Les Miserables

wow. Just been to see Les Miserables and it was amazing i never stopped crying all the way through. I persoally think it was a brilliant film and I love how they created the emotional connection with the audience by using such graphic and conronting scenes. The music also made an immediate emotional connection because the brilliant actors sang them brilliantly with meaning and true passion. I think they have but the film together beautifully and credit to the director ( Tom Hooper) for making such an incredible film. One of my favourite scenes in the whole movie was when Anne Hathaway sang ''I Dreamed a Dream''. This was one of my favourite scenes because of the emotion we see in such a little scene. The whole just consists of a close up of her face as she sings however they have followed the rule of thirds by placing her to the right hand side of the frame this makes her the main focus point. Because they have used a close up and no camera movement for this scene for such a powerful song it immediately becomes confrontational and we are staring into the face of someone who is at rock bottom talking about how her expectations of the world have fallen apart and haveleft her with nothing but shame and discomfort. This song really reflects on how she has been raped of her pride and is scrounging to make a life of herself it also catches our hearts as she talks about how its a cruel world and that her dreams are just shattered hopes for the future in a country torn by war and poverty. I swear i could not breathe as she sang this song as i watched her cry out for help and scream for change in this one song tears just streamed down my face yet id never felt so embraced. This scene also very loosely reminded me of the music video Nothing Compares- Sinead O'Connor becuase also in the video there is little shots used and the frame is just a close up. This technique really catches peoples attention because you feel like you are standing right infront of them as they pour out their emotions and this becomes almost intimidating so much so we cant look away and so we see every facial expession and every tear. I would love to analyse the whole film but at 2 and a half hours this would be exstremely time consuming so i have just talked about my favourite scene.

The last man on earth- Analysis

I think this short film fits into the genre of real life as we believe that this is a real life event that has taken place and no fancy effects or camera angles have been used to prove other wise. This is my analysis on Mise en scene, Editing, Sound and Camera angles and movement.

Mise en scene:

We first see the empty streets with instantly give an eery feel to the short film and seems very odd and strange for a street to be so quiet instantly hinting to the audience that something is wrong. We see the streets look very dull and grey is a popular colour we are seeing which is again a very dull empty colour suggesting that something is quite sinister and wrong about this place. The natural lighting is quite high key which gives us a rough idea of the time of day and helps us relate to the story and establish the setting. The setting is clearly a rural town. We then see the setting of the bar which again is empty and deserted suggesting a very lonely sinister atmosphere. The pub does however look quite traditional and is a popular public place making it easy for the audience to connect and relate to this plot so far. The male character is also weari8ng grey suggesting some sort of slight link between the deserted town and him maybe the town was his home? He also looks very rugged and tired as he has a beard which suggests untidiness. We see low key lighting in the pub suggesting it is a dark place and that something may take place there or has already happened there whereas the lighting from outside is very high key and highlights the characters face well and makes is easy for us as an audience to figure out an age group this man belongs to and makes his facial expressions clear. When he is taking the chemical he does it fast and this is a clear sign of panic and fear as he just wants to get it over and done with before he can think about it and have second thoughts. When he realises other people are alive his eyes widen and he stares right into the camera lens making it very confronting and upsetting. We also see his mouth moving a little like he is tasting his mistake.

Editing:

Little editing takes place during this short film i think it is because they wanted to keep this short film as realistic to the audience as possible. The titles however fade in and fade out which also add to the eery feel and adds a creepy atmosphere and could also represent the human race fading away. The transitions used are just cuts this is to make everything seem abrupt and important and using a quick cut keeps the audiences attention as it happens quickly they don't have time to be distracted.

Sound:

At first we hear the sound of the wind which emphasises the emptiness of the town. We also hear the footsteps which is a demonstration of sound perspective as we would not be able to hear his footsteps from that height however this is also used to highlight the emptiness of the town as we can only hear him. We hear the diagetic sounds of the pub door opening and him getting his bottles and drinks ready this is all diagetic sound to make the plot sound believable and real to their audience. We then hear a very different wind which sounds more eery and scary this suggests a change in atmosphere and feelings and is almost pathetic fallacy as the wind changes we get the sense of a different mood and atmosphere. Sound perspective is used again as we hear him swallowing which highlights his loneliness. We see him documenting himself and his dialogue sound distressed and he is speaking in a formal way suggesting what type of audience the short film is aimed at which is older people who can understand the formal language. When he says the word 'painless' he says it softer and quieter than the other words and this makes us feel sympathy. He then repeats himself as he says ' if anyone should find this' he is mocking himself and the option that anyone will find him. As he takes the chemical we hear the music build up and become more powerful. He then shouts we get the feeling of his frustration and stress he is angry at someone and isn't ready to give up. When the phone rings because of the situation and whats just happened we feel that this is almost a mocking tone as he is about to die just after finding out there actually is life. The phone ring then acts as a sound bridge through the credits.

Apricot-Analysis

This video fits into one of the catergories we were given which is romance/comedy. We can clearly see that this is a personel public meeting between a boy and a girl and throughout the film we have hints and suggestions that the male character is interested in the other female character suggesting he has feelings for her. They have done this by using : Mise en scene,Editing,Sound and Camera angles and movement. I have only analysed the first 2:00 minutes of this clip.

Mise en scene:

At the beginning we don't see a whole image this will immediately catch audiences attention. Although we do not see a direct image we do see the colour black and orange with some white and yellows.These colours are related to night life and at first gives us the impression that the film is set out side. I think they have done this so it purposely contradicts with the next scene where they are actually in side a restaurant type scene and the colours look very warm and cosy instead of cold like the outside. I think this may represent the two characters. One is slightly vague and hard to make out whilst the other is direct and upfront.  The use of the back light lamps add to the cosy warm atmosphere and also helps us establish the setting. The male character is wearing a grey suit with a grey shirt this makes him look washed out and dull and doesn't really say anything about his personality or who he is keeping us wondering as an audience what he is really like as a character. He does however look very relaxed and has his top button undone and has a little bit of stubble suggesting that this meeting with the other character is informal. We see the woman character is also looking quite relaxed with her appearance but has taken more care than the man as she is wearing make up her hair is done and she is wearing a black jacket which is a more formal colour than grey. So far she stands out more as a character. The low key light however shadows her face slightly suggesting that she is hiding something away maybe a bit of her past. They seem to be friendly towards each other and smiling and laughing takes place suggesting that they are both happy and enjoying each others company. When the male character is asked a question about himself we see his head twitch a little. This could suggest a sudden change in mood and he becomes quite apprehensive and closed off about himself and this shows an immediate sign of discomfort. However he is still smiling masking his discomfort and this makes him seem quite strange and interesting as we now know it is clear he is hiding something. After he tells her he doesn't remember his first love the female character then looks up and away showing signs of loosing interest and agitation as it seems he is making no effort to answer her. She then doesn't really make eye contact which is suggesting an awkward atmosphere. She then sits back and takes a deep breathe suggesting that she is fed up but yet about to tell him about her story. As she moves back this also resembles there conversation breaking apart and that they are struggling to keep a close relationship.

Editing:

When we see the titles they appear on a black screen and the font is white and think maybe suggesting the plot is a simple but delicate situation. The transitions throughout the video are just quick cuts so we can keep track and follow the conversation and watch the characters as they speak and see the conversation from two different views. The title 'Apricot' fades out which could reflect the plot in that something is fading away which could be there relationship or just the males characters personality as he is washing away. The titles are also all cut away shots so we focus on just sound and sight as we read the titles but yet still stay included and interested in the conversation that's taking place. A slight action match is used as the male character drinks his tea this is to make the cation seem more fluent and swift as we change camera angles.

Sound:


At first we hear the sound of wind blowing. This also gives us the feeling that we are in an outside setting and adds a cold atmosphere. The wind then stops abruptly and we then hear the dialogue taking place between the two characters which seems fluent and questions are flowing. We also hear the ambient sound of the cutlery clanking and other people talking giving us a sense of the atmosphere and setting. The dialogue acts as a sound bridge through the titles as we hear the conversation still taking place even though we cant see the characters stating that the conversation is significant to the plot and keeps us interested in what they are saying. As the male character says ' i cant remeber' he drags out the 'I' at first. I think this suggests uncertainty of his past and of how to go about telling the truth it also makes him seem very vague and disconnected to the conversation. The saying ' i don't remember' becomes a repeated phrase and clearly holds some sort of significance to the story line. We then hear the female character take a deep breathe which is a clear sign of distress and frustration. We also hear the diagetic sound of the cup to remind us that they are in a public place having this very private personal conversation. No dialogue took place between the waiter and the male character showing that he may be a bit naive and vague and has forgotten how to act around strangers.

Camera angles and movement:

A rolling shot is used in the first scene to make us immediately feel involved and like we are included with this plot. The camera goes from completely out of focus to focused suggesting that we are now zoning in on the conversation and making it clear what is important to the story this is an extended depth of field as objects close to the camera lens are out of focus and the couple are in focus making it clear they are the main focus point. This shot is also a deep shot because of this and a wide angles shot so we can see some surroundings and the couple. Over the shoulder shots are used throughout the whole of the short film this gives the audience two perspectives on the conversation and makes the conversation and the characters easy to follow and watch. Shot reverse shot structure is also used to make it clear to the viewer that they are talking to each other the 180 degree rule is also followed so we feel they are looking at each other as they engage in conversation. They are both a mid close up so we can clearly see the facial expressions and reactions made throughout their conversation. A slight panning shot is used as the female character mentions she is 'stand offish' this could suggest that she is dragging out the conversation a little but could also reflect the fact that he is getting closer to her as a person as he asks the questions. Another deep shot is used as the waiter fetches the tea this gives us a whole new perspective and makes us feel like we are part of the public who are sat near by this couple.

OFFF Barcelona- Analysis

I think this short film fits into one of the categories we were given to look at which is science fiction i think this because of the images shown,effects used and how camera angles reflect the mood of the video the sound also plays a big part in suggesting the films genre.

Mise en scene:

The first scene we see is of a very dark setting immediately suggesting a sinister atmosphere as a common fear is the fear of the dark and dark colours also connotate negativity. The light is low key making it hard to establish the surroundings of the setting however back lights are used of street lamps giving us a hint that they are in an urban area for example a city. The character we see is also wearing a black helmet. Helmets are connotated with protection and astronauts suggesting that he is some type of fighter that will need to be protected. The helmet could also suggest he is from a foreign area such as space maybe as he wears his helmet. Throughout the whole of the film we see images that take up the whole frame these images seems fairly random from the story plot but i think it is related to the theme and atmosphere they are trying to create. Some of the images consist of maggots,blood,pigeons,rotting fish, ink,and bacteria growth. I think these images all connote to death, rotting,and infection suggesting the main idea of the plot that there may be some sort of disease or infection that is killing people and making life rot away. The pigeons are also seen as a pest so it may suggest some sort of invasion from the infection as we do not want it around yet we may have introduced it to the world. In the first couple of scenes we see names from the producers and other people appear in the machinery. I think this is creative as it makes you look harder into the frame to see the names and to try and establish what is says and therefore catches out attention and grabs our focus. Then before we get distracted alot of quick shots and such are used to the next scenes. We see a lady wearing a mask she immediately becomes significant and this may suggest she represents the rest of the world as they try and prevent infection from a virus or disease. This is also a modern action we see people taking today to try and prevent any chance of catching something so this may be relating to the present world and be suggesting that its going to get worse in the future.We then see the scene when they are in the train station. I think they used the train station because it is a very popular mode of public transport that people can relate to and is also where people travel to different places all at once in mass groups. This may also be suggesting an infection that is spreading through the human race like the train lines spread through towns and cities. It may also be suggesting that, that is how the infection is first spread. In a scene after that we see a small child who is looking up to a building with a stopped traffic light on the left of the frame. The traffic light may represent human life is coming to a stop and that things are going to change. A lot of scenes are of different buildings and signs this may represent the different area's of the world that are becoming infected it may also represent  the way that people are moving to try and get away from the disease and find shelter. We also see a short scene of an argument between a couple this to me says that even love and relationships are braking down as well as the whole fall and people are falling apart and away from each other making everyone singled out. Like a single human cell waiting to be invaded by the disease. We then see the character of the man in the black suit and helmet showing that he has significance to the plot and the events taking place in the short film. He is still wearing black which is still suggesting he is a negative perhaps evil character. We see alot of scenes with guns involved which connotes to war and violence suggesting they may be a war going of between the human race and this disease and invaders. We also see scenes containing deer. Deer symbolises power and the feeling of being proud so when we see them in their unnatural habitat i think it suggests the feeling of giving up and loosing an on going war which can hint to the plot of the short film. The stag also represents harmony and peace so the fact that they are not int their natural habitat gives the feeling of unnatural forces and that the balance between nature and people has been broken. I think the scenes of the dead meat being tattooed is also symbolic. At first we are unaware that it is dead meat because of the close ups used and we only see its dead meat in the its last scene i think this is to represent the human population. They are just dead meat in this period of time. Facial expressions throughout the short film are blank and this adds a surreal feel to the film. We also see a scene where wires spell out the phrase ''information is beautiful'' i think this means that the human race are ignorant to what is around them and this disease may make people realise what is really around them. We also see a few scenes of buildings on fire. Fire is an element of destruction so it keeps the theme of war present. We also see a small war between the people as people start to riot and we see them fighting with the police. Their community is falling apart and people are turning against each other. We then also see the spikes growing on the faces of people and buildings again raising our suspictions of the disease theory in this plot. We see a small scene of a man with a stags head and a gun. i Think this represents the broken civilisation of the people because a stag which represents peace is only half there and is beheaded which reflects the feelings of distraught also he has a gun in hand which is a threatening symbol and again reflects the dangers that are around them at the moment. We then also see a little girl in a pink princess dress holding a gun. This shows that the young are having to defend themselves and arnt so innocent anymore after being exposed to this new reality. We also then see the other young children wearing animal masks showing that they are copying the man with the deer head and following the path of war and looking up to the older adults. The part where someone gets tattoos under their nails really goes through me and creates a sense of disgust and recoil and i think that is reflecting the feeling of this spreading disease and people are starting to become disgusted in their fellow people and are rebelling against the rules to stay alive. We see a man with a pig head and a gun i think this is saying that the human race is just turning into a bunch of pigs which is an offencive comment as they are seen as a disgusting species because of their lack of hygiene. It also represents the swine flu which was another disease that was lethal. We also see the ceilings of buildings rising i think this represents the world turning upside down in chaos. The short film ends with the machines all in the air suggesting this alien race have won. we also see the words ''year zero'' suggesting that there is a new beginning and that there is a new way of life.

Editing:

The titles we see at first look like they are from a computer giving us a modern science feel already.  Quick shots are used throughout the short film of disturbing images i think this adds a sinister feel to the film and resembles different thoughts that runs through someones head and makes the short film seem busy and hectic relating to the plot. We see slight use of a red filter as the train passengers walk by this may indicate the spreading of the disease. Red also symbolises danger. As the passengers walk by a speed up is used again to create a hectic feel and may also be a sign that the disease/infection is spreading quickly. The transitions of the frames throughout the film are quick cuts this again gives a hectic feel to the film and also keeps the viewer interested as something new is also shown in a matter of seconds. some of the frames have a vignette effect this adds a dark sinister feel to the edges of the frame and makes the viewer feel closed in and the darkness surrounds their view. An action match is used when we see a frame of some rails passing in a frame then straight away in the next frame we see different rails passing by so we see two different scenes but the action match of the rails keeps them loosely linked and is a smooth transition even though its still a quick cut. We see the paused explosion which gives a dramatic effect and also gives us a chance to see some more credits. Some scenes look gritty like they have been filmed with an old camera. A difference in view or camera keeps the audience interested and acts as another perspective. We see the spikes appear on the peoples faces and the ceilings this is a computer edit but looks abnormal and could be the effects of this disease/infection that's spreading. When the kids wearing the animals masks run away the frames are sped up giving us a small sense of panic. The last scene also fades in so we are gradually introduced to the last outcome of all that has happened in the short film and adds dramatic effect and tension and this is the only slowly introduced frame.

Sound:

At first we hear the drums. The drums really add tension and is a strong beat which sound like a strong sturdy heart beat which could be parallel to what the man in black is feeling. Violin is then added which is fast pace and this connotes to fear. This is clearly suggesting that the film will also represent these negative feelings. We then hear alot of scratching edited sound which sounds quite creepy and sinister. The sound of machinery is also often used like the sound of drills and such this creates a sci-fi feel because we think of modern technology and gadgets. These noises are non-diagetic so they are not heard by the characters and have been edited in. The high pitched train noise sounds like that of a squeal and catches the audiences attention and also hints to the terror of the plot and connotes instant panic. We do hear the digetic sound of people talking so we are still connected to the situation and it adds reality to the plot. The ink splatters on the frame sound like knocking like they are knocking on the frame so your eyes will answer and will keep looking at the film and keep interested. We hear an almost constant wind or violin noise in the background to give the film an eery feel. When we see the close up of the man with the gun a high pitched squeal sort of noise is used which can be parallel to the cry for help the people are screaming. The score of music in the background is very low key and sounds daunting and gives us the scary feel. Drums begin to pick up the pace. People start to panic and heart beats start racing. The music then becomes very contrapuntal as we hear an old soundtrack being used that's very happy and upbeat whilst a man who has been beaten is in the frame and this may reflect the surrealism of the situation. The drums come back in fast and pounding creating tension and has slow repeated beats in the background which could represent the exhaustion that the human race is feeling and is struggling to live. We then hear the noises of the maggots which demonstrates sound perspective as you'd have to be really close to hear them so the sound has been magnified. The sound of maggots is also a repulsive sound and makes people recoil and flinch again giving us the feeling of disgust and sickness. The score of music then begins to build up and become louder and a faster pace this could connotate to the arrival of something. Something is coming. And in this case its the arrival of the alien race. All together the music then makes a loud final which sound like a mass noise to create a big impact.

Camera angles and movement:

A close up panning shot is used in the first scene. This is also an establishing sho5t as we see the character and a view of the city. This is so we get an idea of the surroundings. A rolling shot is used when the titles are shown at first so we feel like we are there ourselves and keeps us involved with the story. A close up is used on the middle aged woman so we clearly see the white mask prop and it starts our curiosity to why she is wearing it. A wide angled shot is used when the people in the train station are walking past and we only see the torso's and this makes it easy more the audience to relate and feel connected to the plot. A low angle shot is used as the man writes so we get a clear view of his face and then a close up is used on his hand and the writing stating that there is some significance to what he is writing. An eye line math is used as we see the kid look up and we then see the building at a low angle this allows us to see the building from a different perspective. Then a low angle rolling shot is used looking up at some more signs and buildings so we feel like the general public and that this is a global matter. All the quick shots used are an extreme close up so we are forced to look at it and the images become confrontational and intimidating. All are extreme close ups except the man who is strapped in the chair. This is a classic hostage scene and this can suggest that the human race is hostage to the disease/infection.  An establishing wide shot is used in a scene where the buildings are on fire so we see the whole of the city in ruin. Rolling shots are used for the shots on the roads to make us feel like we are in the car experiencing the plot.  A rolling shot is used as the man who has just done graffiti runs away so we feel like we are rebelling and running with him. A tilt shot is used to the machines in the sky so we feel like we are looking up to them. A panning shot is used around the explosion so we see the whole dimesion of the explosion making it look more dramatic. A long shot is used as we see the man getting beat up at the back of the frame and adds perspective to the frame. A crane shot is used so we see all the buildings in the scene. The last scene is an establishing shot of the city invaded by the machines.

preliminary task- Final video

This is our final preliminary video. For this video we tried to consider our different settings,scenes and frames. The plot for our short film is that i am planning to take over the world. We also put some thought into costume as Aaron wears a suit and has a teachers pass to make him look smart and help the audience recognise his role as a teacher. In our preliminary video we used action matching,shot reverse shot structure,180 degree rule, tracking shot,long shot,high angles and low angle shots,close up and bigs close up shots. this way we are demonstrating we know the very basics of making a short film. I like our short film as i think we demonstrate basic techniques well and we also considered costume and setting for our video. We also used props such as the sidekick teddy and Aarons teacher pass. Our transistions we used where just quick cuts we used this to reflect the different thoughts that pop into my head throughout the video of evils plans to take over the world.

Preliminary task-Day 02

 This is our second day of filming our preliminary task. We had already done Aaron's filming and now it was time to get my scenes done as I am the main character. We had found a well lit empty room this means the natural light would have lit my face and highlighted my skin making it clear to the viewers what age I am. The empty room was also perfect because it gives us the creepy sinister feel we needed. I also think it highlights the characters weirdness and loneliness. The first take was me saying my first scripted lines which are "I have a plan" . After this first scene it is not clear what our story plot is and we think this creates curiosity withing the viewers and draws them into our story. Our camera man however didn't realise she had left the camera running so we ended up doing a long shot of me talking the next shot is also the same these will not be included in our final video. Our second shot was a close up of me saying "to take over the world" the close up adds dramatic effevt and also makes my facial expression clear. For the third shot we did the scene if me pacing up and down we did this as a long shot and equal angle so it gives the viewers a sense of being their watching me from the front of the room. The long shot also adds depth to the frame. The next two shots are of different angles of me sitting down so we can create an action match when we have edited the clips together this will make the movement more fluent and also give the audience two views of me sitting down again making them feel fully included. After this we then used shots to create shot reverse shot structure to make it clear I am in conversation we are also following the 180 degree rule. The last shot is a close up of my face after Aaron has supposedly walked in and caught me in the act. This is also a close up to add tension as I've just been caught conjuring up an evil plan.

Film opening genres and planning

For media we have to create a film opening which is in either of the following genres: relationships,action,science fictitious or real life.

Relationships: for this we didn't want to create something that was too literal to the term relationship. The term relationship connotes to stereotypical couples of boys and girls. So we thought of different story lines for if we wanted to do this genre such as bromances or a relationship between gays or even between an owner and his pet. Under all circumstances we want to be different by expanding the genre and thinking outside of the box. Films we would like to look at to give us ideas on the subject would be p.s I love you ,500 days of summer and titanic so typical love stories so we can analyse how they have presented ,filmed and framed characters to make their love connection clear.

Action: for this genre we wanted to add a bit of creativity which we think can easily be done with special effect and also using all if our art skills for weird costumes and props. For this genre we wanted to look at typical action acts. When we thought of action we immediately thought of the old batman series we could include creativity into the film opening by making our own sound sign of things saying "pow" and "wham" in a sort of pop art technique. We then started to think about using stop motion and create a comic book sort of lay out or have scenes with sonic book images in to give you the retro action super hero feel. If we did this genre the films to look at that follow the comic subject nearly are avengers,batman and other marvel films. We'd also like to look at die hard to see some hardcore action stunts.

Science fiction: even though we want to be seen as different when presenting our film opening we want to take this subject extremely literal by using stereotypes and things the genre connotes to such as space science and really nerdy things. We would like to do something to do with either aliens or space as we think this would make an interesting film opening. If we did this genre we would have to really consider our settings and costumes to make our genre seem obvious. We would have to look at films such as Star Wars,star trek and programmes such as the Big Bang theory. This way we can see how the setting are produced to the audience and also how they present and create a relationship between the viewers and the characters.

Real life: me and the group have took a liking to this genre as we have thought of a story line and techniques we can use to present scenes and can even indicate that "flash backs" happen. Thinking about it flashbacks could be the name of our video? Not sure yet. The story line we would like to consider is an ex mental patient. She had a diary during her time in her ward and we want to use an inner monologue to make a personal connection to the audience as the tells her story. We then want to include cut away shots if scenes she is talking about which had previously happened in her ward. We would also like to have another character who is her counciler. This means the audience can maybe see the story through two perspectives and give out story more depth and meaning. If we did choose this genre we would have to look at programmes such as my mad fat diary and films such as Bridget jones diary or diary of a wimpy kid so we can see how they have made it clear that the events are part of a personal book written by the main characters.