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Tuesday 21 October 2014

The Wilhelm scream sound effect







The Wilhelm Scream is a major sound effect used in films and television by many directors. It was originally used in a film called Distant Drums in which a cowboy is bitten by a crocodile. It has been used in films such as Toy Story and Lord of the Rings. Directors like Steven Speilberg have used the scream in many of his films.

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Editing

Editing helps construct the narrative. We are so used to editing, we barely recognise it. The editing is often 'invisible' . Editing can be used to condense long, boring activities into quick bursts of usual information. The simplest edit is the cut, and it is called that because in old fashioned film making, they actually cut the film, and get rid of the useless stuff and putting all the pieces they needed together.

In the assassination scene in North by North West, between Roger Thornhill getting out of the taxi and looking out the window of the United Nations Building, there are 26 cuts. They are most frequent during conversation, so we can see the reaction on the characters face.
 
The pace of the editing can be use to add excitement and tension, for example, in the shower scene in Pyscho, and when Marion dies the pace slows down as if her life is slowly fading away. When Marion is actually getting murdered the pace of the cuts are very quick, jumping from her face to a close up of her mouth, to the murdered. Because it is an 1960 film, they are very cautious about showing her naked, so the cuts aren't quick paced just cause tension, but also to cover her body. Once the murderer has left the room, Marion falls to the ground due to her brutal stabbing. The shot is showing the blood getting washed down the plug hole, like her life is gradually washing away from her. There is then a transition from the plug hole to her eye, making a graphic match.


Dissolve - one scene dissolves into another, overlapping for a moment.




Fade out/fade in - one scene fades out to black completely, the other fades in.

Wipes - one scene wipes across the scene, revealing or replacing the next one. This can happen in any direction.

Iris - the next scene replaces the last one by appearing from the centre like the iris of an eye.

Jump cuts - two scenes that feature a common element right after one another, so something stays the same but the rest changes. This is used for disorienting or comedy effect.

Sinister - Official Trailer 2012





This is the move trailer of the 2012 film Sinister, which has fade in/fade out scenes, dissolve scenes and the pace of the editing gets quicker when it gets more exciting and the music gets quicker

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Basic Camera Shots

 
Extreme Close Up
 
 
Close Up
 
 
 
Medium Close Up
 
 
Medium Shot
 
 
Medium Long Shot
 
 
Long Shot
 
 
Extreme Long Shot
 
 
 
 
 


Tuesday 23 September 2014

Mise-en-scene

       Mise-en-scene is a French term for everything in the scene e.g. lighting, costume, colour, facial expression and composition.

       In the opening scene for the film Jaws, the first shot is of a group of teens gathered around a campfire at the beach. In this shot you can hear the conversation from the teens and the music that they are playing. You also have the warm glow from the fire that is surrounded by the harsh darkness of the beach. There are two teens from the group who are sitting slightly further away from the rest, making themselves isolated and vulnerable. It seems as though the couple want to be as isolated as they can get, as they start running along the beach, getting further and further away from their group. When they're running, they are actually running alongside a fence which represents being trapped e.g. jail, hinting that something bad will happen.
      There is a shot of the ocean where it appears to be very calm, adding on tension for the audience. The noise from the campfire has faded by this time, so it is only natural sounds you can hear. Once the teenage girl has jumped in the water on her own as her partner struggles to undress, the director brings the camera to sea level, bringing the audience closer to the upcoming action. The director then does a shot from the sharks point of view of the naked girl swimming. In this part the music is non-diegetic.




How are generic elements and camera angles used to create suspense in the attic scene of the Exorcist?

* The camera angle at one point is behind a stack of shelves and you can just see the woman,making it seem as if you are looking at whatever is in the attic's, point of view.
 
*There are a few close ups on the woman, so you're unable to see the rest of the room, so you're unsure of what she's seeing.
 
* In this scene there is no music, so that creates tension because you're trying to listen out for what she is.
 
* She's a stereotypical woman, tired, vulnerable and in her nighty and dressing gown.
 
*The room is dark so she needs to light a candle, which creates a flickering effect, so objects aren't clear.
 
*When the man comes up, the suspense drops immediately because the woman is now not alone, he brings extra light via his torch and he brings reassurance to the woman so she isn't as wary.

* The scene is set in the dark, making us expect something to happen.

*The title of the film implies that something bad is going to happen.

*At some points in the scene, the woman is filmed from above to exaggerate how vulnerable she is.

*She is also filmed from behind to make it seem like she is being followed.

Stand By Me is one of my favourite films. The story line is absolutely amazing, and so touching. It's a feel good film, but heart breaking in parts, and the friendship between the characters is just so precious. I just love it. 

Year 10 and 11 Media Studies

Hey! My name is Talya Kurt and this is my blog for media studies during year 10 and 11. I'm going to be updating this regularly, and I'm using this to keep track of my work and other stuff.