SKINS!!!

Homework for this week was to write a short essay on how youth is represented in a clip from the series skins...

After studying this clip several times, I feel that youth are being presented as slightly foolish, reckless, and carefree.
The clip is set at a teen house party, which is instantly introduced using an establishing shot of a crowd of youths dancing. The footage taken shows a mixture of teens: drinking, smoking, taking drugs, dancing and frequently undergoing sexual activity. Altogether this sends a message to the audience that youths are irresponsible and often irrational.
The music in the background of the clip is a famous indie rock band called the arctic monkeys, whose music mimics the atmosphere of the party as being loud and chaotic. Their song also features a number of colloquial terms which links to the careless representation of youth.
Cinematography in the trailer often uses close ups on the kids using drugs and other youths damaging the property of the house. Camera angles also use close ups on a lot of individual kids at the party to enphasise their drunkenness and the fact that they are out of control.
The editing of the trailer also links to the chaotic atmosphere of the party as most of the footage is edited using montage sequences and quick shots to emphasise the atmosphere and the drunkenness of the kids featured at the party. Also, cross cutting is used to show some people at the party dealing out drugs and at the same time different couples kissing on beds in their underwear. This editing technique not only suggests that youth is carefree but also adds to the atmosphere of the party as it highlights the numerous amounts of activity happening at one time.
The trailer also creates a number of mise en scene, such as a boy riding a tricycle, a group of naked boys dancing in a crowd, a boy drawing on an expensive painting etc, which emphasises the idea that youth are negligent and foolish.

Altogether the trailer creates an atmosphere which implies that youth are out of control and idiotic but at the same time makes it a must see series!

THRILLLER!!!!!

Today in the wonderful world of media, we got into groups in preparation for producing 2 minutes of our very own films.. hehe excitingggg!!! Im working with some lovely chaps called Danny, Grace and Tom.. im really looking forward to this project as i have a great group and it looks like a fun challenge. We decided that we would like to focus on doing a thriller film because we already have some great ideas for that theme.

Was browsing through youtube, like you do, looking for some ideas and came across a few clips from beginnings of some rather scary movies which i thought might provide some helpful ideas..

On of the films i searched was creep..

I love scary movies but have to say that this film did scare me quite a bit.. it will put you off the underground for life!! In this clip there is a lot of unfocused footage shot by the camera which creates tension and an uneasy atmosphere. The music encorporated in the bakground also contributes to the thriller effect.

After discussing our topic further we decided that we wanted to produce something different and came up with the idea of having a horror bath scene. After nosing through youtube for days and days and days here are some clips we have looked at more closely as they could include some good ideas for our own short film...

What lies beneath

A nightmare on elm street

In class recently weve been focussing a lot on editing.. so i thought i might just jot down a few notes ive taken in lessons.

Film editing is an art of storytelling practiced by connecting two or more shots together to form a sequence, and the subsequent connecting of sequences to form an entire movie. It is often reffered to as the ;invisible art' since when it is well practiced, the viewer becomes so engaged that he or she is not even aware of the work of the editor.

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This is going to be my little film editing glossary.. (when i researched film editing i found that there are lots of techniques to learn):

Cut - A visual transition created in editing in which one shot is instantaneously replaced on screen by another.

Continuity editing - Editing that creates action that flows smoothly across shots and scenes without jarring visual inconsistencies. Establishes a sense of story for the viewer.

Cross cutting - Cutting back and forth quickly between two or more lines of action, indicating they are happening simultaneously.

Dissolve - A gradual scene transition. The editor overlaps the end of one shot with the beginning of the next one.

Editing - The work of selecting and joining together shots to create a finished film.

Errors of continuity - Disruptions in the flow of a scene, such as a failure to match action or the placement of props across shots.

Establishing shot - A shot, normally taken from a great distance or from a "bird's eye view," that establishes where the action is about to occur.

Eyeline match - The matching of eyelines between two or more characters. For example, if Sam looks to the right in shot A, Jean will look to the left in shot B. This establishes a relationship of proximity and continuity.

Fade - A visual transition between shots or scenes that appears on screen as a brief interval with no picture. The editor fades one shot to black and then fades in the next. Often used to indicate a change in time and place.

Final cut - The finished edit of a film, approved by the director and the producer. This is what the audience sees.

Iris - Visible on screen as a circle closing down over or opening up on a shot. Seldom used in contemporary film, but common during the silent era of Hollywood films.

Jump cut - A cut that creates a lack of continuity by leaving out parts of the action.

Matched cut - A cut joining two shots whose compositional elements match, helping to establish strong continuity of action.

Montage - Scenes whose emotional impact and visual design are achieved through the editing together of many brief shots. The shower scene from Psycho is an example of montage editing.

Rough cut - The editor's first pass at assembling the shots into a film, before tightening and polishing occurs.

Sequence shot - A long take that extends for an entire scene or sequence. It is composed of only one shot with no editing.

Shot reverse shot cutting - Usually used for conversation scenes, this technique alternates between over-the-shoulder shots showing each character speaking.

Wipe - Visible on screen as a bar travelling across the frame pushing one shot off and pulling the next shot into place. Rarely used in contemporary film, but common in films from the 1930s and 1940s.