Definition: ...the editing stage, where material is manipulated using software and transformed into a finished media product.
To achieve Level 3 or above you must comment and reflect on ‘media concepts’.
EISENSTEIN
Eisenstein believed that editing was: ‘the foundation of film art’
For Eisenstein, meaning in cinema lay not in the individual shot but only in the relationships among shots established by editing.
He created an editing style that he called "dialectical montage" that was abrupt and jagged and did not aim for smooth continuity.
The jaggedness of Eisenstein's editing can create a sense of emotional and physical violence , but he also aimed to use editing to suggest ideas, a style he termed "intellectual montage."
One of his films concludes with three shots of statues of stone lions edited to look like a single lion rising up and roaring, embodying the idea of the wrath of the people and the voice of the revolution.
Homework: Answer the question below for next lesson using youre own critical reflections across AS and A2.
- Remember to discuss specific editing effects, the connotations of each editing effect and whether each was uuccessful.
- Aim for 6 seperate points in your answer and exaplin whether you were more experimental and adventurous in your editing of the AS production compared to the A2 production.
Exam Question: “The post-production process can be the most important part of the filming process”. How important has the post-production stage been in your foundation and advanced portfolios and how have your skills developed over these two years?
Useful terminology:
Word bank:
To suggest…
To give the commutation of….
To signify …
To symbolise…
To show…
Overlap
Fade / Wipe / Wash in/out/ Cross dissolve
Fast / Slow motion effects
Superimpose
Fast cut montage effects
Split Screen
Colourisation – be specific
cut A cut is when you go from one shot to another in a video without using any time of transition, such as a fade or wipe.
dissolve A dissolve is when one scene of your video slowly disappears into another scene. Most video editors will allow you to decide how long you want a dissolve to take, allowing you to lengthen or shorten the length of the transition based on how you want your finished video to look.
fade A fade is very similar to a dissolve, but instead of transitioning between two different scenes, a fade transitions between the scene and blank or black screen.
in/out point Every video editing program will ask you to set in and out points on clips you want to use in your final product. The in point is simply where the video will start, and the out point is where it will end.
real time Real time allows you to see effects that you added to your video immediately, without the need to wait to render the video. If a video editor touts that it allows you to do something in real time, it means that you will be able to see the effect immediately.
rendering The process where an effect is applied to video. Think of it like developing a picture from a film camera; rendering is what applies an effect such as a wipe or fade to a piece of video.
time code Time code is the numerical address for a piece of video. Typically listed as hours : minutes : seconds : frames, each frame of your video essentially has its own time code to help you identify it.
transition A transition is what goes between two video clips in order to make moving between the two of them more visually appealing. Common transitions include dissolves and wipes.
wipe A wipe is a type of transition where one scene appears to be pushed of "wiped" off the screen by another.
Monday, 31 January 2011
Digital Technology - detailed analysis
Digital Technology - Critical Debate
What statement is being made by each critic about the use of digital technology? In your experience from AS – A2, do you agree or disagree with it?
With the most primitive means the artist creates something which the most ingenious and efficient technology will never be able to create. (Kasimir Malevich)
What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds. (Steve Jobs)
The proper artistic response to digital technology is to embrace it as a new window on everything that's eternally human, and to use it with passion, wisdom, fearlessness and joy. (Ralph Lombreglia)
What statement is being made by each critic about the use of digital technology? In your experience from AS – A2, do you agree or disagree with it?
With the most primitive means the artist creates something which the most ingenious and efficient technology will never be able to create. (Kasimir Malevich)
What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It's the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds. (Steve Jobs)
The proper artistic response to digital technology is to embrace it as a new window on everything that's eternally human, and to use it with passion, wisdom, fearlessness and joy. (Ralph Lombreglia)
Wednesday, 26 January 2011
Homework - Digital Technology
Homework Question - for Monday. Please post on your blog:
“Digital technology turns media consumers into producers”. In your experience, how has your creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your coursework productions? [25]
You should aim for 1 side of A4 as a guide and time yourself 30 minutes.
“Digital technology turns media consumers into producers”. In your experience, how has your creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your coursework productions? [25]
You should aim for 1 side of A4 as a guide and time yourself 30 minutes.
Digital Technology
What is Digital Technology?
Video and sound editing
Image manipulation and desktop publishing
MP3 and file sharing
Digital film production and screening
Web use, design and streaming
Convergence – the merging of more than one function on one device - software found on the internet
Mobile phones
Video and sound editing
Image manipulation and desktop publishing
MP3 and file sharing
Digital film production and screening
Web use, design and streaming
Convergence – the merging of more than one function on one device - software found on the internet
Mobile phones
Monday, 24 January 2011
Research and Planning
Areas of Research and Planning
Similar products: textual analysis of music videos/thrillers/CD covers/Magazine adverts/websites
Investigating theory: Goodwin’s?
Understanding conventions: Thriller? Music Video?
Flat planning / Storyboarding / Shotlists?
Investigating narrative: Music video (3 types) Thriller (Hitchcocks)
Finding an unsigned artist – methods used?
Discussion of audience expectations: researching target audience (creating a niche etc?) focus group feedback from film pitch? Showcasing feedback?
Updating plans – making an account of decisions and revisions made? Filming diary. Shooting schedule.
Location shots – checking lighting, selecting mise-en-scene, practicalities
Annotation of.. Similar texts, lyrics (Goodwin’s principals)
ETC….
In the exam:
Step 1: explain..
(a) what research and planning you did
(b) how you did it
Step 2: analyse the benefits of researching and planning the way you did. What it enabled you to understand.
Analysing Research and Planning
What advantages do blogs have over 'paper planning'?
Are there any disadvantages to using blogs? Are they easy to 'read'? To access?
What are the pros and cons of getting peer feedback?
Did I find getting qualitative or quantitative information most useful?
How useful are storyboards and shotlists?
How important is research into audience experiences and expectations?
Example responses:
The primary research I conducted included a film screening (showcasing) where I was able to analyse the qualitative results of a questionnaire I gave to a focus group. This enabled me to understand exactly how my target audience interpreted my ideas. For example, comments included how the use of ‘light’ as a theme in my thriller seemed to suggest positive connotations of ‘glory’ and ‘hope’ which did not fit the genre and ideology of my film.
In using this qualitative data, I was able to edit my film so as not to emphasise the ‘light’ in the opening narrative, and instead used lamps as image motifs to create shadows and darkness which suggested a more ominous atmosphere rather than emphasising the light they created.
Planning the ancillary website for my music video was crucial as it involved understanding the conventions of web design and the principals to follow if I was to appeal to my target audience. I therefore made a sketch of where I was going to position text and images to include tabs as links to the various pages to the site. I changed my mind as to what I would include in the scrolling text on the site, and therefore in my flat plan, I featured 4 different options to give me that flexibility.
I wanted to include image motives in ‘roll-overs’ which enabled the audience to understand quickly the ideology and brand of the band and so planning allowed me to see where these would fit within the body of the site. I quickly realised from my flatplan that my site was leaning more towards the ‘visual clutter’ and I wanted to maintain a lot of white space, therefore I ….
Homework
To post your answers in 5 (A) – (E) paragraphs on your blog explaining the planning and research you did and analyse what it enabled you to understand
For next lesson
Similar products: textual analysis of music videos/thrillers/CD covers/Magazine adverts/websites
Investigating theory: Goodwin’s?
Understanding conventions: Thriller? Music Video?
Flat planning / Storyboarding / Shotlists?
Investigating narrative: Music video (3 types) Thriller (Hitchcocks)
Finding an unsigned artist – methods used?
Discussion of audience expectations: researching target audience (creating a niche etc?) focus group feedback from film pitch? Showcasing feedback?
Updating plans – making an account of decisions and revisions made? Filming diary. Shooting schedule.
Location shots – checking lighting, selecting mise-en-scene, practicalities
Annotation of.. Similar texts, lyrics (Goodwin’s principals)
ETC….
In the exam:
Step 1: explain..
(a) what research and planning you did
(b) how you did it
Step 2: analyse the benefits of researching and planning the way you did. What it enabled you to understand.
Analysing Research and Planning
What advantages do blogs have over 'paper planning'?
Are there any disadvantages to using blogs? Are they easy to 'read'? To access?
What are the pros and cons of getting peer feedback?
Did I find getting qualitative or quantitative information most useful?
How useful are storyboards and shotlists?
How important is research into audience experiences and expectations?
Example responses:
The primary research I conducted included a film screening (showcasing) where I was able to analyse the qualitative results of a questionnaire I gave to a focus group. This enabled me to understand exactly how my target audience interpreted my ideas. For example, comments included how the use of ‘light’ as a theme in my thriller seemed to suggest positive connotations of ‘glory’ and ‘hope’ which did not fit the genre and ideology of my film.
In using this qualitative data, I was able to edit my film so as not to emphasise the ‘light’ in the opening narrative, and instead used lamps as image motifs to create shadows and darkness which suggested a more ominous atmosphere rather than emphasising the light they created.
Planning the ancillary website for my music video was crucial as it involved understanding the conventions of web design and the principals to follow if I was to appeal to my target audience. I therefore made a sketch of where I was going to position text and images to include tabs as links to the various pages to the site. I changed my mind as to what I would include in the scrolling text on the site, and therefore in my flat plan, I featured 4 different options to give me that flexibility.
I wanted to include image motives in ‘roll-overs’ which enabled the audience to understand quickly the ideology and brand of the band and so planning allowed me to see where these would fit within the body of the site. I quickly realised from my flatplan that my site was leaning more towards the ‘visual clutter’ and I wanted to maintain a lot of white space, therefore I ….
Homework
To post your answers in 5 (A) – (E) paragraphs on your blog explaining the planning and research you did and analyse what it enabled you to understand
For next lesson
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Creativity
Novel [new] associations which are useful” (Isaksen and Treffinger, 1993)
‘the ability to bring something new into existence’(Anthony Storr)
A process needed for problem solving…not a special gift enjoyed by a few but a common ability possessed by most people” (Jones, 1993)
Rule breaking/boundary testing
“The making of the new and the rearranging of the old” (Bentley, 1997)
Example of how to write about creativity in th exam:
For my DVD cover I used a montage of found images from magazines and newspapers. I decided to use these pre-existing (or old) materials as a comment on the way women are represented in the media. However, I created something new as I rearranged these images and bought them together, juxtaposing contrasting images of women. For example, the image of the typical ‘housewife’ is next to an image of a woman wearing a short skirt and low cut top who looks provocative. These are opposites and make a statement about the way women are presented as extremes in the media.
Homework: Write three paragraphs similar to the one above linking your own production work to the definitions of creativity and explaining in detail how you were specifically creative in the making of your thriller and your music video
‘the ability to bring something new into existence’(Anthony Storr)
A process needed for problem solving…not a special gift enjoyed by a few but a common ability possessed by most people” (Jones, 1993)
Rule breaking/boundary testing
“The making of the new and the rearranging of the old” (Bentley, 1997)
Example of how to write about creativity in th exam:
For my DVD cover I used a montage of found images from magazines and newspapers. I decided to use these pre-existing (or old) materials as a comment on the way women are represented in the media. However, I created something new as I rearranged these images and bought them together, juxtaposing contrasting images of women. For example, the image of the typical ‘housewife’ is next to an image of a woman wearing a short skirt and low cut top who looks provocative. These are opposites and make a statement about the way women are presented as extremes in the media.
Homework: Write three paragraphs similar to the one above linking your own production work to the definitions of creativity and explaining in detail how you were specifically creative in the making of your thriller and your music video
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Media Theorists
Here are just three theorists and an overview of their theories. Try to find out about at least 10 - 15 media theories for G325 Question 1 (a) and (b) and have them at your fingertips for the exam. Remember - you must apply them to your own work.
Roland Barthes:
Roland Barthes concentrated some of his work on a discussion of how myth operates in society and he discussed this in the context of denotation and connotation.
Connotation and denotation are often described in terms of levels of representation or levels of meaning.
Denotation - the literal, 'obvious' or 'commonsense' meaning of an image.
Connotation - is used to refer to the socio-cultural and 'personal' associations (ideological, emotional etc.) of the image. These are typically related to the interpreter's class, age, gender, ethnicity and so on. Images are more open to interpretation - in their connotations than their denotations.
Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall suggests that there are three different positions that the reader of a text can occupy when trying to interpret a text, they are:
Preferred Reading
Negotiated Reading
Oppositional Reading
Preferred reading is when the reader fully shares the text's codes and accepts and reproduces the preferred reading i.e. the most dominant reading.
Negotiated reading is when the reader partly shares the text's codes and broadly accepts the preferred reading, but sometimes resists and modifies it in a way which reflects their own position, experiences and interests - this position involves contradictions.
Oppositional reading is when the reader, whose social situation places them in a directly oppositional relation to the dominant code, understands the preferred reading but does not share the text's code and rejects this reading, bringing to bear an alternative frame of reference (radical, feminist etc.).
In this instance a 'code' can be interpreted as what a text says.
Ferdinand de Saussure:
Semiotics is the study of the social production of meaning from sign systems. Saussure stated that a sign could be made up of something which physically resembles the object in some way (icon), or has a direct link between it and its object, it is somehow connected i.e. smoke indicates fire (index) or it can be something with no resemblance at all and it communicates only because people agree that it shall stand for what it does (symbol).
The reading of a sign is determined by cultural experience of the reader. Semiotics pays great attention to the role of the reader in realising and producing meanings out of texts.
Useful web link
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem01.html
Roland Barthes:
Roland Barthes concentrated some of his work on a discussion of how myth operates in society and he discussed this in the context of denotation and connotation.
Connotation and denotation are often described in terms of levels of representation or levels of meaning.
Denotation - the literal, 'obvious' or 'commonsense' meaning of an image.
Connotation - is used to refer to the socio-cultural and 'personal' associations (ideological, emotional etc.) of the image. These are typically related to the interpreter's class, age, gender, ethnicity and so on. Images are more open to interpretation - in their connotations than their denotations.
Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall suggests that there are three different positions that the reader of a text can occupy when trying to interpret a text, they are:
Preferred Reading
Negotiated Reading
Oppositional Reading
Preferred reading is when the reader fully shares the text's codes and accepts and reproduces the preferred reading i.e. the most dominant reading.
Negotiated reading is when the reader partly shares the text's codes and broadly accepts the preferred reading, but sometimes resists and modifies it in a way which reflects their own position, experiences and interests - this position involves contradictions.
Oppositional reading is when the reader, whose social situation places them in a directly oppositional relation to the dominant code, understands the preferred reading but does not share the text's code and rejects this reading, bringing to bear an alternative frame of reference (radical, feminist etc.).
In this instance a 'code' can be interpreted as what a text says.
Ferdinand de Saussure:
Semiotics is the study of the social production of meaning from sign systems. Saussure stated that a sign could be made up of something which physically resembles the object in some way (icon), or has a direct link between it and its object, it is somehow connected i.e. smoke indicates fire (index) or it can be something with no resemblance at all and it communicates only because people agree that it shall stand for what it does (symbol).
The reading of a sign is determined by cultural experience of the reader. Semiotics pays great attention to the role of the reader in realising and producing meanings out of texts.
Useful web link
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem01.html
The markscheme 1(a)
Explanation/ analysis/argument (9-10 marks)
There is a clear sense of progression established by the answer, and a range of articulate reflections on the production process are offered.
Use of examples (9-10 marks)
Candidates offer a broad range of specific, relevant and clear examples in relation to creative skills development.
Use of terminology (5 marks)
The use of both production terms and conceptual media terminology applied throughout is excellent.
There is a clear sense of progression established by the answer, and a range of articulate reflections on the production process are offered.
Use of examples (9-10 marks)
Candidates offer a broad range of specific, relevant and clear examples in relation to creative skills development.
Use of terminology (5 marks)
The use of both production terms and conceptual media terminology applied throughout is excellent.
G325 Exam Overview
The purpose of this exam is to assess your knowledge and understanding of media concepts, contexts and critical debates, through your understanding of one contemporary media issue and your ability to evaluate your own practical work in reflective and theoretical ways.
The examination:
• two hours
• two compulsory questions
• Total marks available: 100 (two questions on production work marked out of 25 each, and the media theory question marked out of 50.)
There are two sections to this paper:
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production (50 marks)
Section B: Contemporary Media Issues (50 marks)
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production
2 compulsory questions.
Question 1(a) describe and evaluate your skills development over the course of your production work, from Thriller Opening (AS) to Music Video (A2). The focus of this evaluation must be on skills development, and the question will require you to adapt this to one or two specific production practices. The list of practices to which questions will relate is as follows:
• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts
Question 1(b) requires you to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:
• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language
EXAMPLE QUESTION
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production
You must answer both 1(a) and 1(b).
In this section you need to write about your work for the Foundation Portfolio and Advanced Portfolio units. You must answer both 1(a) and 1(b).
1 (a) “Digital technology turns media consumers into media producers”. In your own experience, how has your creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your coursework productions? [25]
(b) “Media texts rely on cultural experiences in order for audiences to easily make sense of narratives”. Explain how you used conventional and / or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces. [25]
The examination:
• two hours
• two compulsory questions
• Total marks available: 100 (two questions on production work marked out of 25 each, and the media theory question marked out of 50.)
There are two sections to this paper:
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production (50 marks)
Section B: Contemporary Media Issues (50 marks)
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production
2 compulsory questions.
Question 1(a) describe and evaluate your skills development over the course of your production work, from Thriller Opening (AS) to Music Video (A2). The focus of this evaluation must be on skills development, and the question will require you to adapt this to one or two specific production practices. The list of practices to which questions will relate is as follows:
• Digital Technology
• Creativity
• Research and planning
• Post-production
• Using conventions from real media texts
Question 1(b) requires you to select one production and evaluate it in relation to a media concept. The list of concepts to which questions will relate is as follows:
• Genre
• Narrative
• Representation
• Audience
• Media language
EXAMPLE QUESTION
Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production
You must answer both 1(a) and 1(b).
In this section you need to write about your work for the Foundation Portfolio and Advanced Portfolio units. You must answer both 1(a) and 1(b).
1 (a) “Digital technology turns media consumers into media producers”. In your own experience, how has your creativity developed through using digital technology to complete your coursework productions? [25]
(b) “Media texts rely on cultural experiences in order for audiences to easily make sense of narratives”. Explain how you used conventional and / or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces. [25]
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