AS Media Studies

AS Media StudiesAnalysis of micro and macro conventions of films

Where are we at?We are researching film openings in preparation for you planning your own productionWe have looked at the function of a title sequenceWe have looked at the types of title sequencesLast week we looked at film genresToday we are going to look at:Genre in more detailMicro and macro elements of genre (Ive chucked in a bit of theory here)Film audiencesThursday we are going to look at the use of sound in title sequences

Blog update:By the end of this week you must have posted blogs 1-14 deadline is Friday for thisToday we are doing number 11 and 12. Anything not completed will become your homeworkThursday we are doing 13 and 14Remember weve binned the old checklist and you are now working off a new one (given out in the last lesson)

Half term homework: blogs 15 and 16 (initial individual planning ideas)

Focus of todays lessonTo develop an understanding of the semantic and syntactic aspects of film genre

To complete a detailed analysis of two opening title sequences

To draw conclusions about the common features / conventions of genre.

Semantic and syntactic aspects of genreAnyone heard either of those words before?

GenreWhich three genres did you blog about on Thursday?Foziya, Adam, Ayleah, Jacob what would be your top three favourite film genres?

What would expect films from these genres to (a) Look like (micro elements)(b) Be about? (macro elements)

Make some quick notes on the sheet.

Theory of macro and micro elements of genreAltman: media theorist who stated that film genre can be talked about in two ways:Syntactic (macro): the stories that the film tellsSemantic (micro): how these stories are presented

Altman continued:He observed that films from the same genre tend to:Tell the same sorts of stories and have the same character types and themesLook a similar way by having similar camera, editing, sound techniques, and using common mise-en-scene

Summarise his ideas in the box on your sheet.

An example: teen slasher genreScream (1996)

Halloween (1978)

An example: teen slasher genreMicro (semantic) features Low key lighting and use of shadows POV camerawork through eyes of killerSlow pace of editing to lure us into thinking everything is ok, followed by fast pace during moments of high tensionFluid moving handheld cameraUrgent, persistent music raising tension, and moment of silence to raise tensionUse of a mask to hide identity of killerUse of murder weapon often a knife

Macro (syntactic) featuresAbsence of parents/authority figuresPredominant cast of teenage/young adultsPopular blonde, geek, jock, and other stock characters dominateLoner killer known by characters identity revealed at endTheme of revengeSeries of brutal killings main characters solve crimes

Task 1 individual taskUsing the task sheet, individually watch 2 different title sequences (ideally from a genre you are interested in making for your own film). Must choose examples with titles!Analyse the micro and macro elements of the genreMake notes on the order of the titles as they appear.Present your analysis as blog post 12 using either EMAZE or Prezi.

Stuck for ideas? Below are successful genres to analyse and remake:Urban youth drama (think Kidulthood, My Brother the Devil, Fish Tank)Thriller (think Se7en, Arlington Road, Panic Room)High School Movie (think Mean Girls, The Breakfast Club, Legally Blonde)

Task 2: audience research activity individual taskUse the handout to complete the activity on profiling film audiencesPost your findings to your blog for task 11 (see below a reminder)