1. Media Studies - Cinematography

2. Glossary of some film techniques you will need to use in this unit

3. What is meant by genre. In films what might this mean
What is meant by genre? In films what might this mean? Can you list some film genres?

4. What film genre might these images come from
What film genre might these images come from? What ‘clues’ are there to help you decide?

5. What genre of film are these. 1. The Grudge, The Ring 2
What genre of film are these? 1. The Grudge, The Ring You’ve Got Mail, Bridget Jones’ Diary Blocks, Inside Man, Dark Knight 4. Jonny English, The Nutty Professor 5. Edward Scissor Hands, Dracula 6. Touching The Void, United 93

6. 1. Horror 2. Romantic, Love 3. Thriller 4. Comedy 5. Gothic 6
1. Horror 2. Romantic, Love 3. Thriller 4. Comedy 5. Gothic 6. Non-Fiction Some films will cross over into more than one genre

7. Music, sound effects, diegetic sound (sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film) and non-diegetic sound (sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action)

8. Denotations and Connotations in music

9. 1. Denotation (what it is): A fast tempo or speed
Connotation (implied or associated meaning/ representation) of what might be happening in the film: … 2. Denotation (what it is): Violin – musical instrument
Connotation (implied or associated meaning/ representation) of what might be happening, in the film: …

10. 1. action, tension 2. romantic or sad

11. Examples of different camera shots/angles
Examples of different camera shots/angles. Look carefully at these images. What type of camera shot do you think has been used? What effect does it have on the audience? I’ve done the first one for you!

12. 1. This is a wide angle shot – the effect is that we can see all that is going on around the scene.

13. 2.

14. 3.

15. 4.

16. 5.

17. Answers: 2. Long shot – effect: size and scale; dramatic impact; setting 3. Close up – effect: draws your attention to a key scene/ character; emotion/ tension 4. Low angle shot (from a low point of view) effect: scale and size; dramatic impact; creates sense of power 5. High angle shot – looking down; impact; vulnerable; powerless

18. Lighting

19. How might you describe the type of lighting used here?
What effect does it have on the scene?

20. HIGH-KEY LIGHTING A lighting scheme in which the fill light is raised high. This produces images that are usually very bright and that feature few shadows on the principal subjects. This bright image is characteristic of entertainment genres such as musicals and comedies.

21. How might you describe the type of lighting used here?
What effect does it have on the scene?

22. LOW-KEY LIGHTING A lighting scheme that employs very little fill light, creating strong contrasts between the brightest and darkest parts of an image and often creating strong shadows that obscure parts of the principal subjects. This lighting scheme is often associated with "hard-boiled" or suspense/ thriller/ Gothic genres.

23. Colour in film
Colours in costumes and settings can have connotations – implied or associated meanings, that add to your understanding of the film and the Director’s point of view.

24. What do you associate with these colours
What do you associate with these colours? What might they suggest to you?

25. Red: Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, all things intense and passionate.
Yellow: Joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.
Green: Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigour.
Black: Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical colour, mourning, death (Western cultures).

26. White: Reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage (Western cultures), death (Eastern cultures), cold, clinical.
Blue: Peace, tranquillity, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.
Purple: Royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning.
Beige/ light brown: Beige symbolize unification; calm and simplicity.
Brown: Earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.

27. What effect does the use of colour have in this still image from the film Schindler’s List; what does it suggest?

28. What effect does the use of colour have on this still image from the film Holes; what does it suggest?
The character Zero is wearing an orange jump-suit

29. Look closely at this image
Look closely at this image. What effect does the use of colour have on this still image from the film Heathers; what does it suggest?

30. What effect does the use of colour have on this film advert
What effect does the use of colour have on this film advert? What does it suggest about the film?

31. Characterisation in film
When we watch and listen to a film we have to ‘read’ in a different way.
We read what we see and hear – in writing we can create our own image in our own imagination.
As with reading a piece of written text, we need to think about what is literally in front of us – what we see and hear. Denotation.
We also need to think about the implied meanings, suggested or associated meaning – what we can infer from what we see and hear. Connotation.

32. D.A.D. We learn a great deal about a character through: What they say and others say to them (dialogue) What they do and what others do to them (action)

33. We can also read an image and learn about the characters by considering: How the costume, body language and speech used to create the character. How the camera shots help to create the character. This creates a ‘description’ of them.

34. Look at this film character image:
Denotation:
What is the character’s costume and body language?
What colour is significant?
What type of lighting is used?
What type of camera shot is used?

35. Connotations:
What does the costume and body language suggest about the character? Why?
What does the use of the significant colour suggest about the character? Why?
What does the type of lighting used suggest about the character? Why?
What does the camera shot suggest about the character? Why?

36. Let’s view the opening scene, the first five minutes of the film and analyse it together.

37. Name of film: Rabbit-Proof Fence
Year of production: 2002
Certificate: PG
Genre: Drama, Non-Fiction
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Written by: Doris Pilkington Garimara (book), Christine Olsen (script)
Cast:
Molly Craig: Everlyn Sampi
Gracie Fields: Laura Monaghan
Daisy Craig: Tianna Sansbury
A.O. Neville: Kenneth Branagh
Moodoo: David Gulpilil
Soundtrack to the film is called Long Walk Home: Music from the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Peter Gabriel.

38. Technique/ Point
Evidence
Effect
Graphics
Titles, Context information printed on screen: Western Australia 1931…
Subtitles
Gives audience information and background to film – contextualises it, so that we know what it is about etc. Creates a sense of drama as it is not pleasant – a good ‘hook’ into the film; we are engaged and curious from the start.
Subtitles enable us to understand clearly what is being said; it reinforces the fact that this story is about a different culture to our own and this must be an important issue.
We learn the genre as being that of a narrative, a story based on fact (non-fiction)

39. Voiceover – sound
Adult Molly speaking
Audience being introduced to the main character/ protagonist. Given background information about her story so that we understand what the film is about and about her character. Speaks in native language - setting the scene for an Aboriginal film; on reflection we understand this to show that the white man did not succeed in eradicating their native tongue.

40. Speech/ dialogue - sound
Molly’s mother explains about the spirit bird
By introducing us to Molly’s mother at the beginning, we know she must be a significant character to Molly’s story and the film. The information we collect about the spirit bird foreshadows what might come in the film; we know this bird must be significant. We want to watch more to find out why this is so.

41. Background music - sound
Didgeridoo and singing
Indigenous music; low pitch sets the atmosphere and the Aboriginal feel of the film.

42. Dialogue – sound
Dialect
Alerts the audience to the fact that this is representative of real spontaneous speech. We feel that this must be significant – it reflects their culture; it reflects the difference, and therefore divisions between them and the white people. It foreshadows the white man’s attempts to eradicate their culture.

43. Lighting
Natural daylight
Emphasises the harshness of the sun and the dessert environment

44. Illustrates her vulnerability
Camera shots
General: Various types of young Molly in her landscape
Use of a variety of camera shots gives us a general view of her life; adds to the background information; add to our understanding of the character. ‘Hooks’ the audience in; we want to see what happens to her, how she develops and learn about her life. The fence is just visible – and seems like a scar across the Aboriginal landscape; symbolising and foreshadowing the effect the white man has on them.
Aerial shots and extreme long shot
Illustrates the vast desert landscape; sets the scene for the girls’ difficult journey.
High angle shot of Molly
Illustrates her vulnerability
Low angle shot of policeman
Emphasises status of policeman – contrasting with high angle shot of Molly – lower status character; he has power over her.

45. You are going to watch a film called The Others
You are going to watch a film called The Others. You will watch it in parts – for each part you will focus on one cinematography feature. At the end you will write an evaluation for at least one cinematography feature.