Classwork

In this post it contains a summarize of what we have learned and class activity that we did during class. 

[Camera]

We studied about how camera is very important which not only it shows what the author wants to show but it also can creates feeling that audience can interpret during the video. We learn two different type of camera; camera angles and camera movement. 

Camera Angles

There are many types of camera angles that we learn and each of the camera angles has its own feeling that is given; such as

• Long shot -- It shows the person's entire body in the frame 
• Extreme long shot -- It tells audience where the scene is being taken place, it also shows whats around the character such as the environment. It can also give a feeling of loneliness and isolation
• Medium shot -- It shows the persons gesture and emotion
• Cowboy shot -- It shows to audience that the character is more dominance or has more power than the other character 
• Close up -- It shows the audience to focus on the important detail such as the person's expression 
• Extreme close up -- It emphasize detail in a person's facial expression or a subject
• POV -- It shows the audience being in the characters shoes and can also make the audience to feel what the character's feeling is and their action. 
• Over the shoulder -- It gives a sense of feeling tot eh audience that they are also involved in the scene
• High angle -- It shows how the character is vulnerable or powerless, but it could also show how the person is trying to take something that is very high up. 
• Low angle -- It creates emotional effect that can be said as intimidating towards the audience
• Dutch angle -- It shows an effect that is uneasiness and amusing 
• Establishing shot -- It shows the audience that a change of location will happen and it shows where the location in the following scene

We also had an activity in class on drawing the different camera angles where each camera angles are assign to each peers. I (Tisha) and Cassie was given the Dutch Angle to draw. 

Camera Movement 

We learned about camera movement as well, where we learned about 

Storyboard *

We also learn how to make storyboard, by having storyboard this helps us to guide what may come, we were shown a video in class and we were told to make a storyboard out of it, which me (Tisha) and Cassie made our first storyboard of a video that was given by our teacher during class which this is how it looks like: 

[Sound] 

We learned about how sound is important in the video as well, where not only does angle and movement creates feeling but with sound it adds more feeling and make the audience to be in the mood. We learned about 2 types of sounds: 

• Diegetic Sound : Diegetic sound is sounds that come naturally from the world to the video, it is also means sounds that the character / actors in the video can also listen. With diegetic sound being added inside the scene / shot of the video this gives info to the audience to know and it also adds realism to the scene where this also allows audience to feel more involved in the video.  
  - For example; footsteps, rustling leaves, radio being played in the scene and many more. 
  
  
• Non-diegetic Sound : Non-diegetic sound is any type of sound that does not specifically exist within the world of the film itself. Or in other word is sound that cannot be heard by the character / actors but can be heard by the audience as it is added into movie during editing. Non-diegetic sound helps in making the mood of the scene and intensifying the mood for the audience. 
  - For example; Narration, voice-over, sound effects and many more. 
  
  In diegetic sound it also contains some sub topic such as: 
  - Melodic : Melodic 
  - Discordant : 
  - Contrapuntal :

[Mise-en-scene] 

During week 5 we learn about Mise-en-scene where 

We were given an activity to do where my teacher gave scenarios to do then we draw it as a group, where Cassie and I (Tisha) did most of the drawing while Kimora and Eileen did the description and notes on the side that is being added into the drawing. This is how our first Mise-en-scene activity go: 

Not only that we were also given another activity where everyone in class were given papers with characters or a scene where we have to label the mise-en-scene and what feeling does it creates, this is how it go: 

We also were given a video that we can watch to remember what we have learned and the video also contains additional information from the lesson we just learned. 

[Edit] 

We also learned about how edit is one of the main 4 structure that is useful in film. With edit this also 

There are different types of cut that is use in edit and my teacher divide the editing cuts in two different group which is Continuity Editing and Non Continuity Editing. 

Continuity Editing: 

• Straight Cut : 
• Eyeline Match : 
• Shot / reverse shot : 
• Cutaway / Insert : 
• Match Cut : 

Non Continuity Editing:

• Cross Cut :
• Flash Back :
• Flash Forward :
• Jump Cut :
• Match Cut : 

We also learn how different takes gives affect to the film; 

    Long take : It makes the scene feel slow, builds suspense, it extends the feeling that the scene is trying to show to the audience and it is more immersive.

    Short take / Quick cut : It increase the pace of a scene, giving high energy/excitement that audience can feel, shows more action to the scene and it helps focus on the detail. 

we had an activity to make our own timeline edit sort of thing where our teacher gave a scenario for us to do. The activity was done by a group of 3 students, where i did it Cassie and Kimora. This is how it end up with: 

Scene: A killer is loose in the house. The victim doesn’t know anything is wrong! (optional: A detective has just learned the identity of the killer)

Steve Neale - Genre Theory

A text must be SIMILAR enough to be recognised as a particular genre. But it must also be DIFFERENT enough to be new and exciting. 

Because:

- It provides the audience with expectations

- It provides the writer/director with a blueprint

- It provides distributors with a target audience

This gives the audience variety to enjoy, also it diversifies the financial risk for the production company.

David Buckingham - Genre Theory 

Changes throughout the year happens over time which according to David Buckingham, a genre must be different and the changes are following the societal shifts throughout the year. 

Media Consolidation – when big companies buy off smaller companies that gives them the ownership where this is good.

Advantages of media consolidation	Disadvantages of media consolidation
- Able to provide content for niche audiences - Improved quality due to better funding - It’s cheaper for the audience - Converging technologies (eg. We can now get our TV, phone and internet form the same company, making things simpler) - Diversification - Less risk for the media company. (if something fails, it’s not too much of an issue) - Can reach a larger audience	- Smaller/Independent media outlets can’t compete with the production quality - Illusion of choice  - lack of competitiveness and alternate view points. Every TV channel is expressing the same viewpoint.  - The focus is on making money, not good content.  - Less local news

Stuart hall's theory – within a media text, there will oftentimes not be a true representation of events, people, places, or history

Curran and seaton – explored the power yielded by media and news group owners. 

• The mass media is owned and operated by fewer and fewer companies. (Media consolidation into conglomerates)
• Mass media is driven by political agendas and economic influences.
• The rise in new media is associated with the decline in quality of content. 
• Web users have a larger voice and can challenge conglomerates. 

Levi Strauss - Binary Oppposites 

Everyone understands the world in the terms of opposites. It is these opposites that conflict with one another and drive a narrative forward. 

- Good vs Evil

- Corruption vs Purity

- Emotion vs Thought 

- Monogamy vs Adultery

Whichever side prevails will tell you what the producer's ideology is, and what message they are giving the audience.

Hypodermic needle 
Assumes the audience as a sponge, absorbing ideologies from the media passively, without any questions.
Case Study: 1939, Orson Welles radio adaptation of War of the Worlds was broadcast to Americans who then truly believed that they were hearing the report of a real alien invasion. 

Two step flow

Expand the passive audience theory to suggest that people have their interpretations formed by opinion leaders (Trusted members of the community >> celebrities, influencers) 

Blumler and katz

The audience is actively using the media to satisfy some of our base social needs;

Diversion: A form of escapism from the stresses and strains of life. Maybe all media falls into this group. 

Personal Identity: The media supplies us with role models and ways of understanding our place in society

Social Relationships: 1) People make connections with performers they see on the screen 2) People form relationships with people in society when discussing the media product

Surveillance: Audiences use the media to gather information

Barthes - 5 Narratives Codes

A code is an aspect of a text from which the audience can derive meaning. We can do this through decoding or deconstructing the text. The 5 narrative codes include:

• Hermeneutic Codes : The mystery that occurs in a narrative, creating suspense and provoking the audience to seek answers.
• Proairetic Codes : The actions and events in the story, which drives the plot forward through a sequence of decisions.
• Semantic Codes : Involves the use of signs and symbols to convey meaning.
• Symbolic Codes : Involves deeper symbolic meanings in the narratives.
• Cultural Codes : relates to the cultural knowledge or context that informs the narrative. 

Stages of Media Text: 

• Production
• Distribution 
• Exhibition 

Horizontal Integration: 

Owning multiple companies within the same level shares many of the benefits of Vertical Integration.

    It also allows companies to diversify their content, and profit more from these. It also allows for cross-promotion, and different media platforms bring access to different audiences. 

    Audiences can benefit because it gives them more exposure to their favorite media properties/characters, and can increase engagement. (Children who are exposed to a character when they are young will more likely consume the same property when they are older)

Vertical Integration: 

Owning multiple companies within the different levels shares many of the benefits of Vertical Integration.

Synergy 

Mutually beneficial cross promotional strategies used by companies. This is not restricted to media companies.

Case Studies: 

• BBC and Bluey – following the charters (core values) 
• In 2009 Disney bought Marvel Entertainment and the rights to most of their characters – This meant that Marvel now had to fit into Disney’s brand image.
• When one company owns more than one stage of the media chain

Reflection: During the classwork it helps me to understand the topic more in detail and it helps me to remember about all the things that we learn and do in class. Learning this also helps in giving ideas on the project outcome later for this term. The things we learn in class teach me new vocabulary where I can implement those theories.