EDITING TASK: LEARNERS RESPONSE

Teacher's feedback

• I'm not sure it quite meets the brief BUT you have captured the reality tv genre impressively
• the wipe cuts/transitions work well in this genre but dissolves for shot-reverse-shot do not, it's confusing for the audience. You need straight cuts.
• Good framing and 180 degree rule is observed but lack of match on action is an issue
• Ultimately, this was very entertaining

Peer Feedback

• good music choice
• one jump cut
• funny narrative
• add match on action
• enjoyed the concept
• straight cuts should be smoother

Personal Feedback

• I didn't meet the brief exactly however the mistakes made and footage required to ensure i met the brief were simple and small edits could have met the issue. I would have liked the editing to be smoother and more fluid. The shot-reverse-shot and 180 degree rule in my opinion were met at an expected standard however the match on action was unclear and not present in the final edit due to some technical mishaps. I believe the casual costume choices and 'common' accent are aspects of mise-en-scene which help communicate the reality tv narrative extremely well due to the preconceived ideas audiences have on reality tv stars and the use of stereotypes really allowed chances for a spoof take on the genre. Sound also played a large part with the songs being used were generic pop songs with obvious atmospheric communication that would commonly be found within this genre. Overall, I believe the cinematography and surrounding aspects of mise-en-scene were done well and in future i need to focus more on using appropriate cuts for certain situations and editing my videos in a more apparent, concise manner.  

Cinematography: Clip Analysis

Thirteen Reasons Why; Created by Brian Yorkey, Cinematographer Ivan Strasburg

I believe this is the cinematographer for this particular scene!

The cinematography in this scene alludes to an important plot point for this series. The use of tracking or dolly shots shows the protagonists journey around the school and signals important focal changes for the audience such as the suicide prevention posters throughout the school and the heightened emotions of the characters. The use of a medium shot allows the audience to recognise the turmoil of this character and the build up of tension before the characters eventual emotional climax nearing the end of the excerpt. It also displays social commentary of the issues surrounding the theme of the show through the use of wide shots, the use of wide shots also allows the sheer altitude of the situation to be discerned by the audience as well as the shot of all the characters together showing a climax of the events of the season up until this particular moment. 

Moulin Rouge; Dir. Baz Luhrmann, Cinematographer Donald McAlpine

The cinematography in the opening of this scene is particularly artistic and includes a consistent close up shot of Ewan McGregor's character, writing on a type writer in a sequential edit. The XCU of 'Moulin Rouge' introduces the film aptly as it transitions from the XCU to a wide drone shot of people dancing, suggesting we are now 'partaking' in his narrative. The stark contrast of colour palettes from the muted tones of the windmill and the title sequence to the bright, garish colours of the dancers acts contrapuntally to his monotonous, almost melancholic voice over of the scene. This implies that the story will act almost fantastically as a narrative and that this movie will include a busy, exciting, attention demanding visuals juxtaposing the dark and almost more realistic perspectives of the writer as seen by the last transition into the XCU of the typewriter. 

Citizen Kane; Dir. Orson Welles, Cinematographer Gregg Toland

The opening shot of this excerpt is a close up of a 'No trespassing' sign as well as a tilt to transition the focus from the sign to the house. The movement up the gate and the contrasting textures creates an ominous tone and works with the textbook melodramatic music to supply a genre marker as well as the wide shot, of the two monkeys on the gate, with the house encompassed in fog in the background suggests that the house lies in secret or works with a motif of secrecy, or lack of information which has great synergy with the film noir aspects of this movie in both cinematography and narrative content. 

EDITING PRACTICAL

For our editing task, we decided to incorporate the brief into a spoof of the reality tv genre, the below clip takes the form as a social media teaser for an unreleased, upcoming episode of a new reality tv series, aptly titled 'Reality TV'. I worked with Tamzin and we decided to shoot in a house, to pay homage to the conventional reality tv locations, a house being the iconic staple location of cult classic reality tv show 'Big Brother'. Below is the script of this excerpt as well as the storyboard and shot list that we came up with, Although many shots were neglected in this edit due to my decision to edit it within the trailer composition.

SCRIPT: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IEg1cTBem-qjedndMJXq6pluJOpXM103AgJ6Hmoymo8/edit?usp=sharing

SHOT LIST:

STORY BOARD:

I'm not a drawer - it didn't go to plan.

VIDEO:

Cinematography: LEARNERS RESPONSE

This learners response applies to the cinematography practical seen here - the close up shot mentioned is the one in the mirror [0.02] and the music used is from the Netflix Original Series 'Daredevil'.

1. TEACHER FEEDBACK

• good selection of shots and generally accurate (I think close-up framing early on needed to be a little higher)
• First pan had excellent smooth camerawork; second one outdoors was not so smooth, probably would've needed re-shooting for real coursework
• music and narrative element excellent... but needed longer on that final shot! an xcu surely?!

2.  STUDENT FEEDBACK

• Good use of music to identify genre
• Wide variety of shots
• interesting narrative
• Shaky camera/pans weren't smooth
• clear dead space in close up shot

3.  MY OWN FEEDBACK: 3 WWWs & 3 EBIs

•  shots were accurately labled
•  interesting narrative and use of shots to convey the narrative
•  the lipstick shot was a good use of cinematography

•  shots weren't shaky
•  end shot was an extreme close up
•  clear the dead space in the close up mirror shot

4. WHAT I'VE LEARNED AND IMPROVEMENTS I WILL MAKE

I have learned how to stage shots and how to identify shots in media texts and in the future i will carefully select finishing and opening shots to amplify the impact of the narrative. I understand important concepts to reference when framing a shot to improve the accuracy of the identification as well as how to amplify an effect within a narrative using cinematography - such as including an extreme close up to finish would have had a lasting, more substantial impact on my audience. 

Cinematography; PRACTICAL

Cinematography Practical: Camera Shots and Angles

This practical task was to demonstrate our knowledge of camera shots, angles and techniques. I decided to structure mine like the opening of a classic teen mystery thriller tv show, I wanted to encompass the classic notes of coming of age movies with a get ready with me montage but have an ominous and eerie tone leading to the climax at the end. I believe we used all shots and that the sound acts as a guide to the narrative as well as the carefully planned close up shots and POV shots to help fit the scenes together and keep it from having a robust and structured feel. This helped us learn the techniques used whilst filming and the impact these shots have on a narrative.

Cinematography

Opening Sequence Analysis

Opening Scene excerpt to be added once i can find a clip on youtube! 

I have chosen to analyse the opening scene of 'The Florida Project' [2017] Directed by Sean Baker with cinematography orchestrated by Alexis Zabe. This movie has astounding camera work and the synergy between cinematography and plot is seen through the classic but not overused framing of coming of age films and the childlike wonder of the protagonist can also be seen through the use of colours in conjunction with the cinematography.  This film was shot mostly on a 35mm lense, giving it a hazy and nostalgic feeling which works in sync with the rhythmic foot tapping of our protagonist in the opening shot. It's a long shot, shot from eye level of the two six year olds, who are framed just off centre of the camera lense, amplifying their small stature in comparison to the blank background. This creates an instant connection through personal identity, you see yourself in the boredom of the 6 year olds and are brought back to a time when this fiction was your reality. The screen enters from black and at first you hear the diagetic sound bridge of the shoes tapping which fades into the young girl and boy sitting in a realistic silence. The camera, follows a young boy shouting their names in a tracking mid close up shot, as he runs and the camera follows him, the laxadaisical approach to running by the young boy and home video-esque quality allows this movie to amplify the youth and creates an element of affection for the characters. The scene ends with a wide shot, two of the 6 year olds are sitting on the ground in seemingly oversized clothes, perhaps a character marker for the financial wellbeing of their families or a geographical marker for the paradisical and laid back scenery we see to the left of the actors. The difference in levels of the framing amplify youth and vulnerability of these kids and the eye level shot emphasises how small they are in comparison to their setting, which suggests that these kids are unaware or naive to their surroundings. This opening is conventional to an arthouse, independent film but still encompasses the camera work of a more mainstream coming of age film, such as the strategically placed wide shots and silent shots of the protsgonist doing a seemingly mundane activity, this opening suggests that this movie will bring out nostalgic value and also have high cultural capital to attract it's audiences due to it's unique 35mm filming technique. The dead space allows the audience to catch flight of the use of whimsical and 'disney' style colour palettes, almost creating a childlike perspective to the setting and allowing the audience to almost see the scene through the eyes of a fellow 6 year old.

Lady Bird [2017] Dir. Greta Gerwig, Cinematographer; Sam Levy

 This still is from the 2017 coming of age movie 'Lady Bird' it is a wide shot of the main protagonist, walking home. This shot is later paralleled after an important turning point for the character, and the wide shot allows the rough, suburban setting to be established as well as the characters conservative, typical early noughties costume to be used as a time marker for the genre. The use of a wide shot creates a contextual narrative for the story and the framing of Christine in the centre of an eye level shot as she walks down hill, gradually turning the shot into a subtle low angle shot creating an essence of vulnerability for the character. 

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone [2001] Dir. Chris Columbus, Cinematographer; John Seale

This establishing shot from the cult classic film series 'Harry Potter', this particular shot is a crane shot, perhaps a tracking shot of the infamous Hogwarts Express as it crosses the screen. This shot shows the train, in a wide shot, with an abundance of smoke which mirrors the clouds in the background, this parallel within the frame adds to the fantastical feel of the movies and the dark colour palette, creates an ominous tone and fits the narrative extremely well, the use of a significant motif from the books, in this shot from the first movie creates a nod to the books and adapts the scene with showing a wide shot, from a straight perspective, observing a train nearing which creates a sense of tension and underlying threat for the audience to pick up on whilst also adhering to a practical task of establishing the scenery and setting for the movie. 

Black Swan [2010] Dir. Darren Aronofsky, Cinematographer; Matthew Libatique

Warning: Blood, Injury

This medium shot, from a crane angle shows the anti-hero of this psychological hero, falling into an abyss with only a mattress below, that's blocked by the framing. The blank space creates a hyper realistic effect to the still, the shot works closely with the actor side of mise-en-scene as you can see the ballerina, in a traditional ballet move but blood dispersing on her pure white costume. The medium shot allows the camera to capture her expression or the lack thereof and the minimalist colour palette emphasises the blood stain and the shadows surrounding her created by the use of a key light coming from in front. The framing of this particular shot is interesting since the actress is dead centre of the screen and is surrounded by dead space, excluding the placement of a mattress, hidden within the shadows but amplified by the contrast of colour, this adds to the melodrama of the scene and creates a disturbing atmosphere for the viewer. This is conventional to both a psychological thriller but also the Directors work, Aronofsky uses this technique in his other films, such as mother!. 

Eighth Grade [2018] Dir. Bo Burnham, Cinematographer; Andrew Wehde

This POV close up shot from the new independent coming of age movie 'Eighth Grade' is used as a character marker for the narrative but also captures the modern era of the film. The POV shot suggests that this moment is significant and the audiences empathy should be targeted, they perhaps are aiming for the audience to recognise the situation and adhere to the emotions of the protagonist. It allows for important parts of the narrative to be communicated and also shows particular details such as the chipped nail polish, conventional to the character of a modern teenage girl but also adds realism to the shot. The muted colour palette creates an amateur, indie feel to the movie which helps engage the audience with the narrative as the main ideologies for this particular film surrounds the mind of an eighth grader and due to the target audience perhaps wavering around those perimeters, those in the peripheral ages particularly older, might find it hard to connect and engage with the character so through planned shots of new technology and POV shots in a handheld technique, it allows the watchers to gain perspective and engage with the narrative from a more universal point of view.

film and tv language: INDEX

FILM POSTER ANALYSIS

• FILM POSTER ANALYSIS

MISE-EN-SCENE BLOG TASKS

• MISE-EN-SCENE BLOG TASKS

STAR PERSONA + FEEDBACK

• STAR PERSONA VIDEO WITH FEEDBACK
• MISE-EN-SCENE FEEDBACK

LIGHTING BLOG TASKS

• FILM NOIR RESEARCH
• STILL IMAGE ANALYSIS

SOUND BLOG TASKS

• SOUND ANALYSIS
• SOUND PRACTICAL WITH FEEDBACK

Sound; Analysis

Sound Analysis: Find a film clip that uses sound in an interesting way, analyse the use of sound

This clip is from Atonement (2007), Dir. Joe Wright

- This extract contains strong language -

This clip uses sound in an interesting way since this scene includes a cinematic transition of sound from diagetic to non-diagetic sound in the form of the typewriter. This excerpt begins with the character typing up her story on the typewriter, the rhythmic taps seamlessly blending into the film score as she leaves her room in pursuit of someone or something. This is a clear example of sound being used in a parallel context as both the typewriter sound effects and the film scores, quick pace and romantic tone fit the themes and conventions of the genre. The typewriter acts as a starting point and goes against the cliche opening sounds for Romance films whereas the soft film score acts as an ambassador for the conventional romance feel. The content of this scene is substantial to the plot and the diagetic sound supports the beginning of the story both metaphorically and physically and it's transition into non-diagetic sound could perhaps symbolise how the other characters become unaware of the story that is being written and its fictitious reality despite what they believe. The sound hints at both the genre and plot and perhaps acts as a character marker for Briony, who's 'stories' are a plot device within the narrative. 

Sound; PRACTICAL + LEARNERS RESPONSE

60 SECOND SOUND VIDEO; PARALLEL AND CONTRAPUNTAL

For this practical I partnered with Tamzin to create a montage that was 50:50 parallel and contrapuntal sound. Parallel sound is sound which fits the images on screen, we decided to go with a classic romantic ballad and images of many infamous romantic scenes from movies. Then for Contrapuntal we decided to go with a high intensity, mature scene and childish and upbeat music. The contrast creates a shock to the audience and is atypical to the conventions of crime movies.

LEARNERS RESPONSE + FEEDBACK

TEACHERS RESPONSE:

• Great selection of clips with a perfect track for parallel. Lovely pace to the editing and the clips fitted together extremely well.
• Contrapuntal is trickier - I can't decide if it works as contrapuntal or not... it's clearly not a normal action movie soundtrack but I'm not sure it takes the audience to a totally different place. One to reflect on!
• Not quite met the brief but extremely entertaining and well put together

STUDENT RESPONSE

• Parallel sound was perfectly placed - Really effective
• Good timing
• Met the brief really well
• Videos well selected
• Contrapuntal worked - gave comedic effect
• Clear switch between parallel and contrapuntal 
• Contrapuntal music timing and beat sort of fits with videos
• Contrapuntal seemed too comedic with video
• Needs to fit brief - with one soundtrack

SELF REFLECTION

WWW:

• The editing in the first half went really well and presented the understanding of parallel sound extremely well
• I really enjoyed the music choices for our scenes, there's a clear contrast in the images and sound
• We were really close to the brief time of 1 minute.

EBI:

• If we met the brief of one song, two sets of images
• Contrapuntal sound could have been more explicit and clear, it was much more ambiguous in our video
• Maybe if the second half was edited in the same way as the first, the transition would have been cleaner.

Personally, I would've liked to have had the same cinematic feel of the video as many of the others in the group had, i'd like to have also had the synergy of images to sound as Amber and Casey's parallel had and i think this could've been a more clean cut and well edited video to portray our understanding of sound. 

lighting: still image analysis

The numbers correlate to the images on the film powerpoint slides 33-37.

1.

• This picture demonstrates the use of high key lighting since you can see both sides of her face it suggests a filler light is being used although the lighting is ambiguous as it carries the film noir feel usually achieved by low key lighting
• The key light is coming from the actors left, the filler light is coming perhaps from the front/right in order to keep the shadows present but also add a realistic touch to the photo.
• This style of lighting allows the character within the still to be interpreted as a femme fatale type. The shadows suggest she's an anti-hero (a good side (side you can see) and a bad side (side that is shadowed))

2. 

• This picture demonstrates the use of low key lighting seen through the theatrical shadows and over exaggerated lighting of the actors face.
• The key light is coming from above the actresses face, and facing downwards accentuating her features and achieving a more glamorous countenance.
• This style of lighting allows the actors features to be exaggerated but also is a common technique used in movies to allow actors to appear more glamorous and 'picture perfect'. It also makes the actor appear as a dominant focus and gives her an essence of importance.

3. 

• This picture uses high key lighting since the photo is extremely realistic, and you can see all aspects of the actors face however there are some shadows under the eyes and chin but the natural lighting and realistic finish imply high key lighting.
• The key light is coming from straight ahead, however the filler light is coming from above near the right which would help create the deliberate shadows on the actors face.
• This lighting technique provides an austere and dominant personality to the character as well as having a regal subtext since the shadows highlight the strong features of the actors face but still keep the realism of a typical photograph.

4. 

• This still is an example of low key lighting seen through the exaggerated shadows on the actors face and ambiguity of the details on the costume excluding the gun.
• I think the key light is coming from the actors right which accentuates shadows on his left however there is obvious light on the gun hinting that a filler light was used however the ambiguity of detail and extremity of shadows supports the low key lighting conventions
• This technique creates a villainous and mysterious character for the actor, with the highlight of the gun suggesting violence or the guns importance for the narrative. The shadow suggests there's 'more to meet the eye' and highlights the actors lack of a sunny disposition. 

5. 

• This photo is an example of of high key lighting however the use of shadow is conventional to the horror genre.
• The key light is coming from straight on however the filler light is perhaps in the form of under lighting which allows the shadow created to be realistic but apparent.
• It creates an effect that the character is in danger but leaves the villain/cause in the 'shadows' so to speak. The face being brilliantly lit amplifies the countenance whilst the shadow creates a mystery about the situation.

6.

• This photograph is an example of high key lighting although it is rather ambiguous however the presence of a filler light suggests realism.
• The key lighting is coming from the window, with the filler light being the lamp from the background and light of the room contrasting the blind pattern on the characters.
• This creates a soft romantic feel to the scene which is parallel to the action in the scene. It also helps with characterisation of the actors due to the lighting accentuating contrasting charateristics of the actors.

7. 

• This is an example of low key lighting, due to the theatrical shadows and lack of discernible details visible.
• The technique used in this still is back-lighting, the key light is coming from behind them creating a silhouette of the characters.
• Due to the rather large and unidentifiable shadow, this creates a mysterious and ominous atmosphere to the photo and helps create an identifiable tension despite the lack of visible detail from the scene.

8.

• This demonstrates the use of low key lighting, specifically within the film noir cinematographic aspect.
• The key light is coming from the left of the actress creating a shadow on the wall, a filler light may be used to help exaggerate the shadows behind the actress as well.
• This creates the effect of mystery or tension and allows the actresses expressions to be caught even though what she's looking at is not visible, which adds to the use of conventional horror/mystery techniques used to create tension.

9.

• This still is an example of high key lighting although the shadows are extremely prominent. 
• The key light is coming from above [top lighting] highlighting the star, and a filler light may be used from the actresses left side to help exaggerate the natural shadows of her face.
• This creates an exaggeration of the models cheekbones and helps to amplify her facial expression, creating a melancholic tone to the image.

10. 

• This photo is an example of low key lighting, which has dramatic and ambiguous effects making it conventional to the horror genre.
• This photo is an example of back lighting, as you can clearly see the character however the key lighting is coming from the characters side, and is highlighting specific aspects such as the mask and weapon.
• The highlights of the knife and mask create a tense and ominous tone, it also caters to many horror conventions and creates tension due to the sci-fi colour palette and use of shadow.

11.

• This still is an example of high key lighting, which is conventional to the romantic genre due to it's realistic effect.
• The key light is coming from the top left, a technique used to make characters appear more glamorous or 'pretty' and provides a soft realistic image of the couple, however the shadows as well as highlight of the gun are unconventional to the typical uses of this lighting.
• This creates a romantic and idealistic impact on the picture however the highlight of the gun and solemn dispositions could prove to be a juxtaposition of the lighting and create a much more violent and distrusting tone. 

mise-en-scene feedback

Teachers feedback

• interesting choice of music! seems like a cl;ash in terms of the subject matter /objective
• Music does work well in terms of pace + time lapse form
• I really like the effects in terms of B+W/old film effect BUT it perhaps does take away from seeing the impact of the makeover
• Perhaps framing/shot needed to be closer up too.
• 1.25 is a little short and last bit of makeover seems very rushed - any reason for this?
• final effect is impressive but needed to show more of this at the end!

Student Feedback

• the time lapse was a good speed
• the music could be better
• fit the music to the brief instead of the genre
• consistent filming/closer shots of makeup

Own feedback

I believe that i could've spent more time editing and taken more time to carefully choose the audio and shots to consciously have a better look at the overall transformation. I'd also like to focus on the transformation and include more after shots however i enjoyed the pace of my time lapse but it could be a bit slower.

How my mood board impacted my star persona makeover

The mood board helped me collect ideas on the 50s era and narrow it down to specific concepts and attributes to the hollywood glamour star we were aiming for. From this, i took iconic aspects of famous 50 stars such as Marilyn Monroe's famous red lip and Elizabeth Taylor's flawless looks to come up with a look that incorporated all the conventions but didn't overwhelm the makeover.

Technical improvements

I would personally film on a white background and perhaps use artificial lighting to make the filming process more consistent and perhaps zoom in when doing the makeup to get more in depth shots and close up shots of the makeup since my video had seldom shots of the actual concepts and specific parts of the makeup.And maybe include better music or a voice over to give the time lapse more of a tutorial aspect and it might have helped me hit the timing brief. 

Mise-en-scene

Mise en scene allows complete transformations from actors into their characters. By accurately incorporating all aspects of CLAMPS, an actor can be transformed from a normal person into a horror villain or a 50s starlet. Makeup is something, i do everyday but to target makeup looks to specific eras is difficult just because of the different resources at the time, same with costume since fashion has changed so much finding clothing that fits the era was extremely difficult.

Film Noir [Research]

The phrase 'Film Noir' is defined as a style of cinematographic film that encapsulates a mood of pessimism, fatalism and menace. Film noir usually relates to old thrillers or detective films and utilise theatric lighting techniques in order to construct an enigmatic atmosphere. It has a low key black and white visual

History of Film Noir

Noir films circulated throughout America during the second world war and the 50s, heavily inspired by literature and added a realism to the detective genre. It had more grit as well as the role of the hero being far more anti-hero than they were in preceding movies, this encapsulated the more violent and cynical atmospheres of post war America. These movies incorporated dramatic low key lighting and fatalistic theatrics to portray a dark and enigmatic perspective on the world. Some key elements of film noir are the obvious black and white undertones, the use of smoking/smoke as a motif and urban settings which amplifies the grit and dark atmospheres the directors wanted from the amplification of shadows. The lighting implies that there's more to uncover within a film noir which again supports the mysterious and enigmatic feel to the movies that was desired in post ww2 America.

Film Noir in modern times; Neo Noir

Neo noir is a contemporary and modern take on the film noir genre of crime movies. The name translates to 'new film noir'.  It usually has the same sinister and cynical perspectives and also has a heavy reliance on shadow or theatrical low lit cinematography. The focus is on a modernised take of the nihilistic attributes to the protagonists and their moral decisions bleeding out of the lines of good/bad. Some believe the ambiguity and break of film noir into mainstream movies and television has lead to many crime films being categorised under this title despite the rather niche cinematography style most prevalent in cult classics such as Bonnie and Clyde or newer films such as Drive or Inception.  It uses the same shadowed lighting concepts and cinematographic style but in a more contemporary context as seen above. 

Example of the noir genre

This clip below is from 'Brick' [2006]  Dir. Rian Johnson.

This clip fits the noir genre - specifically neo noir sue to the high tension yet enigmatic circumstance of the chase scene. It begins with an emergence of an explicit antagonist from the shadows, an obvious allude to the classic noir concepts as well as the cinematography having a focus on the mystery and dark tones of the film - it begins with violence and ends in a fatality which isn't uncommon of the noir genre. The reason it is much more neo-noir is because of the unconventional settings and diversity of lighting techniques, despite lowkey lighting, shadows and emphasis on specific aspects of mise-en-scene the majority of this clip is in 'natural' lighting or high key lighting, which many don't associate with classic noir aspects.

mise-en-scene star persona task + moodboard

OLD HOLLYWOOD MAKEOVER TASK

The task given was to turn a 'normal' student into a 'star' using mainly the costume, hair and makeup aspects of mise-en-scene. We decided to try and turn our friend Avanitha into an old Hollywood glamour star circa the 1950s/60s. We wanted to incorporate all the key aspects of iconic stars such as the eye makeup of Audrey Hepburn and the famous red lip of Marilyn Monroe. Overall, I believe that we successfully tackled each aspect and formed a fierce feminist idol of the 50s within the comfort of a living room however i do wish we had more close up shots, genre specific lighting or a more adapted costume to truly en-capture the entire essence of a 50s star but that's not vital. We included an era specific fit and flare style dress, the classic red lip and the bandana alike that brought to the mainstream through the movemenets during the time.

mise-en-scene

                               Maniac (2018) , Season 1 Ep2 'Windmills' Credit to Netflix 

The costume in the above screenshot, depicts a young woman perhaps aged early to mid 20's in casual attire. The tank top has connotations of both hot weather but also street style. The laid back costume suggests the character may be lazy or unemployed or perhaps this scene takes place during the night time and these are pyjamas since the lighting is dim and mainly focusing on the bric-a-brac of props upon the table, this implies the props are significant to the character; the messiness and abundance of yellows suggesting anxiety or lack of structure maybe mirroring her own lifestyle? or her mental health which could also be supported by the 'lazy' dress sense and unwashed hair. Another aspect of the scene is the smoke, billowing from the cigarette into her face. This suggests shes perhaps not seeing things clearly and is naive or her thoughts are 'clouded' and perhaps impacting her decisions and their outcomes during this episode or perhaps her unphased countenance suggests she has grown immune to smoke and this is simply an addiction that she has weaved into her routine. From this screenshot, i would infer that this character is young, not financially stable, perhaps involved with drugs or crime of some sort.

Comparison of mise-en-scene in 3 different genres 

Clips below are from:

Baby Driver (2017) "A score for a score" [crime]

This scene from Baby Driver takes place in a warehouse designed for the main characters to plan out their heists - as seen in this clip, the use of a blackboard with blueprints and plans roughly drawn on it shows that these characters are clearly criminals. We also know that the characters all play vital roles due to their stature at the table, with Baby fidgeting with a hot wheels car- something commonly associated with children, which is ironic since his name is 'Baby' the car falling to the ground could perhaps imply ominous foreboding of this heist maybe going awry which is common in crime movies, to have motifs, or symbols to hint at the eventual fate of the criminals etc. The use of bare walls and undistinguishable clothing, yet distinguished styles for the characters is also conventional to crime movies since usually bosses dress more sophisticated to show wealth and dominance, whereas his 'workers' have more personalised styles for their characters stereotypes. This is different from the other clips since crime movies do focus a lot on the settings of movies and the lighting to present different motives and characters intentions e.g baby and buddy being in the dark whilst bats is in the light suggests they're 'in the dark' about something he may do or is planning.

La La Land (2016) "Opening scene" [musical]

This scene is set on a highway during rush hour in LA, hinted by the characters in differing attire ranging from casual to working. The different colours hint at this movie being light hearted with a happy journey perhaps, the idea of a journey being further enforced by the use of cars- cars go somewhere so perhaps this movie will depict someones personal journey into a more optimistic and 'bright' future implied by the idea of sun and the bright skies and natural lighting during this scene this isn't atypical of musicals, being done before in 'Hairspray' however it does contradict some of the ideals pursued in other genres such as the muted colours in drama movies or the use of carefully placed colours in crime movies [the blue colour of the car in baby driver connotes melancholy but also confidence and stability]. The use of LA as a setting is also significant as it sets a theatrical tone for the movie, perhaps implying that this movie will centre around the dramatics of Hollywood supported by the glamorous and high effort costumes and makeup of the ensemble. 

Dead Poets Society (1989) "O Captain My Captain" [drama]

This scene from dead poets society focuses mainly on the actor placement aspects of mise-en-scene to amplify the boys demand for power and attention. As they stand on the desk this connotes frustration and rebellion from the boys but also amplifies the conventional trope from coming of age movies when the protagonists 'find their voices' so to speak. The use of lighting is also important, as the characters are all well lit and the focus is firmly on them instead of the background implying they have the most significant roles in this scene. Unlike the other clips, this movie is set in school. The use of a school as a setting as well as uniform connotes that the characters are well educated, and in a strictly formal setting as we can support this through their uniforms which aren't common within American high schools that are typically depicted on screen. Since this is in the drama genre, the colours are much more muted than those in the other two movies. It also has a lot of focus on the characters with the boy who stands up first, coming across as fed up, perhaps also having changed due to the inner turmoil that runs across his disposition in the first few moments of the clip before metaphorically and literally taking a stand. 

Film poster analysis

BLADE RUNNER
Dir. Ridley Scott

1. I think that this movie is going to be about a mans journey perhaps revisitting a former setting or job due to his age with the introduction of AIs and action due to the sci fi feel of the poster, through the colour choices and obvious space craft as well as the tagline suggesting that this film will have some action scenes
2. I think the film belongs to the sci fi genre.
3. I think the target audience is going to be rather niche, perhaps men of ages 18 to around 55.

SCARY MOVIE 2
Dir Keenen Ivory Wayans

1. I think that this movie is going to be about parodying well known horror movies and taking a satirical take on some of the most famous ones such the sixth sense, and the exorcist.
2. I think the film is going to be a spoof horror with satrical takes on classic horror movie.
3. I think the target audience is teenagers specifically aged 15 and up.

UZAK
Dir Nuri Bilge Ceylan
1. I think that this movie is going to be about a man travelling and perhaps going through some sort of self discovery/actualisation due to his lone stance in the poster and the use of muted colours suggesting it occurs after a devastating event.
2. I think its an independent perhaps drama movie
3. I think the target audience is 20+

SIN CITY
Dir Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez
1. I think this movie is going to about perhaps some sort of superhero/vigilante type in a city with high crime rates or infamous crimes and helping to bring justice to them - as the guy is in vigilante-esque clothing and has light surrounding him symbolising his more positive role in the dark tones of the background.
2. I think this film belongs to the genres of Crime, Action, and Drama.
3. I think the target audience would be more mature around 18+

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MANS CHEST
Dir Gore Verbinski
1.  I think this movie is going to be about a pirate going on a journey of some sort perhaps in hope to save his own life or someone elses from an antagonistic character
2. I think this movie is a Fantasy Action movie
3. I think the target audience is around the 12-16 mark.

BRIDE AND PREJUDICE
1.  I think this movie is going to be about a girl who is trying to find a suitor but falls for someone who her parents perhaps don't like or support and they have to try and figure out how to navigate their relationship despite a lack of support
2. I think this movie is a Romantic Comedy
3. I think the target audience for this movie would perhaps be                                                                      teenage girls perhaps 15-17

MILLION DOLLAR BABY
Dir Clint Eastwood
1. I think this movie is going to be about a retired or perhaps injured sports personality helping a young female athlete reach a goal despite maybe having some preconceived notions to get over first.
2. I think this movie is going to be a sport drama perhaps.
3. I believe the target audience is 15+, perhaps female athletes or girls in specific due to the strong female protagonist.