Analysis of fonts and transitions of Se7en

Se7en

At the beginning, the titles start of white and look quite plain, then suddenly they become blurry and distorted and begin to shake, this is really effective as it really fits in with the music playing over the top, and also relates to the type of film, which is quite eerie and spooky. The transitions at the beginning are simple flash in and flash out, although a basic technique, it is really effective as it fits in with the fast paced music and adds the effect of tension. The titles develop a little throughout the opening titles sequence, the letters become different thicknesses and they are slanted and much more distorted. This is effective as it gives the audience the sense that something is about to happen, as the titles are becoming more and more distorted. The transitions between shots become much quicker and sharper, this is because the pace of the music is increasing, this adds effect, because every time a distinctive beat is heard, the shot changes, this is good as it creates tension for the audience.When the names of the actors/actresses appear, the letters are in lower case, this is effective as the words look quite sinister, and because they are in lower case, it is challenging the normal set out of the names. The titles have a very electric feel, for example, they flash on and off the screen, like lighting, this is really effective, as it gives the idea of danger and fear. Most of the titles are very slanted and roughly positioned on the screen, this is really effective because, it shows that the film is going to be of a gothic convention.A lot of the shots are of images or of a zoomed  action taking place, for example there is a zoomed image of someone writing, this shot is then overlapped which adds a lot of effect to the shot, as it makes it more sinister looking. A lot of the images relate to the film, such as texts relating to murder and images of women. I really like these opening titles because they are really intriguing and develop alongside the music, which makes it interesting to watch. I also like how they have used different effects to make certain letters and words stand out, for example, they made some words brighter or bolder than others. 

Top 2 grossing films of all time

Avatar 

The film "Avatar" was released on the 10th December 2009. To create the film, it cost a staggering 237 million pounds, this alone did not include promotion costs. The director James Cameron, waited years for the right technology to be created, so that he could create the best film possible. The film grossed at 2.78 billion, making it the highest grossing film of all time. Some of the people who starred in the film are; Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephan Lang. The film is about a paraplegic marine called Jake Sully who interacts with the Na'vi on the planet Pandora. His mission is to gather intel on the race for the selfish Parker Selfridges, as he wants to mine the rich materials their planet holds. Jake soon learns the way of the Na'vi and falls in love with the princess Neytiri. He soon realises how important their land is and begins to protect them. However, colonel, who is adamant to retrieve the materials uses force and violence to evict the Na'vi from their land. A raging war breaks out between the humans and the Na'vi on planet Pandora. I really liked this film because, the effects used where incredible and excelled any other sci-fi film i have seen. I also liked the amount of imagination and effort that went into the film. 

Titanic

The film titanic was released on the 1st November 1997. To create the film, it cost 125 million pounds, this was due to the elaborate sets, which had to match the ones on the real titanic, to make the film more realistic. the cast also had to film in a large water tank, which was very costly. The film was directed by James Cameron,who had created many successful films already. The filmed grossed at $2,185,372,302.The films stars many well known actors and actresses, such as, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane and Kathy Bates. The film won numerous awards, such as; 4 golden globes,11 academy awards and 3 grammy awards. The film is about a real life ship that set sail in 1912, called the Titanic. Amongst the passengers, are poor artist Jack Dawson, and a rich aristocrat called Rose Bukater. The story is being told by 101 year old Rose, in the present day. The couple fall in love, not caring about their different social classes. They are set to leave together, although Rose is set to marry her rich fiance, who is not willing to let her go. The film is centred around the ship hitting an iceberg, which tragically sinks the ship. The passengers are left without enough lifeboats, and with the captain gone, they are left to fight for their lives. In the present day, there is a team searching the remains of the sunken Titanic, for a necklace which belonged to Rose herself. I really like this film as it gives you a real idea of what it must of been like to be on the ship, and James Cameron used some of the original names of passengers on the Titanic, which made it more interesting and realistic for the audience to watch.

Analysis of fonts and transitions of Shutter Island

Shutter Island

At the beginning, the titles are red, this could symbolise death in the film, which gives the audience a sense of what the film might be about. The titles are also very distorted, which gives a real sense of the genre of the film, as it creates a tense atmosphere. The titles also flicker at the beginning, this is really effective as it gives an eerie feeling and an un-comfortable kind of feeling for the audience to watch. The transitions at the beginning are simple fade in and fade outs, although basic, they are really effective because it creates a tense feeling, also because the transitions are quite slow, this adds to the tension. The titles then change to white, this could signify the  purity or goodness of a character, who may end up in a bad position in the film. The transitions vary in the second half of the titles, zoomed in objects are used to get to the next shot, this is effective, as it makes it more interesting for the audience to watch. Nearer the end of the opening titles, the transitions slow down slightly, this makes the audience believe something is about to happen, this then causes tension for the audience. When the actors/actresses names show up, the font is bold and white, this is so that they really stand out. The transition of the names is also very interesting, this is because, the letters disappear one by one, which adds effect. Towards the end of the titles, the music gets slower and more tense, the transitions themselves flow with the music, and a shot changes when a distinctive beat is heard. The transitions are very dramatic at the end of the titles, which gives the audience the impression that the film is about to begin. 

Thriller Ideas

Our group has decided to base our opening scene around a serial killer who murders people in the same way as other killers. We discussed how our main character would be really mysterious, and slightly eerie, so it builds tension throughout the scene. Some examples of films where the character copies past killers are; "Copycat" (1995), in this film, a female detective and a psychologist must work as a team to catch a serial killer who murders people the same way as past serial killers. I really like this storyline, as it makes the killer even more feared, as you know he is deranged, due to the fact he must know of other killers. We liked the idea of having a killer who bases their murders around other serial killers, because it means we can make the storyline more interesting, and it makes it more intriguing for the audience to watch. 

We need to make sure that, not only does the person playing the killer act shady and eerie, that they must also look the part in order for the audience to be engaged. An example of a film where the killer looks the part, is "Zodiac" (2007). In this film, a cartoonist, becomes obsessed with finding the zodiac killer, although an amateur, he uses all his skills and knowledge to try and track him down. In this film, the suspected killer looks very quiet and mysterious, although as he's quite big built, the audience get the impression that he could quite easily overpower someone. He also looks very scruffy and shady, which fits in with one of the ideologies of a serial killer. 

Our group has the idea of, a killer who is obsessed with Jack the Ripper. We chose this idea because, Jack the Ripper is such a notorious killer, and because their is such a mystery over who he actually was, that basing our opening scene around him, will make people want to watch it. We plan to stick lots of pictures and newspaper cuttings of Jack the Ripper around a room, to give the audience the sense that our killer is mad, and how dangerous he is, because he is obsessed with such a dangerous man. 
Our first group meeting went really well, as we where all really enthusiastic on the idea, and all inputted ideas which showed how the communication flowed well. 

Spoof Movie Poster

DISASTER MOVIE

 

The first thing I noticed about this film poster, was the large title. The title is very bright and cartoon like, the viewer gets the idea that the film is going to be very fun, as the title looks light-hearted. The fact that the title is so big, puts emphasise on the words, this is effective because, it really stands out for the audience and is noticeable. The title is also 3D, this makes it more interesting and makes the poster stand out more. There is a lot going on in this film poster, which makes it really intriguing for the audience to look at. They have included all the character of the film on the poster, this is interesting for the audience, as there are a lot of spoof characters which people will recognise, this makes it funny for them. The poster is very bright and colourful which makes it attractive for the audience to look at, also the main purpose of a film poster is to promote the film, because the poster is so colourful people are likely to be interested in looking at it. It is also very important that a film poster has the release date of the film on the bottom of the poster. This poster has this date in bold, which makes it stand out more, and more noticeable for the audience. I really like this film poster because, you can tell the genre of the film as soon as you look at it, due to the funny characters and bright colours. I also like that they have made the title a main part of the title, by incorporating it with the characters. 



Film Certificates

FILM CERTIFICATES

Film certificates are used so that people know what kind of material is in the film they are watching. If film certificates where not provided, then people may end up watching films that are not suitable for them. Film certificates are also used at cinemas, people who want to view a film, must be the age, or above the age of the age certificate that particular film was given. 

This film certificate is called “Universal”. This certificate means that the film is suitable for all ages, and has no content that would be unsuitable for young children. Some examples of films from this category are; “The smurfs”, “Rio” and “Diary of a wimpy kid”.

This film certificate is called “Parental guidance”. This certificate means that all ages are admitted, although there is content that will be unsuitable for children, due to mild language or moderate violence (fantasy films). Some examples of films from this category are; "Night at the museum" and "Peter Pan". 

 

 

This film certificate states that a child , younger than 12, must be accompanied by a person over the age of 18, to be able to view the film. This is because, a film under this certificate will contain mature content, such as, sex references/nudity, soft drug use and moderate violence. Some examples of films with this rating are "Iron Man" and "RED".

This film certificate is given to the DVD version of films. Nobody under the age of 12 can rent or buy a film with this certificate. This is due to the content included in a 12A rated film. Some examples of films in this category are "The perks of being a wallflower" and "Les Miserables".






 This film certificate states that only people 15 or over can be admitted. This is because films under this rating contain content such as, hard drugs, strong language, mild sexual activity and strong violence. No one under the age of 15, can rent or buy a film with this rating. Some examples of films in this category are "Mama" and "The Heat".






This film certificate states that only people 18 or over can view a film with this certificate. This is due to its strong content, such as, strong gory or sadistic violence, very strong language, sexual content and hard drug use. No one under the age of 18, can buy or rent a film with this certificate. Some examples of films with this rating are "Django Unchained" and "Saw".

Film genre analysis

America Psycho

At the beginning of the scene there is a lot of white around the house, white is quite a pure colour to have, but also gives the audience the impression that the owner is very clean and tidy. The music playing over the top of the scene is very relaxed and light-hearted, this creates a contrast for the audience, as they are expecting something to happen, due to the genre of the film. Again, like the neutral colours of the walls and the furniture, the music is very simple and controlled, adding to the idea that the character is very precise with things they do. During the scene, there is a voice over, the audience get the idea that the voice is of the man being shown, as he introduces a bit about himself. This is very effective, as it gives the audience an idea on how the character functions. There are a range of shots during the first glimpse of the man, this is because they have the camera following him to the bathroom, this is effective as it gives the feeling that the audience are following him also. From what the voice over, and the audience are seeing, we can clearly see that the character has a set routine for the morning, not only does this show that he is very compulsive with things he does , it also shows that he has a lot of pride in his appearance, and believes it is important to look after yourself. I think the purpose of the relaxing music and showing the morning routine, is to portray the man as a normal person, so that when the audience realise his real identity, they get more of a shock. There is a lot of light in the opening scene, this may be because they want to portray the man as a normal/happy person, but really he has a dark exterior. I believe that the face mask part of the scene is very important and relevant to the film, this is because the peeling away of the mask, may represent his outer layer, whereas, if you dig deeper, he has hidden secrets and a whole different persona. The character gives a dramatic stare at the end of the scene, this causes tension for the audience as they may believe that something is about to happen, due to the pro-longed camera shot. 

Our genre

Our group decided to change our genre of film, from a spoof, to a horror/thriller. This is because we feel we can use more techniques and camera shots in this genre. When researching about opening scenes in this genre, we noticed that the scenes are usually dark and eerie, and have a lot of gothic vibes to them. we believe that by doing a horror/thriller genre, we will be able to create tension for the audience, making it more appealing to watch.

Final Destination 2 (2003)

When watching this opening scene, we can clearly see that the film is going to in-corperate death, this is because the topic of conversation surrounds death, and the thought of people is regularly used. As the film institution logo is showing, there is tense music playing, this gives the audience an idea that the film is going to be striking, as it suggests that frenzied events will occur. The music is also very slow, this suggests that it is building up to something, also it causes a lot of tension for the audience, as it makes them feel that something is about to happen. Near the beginning of the scene, the scene goes black, and there is a voice talking over, this creates a sense of uneasy feelings, as the audience do not know what is going on. Throughout the scene, there are white titles showing, they are in a gothic font, and are going quite slow, this adds to the level of tension, as they fit in with the music. At one point, the camera zooms out then fades into the next scene, this is a good shot, as it is continually building up the tension, and is a good transition. The next shots are quite dark and gloomy, which add into the genre, it also adds to the tension, as it's hard for the audience to see whats going on. The title of the film shows up near the beginning of the scene, the font is quite distorted, and the font is very bold, this gives the audiences the impression that the film is also going to be eerie. The camera glides across somebodies possessions, which suggests the film may be about them, or because they are talking about death, maybe this person was a victim. They use a shot of a sharp object placed over a picture of a girls head, this strongly suggests that this girl may be targeted in the film, or that the films involves violence. Throughout the film, there is a lot of red shown, although it's done discretely, such as in objects, it signifies blood, which gives the audience the impression that a lot of deaths will occur. The fact that the television is playing, shows the significance of what the people are saying, this makes the audience listen and focus more. Also when the camera shot goes distorted at the end, it adds a lot of tension and effect, for the audience. I really like this opening scene because it has a really spooky feel to it, and has you on the end of your seat!

Preliminary task

In todays lesson, we filmed three different camera shots in groups. We then edited these shots on iMovie. The three camera shots we created where;

• 180* rule
• Match on action
• Shot reverse shot

180* Rule

The 180* rule states that the camera should be inside the 180* on a particular spot on the inside of the invisible line. This rule applies when two people are having a conversation, if the camera isn't in the 180*, then the audience will get confused, this is because the two people will have swapped sides, when the camera switches sides. We filmed our 180* shot with three people having a conversation about school.

Peer Feedback
We asked our peers to assess our 180* rule shots, one point they made was that, the camera positions where good so that everyone was in the shot, this meant that they didn't get confused when watching the scene. They also said that the conversation topic was good and that it was effective that everyone got to talk. One thing they said we could improve on is making sure that we get the person in the camera when they are talking, this is because some dialogue was missed due to the camera not being turned quick enough.

My Feedback
I think that we worked really well as a group as we all contributed ideas and put a lot of effort into our shots. I think that we chose a good topic of conversation and that the conversation flowed well. I also think that we followed the 180* rule well as there was no confusion with the viewing. I think that we could of improved on some aspects of filming, we could of done this by making sure the camera moves quick enough so that the people are in the camera.





Match On Action

Match on action is when the camera shot changes during a scene, and when the camera returns, the scene continues to flow well. Match on action is used as it gives the scene a sense of continuity. We filmed our match on action shot with three people and had a conversation about school and the future.


Peers Feedback

We asked a group of people to peer assess our match on action shot so that we know how to improve it for next time. One point they made was that the editing was really good, this is because they said that the scene ran smoothly even though there had been editing done. They also made the point that the clip was quite short, this meant that there wasn't much dialogue which made it less interesting for them to watch.

My Feedback
When assessing our match on action I agree with the peers feedback that the editing allowed the scene to run smoothly, we tried to make sure that it didn't look un-connected or that it didn't fit in with the shot beforehand. I think that our topic of conversation allowed us to make the shot easier, this is because it allowed us to bring other people into the shot, which completed the match on action criteria.



Shot Reverse Shot

This shot is used when two people are having a conversation. The camera faces person x whilst they are talking to person Y, the camera then swaps to person y whilst they talk to person x. In some conversations, the shot will be taken from over the shoulder, but the 180* rule must not be broken. We filmed our shot reverse shot with two people, and also had  some shots over the shoulder.

Peers Feedback
We asked a group of people to peer assess our shot reverse shot clip, this was so that we know how to improve our shots for next time. One point they made was that we had really good editing, they said that the conversation between the two people flowed really well, which made it more realistic to watch. Another point they made was that we had a good range of shots, this is because the camera not only filmed their faces, they  filmed over the shoulder to.

My Feedback
When filming our shot reverse shot clip, we made sure that we had an over the shoulder shot, this was to give the clip more effect and make it more interesting for the audience to watch. I also think that we worked well when editing the clip, this is because it had a continual flow which made it look like the conversation had never stopped. To improve this shot I think we could of made it longer, this is so that its more interesting to watch and that they get a better understanding of what shot reverse shot is.

 Overall

Overall, I think that all three of the shots clearly show the meaning of the shot and how they can be done. I think that we all worked well in a group, and come up with some creative ideas for how we can undertake the shots.


 

Moulin Rouge opening scene analysis

At the beginning of the scene, the audience can clearly see that it is in black and white, this gives the scene a lot of effect, as it's very intriguing and makes the audience focus more on what's going on. The music playing is quite sad, this is because it is very slow and the instruments playing in the background are very low spirited and glum. The audience can see light coming of the windmill, which makes it stand out more, it also represents the sadness of the film, as it's turning very slowly as the man sings. The man singing throughout the scene is seen at the beginning which makes the scene unique, he also sings about a boy and his troubles, which gives the audience the interpretation this will be happening in the film. As the scene continues, an image of a man appears, this fits in with the lyrics of an "enchanting boy" and the audience gets a clear sense that this man will appear in the film. At the beginning of the film, the images flicker like an old film would normally do, this makes it interesting to watch, and also fits in with the theme of the  opening scene. There is an unusual border around the images in the opening scene, this makes it look like the audience is viewing the film through a lens, which makes them focus more. As the scene continues, the images fade away and the camera shot begins to zoom into a new location, this gives the audience the sense that the camera is taking them on a journey and to the destination of where the film is set. The angles the camera makes, gives the audience a sense that they are flying, this is effective as it gives the audience a real sense of the environment of the film and a few ideas on the context of the film. As the camera continues to flow through the streets, the camera occasionally zooms quickly into someone's face, this gives the audience an idea of what time period the film is set in, by looking at their clothes, and also gives them an idea of the genre of film. When the camera cuts into the mans room, the audience can clearly see that the man is distressed and that an event has occurred, this is because of the wrecked room and how he had his face in his hands. As the camera shows the man typing, it zooms out at one point, this gives the scene intensity, as the audience want to know what he is typing. The words he types gives the audience an idea on the genre of the film, this is because he talks of "love". By the mans facial expressions, the audience can suggest that he has been hurt, or lost the ones he loves. As the man types the title of the film "Moulin Rouge", the music becomes much louder and more intense, this gives the impressions that the film is about to begin. The mise-en-scene in this film opening is very effective, this is because the lighting highlights important images in the scene, such as the mans face and the windmill. Also the character is very expressive and clearly portrays strong feelings of sadness. My opinion on the scene is that it gives the impression that the film is going to be interesting, due to its varieties of techniques used.

Billy Elliot opening scene analysis

At the beginning of the scene, it shows a boy playing a song on a record player, this gives the viewer a sense that the film may be musically orientated, and that the boy in the scene may have some significance to the film. As the scene continues, the song "Cosmic dancer" by T-Rex begins to play, this gives the viewer a sense that the film may be about dance, as the line "I was dancing when I was twelve" is repeated on a few occasions. This also gives the viewer a sense of what the genre of the film is, as it's quite a mellow and relaxed opening scene. As the scene continues, the camera shots change regularly, and focusses a lot on the boys limbs, this gives the audience the impression that the film is about dance, as it shows him extending his limbs and making creative shapes. The titles in the opening scene are a basic font and are white, this is quite a relaxed and innocent colour, which fits in with the genre of the film (comedy, drama). During the titles, the film title "Billy Elliot" shows up against a boy, this gives the audience a strong idea that he is the main character in the film. Also, the titles are quite slow, this again gives the sense that the film is quite relaxed.  In the scene, the boy is seen making breakfast in the kitchen, by looking at the kitchen and its décor, we can see that the film was set in the 80's. My opinion of the opening scene is that it is really up-beat and fun and makes you want to carry on watching the film. I also like the opening scene because it doesn't really give away much of the story line, this makes it more interesting and urges the audience to carry on watching.

Why I decided to do A-Level media.

I decided to do A-Level media studies, because not only do I have a passion for watching and reviewing films, I thoroughly enjoy English, so believe media studies would be a great option for me. Not only do I enjoy viewing different genres of film, I also have an interest in the process of how a film is made, this is why I believe I will enjoy media studies, as we learn about the different camera shots and the different techniques used when making a film. I enjoy working in teams and I am creative, this is another reason why I chose to do media studies, as these skills will help when designing and filming my own movie beginning. I also chose A-Level media because, I knew It would be a fun, fast paced lesson in which I would learn a lot about an interesting subject. I also listen to a lot of music, this is also why I took media studies, because we get to research into the music industry and find out how it functions.