Different blogs

http://eca-mediastudies.blogspot.co.uk/

http://tvdrama-mediastudies.blogspot.co.uk/

6/12/13 notes

Step 2 - relationship of power (who is subordinate, who is dominant, how does this tie in with gender?)

Doc Martin 

- doc is dominant over the others, shouting can get away with it - shows his higher social class - he has a higher job than them, more qualifications 

- doc is closer to the camera - more power

- doc has more camera time 

- doc has a higher class to others, looks down on them, talks formally and powerfully 

- doesn't have time for the policeman, more power than him 

Stereotypes

- middle class - doctor - uptight, having to do other peoples jobs for them, from London (supports his stereotype), patronising with others getting in their way, dismissive of people, blunt/rude to people,

- working class - plumbers - "go with the flow" (dialog - sound) - represented as lazy, uneducated, unprofessional, incompetent, generous "free of charge" (respects him as he is a higher class)

Younger plumber challenges stereotypes - references literature - positive representation and audience can have more connection with them

Know the community, opposite of middle class

"Bodmin" - local term - doc doesn't understand - find evidence for regional identity 

MES:

Location- 

Costume - suit and overalls

Props - sink, tools, prescription 

SOUND:

Accents - regional 

CAMERA:

Focus of the shot, composition

Low angle shots of the doctor and high angle of plumbers

Sink included in plumbers shot - working

EDIT: 

Motivated cut - doctor 

Prominent/Narrative with the doctor 

Pace 

Woman in street - middle class, florist - owns her own shop, got a car - normal 

Look for significance and talk about the most significant 

Justify the point if view it is coming from

Evaluation of 4 characters from 2 different TV dramas

Holby City:
Chantelle Lane:
- She is always happy showing her to show her positivity and joy in her life
- Some of the other characters over power her making her appear small and inferior
- When you first see her you would assume her to be a stereotypical blonde girl as she pretty and blonde
- Has been involved in a car accident but soon goes back to work - stronger than she first appears
- She and a co-worker were attacked by muggers - shows weak (young girl, less power)
- Often wearing a heavy coat of make-up such as fake eyelashes, showing she wants to impress others and may lack self confidence


Jac Naylor:
- Can be seen as a bully to other workers as she speaks her mind
- Often seen as superior and has control over what others do, including male workers
- She has a strong position in her career also portraying strength
- She is strong-minded and forward
- In order to achieve her goal she is willing to hurt others
- Is the dominant partner in the relationship
- Can sometimes show compassion




Neighbors:
Callum Jones:
- Had a troubled start to life - mother left him at the age of 6, did not know his father and was left in the care of his grandparents
- He would act as a troublemaker due to his poor upbringing - e.g. stealing and bunking school
- Had an adoptive father - finally found stability
- A stereotypical young boy which will create havoc for attention
- Callum's character shows that he is a young boy looking for somebody to love him
- Typical young male teen clothing - people similar to him will be able to relate to him

Amber Turner:
- Seen as a friendly, spirited and naive character - the qualities of a typical teenage girl - relatable
- Typical teenage girl dealing with issues involving love and heart break, teenage girls will be able to relate to her as many will experience the same things
- Has a stable family and has a close relationship with her mother
- Also has a close relationship with brothers - appears as a loving, strong family
- As a 17 year old girl she is experiencing new things which an adult would face
- Kind and Caring - would do anything for friends or family
- Moved from her home town - life is changing

18/10/13

Ellie, Alex and Nicole's year before work: 

Move as part of the scene

Matched to the background

Shadow 3D text

Animatic (edited storyboard) - framing and position of the title 

INTEGRATED TITLES, e.g. Napoleon dynamite (mise-en-scene) 

To make integrated titles use after effects - module

15/10/13

TV dramas are made to represent the life if the audience so that they can feel like they can relate to the characters. 

How is the character portrayed to us as an audience - Lola from eastenders

- straight on camera angle so you can relate to her and to show her emotions

- dressed as a typical teenage girl so can also relate to her

- seen as a strong character and fights for what she thinks is right 

- feel sympathy for her because she nearly lost her child 

- common accent, typical London girl - relatable 

- victim - loosing her child

- could be seen as bully although she is fighting for her rights 

- young when she had the baby 

- only has her grandad as family, no role models

Eastenders clip - 

- medium shots and medium long

- close ups of a serious conversation 

- going from one set of characters to another - help us build a picture of who people are

- never look at the camera so it looks like we are imposing on their lives

- jack and Derek argument - looks as though jack is winning argument as he is higher than Derek (standing against sitting)

- not very realistic, very scripted, life isn't scripted - not that much can happen to a small group of people, feeling as though nobody goes to work - doesn't meet the purpose 

Schwarzfaher -

- Conflict between old and young, black and white - racism 

- close ups

- slow jazz music, calming - opposite of the situation

- man with loud music - distracts others

- extreme close ups - ears and eyes - listening to woman being racist 

- old woman stuck in the olden times - similar to Derek branning (eastenders) 

- music gets faster - more intense

- panning across to the main drama 

- black man eats woman's bus ticket - karma 

- little boy likes black man - not for racism 

Black man: 

- hatred against people because he is isolated 

- he is a victim of racism - feel sympathy 

- wants to be accepted 

- silent hero (mugging off old lady) 

- respectful (isn't rude back) 

Old woman:

- racist 

- opinionated

- selfish - doesn't care what people think of her 

- xenophobic, racist and homophobic

- living in the past and doesn't want to adapt

- dressed as a stereotypical woman

- bully/villain 

Lesson 2

Types of Narrative:

Linear: clear beginning, middle and end giving a clear line of a story. An example of a linear narrative is Taken. This is a linear because the film has a clear story line and starts with the beginning, draws into the middle then closes with an end. 

Nonlinear: flash backs.
This can also tell the same story over and over again but from a different point of view, so each character adds a new part to the film, making it more interesting. Having a non-linear film keeps the audience enticed in the film as they have to watch carefully to understand. An example of a nonlinear film is the Grudge. The film starts with something that happened in that past, then suddenly changes to the present. 

Restricted: audience only know what the character knows. This means that we can see the film though the main characters eyes as we can only see what they see. Some characters within the film may then know more than the audience. A restricted narrative would often be used in a murder film so that the audience is constantly thinking about who the killer may be. An example of a restricted narrative is the usual suspects. This is restricted because the director uses short clips so that the audience is enticed and nothing is given away and whenever the clip changes a new piece is given away, however at the end the truth is unveiled and we understand the whole film within two minutes.

Omniscient: When audience knows everything about the film and character. You know from the start what is happening - see someone else discovering what you already know. An example of an omniscient film is shutter island.

Enigma code: audience asks themselves questions throughout the film, a way of enticing the audience, often in a murder inquiry 

Thriller genre

Conspiracy - either hero or heroine, journalist investigator trapped in a powerful organisation, enemies, secret organisations, lies and propaganda,

Identification of good to over rule the evil of the world, secrecy of governments and secret organisations in history.

Crime thrillers - focus on criminals and their activities, emphasise action over pscychological aspects, serial killers and murders, robberies, chases, shoot outs, heists, double crosses.

Disaster thriller - survival in conflict with natural or artificial disasters, causes of human activity, future going to bring.

Mystery thriller - relates to crime, detective or private investigator, solver mystery, circumstance of the mystery of crime, makes the audience think, dramatic effect.

Political thriller - stability of government, reliance on hero or heroine that is employed to prevent bad things happening, common scenarios eg elections and prevention of world wars.

Psychological thriller - plays with audience mind, produces suspense, shows mentality of the character and the thought processes.

Religious thriller - plots closely religious objects, institutions and questions. Unravel good and bad points of religion.

Supernatural thriller - otherworldly element that shows something, tension and suspense, unsuspected twist, villains have supernatural gift, closely linked to religious thrillers.

Techno thriller - manipulation of sophisticated technology playing a prominent part of taking over the world, mainly based on fictional speculations on life, common themes; world wars, action, and science fictional occurrences such as aliens. 

Animation about sub genres, enigma code and narratives

For this animation we worked in a group of 3. We would each research the four types of narratives, enigma code and the sub genres of thriller films. We then combined the information we collected and put it into an interesting presentation. My main role in this was to edit the final video. As the animation website we used only allowed you to record 30 second videos we had to edit the videos in iMovie then add the sound on top of the screen recording. The main purpose of this task was to learn about narratives, sub genres and enigma codes and be able to put them into an interesting presentation. So overall I think the group and I achieved our goal. 

11/10/13 notes

Matrix - interrogation

Tension

Suspense

Mystery

Props - black suits and sunglasses

Orchestral music 

Low key lighting - twist, spy, detective, police 

Interrogation - twist 

Film:

Where do ideas come from? 

Inspiration from other peoples work

Research

Different films 

Which students produce better ideas?

Look at other peoples for inspiration 

People that work well together

Watched most films

Restricted narrative - audience does not know what's coming as neither does the actors

omniscient narrative -  audience knows what the actors don't

Is it possible to be original?

No - branching off other ideas