Preliminary Exercise

 

Today in class, we went back to the basics and took some pictures, this time going back to reflect on what could have been done better at the time of the shooting. Something else that is different is that we got to take pictures outside of school. Here are some of the pictures I took in class and outside: 

During the time I took the photo, I chose to use a red balloon because it creates a strong focal point and high contrast against the dark setting. The color red was used to symbolize danger or a warning, which adds to the emotional impact. The choice to tie the balloon to the drain is because the drain could suggest something hidden or mysterious, which helps create tension. I decided to keep a good distance from the balloon to make the balloon look smaller and more desolate, which makes the viewer feel like they're observing from far away. I used low-key lighting to create a moody atmosphere and make the color of the balloon stand out. This gives the image a cinematic look. Overall, the red balloon and the drain are a reference to IT from the movie. 

Something I think I could improve is the lighting. In retrospect, my decision to incorporate low-key was good, but the hues of purple that linger in the bathroom because of the lighting almost wash out the red of the balloon. Looking back, the purple tone would mix well with the color scheme, but instead drowned out the bright red color of the balloon, which made it stand out less, defeating the whole purpose. 

In the making of this photo, some choices I made included high-key lighting, which helps add a soft and calm atmosphere to the picture, which fits with the sleeping girl who dozed off during her studies. The background of a library helps add to the idea of learning, studying, or mental fatigue. The position of the actor with her head resting on her arms makes the position look natural and makes it relatable to the audience, as most people have fallen asleep this way from exhaustion. Her hair color and jacket help draw attention to her by making a dark contrast with the light, nude background that almost seems cloudy. The camera angle I chose, putting the camera on the table, makes the viewer feel like they just walked in on the moment.  

In retrospect, some choices I wish I had made when taking this photo were that I shot perhaps from a high angle to make the actor seem smaller. Perhaps add more books to make her look small, sleeping on a table full of books, which could add to the dramatic effect of the scene. 

When this picture was taken, some choices I made were taking it on a boat, so it can give the viewer the immersion of being in the moment, instead of somewhere on shore, which allows the viewer to be in the water. There is texture created between the blue of the waves and the white foam that is created as they crash against one another. The white foam makes a good contrast with the darker blue of the water, which adds visual highlights; this trashing of waves gives action to the photo. The color scheme is crisp and vibrant, emphasized by the tall white buildings in the background, which provide scale to the picture and give the viewer a location reference. The blue sky is fading into clouds as it approaches the white buildings. The small white boat serves as a secondary focal point and adds a human element without taking away too much attention. Overall, the calm vibe that is given off by this picture, mixed with the clean, airy mood of the color palettes, creates that vibe. 

Some things I wish I had changed are the angle of the image; a low angle closer to the water could have better captured the depth of the waves, which could have made the water look more dramatic. Another thing is maybe waiting for the boat to come closer, since the closer it gets, the stronger the waves crash, and the boat also blends into the background in this picture. A similar option regarding the boat could have been to keep it in that spot, but maybe make it a different color, like red; a vibrant color could make for a dramatic shot and draw more focus to the boat. I also wish I had maybe cropped the photo or made the ratio of blue skyline to sea more even, since I feel like the blue sky that stretches up isn't much to look at. 

In this scene, I used high-key lighting to capture the bright energy of the scene, which matches the excitement of the girl. The actor was told to intentionally cover her mouth to show surprise; the way she positioned her hands makes this scene feel more spontaneous and relatable. I placed the laptop at an angle where part of the live performance video is visible. This choice helps connect her reaction to the cause of her emotion, which adds context. Having her look directly at the laptop shows engagement, which makes the viewer follow her eyes to the screen and make the connection between her reaction and the video. Another thing that played a role here was the slight over-the-shoulder shot where the camera is placed behind her so that the screen is visible as well as her face. 

Some changes I could have made are to make the screen less blurry and not have so much glare. Another part is that the background is completely unrelated to the picture, so it doesn't help add context of any sort and might confuse the audience. Another part of it, something I didn't really like, is how her hands cover most of her face, which doesn't really leave room to show her facial expression. 

Primary Research-Auditing Media Skills/Members

 Primary Research

Today we are starting to choose are members for the movie opener, but first, to have better knowledge of who would be a good teammate, we were told to do a sort of self-assessment of our skills so we can choose people who complement me. This is what I assessed for myself, and these are the people I chose to pair up with. 

Skill	I am good at this	I can do this, but I need to improve	I need to acquire this skill
Using a camera (photography or video), including those built into a mobile phone	✔
Recording sound either on its own or as part of a video	✔
Using light for effect,  either in still photography or moving image		✔
Using video or photo editing software			✔
Using desktop publishing software	✔
Writing for specific purposes and audiences	✔
Producing social media such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook	✔
Using online applications to enhance the meaning of texts, for example, Prezzi, PowToon, Slideshare			✔

Members for my production: 

Suri Nguyen- Suri is skilled at using video or photo editing software and using online applications to enhance the meaning of texts, for example, Prezzi, PowToon, Slideshare. While I am not so adept at these skills. 

Kamryn Phonesoukseum, 

Niliem Valdes-  Niliem is even more skilled than Suri at using video or photo editing software and using online applications to enhance the meaning of texts, for example, Prezzi, PowToon, Slideshare.  I am not proficient in these skills. 

Case Study- Agent Carter

Agent Carter 

Today, we worked on our first essay analyzing a video clip. This is what I had to say after I revised my work with the helpful tips of my teacher. 

In the film "Agent Carter", the group being represented is women. This is demonstrated by the overall theme of the power of women. The protagonist Peggy Carter is faced with sexism at her workplace and is treated like an inferior by her male coworkers consistently. In the end, she takes it upon herself to fight and track down a dangerous individual, "The Zodiac", showing that she is more capable than the men in her workplace. 

In the clip, various scenes showed Peggy Carter being mistreated by Agent Flynn. One was during a two-shot where Peggy and Agent Flynn have a conversation where he asks, "How are you doing, sweetie?" (Sweetie is used as a way to talk down to her), and she explains she is bored and wants to do more for the company.  The two-shot helps draw emphasis to their talking by isolating them in one scene and showing their emotional exchange to the audience. Agent Flynn tells her off for saving them, not in a war, and that she is doing enough to let them (the men) handle it. This leaves Peggy to feel overlooked and tells the audience that she is being left out. Possibly because she is a woman who works surrounded by men. 

Similarly, another scene where Peggy Carter is left out for being a woman, at the end of the day, when all the guys in the office go out to dinner. Agent Flynn calls her name, and she gets excited, thinking she will finally be included, but instead tells her to "polish up field reports on my desk, darling" (darling is used as a pet name to undermine her). Then the low-key lighting is used to highlight how she is left alone, which gives the audience a sense of sadness after seeing how the once light-filled room full of the chatter of men is dark, cold, and desolate. The scene is another example of them not including her and overall undermining her efforts. 

As Peggy Carter begins to grab the reports, she gets a call from a mysterious person who tells her the location of a wanted person, "The Zodiac". A close-up of her face is shown as she talks on the phone. Then an eyeline match cuts to a piece of paper where she writes down the coordinates they tell her, and then suggests the corporation send 3-5 agents. In that moment, she has a newfound resolve to track down the dangerous individual and prove herself to the people who underestimated her. The close-up helps highlight the determination she feels, and the eyeline match helps provide narrative information to the scene. 

In the next scene, Peggy is shown fighting men who seemed to look down on her, saying, "You're not from around here, are you?" She then easily beats up the men, and an over-the-shoulder shot reveals another man relaxing in his chair, reading a magazine. Even yawning, as he has not noticed the fight happening behind him, which shows how little they see Peggy as a threat and how strongly they assume she's defenseless. This was further enhanced with the over-the-shoulder shot by contrasting the two scenes to highlight the underestimation the men had of her. 

Stuart Hall's theory contributes to shaping the overall theme of feminine power by explaining how the media shapes what we think about groups of people. In Agent Carter, a representation of women as strong, capable, and underestimated by society is shown. Her struggles with sexism reflect real-world issues but also push against them. This representation of women as intelligent, brave, and leaders shows how the media shaped the perception of women to be shown as underdogs in this particular clip. 

In the end, the scene makes Peggy's strength impossible to ignore. Even though the men around her doubted what she was capable of, she proved herself by rising to the challenge of capturing the zodiac alone. By showing her taking control and succeeding on her own. The film highlights how powerful and capable women are when given the chance.  The moment leaves viewers with a message: underestimating women only makes the achievements stand out even more.

 

Editing and Transitions

Hello!<3, while we were working on our graphic organizer, my teacher taught us about a new topic. She gave us an assignment where we had to pick a clip and then describe and explain the transitions in scenes. Here are the transitions I found:  

 Transitions:  0:14 Insert 0:22 Straight cut 0:24 eyeline match Reverse shot 2:24 action match 3:04 cross cutting 3:17 Graphic match 4:57  cut away 5:09 eyeline match (5:33) visual effects 5:46 

At the start of the clip, an insert (0:14) transition is used to help the audience focus on the object Peter Parker is referring to when talking to Doctor Strange. During the conversation between Peter Parker and Doctor Strange, a straight cut (0:22) smoothly continues the exchange between Doctor Strange and Spider-Man. Soon after an eyeline match (0:24) is used, following Spider-Man's eyes to the 2 other people that he is trying to help, this helps introduce them into the conversation. As the clip continues, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange begin to fight, and while they fight, a reverse shot (2:24) is used to show the brief discussion between Doctor Strange and Spider-Man after Spider-Man is held in place out of his body by Doctor Strange. As the fight scene continues, an action match (3:04) is used when Spider-Man is thrown into what looks like glass and is dragged back in the same scene. This connects two action scenes, so they flow smoothly together.  Continuing the momentum, cross-cutting is used to switch between a scene where Spider-Man is being flung through what looks like buildings, to Doctor Strange walking towards him to show how these events are connected. The scene is then taken to a whole other universe, all controlled by Doctor Strange.  A graphic match (4:57) is used to show how time and space are broken when Spider-Man and Doctor Strange fight. This is symbolized by two glass panels coming together and then shattering at impact with a bright flashing light in between them, which then transitions to a new location smoothly. Following that, a cutaway (5:09) is used to briefly show the new location where Spider-Man is, which adds context to Spider-Man's inter-dialogue about geometry. As the scene proceeds, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange continue to fight in the multiverse. An eyeline match is used when Spider-Man has Doctor Strange trapped. The camera shows Spider-Man looking at something and then switches to him taking the cube and Doctor Strange's ring. Lastly, visual effects are clearly used throughout the whole clip, which enhances the action in the story and creates impossible graphics. 

Reverse shots, eyeline matches, and close-ups show characters’ feelings. This helps the audience empathize with the characters in the clip. In addition, cross-cutting and action matches make the audience feel suspense or tension, which adds to the action of the overall scene. Furthermore, inserts and cutaways highlight important details of the story, which aid the audience's understanding of each scene. It can explain what's happening and why. Finally, graphics, matches, and visual effects provide visual symbolism and add to the optical illusion of each scene 

Link to the video: 

https://youtu.be/mGrEzCvl-_I?si=W6upGrVKtAQewU0R

Elements of Film

Hello! It's October 31st- Happy Halloween<3. For the past week in class, we have been working on our graphic organizer which is a summary of all the terms we have learned so far in media studies. It contains definitions as well as connotations for each term. Here is a picture: 

Front:

Back:

Movie Rating Blogpost

In today's class, we got to choose a film of our choice, no matter good or bad, and "judge" or write a review on it using a given rubric. The short film of my choice was LAST MAN (2022), and here is my opinion on it:

LAST MAN (2022)/ Short Film

Tells a story which holds the audience's attention: 10

Demonstrates camera work and editing which enhances the story:10

Contains dialogue narration and/or background music which enhances the story: 5

Has compelling and interesting actors: 10 

 Total: 35/80

Using the Short Movie Judging Rubric, I judged the following short film, "LAST MAN," and gave it a score of 35/80. Starting with the first category, "Tells a story which holds the audience's attention", in my opinion, the short film has a rather inconclusive ending; the overall storytelling was ominous, but not in a mystery-like way, but instead gave the audience a sense of disconnection with the plot and the characters. In this particular film, the ending left the viewer with more questions than it gave answers, which normally would be captivating, but in this particular film, it took away from the main focus of the film.

Moving on to the second category, "Demonstrates camera work and editing which enhances the story", I believe that the camera work wasn't totally horrible, but definitely didn't add to any elements of the film. The quality of the camera was quite distracting. The camera quality often shifted between sometimes detailed, to having a shot that blends together with the color scheme so much that the image loses a clear outline, making it a wash of color. Another major factor that deteriorated the quality of the film was the random focus on an object that was seemingly unimportant to the film. While it explained where sounds were coming from, it made the film feel incoherent. 

In the third category is where I found the film most lacked, "Contains dialogue narration and/or background music which enhances the story". For starters, there was what seemed like random music and sounds that didn't really add anything more than a dramatic effect; it didn't explain what was going on or give any details on the background of the film. It more so distracted the audience and made them question why certain sounds were added and what meaning they were supposed to add to the film, which I would argue is something short films shouldn't normally do. Moreover, the dialogue was really the icing on the cake, as one would say, it explained nothing about the film, and mostly made the audience make inferences. There was actually not much dialogue in the film, which made the film more confusing than it already was. Most of the dialogue, as well as the music, added dramatic effect and sometimes explained small parts of the film, but left most of it to interpretation. 

The last category, "Has compelling and interesting actors",  in my opinion, was nothing more than mediocre. The characters were, as I would describe them, odd.  The facial expressions weren't quite right with the sound of the character's tone. One of the characters didn't show their face, which, of course, didn't aid in their interpretation of emotion. Most of the time, their bodily expressions were overly exaggerated while the tone of their voice sounded more moderate. The characters added to the disjointed feel of the overall film, and I believe that was one of the main reasons the film felt odd and confusing. Not being able to identify who the characters are and what relations they have to each other misleads the audience and results in a poorly made film. 

CASE STUDY- MISE EN SCENE

Hello! today in class we practiced a little more of the writing about what we see in clips and describing how the audience should feel when looking at particular scenes. I picked a particularly gory clip (on accident) so I cut out most of the action and wrote about what I could.

The Platform - Trimagasi's death Scene (HD 1080p)

 

The blurry, high-key (0:01) lighting at the beginning of the clip sends almost an eerie vibe to the whole scene, soon after the character who was in shallow focus is then shifted to a clip of that same character with a prop (a knife) and then another character tied up (0:10), with a facial expression that looks almost disoriented or dazed. The camera then shifts back with a mid-shot of the character (0:15) caressing the prop (the knife) and making what sounds like a non-diegetic sound added for the special effect of enhancing the terror or anticipation the viewer should feel when seeing this scene. Then a clip with a low angle of the character slowly walking up to the tied up character is shown and zooming in slowly towards his poker face, making him look relentless and unmerciful (0:19). In a conversation between the two characters as the knife approaches the character who is tied up, it is revealed that the person holding the knife wants to take meat off the other character's body so he can eat. The makeup of the two characters, which makes them look dirty and the character who is tied up looking bruised, combined with the background sound of what seems like a low hum, adds to the tension of this scene. By this point (1:09), there seems to be low-key dim lighting around both characters, and a tear rolls down the face of the character who looks to be tied up with white bedsheets up to his neck. This, combined with the contrast of the dark background (symbolizing perhaps death or doom) and the bright white bedsheets wrapped around the character, comes to create a sense of defeat from the tied-up character as well as pain. As the old character holding the knife smiles (1:11) with a complacent look towards the defeated character, the audience questions what will happen next and feels disturbed by his next moves. The old man then proceeds to use the torn-up white bed sheet (prop) to cover the mouth of the injured tied-up character (1:17).

                                                              My chosen edited clip: