Christmas is soon to approach (3 days!), which means spending less time on sixth form work, and more time on communicating with the family.

However, I will be back in the new year of 2011 to carry on blogging.

See you soon!

Own initial idea for film opening (storyboard)

This is my original horror movie intro idea. I will take these story boards and address them with the rest of the group soon so we can share ideas and decide on what we are going to create for own penultimate film opening.

Pillow talk VS Fringe Essay

How are the sequences from ‘Pillow talk’ and ‘fringe’ different? Discuss he difference in pace and style of editing as well as the effect the editing has on meaning/the audience’s receptions of the extracts.

The film ‘Pillow talk’ and the TV show ‘Fringe’ are two extracts that have been carefully selected for comparison because they are from different time decades and portray different emotions. The film ‘Pillow talk’ was released in 1959 and it is a romantic comedy directed by Michael Gordon; in the film extract the camera movement is very basic and no special effects are used in the scenery. On the other hand, ‘Fringe’ is a science fiction US Television show from 2008 and uses Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) to capture and express high quality action sequences.

There are many factors that affect the audience in the extracts, such as the pace and style of editing, and the effect the editing has itself.

At first glance, in comparison with the two extracts, a noticeable difference is the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound. In pillow talk there are no non-diegetic sounds throughout the whole extract, there are only diegetic sounds (e.g. the pianist and guitarist at 3:53), the most likely reason is because of the insufficient technology in 1959. However, since then technology has advanced and the use of sound effects have been brought into the world of media. In the fringe extract at 0:17, we hear a phased non-diegetic sound, which represents the sound of the blimp teleporting. The use of the sound effect, along with the teleporting blimp, has an effect on the whole extract. From that scene (0:16 – 0:21) we can see straight away that fringe is set way ahead of reality, and is set in the future, and we can see that because of the use of CGI and non-diegetic sound. However in Pillow talk we can see that all sounds used are diegetic (e.g. the phone ringing at 0:25 – 0:28), and no special effects are used, which puts more attention from the audience to what the characters are saying, helping the audience concentrate on what emotions are being expressed by the actors.

The style and pace of the editing between the two extracts are very unconventional and have a very diverse range of shots, which appeal to both target audiences. In the ‘fringe’ extract, the average shot length is between 2-4 seconds, and show clean cuts to show the facial expressions from the characters, and to help the audience see how they are reacting consistently as the extract plays through. The director does this effect to help the audience to connect with the characters, and link their emotions with the character, so the audience can feel what the character feels. The audience are also able to see what the reality of the world outside is like in the scene with the teleporting blimp (0:16 – 0:21), the director add this scene for dramatic effect and portrays the feeling to the audience that something is building up because of the sudden change of action. Whereas in the ‘Pillow talk’ extract, the shot lengths are fairly long, and the sequence can run for a longer period of time without cutting because its not a fast paced film, so there is no need for the sharp and witty cuts to keep the audience’s attention. For example the first scene in the extract (0:00 – 0:22), it takes 22 seconds for a cut to be made, and the editor adds a transition to make the scene fade into each other. The reason the transition is added is because it adds a calm and smooth effect, so that the cut is sleek, and the tension is kept low-key.

The different styles of editing from the different directors are easily noticed when watching the 2 extracts.

In the ‘Pillow talk’ extract from 0:30 to 1:38, we as an audience see a split screen effect when the 2 characters are on the telephone to each other. This is a very simple and basic editing technique, yet in 1959 it was very effective. It allows the audience to see both characters facial expressions at the same time as the conversation between them progresses and elevates. Contrasting to ‘Pillow talk’, at the beginning of the ‘Fringe’ extract we can also see the 2 characters on a phone call to each other, except it is a high tech video call, and we can only see them both because of the use of cuts, and not because of the split screen technique. This effect is also useful because of the way an audience can focus on what’s important in the shot, but we cannot see them at the same time, giving a different editing effect to the ‘Pillow talk’ extract.

Finally, the lighting and colour in both extracts effectively creates a mood and sets the scene, so in these extracts we’re contrasting between dark and light. The use of mis-en-scene lighting is very effective as it correlates with the mood of the scene. The use of light and backlights, for example in ‘Pillow talk’, helps create the smooth and calm scenery. On the other hand, we can see in the ‘Fringe’ extract, that the dark and minimal back lights, helps creates tension and helps build up the sci-fi and action mood of the sequence.

In conclusion, we can see that both directors and editors have a distinctive difference in their style, pace, and the effect they portray when creating and publishing their work. We learn to admire the simplicity and basic effects used in the ‘Pillow talk’ extract because of the time era of 1959, and the fact of the insufficient technology they had. Furthermore, we can also start to admire the use of CGI and special effects in the ‘Fringe’ extract, as the director and editors use these effects very professionally to create a range of different emotions.

In recent lessons we have been studying 2 carefully selected extracts to show the contrast between the pace and styles of editing. The two extracts are a film called 'Pillow talk' and a TV show called 'Fringe.
We have been set an assignment in which we have to write an essay discussing and exemplifying the contrasts of the editing styles.
I have recently started this and will upload it to the blog a couple days prior to the deadline.

Mine and Daniel Drinkwater's collaborative Secret and Lies presentation

Secrets and lies presentation

View more presentations from Westhatchmediastudies

An analysis of editing and Mise en Scene







The beginning of this scene establishes the setting. From just this image, we establish that its going to be set in a photography shop, as the shop is in the centre of the shot. The black cab also establishes that its set in London. Its shot in natural light.
Like all the other shots we will see in this presentation, the film is shot from the point of view of a photography camera. We know this because of the people posing in front of it, and they’re looking directly in the eye of the camera.
The costumes reflect the characters. The father is in a suit, the son is wearing his regular clothes, wife is wearing a nice white dress, and the grandmother is wearing an old fashioned purple gown. Everyone looks like they’ve dressed for a photo, (besides the son)
The backdrop is a standard photography backdrop.
The lighting consists of a key light on the subjects, and filler lights to soften the shadows against the backdrop.
Everything in this photo is made to look like a photographers studio.






We decided to work on this one, as it’s the most different from the other clips.

The backdrop this time is plain white, if you look closely you can see a spotlight behind her head, which gives her a “Halo” effect. The light in this picture is meant to look like a diffused effect, the key lights are on the mother and her baby. The filler lights eliminate shadows, and creates a glow around the mother.

Every material in this clip is white, which symbolizes purity, as the new born baby is innocent, and pure.
The flash effect imitates a photograph, its their so it reminds us that it is a photograph, but I doubt a flash would need to be used





The key lights are on the girls here, but there is two spotlights behind them on the backdrop, like a “show” style effect. Which suites the theme of dancing.

The backdrop used is the same in most of the secrets and lies clips, but its shot from a different angle, so show that the children have “power”. However, all their eyes are still in the eye level part of the frame.
The costumes are dancing costumes, to show that the children are dancers.





The key light is on the boxer, with filler lights focused towards the backdrop to soften shadows.

His boxer clothes show he is a boxer, and his beat shows that he’s recently won a competition. He’s in the centre of the shot, striking various aggressive photo’s for his boxing photo’s.






We can see from this still frame that he is a beloved son and from the dress sense we can see he is well respected by the family he’s from. The prop (the chair) looks as if it would be quite expensive and very prestigious, the child looks very posh, however in the scene we see him picking his nose. This shows that he is very innocent and oblivious to his status.

However the lighting and background is very neutral, this shows that he may well be respected, he is also treated as the others and treated.






The centre of attention in this shot is the dog, he’s centre shot, and the key light focuses on him. The dig is placed red cloth, it looks like a rich material, and the dog seems well treated. We also see this in how groomed he is, as the owner keeps brushing his fur until she’s satisfied the dog looks good. The woman is also dressed in red, but its not anything to do with the dog and the table. All her other clothes were in the wash.

Her clothes symbolize her attachment to the dog, it’s the same colour as the table, showing that even though she isn’t in the picture, she still wants to be a part of the theme.

Even with the astonishing treatment, the dog doesn’t care, and still has a mind of its own.
The filler lights are focused on the backdrop to soften shadows.

The dog seems very obedient, proving that the owner is very controlling and takes good care of the dog. This shows a true high status of the family as the owner likes to keep everyone under control, including the dog.

Lately in lessons we have been studying an extract from a film called 'Secret and lies'.
Me and Daniel are currently working on analysing and annotating several snippets from a certain extract carefully chosen because it shows various stereotypes and statuses. It will be uploaded to our blogs in a week or so.

This is the final poster that will be analysed on this media blog. It is another one of the current Harry Potter 7 part 1 posters, and it is one of my personal favorites.
It is a still framed long shot of the trio running through the forest, which looks like they're trying evade evil forces that are after them. We can see when analysed carefully, the light shimmering from the opening in the woods, which represents the feeling that there may well  be light at the end of the tunnel, just they may have a troubled time getting there. The faint blood splatter nearing the bottom half of the poster relates to the trouble timed they may have, and there may be blood-shed or loss of friendship on the way.
The dark colours also portray the sense of evil, and that evil is all around them, hence why they are running or trying to escape.

This is from the trailer promoting both part 1 and part 2 of the two part film. We can see near the beginning of the trailer, where i screencapped an over-the-shoulder shot (0:54), there is confrontation between both the protagonist and the antagonist. We see the antagonist (Lord Voldemort) about to cast a murdering spell at the protagonist (Harry Potter), but then the trailer cuts before we see what happens. This creates a great enigma in the trailer, and encourages the audience to pay and view the full film.
We can also see that the battle scene is set in what appears to be a dark, mystical forest. This creates tension within the audience as there is no one to rescue or save Harry, if he were to be harmed.

This specific poster promotes both part 1 and 2 of the 2 part film Harry Potter 7. As an audience we can see the beloved Hogwarts wizardry school is in abrupt flames, and it is slowly burning away. This gives a great impact on the audience as Hogwarts is the main foundation for the previous 6 films, and now that it is in flames, it questions the audience to what will happen after it is gone. We can also see the bold tag line statement above the burning castle which says 'It all ends here', which when related to the burning building, gives off the sense that the film will end in either heartbreak, loss, or discomfort. The high quality photo and detailed disaster represents how serious the event will be, and that the film is going to be a serious, blood-shedding catastrophe, possibly causing misfortune and upset amongst the audience.

Empire, one the worlds most popular magazines, contains the upcoming film Harry Potter 7 part 1 on the front cover.
We see by his stance, with his wand equipped, that he is ready for battle and the evil ahead. We can also see shattered glass pieces scattered around him with images of his best friends and his archenemy, Lord Voldemort. We can see by the shattered glass effect that friendships are at stake, and may be lost during the event of the film. We can also see from the shattered glass that his friends are following the same status as his enemy, which means some deception could take place in the film.
Lastly, Lord Voldemorts eyes are facing towards Harry's friends, which could mean that he is after them before he reaches his main target, Harry. This shows that the film may contain Harry's friends being captured before he does, and it's up to him to rescue the savior of his beloved friends, the ones he's spent the last 7 years of education and his life with.

This is the front cover of the Harry Potter 7 part 1 video game for Xbox 360. It is a mid-action long shot, we can see straight away that Harry, the main character, is going to be faced with a very powerful enemy. We can see this from Harry's attacking stance, and the faded eyes at the top of the picture, portraying an angry glare and he looks like he wants to cause havoc or cause harm to Harry.
The fact that Harry is running through the woods shows that his trouble is never ending, and that when he does reach the end, he has to face his archenemy if he wishes to overcome the evil thae has been following him.
We can also see from the dark and dull colours that the game will include events of an evil and corrupt nature.

Here in is this poster we see a long shot of the trio looking very cautious and worried , this shows the audience that they expecting something bad to happen. We can see from the slight glow around them that they are honorable, innocent, and are set out to defeat the evil ahead. The tag on the poster is 'There's no place to hide' and the trio show this very well. They're facial expressions show that they are not safe, and that indeed there is no where they hide.
Their dress code is very formal, and shows the audience that they are growing up. It could also mean that they have been interrupted from an important social event because of the evil forces attacking them, or they think someone is after them. This is where the tag on the poster relates to the trio once again, they thought they were safe at social gathering, but in reality, no where is safe for them.

Another current poster used for the new Harry Potter 7 part 1 film. It is an extreme long shot of Snape and a medium shot of Harry, and personally in contrast to the other posters, this one shows a little bit more about what the may contain, because of the other posters being quite basic.
We can see from the light behind Harry's body and head, that it gives him a halo effect to show the audience that he is the protagonist, and he is the character that is going attempt or succeed in saving the reality around him. If we look in the background we can see the antagonist (Snape) hiding in the shadows, dressed in black, looking at Harry. This gives off the effect that he is the evil bringer, and the target or enemy that Harry has to face.
We can also see from this movie poster that there are nothing but dark and ill-lighted colours used, which tells the audience that Harry will be encouting several problems, and that things will not be positive in this film.

This is another one of the current Harry Potter 7 Part 1 film posters. Despite it being a very basic, as it is just a very close up shot of the face of the main character, it also gives away an awful lot about the film. We can see the a slight glimmer from the stubble hair around his cheek, chin, above and below his lips. The stubble represents the fact that Harry (the main character) has now grown up, and is turning into an adult. The lighting in this picture is mostly dark, apart from 1 half of Harry's face. The darkness portrays the sense of evil and shows the audience that disastrous things are going to happen in the events of this film. We also see that half of Harry's face is lit and half is dark, this gives the audience an insight to the film that Harry may have a dark side to his personality, and this recent film may well present that to the audience.

This is one of the current posters for the film ‘Harry Potter and the deathly hallows Pt 1’. It is a medium still image of harry, and he looks very scared and cautious. He is looking over his shoulder with his wand equipped and looks as if he is ready for battle. The colours used in the picture are very dark and gloomy, and portray the evil and fear this film will contain. The caption on the poster is ‘Nowhere is safe ’ and there is blood splatter at the bottom of the poster meaning that the film series has changed from a friendly children’s film to a blood shedding thriller. The use of the clouds fading from light sky to a thunder sky portrays the image that things are going to turn from good to bad very quickly and that trouble is ahead.

They didn't want to stop making money just by launching the films, the harry potter merchandise range is huge, one of the most popular products being replica wands. This picture shows Harry himself in a medium mid-action shot with the wand in action in one of the Harry Potter films, then next to the picture, a picture of the replica wand itself. This attracts the attention of the buyer.

We can also see by the immaculate wand detail that this product is recommended more for the die hard fans as they prefer quality when buying replica's as it may be something they keep for life.

We can also see by Harry's facial expression that he is dominant and in control, which influences the buyer as it gives them that sense of power.

My horror still image

Me and my media partner Daniel both contributed to this photo. We wanted to image of a demented/psycho surgeon, who loses his mind and tortures people. We covered Daniel's kitchen table with silver foil, and laid out a series of his most gruesome cutlery (knives, pliers, butchers tools, etc...) .  We then got a bottle of fake blood from a fancy dress shop and dabbed patches of the blood on the metal instruments and spreaded it unevenly for dramatic effect.

After doing this, we emptied out a window cleaning spray bottle, and filled a quarter with it of fake blood, and diluted it with some tap water so it was thinner and didn't clog up the tube. I then sprayed it a couple times over the side of the silver foiled table, and several times over Daniel's hands so they were smothered in blood.

There were 6 different tools, and i took roughly 8-10 pictures for each tool, changing the angle and zoom each time. After the pictures were uploaded i sifted through them to find the most gory and scary shot. After finding a picture i was happy with i edited it on Photoshop, and i changed the lighting so it was a lot darker, and so that the blood looked a lot darker and succulent.

This is a rough sketch I made on paper to plan out what kind of photo I wanted to take for my horror still. I wanted to convey a tormented surgeon, and the use of splattered blood on a range of murderous tools helped me portray that character perfectly.

Shot type analysis #8 - Low angle shot

The use of a low angle shot is very effective when it comes to portraying status in the media industry. From the low camera angle at 0:10 to 0:14 and 0:17 to 0:19 we can see that because of the point of view from someone looking up at someone else, the higher person instantly looks more powerful and shows the higher status. This is very effective when it comes to arguments, fights, or portraying the law.

Shot type analysis #7 - Worms eye view shot

In this extract we see a very powerful and effective shot. The worms eye view shot represents status between the ferior and inferior aniamls. The shot is very low and looks up to such animals like hens and chicks. This shot is effective because we can see how creatures such as beetles and worms see the world. What looks small to a human, is huge in contrast to a worm, and this shot helps humans experience that.

Shot type analysis #6 - Crane shot used in TV advert.

In this advert we see a crane shot being used several times. The use of the crane shot helps to portray a scene from any given angle and height. The use of zoom is crucial to help show what is important in the scene, because without zoom the audience would have too much to look at and could miss a crucial key point to the film.

Shot type analysis #5 - Crash zoom shot

From 1:00 to 1:03 we see an example of a crash zoom shot. This shot can be very effective when wanting to focus on something on someone to add dramatic effect, in this case, the diamond with the title of the movie 'Snatch' edited in-front of it. It helps the audience to concentrate on what is most important in the shot.


We can also see another example of a crash zoom shot in the same film. At 2:01 we see the camera zoom into one of the thugs' gun and quickly cut pans across each letter of the word 'replica'. These two extracts are a very brilliant example of the crash zoom, and they come from a brilliant film packed full of inventive and creative camera shots, angles, and scenes.

Shot type analysis #4 - Goodfellas Reverse tracking shot.

In this scene the reverse tracking shot effect is used to help the viewer focus on whats important. The camera shot is used in such a way in where the background is moving away yet the 2 people at the table are not moving anywhere. This shows the audience that things around them are moving fine yet their life has come to a complete standstill, which could possibly mean they're in trouble.
The reverse tracking also has several alternative names, here is a list of some:

• Dolly zoom
• Trombone effect
• Hitchcock effect
• Vertigo effect
• Push/pull effect

Shot type analysis #3 - Cloverfield whip pan shot

In this scene the camera is dragged around and kept uneven at certain parts, it is also very shaky. The way the camera is used creates tension and leaves the viewer on the edge of their seat as we see a short glimpse of an attack near the distant buildings. It also gives the viewer the impression that they have the same view as the character in the film so they share the understanding and makes the viewer feel as if they're actually there in the film.

Shot type analysis #2 - Tracking shot in Kill Bill

In this scene of the film we see a very long, skilled, and beautifully executed tracking shot. To achieve such a brilliant and long shot the camera man would of had to have used a crane in which he would of had to mount himself and dismount himself on to various times. The use of this camera shot helps the viewer to see the actors every move, and it also helps keep the viewer focused on what is important in the shot.

Shot type analysis #1 - Panning shot of city from mountain top.

In this clip we see the view of a city from a mountain top in Qianling park. The use of the panning shot emphasizes the true beauty of the city and helps the viewer discover what this city looks like from such a rare, high angle. The way the camera is panned so slowly shows that there is a lot of beauty that needs to be captured, and doing so the viewer really has the chance to focus on it instead of it being rushed and panned quickly.

Sherlock Holmes film review

Sherlock Holmes, released in 2009, is a mixed genre film, which include such genres as crime, action, and mystery. It was directed by Guy Ritchie, who also directed several other successful films such as Snatch and Lock stock and two smoking barrels. The film is set in London during the 1920’s, and is about a dark, and mysterious character (Blackwood, played by Mark Strong) who has mastered black magic and uses it for evil while Sherlock Holmes and partner Watson (played by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law) set out to stop his dextrous charade of murder and rebellious plots.

Before watching this film I was quite sceptical about it because I am a huge Guy Ritchie fan, and he usually directs British gangster films, which I absolutely loved, so him directing a sudden change of genre meant in my eyes he had a lot to live up to.

However, I feel he pulled off the film fantastically and gave his own personal twist to it, which I personally enjoyed. We can see the work of Guy Ritchie in some of the witty remarks that Sherlock Holmes comes out with, and it reminded me directly of some of the witty marks the main characters say in Snatch and Lock stock, which inclined me to watch the rest of the film.

The story line itself I thought was very clever and creative. The way the audience was mislead for roughly 5/6’s of the film I thought was genius, and the twist at the end was impressive. Lord Blackwood, the antagonist of the film, convinced the audience and the citizens in the movie that he could control black magic, and that he was a sorcerer of the dark arts. However, the twist at the end was that Sherlock Holmes discovered that they were all illusions, and merely a light display fooling the audience.

There is a very effective technique called ratiocination used throughout the film. It’s where the detective remains smarter than the audience giving the unfair advantage of seeing clues that us an audience cannot see, however, minuscule hints are dropped throughout, giving the audience a chance to solve the mystery. The use of this technique creates enigmas, tension, and suspense throughout the film right until the end, as the use of our unfair advantages keep us as an audience guessing right to the end of the film.

The end scene of this film is gripping in the way it is set on top of London Bridge, and at one point, there is a literal cliff hanger where Blackwood is hanging from a wooden structure.

There is a big opening at the end of this film for a sequel, which I feel would be fantastic and definitely something I’d pay to see as I enjoyed this film a lot. The way Sherlock says to Watson in one the last scenes “Case reopened!” means that there will surely be a sequel. The question is; will it match this film in its 

brilliance? Or will it be a disaster? That is one thing I am eager to find out.

I rate this film an 8.5 out of a possible 10.

Introduction about myself

My name is Luke Smith and this is my AS Level Media blog.

Here is a picture of me:

I will be updating it regularly with posts which include coursework, filming events, picture and film extract annotations, and a range of posts all to do with the AS Level Media studies course.

This blog has been created for the AS Level examiners, but all other viewers are welcome to look and comment.
Here is one last picture of me, doing what I love most, skateboarding:

Thank you, and enjoy.