film/tv analysis reflection final, question 1

Please write constructive comments/reviews of the films you saw. It can be just just those you loved the most or intrigued you the most.

first off, i loved al the films and i thought each one of them was great. gonna be hard to find constructive comments.

Milk: this was one of my favourite of the films screened. it was an original and funny story with a surprise ending. although it is a little short, the elongated milk spilling scene does lessen this feeling and it’s done in a comedic and enjoyable way. the music and comedic timing were great across the film. only one issue i found with it is the foley at the end where you distinctly here his footsteps as he approaches the milk bar but then no sound at all as he sits down. otherwise a really great film.

granny theft auto: i also really loved this film. its very enjoyable and you get s cruel sense of satisfaction watching the rude old lay get arrested as the boys get off free. the editing was really great, especially as the officer searches the car and we see the comparison of items from the two different cars. my only recommendation would be to in some way reveal the second car a little earlier. it comes right at the end and can be a bit confusing to people who had no idea that there was a similar car there. music works really well though out the film.

Pranking frank: this was another one of my favourites. i thought this was a brilliant script and very well executed. the editing was great, in particular the scene with frank practicing different things in front of the mirror. the locations worked well, including the establishing spot so the audience knew when we were back at franks house. on top of that, i thought the twist ending was brilliant and i really didn’t see it coming at all which i think was the only film that did that for me so i was very impressed by it.

film/tv analysis reflection 5 – question 1

week 7 was all about lighting. many different things about lighting were covered including:

-different lighting techniques (three point lighting, hard vs. soft lighting, natural vs. artificial lighting),

-ways of utilising lighting to communicate themes,

-moods or character’s emotions or personalities,

-how important lighting is for cinematography,

-in terms of setting up and framing a scene,

-what equipment is needed to light a scene and what the different types of equipment can add

-exposure levels and the importance of maintaing them.

these points covered were all very important, useful and relevant to our own projects. lighting is a major part of any film as without light, you can’t see anything. as director, i hope to be working very closely with our DOP to create the right lighting not only in every scene of our film but in ever shot. one very crucial part that was mentioned in the lecture was about practice shoots. making sure that we have our story board and shot list ready so that we can get the gear and practice using it and learn how to set up the lighting which will give us an idea not only of what lights we want to be using for our shoot to get the right mood and feel but also of how we want our lighting set up on the day of the shoot. this is vital because on the day of the shoot, timing will be crucial so if we know exactly how we want our lighting set up for every shot we will not waste any unnecessary time moving lighting around the room. as the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

film/tv test 2 – question 1

In the film Clown Train how does sound contribute to the atmosphere of this film? Describe what you heard? Can you make reference to another genre film and how they utilise sound to create tension and a unique filmic space?

the sound, along with lighting, are the most important factors in the film “clown train”. while the flickering lights do at to the overall suspense, it’s the music and sounds (or lack of sounds sometimes) that actually create the mood, drama and suspense of the film. the soundscape at the beginning of the film creates the entire environment before anything is even seen. not only can we tell that the film will be taken on some mode of public transport, but the soundscape has an eerie feel to it that leaves the audience uneasy. the distinct lack of any other sound except for dialogue while the characters are talking further enhances this, making it seem all the more isolated and tense. the sound effects, such as the noise of the flickering lights and the dramatic beats after certain things the clown says or does again just reinforce this eerie and tense scene and puts the entire focus one what is being said rather than try to watch the background. the creepy music slowly builds while the clown is telling the joke which increases the suspense as both the other guy and the audience is unsure of where the clown is going or what he’s going to do. all these different sounds and the occasional lack of sounds combine to make a thoroughly creepy film.

although not necessarily a genre film, there is a scene in the Hunger Games: Catching fire that demonstrates similar sound techniques. most significant is the lack of sound used. at the end of their first day in the arena, katniss’s alliance goes to sleep while she sits up to keep watch. we see her looking around at the others and feeling tired when all of a sudden, all the sound cuts out and all we hear is her breathing. this creates an incredible amount of tension and suspense. even though all the audience can see is katniss’s face in the close up, they know something bad is about to happen by the lack of any background sound. this use of silence seems vital in creating the mood for suspense scenes or films as it excentuates the characters actions and emotions and makes the audience become ultra-aware of their surroundings. like in clown train, the misc then begins to very softly build once katniss see’s the fog. however, it is still eerily silent. once she touches the fog, all sound returns in a sudden and very loud manner and the audience is shocked right back into the scene, similar to the sudden sound effects and increase in music used in clown train after specific things the clown says or does.

i believe that it is the relationship between silence and sound that play the most vital role in creating atmosphere in a horror or suspense film. without this relationship, there would be no tension.