Representation in Films

Learning Comment:

In this task I was able to see how different social groups are represented in films. I feel that this is a very important image to get right in the opening sequence. It also allowed me to see how certain films portrayed youths in various ways, however they are normally portrayed negatively even if it is in a comical way. In 21 Jump Street you can see how two very different characters are portrayed. However they also make sure that they are relatable in some way, such are their gender and the way they dress. This can also include the way they are feeling at the end of the opening sequence. Youths are represented in a very different way in the opening sequence of Kidulthood, as it is very dramatic rather than comical. They are shown to be uneducated and only really care about status and social commitments. This can show where they are from and what their social groups are like.

I believe that the elects that make up the representation of youth (mine-en-scene, sound, editing and camera angles) are important. This is because it can show the audience what is going on from a range of perspectives and what each social group looks like. These elements also link to the narrative of the film.

Preliminary Task

During this task I was asked to film and edit a character opening a door, crossing the room and sitting down in a chair opposite another chair, and then exchange a couple of lines of dialogue. It had to include match on action shot, 180-degree rule and a reverse shot.

Match on Action Shot: is and editing technique used to link shots together. This is where movement is continued form one shot to the other.

Reverse Shot: is used to show convocation between two characters. It starts off by showing one character in the first shot and the character they are talking to in the next shot.

180 Degree Rule: is a rule when filming. It means that the camera cannot pass 180 degrees when filming the action; otherwise it may be confusing for the audience.

Learning Comment:


I really enjoyed this task because it gave me a chance to work with the camera and attempt to edit. However as I used my phone to film this task rather than a camera which has some limitations. When filming on an iPhone, you don't get as good a quality of image, sound and stability as you can't use a tripod as easily. However it is really easy to use and you can edit it on there as well, if you have iMovie, although it may not be as good a quality.

I also made a mistake when filming as you can film both landscape and portrait; this makes it easy to make mistakes. This is because on a camera it is harder to film portrait. At the start I filmed it portrait rather than landscape. This is why there are black frames at the start. iPhones also crop images which means you don't get the whole picture. 

I don't feel like I will use my phone to edit again as it was not as easy as editing on a computer. However it did like how portable it was.


I also learnt how important it was to plan what was going t happen before hand. This is because it makes it easier to see what needed to happen.  However I found that it was hard to visualise at first but once you got going and stated filming it was easier to see where you were going and what may need changing.


I also feel that the actors I case were very professional, as I didn't have much raw footage and also were able to get most shots complete in one take.

Analysis of a previous students work

Hidden

I like this opening sequence because they clearly displayed the narrative and genre of the film. Even though there wasn't much dialogue the camera angle and narrative kept the audience engaged. The mise-en-scene was also good in this film as it helped define the social group of the characters, who seem to be young youths. The dress code would suggest that they are chavs, however this could just be because of where they live and what they are doing.

Another reason I like the narrative is because of how they introduced the narrative to the audience. It is fast-paced and full of drama. Even though they haven't clarified what is going on It leaves the audience with a feeling of curiosity, which makes them continue watching.

The Actors used were able to fulfill their roles well. It was also clear who the main character was, from the way in which they used camera angles and specific shots.

Even through there wasn’t much dialogue, from what they used it helped to set the narrative and build the tension in the atmosphere. They also chose good music for the opening sequence, as it suited the genre and helped to build tension, which kept the audience interested. The realised when it was needed to have moments of silent and when they needed to increase the sound

The camera angles used were also really good as it showed the setting and character really well. I like the way that they used a panning sot to show where the opening sequence would take place. i also liked how they had some moving shots and some still shots. This helped make the piece more diverse.  The uses a very good technique when introducing the character as it linked with the narrative and gave you an insight in to the gene of the film.

However some of the shots were a bit shaky, which made it hard to focus on what was going on.

They also didn't show s specific social group and could tell what sort of people the film would be focusing on.

Overall I would give this opening sequence an A grade. This is because of the professional quality of the editing and filming. Along with the good connection the narrative, choice of actors and genre.

Captive

This opening sequence was good for many reasons. To start with it included the BBFC at the start, this give it a more professional feel as it is used in industry practice. They also included a short animation of the production company, "Blood Orange Productions".  They use sound to create the effect of the words being written.

They also use non-diegetic sound when the opening sequence starts, which helps to build tension and creates a creepy and intense atmosphere. This includes dripping sound in the background and the typical soundtracks used to create tension in a film. It is very effective how the typography moves on the screen. This helps draw the audience’s attention to the information and also build the atmosphere. It links well to the genre of the film because of this and due to the fact that the text is bold, clear and looks as though it has been typed on a typewriter. This could link to the film because from what has been gathered so far, it seems to be a thriller / crime drama and the font used for the typography is often linked to police reports. The font also could signal distress, along with the movement of the typography.

The use of camera angles is also good at this point because it is showing the audience close up images of the surroundings. There was a good variation of camera angles, from close up to wide shot. it shows the audience how the character is feeling and what is going on form a variety of angles. The shots, which are close up, let the audience see detail and make the film more intense to watch. When they use wide angles it lets the audience see the bigger picture and start to build up an idea about what is going on. It focuses on a person, covered in blood and who looks weak from a brutal beating, whom we can only assume is the main character. The use of mise-en-scene is effective here as it links to the genre of the film. The mise-en-scene is also useful to help show who the target audience are. A security camera is also shown, linking with the genre and narrative. It also shows the different angles of what is happening to the main character. I also feel that they have edited this very well as they have used good techniques for this, such as when they make they security cameras break which suits the genre of the film.

The use of sound is also good at this part of the film. The original sounds are continued throughout the opening sequence, but the music gradually grows in volume, which creates suspense. It is also used to build apprehension and drama in the opening sequence. The music used is also very melodramatic.

The Narrative is not revealed automatically in this film, however there seem to reveal parts of the film in almost flash back but they are jumpy and distorted, linking to the style used in the film. On the other hand the opening sequence doesn’t reveal much in the way of narrative but remains very mysterious. This makes the audience want to continue watching the film to find out what happens to the character that has been introduced and how he ended up in this situation. This is called the enigma theory, which helps to engage the audience.

There isn't a very specific social group in this opening sequence. Although, judging from the age of the actor, you could guess that this film is based around the live of teenagers. The character also doesn't seem to be from a specific social group as the clothes he is wearing don't stand out as they seem normal and everyday, compared to some social groups such as Goths who dress in black.

I like the opening sequence as it reveals the narrative just enough to keep the audience interested and seems to have an interesting narrative. I also like the use of mise-en-scene in the film as it helps to reveal the genre and develop the audiences’ interest in the film. The mise-en-scene is also good for setting the scene and builds up ideas about the film. However I am not a big fan of the genre they have picked for this film and feel that they could have been more specific about the social groups in the film. Overall I would watch the rest of the film.

Overall I would give this opening sequence an A grade as believe that it has a good variety of camera angles and makes good use of the mise-en-scene. They have also chosen a font for the typography which links to the narrative and genre of the film.

Karma

I don't like this opening sequence very much. This is because I didn't find it very engaging or enjoyable to watch. I also didn't believe that the acting was very good and could possibly have chosen better actors for the sequence. This is because they are laughing when they are supposed to sad that their friend has died. There is also a lot of shaky camera work, which is annoying to watch, as you can't get a clear picture of what is going on. Some of the frames are also held for too long and in one you can actually see the cameras reflection due to the lack of natural lighting. There are also some scene which are confusing for the audience to understand and don't seem that relevant to the film. The non-diegetic music is good for showing the main character is feeling but there is no dialogue what so ever. The music is not compatible with the entire opening sequence. This could be improved because then you get a true insight into what is going on. The narrative is also pretty boring to watch along with the styles of editing. They also don't make use of the typography and don't introduce all the production people. They typography also doesn't link to they film and is not displayed in a very interesting way.

On the other hand there are some good part of the opening sequence. It has a very strong connection with the narrative throughout the opening and the narrative is also clear from the begging. They have also made it easy to see who the target audience is, teenagers. This is due to the age of actors and dress code. The social groups, which are clearly shown in this opening, are the outcasts and chavs (bullies). This is a very strong topic, which has affected lots of people in their lifetime. They also use a range of camera angles, which show diversity and the narrative from a different perspective. However they are not effective as they could have been, due to the jumpy editing. It is also good at introducing the main characters and secondary characters. There is a clear distinction between the two and it is also successful at establishing their relationship, linking to the narrative.

They also have a good opening scene, where you see someone climbing up onto a chair and look at a noose. This links with the narrative and demonstrates to the audience how the character is feeling. This is effective as it makes the audience feel as though they are connected to the character. 

Overall I feel that this opening sequence deserves a C. this is due to the poor use of editing, seeing as they repeated a shot which could have been fixed and the majority of it was jumpy. They also used a poor range of actors and boring typography, which didn't really link to the narrative.

Roses Are Red

I like this opening sequence, as it is very different from the others.  It uses a lot of high key lighting and has an interesting way of showing who helped make the film. It is also interesting because showing a characters room you get to know them better. This is because a person’s room is very personal and intimate. This also helps to define the target audience, in this case teenage girls. This is due to the fact that the main protagonist is a girl and spends a lot of time getting ready in the morning.

The music is also helpful to the opening sequence as it helps to define the genre of the film. It is once again non-diegetic. There is also no speech in this opening sequence and you can only get to know the character through the mist-en-scene.

They must have also spent a lot of time explaining what was going to happen and how they were going to film this. Although some of the filming was shaky, making it hard to focus.

However some of the editing techniques were slightly jilted in the transitions, but in the whole I think that the editing was really well done.

Overall I feel like this opening sequence deserves a B grade. This is because the original ideas and good insight into the characters life. I also think is deserves this grade because of the link between the music, narrative and genre. However I feel that they could have brought more of the narrative into the opening sequence.