AS Media Studies

Single Father - Representations of age and gender

2010-11-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

In Single Father, both genders are represented in different ways.
One of these ways is through costumes. Adults wear plain, sometimes smart clothes, which shows responsibility and a high status. The audience will think that the drama will revolve around them, and will have the most dialogue, unlike the children. Their costumes are messy and carefree, and the audience will think that they are secondary characters, and that they are more affected by the adults actions, rather than do the action themselves. All costumes are dull colours, because the programme is a drama, so the audience cannot be distracted from the storyline. With acting, children in this preogramme have more happy facial expressions than the adults, and this shows off their personality. The audience will think that the children provide the humour and lighten the situation. The adults however are strict but calm, with loud voiced and nearly blank facial expressions, and restricted body language.
The lighting is mostly high key, because it is realistic - most scenes are set in the day, so naturally high key lghting would be used, and so we can see the actors faces and reactions in the scenes. When Rita dies however, the lighting is low key, to reflect the mood of the characters, in mourning for Rita. Lighting is a subtle hint for the audience, so they can tell what mood the scene will be. The locations are general - a nursery, a family home, and a photographers studio - and all show gender equality. However, there is one scene set at a football ground, which may be stereotypical, because all of the characters in the scene are male. The audience would feel quite happy that gender is represented mostly equal in a location point of view.
The diegetic sound of conversation does in a way represent men as dominant, for example, in one scene, two women are talking and one says that her husband doesn't want children, so they won't have any soon. The audience may feel bad for the woman, because it seems that her husband is telling her what to do. Although in another scene, females are shown to be dominant through diegetic sound. We see an or hestea playing, where one of the main characters (female) isxshow playing. This portrays her as intellectual and dominant in the scene, and the audience will this this.

AS Media Studies Foundation Portfolio - Prelim task evaluation

2010-10-31T08:24:00.000-07:00

In what was does your prelim task look like (or not) conversation scenes in proffessional films and TV dramas?
The conversation uses eyeline match editing, where the actor is looking off-screen, and the next shot is what the character is looking at. Many TV dramas, e.g Coranation Street, Waterloo Road, Friends. It is a common method of editing, so many TV shows would use it. This keeps the audience engaged in the the programme.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
I think that the audience would be anyone who was interested in the subject being talked about - The X Factor. The product is for all ages, because The X Factor is for a wide audience, and the show is very popular in the UK.
What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
I had to act in the product, So I learnt about working in front of the camera. We used different shots (caries from closeup to wide shot), and learnt how to use camera equipment (e.g. the camera tripod.)

Remaking Four Weddings and a Funeral

2010-10-03T13:23:00.001-07:00

Challenges
Three of us had to act, and it was hard setting up the shots. There was also the challenge of shooting - we decided to film outside - so we had to deal with wind etc.

Experience
None of us have had any real experience, so we had a hard time setting up shots, working with a camera, acting etc.

Confidence
Because we had no experience - of acting or working with a camera - none of us were really confident.

Preperation time
we gave ourselves 5-10 minutes to prepare, we printed out scripts and planned where we were going to film. We also decided on our roles - two people directing, one using the camera, and three actors.

Binary Oppositions and Equilibrium

2010-09-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Hangover (2009)

Binary Oppositions - Good vs evil (the head a gang threatens the main characters), trying to find someone (like a quest), main characters vs alcohol (they get very drunk, as the title suggests)
Equilibrium - The first equilibrium ends when the main characters wake up, to see that their friend is missing. The new equilibrium starts when they have found their friend, and finally get to his wedding.

Trailer:

Film 5: Kick Ass

2010-09-08T16:17:00.001-07:00

1. Referring to the key elements of a teen movie section from the Donnie Darko sheets, how is it possible to define this text as being a teen movie?
There is a attractive male protagonist, and he romantically involved with a female character, although there is heartbreak at the start. Most scenes take place in high school, and it's a superhero movie.
2. How does this signal that it is aiming for a teenage audience?
Teenagers relate the high school setting, as they spend most of their lives there.
3. How does this text portray teenagers and adults?
The teenagers are portayed as either harsh and evil, or nerdy and helpless. The main adult character is the head of a mobster gang, so he is very brutal and just as bad as the teenagers.
4. What type of locations feature within the text?
Locations include: High school, main male characters bedroom, comic book store.
5. What type of mood is established and how is it achieved?
The mood starts off serious, but becomes comedic really fast. The voiceover provided by the main character lightens the mood, and there is a non-diegetic score as well as songs. The violence is light hearted, although it is brutal it is played for comedic effect.

Trailer:

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Film 4: 10 Things I Hate About You

2010-09-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Referring to the key elements of a teen movie section from the Donnie Darko sheets, how is it possible to define this text as being a teen movie?
The film is set in high school, with an attractive male and female protagonist. There is conflict between the teenage characters, as well as conflict between the adults and their students (the adult characters are mainly teachers.)
How does this signal that it is aiming for a teenage audience?
The film shows us and explains the typical cliques, and teenagers can relate to this because they see these type of cliques on a daily basis. The teenage audience can also relate to
How does this text portray teenagers and adults?
The teenagers are portrayed as what you would expect, gossiping and informal but not immature. The headteacher swears and another teacher yells at a student and also swears. The adults are portrayed just as immature as the teenagers.
What type of locations feature within the text?
Locations include: High school, a main female characters house.
What type of mood is established and how is it achieved?
The mood is relaxed, with the characters contributing comedy. The fact that songs are non-diegetic instead of a score makes the film less serious.

Part 1

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Film 3: Twilight

2010-09-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

Referring to the key elements of a teen movie section from the Donnie Darko sheets, how is it possible to define this text as being a teen movie?
The film is set in high school, and the main character lives in a large suburban house. There is a female and male main character, who become romantically involved.
How does this signal that it is aiming for a teenage audience?
Teenagers are more likley to relate to this setting, and most live in large houses. The fact that the film is a fantasy will also make the viewer more interested, because films like this and Harry Potter enable you to escape to another world.
How does this text portray teenagers and adults?
The only main adult character is portrayed as shy, timid but tough (as the chief of police). The younger characters are shown as typical teenagers - immature but with bubbly personalities.
What type of locations feature within the text?
Locations include: high school, main female character’s house.
What type of mood is established and how is it achieved?
The mood is serious, implied by the non-diegetic score and dark lighting in every scene. Unusual for a teen movie, there are no jokes, and the voiceover (by the main female character) has a serious tone to it.

Trailer:

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Film 2: John Tucker Must Die

2010-09-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

Referring to the key elements of a teen movie section from the Donnie Darko sheets, how is it possible to define this text as being a teen movie?
This movie has a few scenes at high school, and there is a few attractive female and an attractive male lead role. Although there is no middle class white family, there is mention of romance.
How does this signal that it is aiming for a teenage audience?There is slang in the dialogue such as "loaded", and the fact that it's set in high school is that it's an environment that teenagers are in everyday, so can relate to it and the different "cliques".
How does this text portray teenagers and adults?
The only adult character is portrayed as immature and not knowing what they're talking about. The teenagers seem to be shown as mean, with the male lead lying repeatedly to get what he wants. The teenagers are also selfish and also arrogant, for example the lead male is the popular guy in school, so he thinks he can get away with dating three girls at once.
What type of locations feature within the text?
Locations include: High School, a restaurant, and the main character's house.
What type of mood is established and how is it achieved?
The mood seems to be vengeful throughout, for example the main female characters fight in the school gym with many insults being said. The narration however (by one of the main female characters) lightens the mood and is comedic.

animation of scenes from the movie

Trailer:

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Film 1: Mean Girls

2010-09-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Referring to the key elements of a teen movie section from the Donnie Darko sheets, how is it possible to define this text as being a teen movie?
The film has many things on the list that is on the Donnie Darko sheets, such as female protagonist, and the key location is an American high school. The main female character is in a white middle class family with a large house, and all of this is revealed in the first 10 minutes.
How does this signal that it is aiming for a teenage audience?
Slang is used in the movie, and the fact that we see a high school means that teenagers can relate to the film, and understand what is going on.
How does this text portray teenagers and adults?
Adults are seen as caring and loving, but when we see high school for the first time, teenagers are portrayed as immature and
What type of locations feature within the text?
Locations include: South Africa (flashbacks), High School, and the main female character's house.
What type of mood is established and how is it achieved? The movie is a comedy, we can see this my the way they show the immaturity of the students (lighting their own farts etc.) and there are many jokes, with a non-diegetic score with a lighthearted feel to it.

Trailer:

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