Today was sick.

Comparing two different films and their cinematographies.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1969)
http://youtu.be/lyuwBW9lNa8

The use of establishing shots to set the scene at the start of a scene is useful to allowing the audience to identify where the film is set. A vast use of tilt shots that slowly reveal a character are used to create tension and suspense in the extract. The use of extreme close ups are utilised in this scene to clearly show the facial expressions of characters. The use of medium to long shots to show the body language and stance of a character are also used.

Inception (2010)

http://youtu.be/-VXkUzf1et4

The use of slow motion and ambient setting within the extract sets the mood for the film and tells the audience how to feel, the often use of an extreme close up shows the audience the emotions of a character mostly their faces. The use of a high angle shot emphasise the power of the antagonist and portrays them as negative in the extract.

MEDIUM SHOT 
-The protagonist is looking a direction that we do not know, this creates suspense as we want to find out.
-The use of a distant city behind him could connote that he is the protector of that particular city.
-His superior physique emphasises his power.

HIGH ANGLE SHOT 
-This is effective because the use of putting spider man in front of the whole city connotes that he is of importance to the whole of that city.
-The use of his posture could connote his strength.
-His eyes are the same colour as the city, the city is reflected in his eyes. This could connote that he sees the city as important too.

LOW ANGLE SHOT 
-The use of a low angle shot emphasises that he is dominant and that from this we can tell that he is the protagonist.
-The use of putting a gun in his hand could connote that this film is going to be an action film as weapons are often used as an iconography towards this film genre.

LONG SHOT

-The use of a long shot that shows all of the main characters in the movie connotes that these four, and only these four, are going to be the main characters in this movie alone.

-The use of their body language shows to us that this is going to be a comedy, which it is. 

-Putting women half naked at the front of this image is sex appeal.

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Moving Image Lighting Analysis

The Dark Knight (Batman)

The use of lighting in this trailer is key to the audience identifying the good characters from the bad, in that the lighting used allows the audience to know who is who, to differentiate between protagonist and antogonist.

For example the lighting used on batman's face as opposed to joker's face connotes that he is the protagonist. However the light used on the joker's face, which is mostly dark and shadowy connotes that he is the antagonist.

The trailer as a whole is shot mostly using low key lighting, which in a sense, could connote that there is more bad than good in this film.

Night At The Museum Still Image

Night At The Museum Still Image (Lighting Analysis)


In this still image, there is use of key light and back light, which are used to emphasis the protagonist in the still image, as the cameras are fixated on him.

He is in an action pose within this frame and appears to be wearing a security guard's outfit and has a torch which could connote that he is therefore important within the film and the audience could identify the image being set in a museum setting, as there are polished floors, banners and fountains which could be stereotypical of museums. The use of back lighting and key light (main source of light) could signify that he is important and could denote he is ready for action, as well as his stern and composed facial expression.

Interestingly, the use of top lighting is implemented within the image, as the light appears to accentuate the features of the character and could make him look more influential and significant.

Most importantly, there is use of high key lighting, as filler lights are used to make the protagonist seem realistic and imposed. However, the use of binary opposition such as light and dark is less pronounced, as shadows are overwhelmed by the substantial amount of light which seems to be dominating the image and which could have been used to signify the importance of the character as being the hero, as high key lighting used on the prop which is the torch could connote how the film could be an adventure based genre.

Kidulthood Opening Scene Analysis

Summary: An urban drama set in west London following a 15-year-old and his struggle to stay on the right side of the law.


Analysis

The first thing we see in the film is a playground full of drug taking, sexually active, delinquent teenagers, this juxtaposition instantly subverts all traditional connotations of a playground and sets the audience up for what is to be shown in the rest of the film. After being bullied by fellow classmates, a white, middle- class teenage girl commits suicide and as a result of this, students are given a day off school to reflect. The audience would expect this to be a day where the students mourn for the loss of their classmate however, activities the group take part are the complete opposite. Clearly, the film is presenting to the audience, a negative representation of teenagers throughout however, critics argue the extent to which this representation is reflective of British society. There are a number of arguments which suggest that the issues raised in the film are the magnification of a small minority of delinquent youths used to create a moral panic however, others argue that the film is simply raising awareness of what is happening in today’s British society.