High and low budget films

Spider-man 3 is a high budget film costs $258 
million to make, but they made $890,857,303
 from it, making it a very successful film.
 Spider-man is a extreme action film with a lot 
of exciting and new special effects.

Marvel studios is a very popular and well

 known production company as most 

superhero films are made from it. It has a 

mass market audience as there is no specific

 genre and age that should watch it.






Saw is a low budget film costs $1.2 million to 
make but ended up making $103,880,027 from it.
Saw consists of the following genres Horror, Thriller,
Slasher, Indie film, Crime film, Psychological thriller and Mystery.

The following productions are not the usual ones that
everyone has heard of, this is partly why the film was
not a major success unlike Spider-man 3 was. This is
 because the well known productions are normally better
 and have higher budget films. People usually like to go
to watch the names they are familiar with a know they
are good unlike the ones that they do not know, which
might not be good. However having Twisted Pictures
productions really highlights what type of film it is and
what to expect from it. When making a type of horror film
some people like to go to the productions which specialize
the type of genre they are looking for.
When coming to make your own movie you may play it safe and look for the well known productions which tend to do all genres but they may not be as good as the productions which specialize only in a specific genre.



High budget films usually consist of really intense and exciting realistic effects which always draws the audience to attention. They will also have well known actors and actresses for example Tom Cruise, Jennifer Aniston etc. The set is usually really good and the props are always high quality just like the camera quality is as well as the acting. However i can't say the same about low budget films as although the odd one maybe very good, often they are what you call 'spoofs' which is just a remake of an original film but making it funny and stupid. It is usually filmed with new and not known before actors and actresses. The acting can be poorer than a high budget film and the props are of a low quality and there is not much of a set.  The similarities of the two are each budgets can still make any type of genres and produce it into cinemas. The only different is the money spent on them.                                                                                                      

Textual analysis

I am going to analyse this opening scene using the following techniques i have learnt in class,
Camera
Editing
Sound
Mise en scene.

It opens with loud music which immediately grabs the audiences attention and draws them in. The camera starts off zoomed in tilting down as it views the pictures on the wall which consists of variations of soldiers, leaders, superheros then followed by a number of books of religion, crime, education and fitness. The director uses semiotics here to make you think of the additional meaning to these pictures and the mystery behind them. Making the audience wonder and want to know more. From this you would also be able to see what type of person he is. He is clearly a very religious man and is very conscious of keeping fit as shown when you see all the books he has on fitness and when you see him doing pull ups. The director would use the movements; pan (moving right and left), tilt (up and down), a tacking shot and smooth zooming in and out. When looking at the film inside the prison we can analyse that the director has used a crane and a ledge with wheels to create a smooth camera effect and transition between the character leaving his cell to going out into the prison.
It uses a very effective graphic change as when the prison officer opens the gate inside, it then transitions to shutting a new gate but outside. This makes the transition very subtle and almost natural, it makes it seem as if the camera hasn't moved at all and neither has the prisoner, this makes it less confusing for the audience to follow.
Cape Fear also uses a lot of diegetic sound which makes the audience feel how they are meant to, for example using loud scary music just before a big jump is going to happen. It allows the audience to have an idea of what is going to happen. It gets the audience to feel more involved with the film and feel all that the characters feel, as if they themselves were really in the film.

Dancing bears edit

Editing James Bond clips

Institution

In today's lesson we learnt about Institution. Institution is the people who create, make and distribute the media.

What is the main film going audience?
The main film going audience is 15 to 25 years old.

How do cinemas make most of their money?
Cinemas mostly make their money through their high priced refreshments, food and merchandise.

How do you get a film into the cinema?
You will need a distributor in order for the film to go into the cinema.

What does a distributor do?
Film distributors make the movie available for an audience. The distributor is responsible for marketing the film and usually deals with the important part of financing a film. The film distributor may set the release date of the film and the method by which a film is to be exhibited or made available for viewing.

We also learnt about the 6 big major film producers:

Universal: Ted 2, Train-wreck, pitch perfect, minions etc.

Paramount: Hot Tub Time Machine, Turtles, Area 51 etc.

Sony: Fury, The Interview, The Walk, Pixels etc.

Warner Bros: Get Hard, Magic Mike XXL, The Hobbit, Gravity etc.

20th Century Fox: Maze Runner, Taken 3, Fantastic Four, Gone Girl etc.

Disney: Inside Out, Cinderella, Maleficent, Frozen etc.

We then made a logo for our films:

Textual analysis on boyz in the food

Today's lesson we have been applying camera, editing, sound and mise en scene to a variation of clips e.g. Boyz of the hood.

The first 6 minutes of this clip really gives a clear and worrying perspective of what went around in this time and in this neighborhood, showing the racism and how the same race are willing to kill each other.

In the beginning you see nothing but hear brutal and offence language being projected out as if someone was arguing, you then hear a subtle siren sound in the background where it then goes into a fade and the shouting stops.
As terrifying and shocking words appear on the screen the sound in the background is loud frightful screams, this is known as diegetic sound which makes you feel how you are meant to when reading the text. They want you to be scared and worried so they put screams in the background to make you experience it for yourself. They add in a young boys voice who says 'They've shot my friend, they've shot my brother' This makes you already feel sad and concerned before the film has started, they are warming you up for the whole film itself.
The black background immediately flashes to a stop sign just as all the screaming stops. This represents one of the sematic codes which is where you have to think of the additional meaning to what the stop sign means, not just thinking it is a plain stop sign but much more.
The transition from the stop sign to the street is sudden and has no graphical meaning within it, however the camera shot is a long shot so that you can see what everyone is wearing, you can also analyse the background scenery. They have done this so that it allows the audience to see and really feel the reality of what is going on here. The two girls are wearing fashionably nice outfits with denim and red jackets followed by short skirts. The boys are slightly more covered up with long trousers and long jumpers.
There are a few transitions between the two boys as they are talking, after that it goes from a high camera shot and drifts to the left to see them walking, this gives you a real feel of the walking because not only are they moving but so is the camera.
It then makes a sudden transition to the poster with gun shots through it, at the same time it shows the bullet shots you also hear a loud gun shot this is also a diegetic sound, making you feel how they want you to.
When focusing on the red blood it then has a graphical transition to a painting with a red background, this is really effective and subtle with the way it does this. The last painting that is shown is a drawing of a police helicopter, the camera then slowly zooms out and pans left so that you can see all of the paintings until the camera keeps going on a constant role allowing you to see the whole classroom until it finally reaches the teacher.
The scene between the young black boy and the older white female teacher uses a few binary opposites which consist of
Big and small
Higher class and lower class
Old and young
Because of these binary opposites the teacher treats the student with a lot of disrespect because she thinks she is higher and better than him. You tell this by the way the camera catches a close up of her face, looking disapproval and smug. The close up of the face allows you to really feel the emotions as well as see them.
In the scene after the school scene it uses a voice over narration while the boy is walking and a fight is going on, this is also known non diegetic sound which creates more of an affect as it makes you feel different to how you really should. Ad the fight goes on you would normally feel tense and worried but you're listening to the speaking and feeling the complete opposite called contrapuntal.

Theory's

In today's lesson we did narrative, which is about the telling of the story and how it is really told.
Roland Barthes Theory was that he had 5 codes relating to films, these codes consisted of the following:

1. Hermeneutic / Enigma code which is the mystery within the text, where clues are dropped but no clear answers are given. This makes the audience want to know more.

2. Proairetic / Action code which contains sequential elements of action in the text.

3. Semantic code is the additional meaning which refers to parts within the text that suggests or refers to additional meaning.

4, Symbolic code is symbolism within he text, exercises opposites to show contrast and create greater meanings, tension, drama and character development.

5. Referential code refers to other things outside the text. Such as scientific, historical and cultural knowledge.

Todorov's Theory

Todorov believed that everything has 5 stages which is known as equilibrium.

The start of the film starts with an equilibrium which is the happy calm start to the film and then a distribution happens which is when something goes wrong in the film. Todorov said that after that there will then be a recognition of this distribution where the restoration will come in and turn it back into an equilibrium. He thinks that this occurrence happens in every single film. It starts off good then bad and then back to good.


Propp's Theory 

Propp suggested that every film has a
Hero
Villain
Donor
Dispatcher
False hero
Helper
Princess
and her Father.


Levi-Strauss Theory

He believes that films all have binary opposites, all stories have opposing opposites. For example:
Good and evil
Old and young
Rich and poor
Boy and Girl
Light and Dark.


Explaining the codes in this opening:

 

Hermeneutic / Enigma code is used greatly in this scene as nothing has been said, the usual characters are not there however you know they will be soon and you know something bad will happen. The mystery with this is that you don;t really understand why they're fighting these robots, even though it looks as if they are loosing you know it will be alright and they will actually win. Not really knowing what is going on and why it is going on really draws people into the film and makes them want to know more.
Proairetic / Action code links in with what i said with Hermeneutic as it creates a lot of suspense and makes you want to know more with the anticipation of what actions they are going to take next.
Symbolic code is used here as it shows everyone as opposites as they all have their own different and unique powers which segregates them from others making them original.

Audience

What do we mean when we use the word 'film'?
When we use the word film we refer to the old fashion way of viewing a clip which is used with a hin flexible strip of plastic or other material coated with light-sensitive emulsion for exposure in a camera, used to produce photographs or motion pictures

What do we mean when we use the word 'movie'?
A movie is known as a motion picture which is often viewed at a place called the 'movies' or the 'cinema'.

What do we mean when we use the word 'cinema'?
A cinema is a place where films are shown in a public place for entertainment. It is place which can be used as an exhibition of films where it explores all the different types of art.

Top 10 favourite films of all time
1. The Amazing Spider-man
2. Twilight
3. New Moon
4. Eclipse
5. Breaking dawn part 1
6. Breaking dawn part 2
7. X-men futures past
8. Insurgent
9. Tangled
10. Maze Runner

What do they have in common?
The majority of my films have the genre of action in common as they are all quite daring and really draw you into the film. Most also have a love story in a long the way which i always find really interesting and exciting to see what will happen next.

How do you find out about a film?
I usually hear about films if my friends have mentioned them or i tend to see a lot of trailers on TV which usually really makes me want to see it especially after not only hearing about it but seeing it too.

What makes you want to see a film?
If i see a really good and interesting trailer which immediately gets my attention then i will automatically want to see it.

How do you know what to expect from a film?
The trailer gives you a brief idea of what to expect from the film.

What are you paying for when you buy a ticket or rent a film?
I am paying for the experience and entertainment of the film. Where i especially like to see how others live their lives and what they have done to get there. Sometimes it gives me inspiration for things in the future for me.

Where do you watch films, at home? or cinema?
I tend to watch films at home as i am in my own comfort zone and can help myself to food at any time i want. However i do like to occasionally pop out to the cinema with my friends or family as a treat to see brand new films.

Do you think there are differences between watching a film at home or in he cinema? if you do what are they?
I think they are very different because when sitting at home watching a film you are more relaxed, can lay down and also eat as much free food as you want. When in the cinema you're around strangers and probably can't relax properly, also it is very pricey.

Are there some films you have to see at cinema, or does it not matter?
If there is a brand new film out and it is only in cinema and it is really good then i would definitely have to go see it at cinema.

Representation

I feel that this is a very stereotypical as blonde girls are often portrayed in the media as reckless, daring, crazy and tacky. Which is not true, however 'Trainwreck' portrays this stereotypical blonde girl in that way by having her in a low cut top with her boobs out as she is drinking alcohol, sticking her hand up. They are also trying to show that the male in the picture is the more respectable as he is in a suit and is also more responsible as he stands back behind her looking almost disapproval with the actions that this 'typical' blonde girl is doing.
This is a prime example of the media changing the truth. I also think this is quite sexist as it portrays men as the sophisticated one whereas the women is not and the man has to look after her as if women are not responsible and need looking after.






In class today today we learnt about representations and how people, events and ideas and presented to the audience. It takes something that is already there and represents it to us in the way that the media choose to.
Stereotypes are known as 'short-cut' which means it is rarely true.
Archetypes are known as the ultimate stereotype.
Counter types are the opposites to what is really real.
The following is the most common things to represent in the media:
Class - which consists of jobs and money
Age - Old and young
Gender - Male, female, transgender
Ethnicity - Race, colour, religion
Sexuality - Straight, gay, bisexual
These 5 are the ones that the media like to exaggerate in the way they present them.

Twilight

I have always been a huge fan of twilight and without a doubt i have adored and loved every scene, the mysterious Edward Cullun to the sweet and ever wanting Bella Swan had drawn me in since day one.
The first twilight to come out was where Bella and Edward first meet, Edward is the dreamy hard to get boy which all the girls adore. However Edward was immediately drawn to Bella and Bella with him, she was curious and wanted to know more about him but she had no idea what she was about to find out. After all Bellas queries came to mind she started adding them together, researching all the possibilities until she came to a conclusion... Vampire. She then came to confront him and even though Edward was angry at first his blood thirsty love for Bella overwhelmed him and he knew he had to make her understand and except him although Bellas exception came with a problem. She wanted to be a vampire to. Edward refused as he explained the misery of being a vampire and living forever, he refused to put the girl he loved through the same. However other vampires soon found out Edward had a human girlfriend and despite Edwards family being extremely acceptable, others were not. Some wanted to kill her, others have her as their pet. Keeping her human got even harder for Edward and soon had to come to a decision, but he explained to Bella that the only way he would turn her to a vampire is if she would accept his hand in marriage, she agreed.
The Twilight movies really stands out for as i love the ever wanting love between the two characters and to make things worse there is Bellas best friend is also in love with her and the two boys have a constant fight over Bella but Edward was always the one for her.
Now i know it just sounds like a typical boring love story, but it is really far from that. It is a huge and exciting adventure through the two completely different worlds and how they miraculously come together.

Distinct

In today's lesson we learnt about CLAMPS and DISTINCT and how we can use them to describe films and really uncover the truth about the films we watch.
CLAMPS stands for Costume, lightening, actors, makeup, props and setup.
DISTINCT stands for Describe, in detail, setting, theme, icons, narrative, characters and text analyse.

We looked at the following films-

Harry Brown



Harry brown film is a thriller/horror. The first scene of the Harry Brown movie consisted of an intense gloomy dark start which involved a gang of teenage boys pressuring another into taking drugs. They all dressed in dark clothing with hoods over their faces making it hard to see their face, this makes you know something bad will happen and how they're people who you should not mess with. In this scene it uses a variation of icons for example hoodies, drugs and mobile phones filming the boy taking the drugs.
It then immediately switched to another scene which was clearly in the day time as the boys were speeding on their motorbike laughing and swearing. This is a brighter and clearer scene then the first but much more unexpected and shocking. As they ride past an innocent women with a baby in her pram as they shot bullets at her scaring her until the third bullet which hits her down to the floor.The boys immediately ride away in panic only to get their karma by getting hit by a lorry and being catapulted through the street.


Clueless




Clueless is a drama/comedy. The first scene of clueless started with a different approach as it had bright and contrasting credits with loud outgoing music which made you have a feel of the film before it had already started. This is more of a girly film as it stars a typical rich teenage girl who loves her fashion and loves to be better than anyone else. However despite the fact she is stuck up she shows a lot of care and interest for her hard working dad who finds little time to spend with her. It is a very normal and calm opening to a film, nothing too complicated. The genre is a drama/comedy as we almost find the posh rich girl funny with how she has everything she could ask for, like a car she drives around without a license banging it into every bin and not having a care in the world. It is a very girly film which you can sit down and watch with the family without being on the edge of your seat the whole time.

 What lies beneath


 

The movie What lies beneath is horror and a thriller which consists of extremely intense music, heart pounding sound effects as well as focusing on the girls face as she rushes frantically round the house making you feel just as scared as she is. This scene is set in a big old house where it appears to be that she is alone with no one to help her, the lighting is very low key which makes the gloomy dark effect that allows the audience to be even more scared.

Semiotics image task

This represents the musical genre as it is one of those most used instruments which projects your voice loudly and clearly, i have portrayed the musical genre by using this well known icon the microphone. As scene on TV a majority of singers and performers would use this icon or a similar type which attaches itself to your face instead of being handheld.

 This represents the season genre, of Christmas. i portrayed this by getting a Christmas tree all decorated and with a reindeer which is placed in my hands as i have a big smile to show how happy the Christmas season is and how everyone loves it. Seasoned films are usually family friendly films,




Rosie represents the science fiction genre as she plays a scientist experimenting how to fly. This portrays science fiction because it relates to new technology and creations being made as science fiction is usually related to high tech and exciting new things which people have not usually heard of which is why science fiction films are quite popular and interesting.

Tv programme analysis

I absolutely loved this brand new series on sky called 'Humans', i found it so different to most series i had ever watched on TV and from the first episode i was automatically drawn into the uniqueness and was excited to watch the next one.
I was intrigued by the way the humans had treated the robots who looked exactly liked them, most humans responded the same with treating it as if it was nothing and just a servant. However others reacting differently and warmed to this human looking robot and were able to build a strong friendship with them, especially with the five robots which were made a lot differently to the others. The five different ones were made with an extra part planted within them, giving them the ability to feel similar emotions that humans did and because of this they were able to build strong emotional relationships with humans. Although the humans found themselves frightened by this small minority of robots which challenged the human race, they felt as if the robots were going to take over the world, they were a stronger, better and the more reliable race which people feared the most. Due to this fear the humans took it upon themselves to protest against these new robots and do whatever they could to destroy them. However the robots were not stupid, they were able to blend into the public looking like an actual living human being constantly hiding away and avoiding the people hunting for them as they went on their bumpy and interesting journey as lived two very different lives.

Semiotics

In today's lesson which occurred on the 7th September 2015. we looked at the meanings behind the words, semiotic, denotation and connotation. With the new techniques i have learnt i am now going to apply them to a poster of one of my favorite films.

                          This film poster represents the newest X-men film, days of futures past.
This poster gives a wide variety of all the different and unusual characters and what they represent, for example wolverine is stood at the front with giant claws and dressed in all black, usually this would represent death and then associated with a bad person. However wolverine is on the good side and always has been, although most peoples initial thought would be that he is on the bad from this picture. Also to the left the background is a misty orange and yellow with flying robots in the sky which shows it is the dangerous side as it is contrasted with the bright blue sky which is seen as a more happy background rather than the fiery one next to it.

Film scene analysis

I really enjoyed Kingsman as its different from most other spy films, it takes a typical common London boy and transforms him into a smart intellectual spy who is capable of stopping a world disaster. This scene is my favorite as Eggsy gets to see how Harry really is and that he is not just some well dressed old man, as Harry takes down this group of men who have been pestering Eggsy for a long time.
I especially really enjoy all the futuristic aspects to the film and how high tech it is, it makes it more exciting as the audience is not too sure their new cadet may be so are automatically intrigued wanting to watch more.

Film opening

This is the opening to The Amazing Spider-man which is an extreme action film with amazing and exciting special effects with spider-man flying into the air attaching himself to whatever is around him with his web which propels itself from within his wrists.
I think what makes spider-man most exciting to watch are the intense fight scenes which are then contrasted with this impossible love story, where Peter Parker (spider-man)  falls effortlessly in love with Gwen Stacey who's father is the head of the police department which are trying to capture Spider-man.