Monday, 23 March 2015

Hancock exam questions


Q1: Explain two ways in which the characters or events fit the action adventure genre (10)

Explanation 1: The main girl shown in this clip fits the action adventure genre quite well because of the way she dresses. She wears a full black costume (top and trousers), black booted heels and darkly coloured make up. This fits in with the genre as she stereotypically looks like a dark and powerful person in which people look like action adventure films. She also fits the action/adventure genre by the powers in which she has. Being able to lift heavy items such as cars and trucks and throwing them shows she belongs in an action films. Her flying power also gives her the adventure element to link in with the genre. This is how she fits into the action adventure genre.

Explanation 2: The whole seen which occurs midway through the clip until the end of the extract links very nicely to the action adventure genre. The “fighting” scene contains many events which normally would take place in this type of film. For example the two characters fly and land in the road making massive dents and rubble explosions. This links into the genre as this type of scene which is stereotypically in all action adventure films. Also when the characters use their powers in the scene it grasps the genre more as realistically people can’t do that but action adventure films they do. The whole fighting element draws action all over and the characters super powers reveals the adventure side to the film.

Q2: Explain how each of the following is used to create effect: (30)

  • soundtrack
  • editing
  • mise en scene
  • camera work

In the extract there are many different soundtracks and instruments played throughout. At the start of the clip there is quite beat with a cymbal added to it after around every 8 beats. This occurs when the two characters are entering the caravan. As that scene continues the beat gets louder and louder. This creates more tension between the characters and the rest of the scene. During this the pace of the beat gets faster which also increases tension. The music continues but adds a violin or another sting instrument into the background. The music continues to get a lot louder and quicker but then slowly fades out as the scene changes. When they enter the scene on the street another soundtrack fades in. This time the soundtrack is a lively beat as the characters walk down the street. When the two characters stop and argue the street music fades out and a brass instrument comes in getting louder very quickly. The brass instrument then makes a different sound with a quiet drum beat in the background. The scene then changes to people talking in a conference room. At this point the music is a strong beat. Straight away the scene flicks back to the street where the music slowly builds up. This creates suspense. This slowly fades out and towards the end of the clip there is a quite noise with the odd piano key in the background.

This extract is full of editing examples. As the main part of the clip is a “fighting” scene a lot of editing is needed for the scene to work properly. The very first thing which happens in the clip is done by editing. The main girl falls into the sand creating a massive sand pit explosion. The next thing in which editing has been done on is when the two characters fly to the next scene. From here on the clip contains a lot of editing. The two characters then fall and fling across the road smashing cars and making huge thick dents in the road. Editing is done here to make this happen. Then there is various different weather which is added in. For example the dark misty clouds, the tornados and the lightning bolt. After this the girl picks up a truck and throws it. This is done with the use of editing. Everything in which goes on is there to create the effect of action and fighting. The editing shows this. Later on more explosions go off from the rubble and tornados which is shortly followed by paper flying all over the street. Then cars start to fly in places and the characters start to fly as well. The use of editing really impacts this scene because without it this scene would not work and there would be no fighting or action impact.

There are many different camera angles and work shown in this short extract.  At the very begging of the extract there is a close up on the main man’s face. This shot carry’s on but flicks between the two characters.  After a short while the characters enter the caravan where the camera quickly peds up. The camera then follows the girl around the caravan as the girl walks forward the camera comes back. As they are in the caravan there are a few over the shoulder shots when each character is talking but the camera mainly focuses on the person talking at the time. As the scene progresses they carry on to use a lot of close up shots. The camera pans to the left and slightly tilts up. It then focuses closely on the popcorn before the camera crabs to the left when following the character out of the caravan. There then is a short bird’s eye view shot followed by a pan to the left as the two characters fly to the next scene.  As the second scene starts the camera only covers the women’s legs as she walks down the street. The camera then zooms in on the man who is lying on the ground. The camera follows the two characters back using an eye level shot. There are a few more head shots before the camera tilts up and down to show what is going on.  As the weather progresses to get bad the camera tilts down to follow the tornado. The camera then goes into another bird’s eye view and then into a long shot. Shortly after the camera zooms in then pans left. Camera work creates the effect of more action going on in the scene

The mise en scene in this clip is shown through the setting, costume and lighting. In this extract the main female character wears a full black costume (top and bottom) and black heeled boots. She dresses in dark colours which matches her dark make-up. She has black/grey eye shadow with thick mascara. The main male character dresses a lot more casually in comparison to the girl. He wears a plain blue t-shirt, with trousers and a plain back jacket. He has short hair and doesn’t look like the sort of character he is meant to be. The setting for the first scene is on either a beach or desert type place as there is lots of sands with hills and it is pretty deserted. There is a caravan in the middle of the scene and there is barley anything else there. The second scene is on a city street. Where there is plenty of people in quite a large area but seems very crowded. There are many cars around and little shops and stalls on the side. The lighting in the first scene is quite bright due to the weather being sunny and the characters being outside but when they enter the caravan the lighting becomes more dim and dark. Then in the second scene, the lighting becomes dark very quickly when the storm kicks in. Throughout that scene the lighting gets darker but flashes of bright white light appear when the lightning strikes.

Q3: Discuss the ways in which people are represented in the extract.(20)

The main female character is represented in a strong and powerful manner in the extract. She demonstrates this when she uses her special powers and by the way she dresses. The character is represented to have a feminine touch to her with the way she is dressed in that particular material and how she has her make-up to represent the feminine side to her. She is also represented to be a fierce woman with a small element of evil to her. She is represented in that way due to the colour choice of her clothing and the actions she does in the extract. Although the character is not represented in the stereotypical female way she has still been stereotyped for her character as girls included in action/adventure films tend to look in a similar way to the women in Hancock. In action films the female role tends to be stereotyped to be powerful and charming character which she shows, in comparison to the real life female stereotype which she is different to her.

The main male character is represented to a strong character as he has super powers and demonstrates this in the clip. This particular character does not follow the stereotypes for a male character in an action/adventure film. This is firstly shown by the clothing he wears. As the character wears more casual clothing, this is not the stereotype as the stereotypical character would wear some sort of identity costume or armour. He is represented to be quite a normal character but his powers are used very casually. He is represented to be masculine and frustrated as he shows this when arguing with the other character.

hurt locker

Q2: Explain how each of the following is used to create effect: (30)
  • soundtrack
  • editing
  • mise en scene
  • camera work

Camera work: In the Hurt Locker clip there is many camera shots/work which all happens in that one setting. In the extract the camera first starts with an eye level shot. The camera then pans to the right and zooms into the man in the centre of the setting. A lot of camera work in this clip is focused on the character in the centre with a few shots focused on the people in military clothing. The camera keeps switching from left to right, when looking at the man then back to the military people when they are talking. The camera then zooms out and follows one of the main military characters. The camera tracks in followed by a pan to the left. The camera then goes to an eye level shot at the same army character. The camera then continues to follow the man again and turns into an over the shoulder shot. The camera zooms back in at the man at the centre and turns into a full body shot. The camera then zooms quickly out into a long shot, far away from the centre of the setting. The camera then tilts down following the centred man. More head shots are shown and the camera continues to flick between people. The camera pans to the right and flicks up. This is followed by the camera zooming out and then again an eye level shot. Camera zooms in and turns in to a close up shot. After this the camera tilts down in to a low shot, when focusing on the centre man. The camera then zooms in and tilts up and finally another eye level shot occurs.

Tuesday, 17 March 2015

Hot Fuzz


Hot fuzz

Q 1. Explain two ways the characters and/ or events fit the action adventure genre.

Explanation 1: From the extract the event in which happens in the middle to the end of the clip fits the action/adventure genre as it does what stereotypically happens in action films. The scene contains the characters fighting using guns and various weapons against each other. This fits the genre as the characters are fighting in a way in which the hero and enemy would in an action adventure film. The whole scene shows the action element as people are running around, ducking and hiding from the gun shots. The window smashes and the characters aim their guns at each other. The clip fits the genre as it contains a battling scene.

Explanation 2: The main character ‘Angel’ shows the action adventure genre as you can see he is the protagonist throughout the chip. The character enters the town in a cool calm way on a white horse which shows he is confident and ready for what will happen with the antagonists. Angel fits the action adventure genre as he is carrying many weapons on his back, the clothes he wears and how he looks shows he would be in an action movie. The way the character uses his weapons to fight the antagonist’s fits the genre as it shows who he is and that he is the protagonist. Throughout the clip Angel shows he fits the action adventure genre by fighting and doing things on his own. The way he wears his sunglasses and spits out a tooth pick shows his character and fits the genre.


Friday, 30 January 2015

Edge Of Tomorrow Representation






Costume:   The lead girl character is played by Emily Blunt. Until battle Rita wears a full black tracksuit but still manages to show off that feminine look. When battling she wears black and red colours. She wears lot of military clothing which has a lot of impact. This shows she has a danger element to her. The colour red could suggest danger. In her costume she still manages to look feminine even with all the armour and protection she has to cover herself in. The costume is not stereo-typed in a female way as the armour she wears would normally be stereotyped as a male outfit, therefor her costume does not link to a stereotypical female character. Her outfit shows she is strong and powerful as she wears this through battling. Her costume shows a lot about he character and personality.


Make up:  Rita wears a lot of stage make-up as she needs to show the amount of dirt, scares and bruises she has on her face to look realistic at her part in the film. They do that to show her in the battle field and how she would be dirty throughout battling. Without that make up she wouldn’t look realistic as people at war would not look clean.  She also wears things like mascara to look feminine, but just the basic items of make-up for a female character. Her make-up isn't like a lot of female characters, Rita's is more suttle.


Hair: Rita's hair is always up in a plait, which shows the practical women she is. In the battle field scenes her hair becomes quite messy which shows that her character is not very feminine as she does not care about the state of her hair, when stereotypically most women do. She has mid length blonde hair but her hair does have a feminine touch to it, as it's not just up it is a stylish up hair do.


props: As well as the weapons on Rita's armour, she also carries swords throughout. She uses these props when battling in the battle field. Her props suggest her strong character and her impact with the army. She uses her swords on many occasions and can do a lot of harm with them as she battles the enemy and fights off a few off the non-human things. 

Friday, 5 December 2014

Scheduling

Who commissioned the programmes
Bad Education- Chris Sussman
Miranda-Cheryl Taylor




Who produced them?
Bad Education- Ben Cavey (BBC)
Miranda- Jo Sargent (BBC)




What audience are they aimed at? Why?
Bad Education- It is aimed at teenagers as it is based in a high school environment. Also bad education's characters are all teenagers, this is the age which the show is aimed at. It wouldn't be aimed at adults as they will not find it as funny.
Miranda- It is aimed at middle aged people as the characters are all around middle aged or older. It is aimed at middle aged people as it found funny by that particular age group, where as teenagers might not find the show as funny.




Why are they on at that time and on that channel? Link to 'type' of comedy and target audience.
Bad Education- It is on 10pm on BBC Three. It is on at this time as it is after the watershed time of 9pm. It is on this channel as the target audience tends to watch BBC Three more than they watch BBC 1. Another reason why it is shown on BBC Three is because of the humour. The kind of humour shown on bad education is quite similar to other shows shown on BBC three.
Miranda- It is shown at 8:30pm on a Wednesday Night. It is Broadcasted on BBC 1 as the humour is different to bad education. The target audience tend to watch BBC 1 more often. This is why it is shown on this channel. This is shown at 8:30pm because it doesn't contain a lot of bad language.

Are they on after the watershed? Why?
Bad Education- It is on after watershed as it contains a lot of bad language. It contains a lot of transgressive pleasures, so it would not be a good idea to let children watch this programme.
Miranda- It is on before the watershed time as the humour does not contain a lot of bad language and is not as rude as Bad Education. It doesn't need to be on after nine because children wouldn't understand most of the jokes anyway.
Audience Demographic
Miranda- Miranda's Target audience is aimed for Middle aged women between 29-39. There occupation would be just normal every day jobs.
Bad Education- Bad Education's Target audience is aimed at teenagers between 15-19. Either boys or girls who are still at school or uni tend to fit in the target audience.

Saturday, 11 October 2014

The IT Crowd















The IT Crowd- setting:
The IT Crowd is a British sit com. As for the setting there are only a few different sets which are shown in the first episode. The most used setting is the basement, which you can spot will be used through out the show. This will connect the audience to the show as they will recognize the setting and think of everything that goes on in the basement. With most of the humor coming from there place of work, it shows that it is the worst place in the building and shows a lot on the characters and makes it more of a sit com.

Characters:
The characters are very stereo-typed to be a certain social group. The character to the far right is stereo-typed to be a more nerdy,geek kind of character which makes the program more of a sit com. This is because this character will get laughs because of who he is. The character to the left is a more lazy, clumsy type of person. This relates to the genre being a sit com because the character will do stupid things to get laughs. For the sit com to work, you need these these stereo-typed characters, this is why the show works well.

The Show:
After every joke on the show there is canned laughter, which shows to the audience that the show is a sit com. They use a lot of canned laughter, which may get repetitive but gives the audience a better understanding what type of humor the show will consist and that the genre is a sit com.