For the first summative assessment for MDA1700, we were asked to analyse an extract from a film, and analyse it regarding one, or a combination of the stylistic elements we had covered in lessons.
I chose to analyse the final scene of Lars von Trier's 'Dancer in the Dark', in which the protagonist, Selma, is hung for murder after she killed a man in self-defence.
My reason for choosing this scene was because personally, I found it to be one of the most emotional film scenes I had had a response to. I feel that after watching Selma's struggle through the film, this ending was particularly upsetting to watch. I was interested in analysing the scene to see how the stylistic elements, as well as the emotional build up to the film, influenced my emotional response to the film.
MDA1700 Assessment 01
Friday 2 December 2011
Tuesday 29 November 2011
MDA1700 - Weeks 3-6 - The Hollywood Continuity System
The first part of our MDA1700 studies has been focusing on the 'Hollywood Continuity System'.
While a lot of the initial coverage of editing, continuity editing, sound and use of colour has been revising what I learned in A Level Film and Media, we looked at a lot of theorists, techniques and films in a more in-depth way than I had previously studied.
As the initial module content seemed like a natural progression from my A level studies, I found many of the newer terms and concepts quite easy to grapple with. These include certain aspects of continuity editing, such as consistency of screen direction, and the ideas of spacial continuity.
The concepts and ideas relating to this module also linked in nicely with the content of MDA1300, as while 1300 was allowing us to understand and actively participate in creating, controlling and manipulating the different factors of the stylistic elements and skills needed for the course (camera, sound, lighting, editing, directing, producing,) and this complemented the classes for MDA1700, in which we simultaneously learned about their application and effects in feature films.
This was a useful factor of the first few weeks of the module, as learning about the effects of these stylistic elements and some of the theory and history behind them went hand-in-hand with applying them in a practical situation and utilising them effectively in the appropriate assignments.
An example of this, is when we learned about the effects of the high contrast lighting in the film noir genre and how the different types of lighting, and the use of shadows affect how audiences see characters or events (as well being a staple of the genre obviously). This meant that when we're set the specific assignment, we have more insight as to how we can go about getting the desired effect from our manipulation of the stylistic element.
Also, as none of my previous studies had concentrated much on classical Hollywood (most of the content had been British Cinema, International Cinema (Mexican and Spanish,) and Auteur Studies,) I found the first part of this module very interesting. For example, I enjoyed watching the films East of Eden (by Elia Kazan) and Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder,) which I had never seen or studied before, yet now had the chance to watch in an effective environment, and study in-depth in the seminars (East of Eden in relation to the editing and consistency of screen direction, for example, and Double Indemnity in relation to the conventional stylistics of the Film Noir genre).
MDA1700 - First Assignment - Shot Type/Length Sequence Analysis
The first assessment for MDA1700 has been an analysis of a short sequence in relation to shot type and length. The scene I have chosen is the infamous scene from Jane Campion's 'The Piano' in which Alistair chops off Ada's finger due to her infidelity. The scene can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLJQwpIrt2c
(3 minutes 43 seconds to 6 minutes 28 seconds)
and here is my analysis of the sequence:
In the 3 minute extract there are 35 shots. The first 5 are between 3 and 6 seconds and the first two are a side tracking Long and Mid Shot of Alistair and Ada’s daughter, Flora as they are running through the forest. These longer, wider shots coupled with the dark, rainy setting and the camera movement establish the grim setting and the events which are to transpire; the unsteady camera movement signifies Alistair’s violent nature. One of the side-tracking shots is a 3 second close up of the axe, foreshadowing the climax.
Once he reaches Ada, there are Close Up and Medium close up shots, of 1-1.5 seconds of Alistair smashing the piano with the axe, emphasising the violence. A longer shot of 17 seconds, to build tension, then shows Ada being dragged outside. As Alistair swings the axe down there are 5 MCU and CU shots of the axe and the characters. The MCU’s emphasise character emotions, and as the axe cuts off her finger, the CU of Ada’s face amplifies her pain. The next shot is a MCU of Flora, covered in Ada’s blood. These shots, showing the effects of but not the actual injury makes the scene horrific, as the absence of explicit imagery leads the audience’s imaginations astray.
An 11 second MCU of Ada is the next shot; the longer shot emphasising her pain, then a 4 second CU of Ada’s hands with her wedding ring over the injury, signifying how her marriage has led to this awful event and allowing audiences to take in the gruesomeness. The final shot is 49 seconds, of Ada walking away from the camera (and her husband) and collapsing, signifying how she is now distanced from those around her; unable to express herself through piano playing and sign language. This shot is powerful as it signifies Ada’s suffering through her expressions and movement. Her collapse could also represent the struggle of her marriage, and the suffering caused.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLJQwpIrt2c
(3 minutes 43 seconds to 6 minutes 28 seconds)
and here is my analysis of the sequence:
‘The Piano’ (Jane Campion, 1993) – Sequence Analysis
In the
sequence I have analysed, the character Alistair, upon finding out his mute wife
Ada has been having an affair, cuts off her finger, disabling her from playing
the piano (which is the only way she expresses herself).
In the 3 minute extract there are 35 shots. The first 5 are between 3 and 6 seconds and the first two are a side tracking Long and Mid Shot of Alistair and Ada’s daughter, Flora as they are running through the forest. These longer, wider shots coupled with the dark, rainy setting and the camera movement establish the grim setting and the events which are to transpire; the unsteady camera movement signifies Alistair’s violent nature. One of the side-tracking shots is a 3 second close up of the axe, foreshadowing the climax.
Once he reaches Ada, there are Close Up and Medium close up shots, of 1-1.5 seconds of Alistair smashing the piano with the axe, emphasising the violence. A longer shot of 17 seconds, to build tension, then shows Ada being dragged outside. As Alistair swings the axe down there are 5 MCU and CU shots of the axe and the characters. The MCU’s emphasise character emotions, and as the axe cuts off her finger, the CU of Ada’s face amplifies her pain. The next shot is a MCU of Flora, covered in Ada’s blood. These shots, showing the effects of but not the actual injury makes the scene horrific, as the absence of explicit imagery leads the audience’s imaginations astray.
An 11 second MCU of Ada is the next shot; the longer shot emphasising her pain, then a 4 second CU of Ada’s hands with her wedding ring over the injury, signifying how her marriage has led to this awful event and allowing audiences to take in the gruesomeness. The final shot is 49 seconds, of Ada walking away from the camera (and her husband) and collapsing, signifying how she is now distanced from those around her; unable to express herself through piano playing and sign language. This shot is powerful as it signifies Ada’s suffering through her expressions and movement. Her collapse could also represent the struggle of her marriage, and the suffering caused.
Saturday 26 November 2011
MDA1300 - Sound Brief
These videos are the finished interviews. The first, being with the boom mic (filmed by Mayang and Fikre), the second (filmed by Sofiane and I) with the lapel mic.
While there are some good points (the sound is, in certain places audible and well recorded, and I had editing in 'noddy' shots to show the interviewer and their responses to what was being said, which makes the video more interesting as it breaks up the longer shots), there were alot of errors.
Firstly, in both shots there is no introduction or idea of wha tthe interview is about initially, so the audiences wouldn't have been drawn in.
The backgrounds in each shot are uninteresting and the topic of interviews is generic and boring.
The reason we did not think of these as issues, in my opinon, is because we didn't plan efficiently enough, as we didn't assign roles until the day of shooting, so we had taken equipment out with only a vague idea of what we were supposed to be doing to fulfil the brief. The major way this affected us, in my opinion, is because when we set out to film we had no idea of a location in mind, so spent a LOT of time finding an efficient location, and as we hadn't planned it out beforehand, we didn't think about ways in which we could have made it more interesting, resulting in wasting too much time and the same bland, white background for both shots
The lack of planning also meant that the topics for interviews were thought of on the spot and under pressure, affecting the final video in the fact that it isn't really that appealing to audiences.
MDA1300 - Week Two
Sound Induction
After getting feedback on the previous week's brief the class had a sound equipment induction.
Although I couldn't make the initial workshop due to illness, I attended an extra session for a sound induction.
We learned about the terminology associated to the correct equipment and processes, (e.g.boom mic, lapel mic,) and the best techniques to use while filming.
I found this very interesting as it was the first time I had got to use a boom microphone (I had only previously used lapel mics), so it was a good opportunity to get acquainted with the correct equipment.
For this week's brief we were asked to conduct interviews on 2 members of our group, one using the boom mic, and one with the lapel mic.
After getting feedback on the previous week's brief the class had a sound equipment induction.
Although I couldn't make the initial workshop due to illness, I attended an extra session for a sound induction.
We learned about the terminology associated to the correct equipment and processes, (e.g.boom mic, lapel mic,) and the best techniques to use while filming.
I found this very interesting as it was the first time I had got to use a boom microphone (I had only previously used lapel mics), so it was a good opportunity to get acquainted with the correct equipment.
For this week's brief we were asked to conduct interviews on 2 members of our group, one using the boom mic, and one with the lapel mic.
Saturday 19 November 2011
MDA1800 - Assessment 01 - The Death of Barbara Allen
For our first Summative assessment we were asked to create a short, filmable contemporary scenario based on one of the stories we have looked at in the first six weeks.
I chose to base my story upon 'The Ballad of Barbara Allen' which can be found here:
http://www.etni.org.il/music/barbaraallen.htm
I feel that this ballad in particular is suitable for a short, screen version, and I believe that what I imagine for it would be a strong visual scenario, and that the emotions and themes in the ballad, if portrayed effectively, would really strike a chord with and get an emotional response from audiences:
1800Assessment 01
I chose to base my story upon 'The Ballad of Barbara Allen' which can be found here:
http://www.etni.org.il/music/barbaraallen.htm
I feel that this ballad in particular is suitable for a short, screen version, and I believe that what I imagine for it would be a strong visual scenario, and that the emotions and themes in the ballad, if portrayed effectively, would really strike a chord with and get an emotional response from audiences:
1800Assessment 01
Wednesday 9 November 2011
MDA1700 - Week Two
For the second week of MDA1700, we discussed the film from the previous week's screening (Chaplain's 'Modern Times') and we also discussed the visual styles of film, and continuity styles, referencing them to Silent Comedy.
While a lot of what we looked at in the class was useful revision (such as the different elements of visual style, camera movements and some of the 'rules' of continuity style', there were many terms and examples of terminology I learned which were new to me.
For example, I had never really considered some of D.W. Griffith's 'rules' of continuity, such as Articulation of Space and the Consistency of Screen direction (mainly because I hadn't heard of them prior to the Seminar,) and I found it interesting how even though I had previously overlooked them, they're integral to the idea of continuity in film, as seen in the scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' which we watched, in which a woman drives up to a house, and enters it to find a man dead and then proceeds to flee the scene.
Consistency of Screen direction was exhibited in the opening and ending of the sequence, as the woman drove into the scene and entered the house from screen left to screen right, and then as she fled she was moving from screen right to left.
We also noted the use of 'Slow Disclosure' in the above scene, which is a term used to describe when vital visual information is slowly reveal to add to the build up in tension.
The Proscenium style of silent cinema, and how it affects editing and the visual style was also discussed, and the prison canteen scene from modern times was used as an example of this, as it clearly shows how certain details are picked out for the viewer. The main example if when the criminal puts drugs in the salt shaker, and the camera (while still looking forwards onto the action like Proscenium style dictates,) pans down to show only the salt shaker, then back up to the criminals face. This shows how the camerawork manipulates the style of silent cinema for the desired purpose.
Due to the initial screening (The Ten Commandments, DeMille, USA, 1923) being cancelled we watched 'East of Eden' (Elia Kazan, USA, 1955).
While a lot of what we looked at in the class was useful revision (such as the different elements of visual style, camera movements and some of the 'rules' of continuity style', there were many terms and examples of terminology I learned which were new to me.
For example, I had never really considered some of D.W. Griffith's 'rules' of continuity, such as Articulation of Space and the Consistency of Screen direction (mainly because I hadn't heard of them prior to the Seminar,) and I found it interesting how even though I had previously overlooked them, they're integral to the idea of continuity in film, as seen in the scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds' which we watched, in which a woman drives up to a house, and enters it to find a man dead and then proceeds to flee the scene.
Consistency of Screen direction was exhibited in the opening and ending of the sequence, as the woman drove into the scene and entered the house from screen left to screen right, and then as she fled she was moving from screen right to left.
We also noted the use of 'Slow Disclosure' in the above scene, which is a term used to describe when vital visual information is slowly reveal to add to the build up in tension.
The Proscenium style of silent cinema, and how it affects editing and the visual style was also discussed, and the prison canteen scene from modern times was used as an example of this, as it clearly shows how certain details are picked out for the viewer. The main example if when the criminal puts drugs in the salt shaker, and the camera (while still looking forwards onto the action like Proscenium style dictates,) pans down to show only the salt shaker, then back up to the criminals face. This shows how the camerawork manipulates the style of silent cinema for the desired purpose.
Due to the initial screening (The Ten Commandments, DeMille, USA, 1923) being cancelled we watched 'East of Eden' (Elia Kazan, USA, 1955).
Tuesday 8 November 2011
MDA1800 - Written Assignment 01
This is the story I have written for my first assignment, which was inspired by the idea of the 'snake' character in The Fall of Man, who tempts another character (in this instance, the protagonist, Dean) to give into a desire and/or commit an action they shouldn't.
I have moved idea into a contemporary setting which I believe I, and many members of my target audience (which due to the premise of the story would be young adults, probably students,) would be able to relate to, as it is based around the idea of a student with work to do, being tempted to drink by his friend. I myself and I am sure many other people in my situation have been in this situation, so I believe that the feelings I tried to portray through my writing are easy for students to relate to.
Interestingly, in my story the snake character is not a villain as you'd expect, but a friend of the protagonist. Basically, they are a good character, but as their desires (wanting Dean to come out and drink) conflict with the desires of the protagonist (wanting to stay in and work while being tempted to go out and drink), it makes her the antagonist of the story.
I have moved idea into a contemporary setting which I believe I, and many members of my target audience (which due to the premise of the story would be young adults, probably students,) would be able to relate to, as it is based around the idea of a student with work to do, being tempted to drink by his friend. I myself and I am sure many other people in my situation have been in this situation, so I believe that the feelings I tried to portray through my writing are easy for students to relate to.
Interestingly, in my story the snake character is not a villain as you'd expect, but a friend of the protagonist. Basically, they are a good character, but as their desires (wanting Dean to come out and drink) conflict with the desires of the protagonist (wanting to stay in and work while being tempted to go out and drink), it makes her the antagonist of the story.
The clock ticked deafeningly, monotonously; endlessly, as time lurched forwards, with the amount of words on the screen remaining painfully low. How long had Dean been writing this essay now? One hour? Even longer? Yet no matter how long he stared at the screen, his thought just didn’t materialise. He could hear voices upstairs; more students like him, but were they sitting here slaving away over an essay? Of course not! Judging by their voices they were all well on the way to having a good night. Half a bottle of vodka glinted in the corner of his eye, reflecting the dim lamplight. ‘If only,’ he thought; a couple of drinks and he’d be well on the way to having a good night and enjoying himself with everyone else; not having to sit here withering away at a screen.
Dean’s ringtone shocked him out of his little daydream, and praising a distraction he didn’t create himself, he answered. “Party on 3rd floor mate!” said Rochelle, one of his flatmates, “Then we’re off to Eden Bar. Pound drinks tonight! Can’t go wrong with that!”
“I can’t, I’m so sorry,” replied Dean, horrified with himself for turning down pound drinks on a Saturday night. “I have an assignment to do, and if I don’t get it done now I never will.”
“Did you hear what I said?” she demanded, in mock anger, “pound drinks!”
“I know, I know, I just don’t feel up to it, I mean, I’ve been a-“
“I expect you to be up here in half an hour or I’m coming to get you. You know you want to come out!”
“I do, but –“
“Well come on then, you know you want to… you have to… you need to!” she teased in a jokingly alluring manner.
“No, I can’t, and that’s my fi-“ the phone was dead.
“I can’t, I’m so sorry,” replied Dean, horrified with himself for turning down pound drinks on a Saturday night. “I have an assignment to do, and if I don’t get it done now I never will.”
“Did you hear what I said?” she demanded, in mock anger, “pound drinks!”
“I know, I know, I just don’t feel up to it, I mean, I’ve been a-“
“I expect you to be up here in half an hour or I’m coming to get you. You know you want to come out!”
“I do, but –“
“Well come on then, you know you want to… you have to… you need to!” she teased in a jokingly alluring manner.
“No, I can’t, and that’s my fi-“ the phone was dead.
So there he sat… watching the screen, time once again dragging by as slow as ever, the bottle still glinting in the light, almost winking, as alluring as the idea of those pound drinks… No, thought Dean, you can’t go out tonight, you have to get this work done. ‘But work doesn’t mean you can’t have a drink’, said one strikingly familiar voice in his head, ‘one drink won’t hurt will it, it might even help get those ideas flowing… you know you want to have one at least, just to ease the stress of the work if anything.’
‘One won’t hurt, you’re right’, Dean decided. Walking across the room, he grabbed the bottle and mixed himself a well-deserved drink. After finishing it a bit quicker than he normally would have done, (to get back to his work, of course,) he felt that while it was enjoyable, the one drink really wasn’t that substantial. ‘That’s good’, said one part of his conscience. ‘You still feel fine so can get back to work.’ ‘Or’, interjected the other voice, ‘if it didn’t have any effect you could always have another as well… I mean, where’s the harm in one more mate?’ It wasn’t like he was drinking to get drunk or anything… now he thought about it his mouth was rather dry, and the drink he was mixing the vodka with was very refreshing, so as long as he didn’t mix too much in it will be ok! It’s just one small drink after all, something to refresh himself with. One more after that couldn’t hurt too right? So that once he’s finished his assignment he’ll be in a good place to relax for the night…
‘Speaking of the assignment’, thought Dean, ‘I think it’s about time I have a break. I wouldn’t want to overload myself after all. I might go upstairs; see what’s happening on the third floor…’
Monday 24 October 2011
MDA1300 - Camera Brief
This was our first brief, based on the camera task in which we had to 'produce a single shot that presents a unity of action, and creates a sense of completeness'.
Unfortunately, we misunderstood and overcomplicated the brief.
The task could have been completed in one shot, as a 'story' can be told in a single, unmoving shot. By including characters, movement and props (the book) we raised too many questions, meaning that the 'single shot' wasn't simple enough; the shot needed to be a story within itself and the actions and characters meant there must be some sort of back-story; Who are theses people? What are they doing here? What is the book and why does she want to read it?
Regarding technical problems, there was a lot of accidental background sound (mainly because we used the camera mic, not the boom mics which we learned about in the sound workshop in the second week) and there were also framing issues (due to the floor surface, the shot was slanted).
Despite these issues, I enjoyed the fact that it was the first time I had worked in a group with new people, from the course, and it was a nice opportunity to get to know people and get more used to working in a team with others; something which I both enjoy and feel like I hadn't been able to do enough in my previous studies.
Tuesday 18 October 2011
MDA1300 - Week One
For the practical part of the film course, we have had our editing and camera inductions (the latter of which was completed in Fridays workshop).
in the workshop we discussed the roles needed for a high-scale production (using the x factor as an example) and then we proceeded to assemble the camera and tripod, and go over the different techniques and settings needed to film good-quality footage, such as making sure the camera is level, rotating and tilting the cameras on teh tripod, getting the while balance, and other settings such as the image quality and frames per second correct.
We also watched a clip from the good, the bad and the ugly, and discussed how the camerawork and different shot types were used to build tension and add to the dramatic build-up in the stand-off scene. I found discussion of the different shot-types and camera movements useful revision which picked up efficiently on much of the work I have done in Media and Film Studies at A level.
For this weeks assignment, we have already assembled a group of four, discussed initial ideas and have booked out a camera with which to film and try out our different ideas tomorrow. I will post how this went when it has been completed.
in the workshop we discussed the roles needed for a high-scale production (using the x factor as an example) and then we proceeded to assemble the camera and tripod, and go over the different techniques and settings needed to film good-quality footage, such as making sure the camera is level, rotating and tilting the cameras on teh tripod, getting the while balance, and other settings such as the image quality and frames per second correct.
We also watched a clip from the good, the bad and the ugly, and discussed how the camerawork and different shot types were used to build tension and add to the dramatic build-up in the stand-off scene. I found discussion of the different shot-types and camera movements useful revision which picked up efficiently on much of the work I have done in Media and Film Studies at A level.
For this weeks assignment, we have already assembled a group of four, discussed initial ideas and have booked out a camera with which to film and try out our different ideas tomorrow. I will post how this went when it has been completed.
MDA1800 - Week One
For the first Storytelling for the Screen seminar we looked at two different Creation Myths. One, from the ancient Persian Zoroastrian religion, and the other was the story of the fall of man which forms part of the Christian Bible.
When looking at the Zoroastrian creation Myth, we were put into groups and told to think of the different ways we would represent the myth visually in a film.
The result of my groups work were that it would be shown from the prophets eyes, and the gods would never be seen by the audience to add to their transcendental nature. The way in which the lands are perfect until the evil God taints them would be shown by long, aerial shots sweeping across the landscapes which are then visually shown becoming darker as the voice over narration recounts the story.
We were also thinking of using the visual element of Chess as a metaphor, as it could represent the ongoing conflict between the Good and Evil in the humans who are neutral and able to go either way, and it also would tie in with the fact it is a Persian creation myth, as Chess is a significant part of Persian/Iranian traditional culture, as I know from my father being Iranian.
We were then asked to think of a story idea which would place the idea of the fall of man into a modern context, in which a person has paradise, and loses it all by yielding to temptation. Our idea was one in which a person has a happy family life, and then strives to advance their career, as they believe it is what they want, only to lose their family due to their new priorities and realise that the family life was the paradise they wanted when it was too late.
After the seminar we were given assignments to research creation myths and choose one in particular, and state why we found it interesting and post it on the forum which I have done at this link:
http://oasisplus.mdx.ac.uk/webct/urw/lc993279821011.tp993279842011/newMessageThread.dowebct?discussionaction=viewMessage&messageid=1068624644041&topicid=1064960719031&refreshPage=false&sourcePage=
I have also listened to the 'Fall of Man' podcast, which I think raised some interesting points about the fall story, including the idea of the fall as a metaphor for growing up and maturing, and the views different religions (such as Judaism) has on the fall as well.
I also found it interesting to hear about the origins of the story, including the names Adam and Eve, and the use of the 'Apple' and how they tie in with different ideas and languages of ancient cultures who have similar myths.
When looking at the Zoroastrian creation Myth, we were put into groups and told to think of the different ways we would represent the myth visually in a film.
The result of my groups work were that it would be shown from the prophets eyes, and the gods would never be seen by the audience to add to their transcendental nature. The way in which the lands are perfect until the evil God taints them would be shown by long, aerial shots sweeping across the landscapes which are then visually shown becoming darker as the voice over narration recounts the story.
We were also thinking of using the visual element of Chess as a metaphor, as it could represent the ongoing conflict between the Good and Evil in the humans who are neutral and able to go either way, and it also would tie in with the fact it is a Persian creation myth, as Chess is a significant part of Persian/Iranian traditional culture, as I know from my father being Iranian.
We were then asked to think of a story idea which would place the idea of the fall of man into a modern context, in which a person has paradise, and loses it all by yielding to temptation. Our idea was one in which a person has a happy family life, and then strives to advance their career, as they believe it is what they want, only to lose their family due to their new priorities and realise that the family life was the paradise they wanted when it was too late.
After the seminar we were given assignments to research creation myths and choose one in particular, and state why we found it interesting and post it on the forum which I have done at this link:
http://oasisplus.mdx.ac.uk/webct/urw/lc993279821011.tp993279842011/newMessageThread.dowebct?discussionaction=viewMessage&messageid=1068624644041&topicid=1064960719031&refreshPage=false&sourcePage=
I have also listened to the 'Fall of Man' podcast, which I think raised some interesting points about the fall story, including the idea of the fall as a metaphor for growing up and maturing, and the views different religions (such as Judaism) has on the fall as well.
I also found it interesting to hear about the origins of the story, including the names Adam and Eve, and the use of the 'Apple' and how they tie in with different ideas and languages of ancient cultures who have similar myths.
MDA1700 - Week One
In the week one lecture and seminar, we spent time looking at the different ways film can be studied from a theoretical point of view, and different ideas and studies which have had an effect on film theory.
Different ideas we looked at were Gestalt Psychology and the work of Hugo Munsterburg, the general indication of which are that film viewing is a dynamic activity in which the mind is actively piecing together and making sense of the information, which is supported by Russian Psychological experiments, in which one unrelated image was placed between a shot of a man looking off-screen, and audiences made deductions about the footage they had seen.
While some of the methods of film study I have studied before, (such as Genre, Auteurism, Historical/Cultural, Semiotics and Feminist,) several of the other types and theories we looked at i had never come across before, so I found understanding them interesting and challenging.
For the film screening part of the module, we viewed 'Modern Times' (Charlie Chaplain, 1936, U.S.).
I found the film very entertaining, and I found the social satire (of the industrial revolution, and the state of the economy and employment at that time,) very interesting, especially when considering the similar problems faced by today's economy, do I find it easier to pick upon and understand the messages Chaplain was trying to portray in the film.
Another point I found interesting was the use of sound in the film, as it was a predominantly silent film, which was made after the inclusion of sound in mainstream cinema (which I feel is also a comment on the technological advancement at that time, and perhaps Chaplain's feeling towards the technology).
For most of the film, the only spoken dialogue to be heard was the voice of the factory boss at the start, who is monitoring and communicating with his workers on the large screens, and the voice advertising the 'Lunch-Machine'. I found it interesting that the only characters with spoken dialogue (a technological advancement) at the start were those who were affiliated with technology and/or a position of power in the economy, and I feel this fits in well with the messages and satire behind the film.
Different ideas we looked at were Gestalt Psychology and the work of Hugo Munsterburg, the general indication of which are that film viewing is a dynamic activity in which the mind is actively piecing together and making sense of the information, which is supported by Russian Psychological experiments, in which one unrelated image was placed between a shot of a man looking off-screen, and audiences made deductions about the footage they had seen.
While some of the methods of film study I have studied before, (such as Genre, Auteurism, Historical/Cultural, Semiotics and Feminist,) several of the other types and theories we looked at i had never come across before, so I found understanding them interesting and challenging.
For the film screening part of the module, we viewed 'Modern Times' (Charlie Chaplain, 1936, U.S.).
I found the film very entertaining, and I found the social satire (of the industrial revolution, and the state of the economy and employment at that time,) very interesting, especially when considering the similar problems faced by today's economy, do I find it easier to pick upon and understand the messages Chaplain was trying to portray in the film.
Another point I found interesting was the use of sound in the film, as it was a predominantly silent film, which was made after the inclusion of sound in mainstream cinema (which I feel is also a comment on the technological advancement at that time, and perhaps Chaplain's feeling towards the technology).
For most of the film, the only spoken dialogue to be heard was the voice of the factory boss at the start, who is monitoring and communicating with his workers on the large screens, and the voice advertising the 'Lunch-Machine'. I found it interesting that the only characters with spoken dialogue (a technological advancement) at the start were those who were affiliated with technology and/or a position of power in the economy, and I feel this fits in well with the messages and satire behind the film.
Sunday 16 October 2011
BA Film: Personal Development Portfolo
Throughout the course of my BA Film degree, this blog will form my Personal Development Portfolio (PDP).
The purpose of this blog is to track my weekly progress throughout the different modules which make up the degree. The modules for the first year are:
MDA1700 - Communicating in Film: Styles and Movement
MDA1800 - Storytelling for the Screen
MDA1300 - Film Language and Production (1)
MDA1400 - Production Theory and Practise (2)
My posts will detail subjects and lesson content covered in the lectures, seminars and workshops involved in each of these modules, the work completed both in and out of seminars and workshops; and my evaluations of how I completed the task and what I think of my work and how it has progressed as I get further into the course.
The purpose of this blog is to track my weekly progress throughout the different modules which make up the degree. The modules for the first year are:
MDA1700 - Communicating in Film: Styles and Movement
MDA1800 - Storytelling for the Screen
MDA1300 - Film Language and Production (1)
MDA1400 - Production Theory and Practise (2)
My posts will detail subjects and lesson content covered in the lectures, seminars and workshops involved in each of these modules, the work completed both in and out of seminars and workshops; and my evaluations of how I completed the task and what I think of my work and how it has progressed as I get further into the course.
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