Friday 9 November 2012

The 'Grammar' of Television and Film..

I have decided to build on my knowledge of the technical terms in Media. I have decided to start of with looking at Manipulating time as I am not familiar with this term and I thought it would be a good idea to try and make sure I have brief understanding so that I can then progress into further learning of what it is. Below I have listed definitions and examples of each type.

Long take: The long take, or long shot, is when a long sequence of film is made without stopping the camera. The effect can be used to evoke a huge array of emotions. This clever tool in the filmmakers toolbox has actually been used for quite a number of years, but it was so revolutionary at the outset that it took some getting used to before it really took off in the mainstream. .

Slow motion: Action which takes place on the screen at a slower rate than the rate at which the action took place before the camera. This is used: a) to make a fast action visible; b) to make a familiar action strange; c) to emphasise a dramatic moment. It can have a lyric and romantic quality or it can amplify violence. From experience I have found out that slow motion shots are used a lot in films as it helps create a dramatic effect resulting in the audience engaging into what they are watching. I think it may be a good idea to use a slow motion effect if I decide to add any kind of drama into my coursework piece as I think in every extract I have looked at it has been used successfully.

Freeze-frame: This gives the image the appearance of a still photograph. Clearly not a naturalistic device. Below is an example of what freeze frame looks like when it is shot. Again, this may be good to use in my coursework piece as it is very interesting and weird which engages the reader.



Flashback: A break in the chronology of a narrative in which events from the past are disclosed to the viewer. Formerly indicated conventionally with refocus or ripple dissolves. Below is an example of a flash back from the Lion King which is a cartoon film. Even though the film has been animated it creates the same effect.




Overall, by looking at different types of Manipulating time it has helped me notice and understand why film makers decide to use these kind of effects. Even though I have not into too much detail on each one and I still have more to look at I feel that I have built on my knowledge as I did not know what any of this was before. This will help me and my group when we come to making our coursework because we can decide if we would like to choose to do any of these editing styles to create an effect on our piece. It will also help me in the exam as I can now identify why the film maker has decided to use this and what effect is may have on the atmosphere in a film. I feel that I have completed this well as my knowledge has now expanded slightly. 

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