HERO ANALYSIS

We watch the AA exam extract from Hero and analyse it using the exam questions:

1. mise-en-scene, camerawork, sound and editing

PREP Watch the extract again at home LINK HERE and write up aspects of the analysis on your blog.

The close up shot was the shot that mostly caught my eye. You get close ups of Jet Li and Donnie Yen’s faces which deepens the battle and the overall experience for the audience. It deepens this fight scene because we get a closer look at their faces which makes their real emotions and facial expressions more visible which means that the audience are able to relate to the characters better.

The main aspect of mise-en-scene I chose was the weapons that Jet Li and Donnie Yen are using. These weapons are a clear code for battle which immediately sets the suspense and jeopardy mood for the battle. The type of weapons they are using are very authentic and cultural and stereo-typically Chinese which gives us a clue to where the fight is and what kind of warriors these men are and what exactly they are fighting for.

The diegetic, metallic sound of the weapons hitting each other makes the battle sound more authentic as you can actually hear the sounds of the battle happening. It also deepens the battle because it makes it sound more realistic, helping to engage the viewer.

The main piece of editing that caught my eye was the slow motion of the raindrops. This creates a sense of suspense but also adds to the atmosphere. The slow motion of this allows the viewer to actually see the raindrops falling into bowls. This also creates a sense of peace and beauty in this calm environment.

SOUNDS IN SERENITY

In the film Serenity the music is used to create many effects which a sci-fi should excel on and Serenity defiantly did this. For my first at which the use of sound creates an intense atmosphere, begins right at the beginning of the scene when the rebels are getting ready as they are about to undertake the mission of going to raid the factory in a remote yet futuristic city. The sounds that were being played were the sounds of weapons and tools being bashed together and the sounds of welding and cranks. Behind all of this is a bit of simplistic music with percussion to give it that sense of jeopardy along with that beat it give it that sense of tension that something big is about to happen and it’s all leading up to a precise moment at which it will strike. Going back to the point of the sound of weaponry we can hear the sounds of the different sort of guns being loaded into a box on the ship and the metallic sound over powering the music behind it. This makes the viewer feel as if they are preparing for something and makes you not want to mess with them as they mean business.

Later on in the scene is that part when the rebels are frantically flying away from the invaded city and the sounds of the machine guns being fired are over powering the sound of the heavy beat be played alongside it. Abbreviating this point even further the different sounds of the guns firing also adds to the spectacle of the fight scene and gives it the sense of conflict between the heroes and villains as the rebels are facing threatening danger and are in jeopardy and the music signifies this extensively.

SHORT AND TWEET

In life we have to jump (fly) over barriers because they are our obstacles, if we cannot do it once we will try again. We are given more and more chances to keep trying and never seize to give up because life is full of chances, and so is flappy bird.

STAR WARS EXTRACT EXAM WORK

Star Wars Extract

Question One: In what two ways are the narrative and characters typical of the AA genre?

Speed & Motion

The narrative shown in this extract is speed and motion. Firstly we can point out that there is speed because the boy and his competitor are in a race as they are in an open cab pod which gives a sense of extra speed- this also lets the viewer experience the canyon wars they are in. There is also a sense of rushing when they are close to the ground and the spectacular setting and hostile environment adds to the sense of excitement given.

Heroic Protagonist

Anakin Skywalker is presented as a heroic protagonist in this extract for many reasons. Firstly his machine almost failed whilst being in this pod race and almost set alight, however he managed to fix it himself. Secondly, he also seems quite young so for him to even be in this race makes him seem brave- bravery is a main characteristic of heroism and this is definitely shown by Anakin. This young boy also has the crowd on his side which is also a key factor of heroism as the hero usually is an icon and the crowd is cheering for him.

Question 2: Two examples of camerawork

One shot that I noticed is a tracking shot. By using a tracking shot the producer of this film gives the viewer a detailed tour of the situation. It can also be used to follow a character it also enables us to travel with the vehicles and experience how extensive the course is

Another is a point of view shot which enables us to experience the same thing as the boy behind the wheel and we are put in the driving seat. This enables us to see what it feels like to be in an out of control machine.

Prep: Mise-en-Scene

The mise-en scene in this extract of Star Wars is used to create many effects. I will focus on two main ones I spotted which are the setting and the strange alien like creatures. Firstly, the setting, the desert landscapes with large Rocky Mountains make up the race track of the pod race. This creates a sense of suspense and jeopardy as the narrow arcs the pods have to go through and the height of them creates a sense of danger because if the pods crash they could die.

Secondly, the strange alien like creatures creates the effect of them being in a completely different world. We can tell they are alien like because many creatures look snaky and some even have two heads. This creates a typical Action & Adventure genre film because often the uglier, scarier looking creatures are the bad ones where as the less scary look more normal except a lot of the goodies look very unusual and ugly. They also look very realistic which adds to the authenticity and makes it seem believable.

QI PREZI

Attached here is the link to my Prezi I did on the English TV show 'QI' or 'Quite Interesting'


Quite Interesting Prezi Link

MISE-EN-SCENE OF 'THE HURT LOCKER'

The mise-en-scene in the scene we watched from 'The Hurt Locker' makes it very clear for us to identify that it is an action and adventure film. Firstly, we can tell that it is held in a war zone as the buildings in the area are whitewashed and broken down due to wars that have happened. Also clothing that the men in the scene are wearing are all camoflauge and helmets and carrying weapons such as guns- other weapons such as tanks are also shown in the scene. We can tell that this is an Islamic country as the language that is spoken by the people living in the war zone is Arabic and also their materials that cover their heads. The car being blown up also shows combat and conflict that is going on around, and the scene is set in the East which is reflecting on wars that are happening today. All of these adds to the war zone atmosphere that is trying to be presented and succeding to present.

MISS DIOR ADVERT SCREENSHOTS

The first screenshot I chose from the Miss Dior ‘La Vie En Rose’ advert is when she is by the fountain. I chose this because she is having fun and she is not worried about getting her hair wet because she’s got the ‘Dior’ perfume to help her. She is also wearing a strapless black dress which shows how she can gain elegance (even though it’s going to get wet) by wearing this perfume.

The second screenshot I chose was when Natalie Portman walks down the stairs in her elegant ball gown, with her hair neatly done. This moment is almost like a Cinderella moment as she is walking down the stairs in her ball gown with her man waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. However, she is holding her shoes which show that she is laid back and ready to not walk slowly but skip down the stairs to get to her prince charming. This shot looks like it’s almost through pink tinted spectacles because her gown is a very light pink and the walls are washed with pink and everything looks very light and appealing to the eye. This is basically saying that if you get the Miss Dior perfume your life will be seen through pink tinted spectacles.

In my final screenshot, it shows Natalie Portman in black and white whereas the perfume bottle is shown in colour. This ties in with the name of the advert ‘La Vie En Rose’ which means ‘life in pink’. This is saying that if you buy this perfume your life will turn into a light pink, relaxed colour and not be dull in black and white.