No Country For Old Men

Another film I had watched the opening of was No Country For Old Men. This film is a 2007, American neo-Western thriller written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, based on the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name. The beginning of this film starts of with murder, therefore the audience would know it is a thriller movie. The weapon used for the murder is shown by the camera as it focuses on it before the audience know what it is. The first voice the audience hear is spoken in 1st person, and is a monotone voice. We are introduced to the villain of this film. The appearance and clothing the villain wears is a black jacket, handcuffs, pale skin, deep eyes, psychotic eyes, long hair and very smart shoes. This appearance is a usual type of appearance for a villain.

There is a vast number of Camera Angles & Transitions used in the opening of the film, such as: Close Ups, Medium Close Ups, Extreme Close Ups, Over The Shoulder and many others. There is a unusual camera shot used when the villain washes the blood of his hands. When the scene changes, there is very little diegetic sound, this adds seriousness to the atmosphere, and creates suspense and tension in the audience too.

No Country For Old Men is set in a western, abandoned area, it is a very deserted and dangerous area as no one is around. Also there are no eye witnesses whom could identify the killer. Juxtaposition is shown. The colours used are of a golden brown contrast. There is also a sense of a ruthless atmosphere, the weather is shown to be hot, and there is an unforgiving sunrise.

Deliverance

Deliverance was one the films I had watched, the opening scene consists of plain white bold font. it contains foul language which instantly sets a mood identical to the language. There is an explosion in the first few minutes of the film. This explosion foreshadows that something bad is going to happen or has happened. There is a lot of non diegetic sound which includes laughing and talking, which gives a sense of evil. There is a number of different camera angles and transitions used such as: Close Ups, Medium Close Ups, Point of View, and 180 Degree Rule. 

The main characters are males connotes violence and gives the film a masculine theme. The main storyline of the movie is identified in the opening scene as a group of men are on holiday, somewhere where the audience to not know. This automatically lets the viewer's mind loose and they start to think that as they are in a unknown place, it is not a known location and there is no escape. Therefore, they could easily get lost and something mysterious could happen. Lastly, there is a scene which consists of a petrol station and a mysterious old man at the petrol station which is a typical convention of a thriller movie; leading to automatic identification.

Insomnia

Insomnia was one the first films I had watched. This is a thriller film, and contains a number of different camera angles and transitions such as: Close Ups, Medium Close Ups, 180 Degree Angle, Point of View, Over the Shoulder, and many more. In the opening scene, the characters are in a plane flying to Alaska, the setting is cold and boring. The letters shown in the opening create a feeling of discomfort as they are black, white and red. Also, the opening shows a red liquid typed substance which looks like blood, but the audience do not know what it is, however they get a sense that something is wrong.

Vladamir Propp

Vladimir Propp Theory 
He concluded that all characters could be resolved into 8 broad character types in the 100 tales he analysed.

The Villain 
Struggles against the hero.

The Dispatcher
Character who makes the lack known and send the hero off

The (Magical) Helper 
Helps the hero in the quest

The Princess or Prize
The hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil , usually because of the villain, the hero's journey is often ended with the princess , thereby defeating the villain

Her Father 
Gives the task of the hero, identifies the false hero, married the hero , often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally , the princess and father can not be distinguished. 

The Donor
Prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.

The Hero or Victim/Seeker Hero
Reacts to the donor marries the princess.

False Hero
Takes credit for the hero's actions or tries to marry the princess.

A Lot Like Love

I watched the opening scene of A Lot Like Love, and this is a film about both Comedy and Romance. A film with 2 different types of genre is known as a Hybrid Genre. A the beginning of the film, there is diegetic sound when the pop song is being played. Also there is non diegetic sound when you can hear the surrounding noise of the plane and when the drink is dropped on Ashton Kutcher by the air hostess. Pathetic Fallacy is also used as when Ashton Kutcher is dropped to the airport by his sister, the weather looks nice and hot, this shows that everyone is happy.

The opening scene is set in the airport, so this tells the audience that this film is not a Science Fiction. There is a vast number of Camera Angles and Transitions used. some of these are: Close Ups, Medium Close Ups, Extreme Close Ups, Long Shots and many other camera angles. These different camera angles show surroundings, engage the audience and emphasise facial expressions and creates focus in the audience.

At the beginning of the film we are told that the film is shown 7 years before, so that shows how the couple change in the 7 years. The pairing of the couple is an unlikely pairing as the girl is good looking, whereas the boy isn't shown to be so good looking. Also, when the couple meet on the plane and start kissing, the audience get to know whom the main characters are in the film.

180 Degree Rule

180 Degree Rule:
 In film making, the 180-degree rule is a basic guideline regarding the on-screen spatial relationship between a character and another character or object within a scene. An imaginary line called the axis connects the characters and by keeping the camera on one side of this axis for every shot in the scene, the first character will always be frame right of the second character, who is then always frame left of the first. If the camera passes over the axis, it is called jumping the line or crossing the line. Cutting the line can result to confusion in the audience, and they may lose concentration. so therefore the rules of the 180 degree rule should be followed!

This picture shows the axis between two characters and the 180° arc on which cameras may be positioned. When cutting from the arc, the characters switch places on the screen.

Conventions of a Thriller Movie

The aim of a thriller movie is to create suspense and excitement for the audience. Thriller movies usually use busy streets and environments is usually of a urban or surburban area. The narrative revolves around the investigation of an enigma or the hero is the only person able to solve the enigma and reveal the truth. Violence is also central to most thriller movies as well as it often reveals the working particular institutions such as the police, the army or the government. The hero & villain although opposing sides, may share some characteristics. The hero is often an outsider, idolated secretive but moral.

Examples Of Shots

This is an example shot of a long shot of the back. This shot helped us as we will be using it in our film we will be creating. We'll use it when the antagonist is going to make his move on his victim to kidnap her. 

This is an example of an extreme close up on the face. We will use this when we show the face of the victim and her father walking and playing in the park. 

This is an example of a point of view shot. This shot will help us as we will use it when filming the over the shoulder shot when the antagonist is looking at his victim and getting ready to make his move on kidnapping her. 

This is an example of an over the shoulder shot. We'll use this shot combined with the point of view shot when the villain is looking at his victim. 

Media In Intertextuality

Intertextuality: When a media text makes reference to another text that, on the surface, appears to be unique and distinct. E.G.
The big bang theory has reference to lord of the rings and star wars. Also, scary movie, south park and vampires suck each make a reference to other movies or TV programme/serial.

 Representation: The construction in any media of aspects of 'reality' such as people, places, objects, events, cultural, identities and other abstract concepts. Such representations may be in speech or writing as well as still or moving pictures.

In 1997 a man called HALL described 3 approaches to representation:

- Reflective: Which deals wit ha view of meaning about the representation which is somewhere out there in out social reality.
- Intentional: Which is concerned with the view of the creator/producer.
- Constructionist: Which is concerned with how representations are made through language, including visual codes. 

Here are a few examples of media intertexuality: Scary Movie 1 Scary Movie 2  Scary Movie 3 The Haunted House

Stages To A Movie

Form: A category of things distinguished by some common characteristics or quality.
Equilibrium: Where everything is balanced at the beginning.
Disruption: Where something comes to unbalance the equilibrium.
Resolution: When everything is resolved at the end.

Vladimir Propp:
Vladimir Propp (17th April 1895 - 22nd August 1970) broke up fairy tales in sections. those tales were then define into a series of sequences that occurred within the Russian fairy tale.
 

He concluded that all the characters could be resolved into 7 broad character functions in the 100 tales he analyzed:

- The Villain: Struggles against the hero.

- The Dispatcher: Character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.

- The (Magical) Helper: Helps the hero in their quest.

- The Princess or Prize and her Father: The hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain.

- The Donor: Prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.

- The Hero or victim/seeker hero: Reacts to the donor, weds the princess.

- The False Hero: Takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess.

 Saving Private Ryan:

- Soldiers dying
- Theme of war and misery
- They find what they're looking for.
- Private Ryan is saved at the end of the movie.
- Music shows happy ending.

Star Wars:
- Action, Thriller, Sci-Fi (Hybrid Genre).
- Villain Dies at the end (Darth Vader).
- Universe is saved by the heroes.

South Pacific:
- Romance
- The couple get married and have kids.
- Slow changing scenes.

Lion King:
- Equilibrium: The Environment is normal at the beginning, all animals are living life happily.
- Disruption: Simba's (Protagonist) dad unfortunately dies and Scar (Antagonist) takes over the kingdom.
- Resolution: Simba (Protagonist) comes back and takes the throne of Scar (Antagonist).

Hangover:
- Equilibrium: 4 friends go for a bachelor party as one is getting married, they go to Las Vegas.
- Disruption: After a bad night of drinking, 3 of the 4 men wake up together not remembering anything that happened the night before. They then realise that one of the 4 friends has gone missing, bad things happen when they uncover what actually happened the night before.
- Resolution: The 4th friend is found at the top of a tall building, then all 4 return back home. all the friends make it back for the wedding happily.

More Camera Angles

- Denotation: The basic meaning: what you actually see?

- Connotation: The ideas associated with what you see.

Psycho

Whilst watching a short scene from psycho, we realised that there were a range of different camera angles and transitions used. There were few pan shots, medium shots, extreme close ups (on her eye and the drain), zooming in and out (from the drain) and a visual match from the eye to the drain.

More Camera Angles

- Visual Match: One image merging into another.

- Shot Reverse Shot: One character looking at another character and then the other character looking back.

- Continuity Editing: TO establish a logical coherence between shots.

- Eye Line Match: First shot shows a character looking off screen at something and the second shot shows the object/character being looked at.

- Cross Cutting: An editing technique used in film to establish continuity. the camera will move away from one action to another action.

- Action Matching: Often used to smooth the transition from one period of time and another. e.g. From a kid dancing to a adult dancing.

- Graphic Matching: Smoothly visual transfer from one shot to another. e.g. Drain to eye from the movie 'Psycho'.

As you can see from the image above, I have tried to draw some common camera shots that are used a lot. I have drawn shots from Extra Close Ups to Extra Long Shots. I did this so I could identify the different type of length shots that are used.

Camera Angles & Transitions

Camera Angles

- Zoom/Reverse Zoom: The camera is fixed and a zoom lens is used to move in closer (at variable speeds), or out, further away, from the subject(s). this is used to involve the audience or to focus the expression of the character, by zooming into a close-up to heighten suspense.
- Stead Cam: A camera that is on a lightweight counterbalance harness to the camera operator, producing a smooth, flowing show which can follow action.
- Focus: How clear an image is. if it is soft focus it is slightly blurry. this Is usually used for romantic effect.
- Pan: Originally 'Panorama' meaning view: a pan shot is a horizontal movement left or right by the camera on a fixed axis (of variable speed depending on the desired effect). it affords a more extensive effect view of a sector location and makes spatial relationships clear to the audience.
- Handheld: The use of a camera without a tripod to produce a 'shaky' effect to convey immediacy and excitement.
- Track: The movement of a camera angle on a dolly (tripod on wheels, usually on a rack) which affords the smooth following of a character.
- Tilt: A movement of a camera either up or down on a fixed axis to afford a high or low view by movement.
- Dolly Crane: This shot is from a camera on a crane, which can move horizontally, vertically or diagonally, from a high to low position to afford a variety of views. it can be used to draw the audience right into the centre of the action.
- Composition: The arrangement of visual elements within the frame, for clarity, balance of aesthetic effect.


Transitions

- Cutting: The most basic type of shot transition, it is the most common way to join two shots.
- Cutaway: The interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else.
- Jump Cut: This cut is usually the result of a continuity error, and not a stylistic choice by the director. A jump cut occurs when a cut, designed to act merely as a camera angle change (less than 30degrees), reveals a continuity error between two shots.
- Parallel Editing: The technique of altering two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations.
- Wipe: This shot involves one shot replacing another, travelling from one side of the frame to another. think of a vertical line passing from the right side of the frame to the left. on the left side of this line, we have shot A, and on the right side of this line, we have shot B. when the line reaches the left edge of the frame, shot B will completely fill the scene, and the transition is complete.
- Fade: Occurs when a picture gradually turns into a single colour, usually black, or when a picture gradually appears on the screen.
- Dissolve: The shot gradually changed the visibility of the picture. however, rather than transitioning from a shot to colour, it is when a shot changes into another shot gradually. it can be used to create a link between two different objects, a man telling a story, and the visual of his story, for instance.

Indentifying Genres

- Iconography: The branch of art history which studies the identification, description and the interpretation of the content of images.
- Pathetic Fallacy: When the weather reflects the mood.
- Diegetic Sound: Sound that comes from the scene being watched.
- Non Diegetic Sound: Sound that is added to the scene, e.g. music.
- Hybrid Genre: The merging of 2 different genres, e.g. Shaun of The Dead (Horror & Comedy).
- Protagonist: Hero
- Antagonist: Villain

Types of Genres:-
- Action
- Adventure
- Horror
- Comedy
- Science Fiction
- Thriller
- Bollywood
- Nollywood
- Lollywood
- Tragedy
- Musical
- Romance
- Black Comedy
- Fantasy
- Documentary
- Crime
- Drama
- Family Films


Sub Genres:-
- Biopic
- Disaster
- Melodrama
- Epic
- Road films
- Film Noir

Introduction

Text: A way of communication in capturing an image or description/message.
(original words of something written or printed or a source from which something can be interpreted).

Different types of texts:-
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Radio
- Music Videos
I think the most influential type of media is the internet as it used daily by millions of people around the world for a number of things such as reading/watching the news, social network sites, playing games etc.

Convention: A list of rules that define a specific genre.

Brief of Coursework

Brief: The titles and openings of a new thriller film, to last a maximum of 2 minutes.