Wednesday, 20 January 2010

Ashes to Ashes Gender Assessment



Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the representation of gender using the following:
  • Camera shots, angles, movement and composition
  • Editing
  • Sound
  • Mise-en-scene

Sentence starter ideas:


... challenges the stereotype of Males/Females
... reinforces the stereotype...
... conforms to our expectations....
... is used to show...
... is used to emphasise...
... reinforces the idea that...
The director has deliberately... to create an effect...

Sunday, 10 January 2010

Excellent points from TV Drama Mock

CAMERA

•Change from shallow deep focus to shallow focus to show suspicion of man in bus stop/vulnerability of Ben.
•Montage of images with voice over emphasises he is questioning evolution
•High and Low angle shots used with David up the Tree and Ben below with ice cream all over his face – show status (superiority of mind)
•Reaction shot – David disgusted by Ben
•First close up on Ben establishes his disability (down’s Syndrome) immediately

MISE-EN-SCENE

•Props and colour used show the difference between the two boys in the bedroom
•Costume – Ben dresses like normal teenager. Trying to be a normal teenager, held back by disability
•Casting – using an actor with Down’s syndrome indicates the type of struggle
•Different toys at the bus stop shows B is like a child

EDITING

•Fast cuts used in kitchen to show the hectic morning routine
•Shot reverse shot used between D and B to emphasise the conflict or the difference between them
•At bus stop sped up images and cuts to show the different days, different people with B and D there all the time – emphasises the sense of routine and that David is obliged to do the same thing every day

SOUND

•Voiceover (coupled with panning shot round D’s head) expresses the main characters internal thoughts
•“Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older” suggests david feels trapped in his situation – wants to get older – more freedom
•“Wouldn’t it be nice if we were older” cheery music in contrast to the stressful antagonistic atmosphere- their lives are not “nice”
•Dialogue- david uses advanced vocabulary in contrast to Ben – shows his disability’s limitations

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

LINKS FOR EXAM REVISION

Examples of excellent/interesting editing - remind yourself of editing techniques and try and spot them in your TV DRama Representation exam:
http://www.johncassediting.blogspot.com/

Ma Warrington's Audiences and Institutions blog is still active. Use this for the Radio section of the exam:
http://johncassinstitutionsaudiences.blogspot.com/

Thursday, 26 November 2009

ALL STUDENTS MUST BE UP TO DATE WITH:

1.Preliminary tasks complete and edited, added to blog

2.Make sure all genre research is complete! You should have researched your Genre in detail, finding all the conventions and looking for any interesting filmmakers, identifying conventions conformed to and challenged. Begin to decide on which approach you will take.

3.Decide on production roles within your group

4.Begin planning your production, brainstorm ideas on characters- actors/ setting/ music/ props/ costume/ titles. Post at least 2 different ideas on the blog.

5.Research and take pictures of characters/ locations and music which you would like to influence your decisions. Add this to blog!

6.Start to explore your target audience

Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Ashes to Ashes Gender Assessment


How does the director use:
  • camera work
  • editing
  • mise-en-scene
  • sound
to show stereotypical representations of gender

Thursday, 16 July 2009

music video

Students,

Just a reminder that you should be researching videos for your blogs from a variety of genres. Some good directors are: Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, Chris Cunningham and Garth Jennings - google their names or type them into you tube- it will introduce you to videos of genres that you perhaps wouldn't have accessed independently. This video is a simple concept - made with mini cameras attached to bicycle helmets. Simple idea, really effective video. The filmmaker was Adam Buxton - explore his you tube channel too if you have time.

Miss P