Structuralism is a concept applied to create meaning, by using a particular structure.
For example, a book structure comprises of sentences, grammar, personification ( comparing a person to an object to emphasise their appearance/mood) and metaphors.
Films meanwhile use mis en scene ( e.g. costume and props), editing techniques and cinematography ( I.e shot types - close up, low angle).
Our given task is to be able to structurally analyse a scene from 'Alfred Hitchcock's' 'Psycho'.
This means we have to consider what meaning each of the structural components ( I.e cinematography and Mis-en scene) convey in the scene from 'Psycho'.
Elements of 'Mis en scene
Lighting - conveys mood, texture to a scene. For example, in a scene where one character has his face shadowed under the dark, it implicates a mysterious mood to the characters identify. A bright tone of lighting can implicate a rather bright and positive mood.
Make up- can convey the particular personality of a character. For example, a character wearing a lot of make up, could implicate a personae, whom feels socially in-secure and wants to impress people.
Costumes- Conveys a characters nature, occupation or a particular occasion (e.g. A person wearing a tuxedo could be going to an important party, or ceremony).
Props - help to give the location a more realistic quality. For example in a kitchen scene, conventional props include a pan, utensils and washing up liquid.
Acting - Theatre acting has more of a melancholic tone applied. Whereas film acting presently requires a naturalistic style. This gives a more realistic personae to characters, the audience are watching. Thus the audience can be more sub consciously convinced they are watching genuine characters.
Composition - the arrangement of actors and props in a given frame. A common rule is to ensure there is an equal distribution of both the actor, a given set of props and light in the frame.
However, having a prop, or actor slightly out of frame can help to implicate an abnormal tone to a scene. For example if there is a shot with a character, but half of another characters body at the edge of a frame, audiences can notice the abnormality. It conveys a sense of mystery to the characters identify and why they are there.
Space- By using different sized lenses and camera movement, a variety of depths and field can be applied to a scene, thus conveying different mood to elements in the story world.
For example, if a character was heavily drunk in a street. To convey his characters heavy drinking, a fish eye lens could be used on a shot with a lamp post. This would make the area of the lamp post look like a globe shape. Thus being a rather surreal image and emphasizing the character to likely be heavily hung over.
We need to be able to structurally analyze a scene from 'Alfred Hitchcock's 'Phsycho' , by identifying elements of mis en scene, shot types and editing techniques which help to convey a specific mood.
The following scene involves a character named 'Marion Crane' being invited by a man named 'Norman Bates'.
Norman conveys a rather disturbing personae (conveying signs of a psychological based disorder), which Marion slowly begins to uncover and become unnerved by.
As a result the scene conveys at first, a casual and presumably friendly tone to the two having a conversation, but then transforms into a slightly tense and disturbing mood, upon Normans uncovered personae.
Shot 1: Norman turning on the light in his room
The lighting in Normans room is pitch black, conveying a mysterious atmosphere to Normans room
The lighting from outside the room reflects onto the lamp, easily establishing Norman is going to turn on the lamp.
Audiences will therefore feel quite tense, fearing what may suddenly be seen in the room.
Additionally, Normans face and the rest of his body, is shrouded by pitch black, creating a mysterious and unsettling personae.
This will make audiences feel tense for what he may do when the lights come on (e.g. exhibit a dangerous action - pulling out a knife).
When the room is lit up, audiences will feel relieved, as conventional items, including a desk, lamp, curtains and jug of water are shown. This implicates Normans room to be normal, as well as presumably him self being normal. Thus audiences will be put of later, when he exhibits unsettling behaviour.
Normans costume comprises of a jacket and buttoned shirt, conveying him to be casual and smart. Thus stereotyping Normans character as a neat and presentable character. GO BACK AND PUT MORE DETAIL INTO THIS SECTION!!!! The shot type used is a mid shot, panning down to the left. This allows us to see Normans gestures and of him crouching down to turn on the light.
Shot 2: Marion entering Normans room
The shot used is a medium close up, allowing Marions' gestures and obvious facial expression to be sequentially visible in the frame.
A low intensity of light is positioned around Marions' face and mid body. Shot 3: The owl in Normans room
The owl is big species of bird, making it quite distinct to have in a room. Thus it immediately signifies a rather bizzare and slightly unsettling personae to Normans character.
Additionally, the owl is an effective hunting bird of prey and possibly representing an antagonistic demeanour to Normans character.
There is dim lighting placed around the stuffed owl, with some areas having pitch black. This create a slightly dark mood to where the owl is placed, making the owl seem more unsettling and thus Normans room.
The shot type used is a mid shot, allowing for the whole stuffed owl to have complete occupation on the shots frame.
However, most of the curtains occupy the same frame still. If the entire frame was focused on the owl, in a close up, it would signify a more sudden and immediately unsettling tone.
However, by showing some normal and unsettling elements of Normans room (I.e the curtains), the stuffed owl does only unsettle us slightly, thus allowing for Normans unsettling personae to slowly progress and put us of guard gradually. Rather than immediately.
Shot 4: Marion observing the birds
A mid shot is used to allow for Marions' obvious head and body gestures to be easily visible, for when she tilts around slightly.
Explain in more detail about lighting!!!!
Shot 5: The second bird
In this shot, we see a stuffed crow on a branch beside the wall. Crows are often representative of death, slowly raising the unsettling tone to Normans room and possibly to himself.
The compositing of the scene has helped to address the crows significant appearance in the room, by centralising it in the frame and having the curtain and an art photo on opposite sides. Thus the stuffed crow is highlighted in the frame.
In the frame, we see a bit of Normans head ducking down, as he is preparing the tea. This conveys Normans complete ignorance to how his stuffed birds may well be unsettling Marion. This begins to implicate and drive the audience to beginning to feel slightly more unsettled about Normans character, than rather his room.
The lighting meanwhile casts a rather long and dark shadow over the stuffed crow, conveying a more dark and villainous personae, exaggerating the creepy tone of Normans room.
Shot 6: Norman invites Marion in
A low angle mid shot is used to address Norman as larger and possibly more dominant over 'Marion'. Immediately unsettling audiences even more from his character.
There is no key light applied to Normans face (I.e the main light to illuminate the figure in a shot) and therefore leaves for dark patches around his face, making him appear physically more creepy.
Shot 7: Marion accepts the invitation to sit down
The shot used is a mid shot side view, to allow the audience to easily see Marions' obvious facial expressions and movement from outside and into Normans room.
The camera slowly pans left, tracking Marion. The cameras movement help to metaphorically emphasise Marions' hesitant and cautious movement, implicating to us immediately how unsettled her character feels.
This is further enhanced, when the camera slowly pans down to Marion sitting on the chair, conveying her slight discomfort.
The light effectively works well, as when 'Marion' slowly enters into Normans room, the light from outside diffuses away and her face becomes more shrouded into dark areas of Normans room. Additionally, when this happens we see Norman positioned behind, looking down at her.
This can create a very unsettling tone, as Marions' entrance into the dark room, can create tension as it could also metaphorically emphasise her to be entering into a dangerous territory. When Norman quickly looms behind looking down at her, the audience may also feel tense in thinking he will suddenly attack her.
The lighting is keyed on 'Marion' as she eats, conveying a rather light mood and enhancing an innocent nature to her character, which is then contrasted with Norman sat back with patches of dark cowering over his head and shoulders. This enhances the characters creepy and unsettling nature.
Shot 8: Norman states Marion to 'eat like a bird'
Once again, a low angle is used, in conveying Norman to have an unsettling and demeaning personae.
The lighting around the frame is very dim, with mainly dark patches circulating around Normans head and shoulders. This gives an edgy and dark tone to his character.
In the frame, two stuffed birds have been placed onto a draw cabinet, allowing for us to easily see him reffering to the birds in discussion.
The shots with Marion meanwhile have a greater intensity of light focused onto her face and body, maintaining her innocent and considerable beautiful nature. Thus audiences would feel rather worried for her characters safety.
The shot also contains a butter knife, fork, jug of water, slice of bread and set of plates. These conventional items easily establish 'Marion' to be helping her self to eating what she likes as well as Normans hospitality.
When Marion begins to question about the way Normans mother talks to him, a low angle mid shot is used. This allow us to see Normans obvious facial expressions easily and indicates tension toward his possible anger beginning to come closer. This is further reinforced by the low angle, making him appear big and menacing.
Additionally, the shot frame allows for both the stuffed owl and two other birds to be fitted into shot. This conveys the expansive collection of birds, further uncovering Normans odd nature. Two of the birds are framed up high on the walls, in rather upright stances, while another is at the right hand bottom of the frame, but still in an upright position. This allows for all three birds to be easily visible in the shot and serve as a sinister back drop behind 'Normans' unsettling personae.
Shortly after a medium close up of Marion speaking occurs, allowing her facial gestures to be visible. Additionally, conventional items, including the water jug, curtains and chair allow for a rather normal tone to the shot, which then contrasts greatly to the shots with Norman and his stuffed birds.
It conveys 'Marion' as having a sane personality, due to the items around her being normal, while the items around 'Norman' are very distinctly peculiar and menacing.
The water jug and curtains only appear slightly in shot, allowing for 'Marions' character to be the focus in shot.
When 'Norman' backs away to the right hand side of the shot frame, the stuffed owl comes into centre of the shot.
When Norman speaks about his mother being "left alone, up there" (after refusing 'Marions' suggestion to "go away" from his mother), which coincides with the stuffed owl, which we can see on its own up on the wall. This may possibly implicate 'Norman' may some how see a relation between his mothers loneliness and the stuffed animals loneliness too.
This may well unsettle audiences more so, as well as being subjected to the scary image of the stuffed owl in centre shot.
At one point, 'Norman' states his mother 'needs him', implying a sense of control, which may relate to the stuffed owl in the shot, as it is kept in its place and not able to freely move about. Thus this explores more into 'Normans' character, as his hobby for collecting stuffed birds, which cannot go anywhere, may be due to a likeness for control, as reinforced by his self belief that his mother "needs him".
Audiences therefore would feel even more unsettled, as 'Normans' personae has transitioned from odd, to possibly controlling.
Norman is speaking about how trapped and distant his mother is, while the stuffed owl its self is still and distant up on the wall. The owls position of being completely still and up on the ceiling far away can metaphorically contrast to Normans mother, whom Norman describes as trapped and alone too. Thus when Norman states his stuffed bird collection is not a hobby, it implicates the stuffed birds to possibly have some form of mental connection with his mother. Thus implicating Normans character to possibly have some form of psychological disorder.
When 'Marion' suggests for 'Norman' to take her mother to a home, the rooms lighting is continually illuminated toward her face and body, reinforcing her innocence .
A mid shot is also used to allow for obvious facial expressions and subtle gestures to be easily visible.
When Marion suggests Norman could put his mother into a home, a mid close up is used to allow for Normans irritated and angered facial expression to be easily seen and for the audience to be subjected to only paying attention to. When 'Norman' edges his face close to the screen, it conveys the mood of the scene to become more tense and unsettling audiences more, as though they are now face to face with 'Norman' due to his close proximity in the frame.
Additionally, a low angle is applied, when Normans psychological symptoms ( i.e dillusional beliefs) become more uncovered. This conveys a more intimidating personae and giving audiences a mental perception to how intimidated and of put Marions' character must now suddenly feel from Normans disturbing nature.
A mid shot of 'Marion' occurs, allowing for her rather intimidated facial expressions and gestures to be visible. A bright intensity of light continues to occur to further display her innocence.
When 'Norman' slowly his face away to the right hand edge of the frame, it conveys the tension of 'Normans' anger slowly degrading and for the mood to reasonably calm down.
Additionally, one of the stuffed birds is now in the left hand side of the frame, enforcing 'Normans' odd nature, as supported with his rather disillusion based dialogue and unsettling facial gestures.
Dark patches circulate around 'Normans' facial areas too, enhancing his sinister quality. The back drop of the setting is reasonably dark too, enhancing the sinister and antagonistic mood to the shot with 'Norman' speaking.
When 'Norman' edges his face closer again, it re increases the tension and can hopefully unsettle audiences more.
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F.M.P Viral marketing strategies research
Aim: To create a separate website with an effective viral marketing strategy, potentially guaranteed to entice audiences into watching our F.M.P.
Research aims:
Research 3-5 viral/promotional film websites.
Comment on the websites following:
1. 'Prometheus'
Strengths (what they do well)
They include a website informing audiences of the fictional corporation in 'Prometheus' 'Weyland Corporation' following a realistic format to the website, by including sections for application forms to sign up for a job role to the corporation.
Also included are mini games, audiences can play, as well as send their scores to social media. Thus self advertising the website and film themselves.
Weaknesses
How are the websites made appealing for the targeted market?
Am I able to use their Ideas?
2.
Strengths (what they do well)
Weaknesses
How are the websites made appealing for the targeted market?
Am I able to use their Ideas?
3.
Strengths (what they do well)
Weaknesses
How are the websites made appealing for the targeted market?
Am I able to use their Ideas?
4.
Strengths (what they do well)
Weaknesses
How are the websites made appealing for the targeted market?
Am I able to use their Ideas?
5.
Strengths (what they do well)
Weaknesses
How are the websites made appealing for the targeted market?