Labyrinth
The labyrinth starts off with opening credits running through one by one on the screen, along with music in the background. When the title appears on the opening credit a shiny twinkle effect is placed on the title ‘labyrinth’ similarly to the way a star in the sky would twinkle, a similar effect of this is used in the film, it also has the sound effect of a twinkling star and sounds magical. Already we can relate this magical effect to the codes and conventions of a fantasy genre as the fantasy genre is very likely to contain these kind of elements, gives a sense of the film being out of this world and tells us the film has magic in it. Also, as each credit fades in and out of the frame, an owl flies through and in my research I have found owls have long been a part of human folklore and legend. Also, that they have held a variety of symbolic roles in culture and have represented misfortune, death, prosperity and wisdom. This indicates another key code and convention of the fantasy genre being used in subtle ways from the very beginning of the film to follow the fantasy genre and brings in a magical fantasy atmosphere to it. I can also suggest that the use of the owl in the opening credits indicates its significance and the importance of its role throughout the film, that your always being watched and the idea of being watched is relevant to the whole film. The first shot if the opening sequence is an establishing long shot of a field of grass and a pole on the right hand side with an owl on it, we then see a girl from far running into the frame from the left hand side. This gives us a chance to first focus on the owl, again this hints its importance and the theme of always being watched, we are then focused onto the next thing in the frame, which is the girl running into the frame from the left hand side towards the right. Later on during the sequence another indication of the fantasy genre is shown, this is when the camera tracks to the girls bedroom. The camera pans through a part of the girls bedroom to her, as the camera is panning we can see teddy bears and stuffed toys, a fairy music jewellery box (with the sound of it being played in the background), we can also see a puzzle game that has features like a maze and you have to get the ball through to the end without letting it fall into the traps ( the holes) the game we see in the frame is like a foreshadowing of the real event that happens later on in the film, the game is also called Labyrinth and directly links to the film and it’s title and is a clue of the narrative. The camera keeps panning through and we come to a line of books, ‘wizard of oz, snow white and Grimm’s fairytale’, this gives a sense of a childish feel to the movie, a sense of imagination and that the girl is in a fantasy world, along with the fairy music in the background, it sets the childish atmosphere and this follows the key code and conventions of the fantasy genre’. After it pans through the books we lastly see a stone statue of a goblin, this emphasizes the character of the girl and the fairytale world she lives in, as goblin is part of folklore and folklore is usually seen in the fantasy genre. The goblin also becomes an important character later on in the film and is seen constantly throughout, so hints are given to prepare us for what is going to happen although not much is given away therefore we are kept at interest and want to watch on.
The opening sequence overall was up to my expectations, it gave many hints of the film as a whole and led up to the story quite swiftly whilst keeping me deep in interest. The music was used very cleverly, at times the music would be slow paced, it would also speed up at other times, and then go slow paced again, the way the music was used allowed me to be put in a state of comfort, then discomfort then comfort again, which gave the effect of making the viewer feel uneasy, and sensing at the back of the viewers mind something bad will happen. They use this effect of comfort and discomfort through use of speed with the fairy music, and is almost like a threat to the fairy music as if something is coming in the way. Fairy tales end in happy endings most of the time and are make-believe but the threat is that it is going to become real very soon in the film.
Jumanji
The soundtrack of Jumanji is herd even before the movie has started; during the ‘tri star logo’ the music is being played. It creates an intimidating effect on the viewer. After the opening credits, it moves onto the first shot which is an establishing shot of a dark forest at night, it looks misty and has that mystical atmosphere, we then see two young children in the frame, one child looking slightly older then the other, they look scared and frightened and are up to something, we don’t know what. A whole in the ground in dug and a chest is revealed by the child, they pick it up and throw it into the hole in the ground and cover it up. Now because I have watched this film I can say that the 2 children in this opening sequence is like a foreshadowing of the characters later on in the film, because I know later on in the film there are two main child characters that lead up to a similar situation as seen in the opening sequence. So in a way for the first time viewers it hints out a similar situation to come in later on in the film. We then hear dialogue in this sequence, ‘what if someone digs it up? May God have mercy on his soul’ this gives us a clue about the narrative of the film because that ‘what if’ actually does happen’. We also hear a sound of drumming in the background similar to a heartbeat; we hear this when there is a close up of the chest, makes it sound as if something is alive in there, a sense of life in the box. The opening sequence is not really up to my expectations as it doesn’t tell me enough about the film, there isn’t much t suggest it is a fantasy genre, it seemed a bit boring and plain and not that exciting as I would expect. Although It could be argued that the reason less clues are given in the opening sequence is so the plot is not given away and so the viewers are left to wonder and watch on.
Night at the museum
Night at the museums opening sequence begins with twinkly fairy like music which gives a magical feel to the film instantly, it then smoothly gets louder and more involved with the opening sequence and everything featured in it. The music has trumpets and classical instruments played almost sounds like an orchestra. We then see different establishing shots of the city, one shot looking at a number of buildings lined up and another shot of the busy roads; I know this is a city of America as we can see the typical yellow American cabs drive by. Also when it had shown the first shot of the buildings, it looked like an early morning showing the city at dawn, it follows through landscape shots all the way to the museum, once it gets to the museum it is dusk, and the sun has gone down. A shot of the museum alone is featured at night, but inside is a glorious kind of glow coming from inside with rays of light escaping from the windows. The light is golden/yellow colored and makes it look magical. It gives a sense if life inside, and this is a key clue to the narrative of the film. There are many shots in the opening sequence of the different things in the museum, suggest the museum and all it contains is very important to the film and narrative of it. The title is linked very well to the opening sequence, the whole time changing of dusk and dawn is clearly shown, and this hints the narrative. Also, a shot of the museum at night is shown followed by many more shots of everything inside it and this completely links to the title.
Showing posts with label Main task research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Main task research. Show all posts
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Research & Planing (Fantasy Genre)
Fantasy Genre
Fantasy films are films with unique themes, it usually includes magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. Fantasy films exceed the bounds of human possibility and physical laws. Fantasy films are often in the background of the imagination, dreams, or hallucinations of a character or within the vision of the storyteller. Fantasy films often cosist of many factors like magic, myth, wonder, escapism, and the extraordinary. They may appeal to both children and adults, depending on the film film.
The boundaries of the fantasy literary genre are not well-defined, and the same is therefore true for the film genre as well. Categorizing a movie as fantasy may then require an examination of the themes, narrative approach and other structural factors of the film.
Films that depent on magic primarily as a gimmick, e.g. the 1976 film Freaky Friday and its 2003 re-make in which a mother and daughter magically switch bodies, may technically qualify as fantasy but are nevertheless not generally considered part of the genre.
Fantasy films are films with unique themes, it usually includes magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. Fantasy films exceed the bounds of human possibility and physical laws. Fantasy films are often in the background of the imagination, dreams, or hallucinations of a character or within the vision of the storyteller. Fantasy films often cosist of many factors like magic, myth, wonder, escapism, and the extraordinary. They may appeal to both children and adults, depending on the film film.
The boundaries of the fantasy literary genre are not well-defined, and the same is therefore true for the film genre as well. Categorizing a movie as fantasy may then require an examination of the themes, narrative approach and other structural factors of the film.
Films that depent on magic primarily as a gimmick, e.g. the 1976 film Freaky Friday and its 2003 re-make in which a mother and daughter magically switch bodies, may technically qualify as fantasy but are nevertheless not generally considered part of the genre.
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Research & Planing
Opening Sequence to Step Up
The very first shot is of a group of girls and boys in dance costumes, ballerina costumes, this immediately suggests the theme of the film which is dance, ballerina is a accurate dance, which requires a lot of talent and it is portrayed as something very classy, the lighting is natural coming from the window behind, it shines through as the students are settling and warming up to dance, the natural light suggests optimism and hope. I can connote that these are students enter the frame they are all chatting, also you can see some students carrying big bags and backpacks again looking like students, lots of different voices are heard in the background, and it has that school like atmosphere, busy, so from this I can suggest they are teenager students. The setting is of a dance room, it looks neat and tidy and professional, gives a sense of classiness. The 2nd shot is in complete contrast to the first shot, a group of teenager are in the frame, chatting, voices are heard in the background and many conversations are going on at the same time, however, the difference is the setting, which is on the streets, it does not look professional or neat and tidy, or shows any evidence of class, the costumes worn is street wear, hoodies, chains and joggers, fits the stereotypes of gangs and other types of youth. Then it cuts back to the shot of ballerinas, they start dancing, very elegantly and fast, the dancing is smooth and choreographed, it looks rehearsed and professional, this suggests the good lifestyle these people have, the elegance and smoothness of there dance could link to there smooth and flawless lifestyle, also, at the same time a soundtrack is being played, the music has violins, which is a classy instrument, compiled with a mixture of beats, so it contrasts classy music with urban type music, a artist starts rapping when it then cuts to the street dancers dancing, we can tell the street dancers are dancing on a street and this links well as the setting links to the type of dance they are performing. Also the setting of the street dancers, is of a neglected looking street, the background is messy, with tires and ropes scattered about, shows the difference between the ballerinas and the street dancers. The fact that the street dancers are not wearing uniform but general clothes shows the unprofessionalism. However the two types of dancers both share a similarity, there talent in dancing, although its very different both types of dancers, it is still equally both impressive. This is effective in the opening sequence as it shows both equally good types of dancers, but also shows how different they are which hints out the conflict of the two ‘cultures’. The rapper in the music is rapping about dancing, ‘show off that body you got’, he says this at the same time were seeing the dancers dancing which makes it contrapuntal to what is going on, the whole dance theme.
It then cuts away to an establishing shot of the street, buildings are seen in the background and it looks very ‘ghetto’, it then pans towards a car pulling up on the road side, the car looks old and scrappy, very cheap car, this suggests the type of lifestyle they live which is poor. It then starts tracking into the house party, and music rises as we get closer towards then inside the house, rap music is being played and is contrapuntal to the people and setting, which is the streets, and the house has a lot of graffiti on the walls, so we sense a sort of gang culture which again links to the rap music. It then shows a guy street dancing in the house to the music, which relates back to the theme of dance. A fight then breaks out and a gun is pulled out on the guy. Immediately we are introduced to conflict within the street culture, and these are stereotypical aspects of gang culture; gang violence and street crime. It links to the type of lifestyle of these youth and introduces us with a problem, which makes us think and wonder about.
The very first shot is of a group of girls and boys in dance costumes, ballerina costumes, this immediately suggests the theme of the film which is dance, ballerina is a accurate dance, which requires a lot of talent and it is portrayed as something very classy, the lighting is natural coming from the window behind, it shines through as the students are settling and warming up to dance, the natural light suggests optimism and hope. I can connote that these are students enter the frame they are all chatting, also you can see some students carrying big bags and backpacks again looking like students, lots of different voices are heard in the background, and it has that school like atmosphere, busy, so from this I can suggest they are teenager students. The setting is of a dance room, it looks neat and tidy and professional, gives a sense of classiness. The 2nd shot is in complete contrast to the first shot, a group of teenager are in the frame, chatting, voices are heard in the background and many conversations are going on at the same time, however, the difference is the setting, which is on the streets, it does not look professional or neat and tidy, or shows any evidence of class, the costumes worn is street wear, hoodies, chains and joggers, fits the stereotypes of gangs and other types of youth. Then it cuts back to the shot of ballerinas, they start dancing, very elegantly and fast, the dancing is smooth and choreographed, it looks rehearsed and professional, this suggests the good lifestyle these people have, the elegance and smoothness of there dance could link to there smooth and flawless lifestyle, also, at the same time a soundtrack is being played, the music has violins, which is a classy instrument, compiled with a mixture of beats, so it contrasts classy music with urban type music, a artist starts rapping when it then cuts to the street dancers dancing, we can tell the street dancers are dancing on a street and this links well as the setting links to the type of dance they are performing. Also the setting of the street dancers, is of a neglected looking street, the background is messy, with tires and ropes scattered about, shows the difference between the ballerinas and the street dancers. The fact that the street dancers are not wearing uniform but general clothes shows the unprofessionalism. However the two types of dancers both share a similarity, there talent in dancing, although its very different both types of dancers, it is still equally both impressive. This is effective in the opening sequence as it shows both equally good types of dancers, but also shows how different they are which hints out the conflict of the two ‘cultures’. The rapper in the music is rapping about dancing, ‘show off that body you got’, he says this at the same time were seeing the dancers dancing which makes it contrapuntal to what is going on, the whole dance theme.
It then cuts away to an establishing shot of the street, buildings are seen in the background and it looks very ‘ghetto’, it then pans towards a car pulling up on the road side, the car looks old and scrappy, very cheap car, this suggests the type of lifestyle they live which is poor. It then starts tracking into the house party, and music rises as we get closer towards then inside the house, rap music is being played and is contrapuntal to the people and setting, which is the streets, and the house has a lot of graffiti on the walls, so we sense a sort of gang culture which again links to the rap music. It then shows a guy street dancing in the house to the music, which relates back to the theme of dance. A fight then breaks out and a gun is pulled out on the guy. Immediately we are introduced to conflict within the street culture, and these are stereotypical aspects of gang culture; gang violence and street crime. It links to the type of lifestyle of these youth and introduces us with a problem, which makes us think and wonder about.
Sunday, 1 November 2009
Research & Planning
My Fairytale
Little Blue & The Magic Sweets
There was a nicknamed little blues Her favorite colour was blue and she was known in the town for her blue droopy coat and blue hat with a ribbon on it. She was always bullied by the pretty girls at school for her freckles and the glasses and for being a geek and not a pretty girl with looks like them, the bullies were jealous because everyone liked her, little blues was not the prettiest of girls but she had the most beautiful personality, whereas the bullies were mean and no one liked them. One day on the way home the bullies followed her making remarks, little blues ran from them took a short cut through a town that nobody usually went through, it was said to have been haunted, so the bullies didn’t go through there. It was a ghostly town. Blues went through the town which was dark and dingy, walking through the town she came past a magic shop, she went in, and an old lady stood in front of her with an jar of sweets. Take this, it looks pretty but don’t eat it, it’s the opposite of pretty and show its ‘true colour’ of whoever eats it. Little blues was confused, she took the sweets and quickly and shoved it in her school bag and walked away. Next morning she went to school, but forgot to take the magic sweets outside her bag as she didn’t intend to use it on the bullies. In class she was sitting at the front, the bullies were behind her, sneakily they took little blues bag and went through it scribbling over her work and messing it up, when they suddenly found the jar of sweets, it was glistening and colourful and looked beautiful, it twinkled like diamonds, so they stole it. At lunch time they ate the sweets, little blues realized her sweets were gone then saw them eating them and attempted to stop them as it was magic sweets, they didn’t care and carried on, bad mouthing little blues calling her mean names, suddenly the girl stopped giggling and saying mean things to little blue, there was a silence, then, there voices became witch like and there faces became freckled with straw like hair, all three girls noses turned into a nose like a trout, there eyebrows became bushy and there faces became puffed up, they became hideous, school children gathered around laughing and pointing, the three girls couldn’t take it and ran away and never came back. Little blues was never bullied again.
Little Blue & The Magic Sweets
There was a nicknamed little blues Her favorite colour was blue and she was known in the town for her blue droopy coat and blue hat with a ribbon on it. She was always bullied by the pretty girls at school for her freckles and the glasses and for being a geek and not a pretty girl with looks like them, the bullies were jealous because everyone liked her, little blues was not the prettiest of girls but she had the most beautiful personality, whereas the bullies were mean and no one liked them. One day on the way home the bullies followed her making remarks, little blues ran from them took a short cut through a town that nobody usually went through, it was said to have been haunted, so the bullies didn’t go through there. It was a ghostly town. Blues went through the town which was dark and dingy, walking through the town she came past a magic shop, she went in, and an old lady stood in front of her with an jar of sweets. Take this, it looks pretty but don’t eat it, it’s the opposite of pretty and show its ‘true colour’ of whoever eats it. Little blues was confused, she took the sweets and quickly and shoved it in her school bag and walked away. Next morning she went to school, but forgot to take the magic sweets outside her bag as she didn’t intend to use it on the bullies. In class she was sitting at the front, the bullies were behind her, sneakily they took little blues bag and went through it scribbling over her work and messing it up, when they suddenly found the jar of sweets, it was glistening and colourful and looked beautiful, it twinkled like diamonds, so they stole it. At lunch time they ate the sweets, little blues realized her sweets were gone then saw them eating them and attempted to stop them as it was magic sweets, they didn’t care and carried on, bad mouthing little blues calling her mean names, suddenly the girl stopped giggling and saying mean things to little blue, there was a silence, then, there voices became witch like and there faces became freckled with straw like hair, all three girls noses turned into a nose like a trout, there eyebrows became bushy and there faces became puffed up, they became hideous, school children gathered around laughing and pointing, the three girls couldn’t take it and ran away and never came back. Little blues was never bullied again.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Research & Planning
FAIRYTALES
A fairy tale is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, gnomes, and talking animals, and a lot of the time enchantments, often involving a farfetched series of events. In modern-day manner of speaking, the term is also describes something blessed with princesses, as in "fairy tale ending" (a happy ending) or "fairy tale romance". In the informal use of the everyday terms "fairy tale" or "fairy story" can also be interpreted as any far-fetched story, meaning it could be something very dreamy and imaginative and in the realistic world something unrealistic. Fairy tales usually draw young children since they easily understand the typical characters in the story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Tam_and_Cam
Vietnamese story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ugly_Duckling
Danish story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella
Greek story
These are a few fairytales, some are unusual and some contain teachings from it. For example tam and cam are two sisters, tam is a good and nice girl, cam however is not, she is jealous and mean, the story ends in the bad person (cam) loosing out, and the good one (tam) winning, cam is rid of, and tam has a happy ever after. It teaches if you’re bad you won’t get far and if you are good you will have a happy ever after.
An example of an Arabic fairytale story
This is a good example of a fairytale as it contains such common factors of a fairytale like a hero and villain and a king, queen, prince, and a princess.
This is another fairytale called tortoise and hare
It’s a very good example of a story with moral behind it, so it offers teachings.
For example the moral of this story is that even if it seems that you are not the quickest or best a particular task, which may not be the case. Do you best from the beginning to end and you will know where you stand. It may prove that someone who seems more skilled at something may not be and another moral could be to not ‘judge a book by its cover’
A fairy tale is a fictional story that may feature folkloric characters such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, giants, gnomes, and talking animals, and a lot of the time enchantments, often involving a farfetched series of events. In modern-day manner of speaking, the term is also describes something blessed with princesses, as in "fairy tale ending" (a happy ending) or "fairy tale romance". In the informal use of the everyday terms "fairy tale" or "fairy story" can also be interpreted as any far-fetched story, meaning it could be something very dreamy and imaginative and in the realistic world something unrealistic. Fairy tales usually draw young children since they easily understand the typical characters in the story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Tam_and_Cam
Vietnamese story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ugly_Duckling
Danish story
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella
Greek story
These are a few fairytales, some are unusual and some contain teachings from it. For example tam and cam are two sisters, tam is a good and nice girl, cam however is not, she is jealous and mean, the story ends in the bad person (cam) loosing out, and the good one (tam) winning, cam is rid of, and tam has a happy ever after. It teaches if you’re bad you won’t get far and if you are good you will have a happy ever after.
An example of an Arabic fairytale story
This is a good example of a fairytale as it contains such common factors of a fairytale like a hero and villain and a king, queen, prince, and a princess.
This is another fairytale called tortoise and hare
It’s a very good example of a story with moral behind it, so it offers teachings.
For example the moral of this story is that even if it seems that you are not the quickest or best a particular task, which may not be the case. Do you best from the beginning to end and you will know where you stand. It may prove that someone who seems more skilled at something may not be and another moral could be to not ‘judge a book by its cover’
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
Opening Sequences
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv9Hxuq7W5I
this is the opening of the film 'the fast and the furious', it can not be uploaded on the blog as there is no embeding code available for it.
In this opening sequence I can relate it straight away to cars. This is what the film is about. The shiny and flashy metal font of the title of the film is shown at the start which I can relate to cars, big metal machines, we mostly see men in the very early stages of the opening sequence making it very manly which relates to cars too. So in all it fits in the genre of the film. The soundtrack at the beginning is a very cool and fast tempo; it makes me get in the mood for something ‘wild and exciting. In the early stages of the opening sequence there is hardly any talking, but there is always something to look at, and this is so effective in engaging the audience that a voiceover or someone to talk us through this is not needed, however, though it engages me into the film, I feel confused or left in a state to wonder what is actually happening, I can sense a crime happening but I feel confusion in why it is happening and how it relates to cars, and how the whole situation is linking together, but in my opinion, by leaving me in suspense means it is successful as it has drawn me to the film and actually got me thinking about it and to think about ‘what happens next?’.
this is the opening of the film 'the fast and the furious', it can not be uploaded on the blog as there is no embeding code available for it.
In this opening sequence I can relate it straight away to cars. This is what the film is about. The shiny and flashy metal font of the title of the film is shown at the start which I can relate to cars, big metal machines, we mostly see men in the very early stages of the opening sequence making it very manly which relates to cars too. So in all it fits in the genre of the film. The soundtrack at the beginning is a very cool and fast tempo; it makes me get in the mood for something ‘wild and exciting. In the early stages of the opening sequence there is hardly any talking, but there is always something to look at, and this is so effective in engaging the audience that a voiceover or someone to talk us through this is not needed, however, though it engages me into the film, I feel confused or left in a state to wonder what is actually happening, I can sense a crime happening but I feel confusion in why it is happening and how it relates to cars, and how the whole situation is linking together, but in my opinion, by leaving me in suspense means it is successful as it has drawn me to the film and actually got me thinking about it and to think about ‘what happens next?’.
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