Q5 HMW

How is meaning created through the use of production techniques in a media product you have studied? (12)

 The film i have chosen to study is the 2014 action adventure, comedy title, 'Kingsman: The Secret Service'. The main plot follows a spy organisation which recruits a unrefined yet promising street kid into the organisations ultra competitive training program, just a world wide threat emerges from a twisted tech genius. These ideas and themes are reiterated throughout the piece and a large variety of production techniques were used to create this meaning.

Most noticeably the use of camera work is key in creating and portraying the story in addition to giving meaning to the text. The use of specific shot types helps create a certain mood or feel which often allows the audience to relate to a specific characters or evoke similar emotions to those seen on screen. For example the use of a high angle shot is used to seemingly look down on a character. In the my chosen text a  high angle character shot is used to show specific characters to be vulnerable and inferior whilst also demonstrating to the audience a perspective of a particular character. On the contrary a lower angle shot is often seen to make a character more powerful as a result this can make the audience feel vulnerable as they are looking up at the character all of which reinforce the meaning of the scene. Another example of a shot type which reinforces meaning is tracking shots, this is evident in the car chase scene.The tracking shot is used to show continuous action/ motion in the scene as it closely follows the police car, the camera also keeps this subject in the frame throughout the scene this composition results in the audience’s attention always being on the action making it more engaging. The police chase/car is also used to clearly reinforce to the viewer the genre and narrative of the film in the first few scenes. Similarly, this same iconography is seen throughout the remainder of the film.

Similarly, the use of sound is also important. Throughout my chosen film sound is used throughout with varying reason. Dependent on the type of sounds used it can convey a certain mood or feeling to the audience. Most commonly diagetic sounds are seen in the film these include things such as ambient sound which refers to any sound that is used to establish a location this often clearly adds context for the viewer of the scene or what may happen. Other diagetic sounds include things such as foley sounds which can often be added later in post production and dialogue which is used to authenticate the speaker as an individual due to things such as tone, accent and dialect.

On the other hand, non diagetic sounds are frequently used also which are the sounds when the source is not visible on screen and is clearly not coming from the story world. Examples of this include sound bridges which lead in and out a scene, incidental music which is music composed in a film or to play as a background to create or enhance a particular atmosphere this is also often can be used to foreshadow future events. As a whole throughout the piece sounds are used to create a certain mood and atmosphere which allows the audience to relate or evoke strong emotions to the piece.

Another way in which meaning is clearly created within my text is through the editing techniques used. Due to the nature of my chosen film and the genre of a action adventure the editing techniques are crucial in portraying this to the viewer. Editing is key in creating meaning as the techniques used represent the feeling, emotions and purpose of the scene. Most frequently techniques such as action matches and cross cutting are used. An action match is often used to show continuous motion through shots therefore keeping the audinace engaged and in suspense, where as cross cutting is often used to show parallel action and shows locations as well as leading the audience into the narrative.

As a whole three main techniques are used to reinforce the meaning of the text and the narrative behind it. These include micro elements such as shot type and sounds in addition to things such as editing techniques and the mise en scene used. All of which were used and chosen effectively within the film 'The Kingsman' to clearly emulate the directors intentions and the narrative as a whole.

Unit 1 Genre and Narrative Revision

It is important to be able to identify a genre of a media product as it allows audiences to chose a media product which is suited to them and there preferred conventions of a film.

Narrative can be structured in several different ways for example: linear and non linear,

LO1: Production Process and Job Roles

Key Personnel- Director, producer, script write, camera operator, audio engineer, editor, actors, crew,

Key Personnel in Kingsman

Pre Production
Most importantly the key personnel of costume designers and stylists are key as the costume plays a large role in the portrayal of the characters and their attitudes. Similarly, the writers are also important as they create the narrative which the production crew bring to reality through the cinematics.
Production
The key personnel are important throughout the production stage as they create the story and produce the content needed for the editing and post production. These personnel include people such as the camera and boom operators, actors, lighting technicians etc.
Post Production
In my chosen film most noticeably the cgi artists and special effects editors are important in post production as this film features a large variety of cgi throughout from gun shots to blood and gore.

Advertising

Pre 2000 - Web 1.0 web pages not interactive.

2000 - Broadband technology- meant faster download speeds and allowed content to be delivered to audiences.

Web 2.0 - O'Reily (2004)  Interactive, video on demand services eg youtube (2005), material content is interactive.

Digital methods are in existence because of technological convergence.

Technological convergence - Technologies coming together to provide a new service. Eg: Mobile

Above the line advertsing methods target mass audiacnes eg. trailers, premieres, reviews, posters

Below the line advertising methods target individuals eg. Social meida (instagram updates etc), competitions,

LO3 Narrative Theory

Story is the plot (sequence of events).

Narrative is how its structured (techniques used to tell the story).

Plot - Kingsman:

A spy organisation recruits an unrefined, nut promising street kid into the agency's ultra- competitive training program. just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

Source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2802144/plotsummary

Key theories

KT 1: Tim O'Sullivan et al (1998)

All media texts tell us some kind of story. Through care full mediation, media texts offer a way of telling stories about ourselves - these are ideologies.

Wider meanings/ ideologies in chosen film - The idea that family and friendship is important in addition to themes of avengence and good conquering evil.

KT 2: Pam Cook (1985)

The standard Hollywood narrative structure should have:

• "Linearity of cause and effect within an overall trajectory of enigma resolution"
• A high degree of narrative closure.
• A fictional world that contains verisimilitude especially governed by spatial and temporal coherence.

Enigma in film - The enigma resolution within my chosen film is that the twisted evil character is overthrown and that he is no longer in control or posses any power.

KT3: Tsvetan Todorov (1977)

• Stage 1: A point of stable equilibrium
• Stage 2: This stability is disrupted by some kind of force, which creates a state of disequilibrium.
• Stage 3: Action directed against the disruption
• Stage 4: Restoration of a state of new equilibrium

In my chosen film it is seen to follow this theory as throughout the film all four stages are represented and as result in the penultimate scenes the antagonist is seen to be defeated and a new state of equilibrium is formed.

KT4:  Claude Levi-Strauss (1958)

Binary opposites - eg: good versus evil

Binary opposites in film - The most prevalent binary opposition is that of class. The two main protagonist diametrically oppose each other with regards to class, one is seen to be upper class and regal where as the other is portrayed to be from and working class family.

KT5: Vladimir Propp (1928)

All narratives feature stock characters and that audiences understood stories because of such features.

• Villain/ antagonist
• Hero/ protagonist
• Helper/ supporter (sidekick)
• Princess (the prize for the hero - not necessarily a person)
• One that is rescued/ saved/ helped

Character types in film - Throughout my chosen film the most prevalent character types are that of both an antagonist and protagonist which are in a battle against each other. Furthermore, both of these character types are seen to also have a helper/ supporter throughout the text.

KT6: Roland Barthes (1997)

Narrative codes:

Enigma codes work to keep up setting problems or puzzles for audience.

Action codes work inform the audience in terms of what is happening in the next shot/ scene .

Action Code example:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJQggH7S7wc (1:37)

The knock on the door informs the audience as too the entrance of a new unknown character.

LO3 KTA 4: Camera Work Feedback

KTA 4: LO4 Camera Work

KTA 5: Genre Analysis Feedback

LO3: Genre Theory

Genre Theory

Genre: A type or category of a film
For example: horror, Sci-Fi, adventure, action, crime, drama, romantic, comedy, fantasy, thriller, social realism.
     *Things such as Comedy are a treatment, eg: rom-com etc*

Exam Questions
6* Analyse how the production techniques used create meaning in a media product you have studied. (12)     Micro -  Macro
6* Analyse the concepts of 'genre' and 'repersentation' in a media product you have studied. (12)     Macro - Micro

Genre helps divide texts into category's based on common elements. these common elements are called generic conventions/ characteristics/ elements or tropes.

The genre of my chosen film is crime/ science fiction/comedy.This is evident in the still below:

Genres can often be further sub dived into more specific genre niches. Sub Genres include things such as a slasher, zombie, hammer, gothic for the horror genre for example.

Barry Kieth Grant - 1995

Suggested that all genres have sub genres. Divided into more specific categorys that allow audiance to identify them specifcally by there genric elements.

 - The possible sub genre of my movie could be zombie thriller as throughout many characters are often seen in a zombie like state with little controll over themselves. However, i feel that this movie is more of a hybrid genre of both crime and science fiction.

Patrick Phillips - (1996)

Suggested genre offers audiacnes 'comfortable reassurance'. Genres fulfil audiance expectations following predictabel patterns, we know what to expect from the text.

The film ive chosen reinforces/ provides familialarity for an audiance as it makes clear use of both an antagonist and protagonist which is synonomus with the crime genre.

Branston and Stafford - (1999)

Genre:

• Help minimise risk and predict ecpenditure, can plan when to release a film
• Are blueprint for success
• Genre conventions also make it easier to market and sell products to audiances

My film was succesfull as in its marketing etc it clearly deinfined the genre with things such as props and location and was also seen to be something new for this genre possibly resulting in intrigue and increased views.

What audiances like about partiular genres other than familiarity, specfic actors (typecast actor- actor plays same genre throughout career, genre offers emotion.

Rick Altman - (1999)Genre offfers pleasures - Emotional pleasures (happy, sad, nostalgic), visceral pleasures (gut responses, excitment, fear etc), intellectual puzzles (makes the audiacne think)/enigma.

The genre of my film offers both emotional pleasures of shock and happyness for example the scene when one of the main characters is seemingly executed would evoke strong emotions within the audiance whilst also viseral pleasures such as fear and excitment are also developed through the use of fast tracking and crane shots throuhgut the action sequences.

David Bordwell - (1989)

'Any theme may appear in any genre' Theme = the ideas, ideologies, concepts, myths, etc. that are encoded into a media text.

I agree with this statement as there are many ideologies which are prevalent in not just a single genre type but are seen in various genres with varying presence. For example in the Kingsman the theme of evil and villans or good vs evil are seen which conforms to the crime genre however antagonists are also frequently scene in other genres such as actions and thrillers.

KTA 5: Genre Analysis

KTA 5

Intro define genre + film

Key theory 1      can backup or challenge, key examples to support       

Key theory 2    

Key theory 3

Key theory 4

Key theory 5

Conclusive Statment

analyse the concept of genre in the film you have sudued
use examples to support (particulary want to see the editing and sound technique to support ideas..)

Micro Elements - Sound

Starter: Sound is important in creating meaning for the audience as it gives an insight into what is happening around characters and is often used to emphasise a point or possibly foreshadow future events etc.

Diegesis - Is the narrative construct that everything takes place in, it is the 'story world/ the world that film/ tv program takes place in.'
How real the diegesis appears is linked to the level of verisimilitude ( which means the appearance of being it self.)

Diagetic sounds are from noises that are happening from within the diegesis (the story world)
EG dialogue, sfx, foley sounds such as foot steps. -These can be added during production and in post and are planned carefully in pre production.
    -Dialogue authenticates the speaker as an individual due to things such as tone, accent and dialect.
  Accent - Way you pronounce words- Location
  Dialect - The words you use - Location
  Tone - How you talk eg happy angry- intonation
  Mode of address - Formal/informal    Peer to peer eg radio, teach to pupil eg magazine,

Southern accent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svuPbOHWF-M - Only fools and horses
Northen Accent

Syncgronous sounds are sounds which are synchronised or matched with what is viewed. Eg footsteps or movement.This contributes to the realism of the film and also help create a specific atmosphere.

Ambient sound refers to any sounds that are to establish location.Eg: In a park birds and for a city car noises etc.


Non Diagetic sound is when the soucrce is not visable on screen and is clearly not coming from the story world.

Sounds bridges lead in or out of a scene. Sound brudges are one of the most common transitions in continuity edidting.non diagetic to diagetic.

Incidental music is music composed in a film or play as a background to create or enhance a particular atmosphere, also gives forshadows. Eg:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoatiXYa11Q 007 Spectre

Stings are used as a distinctive background music to add emphasis to an important moment in motion picture or television program. Can be used to introduce or end a scene.

The sound motifs condition the audiance emotionally for the arrival or actions of a character. eg darth vader intro music.

KTA 3: LO3 Mise en scene Feedback