Sound and terminology

Sound and Terminology

What sound are conventional to action/adventure
explain how music can be used to build up tension
Suggest how sound is used to attract its target audience
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Action films

This is film genre where in the story is largely told through physical action as opposed to dialogue. The action typically involves individual efforts on the part of the hero.

This major genre type includes films that have tremendous impact, continuous high energy, lots of physical stunts and activity, possibly extended chase scenes, races, rescues, battles, martial arts, mountains and mountaineering, destructive disasters (floods, explosions, natural disasters, fires, etc.), fights, escapes, non-stop motion, spectacular rhythm and pacing, adventurous heroes and non diegetic music-what the characters can hear within their world. diegetic sounds- sets mood and paste for audience.

For example:

Jaws

















The film jaw is known for its breath-taking sound tracker, which plays the main part in building up the tension , suspicion, and fear. The film jaws start of underneath to let you know both the setting and what type of thriller it use. You can also hear the sound of the ocean to give you the underwater feeling and a type of shot that makes you feel as if you were the shark swimming around hunting for food. In the music sequence whenever the shark is near or attacking it has it the theme tune which is made to build tension because when you hear that music you just know it’s the shark and that something is obviously going to happen. At some parts of the movie it does trick you by playing the music but nothing really exiting is going to happens. The movie starts at the first scene where teenagers are having a fun time and having a bonfire night at the beach playing some music. They are safe and nothing is going to harm them in anyway. It shows that the tension has gone away and that the shark is not present. Then two teenagers decide to run off and the sound of happiness start to fade away and the theme of music fade away in. Only the girl enters the water and the music is very quiet, slow and gradually increase in pace and this suggest


 We can attract target audience by:

What is Terminology?

The body of terms used with a particular technical application in a subject of study, theory, profession

What is sound?

Vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear. A long surgical probe, typically with a curved, blunt end. A narrow stretch of water forming an inlet or connecting two wider areas of water such as two seas or a sea and a lake.

Camera Angels

Homework


Camera Angles    

Did you know......... Camera angles and movements combine to create a sequence of images, just as words, word order and punctuation combine to make the meaning of a sentence. You need a straightforward set of key terms to describe them.
              

Describing Shots

When describing camera angles, or creating them yourself, you have to think about three important factors

— The FRAMING or the LENGTH of shot

— The ANGLE of the shot

— If there is any MOVEMENT involved

When describing different cinematic shots, different terms are used to indicate the amount of subject matter contained within a frame, how far away the camera is from the subject, and the perspective of the viewer. Each different shot has a different purpose and effect. A change between two different shots is called a CUT.

 

Framing or Shot Length

1 . Extreme long shot

Extreme Long Shot

This can be taken from as much as a quarter of a mile away, and is generally used as a scene-setting, establishing shot. It normally shows an EXTERIOR, eg the outside of a building, or a landscape, and is often used to show scenes of thrilling action eg in a war film or disaster movie. There will be very little detail visible in the shot, it's meant to give a general impression rather than specific information.



The extreme long shot on the left is taken from a distance, but denotes a precise location - it might even connote all of the entertainment industry if used as the opening shot in a news story.

Long Shot

 2. Long Shot

This is the most difficult to categorise precisely, but is generally one which shows the image as approximately "life" size ie corresponding to the real distance between the audience and the screen in a cinema (the figure of a man would appear as six feet tall). This category includes the FULL SHOT showing the entire human body, with the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom.
 While the focus is on characters, plenty of
 background detail still emerges: we can tell the
 coffins on the right are in a Western-style setting,
 for instance.

Medium Shot

3. Medium Shot

Contains a figure from the knees/waist up and is normally used for dialogue scenes, or to show some detail of action. Variations on this include the TWO SHOT (containing two figures from the waist up) and the THREE SHOT (contains 3 figures...). NB. Any more than three figures and the shot tends to become a long shot. Background detail is minimal, probably because location has been established earlier in the scene - the audience already know where they are and now want to focus on dialogue and character interation. Another variation in this category is the OVER-THE-SHOULDER-SHOT,
 which positions the camera behind one figure,
revealing the other figure, and part of the first
figure's back, head and shoulder.

Close up

4. Close-Up

This shows very little background, and concentrates on either a face, or a specific detail of mise en scène. Everything else is just a blur in the background. This shot magnifies the object (think of how big it looks on a cinema screen) and shows the importance of things, be it words written on paper, or the expression on someone's face. The close-up takes us into the mind of a character. In reality, we only let people that we really trust get THAT close to our face - mothers, children and lovers, usually - so a close up of a face is a very intimate shot. A film-maker may use this to make us feel extra
comfortable or extremely uncomfortable about
 a character, and usually uses a zoom lens in order
 to get the required framing.

Extreme Close Up

5. Extreme Close-Up

As its name suggests, an extreme version of the close up, generally magnifying beyond what the human eye would experience in reality. An extreme close-up of a face, for instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail whatsoever. This is a very artificial shot, and can be used for dramatic effect. The tight focus required means that extra care must be taken when setting up and lighting the shot - the slightest camera shake or error in focal length is very noticeable




Camera Angles

The relationship between the camera and the object being photographed (ie the ANGLE) gives emotional information to an audience, and guides their judgment about the character or object in shot. The more extreme the angle (ie the further away it is from eye left), the more symbolic and heavily-loaded the shot.

1. The Bird's-Eye view

This shows a scene from directly overhead, a very unnatural and strange angle. Familiar objects viewed from this angle might seem totally unrecognisable at first (umbrellas in a crowd, dancers' legs). This shot does, however, put the audience in a godlike position, looking down on the action. People can be made to look insignificant, ant-like, part of a wider scheme of things. Hitchcock (and his admirers, like Brian de Palma) is fond of this style of shot.

A cameraman, raised above the action, gets a high angle shot

2. High Angle

Not so extreme as a bird's eye view. The camera is elevated above the action using a crane to give a general overview. High angles make the object photographed seem smaller, and less significant (or scary). The object or character often gets swallowed up by their setting - they become part of a wider picture.

3. Eye Level

A fairly neutral shot; the camera is positioned as though it is a human actually observing a scene, so that eg actors' heads are on a level with the focus. The camera will be placed approximately five to six feet from the ground.

4. Low Angle

These increase height (useful for short actors like Tom Cruise or James McAvoy) and give a sense of speeded motion. Low angles help give a sense of confusion to a viewer, of powerlessness within the action of a scene. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be just sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding to the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on the screen.

5. Oblique/Canted Angle

Sometimes the camera is tilted (ie is not placed horizontal to floor level), to suggest imbalance, transition and instability (very popular in horror movies). This technique is used to suggest POINT-OF-View shots (ie when the camera becomes the 'eyes' of one particular character, seeing what they see — a hand held camera is often used for this.

Convention Homework

I wrote the convention homework in my book

Summer Homework Action Adventure Films

Media Homework

Action/Adventure Films                                                                     Summer Home Work

 Task 1

Night at the Museum

The hero in this movie is Ben Stiller, known as Larry Daley the night guard at the American museum of natural history. It follows a divorced father trying to settle down, impress his son, and find he’s destiny. Larry is a clever and ultimately a good hearted person. Like most other characters in the movie, he is a brave guard who seeks to win the leadership of many others, which demonstrates he’s power. This tells me that he can become tricky and tough at times; as shown in the movie as being a loser to his son, but a leader to his friends. Larry is not above lying or stealing, but has hatred on the people who do. The colour grey on his costume symbolizes security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, and maturity.

 

The villain in the movie is Cecil Fredrick; he is an elderly night guard about to retire from the American museum of natural history. I would describe him as a dishonest man, but working as a clever character. As part of the movie, he lied to Larry that he has never touched anything from the museum, whereas he did and asked Larry wise question before knowing him or handing him over the keys of the museum.

 This is an action/adventure film as it contracts with the hero thrust into a series of challenges, that include physical fighting and extended fight scenes. There were also fights and argues every night between the sculptures. The movie is mostly set in a period background and includes adapted stories adventurous heroes within the historical event. The background music also tells us there’s a mystery going on. 

Certain characters look and behave in a certain way, the audience finds this as a problem as some of the characters act in a way which their not represented. In this movie men’s look brave and heroic, I know this because in some scenes they defend others and take the risk of saving the museum.

Toy story 3

 

The hero and the star of the movie is woody; he is a cowboy pull-string doll, and Andy’s favourite toy. We all know this as Woody is the main character of the movie, in some scenes the position of the character adds to the atmosphere of the movie. The character smiles in most scenes, usually self-confidently suggesting that his confidence will be subverted in the humour. There are also other characters, connotataing how the story follows that group leader. This suggests that he is the hero as in the movie he is the one who solves problems, discovers the truths, and makes his friends happy.
 

 

The villain of the story covers Jessie; she is a cowboy girl and part of the woody’s round up gang. I know this because, from the movie she argued with woody on their way back to Sunnyside Day-care. This is why others think Andy threw them out, and she blames Woody. The reaction and her characteristic connote how she feels for others, giving us different side views from her character. This reveals herself as not contributing in the group, but suggesting realistic ideas.
 

The film proves to the audience that it’s an action /adventure film, as its film genre has one or more heroes thrust into a series of challenges. This story is an action film, as it tends to feature a resourceful character struggling against incredible odds. Such as, when woody and their group were trying to work their way out of sunny side day care, facing lots of challenges. The setting of this film introduces their action scenes preferably to display and explores exotic locations in an energetic way. This proves to us that each scene has a different setting.

Men’s are represented in the film as heroes, because they are the main focus and have a bigger role play, whereas women’s they tend to have more beauty. This is why most men’s in the movie fight for their friends and break out freedom. We all know this as in the movie woody was trying to save his friends and keep them all happy.

 

The Amazing Spiderman

The hero in this movie is spider man; he has special abilities including superhuman strength and ability to cling most surfaces. Spiderman is also extremely agile; has amazing reflexes and has a spider sense that warns him off impending danger. The colour blue on Spiderman costume connotes depression or coldness, which creates a quite cold atmosphere for the audience. It also applies that the film may have dark impressions. There is also red on Spiderman’s costume which connotes power, blood and pressure. This tells us that he has been rescuing millions of lives every day. I also know this as in a scene it shows him cling from one building to the other, recognising that he must be really at the top of the border and being known in their area and city.
 

The villain in the Amazing Spiderman is ‘The Lizard’; he is the enemy of Spiderman. In the story of Spiderman, there was a man called Curt Conner who was a genetic biologist who researched the ability of certain reptiles to regrow missing limbs, particularly to find a way to regrow his missing arm. After a test on himself, he transforms into a violent monster. I know this because a scary image of the ‘lizard’ is shown to intrigue audience. The colour on his costume is dark green, which is associated with ambition, green and jealousy.

This proves to the audience that it is an action/adventure film, as this film often uses their action scenes preferably to display and explores exotic locations in an energetic way. This is a film genre in which one or more heroes are thrust into a series of challenges that typically include physical feats, extended fighting scenes, and violence. The character is struggling into life threatening situation. And a villain which generally includes jealously for the hero.

 

Women and girls are represented in the film as helpless and incapable of defending herself, the posture and facial expressions contribute to this representation. The female character has been represented as delicate and feminine, whereas the male character is a domineering and described as a hero. There are strange contrast between the representation of men and women in ‘The Amazing Spiderman’.

 

Harry Potter and the philosopher’s Stone

In this movie the hero is Harry Potter, as he is definitely brave and daring, because his doing what’s despite the rules and he’s in Gryffindor. I know this as in the movie he was incredibly loyal to Dumbledore. We all know watching the movie that he can be quite irritable sometimes as it’s shown in many occasions. Overall he is the hero of this movie because he’s has a good heart, knows what’s right or wrong and is unafraid to do anything he can do due to what is right.
 

The villain of this movie is Voldermort, he is one unpopular wizard.  I know this because, even though he’s known for being incredibly powerful, a mere baby defeats him when he tries to kill it. Voldermort inspires such fear in his opportunities that they refuse to call him by his name, though using his name will conjure him up or alert him to their presence. The only people who call him by his name are Harry and Dumbledore. Overall, while Voldermort is present as an ominous shadowy kind of being, he doesn’t show up in person until the end of the movie.

The movie proves to the audience that it is an action adventure film, as the film is filled with action, spectacular, and enthusiasm. It also supplies the audience with electrifying excitement and presents us a hero to look up to. We also know this movie is adventurous as it has an exciting story to catch the audience’s attention, like when Harry tries to defeat Voldermort, using all his hopes and incredible power.

Women’s and girls are represented in the film as mainly being confident but emotional, I know this because in the film Hermione knew all the magic tricks, and learnt very quickly , whereas all the other boys were having a lot of trouble learning. Throughout the movie, females are represented to have talent and be more emotional compared to men, who are stereotypically seen as being more tough and less emotional. They are all represented as part of a group, which they tend to work and think as part of a team. Most Boys/men are the heroes of this movie; they have an active role, whereas women’s/girls have the passive role.

 

The Incredibles

The hero in this movie is Robert Bob Parr, known as Mr incredible. Bob possess tremendous strength, and heightened resistance to harm. He also has enhanced senses. In the movie he fights for his family, smell danger and save the city. The colour red on his costume symbolizes fire and blood, so it’s associated with energy =, danger, strengths, power, determination, as well as passion, desire and love for his family and wife.

The main villain in the incredible is Buddy Pine also known as Syndrome, a character voiced by Josen Lee. I would describe him as a person with complete lack of conscience, a direct result of sociopathy, making known for a mad scientist. This is evident that when Mr incredible was showing him as a completely amoral person without any regard for human life. Furthermore, he is depicted as a frustrated and spiteful character. The colour black on his costume signifies evil, unhappiness, elegance, and depth. Also, the colour white signifies cold and peace.

The film proves to the audience that it is an action adventure film as physical action takes procedure in the story telling. The film also has continuous motion and action including physical stunts, chases, fights, battles and races. The movie also revolves around a hero protecting the truth, but facing incredible odds to obtain it. The movie also provides an action filled, energetic experience for the audience.

 

In the movie, women are portrayed as independent and intelligent. I know this because, Mrs Incredible known as Elastigirl has a character that she has the confident to fight anyone in order to save her family and her friends. Men’s/boys are represented as heroes saving their city. This movie shows us that there were a lot of fight scenes going on.