Media Coursework, Location Scouting (Part 2)

                                     LOCATION SCOUTING (PART 2)

Medical bay:

These shots were take from the downstairs kitchen of the medical bay.

Training Day- Scene Analysis

Be specific

Representations can change throughout a clip - a character can show different sides of their personality, don’t be afraid of contradicting yourself - but be SPECIFIC about your point and example.

POINT: Alonzo at seems quiet, reflective and generous at the start of the clip as Jake first address him.

POINT: Alonzo become soon becomes domineering and manipulates the conversation, berating Jake for not ordering when he had a chance.

Never miss a chance to include terminology

Use the word CUT.

Have a guess at the shot types if you’re not too sure.

Diegetic - non diegetic?

“We clearly see the costume of Alonzo in the opening mid-shot.”

“The scene using shot-reverse-shot editing for the conversation, mainly using over the shoulder shots to frame the characters.”

Structure:

Point: Alonzo is shown to be more powerful than Jake.

Evidence:

-Using a custom car, not standard issued by police

-Speaking louder and acting more aggressive.

-Intimidates Jake when reading his paper

-Jake is shown to be less talkative, quieter.

-The way they talk is different, Alonzo is more ghetto/gangster while Jake is more formal

-Loading his Smith & Wesson 4506 when he gets into the car.

-Leaving his car unlocked

-Walking across the street without looking, cars screeching to a stop for him, makes him look like a badass, a powerful person.

-The way he drives is also wreckless, not using turn signals, and driving aggressive and fast.

-Jake is behind Alonzo when walking out, shows that Alonzo is the leader.

-Using a Smith and Wesson 4506, which is .45 ACP, a round which is powerful. Since the round is powerful, it shows that Alonzo is equally as powerful. A powerful man using a powerful gun.

Mise-en-scene:

-Eggs cooking

-The way they dress, the black cop dresses more ghetto/gangster, from the streets, but Jake dresses like a regular white person, a regular joe.

-The way he loads his Smith & Wesson 4506, it Intimidates Jake.

-Using ghetto slangs.

-Car’s Hydraulics HI TOY

-Alonzo’s Jewellery.

-Contrast between clothes worn by Jake or Alonzo

Sound:

-Dr.Dre’s rap song as he drives, we learn that he is ghetto/gangster. (Non-Digetic)

-Eggs cooking,  Car Horns, People Eating (Spoons and Forks Clinking), Tires Screeching (Digetic)

Camera Shots:

-There are more close ups on Alonzo than Jake, makes it look like Alonzo is more powerful, more dominant as the shots focus on him more.

-Wide Angle

-POV

-Long Shot

Editing:

-Putting in police sirens in the background etc.(Ambient Sounds that matches the scenes)

-Putting closeups of Alonzo in.

-Close up of him loading the gun.

Meaning Created by micro-elements:

Jake is introduced to us by a long shot, as he walks towards and into the Diner.  This shot shows us what Jake looks like, and what we can think of him by judging him. (The way he dresses, the way he walks, his facial expressions). As he enters the Diner, Alonzo is already waiting, reading his newspaper. This suggests that Jake is Presumably late, as Alonzo is calmly sitting and reading his newspaper as Jake rushes to the Diner.

As Jake sits down, they both engage in a brief conversation. The shots of their conversation follow the 180 Degree rule, with close ups of Alonzo but not Jake. This gives us a sense that Alonzo is more important, more powerful compared to Jake. The ambient sounds in the background also matches the scene inside the Diner. We hear forks and spoons clinking, sounds of footsteps, car horns and sirens on a distance, along with cars passing by. It shows that the scene is meant to be calm and normal.

As they talk it is clear that they are isolated from other people, sitting in an area where nobody else's sit in. Which separates them and makes them unique as main characters. The way they talk is also different. Jake is more formal and portrayed as your average joe, while Alonzo is a stereotypical black gangster (But he’s a detective!) He is portrayed this by the way he dresses, he has chains and a skull cap, which gangsters wear. He also talks really ghetto and his car is a classic muscle added with hydraulics. Hydraulics are common in gangster cars, and he Jake even comments it’s not standard issue. The way he drives is also reckless like a gangster, he doesn’t use turn signals and aggressively accelerates his car. Furthermore, the use of non-diegetic sounds, such as Doctor Dre’s rap song, tells us that he is clearly a gangster. (But he’s still a detective!”). This tells us that Alonzo could be corrupted as detectives normally don’t dress like gangsters, that Alonzo relates himself to crime,gangsters rather than policing and detective work.

Since this is set in LA, police sirens would be common in the 90s era, as you can hear in the Film. It matches the environment they are in, and it outlines their works since they are both detectives. Alonzo is also shown to be more powerful than Jake. In the scene, he is more louder, more prominent than Jake. The camera work also supports this as in the scene there are a lot of close ups of Alonzo, but not Jake. When they walk out the Diner, Alonzo walks across the road without looking, and cars stop for him. This isn’t normal because people have to stop for the cars to go first, this shows that Alonzo is a powerful, scary figure. The handgun he uses is the Smith & Wesson 4506, which fires a .45 ACP. The .45 is a very powerful round, this symbolises how powerful Alonzo is, a powerful man using a powerful gun.

Alonzo holding his S&W 4506 to Jake's head.

Alonzo sitting in the cafe, his body language makes him look like he's powerful, the way he is wearing the gold chain, black clothing, and his arms spread wipe against the sofa.

Artwork of Jake and Alonzo.

In this shot, Alonzo's car has it's hydraulic's system activated. Alonzo said that his car isn't standard issue, which tells us that he's a dirt cop that doesn't play by the rules, since he is breaking standardized law enforcement rules.

Conversation in a Thriller

CONVERSATIONS IN A THRILLER

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SWAT Scene analysis- Speed

Speed - SWAT Analysis
	This scene looks calm and steady. It is a shot of your regular neighborhood where everything is normal. The house is the subject of this shot since it is right in the middle.
	When the SWAT SUV/Sedan arrives, we know something is wrong because they are driving really fast and screeches to a stop hard, to make it seem like they’re raiding the place. The audience knows something is happening to that house, since it is the centre of the picture.
	This scene tracks the first team, as they exit their vehicles. It’s a long shot providing us with an entire view of the SWAT Team. It gives the audience an effect of excitement and anxiety, because we don’t know what is going to happen to the suspect of the SWAT Team.
	This scenes shows us the second team at work. They exit the car toward the left side of the house and immediately go around the back to form a perimeter around it. The car easily pulls up and SWAT officers disembark and rush to the house. The audience feels anxiety and excitement.
	This scene shows that SWAT team moving to the house. It shows a long shot, establishing the fact that they are moving in to catch the suspect.
	This scene is just before the SWAT team begins the raid on the house. The officers shown in the two shot to the left are in the process of entering the house through the window. The way he cautiously opens the window shows us that the SWAT team are trying to avoid being loud so as to draw attention. It’s a two shot /scene.
	After SWAT team has checked around the house, they decides to enter through the windows. This scene is also considered as two shot angle. The shot is inside the house, and shows the angle from inside the house on how they intrude in.
	This scene shows that SWAT team begins to check inside the house. This is mid shot. It depicts a picture of one of the SWAT team, who is searching the house. His face shows that he might have found something interesting/suspicious. It gives us anxiety.
	This is long shot. It shows the whole body of an officer, as he turns to clear the room.
	This scene is taken inside the house that only shows that this house is decorated in vintage style as we can see the colour of the furniture is quite old and dull, which might symbolise/describe the killer as old, dull and senile. This is a POV of the SWAT officer.
	This scene shows us that SWAT teams is clearing the house and clears this room, and they begin to investigate what is in it. It is two shot angle.
	This scene shows us that a member of SWAT team finally found a suspicious thing and he is about to observe what was happened. This seems to be like two shot angle but actually it is close up shot because the camera only focus on the front officer, who’s the main SWAT officer, telling us that he might have found something.
	This scene shows that he has found a red button which looks extremely suspicious and he looks a bit curious and wants to find out what is it
	This is a extreme close up of the bomb. It shows the red “beep” which is a common color for a detonator or a bomb or a motion sensor, which tells us that the SWAT team in the room is in serious trouble. Hinting that an explosion will happen.
	In this scene, the main SWAT operator realizes that the house is rig to blow. His face tells us that he has come to realize that there is no way out when his face tenses up. His face shows desperation/confusion and acceptance of his death. This is a close up shot of him.
	This scene shows that SWAT team is trapped. They are blown up by the flame. The is long shot. It shows how the man from earlier, is wiped out, sealing the fate of the officers inside. It clearly shows that now the killer has the upperhand.
	This scene shows most of the people in SWAT team is dead. This is a long shot. It shows the SWAT officer getting blasted out of the house, showing that the power of the police has been decreased or wiped out.
	This scene shows the same SWAT member getting thrown out the building. This is also a long shot.
	This explosion scene causes immense excitement amongst audience members. The SWAT team has been compromised and killed in this blast, the officer on the left can do nothing but watch as the flames consume the house and his colleagues. It could be an indication toward the helplessness of the situation.
	This scene shows us the house in blazes. It is engulfed in flames and continues to burn away, possibly highlighting the waste of the situation as the perfectly good house now must slowly burn away.
	It can easily be told from the close up on the  facial reaction of Keeanu Reeves that this was not the intended or expected result as he has a very stressed and agonised face. As he expected the suspect to be caught.
	This telephone call scene has an interesting meaning to it. The dummy in the back wearing the police uniform may have an internal meaning, indicating that the police have ‘played’ and that the law enforcement are dummies. The killer’s face expression makes it seem like he’s mocking Keeanu Reeves.
	Keeanu Reeves on the phone with the captain. This scene utilises a close up to show Keeanu’s face to show how aggravated he’s grown. He now debates what he and the team must do. His face shows hatred for the killer.

Coursework- Filming (Day 1)

We eventually decided that the Medical Unit (Townhouse) was the best option. Here are some pictures we snipped off our progress. Some of it were just testing how we could improve our filming techniques and scenes.

The doctor slowly opens the door

Our victim

Bloopers: Our victim smiling

A detective clears the bathroom

Subgenre- Thriller

Crime Thriller

(Since my film opening is based on a crime thriller, I have decided to do an analysis of this sub-genre)

-A crime thriller, is a sub-genre of Thrillers, which combines ideas and aspects of a thriller, with a crime film plot. The plot of the story/movie usually focuses on typical criminal characters such as robbers, murderers, psychopaths. This includes criminal acts such as murders, heists etc.

-The difference between normal crime movies and a crime thriller is that a crime thriller's story line focuses on both the criminal (antagonist) and the hero (protagonist). It really concentrates how the antagonist's criminal acts impact the protagonist, physically and mentally.

Conventions of Crime Thrillers:

-Often involves some sort of investigation in the story. The movie usually includes violence, fast-paced sequences, suspense and death throughout the film.

-Crime Thrillers are usually pretty intense, making the audience feel like they are actually in the movie. Whether it will be making them jump out of their seat, shout or even scream.

-Creates enigma for the audience. Enigma is when something that happens in the movie, that will make the audience question the movie. An example of this is in the start of a crime thriller, you see a masked man butchering a woman with a hatchet, then burying her, his face isn't revealed because of his mask. The killer's identity is the enigma. The audience wants to know who the killer is.

-There is always an antagonist and a protagonist, a crime thriller always focuses on both sides and how they impact each other.

Examples of Crime Thrillers:

(Analysis of SWAT scenes from "The Silence Of The Lambs" and "Speed" can be found further down my blog)

Audience expectations from a crime-thriller:

Audiences would expect a normal situation, only to be compromised by something the antagonist does to disrupt the peace. People like to see situations like this because to them, it is interesting on how and why the antagonist does this and what the protagonist does to stop him. For example, a man is jogging through a park early morning, something everyone can relate to and is natural. Suddenly a masked man emerges from behind a tree and kills the man using a hatchet. Everything was ordinary until the masked man appears. It is something out of the ordinary, it is disturbing the peace of a situation that is realistic. Like the name suggests, the audiences want to be thrilled, and on the edge of their seats.

Target audience for crime-thrillers:

-Crime Thrillers are usually aimed at both males and females 

-Aged 15-50

-(Teenagers, Young Adults, Old people)

-(These are the stereotypical audiences for crime-thrillers)

SWAT Scene analysis - Silence of the Lambs

Coursework- Props

Props:

Props: (Funded by the team, managed by Toy)-Mock Firearms. (M4 CQBR, H&K Handgun)-Tactical Vests (Khaki and Black)-Fake Surgeon Kit -Surgeon’s Gown or Lab Coat -Gloves and Medical Mask -Cardboard boxes.
-Bed-Laptop/Phone-CCTV Template

Samples Of Sound Effects Used In Coursework

Sound:

Most of our sound effects came from a youtube channel called “ProSound Effects”

-Police Sirens (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUfTQJtorVU)

-Wind

-Loud Footsteps

-Doctor’s loud breathing

-Sounds of tools clinking

-A generator/loud refrigerator sound. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_TED3c4BdA)

-Sound of an old light bulb turning on. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRnxSwukW2o)

-”Swoosh” as the detectives past.

-Door Kicked Open (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6dz1XqVdBA)

Coursework- Film Opening's Story +Mood Board

Story: 
A mad doctor is killing his patients, seen on the news. A special task force is formed to catch this doctor. Police raid several suspected hideouts of the doctor. Doctor sees this on his phone and smiles. The room he is in is very clean and sterile, but in the background, there is a woman taped to a chair, and covered in a decent amount of blood, next to her, a small table with clean surgical equipment.  Scene cuts to 2 detectives moving along an alleyway, fully armed. They rush into a building, weapons in hand. The surgeon starts to put on his mask, and his left hand’s glove. At the same time, the detectives stack at the door. The doctor turns and looks at the door. The detective kicks the door in and move in, the room and dark and murky. The room is dirty/filthy and old filled with boxes, they looked around confused. The doctor switches on his smartphone, then clicks on it. It turns on and is a live feed of a security camera, looking at the detectives. One of the detectives opens the top of the box, they both jump back stunned. It is not shown what they found. They both look at each other. The doctor smiles under his mask and presses a button on his phone. Suddenly there is a “BEEP!” in the room the detectives are in, and the boxes start lighting up with red flashes. The beep gets faster as the detectives rush out. The doctor turns away and looks out the window, in a distant a rooftop explodes, the shock wave sends the building shaking a bit. The doctor turns around and finishes pulling on his gloves. He realizes he doesn't have much time, so he pulls out a gun instead of using his medical tools. He coldly says "Sorry, but we have to end this early". The person turns around slowly as the doctor pulls his weapon out. It switches to a POV shot of the patient. The weapon facing directly to the camera. A shot is heard then the screen turns black with police sirens in the background.

Mood board:

 

Media Coursework, Location Scouting. (Part 1)

                                     LOCATION SCOUTING (PART 1)

Me and my group decided today to go location scouting inside the school, apart from Kelly who is sick. Sunsun and myself went around school. We found 2 good locations for the film, which is the Drama Department, and the medical bay. Since it was school time, we only got shots of the exteriors of the filming locations.

We both decided on the Drama Department, since it was an ideal location for acting and filming for when the detectives bust in. The medical bay's environment also fits that of a clinic, which would be perfect for a "mad doctor" to be in. We only took pictures on the exteriors, since it was school time, and we didn't want to disturb classes or the busy staff at the medical bay.

Medical bay:

English/Drama Department's corridor: