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G322 Key Media Concepts - Textual Analysis
G322 Fingersmith from Stephen Adams on Vimeo.
Media Textual Analysis - Fingersmith
With detailed reference to specific examples from this extract of Fingersmith only, discuss the representation of the characters with reference to sexuality using the following:
• Mise-en-scene
• Camera angle, movement and composition
• Editing
• Sound
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Roland Barthes (12 November 1915 – 25 March 1980) was a French literary theorist and philosopher who devised the idea of the Enigma Code. This theory suggests that a text (film, poster, television) portrays an element of mystery to entice the audience, thus intriguing them further to watch or read said text. It may pose ambiguous or philosophical questions; it may present a concealed image, or an image that is distorted. The narrative will establish enigmas or mysteries along multiple threads as it goes along. Essentially, the narrative functions to establish and then solve these mysteries. For example the opening of Se7en shows a crime scene but not the criminal, it establishes various facts and ideas about Detective’s Somerset and Mills but leaves other aspects unrevealed and establishes the presence of an apparently psychotic killer but does not reveal their identity therefore creating enigmas to entice the audience.
Discuss how the thriller openings you have watched have established enigmas along with your other conventions questions.
Monday, 16 January 2012
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Monday, 10 October 2011
Friday, 23 September 2011
Friday, 16 September 2011
Research into Thriller Conventions
What are Thriller films?
The thriller is a broad genre of literature, film, and television. It includes, often overlapping sub-genres, i.e. Spy thrillers, Military Thrillers, Conspiracy thrillers, horror thrillers, Legal thrillers, psychological thrillers. Thrillers are characterized by fast paced and frequent action. Thrillers may be defined by the primary mood they exhibit: excitement. In short, if it thrills, it is a thriller.
The Structure of Thrillers - Openings
When answering these questions refer to specific films, characters and actors and, where appropriate, add pictures and hyperlinks to further illustrate your research & responses.
1a. Make a list of the Proppian character types found in our thriller openings and give named examples for each of these types. Do they have any common features? i.e. all the heroes are male, around 40 or older…
1b. Using Propp’s list can you think of any other character types you would expect to find in a thriller and the type of person who may fulfil the role. i.e. Dispatcher: Police Chief – give specific examples.
2. Using Claude Levi Strauss’s ideas of structure in terms of binary oppositions, identify & make a list of these in relation to the themes found in thrillers.
3. How do the openings of the thrillers we have watched conform to Todorov’s theory of narrative structure and what conventions commonly occurred in these openings?
4. Give some detailed examples of how the titles appear and work within the opening. Think about how they help establish the genre and tone of the film including relevant semiotic analysis.
Also look at the titles to see what information is given and in what order; it’s not always exactly the same but there are institutional conventions apparent her and you will need to follow these to justify your own use of titles.
Next you need to produce your Analysis of Thriller Openings BUT you must also begin planning your productions: Think about the type of characters who will appear in your opening; what we will learn about them & how; what event will disrupt the equilibrium how we make the jump from the opening to the next scene and the content, style and positioning of titles.
What are Thriller films?
The thriller is a broad genre of literature, film, and television. It includes, often overlapping sub-genres, i.e. Spy thrillers, Military Thrillers, Conspiracy thrillers, horror thrillers, Legal thrillers, psychological thrillers. Thrillers are characterized by fast paced and frequent action. Thrillers may be defined by the primary mood they exhibit: excitement. In short, if it thrills, it is a thriller.
The Structure of Thrillers - Openings
When answering these questions refer to specific films, characters and actors and, where appropriate, add pictures and hyperlinks to further illustrate your research & responses.
1a. Make a list of the Proppian character types found in our thriller openings and give named examples for each of these types. Do they have any common features? i.e. all the heroes are male, around 40 or older…
1b. Using Propp’s list can you think of any other character types you would expect to find in a thriller and the type of person who may fulfil the role. i.e. Dispatcher: Police Chief – give specific examples.
2. Using Claude Levi Strauss’s ideas of structure in terms of binary oppositions, identify & make a list of these in relation to the themes found in thrillers.
3. How do the openings of the thrillers we have watched conform to Todorov’s theory of narrative structure and what conventions commonly occurred in these openings?
4. Give some detailed examples of how the titles appear and work within the opening. Think about how they help establish the genre and tone of the film including relevant semiotic analysis.
Also look at the titles to see what information is given and in what order; it’s not always exactly the same but there are institutional conventions apparent her and you will need to follow these to justify your own use of titles.
Next you need to produce your Analysis of Thriller Openings BUT you must also begin planning your productions: Think about the type of characters who will appear in your opening; what we will learn about them & how; what event will disrupt the equilibrium how we make the jump from the opening to the next scene and the content, style and positioning of titles.
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