Tuesday 19 May 2009

'Spooks' - Year 10 Media TV Drama Analysis




Hello Year 10.
I apologise for my lateness in getting this extract uploaded with accompanying notes. Here is a short Youtube video about 'Cinematography' to help you with this essay followed by the link to the 'Spooks' extract we watched in class. I have not been able to embed the actual video as it's a BBC production. However click the link below the streamed video to watch to your heart's content:



Your essay question is:
Analyse the ways in which the following techniques are used in the extract from BBC Drama 'Spooks' to construct a representation of M15 agents and Terrorists:
Mise-en-scene
Sound
Cinematography
Mise-en-scene is everything you see in the frame (lighting, props, costumes, locations, set design)
Sound - Talk about DIEGETIC SOUND (Real sound and its effect) and NON DIEGETIC SOUND (Sound added in post-production - music, special effects and their effect on audience interpretations). How does sound add to, heighten our experience and help to construct the representations?
Cinematography - Why have certain shots been used and what does this framing communicate? Always ask WHY?
There are three distinct locations - The roof terrace; the office in M15; the "Don't shoot below 4ft" flat location.
Essay Structure:
1. Open with a definition of Representation and how TV has the power to 'Construct' representations of people, places and events through sound, mise-en-scene, cinematography and editing. Tell the reader that you are going to be exploring the representation of terrorists and M15 agents in the BBC TV Drama 'Spooks' in the episode entitled 'Talking Him Down' broadcast on 11/05/2007.
2. Using your skills of DENOTATION and CONNOTATION describe what you see and then ANALYSE the meanings communicated through the 3 key areas (Mise-en-scene, sound and cinematography). Here is an example of a paragraph DON'T COPY:
"The sequence opens on what seemingly appears to be a roof terrace on top of a block of flats overlooking London. The mise-en-scene is constructed to be intense and claustrophic - a small space tightly framed by fencing which creates a sense of being trapped. This anchors the state of mind of the terrorist who through dialogue says "...you have made us feel like animals".
3. When you have finished your analysis of the three key areas finish with a conclusion summing-up overall what 'REPRESENTATION' of M15 and terrorists this extract communicates and whether this CONFORMS TO OR CHALLENGES the STEREOTYPES you hold. YOU MIGHT ALSO WISH TO CONSIDER:
What techniques are used to involve audiences emotionally? How
does that position audiences?
What view of terrorism emerges from these scenes?
VOCABULARY:
Mise-en-scene, location, props, costume, VERISIMILITUDE, REALISM, CONSTRUCTION, REPRESENTATION, framing, camera movement, close-up, zoom, tracking shot, dolly shot, STEADYCAM, mid-shot, high-angle, low-angle, diegetic, non-diegetic, musical score, audience engagement, audience interpretation, the text, Denotation, Connotation, explicit meaning, implied meaning, subtle, mode of address, anchor, subvert, challenge, comform, codes and conventions.
YOU HAVE THURSDAY LESSONS 4 AND 5 TO FINISH WRITING THIS ON YOUR BLOG. GOOD LUCK!

Saturday 9 May 2009

Numberwang - How many codes and conventions can you spot being spoofed?

Question 4: Quiz Show TV Trailers













With preparation for Q4 fast approaching, here are some trailers to assist you with the storyboarding process, and give you a bit of inspiration rather than perspiration! I have also added some great links to support you with 'STORYBOARDING' given that this production skill might be a bit rusty.





More4 Launches an ONLINE QUIZ SHOW with an online INTERACTIVE TRAILER

"Quiz shows replicating a night down the pub seem to be all the rage on the Channel 4 network at the moment. Chris Moyles is doing his thing on Channel 4 at the moment, and when you think about it an unashamedly pub-style quiz show is easy TV, both to make and watch. Now More4 has got in on the act by launching its own higher-brow version. The game allows players pit themselves against the likes of Jon Snow, Tony Robinson, David Starkey and Kevin McCloud. They're like a team of Eggheads, sitting there in their More4 wooly jumpers in the corner of More4's virtual pub. It's good fun. I got seven out of 10 and most of them were guesses. Play here. There's a trailer (yes, you can have a trailer for an online quiz shows) over the jump." TV SCOOP

WEAKEST LINK DVD INTERACTIVE GAME: TV ADVERT



NEED HELP WITH STORYBOARDING? CHECK OUT THESE LINKS:

http://accad.osu.edu/womenandtech/Storyboard%20Resource/

Wednesday 6 May 2009

Some IMPORTANT Information

Good evening Year 10. I have been looking at a very fine selection of TV Drama blogs and would like to congratulate everyone who has emailed their links and done their homework. You guys go high-up on my 'Love-O-Meter'. I just wanted to let my class know that I won't be around during P5 tomorrow or Period 3 on Friday as I will be interviewing for the new Head of Media and Film. Also, one of the candidates will be teaching you during Period 4 on Thursday and Mr Fairnie will be observing, so I would be grateful if those of you that read this, could pass the message onto everyone in our class that they need to be on time! Thank you. 

In period 5 with Mr Abiona, time will be given over to the personalising of blogs and creating those banners! You also need to finish your research into a TV drama which should provide information on the following:

* What time(s) and channel(s) it is broadcast on
* When it started (and finished, if appropriate)
* Who makes it (its Production Company)
* What its highest ratings have been
* What its Target Audience is (demographics and psychographics)
* What the critics have said about it
Also, give a brief synopsis of the show including details of Setting(s), Characters and Narrative.

If you finish this, I would like you to create your own personal 'Glogster' poster based on your favourite TV Drama. 

www.glogster.com

 Here's two tutorials to show you how:





If you complete this, please work on your TV Drama mindmaps and these can be photographed to go on your blogs! I look forward to receiving everyone's blog addresses. Please e-mail these to me at: ninanoo@btinternet.com. 

See you all soon. 
Mrs Moore (mummy Media) x

Friday 1 May 2009

Create Your Own WORDLE

Add something extra special to your blog by creating a WORDLE! Here's one I made earlier on TV Drama vocabulary. Double click to enlarge and view the site:

Wordle: TV Drama

Have Fun!

The Media Exam - All Your Prayers Answered!

Check out these brilliant Slideshare PowerPoints. Little gems! There really is no excuse now...and we can't wait to see your responses to Task 1 next week. Happy Bank Holiday and Happy Revision! 



Some TV Drama goodies for you....




Make it Personal!




















Your TV Drama blogs are beginning to look super. Today I want you personalise your blog by creating a banner in Photoshop. Here's how to do it!

1. Create a new file in Photoshop - 400px X 740px
2. Use the internet to collect lots of imagery associated with TV Drama both British and American and paste into your page

3. Add a 'Blog Title' - Nina's TV Drama Blog/ TV Drama Rocks / Drama-rama / TV Diva / Drama-Bananna (I'm getting silly now!)

3. Save your banner as a JPEG file format.


4. It's now ready to add to your blog. In the LAYOUT tab click on 'HEADER/EDIT' and upload your image. Then Publish. Yipeeeee!
Your Homework for this week must be completed on your blog:

1. e-mail me your blog address. My e-mail is: ninanoo@btinternet.com so that I can add your blog to The Doodle

2. Research the following TV vocabulary and provide a definition of the word and an example on your blog:


  • Mise-en-scene
  • Verisimilitude
  • Social Realism
  • Diegetic Sound
  • Non-diegetic Sound
  • Editing
The following website will prove useful:
http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/gramtv.html