Roland Barthes:
- "Negotiated meaning" between institution and audience: reader produces new meanings when reading a text
-"Cultural context" of consumption becomes as important as the content of the text
-Texts are 'networks' which relates closely to current multimedia texts; such as websites
-'Enigma code': the hook or mystery to be resolved for an audience.
Laura Mulvey:
-'Male gaze' - Argued cinematic apparatus of classical Hollywood cinema inevitably put the spectator in a masculine subject position, with the figure of a women on screen as the object of desire (political stand)
- Wanted to radically challenge/reshape the filmic strategies of classic Hollywood with alternative feminist methods.
- Called for a new-feminist avant-garde (experiment) film making
David Gauntlett:
-Fragmented construction; how the consumption of different media texts changes the way we identify ourselves.
-Fluidity of identities and the decline of tradition: traditional view of women as housewife/low status worker has been kicked out by a feisty successful 'girl power' icons. Whereas masculine ideals of absolute toughness, stubborn self reliance and emotional silence, have been taken over by a new emphasis on mens emotions, need for advice and problems of masculinity.
-Construction of identity has become a known requirement.
Tzvetan Todorov:
-Five stages of narrative: equilibrium, disruption, realization of disruption, repair disruption, new equilibrium.
-Stages can be applied to fictional/non fictional texts
-Adverts use this structure, to establish the product being used is the solution to a problem.
Vladimir Propp:
-32 basic categories of action: called functions
-'Spheres of action'
-8 character types: hero, villain, donor, dispatcher, false hero, helper, princess, father.
-Theory may or may not be useful way of deconstructing a text.
Ways theories can be applied to coursework:
- In a way our music video can be compared to Laura Mulvey's 'Male gaze' theory as our video focuses on a female character, with a male artist in between which could signify that the song is about the female. However our music video does not objectify women, as we have mainly used long to mid shots - instead of the close up and extreme close up shots that are related to objectification.
-Our ancillary texts of a dvd cover and magazine article do suggest that Laura Mulvey's 'male gaze' theory does apply to our coursework as we used a series of photographs of just the girl from the video and not the artist so the main focus is on her. Although this could be seen as the female character has dominated the male artists life, showing Mulvey's theory of creating a new feminist avant garde of film making has been produced.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
analysis of Dog Soldiers.
Question one,
There is good use of cinematography throughtout the film,my favourite piece of film used in the film is when a solider is sat in the truck in the drivers seat facing forward, the camera is looking at him from his right through the window, this being a midshot. you cannot see in the back seat but you can tell there is a wearwolf in the back because you can see its breath breathing forward.
sound is used to create mood quite well, this diagetic sound could be through either dialog, music or just a background noise. the dialog could make different emotions, for example they were talking about football around a campfire and the mood is then high, the mood changes when they are peril and they are going to survive.
music is played at the point in the film when there is most danger, the only female in the film sits and plays classical music on the piano, however when it would usually make people happy, the mood is down and spirits are low.
Question two,
Mise en scene plays a big part in identifying the genre of the film. the film is an action thriller, one of the parts that show this is when the soliders open the back of the truck door to find it covered in blood and body parts all over the place. a werewolf also placed in the back of the truck creates sudden shock and realisation of the fact it is an action thriller. The soldiers react with gunfire, this shows the sound playing a part in the identification of genre as it is loud, explosive and constant. so much action is going on that the fast pace of the events unfolding make it interesting.
Question three,
THere is a clear equilibrium at the start when the soliders have just anded in scotland and they think they are on a training exercise, joking about football and every day things. there is then a dis-equilibrium which starts with a dead sheeep falling on the campfire there is then an even further dis-equilibrium when they find out what killed the sheep and they are confronted with real danger. the equilibrium is restored and the new equilibrium is revealed when the final wearwold is killed and the solider walks out into the sun revealing complete relief and silence.
Question four,
Gender has a strong stereotypical take on the film in that men are the strong ones and the only woman in the film needs protecting because she is helpless. The men are all generally strong physically and mentally so they take control of any situation at hand. This however is naive of the male characters because their downfall in the film is the fact that they are the alphamale characters and instinctively try to take care of the female character, because the female character is just as bad as the rest of the werewolf's, as she is one herself. so in effect she is "the biggest bitch of all" (a direct quote of what she says to herself).
Question five,
Dog soldiers represents the armed forces as strong alphamales who can do anything they want to if they put their minds to it. At the same time however it shows that they are real people and have a life outside of the army. The film shows that the armed forces are the strongest people in the world phyisically and mentally, showing how they can think quick under pressure and react to a situation. where alot of people would buckle under the pressure and panic, these army characters thrive under pressure.
There is good use of cinematography throughtout the film,my favourite piece of film used in the film is when a solider is sat in the truck in the drivers seat facing forward, the camera is looking at him from his right through the window, this being a midshot. you cannot see in the back seat but you can tell there is a wearwolf in the back because you can see its breath breathing forward.
sound is used to create mood quite well, this diagetic sound could be through either dialog, music or just a background noise. the dialog could make different emotions, for example they were talking about football around a campfire and the mood is then high, the mood changes when they are peril and they are going to survive.
music is played at the point in the film when there is most danger, the only female in the film sits and plays classical music on the piano, however when it would usually make people happy, the mood is down and spirits are low.
Question two,
Mise en scene plays a big part in identifying the genre of the film. the film is an action thriller, one of the parts that show this is when the soliders open the back of the truck door to find it covered in blood and body parts all over the place. a werewolf also placed in the back of the truck creates sudden shock and realisation of the fact it is an action thriller. The soldiers react with gunfire, this shows the sound playing a part in the identification of genre as it is loud, explosive and constant. so much action is going on that the fast pace of the events unfolding make it interesting.
Question three,
THere is a clear equilibrium at the start when the soliders have just anded in scotland and they think they are on a training exercise, joking about football and every day things. there is then a dis-equilibrium which starts with a dead sheeep falling on the campfire there is then an even further dis-equilibrium when they find out what killed the sheep and they are confronted with real danger. the equilibrium is restored and the new equilibrium is revealed when the final wearwold is killed and the solider walks out into the sun revealing complete relief and silence.
Question four,
Gender has a strong stereotypical take on the film in that men are the strong ones and the only woman in the film needs protecting because she is helpless. The men are all generally strong physically and mentally so they take control of any situation at hand. This however is naive of the male characters because their downfall in the film is the fact that they are the alphamale characters and instinctively try to take care of the female character, because the female character is just as bad as the rest of the werewolf's, as she is one herself. so in effect she is "the biggest bitch of all" (a direct quote of what she says to herself).
Question five,
Dog soldiers represents the armed forces as strong alphamales who can do anything they want to if they put their minds to it. At the same time however it shows that they are real people and have a life outside of the army. The film shows that the armed forces are the strongest people in the world phyisically and mentally, showing how they can think quick under pressure and react to a situation. where alot of people would buckle under the pressure and panic, these army characters thrive under pressure.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Analysis of Dog Soldiers (Neil Marshall 2002)
1. What key features of editing, mise en scene, sound and cinematography can you identify? What meanings do these elements generate?
Various different techniques are used within the film to create the moments of suspense and also the fast paced action moments when the werewolves attack. Examples of this can be found in different areas of mise en scene, sound and cinematography. For example the editing used put in effects like fast changes in shot in the action packed scenes when the werewolves atacked and in times of suspense used camera shots such as slow pans across the environment outside the house and in the woods towards the start of the film when the werewolves have not yet been sighted. This adds a large amount of mystery and makes the werewolves perhaps more scary because they appear so illusive but deadly. Sound is also something that builds up a huge amount of suspense as the eerie silence oppresses the characters almost as much as the werewolves themselves, also bringing in the effect of suprise on the audience when tey eventually do get attacked.
2. How do the technical elements you have identified help indicate the genre of the film? What other conventions do you think are evident in Dog Soldiers?
The genre of the film is a horror, and so the elements in the film help show this genre, for example by having a lot of eerie silences throughout the film to create suspense, this also makes it more jumpy. The fast editing shows the action and the slower editing shows a sense of suspense, this helps show the genre of the film because it creates horror.
3. Are there three clear stages to the films narrative? Does it have equilibrium, dis-equilibrium and new equilibrium structure?
4. How do you think gender is represented in this film?
I don't think genre is represented well in this film, as there arn't many female characters to show both genders in an equal way. Males are represented in a steoreotypical way, e.g. the soldiers being strong/masculine (fighting), for example .The female role model is shown also in quite a masculine way, as she is shown defeating the dogs etc.
Theorists
Roland Barthes
He was born November 12th 1915 and died March 25th 1980
Laura Mulvey
Born August 14th 1941
Various different techniques are used within the film to create the moments of suspense and also the fast paced action moments when the werewolves attack. Examples of this can be found in different areas of mise en scene, sound and cinematography. For example the editing used put in effects like fast changes in shot in the action packed scenes when the werewolves atacked and in times of suspense used camera shots such as slow pans across the environment outside the house and in the woods towards the start of the film when the werewolves have not yet been sighted. This adds a large amount of mystery and makes the werewolves perhaps more scary because they appear so illusive but deadly. Sound is also something that builds up a huge amount of suspense as the eerie silence oppresses the characters almost as much as the werewolves themselves, also bringing in the effect of suprise on the audience when tey eventually do get attacked.
2. How do the technical elements you have identified help indicate the genre of the film? What other conventions do you think are evident in Dog Soldiers?
The genre of the film is a horror, and so the elements in the film help show this genre, for example by having a lot of eerie silences throughout the film to create suspense, this also makes it more jumpy. The fast editing shows the action and the slower editing shows a sense of suspense, this helps show the genre of the film because it creates horror.
3. Are there three clear stages to the films narrative? Does it have equilibrium, dis-equilibrium and new equilibrium structure?
4. How do you think gender is represented in this film?
I don't think genre is represented well in this film, as there arn't many female characters to show both genders in an equal way. Males are represented in a steoreotypical way, e.g. the soldiers being strong/masculine (fighting), for example .The female role model is shown also in quite a masculine way, as she is shown defeating the dogs etc.
Theorists
Roland Barthes
He was born November 12th 1915 and died March 25th 1980
Laura Mulvey
Born August 14th 1941
Dog Soldiers (Niel MArshall 2002)
1. Fast paced editing to create a scary feel, because of the jumping around, creates suspence + excites the audience. The mise-en-scene is set in a remote isolated woodland which helps to add to the scary vibe, due to it always being misty and dark. The quietness of the certain scenes adds to the suspense. The diegetic sounds of the wolves rustling around in the bush + the lack of noise in certain areas adds to the suspense of the sequence.The cinematography of this film 'Dog Soldiers' differs very much, it is sometimes a hand-held - to give the view from the werewolves perspective.
These elements generate a scary thriller feeling to the movie.
2. The genre of this film is an action-horror. This film has a large absence of sound through-out to promote fear in those viewing the film. In my opinion a typical film of the Action Thriller genre should contain elements of mystery, include fight scenes of which are either physical or explosive fighting or both. The plot should leave audiences cliff-hanging and contain tension throughout. A hero (or several) is essential for the film to function properly.
3. The equilibrium is where things are good and going along smoothly. Dis-equilibrium is when things turn bad. A new-equilibrium is when the things turn good again, but things have changed. The equilibrium seen in this film is at the start of the film where they are on the training mission. The dis-equilibrium in this title is where the wolves are hunting their prey. The new-equilibrium is where Pvt. Cooper (Kevin Mckidd) survives the event but kills all the bad-guys (the werewolves) but after it all he is changed.
4. I think gender is male dominated, from a male POV. They're cartoon characters because a cartoon character has exaggerated characters. IT is not a film for dialogue it is just a film for gore.
5. they're mean!
6. 18+ year olds
7. 18-21
These elements generate a scary thriller feeling to the movie.
2. The genre of this film is an action-horror. This film has a large absence of sound through-out to promote fear in those viewing the film. In my opinion a typical film of the Action Thriller genre should contain elements of mystery, include fight scenes of which are either physical or explosive fighting or both. The plot should leave audiences cliff-hanging and contain tension throughout. A hero (or several) is essential for the film to function properly.
3. The equilibrium is where things are good and going along smoothly. Dis-equilibrium is when things turn bad. A new-equilibrium is when the things turn good again, but things have changed. The equilibrium seen in this film is at the start of the film where they are on the training mission. The dis-equilibrium in this title is where the wolves are hunting their prey. The new-equilibrium is where Pvt. Cooper (Kevin Mckidd) survives the event but kills all the bad-guys (the werewolves) but after it all he is changed.
4. I think gender is male dominated, from a male POV. They're cartoon characters because a cartoon character has exaggerated characters. IT is not a film for dialogue it is just a film for gore.
5. they're mean!
6. 18+ year olds
7. 18-21
Analysis of Dog Soldiers
1. Quick editing and short shots in the action scenes,
foresty surroundings giving an eerie feeling in the non-action scenes. Gives a sense of isolation.
Sounds effects shown through growling of the wolves and gun noises, not much non diagetic music since a lot of time is spent building up suspense. Calmer, soft music when the woman was staring out of the boarded up window to show she has a connection with the werewolves.
AT the end when the sergent was lying on the floor filling the gas filled room the wolves walked in there was a low angle shot on the wolves to show a sense of false authority... also cut into an extreme close up of the sergents eyes when he's just turning into a warewolf, which is needed to show the transformation in more detail.
2. The quick editing in the film gives an impression that this film is an action film and the werewolves in it gives it a sci-fi horror genre.
3. Equilibrium is a point in a which the film runs smoothly. This happens at the beginning of the film where the soldiers are dropped off in the forest to do their training. A dis-equilibrium is where a disruption happens in the film. This happens when the cow drops from above them and causes discomfort amongst the group and confusion of where the dead creature comes from. The new equilibrium is the resolution of the film. An example of this is when Pvt. Cooper exits the house after all the werewolves are dead and he survives.
4. Typically, the majority of the soldiers in this film are male. Stereotypes are played upon throughout with the male characters behaving like cliche 'lads'; one of the characters mentions throughout that all he wants to know is the results of the football match. On the other hand, the female character responds by saying that she didn't even know the football was on, again playing to stereotypes.
foresty surroundings giving an eerie feeling in the non-action scenes. Gives a sense of isolation.
Sounds effects shown through growling of the wolves and gun noises, not much non diagetic music since a lot of time is spent building up suspense. Calmer, soft music when the woman was staring out of the boarded up window to show she has a connection with the werewolves.
AT the end when the sergent was lying on the floor filling the gas filled room the wolves walked in there was a low angle shot on the wolves to show a sense of false authority... also cut into an extreme close up of the sergents eyes when he's just turning into a warewolf, which is needed to show the transformation in more detail.
2. The quick editing in the film gives an impression that this film is an action film and the werewolves in it gives it a sci-fi horror genre.
3. Equilibrium is a point in a which the film runs smoothly. This happens at the beginning of the film where the soldiers are dropped off in the forest to do their training. A dis-equilibrium is where a disruption happens in the film. This happens when the cow drops from above them and causes discomfort amongst the group and confusion of where the dead creature comes from. The new equilibrium is the resolution of the film. An example of this is when Pvt. Cooper exits the house after all the werewolves are dead and he survives.
4. Typically, the majority of the soldiers in this film are male. Stereotypes are played upon throughout with the male characters behaving like cliche 'lads'; one of the characters mentions throughout that all he wants to know is the results of the football match. On the other hand, the female character responds by saying that she didn't even know the football was on, again playing to stereotypes.
Analysis of Dog Soldiers (Neil Marshall 2002)
1. What key features of editing, mise en scene, sound and cinematography can you identify? What meanings do these elements generate?
There are jump cuts between extreme close up fragmented body party of the werewolves and mid shots of the soldiers to keep the werewolves mysterious. Fast editing in attack scenes to keep pace. using a combination of loud sound and jump cut to create a jump scare for example when a body fall from the ceiling into the basement. the mise en scene is the soldier uniform and army gear. the werewolves are an elaborate mix of animatronics, prosthetics and latex, this would of been a choice to make the wolfs feel more real. There isn't much of a soundtrack apart from large scale establishing shots to set the mood and when an emotional scene happens, there always seem to have a military drum beat in the background to create a feel of brothers in arms.
2. how do the technical elements you have identified help indicate the genre of the film ? what other conventions do you think are evident in dog soldiers?
The jump cuts to get a scared reaction indicate the horror elements of the horror genre. Also the lack of music and the more use of sound effects like the breathing of the wolfs.
The action scenes using fast pace editing and extreme close ups on the action are typical of the action genre.
3. Are there three clear stages to the films narrative? Does it have an equilibrium, dis-equilibrium and new equilibrium structure?
Yes, there is an equilibrium at the start with the soldiers on a training mission then the dis-equilibrium when the cow falls down on them and while the attacks happen, then a new equilibrium when the single soldiers survives.
4. How do you think gender is represented in the film?
gender in this text is dominated by the male figures, being soldiers of the army they are stereotyped to be strong sexist grunts. this is shown in the text as the female character is looked down on by other members of the crew when it comes to fighting and defense. after she has 'proven' intelligence she is then given a gun because they think that she is not capable of helping this 'war'. she then turns into a bitch. LITERALLY she had betrays them all.
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Desserts - Ewan McGregor - McGreggy
I think that the short film can be related to more than one of the theory's. It could relate to Claude Levi-Strauss' which is about opposites, in the case of Desserts there is an opposite in who the fishers are so roll reversal where the fish become the hunters rather than humans fishing for fish.
It can also be related to Rolande Barthes theory about the audience will get there individual own meaning from texts useing there own experiences on top of what they are seeing. Desserts also has an ending where we dont see what happens to Ewan McGregor which would be up to the audience watching like the "enigma code" which is basically a mystery to be solved.
It can also relate to Todrov, which starts with an equilibrium then a disruption of this equilibrium by an event (the hook in his mouth) then a realization and and a reapir trys to happen where he trys to struggle aginst the hook, then the equilibrium returns but a new one to what it started as.
It can also be related to Rolande Barthes theory about the audience will get there individual own meaning from texts useing there own experiences on top of what they are seeing. Desserts also has an ending where we dont see what happens to Ewan McGregor which would be up to the audience watching like the "enigma code" which is basically a mystery to be solved.
It can also relate to Todrov, which starts with an equilibrium then a disruption of this equilibrium by an event (the hook in his mouth) then a realization and and a reapir trys to happen where he trys to struggle aginst the hook, then the equilibrium returns but a new one to what it started as.
"Desserts" featuring Ewan Macgregor
This short 3 minute film is about a man walking along a beach who finds a dessert. He begins to eat the dessert and is hooked through the cheek and dragged into the sea. This sequence is open to interpretation by viewers. For this reason we believe that the film can be associated with the theorist Roland Barthes. The short film includes an enigma code, this means that what happens after the film is unknown and open to speculation by the viewers.
Narrative Theory Analysis of Desserts
We think Desserts relates to the todorov theory, because it has five stages of its narrative.
- calm stage at the beginning (equilibrium) - where he is walking
- a disruption of this equilibrium - finding the dessert
- a realisation that a disruption happened - shocked that he was hooked
- an attempt to repair the damage of the disruption - struggling against the hook
- a restoration of equilibruim - sea coming in and going out.
this theory can be applied to fictional and non-fictional texts can be a good starting point to identify the structure of the text.
FILM Desserts.
The prey will become the predator.
Claude Levi Strauss' theory of binary opposites comes into play here because it is to our belief and culture that we are the most dangerous predator on earth. Desserts, shows a direct contrast of our beliefs by showing humans as the prey to the sea. Some people may find this disturbing.
Claude Levi Strauss' theory of binary opposites comes into play here because it is to our belief and culture that we are the most dangerous predator on earth. Desserts, shows a direct contrast of our beliefs by showing humans as the prey to the sea. Some people may find this disturbing.
Dessert - Ewan Mcgregor
Rolande Barthes - his theory is about negotiate meaning, this is where everyone has their own interpretation on a text in relation to their own personal experiences and the text itself. We think this theory applies to Dessert as one of Barthes enigma codes; a hook or mystery is to be resolved by the audience. This enigma code relates to Dessert as the audience are left to question the mystery of why the dessert was on the beach in the first place and how come a hook appeared from it and dragged the character into the sea.
'Desserts' featuring Ewan MacGregor and an eclair
Desserts is a short film directed by Jeff Stark. It is a very ambiguous ending in which Ewan MacGregor is 'fished' (or 'peopled' if you like) into the sea by a big ol' hook and line. The varying possible interpretations make this film more applicable to Roland Barthes' 'Negotiated Meaning' theory of narrative meaning. Obviously, understanding the presumably 'hidden meanings' requires some kind of cultural context. As there is little actual content in a short film three minutes long the cultural context must be considered in some depth. We believe the film is about fishin'.
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