 are talking its crossing between the two. This is used to see the other reactions. For example, when Chanel number 2 entered the room we saw Chanel's reaction to seeing Chanel number 2 as she hates her. 






Another editing technique which is used in scream queens is cross cut. This establish action occurring at the same time in two different locations. In a cross-cut, the camera will cut away from one action to another action. This is used to see the audience and the characters reactions as this would be shocking and unexpected to the audience. Using this allows us to the see characters facial expression. For example, when the girl was falling down the stairs we were seeing Chanel and Chanel number 6 reactions. This scene would make the audience shocked so people would use social interaction to talk about what they saw and how they feel and think of what they just watched. 










Unit 22 - Narrative structures

Linear, Non - linear and Todarov 


Task 2

What is Linear 

This is when a movie/TV show is in chronological order. It progressing from one stage to another in a single series of steps; sequential

Endless love

An example of a movie that is in chronological order is endless love. It is about a privileged, innocent girl and a charismatic boy with a dark past whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart.The movie has no flashbacks as it just runs from start to finish. Using linear for movies are a good way to keep the audience entertained, as it would get boring going back and fourth.  Also using an linear also helps the audience to follow the movie and understand what is happening. If the audience can't follow the plot then the movie would not be a big hit as many people would not watch it. However, using the linear in this movie lets the audience understand what is happening without using flashbacks.  



Evil dead


Another example of a linear movie is evil dead. It is about a girl and her friends going to a cabin from her childhood, where she tries to get over her drug addict. However, they awake a demon which possess the girl. Doing a horror movie most companies use Linear as it makes the scenes more intense and scary for the audience. If there were to be a flashback in a horror the movie wouldn't be as appealing as it goes back and fourth. However, with a a linear you can build up the suspense and keep the audience guessing and even make them jump during the movie. 




What is non - linear

This is when a movie/ TV show is not in chronological order. For example, the movie/TV show would consist of having flashbacks. 

The 100 is an example of an non - linear TV series. Using a non - linear structure for a TV show would help the audience to get a better understanding of the characters past. For example, in the 100 we don't know anything about the characters so using flashbacks would help us to figure out what happened, why they are in this situation, and why this person would act like this. 

The 100 it is about 100 teenagers who are sent down to earth to see if it is survivable. 100 years ago the planet was bombed making it soaking in radiation. When we first see the show the audience have a lot of questions on what has happened. Using information through flashbacks helps the audience to get a understanding to what happened to these characters. It lets the audience put the pieces' together which keeps them entertained and interested. Rather then watching a scene unfold we get a sense of mystery as the audience get to guess what is happening. This makes them come back as they want find out more.  

In this scene of the 100 we get a better look of how a character called Bellamy made it to the ground as all the teens on the drop ship are 15-18 but he is 23 and he had gotten to the ground. He was a mystery until a flashback was used which explained how he got there. 








Pretty little liars 

Pretty little liars is another non - linear TV show. During the beginning there is a flashback of five friends having a sleepover, drinking and laughing. However, as the scene progresses one of the friends goes missing and none of the friends can find her. Starting an episode like this is a good way to set a mysterious plot for the audience. This intrigues them and gets them to want to watch more as they want to know what happened to their friend. However, for us the audience we get annoyed but confused because we don't know what happened. Is the girl dead? where is she? did someone kidnap her? 

Throughout the seasons of pretty little liars there are many flashbacks. The reason they put so many flashback's is for us to know the character who went missing a bit more. Through flashbacks we get to know Alison more, and even though she's missing we get to know what she was like. However, as the flashbacks progress we get to know her character and see her being mean to others, lying and manipulating people which would make the audience hate her. They done this to make us feel bad  for her friends, as she always treated them badly and feel mixed feelings for her. We dislike her because of how evil she was to others but she's missing and we feel sympathy for her because she's gone. 


Unit 22 - Single camera vs multi camera

Single camera vs multi camera 

Single-camera sitcoms were used and introduced in the 60's and 70's. Multi-camera sitcoms were then introduced in the 80s and 90s. Today? The entertainment industry is torn between the two. Modern Family and Everybody hates Chris follow the single-camera method. Each clip and each piece of dialogue is filmed separately. The good quality of each camera angle gives these shows a movie feel that is very unique and makes the show more appealing to the audience. How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory are filmed with multiple cameras. These sitcoms snap back and forth between angles, from one character to the next, from head-on to profiles, for punchline set-up and character reactions. Single camera also benefits the director as they get complete control over what is being shot. For example, they are able to focus on one scene without having to fuss over over a lot of cameras. 

Multi-cam sitcoms are much easier and cheaper to film. Everybody is performing together at the same time, so it involves less takes and less time. Multi-cam sitcoms also have a better lifespan on TV. That’s because single-cam comedies can be very  risky. Not only because they are very expensive to shoot, but because they can completely go wrong. Each actor is filmed individually, which makes acting more difficult, and more subject to criticism if they do not act good when filming on a singe camera. If one character cannot hold his/her own on a single-cam sitcom, it will most likely be cancelled. Whereas on a multi-cam sitcom, the angles are switching so fast between dialogue characters can often help each other. The big bang theory is a good example of an effective multi-cam filming because witty banter goes back and forth between characters at a fast pace. 

A show that uses a single camera and is successful is Everybody hates Chris. This is an example of an successful show that used a single camera and was very popular. Even though this TV show was a single camera it worked and still made people laugh. They were able to make conversations flow perfectly and make people laugh when it came to the punchline. There single camera was so good that they won an award for 'Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series'. 

Here are the differences between the two: 

Single camera 

In this clip from Everybody hates Chris we can see that a single camera is being used as the clip as each character is being shown individually when saying jokes. This makes it easier for the character to say their joke and make the audience laugh. 









Multi camera 


 In this clip we can see there are multiple cameras being used as when the characters are talking they are shown at different angles. 












What do people think?

"A lot of people are very seduced by the romance of a single-camera comedy… They're definitely harder to do.. but being able to craft and score with hard jokes -- we are particularly good at it. I think we have a very keen ability to identify those talents who can really deliver that kind of comedy.” 
-Nina Tassler
" Single-camera for the win. the greatness of seinfeld and a few other gems notwithstanding, single-cam shows are smarter, funnier, less predictable, and more creative"
"I love multi-camera sitcoms," he said. "I want to know when the joke is coming. It's easier and more fun to watch. And in a time of recession, I really believe that people want to sit down and laugh about their lives
What do I think?
Personally I think both single camera and multi camera are good but when watching a TV series or sitcom I would prefer a multi camera. Using a multi camera in my opinion is better because we are able to see reactions and emotions through different angles, the transition from one person to another will be smoother as they film the whole thing together than shooting one person then re-doing it to film the other person.
what do you think?








Sunday, 18 October 2015

Unit 1 - Release forms


Below our the release forms for people who were filmed in our short movie 






Wednesday, 14 October 2015

Unit 22 - A1 - Closed endings

Narrative structure 

Closed end narratives

What is it?

A closed ended narrative is when a movie shows a complete finished story. The movie has a start, middle and end. It is similar to Torodov's theory's. Examples of closed end narratives are movies like Shrek, just go with it and  10 things i hate about you.


Cartoons are a typical closed end movies. They will always have a happy ending. Whether the prince and princess fall in love, or the bad guy is taken away there will always be a happy ending where the characters live happily ever after. The movie wont leave the audience questioning what happened as all their questions are answered either during the movie or the end. 


A Disney movie which is closed ended is Beauty and the beast. This movie is an example of having a happily ever after, as when the movie finishes everything is good again. The movie is about a young called Belle, whose father is imprisoned by the Beast, offers herself instead, unaware her captor to be an enchanted prince. At first she hates the beast and hates where she lives. But as time goes by she starts to take a liking to the beast and later on she falls in love with him. However, the villagers that live in the town try to kill the beast. But Belle protects him and in the end she ends up kissing him and breaking the spell the beast was under. It ends with the two dancing and living happy and content with their lives. 




The Proposal 

Romcoms are hybrid genre which most of the time in movies have a happy ending. For example, in the proposal a pushy boss ( Sandra Bullock) forces her assistant ( Ryan Reynolds) to marry her so she can stay in the US and not get sent back to Canada. She later on persuades him as she tells him if she is deported he won't be able to become an editor. As the movie progresses they end up going to the assistants hometown ( Alaska) and meet his family. They act like a couple in front of everyone to only avoid each other when alone. As time goes by the boss starts to become close with the family and realises she shouldn't be doing this. The day of the wedding she confesses and gets ready to leave for Canada, however the assistant then realises he loves his boss and rushes after her, only to find out she has left for New York. He goes to New York and tells confesses in front of the staff and this time for real they get married and live happy with one another.

What do people think? 


"I always enjoy a neat ending to a story, loose ends all taken care of, I feel quite satisfied"


"It’s the closed ending for me, I don’t wanna live hanging thinking what could have been or what would happen after this and that"


" I like the satisfaction of knowing what happened to the characters and knowing how the movie ended. I don't like being kept in the dark"


Personally I love closed endings. I like knowing what happened to characters and whether or they live happily or not. Thinking of 'what if's' is very annoying as it just stays in my head. However, with a closed ended my questions are all answered and I leave the cinema feeling happy. These type of make me enjoy the movie. I feel like in a open ended movie's we aren't getting all the answers like we are suppose to and we spend our time being restless because we want to know what happens.This usually leads the audience to become disappointed with a movie that is very good. When watching movie's that you enjoy people usually get sucked in. This is because some would use movies for a way for an escape. When watching a movie that has an open ended it makes the audience happy and content because they know what happens to the characters. 












Unit 22 - A1 - Narrative Structures

Task 2 - Narrative structures 


What is Todorov's narrative theory?

Todorov in 1969 produced a theory which he believed to be able to be applied to any film. He believed that all films followed the same narrative pattern. They all went through 5 stages called the equilibrium, disequilibrium, acknowledgement, solving and again equilibrium. 

Stage 1 - The equilibrium (everything is fine)


The first part of the story will display a happy start, where the majority of the characters are content, happy and everything is normal. For example, in this shot the girls look excited and eager to explore the new house. This is the part of the equilibrium where everything is going well. None of the problems have started yet and the family look lively and merry. This would make the audience carry on watching because they would want to know what is going to happen next. Its the anticipation if the movie will end good or bad that keeps them hooked. 














Stage 2 - The disequilibrium (something disrupts the happiness)


The second part of the story will feature a problem or something will disrupt the happiness.  For example, ever since the family have moved into the house strange things have been happening. This picture is an example of the strange occurrences which have been happening. At this stage of the disequilibrium the family know something is not right and are frightened and confused. 



Stage 3 - Realization 


This is when everyone in the movie knows whats happening and everything is chaos as things start to get out of control. For example, as the picture shows we see that things have gotten out of control. This is the part of the movie after realizing what is happening that characters in the movie try to get rid of the problem. In this scene the mother has been possessed by an evil spirit and they have called for a priest to try and get rid of the evil soul inside the woman. 







Stage 4 - Solving the problem


This is the part when the characters attempt to repair the damage. For example, this the final stage of the equilibrium where after realizing what is happening things start to get worse and out of control, as in this shot we see the mother being possessed by an evil spirit. This is when the characters have a solution to the problem and try to solve it. 












Stage 5 - The equilibrium (everything is fine again)


This is the stage when everything becomes fine again. As we can see from the photo beside me the family are hugging each other, this shows that the bad spirit which was haunting the family has gone and they can go back to their normal lives which is a happy ending for the family as everything is good. 

Unit 1 - Single camera production/ types of production

Single camera production 


What is a single camera production?

Single camera production is a method of film making and video production. A single camera is when each shot is taken individually. Single camera productions are mostly used in low budget films or music videos. When using a single camera it tends to be moved around a lot so when filming the cameraman  get the characters playing at a different angle. The picture to the right is an example of what a single camera would look like on set. 

Single camera productions have a few techniques when being used. Such as camera angles. Camera angles are important in a single camera production as only one camera is being used. This one camera would need to take different angles as there wont be many camera in different places like in a multi camera. When using a single camera there are three camera angles which are mainly used. These consist of close-up, medium close-up and long shot. 



Another technique which would be used in a single camera production is mise-en-scene. When applied to film mise-en-scene refers to everything that appears before the camera and its arrangement - composition, sets, props, actors, costumes and lighting. For example, because only one camera is used the cameraman can focus on the actor doing that scene. The camera will immediately highlight specific things we would take for granted when watching a movie. Like the lighting. lighting helps to create a certain mood and if this is used when doing a scene it keeps the audience entertained and makes them feel sad,angry or happy. This is why single camera is favored as it helps to make the scene look real. 


Benefits of a single camera

-  More aesthetic control; lighting and sound for each shot, enhances the detail and excitement 

- Don't need both actors on set at the same time; film the shots for one whilst the other is in their trailer and vice versa. 

- Practicality; you aren't limited on how much space you need to set up your shot

- Portability; able to move around with the camera. There's no hassle with bumping in other camera or taking too much space as there is only one being used. 


Disadvantages of a single camera  

- Time; you can only get one angle at a time, so people would spend more editing each shot

- Because of all the film will be from one camera, all of the outtakes and mistakes will have to be sorted out over time

- Only having one camera means you will have to keep setting it up and taking it down when changing scenes

- Repetition; repeat the same shot three times to get each angle as you can only get one at a time

How does it impact the audience?




When using a single camera it is easier to engage with the audience. There aren't a lot of camera’s around and using only one can help build up a scene. For example, if there were a sad moment, using a single camera helps to make the scene look realistic. This is because there is only one camera focuses on the scene. This would help to make the audience sad and maybe even cry at the events happening


Types of single camera production

Film producers usually use single camera production for a range of shooting. It usually falls under different types of production such as music videos, talk shows, a few sitcoms, quiz shows and finally soap operas.

Here are a few types of productions that would use a single camera:


Sherlock Holmes (BBC ONE)


This is a screenshot of a single camera being used. I choose this specific shot because the single camera is able to make the scene look intense and dangerous. This is what is good at using a single camera, as the camera isn’t at different angles, this shot makes the scene look realistic and intense. Something a single camera can only do.




Even though using a multi camera is good for interviews a single camera can also be good when doing an interview. While using a multi camera is better it can increase cost and complexity. With a single camera there is more space to move around, you are able to focus on the person. For example, if there is an emotional scene we are able zoom in and get a better look at the person's face. Although when using a single camera you have to stop and change angle, it can benefit the person being interviewed as they can have a break and have time to have breather before going back. 

Comi-con panel

A panel. This is when people from different TV shows are interviewed and give spoilers about their shows. This is shot with a single camera. Throughout the panel we only focus on the actors/actress on. The camera doesn't move much unless it is going to a different person. However, this is good to use and usually there are a lot of people who attend these panels and with only using one camera there isn't a lot of space being taken. However, using a single camera for a panel can be very difficult as seen above we only get to see the actors/actresses. We don't get to see the audience which can be annoying for the audience watching as sometimes the audiences are given complimented for their dressing up but we don't get to see. It's not like factor where we can see the audiences in the backgrounds reactions to certain things which may make the panel boring. Finally, the camera cannot get everyone in so the cameraman has to keep on changing angles when somebody new speaks. 

Reference 

https://prezi.com/rmqe0txwzgrm/single-camera-production/

http://singlecameraproductiondavekpenyong.blogspot.co.uk/

http://mml3srbrocklehurst.blogspot.co.uk/p/single-camera-production.html