Thursday 15 October 2015

Editing analysis:


Right from the start, we see a sound bridge from the voice of a reporter, as well as a demonstration of a tracking shot to perhaps fit the conventional reporting scenes in news, more evident by the chanting of protesters.

Continuity editing also plays a part in the next scene, when a squad of armed police officers discuss something, as well as the result of an action code from the cocking-back of a gun - the implication here suggests a violent scene is about to occur, and that is what exactly happens shortly after. The next scene follows the same group of police officers, followed by a straight cut transition to accustom and divert all attention to the following shootout scene. However what is most significant is that as the audience, we expected the scene to only be showcasing their way to the area, however the killing starts halfway as they make their journey, which conjures up surprises early, and a sudden build-up of pace which is very effective. All sorts of diegetic sounds also start, we hear the penetration of bullets against cars, windows, dumpsters etc, which also contributes to building up of the pace and action in just this scene.

All after the scene ends with an explosion, we are given a long shot of the aftermath, then immediately we jump back into the scene. Also something to acknowledge is the mixture of pans and tilts from the camera, it's almost as if a POV shot of someone running, and maybe this too complements and fits the right level of pace that we see. What's also remarkable is that there are absolutely no non-diegetic sounds, perhaps this is to make the scene seem more realistic. Also backtracking to what we explored earlier, at around 2 minutes and 43 seconds is also a very fast tracking shot of one police officer running from one road end, to another, and again this is allows simultaneous things going on in the screen, which ultimately leads back to the pace.

So far almost every frame lasts very short, there are straight cut transitions, after transitions, after transitions. However things vary as we progress into the clip. At around 3:34 we see a very bumpy, hence realistic tracking shot, BUT straight after that we see a long shot, high in the air - maybe this is a connotation to them being watched by hiding bandits, nonetheless it is still a very effective shot, especially in action genres and these types of scenes. Furthermore more into the clip, at 5 minutes and 35 seconds we see a tracking shot that revolves around the one enemy, and are therefore given both perspectives between the binary oppositions. It also in my opinion makes the audience sutured to all action, as well as ultimately more to look on the screen. In addition shortly after that we see the constant frame changing of going back and forth between the enemy and a police officer, the significant thing here is that both are slowly getting closer to each, but not knowing, and perhaps this adds suspense as metaphorically speaking, the pace is a ticking time until the two clash.

Close-ups are also used most significantly and greatly in the end after the shooting ends. At 8 minutes we are able to see a officer's facial expression, then a straight cut to then a medium shot from different angles, left and right to adjunct the gruesome aftermath, as well as to explain her expression. This is further demonstrated when we see a panning and tilt of just the dead bodies, then slowly tilting, leading to the other officer's facial expression and shock.   

Tuesday 13 October 2015



Excluding the trailer introduction till 1 minutes and 20 seconds. The opening scene to The Matrix (1998) starts off with a basic, yet very significant vertigo effect is reached, although contextually speaking it has no relevance to any types of shots, it is a great use for the transitioning which we see into the front, circle of a torch.

 In addition to this we also see a closeup of a police officer, we are emphasized to see him squinting (due to the closeup), and therefore we know that the abandoned hallway is very narrow, very dark too, hence the the torchlight - this also tells us the mystery of what danger lurks in the shadows, and therefore creates suspense.

 We then see the panning of the camera to the audience's right, while slowly losing focus on the first police officer we saw earlier, to showing the rest of the squad. Similarly a panning shot then occurs when another officer takes the lead, we then see a medium shot that is angled low from his back, this is to showcase and demonstrate the very unfamiliar nature of the setting - the crane shot here is demonstrated.

Later on we then see a Steadicam sequence projected behind the police officers, also creating a silhouette and almost a POV shot. Likewise then a panning shot that movies to the left in order to have a better view of the door as all attention is diverted towards what is behind the door, so it then again creates suspense while completely not acknowledging everything else in the background as we did earlier. A breach of the door then sends constant camera panning from left to right to increase pace, while then flashing of lights from all directions also complements this. Finally then a tilt from a desk going upwards slowly reveals which we presume to be the protagonist or antagonist's face.    

Tuesday 6 October 2015



WWW: I have carefully explained each picture with relevant details, as well as making it short and snappy so it didn't get boring, hence avoiding from people not paying attention to some significant things I might have said.I also think both contrapuntal and parallel slides in the collage are fit for their theme, i.e. a dark bloody background for something sinister and depressing, while green fields and cartoons for the complete opposite.

EBI: Presentation wise I think I could stare less at the board, so I can project my voice and make it clearer to the audience. I probably could have also picked a better example for my background music too.

Best 3 presentations for me:

Amrit - 

Very well explained correlation between picture and music, as well as keywords with good vocabulary.

Mamduh - 

Very interesting layout of pictures and what it connotes to the music chosen.

Abayomi - 

Fluent speaking and straight to the point.


The Hunger Games clip includes a variety of both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. Diegetic would presumably of course be the natural sounds, however what is significant is the travelling sound effect of the arrow - the swoosh makes it that much more "aesthetically pleasing", and simply appealing to the ear. Similar to the suspense is the quiet audience, combined with the cocking back of the arrow which is for the build-up of climax, until the arrow is fired, which releases it.

On the other hand, we see a non-diegetic sound - the eerie and spookish music that starts around 35 seconds in the clip, and again also ultimately adding suspense. I would like to think that the music is also parallel to the clip, acknowledging the dark room full of spectators is probably evident of it. Also remarkably during the end of her shot, the music is less mellow and muffled, hence a higher pitch to perhaps unsettle the audience, and therefore again release a sea of built of suspense. Dialogue wise there wasn't any plausible effect, however conversations that have no relevance to Katniss may connote to the audience that she is somehow going to divert their attention, knowing her, and that is what she exactly does. When the sudden chattering of people is silenced by Katniss' arrow being shot dangerously close to them is a notable effect too.