RESEARCH: Pete Fraser's Media Blog

The Cover of Media Magazine

I read Pete's media blog and his blog is really useful because its relevant and resourceful towards what we are working at. In the blog there was a post about brilliant production work link to Media Magazine where I read an article which was written by David Buckingham, the article was called Selling Youth. It was about how the younger generation was tech savy and the older generation isn't, they are digital immigrants. Pete also has a twitter feed where he makes lots of posts regularly.

Filming our Preliminary Exercise

We filmed a preliminary exercise during our lesson, I was in a group with Alex and James. Our preliminary used the idea of a Pizza delivery man arriving at his delivery location without a pizza and then asking the customer to borrow money to buy a pizza, we filmed these using Canon cameras and edited using final cut and iMovie. Our idea includes shot reverse shots, and we had to follow the 180 degree rule. We filmed a scene at the bottom of the stairs then at the top this is so that we followed the actor going up the stairs, then we edited the clip so that it was smooth and flowed properly. Although when we filmed it the lighting was insufficient and also the sound was not loud enough, theses were the problems we faced during the filming, so for our next practical exercise we will have lighting around the camera and the area where we film, also we will use either microphones or speak much louder.

RESEARCH: TRELLO

Today I began using a website called Trello, it is a useful website to record what my plans are for the rest of this course. It helps keep track of what I need to to or what I have done or even what I am doing currently. This is an example of what Trello can do.

This is my live link to Trello:

Research of the Opening of Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim

This is the first still in the title sequence and it shows us the name of the director and it is on top of the machinery, this movie is about defeating aliens who escape from a hole on the pacific and they create robots to try and defeat the aliens, the significance of the machinery being with the directors name because the director is the maker of the machinery.This is the screen of the weapons as a part of the robots which have been created, these are an important part of the movie as they represent one of the main characters’ favourite weapon and also it shows the theme and genre of the film as it is an action film involving violence and gore. This is also foreshadowing the future events in the film such as a fight involving these weapons for example.

Research of the Opening of Sherlock Holmes

The Opening Of Sherlock Holmes

This opening is done in pen and ink wash and this gives it the look of the era, the Sherlock Holmes series was based in the Victorian era and the pen and ink wash gives it that effect of being from the Victorian era. There is also an effect that its a book this is giving the effect that the movie is just like the book which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote as when he released the book that is what it would've looked like. There is also a sepia tint to the whole trailer this also gives the effect of the era of the story, the sepia tint suggest the story being set in the Victorian era as the sepia tint is a characteristic of this era. The ink splatter gives a foxed look to the trailer and also suggests the period of time that the story is set in. 

Research of the Opening of Les Bleus De Ramville

Les Bleus De Ramville

The opening clearly suggest the genre of the film, the genre is action, and this is further expressed through the sounds and the snaps of action, there are clangs and bangs of the hockey pucks and the hockey players this suggests that there is a sense of danger while you watch. The changing scenes suggest a slow winding up, the action doesn't instantly start there is some build-up. There is a still where is pans past the mask and this represents the danger, the mask is also very scary looking. The backing track for the opening is was also a very good pick as it expresses the kind of movie this is and also during the opening there is never a face shown this gives that message that individuals don't matter its about the team.

Research of the Opening of Skyfall

Skyfall

In the opening of Skyfall it expresses the genre immediately, this is an action movie and in the The opening slide expresses the genre of the film straight away, as it shows the main character James Bond (Daniel Craig) is in mortal danger, although this seems impossible it is used to convey the sense of danger. This slide also shows the branded nature of the film as it is a series which has certain stereotypes. The mise-en-scene is modern and suits the spy genre of the film as we think of spies as having the latest technology and skills.The next slide shows shooting range targets, the targets are in the image of James Bond this maybe foreshadowing of what will happen later in the movie this is a very powerful image of the main character being in mortal danger yet again. This emphasizes the genre of the movie as it is an action movie. The use of the blood, and the illusion that it looks like fish in the sea. The next slide is of  guns and knives, this slide uses the stereotypes of the series to show what will happen and the aura of danger coming from the surroundings. There are guns and knives which represent the tombstones or gravestones but I think they are shown as weapons because it is foreshadowing the reincarnation of a person who is meant to be dead or is thought to be dead.

Research: Analysis of the Opening of Nowhere Boy

Nowhere Boy

The film opens with the ident of the film production companies (Icon and Film 4) and the UK Film Council, who was supported by The National Lottery. The establishing shot is a wide which shows a grand imposing structure with which are classical looking and vintage styled building which has been there for an extremely long time. This is contrasted by the young boy running through these halls, he shows how he is not intimidated by the grand structure of the building, this part was shot at a low angle shot.
The film then continues with John Lennon waking up in bed, he is wearing pyjamas which were striped and they represent the classical style of wearing pyjamas and the bed sheets were ones which helped keep him warm as there was no heating in those days. Aunt Mimi is introduced as the serious hard-working parent who generally never jokes around and is always strict, whereas Uncle George is introduced as the friendly fun-loving uncle who plays around with John and is more like a brother to him. When we are introduced to Uncle George he is giving John a harmonica in a inconspicuous manner as if they are hiding it from Aunt Mimi, this is because Aunt Mimi is the one who seems to ruin all their fun.

The Scene is introduced by the 1950s American Rock 'n' Roll. When John is about to leave Aunt Mimi is screaming at him through the window, she shouts inaudibly, "Glasses! John!" Then they move into a dynamic shot while classical rock plays in the background this establishes the time period (it is the 1950s). The lyrics of the song mention "I'm a real wild child" which reflects the kind of teenager John was. Then the source of funding is shown, it is from Northwest Vision and Media which is because Liverpool where the story is set, Hanway Films, Ecosse Films and Lip Sync Productions. Then they reach the school which is a grand extravagant building but this sophistication is contrasted by John when he jokes around with his friends whilst swearing and even exposing himself to girl, this results in him being called to the Principals Office. Where he is sarcastic towards the Headmaster, he says, "there's nowhere for the geniuses, Sir" this shows his ignorance towards authority. 

The Director is introduced with the words "A Sam Taylor-Wood Film". Then the Title of the film is introduced in the middle of the screen and in big letters. 

Then the enter back to the house where Aunt Mimi is sitting down knitting and listening to Tchaikovsky whilst Uncle George and John are play-fighting and jumping around screaming, this shows the contrast between them.