STUDYING FILM LANGUAGE: PERFUME

Test first, then textual analysis of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS PRACTICE

PREP set Wednesday 11 September, test Tuesday 17 September

In your exam, you are expected to analyse and discuss the technical aspect of the language and conventions of moving image in the extract's representation of individuals, places, groups and events.

• camera shots, angles, movement, composition
• editing
• sound
• mise-en-scene

The following terms are listed on page 18 of your specification. Your prep is to revise what they are.

Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation

Camera Shots, Angle, Movement and Composition

•Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide shot, two-

shot, aerialshot, point of view shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of these.

•Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle.

•Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom.

•Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field – deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

Editing

•Includes transition of image and sound –continuity and non-continuity systems.

•Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action match, jump cut, crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert.

•Other transitions, dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow

motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

Sound

•Diegetic and non-diegetic sound; synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound

motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound

perspective.

•Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.

Mise-en-Scène

•Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and make-up, properties.

•Lighting; colour design
TIPS
Continuity editing creates a continuous linear movement
of events and images in a story. Arranging the events of
a film as if they appear in a continuous linear fashion.

focus pull: explained HERE

Rule of Thirds: A technique in camera framing where 
the frame is divided into imaginary sections to create 
reference points explained here

match on action:  Slideshare here

graphic match: A match cut, also called a graphic match 
is a cut in film editing between either two different objects, 
two different spaces, or two different compositions in which 
an object in the two shots graphically match, often helping 
to establish a strong continuity of action and linking the two 
shots metaphorically. illustrated here and here as 'match cut'

jump cut: disturbs, jolts audience, the jump cut can create 
a jarring feeling, cause commotion in the scene and help 
to give the sense of ellipses in time.
see here  
synchronous sound: Sound that appears to be matched to 
certain movements occurring in the scene, as when footsteps 
correspond to feet walking.

There is support on the OCR website in the form of tutorials.
Look HERE at the Guides::

MICROBUDGET BRITISH FILM: SHIFTY

On Wednesday 11 September we watch Shifty (Eran Creevy) in class on BBc iPlayer HERE. It is available until 16 September. If you are on the Drama trip, please do this prep and class anyway.

We use this as an example of a microbudget film. We note what makes it a British film, how it used unconventional distribution methods and what Creevy made next.

Plot: Shifty, a young crack cocaine dealer in London, sees his life quickly spiral out of control when his best friend returns home. Stalked by a customer desperate to score at all costs, and with his family about to turn their back on him for good, Shifty must out-run and out-smart a rival drug dealer, intent on setting him up for a big fall. As his long time friend Chris, confronts the dark past he left behind him, Shifty is forced to face up to the violent future he's hurtling towards.

THE FILM INDUSTRY

• Hollywood and British film: differences in genre, cinematography, budget, audience, studio systems
• The four stages: production, direction, distribution, exhibition
• Digital film
• What does a distributor do?
• On which platforms do you view films?
• Theatrical exhibition: protected windows, revenue, peripherals

PREP Use Blogger to make a blog in the style of the class blog and email me your url.

FILMING A FILM OPENING

• We have viewed Delicatessen here on THE ART OF THE TITLE and Cherie HERE ON THE MEDIA DEPT YOUTUBE CHANNEL as examples of film openings using panning shots.
• We look at a couple of books about the Vietnam war to set the scene and discuss a possible treatment.
• In class we lay out the artefacts, costumes, lanterns, parasol, props, material and print work that we have collected on a long black cloth to create the world of the film.
• We use additional task lighting where needed.
• Each student uses the Canon D550 to take tracking shots along the set as well as some stills.
• Next double period, some live action is planned as well as the first edit.

Top films featuring the Vietnam war include the following. See extracts here on this site

• Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
• We Were Soldiers (2002)
• Forrest Gump (1994)
• Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
• Platoon (1986)
• The Deer Hinter (1979)
• Apocalypse Now (1979)
• Full Metal Jacket (1987)

INTRODUCTION TO TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

OCR is our exam board so you should bookmark the link on your laptop LINK HERE
On the site, you have access to the specification, past papers, examiner's reports and useful tutorials.





In your end of year exam, Section A is the analysis of representation in television drama. An unseen clip will be screened four times.
You are expected to analyse and discuss the technical aspect of the language and conventions of moving image in the extract's representation of individuals, places, groups and events.

• camera shots, angles, movement, composition
• editing
• sound
• mise-en-scene

 You will be asked to discuss how these technical elements create specific representations of individuals, groups, events or places and help to articulate specific messages and values that have social significance. Particular areas of representation that may be chosen are:

•Gender

•Age

•Ethnicity

•Sexuality

•Class and status

•Physical ability/disability

We watch Nowhere Boy (directed by Sam Taylor Wood, 2009) and analyse the visual codes (camera angles, camera movement, shot types) and sound (dialogue and soundtrack).
We use technical codes (the language of moving image).

We note the exam mark scheme for a grade A response:

• use of terminology (8-10 marks)
• use of examples (16-20 marks)
• analysis, explanation, argument (16-20 marks)

We practise from the very start formulating responses that cover these three elements in the order given above. We note just how precise  and detailed our points must be.

WELCOME, MODERATOR

Dear Moderator,

You will find the work of the AS students on the right of this class hub.
We hope that you enjoy looking through the work.

Jenny Mann 
mann.jenny@mac.com