Moving Image

Hotel Babylon – mock exam

Representations of ethnicity are shown throughout the clip ‘Hotel Babylon’ through the different features – camera angles, sound, mise en scene and editing techniques. I will continue to evaluate how these four micro features effect the representation of ethnicity further in my essay.

The clip begins with a pull focus as one of the managers at the hotel is greeted by the sight of police officers. The lighting shown in the background is bright and sunny demonstrating that this happen during the daytime.  The clip continues with a shot reverse shot between the receptionist and immigrant’s officer, the use of shot conveys the relationship between the pair. The immigrant’s officer is shown to be wearing a brown jumper and dark black blazer symbolising him to be evil and perhaps scary as the colour black follows connotations of death and evilness. The shot reverse shot also shows how the main immigrant’s officer has men in uniform behind him. This portrays him to be superior as he is suspected to have people working for him. The non-diegetic music in the background illustrates the chaotic and busy atmosphere. A close up shot of the immigrant’s officer illustrates the facial expressions of the man to be serious and stern.

In the next scene, a hand held camera is used to track the movement of the receptionist’s assistant running down the hall. The tempo of the non-diegetic music in the background fastens as the music represents the fast movement of the man. As the scene continues the audience are introduced with a shot reverse shot as the camera angle describes the diegetic dialogue between Jackie and the receptionist’s assistant. Jackie is represented to be wearing red clothes which signifies feelings of danger and blood. The use of clothes foreshadows the actions later in the clip.

The next scene involves the setting of a kitchen. The camera movement of panning is used to illustrate the busy and overcrowded scene. The non-diegetic music is replaced with diegetic sounds of people shouting and screaming as they panic knowing they are in trouble. The female character Jackie is shown to be speaking a different language as she warns the staff about the arrival of the immigrant officers. As the scene continues a long shot is shown to highlight emotions of panic and fear as the workers are shown to be rushing around running along the hallways. The close up of shot of bars portrays the idea of imprisonment as the workers are shown to be behind the bars – demonstrating them to be in prison. This could suggest what will happen to them if the immigrant officers find them. As the workers rush towards the staff door, the mid shot perceives them to collect like rats as they all huddle together in hope of safety. This conveys the immigrants as second class citizens as they are treated differently from the other workers of the hotel. The close up shot of the sign ‘staff only’ shows the sign to be uncared for as it is conveyed to be dirty and unclean. Furthermore, the sign has broken words hanging of the end which suggests the immigrants to live broken and destruct lives. The hand-held camera is used by the director to portray the emotions and feelings of the immigrants as they await inside the staff door. The black lady is portrayed to be scared and worried as she places her hands together by her mouth. This could also suggest how she is very religious as she prays for safety. The use of clothing portrays the immigrants to be in danger as the colour red represents feelings of danger and blood. A mid shot of the lady fainting conveys her to be the victim. Furthermore, this could also be used to describe her chaotic and unstable life. A tracking shot is used as the black male feeds the lady jam to make her stabilise. The diegetic sound describes him to be very intelligent as he describes the cause of her unconsciousness in a posh and sophisticated manner. This shows that although he is an illegal immigrant he is also very intelligent – contradicting the typical stereotypes of illegal immigrants. As the scene continues, the director has used a close up shot of keys in the door. This reinforces the idea of imprisonment and shows that there is a possibility of them going to jail.

As the clip continues the audience are introduced to the character Ibrahim. The name is described to be very religious, suggesting he has very strong beliefs and ideas. The mid shot of him vacuuming portrays him to be a lower class citizen as cleaning is regarded to be a common labour job. This follows the typical stereotype of cleaners, as international people are usually conveyed to carry out these type of jobs. Furthermore, Ibrahim is shown to be wearing red which suggests danger as he is the only one immigrant who is not shown to be in the staff room. The editing technique of cut shots are used to illustrate the drama between Ibrahim and the other immigrants in the staffing room. A focus pull is used as an English worker at the hotel knocks on the door. The focus is subjected to be shown on Jackie as her facial expressions portray her to be very scared. When she realises it is just another worker she follows the man out into the main reception of the hotel. A switch between shots is used to transfer the audience from one location to another. A panning shot is used as the men drag Ibrahim out from the hotel. The use of shot is important as the audience are able to sympathise with Ibrahim and his family. The use of shot shows the other visitors to look confused and horrified as they stand up to see the action. A shot reverse shot is used to convey the diegetic dialogue between Jackie and the immigrant’s officer as she pleads him to let him go. The officer is shown to be very serious as he shows no sympathy towards Ibrahim or Jackie.

As we go into the next scene, the audience are introduced to sad, sympathy non-diegetic music. The tone of the music represents the mood of the other workers as they are shown to very sad and upset from their facial expressions. The sad melodious music makes the audience feel sympathy towards Ibrahim as he has just been taken away.  The camera conveys a close up shot of Jackie as she continues to clean Ibrahim’s locker. The use of shot focuses on the drawing in his locker – suggesting the importance of him working at the hotel signifying that he spent a lot of his time at the hotel.  The close up shot portrays a number on the front of his locker, suggesting that Ibrahim and the other workers are just seen as a number with no identity.  A panning shot is used in the scene of the canteen as the different workers are sat eating. The movement of the camera shows the different ethnicity groups of the workers. The diegetic sound of people talking comes to a halt when the camera focuses on the two shot of the black, African man and his daughter. They are shown to be calm and peaceful as they pray before they eat.  The scene reflects the separation between the different ethnicity groups, conveying them to be unequal. Continuity editing is used throughout to describe the quick tempo of the clip, suggesting the drama to happen really quickly.

Overall, the representation of ethnicity in the Hotel Babylon clip perceives the immigrants to be treating different from the rest of the workers. Furthermore, the white English people at the hotel are regarded to be the more superior characters of the hotel. The use of camera shots, editing, sound and mise en scene is important as it describes the immigrants to live very unstable and chaotic lives.

 

Representation of gender through the TV programme ‘Primeval

·         Over the shoulder shot

·         Non-diegetic sound – sets scene

·         Women – casual clothes – red jumper, jeans, brown boots

·         Man – casual clothes  - blue shirt

·         Wide shot – lady leaving for car

·         Non – diegetic sound becomes more serious

·         Establishing shot of woods and forest – sets scene

·         Truck – strong, powerful, in control

·         Abbey – black jacket, short hair – ‘tomboy’

·         Nick – blue shirt – connotations of trust and loyalty.

 

The clip begins with an over the shoulder shot of the conversation between a male and female character. The non-diegetic sound in the background helps sets the scene and introduces the viewer to the setting of the situation. The female character is conveyed to be scared and distressed as she answers the male character through the emotive phrase ‘This shouldn’t be happening’.  This instantly alerts the viewer that something bad has happened and conveys how the female figure has been left to fix the problem. Her use of body language suggests her to be very worried and nervous as she is shown to give the male character direct eye contact.  She is presented to be wearing casual clothes – red jumper, jeans and brown boots. The colour of her jumper helps represent her feminine characteristics as red is primarily seen to be women’s colour followed by the connotations of love, lust and beauty. On the other hand, the man is conveyed to be wearing a blue shirt which follows the typical stereotype of men as blue is considered to be a very masculine colour.  The over the shoulder shot enables the viewer to see the man’s point of view as he is represented to have more power and control over the lady as he tries to calm her down. The audience’s opinion of the lady differentiates as the camera changes to a wide shot of her leaving the conversation as she heads towards her car. Her car is presented to be an old, dirty and manly Jeep emphasising to the audience that she has no interest in cars; this also stimulates how she is considered to act different from the ideal image from women as she is conveyed to be quite boyish symbolising her to act like a ‘tomboy’.

As we go into the next scene, we are introduced to a change in the non-diegetic music as the sound fluctuates to a more serious and stern tone of music emphasising the change in scenery. This is followed by an establishing shot of the woods and forest conveying this to be the main location of the clip. The use of shot also captures one of the main characters Abbey driving a yellow truck. The use of machinery portrays her to act dissimilar to the stereotypical image of women as she is represented to be a strong, feisty and powerful woman with skill and efficiency. The mis-en-scene used also presents her to act quite boyish as she is dressed in a black leather jacket with shorts. This is followed by her short, messy hair conveying to the audience that her image follows the style of Steve McQeen or ‘Greece’ as they are viewed to be strong, willed males with power and control.  As the scene continues the audience are introduced to another character, Nick. The mid-shot conveys Nick be more physically active than Abbey as his clothes are shown to be more dirty and muddy. The colour of his blue shirt symbolises his intelligence and loyalty as blue involves connotations of trust, wisdom and skill. This is signified through the use of props as he is portrayed to be carrying a handful of wood, this symbolises his intelligence and suggests the other members are reliant on Nick to set up the fire. 

The clip continues with a mid-shot of the character Andrew as he places a rock on a surface of leaves. The rock is used as form of weapon as he sets up a trap. This conveys him to be very well organised and planned unlike the typical stereotype of men – lazy and lethargic.  The fact that he doesn’t have a gun and instead uses the traditional weapon of a stone describes him to be quite weak and fragile. Furthermore, he is shown to be more of a pretty boy rather than a fighter as he is presented to be wearing a pink attire with a pink shirt, black waistcoat, smart black hat and fingerless gloves. His choice of clothes are depicted to be quite bold and adventurous in  comparison to the other members s as they are shown to wear mutual coloured clothes followed by dirt and mud. This juxtaposes the ordinary stereotype of men and suggests him to be follow aspects of femininity.

As we go into the next scene the audience are introduced to the sound effects of a ‘roar’ created by a wild animal.  The sound of Abbey starting the machinery suggests she is strong and capable of defending herself against the wild animal. As the camera moment changes to an over the shoulder shot the audience are introduced to the sight of a sabre-tooth tiger. The tiger is used as a form of editing as the animal has been created to make it look realistic.  The non- diegetic music in the background changes to a quick and fast tempo to depict the tiger’s movement as he gets closer to Abbey and Nick. The camera alters to a low angle shot portraying the tiger’s importance and power as he is represented to be have more dominance over the character below him, Nick. The high angle shot of Nick demonstrates his position as he is conveyed to be trapped by the tiger. The diegetic voice of Nick calling Abbey’s name conveys him to be weak and fragile as he relies on the female figure to help save him. This juxtaposes the ordinary stereotype of men as they are perceived to be the hero and the woman the victim.

As the scene continues the editing technique of cross cutting is enforced to show the action between Abbey and the tiger. The camera reveals Abbey to be in control of the situation as she uses the digger to fight against the vicious and spiteful creature. This represents Abbey to be the more dominant character as she is shown to take care of the situation and help save her friend, Nick. The non-diegetic music in the background changes pace to make the scene seem more dramatic and action-packed. A continuity edit is used to convey Nick running towards the zip wipe. The camera switches to a close up shot to emphasise how frightened and terrified he feels with the tiger chasing after him.

Synergy - This is the process where a combination of media products that are produced from the same text  help promote each other. For example, a trailer helps promote a movie and the movie can help promote the soundtrack within the film itself. A production company can also help promote a film and the film in return helps to promote the production company. 

 

Convergence - This is the coming together of different media technologies. For example, the film industry and music industry form together in a film as the soundtrack of a song is presented in a clip of the film.

 

Representations of gender

 

Men

Representations of males in the media primarily focus around:

• Strength – physical and intellectual
• Power
• Sexual attractiveness
• Physique
• Independence

The main masculine genres in television dramas revolve around the following:

• Dominant males
• Masculine ‘action’
• Lack of emotion
• Serious storylines
• Romance controlled
• Male heroes
• Sole characters

Male characters are often perceived to be isolated and not to rely on others – this foreshadows the key representation of strength and perhaps enforces their power over females. In television drama’s, men that are presented to be apart of a family are conveyed to be a part of the narrative rather than the main focal point of the show.

 

As the media has continued to develop, the representations of men have changed. Tradition representations convey males to be very manly and powerful, for example characters like James Bond and TV programmes such as Magnum and Stark sky and Hutch. Modern representations show men to be more feminine as they portrayed to take more pride in their appearance and show their emotions. 

Women

Representations of women in the media tend to highlight the following:

• Beauty
• Size/ physique
• Sexuality
• Emotional
• Relationships

Women are usually portrayed in TV drama to play the ‘second hand’ role rather than the main, dominant acting role. Women are typically depicted to be part of the context –family, friends and colleagues of the main act. On the other hand, in some dramas such as ‘Sex in the city’ women are in control of the drama. However, men are still represented to be the main role in specific drama’s with the average of being displayed three times as more than women.

The representation of beauty and looks plays an important role in the overall representation of women as they are made up to look appealing/attractive to the audience of the television drama.

Representation of disability clip

‘Coming down the mountain’

 

·         Non diegetic sound – sets the scene

·         High angle shot of David and Ben’s room – separate divide between the two

·         Diegetic sound of David talking ‘Last summer I killed my brother.’ – negative

·         Close up shot of Ben sleeping

·         Non-diegetic music changes – happy and cheerful

·         Wide camera shot of house – sets the scene

·         Sound bridge – brings the audience in

·         Diegetic voice over of David

·         Wide shot of David and Ben – walking to bus stop

·         Constant shifts in clips of diegetic voice over of David – difference in lifestyle between David and Ben

·         Scene of them at school – David says yes to party, Ben is left feeling unwanted and vulnerable

·         The non-diegetic music changes to a sad tone – Bens feelings

·         Body language and facial expressions of Ben – insecure and weak

·         Close up shot of Ben on bus – different situation for Ben as left on his own

·         Asynchronous sound of David talking – ‘needs some space’ – dislikes his brother and as though the party was planned

The clip begins with a high angle shot of David’s room that he shares with his disabled brother Ben. The non-diegetic sound in the background helps sets the scene and introduces the viewer to the context of the situation. David is conveyed to be sitting on his bed with his hands placed on his knees. The use of body language suggests him to be very lonely and isolated as he is shown to be in a closed position. The high angle shot enables the viewer to see an aerial view of David’s room emphasising the visual divide between his belongings and Ben’s.  On one side of the room we are presented with images of a bleak, miserable and unwelcoming bedroom and on the other side which is Ben’s we are shown a bigger sized bed with feelings of happiness, joy and content.  These images imply Ben to almost be ‘spoilt’ while David is left feeling unwanted. Furthermore the divide in the room foreshadows Ben’s disability and portrays the differiation between the two brothers.  The non-diegetic sound is interrupted as the clip introduces diegetic sound through the phrase ‘Last summer I killed my brother’. This short, simple and direct sentence changes the mood of the clip as murder is considered a very serious crime. This instantly sets the scene and makes the audience aware of the social context. The clip changes movement again as the audience are directed to a close up shot of David through the movement of panning. The close up shot enables the viewer to understand the different thoughts and feelings portrayed by David. This is followed by the diegetic voice of him speaking, as he describes the perfect memorial for his brother.  The diegetic sound conveys him to talk negatively about his brother as he discusses different ideas of how he should have covered up his brother’s death.  His use of body language portrays him to be in deep thought and to perhaps feel guilty about the killing of his brother. This is followed by the shift in camera movement as the audience are directed to a close up shot of his brother, Ben. The use of shot coveys Ben to be very peaceful and calm as the image primarily focuses on him sleeping.  The fact that David is overlooking Ben as he sleeps implies that David is his carer and it’s his duty to look after his brother.

As we go into the next scene, we are introduced to a change in the non-diegetic music as the sound fluctuates to more happy and cheerful music suggesting a change in scenery. The scene begins with a wide camera shot of David’s house, this instantly sets the scene displaying to the reader that their house is considered a key location. The use of sound bridge connects both scenes together and brings the audience in through a close up shot of Ben eating his cereal.  The image portrays Ben to be carefully concentrating on his a piece of Weetabix as his brings the spoon to eye-level. The audience is instantly made to feel sympathy for Ben as he is displayed to be disabled through his characteristics. The diegetic voice over of David in the background conveys his negative thoughts of his brother eating as he says “Of course, sometimes they do change the recipe, and you get a brother who really is a big potato with eye tentacles.” The negative and very opinionative sentence implies Ben to be of lower standards than David and calling him a potato connotes him to be very lazy and to not have much independence to do things himself.  David later compares his brother to a dog through the phrase “and then you might as well talk to the dog – if you have one, which we don’t.” This describes Ben to act like an animal as due to his disability he is minimised in what he can and can’t do. Moreover, this emphasises the difficulties in the relationship between the pair as David constantly talks bad of his brother resulting in them not getting along.  As the scene continues we are introduced to the mother and father. While David has a go at his brother for eating the last of the Weetabix, the dad interrupts and says “Excuse that language if you don’t mind.” This coveys Ben to be insecure and vulnerable as his dad has to defend him and excuse him from the language of his brother. David’s use of body language depicts him to be very angry and frustrated, suggesting his lack of care for his younger brother.

The clip continues with a wide shot of David and Ben walking to the bus stop together. David is represented to be moody, un-amused and bored by his use of body language while in contrast Ben is considered to be having fun as he plays with his toys. This portrays Ben to very childish and immature as he is represented to be playing with children’s toys. The constant shifts in clips link to the diegetic voice over of David as he describes his brother to be very ‘child like’. The different clips represent the difference in lifestyle between David and Ben.

The scene then changes to show the boys as they are at school. When David is invited to a party by his friend we are shown a mid-shot of Ben looking sad and vulnerable as the camera depicts him to be all on his own. David’s friend then suggests that he may be babysitting, mocking David as he is responsible for Ben’s actions. The camera then changes to show Ben in the background which symbolises disabled people to be excluded from social situations. As David’s friend encourages him to come to the party, the viewer is presented with an over the shoulder shot of Ben, reinforcing the idea that disabled people are left feeling lonely and unwanted. The non-diegetic music changes to a sad tone to convey Ben’s feelings as his brother has left him to go to the party. The audience is made to feel sympathy for Ben as he is subjected to feel abandoned and lonely through his facial expressions and body language.

In the final scene, the audience is welcomed by a close up shot of Ben on the bus by himself. The closeness of the shot enables the audience to understand how difficult it is for Ben in social situations. He is shown to be clutching the handlebars which describes him to weak, vulnerable and worried. This makes the audience feel sympathy towards Ben as him and David ‘haven’t been more than half a mile apart’.  The clip ends with the asynchronous sound of David talking as he describes how he wanted some space. This implies the audience to feel sad and sympathetic for Ben as is unable to care for himself.

 

Development Diary

In today's lesson, we were given a task which involved analysing a clip from TV drama based on school life. We were asked to choose a clip which included aspects of bullying, embarrasing situatios or dealing with teachers. Our choosen theme was bullying.

 

After analysing the clip we broke up each scene into each indivual scenes and began creating a storyboard. I found this very useful as we were able to easily identify the different camera shots and uses of sound. The storyboard was very helpful as we now had a clear idea on the different camera shots and sounds to involve in our scenes. Afterwards, we began writing a script. For the script we used the same scripted text as the text in the clip itself. We also included stage directions in the script to make it clear of the characters included in each individual scene.

 

 

 Once we were happy with our planning, we began filming. For this we picked a specific setting in  school to re-create the scene. I choose to film the clip in a corridor by some lockers as this was what was filmed at the school.We filmed the clip so we filmed all the clips based on one character. This meant that we got all the clips done of one character succesfully.

Analysis of Doctor Who

·         Non- diegetic sound at beginning of clip

·         Non- diegetic sound alters when she bows down – surrender shows he’s in charge. The male gender is more important than the female gender.

·         Noise when he captures the teleport device

·         Non-diegetic sound – conveys different speaker

·         Synchronous sound of stop watch

·         Synchronous sound of his ‘children’

·         Sound effect of special gadget

·         Non –diegetic sound changes to guitar playing in the background – almost sympathetic tone

·         Sound effect to change scenes – conveys her flashback. Her voice is echoed in the flashback to reinforce the idea of change in setting.

·         Dialogue between two speakers, the main man and doctor’s assistant.

·         The man interrupts her speaker – shows his power of her and shows she is wrong.

·         She speeds up when talking in relation to the countdown of the stop watch. She knows she doesn’t have long. The non-diegetic changes to a dramatic sound piece to show the doctors formation as well as the little time they have left of the stop watch.

·         The repeated statement ‘doctor’ directly address it to the doctor.

·         Noise gets louder and quicker at the end.

·         The repeated sound motif of ‘doctor’

·         Sound effect of special gadget – dislikes what is happening and wants to kill the doctor.

 

·         Repeated sound of ‘no’.

 The clip begins with a mid shot of an alien like creature followed by sad, sympathetic non-diegetic music in the background to portray that something bad has previously happened. The non-diegetic music continues in to the next scene creating a sound bridge. This helps emphasise the tense atmosphere and explores the transition between the two scenes. Furthermore, the dialogue between the master and his opponent Martha represents the hierarchy between the two genders and conveys the male gender to be more important.  When he says ‘kneel’ the non-diegetic sound alters to show his power and control over her as she is now his surrender.  In addition, the camera positioning of the camera at lower level reinforces this idea of him being the dominant character.

As we go into the next scene we are introduced to a change in the non-diegetic music as the sound fluctuates to the sound effects of the man’s special tool. This use of sound reinforces the genre of this particular TV drama– non-fiction and targets new viewers of Doctor Who of what the programme involves. The scene continues with the synchronous sound of the stopwatch creating a tense atmosphere. Moreover, the diegetic voice of the main speaker is projected to make him seem more controlling and superior over the other characters. This is supported by the synchronous sound of his ‘children’ as they answer in unison, this gives the impression that lots of them are talking at the same time and are all regarded to be submissive of their master.

The clip continues with a mid-shot of the master pointing his laser light beam towards the other ‘less important’ characters.  The use of this particular camera shot emphasises his authority as none of the other characters are stereotyped to have gadgets. Furthermore, the animated sound effect of the laser light portrays the laser to be very significant and describes the programme to be about technology. The non-diegetic sound changes to the strings of a guitar to signify the change of mood within the scene. The animated sound of the change of scenes is conveyed to demonstrate the difference between the present and Martha’s flashbacks. Furthermore, her voice is echoed in the flashback to reinforce this idea of change in setting. The sound bridge of her voice between scenes notifies the audience that her flashbacks have finished.

In the final scene, Martha is instantly interrupted by the master which establishes his power over her and proving that she is wrong. The camera flicks between the film of the countdown and her to show how little time they have left. In contrast to the countdown, the non-diegetic sound changes again to produce a dramatic music piece to convey the revolution of the doctor. Followed by her final words ‘the doctor’ we are introduced by an animated sound effect to signify the change of the alien like species in to the ‘doctor’. The non-diegetic sound quickens at the end to help emphasise the doctors uprising.

Sounds and meanings - 11.10.13

Diegetic sound

 

Also known as actual sound is any sound which is presented to come from the source. The sound can either be on screen or off screen depending on whether the source is within the frame or outside the frame. Diegetic sound is usually displayed through the voices of characters, sounds which are made by objects or music which is represented as coming from instruments within the story.

 

 

Non diegetic sound

 

Sound represented to come from a source outside of the story space. Non- diegetic sound is also called commentary sound as the sound is usually  portrayed through a narrator’s commentary or as sound effects to add a dramatic effect or mood.

Synchronous sound

 

Sound that is in time to match the sound given off by the object e.g. an alarm clock going off  when you can see it.

 

Asynchronous sound 

 

Sound that comes from an action but does not precisely match with what the audience is conveyed to see e.g. when a telephone is ringing but we see an image of someone walking down the street.

 

Sound effects

 

Sound which is artificially produced or reproduced from a recording to add meaning to a clip e.g. the unrealistic sound effect of  whooshing to portray cars driving past. 

 

 

 

Sound motif

 

Sound which relates to a character or certain place.

 

 

Sound bridge

 

Sound where it changes from one shot to another to make the action seem uninterrupted.

 

Dialogue

Sound which is said by the characters within the scene. However, in some clips the sound is pre-recorded in a studio with the characters lip-reading this is called Foley reading.

Voiceover  

 

When a voice outside of the narrative is used to give the audience information about the clip, it is most commonly used in documentaries or news reports. It may be spoken or it can be someone who appears elsewhere in the production such as a voice actor. It is usually pre-recorded and placed over the top of the clip.

Mode of address

 

How media is portrayed to the audience

Direct address 

 

The name of the person who is being directly spoken to

Sound mixing

 

When sound is mixed from various sources using a multi-track mixing desk

Sound Perspective

Where the sound is perceived to be in the shot when considering volume, pitch and timbre (quality).

 

 

 



Semiotics - 04.10.13

Semiotics.odp by meganlsx

TV drama key words - 25.09.13

What are the issues that surround the representation of different groups in TV drama? - 18.09.1

Representation of Different Groups in TV Drama

Representation of gender – The Hustle

At the beginning of the clip we are welcomed with a medium shot of a lady dressed in a smart, formal and elegant grey suit which connotates her to be rich and from the upper class.  The clip changes to give a twist on gender representation when we are introduced to the male shop assistant. The assistant is portrayed to act quite camp and shows signs of feminine gender traits which some would consider unusual for the typical stereotype of a man – strong, powerful and physique.

<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->The clip continues with a wide shop of the two ladies shopping for new clothes. However this time, we are greeted by a different lady who is dressed quite casually in a red coat with scruffy grey hair which portrays her to be not as wealthy as the first lady and to be from the lower class. While the shop assistant is helping the less fortunate lady she asks how much the dress costs and he simply replies with ‘a little too rich for madam?’ suggesting his power and control over the lady as she is unable to pay for the expensive dress. Furthermore, his use of body language reinforces this idea of men empowering women.

<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->The camera soon changes to the rich lady’s perspective.  The shop assistant is portrayed to be more focused on the money, rather than the equality of his customers when we are shown a close up shot of her diamond ring. The shop assistant immediately goes over and responds with ‘Is there anything I can help you with? The question symbolises his greediness and conveys him to be very self-interested in her money. The camera changes to a hand-held camera to portray the rich lady’s worry during the scene where she loses her precious diamond ring. The sudden change in camera angle allows the audience to see the action from her point of her. She is personified to act like a typical ‘blonde bimbo’ when she frequently moans to the soap assistant about ‘My husband’s going to kill me’. This suggests her husband’s power over her, emphasising the male gender to be stronger. She also asks the assistant to help her several times which stereotypes women to have the need to rely on others with everyday situations. The close up shot of the shop assistants face signifies him to be confused and inexperienced as he is unaware on how to react. Additionally, this reinforces the idea of the lady to be ‘a typical blonde bimbo’ and who is spoilt by her husband’s fortune.

<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->The tilt camera movement of the male customer looking for something for his girlfriend portrays him to be more superior and powerful than the lady who lost her ring. Also, the mise en scene highlighted through his use of clothing highlights his level of authority as he is dressed in a smart suit. The camera changes to over the shoulder shots during the man’s and shop assistants conversation to describe the men to be from the same gender and from the same level of power.

<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->The transitions in-between each of these shots change through the use of wiping to show two parallel narratives which are happening at the same time. The scene of the two men drinking whiskey appear to be dressed smart and very clean cut which portrays them to be very business-like and work-orientated. The non-diegetic music from the previous scenes pause when the two me are talking to represent their important and to show their advantage over the female gender.

Throughout the duration of the clip, we are mostly introduced to male characters which signify them to be the much stronger powerful sex in society. On the other hand, the rich lady is used because of her looks and figure and is portrayed to act seductive. Women are often seen as the weaker sex and within this drama they are subjected to play the ‘second hand’ role rather than the main, dominant acting role. This explains the male gender to be the most important act during a TV drama.

 

Editing

 

Shot/reverse shot

 

A shot reverse shot also known as a shot or countershot is when the camera displays one character looking at another character from off-screen and then the camera changes so the other character is looking back at the first character. This gives the visualiation that both charactes are looking at each other.

 

Eye-line match

 

 

An eye-line match is a film editing technique where the camera shows a character looking at something off-screen followed by the change of camera view to an object or person of who the person is looking at.

 

 

Graphic match

 

 

A graphic match also known as a match cut in film editing is where two different objects, spaces and compositions in an object graphically match. This is an effective use of editing as it helps link the two shots together.

Action match
 

An action match is when the action of one shot matches the action in another shot. These two shots could be hours apart or minutes apart from each other but give the impression of continuous time when watching the film overall. The pause between the two shots helps create a visual bridge between the scenes and distracts the viewer from noticing the cut between the two different shots.

Jump cut

A jump cut is an immediate and abrupt transition from one scene to the next. This gives the effect of jumping forwards in time and highlights only the importance parts within the film.

 

 

Crosscutting
 

 

Crosscutting is used to convey action happening at the same time in two very different locations. The director re-orders the different scenes of action by cutting away from one action to the other, this creates a drama which continuously changes in time - forwards and backwards. This effect creates suspense and excitement to a boring scene.

 

 

Cutaway shot

 

A cutaway shot is the interruption of a continuous action scene by inserting a different scene. The shot is used to help the director create a longer sequence within the scene. Furthermore, the shot helps establishes the scene more clearly. For example the main shot could be of a mysterious man inside a taxi from outside the restaurant and between the shots we are welcomed by the scene of a woman inside the restaurant. There may also be a cutaway of the man running as fast as he can, which may suggest that he is late for his appointment or a date with the woman in the restaurant.

 

 

Other transitions

 

Dissolve

 

The film editing technique dissolve is a simple and calm transition from one image to another. The two images are usually overlapped through the duration of the effect but one behind and shown to be non-visible to the camera. The use of the effect dissolve helps emphasise that a period of time has passed between the two scenes.

 

 

Fade-in/ Fade-out

 

Fade in is when a shot typically begins in total darkness and gradually lightens till the whole image is visible and there is full brightness. Fade out is regarded to be the opposite of fade in where the shot begins in full light and ends in pitch darkness.

 

 

Wipe
 

 

The film transition wipe is when one shot is replaced by another by travelling from one side of the frame to another in a geometric pattern. The transition usually differs from straight line wipes to complex shapes wipe. If the wipe happens from two opposite edges of the screen towards the centre it is called a barn door wipe as it is portrayed to look like a pair of doors opening or closing. This effect is usually used to show a change in location within the scene.

 

 

Superimposition

 

Superimposition is when two or more images are placed on an already existing image. This effect is used to add to the overall image effect and perhaps conceal something within the image. For example, when a face of somebody else is superimposed over the original face of the person within the photograph. These shots are also used for dissolve shots.

 

Long take

 

A long take is when a shot in a film lasts much longer than the average editing pace. A long take is usually taken using a steadicam or a through the use of a dolly.  Back in the day,  it was seen to be very popular for filmmakers to include a continuous shot until the film ran out. However, long takes are now considered as un-important and are seen to be rare in many films. This kind of shot can be used for a dramatic and narrative effect.

 

 

Slow motion

 

The filmmaking effect slow motion is when time appears on screen to be slowed down. Many directors use slow motion to help highlight a particular skill or style demonstrated by the character, or to recapture a key moment in an athletic game - this is typically shown as a reply, or finally it can be used as natural phenomena for example a drop of water dropping onto a piece of glass.

 

 

Ellipsis and expansion of time

 

An ellipsis is when the director cuts out all the un-important parts in a series of shots resulting in the shortening of the total sequence. On the other hand, expansion of time is the slowing down of a sequence of shots, this is effective in filmmaking as it makes the scenes appear to go on longer than the first original clip.

 

 



 

Camera shots

Establishing shot

 

An establishing shot is overview shot of the scenery or context for a scene showing the relationship between its important figures and objects. This kind of shot is effective as it gives the reader a clear idea of where the scene is set and what is happening. Establishing shots were found to be very popular during the classical era of filmmaking whereas today this type is shot is considered as un-important.

I took this photo myself while on holiday in Croatia.

 

Close-up shot

 

A close up shot is used to display the most detail, the broader scene is not necessary in this shot. Moving in to a close up shot or away from one is called zooming. This type of shot is important as the shot can tell a story for just looking at the object’s facial expressions. For example, in this picture the close up shot reveals through the use of her squinted eyes and half smile that the girl is perhaps anxious or concerned.

This photo is of my sister I took in my garden, as you can see I took this photo from a very close distance. 

Mid-shot

 

A Medium shot is a camera angle shot taken from a medium distance. A Medium shot is different from a long shot as it is not as far away, however it is also different from a close up shot as it is not as close to the camera.  This type of shot is mainly used for a scene when the audience wants to see the objects facial expressions through their use of body language. 

This is a picture I took of my friend posing. As you will notice she’s not too far away from the camera and not to close up, this is a prime example of a medium shot.

 

Long Shot

A long shot is a camera angle which shows the entire object or human figure which is usually placed in relation to its surroundings.  A long shot can also be referred to as a full shot or a wide shot, this is because a long shot most often uses a wide-angle lens. This type of shot is effective for filmmaking and video production as it gives the audience a clear visual image of the whole subject and its surroundings. Long shots can also be used to convey illusions.

I took this image in a one of the green houses at Kew Gardens whilst on a school trip.

 

 

Wide shot

 

A wide shot is a camera angle where the camera is positioned in a specific manner to give the viewer a clear image of the most action in the performance.  This means that the audience is entitled to see everything within the scene.  This shot is effective in filmmaking as it gives viewers a clear understanding of what is happening.

 

The image shown above is a photograph I took of the harbour on holiday, as you can notice the image gives a clear description of what is happening

 

Two shot

A two shot is a type of shot with two people or subjects included. The shot can also be of one person in the foreground and the other in the background.  A two shot is mostly used in films to convey the story of two people. This type of shot is used in love films to emphasize the emotional reactions between the two people.

I took this photo myself of two peers in my class. They are stood together to represent the idea of a two shot.

 

Aerial shot

 An aerial shot is a type of shot used to view a large particular area. These shots are most often done using a crane or with a camera attached to a specialized helicopter to portray how large and busy the landscape is. An aerial shot can also be of a character to emphasize the insignificance of the person.

As you can see this image is an aerial shot of central London. From this picture you can see famous landscapes and an overview of the city you most likely don’t get to see often.



Point of view shot

 A point of view shot is usually a short film in a particular scene which is used to show the subjects viewpoint. The scene alters to show a shot of the character looking at something followed by a shot of the character’s reaction.  This type of shot is very popular as it gives the audience an insight to what the character is looking at.

The picture above gives a clear image of what the character can see and the surroundings around.

Over the shoulder shot

An over the shoulder shot also known as a third-person shot is a video of something or someone taken from the perspective or camera angle from the shoulder of another person. This type of shot is mostly used to show two characters having a discussion and gives the impression that the audience is in the scene themselves.

The image above displays two people having a conversation.

 

Angles

 

 

High angle shot

 

A high angle shot is a camera angle where the camera looks down at the subject and the point of focus almost fades into the background. This type of shot is mostly used to portray the object as lower status and makes the subject seem vulnerable and helpless.

The picture highlights the person’s lack of power through the use of the high angle shot.

Low angle shot

A low angle shot is where the camera angle is positioned low on the vertical axis and is looking up. This type of shot indicates the subject to have a higher status and makes the object look powerful and big.

The image portrays the girl to be of higher class as the picture gives the impression that she is towering over everyone below.

 

 

Canted angle

 

A canted angle is when the camera is tilted at an angle to create a sense of imbalance, transition and unease for the viewer. This type of shot is used to convey the point of view of a subject from a different character view. A hand held camera is often used for this.

The image above shows an image of a boy from a character point of view. This helps the audience engage with the film and understand what the character can see.

Composition

 

Framing

 

Framing is a shot of different frames that run continuously. Frame shots are an important aspect of filmmaking to express emotion, ideas and movement. They are also used to bring the audience’s attention.

The image displays four very different images to make up the frame.

Rule of thirds

 

 

 

Rule of thirds is used as a guideline for filmmakers and photographers to make the audience see the subject first. This type of shot makes the scene more interesting and creates more tension than the subject centred in the middle of the page.

The image above indicates the use of rule of thirds.

 

 

Deep focus

Deep focus is a style of shot created using a large depth of field. For this shot the foreground, middle-ground and background are all in focus. Deep focus can also be used to create illusions through the use of mixing two pictures to fit together.

As you can see, the image above creates a spooky but interesting illusion, this is done through the use of deep focus.

 

Shallow focus

 

Shallow focus is a style of shot created using a small depth of field. Within a shallow focus one part of the image is in focus while the rest is in the background and out of focus. This kind of shot is used to highlight the main image in relation to its surroundings or when two people are in focus it is used to emphasise the relationship between them.

 

The image above represents how shallow focus in used in relation to the subjects behind.

 

    

Re-written Media Essay for Clip