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The Sex Pistols
1. The Sex pistols were an English punk rock band formed in London in 197. They are described as one of the most influential acts in the history of popular music. They had very strong opinions about various things They initiated the punk movement in the UK.
Wednesday 22 November 2017
Saturday 11 November 2017
Music Video Codes and Conventions
PREP MUSIC VIDEO CODES AND CONVENTIONS
To prepare for the exam, we look at the media language of music videos, such as their codes and conventions below. For prep, copy the points in colour then add your own points in black.
To prepare for the exam, we look at the media language of music videos, such as their codes and conventions below. For prep, copy the points in colour then add your own points in black.
- Performance - the singer / band are seen to be singing and playing (including lip synching), to provide authenticity, so that followers believe in the talent and can see their star. Record labels sign stars and promote them to ensure sales.
- Star - use of close-ups, sometimes direct eye contact with audience, to build relationship with audience.
- The visuals (what the star and other characters are seen doing) illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics (the 'story in the words'). Illustration = the visuals play out the story more or less literally; amplify = the words in the lyrics are only the starting point and the story develops in other directions; contradiction / disjuncture = the visuals do not interpret the words of the lyrics and may even show something contradictory.
- The narrative usually features the performer in 'real life' situations but often with experimental types of film making such as hand-held, dramatic camera angles, symbolic codes and lighting
- The visuals are usually cut to the beat of the music; the editing is often fast-paced; there is often use of montage, ellipsis and intercutting, stylish effects.
- Refrain - repeated chorus, sometimes with variations
1. Avril Lavigne sings throughout the video using a mike and draws a huge crowd of fans around her when she jumps onto a car roof in the street. She sings with great passion, energy and conviction, holding the mike close to her mouth. Close-ups show her every word (lip synching is a feature of music videos.) She performs for her fans and for her 'boyfriend' the sk8er boi who features in the narrative. Screens often feature in music video and the sk8er boi is videoing Avril Lavigne as he gazes adoringly up at her. She returns his gaze as she sings about 'we rock each other's world'. The performance element creates authenticity (fans have proof of her talent) because we see her sing.
2. Avril is presented to the audience with a lot of attitude which shows during aspects like the close ups of her. She is shown as cocky, brash and self-confident. She is telling a story and her actions and contact with the camera hint at us that really she is right and the one with power. She invites us into her life and makes us believe the story she is telling and makes us believe that it is happening to her and presents it in the way that she is the hero and we should have no sympathy for the other women, which you believe because she is creating a one on one connection with the audience.
3. One narrative thread that dominates the entire video is the star symbol which marks their gangs territory. Essentially it is representing Avril, it is everywhere usually in the background giving the implication that she is everywhere or her presence is. This is all about her life and the way she does things and how she is a perfect match for the 'Sk8er Boi' and the other girl is the complete opposite and didn't understand him so clearly she doesn't deserve him. You see her boasting that she is the one with all the independance with a gang that follows her around everywhere and adores her while the other is sitting at home alone with a baby.
4. There a lot of hand held camera shots in this for example when they are all in a car and it is being filmed the camera shakes a lot like the person carrying it is running. There also close ups of both of the lovers, Avril and the Sk8er Boi, gazing into each others eyes, they are in love and wrote this song together proving that they were meant to be together, complimented with the lyrics of the video.
5. The opening montages and are very fast setting the editing pace at that very fast pace, it is cut to the beat of the percussion, while Avril's gang mark their territory. The cutting shots and the actions on screen are fast paced because the music is like when Avril punches at the camera in time with the music and adds to the frantics in the scenes shown.
6. During the refrain the pace and visuals increase as you see her and her gang setting up the concert in rapid montage and also as the crowd start to pour in filling everywhere up as the chaos starts. This refrain is a repeated chorus but is more dramatic than the first as it builds up to a final conclusion before the police arrive.
Thursday 9 November 2017
Editing, sound and camera work in Music Videos
Avril Lavigne's 'Sk8er Boi' is about a girl who rejected a man, even though she secretly wanted him, who is now famous and with the person who is signing in the video. The video starts with a focus shot on a pile of empty spray paint can and uses diagetic sound. Directly after this a man slides down on a harness and there is a sudden slightly shaky cam looking up to what he had just spray painted on the side of a building. This is the calm build up to the actual start of the song which is loud and upbeat. This song mainly consists of action and non-stop moving for once the music starts there are immediately loads of shaking shots and there are a lot of shots which move back and forth and also ones that are constantly moving in and out. These are all to imply more movement and action within the video to match the pace of it.
The shots in this video mainly consist of shots extreme close ups mainly towards the signer including face shots and and body shots including the hand mainly showing off her features like make-up, rings and arm cuffs. All of which further empahsise and create the atmosphere of the video. The sound in this video is all non-diagetic sound apart from the opening which uses diagetic sound as a background noise before the clanking of the can on the ground. The editing in this video consists of mainly direct cuts which are ususally in time with the music and are always direct cuts because others would be too slow and would not match the pace of the music. This get's you more into the mood of the music especially when what your watching correlates with it.
The shots in this video mainly consist of shots extreme close ups mainly towards the signer including face shots and and body shots including the hand mainly showing off her features like make-up, rings and arm cuffs. All of which further empahsise and create the atmosphere of the video. The sound in this video is all non-diagetic sound apart from the opening which uses diagetic sound as a background noise before the clanking of the can on the ground. The editing in this video consists of mainly direct cuts which are ususally in time with the music and are always direct cuts because others would be too slow and would not match the pace of the music. This get's you more into the mood of the music especially when what your watching correlates with it.
Monday 6 November 2017
Editing Question
PREP Analyse how editing is used in the extract from Cuffs to create meaning. Refer to at least two examples from the extract in your answer. (This means that a good candidate will write fully and freely, covering more than just 2 examples, as we practised in class).
Worth 5 marks: write half a side of A4 and post on your blog tonight. If you have DoE, take an extra 24 hours.
A first scene where the editing is used to create meaning is in the scene where they are raiding the criminal suspect's home. When they enter they enter the house and start the fighting starts everything is suddenly thrust into chaos. Everything turns to slow motion, and all of the sounds become muffled this representing what Jake sees in his head, this being the first time he's been in a situation like this. After Jo shouts his name he suddenly comes back to his senses all the sound quickly rushes back in bringing him back to reality.
Another example is in the scene where Felix is watching the recording of the dad and his daughter or a screen analysing it. The edit in this scene has swapping shots from Felix and the screen while all the while also closing in on them framing them. It shows the dawning realisation of something on the detectives face and then gives a point of view shot of the TV as he plays it back, and then another face shot of the detective as he concludes what he saw this being shown by the zoomed in expressions on his face. It then shows a last frame which holds for a while of the hotel sign showing us what he was so intrigued and riveted by, after holding the suspense for the previous parts of the scene.
Some examples of shot reverse shock include the scene where DI Felix Kane is explaining to the mum that they had, had the father and the child but had then lost him. There are midshots between the mother who is in despair and disbelief and also while Felix looks rather embarrassed and won't look her directly in the eye. He blinks and looks down. It shows her yearning and his embarrassment and awkwardness. Another example of this technique is after Felix realises where the father is and goes to the hotel and confronts him while he is standing preparing to jump off of the hotel balcony. The shot reverse shot in this scene shows how agonised the fsther is after he realises what he has done knowing that there isn't really any way out of it. It then switches to Felix who mostly just stares at him intently not making any sudden moves or speaking, not wanting to make the incorrect move and have a life at stake. There is then a shot revere shot of the father's hand shaking as he prepares to jump off to the girl, showing them and the audience what is at stake.
In one of the final scenes in this episode it shows all of them training in the car parking lot. They are running back and forth and it gives cross dissolve transitions, to imply that time has passed showing that it lasted a long time and that they are getting more tired and exhausted to make us believe that they had actually been exercising.
Directly after this scene the Lawyer Simon Reddington approaches Jake and it shows face shots of both of them looking quite pleased, then cutting to a close shot of Simon slipping a piece of paper into Jake's revealed chest. It then shows the Porche driving away and to Jake still looking pleased at what happened, the camera lingers on him to show his flushed reaction as he smiles and blinks a lot.
There is then a final scene at the end of the episode which starts with Jake showering after the day he had just faced the warm non-diagetic sound of the warm shower running reflecting his emotions as he washes off all the impurities of the day and focuses on the good things, it's as if giving the audience a chance to breath and relax knowing the action is over. It then turns to a montage of the different characters giving this as the slow release at the end of the show.
Worth 5 marks: write half a side of A4 and post on your blog tonight. If you have DoE, take an extra 24 hours.
A first scene where the editing is used to create meaning is in the scene where they are raiding the criminal suspect's home. When they enter they enter the house and start the fighting starts everything is suddenly thrust into chaos. Everything turns to slow motion, and all of the sounds become muffled this representing what Jake sees in his head, this being the first time he's been in a situation like this. After Jo shouts his name he suddenly comes back to his senses all the sound quickly rushes back in bringing him back to reality.
Another example is in the scene where Felix is watching the recording of the dad and his daughter or a screen analysing it. The edit in this scene has swapping shots from Felix and the screen while all the while also closing in on them framing them. It shows the dawning realisation of something on the detectives face and then gives a point of view shot of the TV as he plays it back, and then another face shot of the detective as he concludes what he saw this being shown by the zoomed in expressions on his face. It then shows a last frame which holds for a while of the hotel sign showing us what he was so intrigued and riveted by, after holding the suspense for the previous parts of the scene.
Some examples of shot reverse shock include the scene where DI Felix Kane is explaining to the mum that they had, had the father and the child but had then lost him. There are midshots between the mother who is in despair and disbelief and also while Felix looks rather embarrassed and won't look her directly in the eye. He blinks and looks down. It shows her yearning and his embarrassment and awkwardness. Another example of this technique is after Felix realises where the father is and goes to the hotel and confronts him while he is standing preparing to jump off of the hotel balcony. The shot reverse shot in this scene shows how agonised the fsther is after he realises what he has done knowing that there isn't really any way out of it. It then switches to Felix who mostly just stares at him intently not making any sudden moves or speaking, not wanting to make the incorrect move and have a life at stake. There is then a shot revere shot of the father's hand shaking as he prepares to jump off to the girl, showing them and the audience what is at stake.
In one of the final scenes in this episode it shows all of them training in the car parking lot. They are running back and forth and it gives cross dissolve transitions, to imply that time has passed showing that it lasted a long time and that they are getting more tired and exhausted to make us believe that they had actually been exercising.
Directly after this scene the Lawyer Simon Reddington approaches Jake and it shows face shots of both of them looking quite pleased, then cutting to a close shot of Simon slipping a piece of paper into Jake's revealed chest. It then shows the Porche driving away and to Jake still looking pleased at what happened, the camera lingers on him to show his flushed reaction as he smiles and blinks a lot.
There is then a final scene at the end of the episode which starts with Jake showering after the day he had just faced the warm non-diagetic sound of the warm shower running reflecting his emotions as he washes off all the impurities of the day and focuses on the good things, it's as if giving the audience a chance to breath and relax knowing the action is over. It then turns to a montage of the different characters giving this as the slow release at the end of the show.
Thursday 2 November 2017
Mise-En-Scene
PREP Analyse how mise-en-scene is used in the extract from Cuffs to create meaning. Refer to at least two examples from the extract in your answer. (This means that a good candidate will write fully and freely, covering more than just 2 examples, as we practised in class).
Worth 5 marks: write half a side of A4 and post on your blog tonight.
A first example of when mise-en-scene is used is in the opening scene when the chief superintendent is giving a speech. You can see the salience of this scene through many ways like the formal location they are using, the chief is standing on a raised podium. There is shot which is outside of the room looking in where it shows a sign saying 'suite' which shows that this is a ceremonial event and therefore largely important. The clothes that are worn in this scene further emphasise the importance of the meeting for they are all wearing suits and ties with their police helmets on and they are wearing white gloves which you would not really wear unless its a very formal occasion. Also the way some people hold their hands together in front of them, submissively shows that the chief is someone of significance.
Another scene, also at the beginning is on the beach when the officer is walking to the fight scene where the nudists and the criminals in this scene are fighting. The criminals are carrying a lot of props like wearing viking helmets and carrying plastic swords and also beer bottles, this shows that they are obviously drunk and aren't that serious. The fact that they are also wearing football shirts refers to the stereotype of people who enjoy that sport: inappropriate, quite vicious and mock people who are unaccustomed to themselves. The nudists are covered by nothing but towels, which they use to cover themselves when the officer arrives almost as if they are embarrassed by it for they are getting to much attention, at it also gives a large effect of humour especially contrasted with the voice over of the chief and his powerful speech about police respect.
In a scene where a drug addict has been self-harming. Firstly the man is completely scruffy and wearing old torn clothes with greasy hair and covered in dirt and blood, this shows that this man has no sense of self-pride and has basically lost all of it, also shown with the way he points the knife at the officers while his hand is shaking. Later on in the scene there is a wide shot of his entire living room which is shown in quite a dark filter and like him is also messy and littered in beer bottles, plastic bags old food waste and dying plants, all of this emphasising how depressing and calamitous this particular scene is.
Worth 5 marks: write half a side of A4 and post on your blog tonight.
A first example of when mise-en-scene is used is in the opening scene when the chief superintendent is giving a speech. You can see the salience of this scene through many ways like the formal location they are using, the chief is standing on a raised podium. There is shot which is outside of the room looking in where it shows a sign saying 'suite' which shows that this is a ceremonial event and therefore largely important. The clothes that are worn in this scene further emphasise the importance of the meeting for they are all wearing suits and ties with their police helmets on and they are wearing white gloves which you would not really wear unless its a very formal occasion. Also the way some people hold their hands together in front of them, submissively shows that the chief is someone of significance.
Another scene, also at the beginning is on the beach when the officer is walking to the fight scene where the nudists and the criminals in this scene are fighting. The criminals are carrying a lot of props like wearing viking helmets and carrying plastic swords and also beer bottles, this shows that they are obviously drunk and aren't that serious. The fact that they are also wearing football shirts refers to the stereotype of people who enjoy that sport: inappropriate, quite vicious and mock people who are unaccustomed to themselves. The nudists are covered by nothing but towels, which they use to cover themselves when the officer arrives almost as if they are embarrassed by it for they are getting to much attention, at it also gives a large effect of humour especially contrasted with the voice over of the chief and his powerful speech about police respect.
In a scene where a drug addict has been self-harming. Firstly the man is completely scruffy and wearing old torn clothes with greasy hair and covered in dirt and blood, this shows that this man has no sense of self-pride and has basically lost all of it, also shown with the way he points the knife at the officers while his hand is shaking. Later on in the scene there is a wide shot of his entire living room which is shown in quite a dark filter and like him is also messy and littered in beer bottles, plastic bags old food waste and dying plants, all of this emphasising how depressing and calamitous this particular scene is.
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