Friday, 13 March 2009
Update on thriller
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Thriller Update
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
My amazing artistic skills!!!
Monday, 26 January 2009
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Setting photos











Monday, 19 January 2009
Sunday, 18 January 2009
Case Study
Notting Hill (cert 15)
Released in the UK 21st of May 1999
Context
Notting Hill was well received by critics, and charted well at the box office, becoming the highest grossing British film yet released.
The Film is a Romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant as key characters alongside others stars such as Rhys Ifans, Emma Chambers, Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee and Hugh Bonneville.
Bookshop owner William Thacker's world begins to turn upside down after the world's most famous actress, Anna Scott, visits his store. A few minutes later, Will knocks into Anna on the street and spills his orange juice over her. He offers her his place to change, and from there Anna and William get to know each other better, but being together with the world's most wanted woman is not easy, especially from the press!

Production
The main companies involved in making this film were Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films, Bookshop Productions and Notting Hill Pictures.
The screenplay was written by Richard Curtis who had previously written Four Weddings and a Funeral. It was produced by Duncan Kenworthy whose producer credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral, Lawn Dogs, and Love Actually, and directed by Roger Michell.
The film stars Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Rhys Ifans, Emma Chambers, Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee and Hugh Bonneville.
The film also won the audience award for most popular film at the BAFTAs in 2000 and was nominated in the categories of The Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the year, and Best Performance by and Actor in a supporting role for Rhys Ifans. In addition Notting hill won Best Comedy Film at the British Comedy Awards. The films soundtrack won Best soundtrack at the Brit Awards. The film won Best British film, Best British actor for Hugh Grant at the Empire Awards and Best British Director for Roger Mitchell. The film also received three nominations at the Golden Globes, in the categories Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical, Best Motion Picture Actor Comedy/Musical for Hugh Grant, and Best Motion Picture Actress-Comedy/Musical for Julia Roberts.

Distribution
Notting Hill was distributed by MCA, Universal (http://www.universalstudios.com/) and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. I think that the film is aimed at women (possibly Hugh grant fanatics) and couples from the ages of around 16 to 50. The genre of Notting Hill is a Romantic Comedy. In a way the film does mimic some traditional themes of past British films as it includes the typical couple from different backgrounds who are unlikely to fall in love.
The main poster used for advertising Notting Hill features Hugh Grant walking past a billboard advertisement f Julia Roberts. The picture of Julia Roberts is much larger than Hugh grant to show that Julia Roberts’ character has a much higher status than Hugh Grants’ character as Julia Roberts plays a famous actress whereas Hugh Grant plays a shop owner. The colouring used is quite plain and ordinary which contrasts with the bold red title.
The trailer for Notting Hill is very old fashioned compared to the modern trailers we see on TV today. The trailer focuses mainly on the differences between Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) and William Thacker (Hugh Grant) whilst also featuring some of the films more funny clips mainly including ‘Spike’, Williams crazy flatmate.
The main tag line for this film is ‘Can the most famous film star in the world fall for just an ordinary guy?’ which sums up the plot of the story and highlights the difference between the two characters.
The film was met with generally positive reviews, scoring an 85% "Certified Fresh" rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The New York Dailey News reviewed the film saying, ‘The overall result is a romantic comedy that indulges fantasies, calms insecurities (can an ordinary bloke stack up?), and breaks and mends hearts with surgical precision.’
However there were some negatives reviews such as Dennis Schwartz who gave the film a negative review with a grade of "C-" citing "this film was pure and unadulterated balderdash". Also, Widgett Walls of Needcoffee.com gave the film "three and a half cups of coffee", stating that "the humor of the film saves it from a completely trite and unsatisfying (nay, shall I say enraging) ending", but criticized the film's soundtrack.

Exhibition
The film had its world premiere at the Odeon, Leicester Square on 27 April 1999. Notting Hill charted well at the box office, earning $116,089,678 as its overall domestic gross, with a worldwide gross of $363,889,678. It totaled $27.7 million over its opening weekend, breaking American box office records, and making it the biggest ever opening for a romantic comedy film at that point. Notting Hill made another $15 million the following week, but then began to lose out. One month after its release, Notting Hill lost its record for highest grossing opening weekend for a romantic comedy film to Runaway Bride. It was the sixteenth highest grossing film of 1999, and as of May 2007 is the 104th highest grossing film of all time. At the time, it had become the highest grossing British film of all time.
Notting Hill was also released in the USA on 28 May 1999.

Wednesday, 24 December 2008
CHRISTMASS!!

Tuesday, 2 December 2008
COME ON ENGLAND!!
The company gained mainstream traction after the unexpected global box-office success of Hugh Grant-starrer, Four Weddings and a Funeral. Among the company's films are Richard Curtis-scripted romantic comedies, which usually star Grant, and Coen Brothers' films, but has in recent times moved into many other types of film, such as United 93.
In 2004 it made a profit of £17.8 million pounds sterling. As of 2007, all its films are distributed by Universal Pictures, which owns a 67% stake in the company, and many of its recent films are co-productions with StudioCanal. The remaining shares are owned by the company's founders, BBC Films, and private investors.
The film company also has a smaller low-budget film brand, WT2 (Working Title 2) which has produced films such as Billy Elliot (2000) and Shaun of the Dead (2004).
Recently the company produced Burn After Reading, a comedy starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney.
My favourite Working Title films are ...

Billy Elliot
Shaun of the Dead
Love Actually
Notting Hill
And my favourite film, Pride and Prejudice!
Look on this link for more information about Working Title - http://www.workingtitlefilms.co.uk/ecards/index.htm
Monday, 1 December 2008
magazines.. addictive .. i think so!!



Tabloid magazines and talk TV shows bestow a great deal of attention on celebrities. To stay in the public eye and to make money, more celebrities are participating in business ventures such as celebrity-branded items including books, clothing lines, perfume, and household items.
Tuesday, 25 November 2008
SKINS!!!
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.

Monday, 17 November 2008
THRILLLER!!!!!

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.
..............................................................................................
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.
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.
Monday, 6 October 2008
Sony!
About Sony and its companies...
It is headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communication, video game consoles and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Sony Corporation is the electronics business unit and the parent company of the Sony Group, which is engaged in business through its five operating segments—electronics, games, entertainment (motion pictures and music), financial services and other. These make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Sony's principal business operations include Sony Corporation (Sony Electronics in the U.S.), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Sony Ericsson and Sony Financial Holdings.
What are the historical origins of Sony? How has it diversified?
Sony has historically been notable for creating its own in-house standards for new recording and storage technologies instead of adopting those of other manufacturers and standards bodies.
In 1945, after World War II, Masaru Ibuka started a radio repair shop in a bombed-out building in Tokyo.[ The next year, he was joined by his colleague Akio Morita and they founded a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K., which translates in English to Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation.
The most infamous of the Sony technologies was the videotape format war of the early 1980s, when Sony marketed the Betamax system for video cassette recorders against the VHS format developed by JVC.
In August 1955, Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering released the Sony TR-55, Japan's first commercially produced transistor radio. In May 1956, the company released the TR-6, which featured an innovative slim design and sound quality capable of rivaling portable tube radios.
The huge growth in portable transistor radio sales that saw Sony rise to be the dominant player in the consumer electronics field was not because of the consumers who had bought the earlier generation of tube radio consoles, but was driven by a distinctly new American phenomenon at the time called rock and roll.
Two of Sony's main companies..
I decided to write about Sony electronics and Sony Music because they are the two companies owned by Sony that most appeal to me...
1. Electronics
Sony Electronics Inc. Is headquartered in San Diego, California and is the largest component of Sony Corporation of America which is the U.S. holding company for Sony's U.S.-based electronics and entertainment businesses. It Engineers, manufactures, sells and markets consumer and professional audio and video equipment, computer and peripheral products, recording media and energy products, semiconductors, and other electronic components. It is also comprised of business units that are supported by a sales platform targeting consumer sales, consumer systems and applications, commercial IT sales, corporate, education and A/V reseller channels.
Sony electronics consists of seven main consumer and Product Marketing Divisions, which are:
· Home Products Division
· Digital Imaging and Audio Division
· Information Technology Products Division
· Business Solutions Division
· Broadcast and Production Systems Division
· Media Applications Solution Division
· Component Solutions Business Division
Sony electronics’ corporate marketing is responsible for developing marketing strategies that cross leverage Sony's brand name including marketing platform development, corporate research, tradeshows and exhibits and marketing project administration. This unit also manages direct marketing and web services.
2. Music
Sony Music Entertainment is a major global record label controlled by the Sony Corporation of America, being one of the most successful record companies.
The large amount of labels that the company own shows how much success this part of the Sony Company has achieved. These labels cover all different types and styles of music which appeals to people all over the world, expanding the success of the company throughout many countries.
Old work.. ( Man on Fire! )

Man on fire .. one of the best films EVER!! ( well i think it is anyways!)
This was my first homework for media set by Mr.V.. pleased with my mark for it so thought i might put it up for everyone to have a read about the film..
''I chose to write about 'Man on fire' because it is one of my favourite films due to its outstanding storyline and which is action-packed with brutal and brilliant thrills along with an unexpected mixture of heartwarming emotions.
'Man on fire' is a fantastic film which was released in April 2004 and directed by Tony Scott. The American action-thriller stars Denzel washington who plays the role of 'Creasey', an ex-CIA agent/assasin who becomes a body guard for a girl, played by the young actress Dakota Fanning. The film follows Creasey's journey as he unmercifully takes revenge on a Mexican gang after they kidnap the child he was hired to protect.
Sunday, 5 October 2008
Body image .. influenced by the media!
In my spare time ive been doing a spot of research on how the media can affect us as an audience and one topic which kept coming up, and which i found particularly interesting, was its influence on body image.
Recently the media's influence on body image has become a serious problem and a much discussed matter. This is because many people feel that is has influenced illnesses, the main one being anorexia, as people crave to look like the stars in magazines or on TV. Monday, 29 September 2008
More marvellous media!
A media institution is an organisation that creates media products or texts which include stuff like newspapers, radio, TV and film companies, and internet media providers.
Media market is dominated by multinationals as the start up costs can be enormous. Making a profit in the media market is a high risk as new products take up a lot of money or investments to set up, and there is a lot of competition as many companies are trying to capture the same market.
Something you may not already know is that the media isnt always free to say what it wants:
- there are laws controlling what the media can broadcast or print
- Governments may censor the media
- Controlling institutions may not want bad stories about their sponsors or advertisers
- Owners or editors of an institution may control the style and contents of its product.
The three stages of creating a product or media text are:
- Pre-production
- Production
- Post-production
My media vocab.. oh yeah im too cool!
Mise en scene - everything that is conveyed in a frame taken from a peice of media
Enigma code - a mysterious symbol
Narrative - how the story is told
Hypodermic model - an intended message which is directly received and accepted by the receiver (audience)
Uses and gratifications - the idea that people are not helpless victims of all powerful media, but use media to fulfill their various needs.
Cinematography - is the discipline of making lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for the cinema.
Sunday, 28 September 2008
Pride and Prejudice Review
What is the Synopsis?
In Georgian England, Mrs. Bennet raises her five daughters called Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia with the purpose of them getting married with a rich husband that can support the family. When the wealthy bachelor Mr. Bingley and his best friend Mr. Darcy arrive in town to spend the summer in a mansion nearby their property, the shy and beautiful Jane falls in love with Mr. Bingley, and Lizzie finds herself falling for Mr. Darcy, a man who she thought to be snobbish and proud until events in the story persuaded her otherwise.
Who is the lead character?
In this film it is obvious that the main character is Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bennet, as it follows her character throughout the story. Elizabeth is characterized as a sensible, yet stubborn, young woman who is ahead of her age as she questions characters motives throughout the film, being even considered impolite and bold at some points. She will not marry without love which suggests that she is too proud and she often acts prejudiced towards other characters. Both characteristics relate to the title of the film ‘Pride and Prejudice’.
I believe that the filmmaker of pride and prejudice wants the audience to identify strongly with the main character – Elizabeth Bennet. As the main character she contributes to the narrative of the story due to the audience watching the film through her perspective. Her character possesses many traits which contribute to the narrative. She is the first character we see in the film and her style of clothing informs the audience of the period and sometimes can show what the character is doing or has been doing. Also, the characters attitude links to the meaning of the film as she is both proud and prejudiced so she is crucial when it comes to linking the significance of the title with the story line. I also noticed that throughout the film her character writes a number of letters which often help to unravel the storyline and link in key events.
My Meida Diary
used computer internet for homework for about an hour and after facebook and msn for another couple of hours ( time 7 - 9ish)
Watched the film 'Pride and Prejudice' for media narratove hw.. great film.
Day 2. (Tue 23rd)
Again, bit of the ipod on the way to school for about 10-15 mins
Break time, brought Heat magazine with Grace, had a good read of that during break time
History, forced to sit through short TV clip about parliment in the 1800's from youtube.. lasted a long 20 mins..
Recieved a few multimedia messages on the mobile from the mother, showing some items of clothing that she thought i might like :)
In meida studies watched a bit of 'Life on Mars'
Started reading 'Judge and Jury' by James Patterson at home for roughly half an hour.
Day 3. (Wed 24th)
No ipod this morning but did have a re-read through the Heat magazine i brought the day before for 5 mins..
Media lesson, had a browse through youtube and listened to a bit of ipod while everyone sorted out their blogss.. becasue their not as organised as me :) .. for about 20 mins
At home read a bit more of James Patterson book for half an hour
On computer for hour on facebook from about 8-9 o'clock
At 10-11 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES!!
Day 4 (Thurs 25th)
Read a bit of Kims newspaper on the bus journey to school for a couple of mins
Had a flick through some magazines in tesco at break
In sociology watched the start of a horizon documentary called 'The boy with no penis' for a good half hour.. bit disturbing..
Day 5 (Friday 26th)
In media watched a couple of clips from the series 'Eastenders'
Used phone quite a bit all day
Partaaay later that night so listened to a lot of music
Day 6 (Saturday 27th)
At work read a couple of magazines (Closer and OK).. to pass the time
Bit of msn and facebook for half an hour before i went out
Had a night in, so watched some 'X-factor' and 'Lord of the Rings' on TV




