Filming Notes: Monday 13 October

What is involved in filming?

• Mood & Atmosphere
• Location & Setting 
• Light & Colours
• Costume & Props
• Characters & Story
• Iconography

There are 3 stages in a story... beginning, middle, end

Narrative is how you tell the story (links to chronological order)

Intercutting - Where the beginning clip is suspended until the end (cut out the unnecessary parts)

Creating Suspense:

• Exposure - Lighting
• White Balance - Blue & yellow
• Focus - Clear and blurry 

Media Notes: Thursday 11 September

What are Enigma Codes?

Questions about the film which are revealed later on in the film

Why did he set it alight? Who's the man? What was the situation before?

(The Unusual Suspects)

Character Types

• The surroundings and facial expressions show that he knew the killer, he was speaking to him
• Bad guy and the person who got burnt
• Cigarette and weapons (rope and gun) show that the man is a villain

Sub Genre

• Crime thriller; Police station at the end shows that a crime situation is involved

Opening

• The camera was never focused on the man's face (villain)
• Almost like a silhouette effect
• Camera was blurry on the rope, but was still zoomed in

Mystery

• Obscures the face, tight shots

Lighting

• Dark, fire, hell, the devil

What are the 7 most common mistakes when filming?

1. Close ups

2. Position at eye level

3. Shaking whilst moving

4. Zooming in

5. Jerky with camera (sweeping)

6. Above head shot 

7. Avoid too much backlight 

Media Portrayal

What does the Media portray and affect?

Gender
Male and Female

Ethnic Groups
Black, White, Asian, Indian etc

Religion
Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, Atheists etc

Age
Children, teenagers, adults, elderly

Class
Upper class, Middle class, Working class, Underclass

Sexuality
Gay, lesbian, straight

Disability
How strong or weak the disability is and whether or not the person is disabled

The Supranos Notes

The Supranos Overview of Characters

PHALLIC OBJECTS - OBJECTS WITH POWER

Gender is a performance, gender is an act

Male...

• Guy punching the wall shows his masculinity in front of the women
• Domination
• Agressive
• Drinking
• Lazy, still in dressing gown
• Unfaithful, sleeps around
• Sex = manliness
• He seems more powerful
• It's morning and he's drinking whiskey 
• Men are expected to sleep around to make them more manly
• Trapped by masculinity
• Shows he's not as weak as he is perceived: birds eye view, belittling 

Female...

• Seems to be more of a modern woman, standing up for her rights
• Passive
• Already dressed, up and ready
• Housewife (stereotype)
• Fantasises
• Women are supposed to be pure and innocent
• Nags and complains
• Women are judged if they have sex but men aren't

Mad Men Notes

Alpha Male...

• Men act
• Dominate
• Objectify women
• Physical power

Alpha Female...

• Physical attraction look
• Manipulation
• Sex objects
• Women appear 
• Red dress - symbolise love and lust
• Teasing

Men look at women sexually (1950s)... Nothing has changed except for technology developing into real life and online 

Close ups are used for people are objectified 

Manipulation - How women use their power

Objectifying - Making it a sex object

STEREOTYPES

1. Sex Objects
2. Physical
3. Alpha Female
4. Action Chick
5. Post - Masculine Man

The IT Crowd Notes

How does the short clip show gender is an act?

• He is drinking milk in a pub
• Pub is a manly environment
• Counting how many staples are in his stapler in a manly environment
• Trying to fit in
• Mimicking everything that is going on 

Two of the main characters starring in the IT crowd are stereotypical nerds who decide to go to a pub, however they are largely out of their comfort zones and start to pretend to be someone they're not.
In a pub, most conversations consist of football, women and other stereotypically manly topics, and the two characters try to fit in by pretending they know all about football... this shows that gender is an act because they are trying to fit into a manly environment which is a stereotypical manly environment.

Media Notes 25/09/2014

What 2 words describe the mood and atmosphere in a thriller?

- Suspense 

- Mystery 

Why do we have title sequences? 

- To show the production company

- To show the actors in the film

- For copyright reasons 

- To add suspense and impact to a film 

- To show who gets paid more by showing who appears first

How many title slates are roughly in a film?

- 30

What is written on the first slate?

Production company name

Male & Female Gender Traits

Male Gender Traits:

Independent 

Rational

Rough

Nasty

Brave 

Insensitive

Aggressive 

Competitive 

Physical 

Disobedient 

Active 

Unhappy

Assertive

Confident 

Uncaring 

Female Gender Traits:

Dependant 

Irrational 

Gentle 

Nice 

Cowardly 

Sensitive 

Placid 

Co-operative

Emotional 

Obedient 

Passive

Happy

Unassertive 

Unconfident 

Caring