View her final moments. Feel her pain.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Analyzing Music Videos - A Film Analysis Project
Students will watch a music video; it can be any music video, but for this project, we'll use "Sabotage" by Beastie Boys.
Here's a link to it since record companies don't like embedding anymore.
I would use music videos as an introduction to film analysis since they are concise and usually non-linear; they seem to portray emotions more than a linear storyline. My objective of this activity is to get students thinking about the way editing and camera techniques affect a video's tone.
Students will first watch the video with no sound. After watching the video, they will answer these questions on their own:
1) What emotions did you feel while watching this video?
2) What were some examples of shots that explain your emotions from the video?
3) How would you describe the pace of the editing?
4) What kind of song do you think this will be?
After answering the questions, the students will see the music video again. This time, they are supposed to look for more examples of shots that back up their emotions (i.e. close-ups, quick pans, short shots, spinning shots) and examine how the music adds to video. After the second viewing, the teacher will discuss the questions with the entire group.
Since this is meant as an introductory activity, the students will most likely not know the specific terms for the shots. As the students are listing the shots that gave them their 'emotions,' the teacher should write down the description. After the discussion is over, the teacher can introduce the technical names and descriptions for shots (i.e. Medium shot, close-up, etc.) and use the examples students gave.
Here's a link to it since record companies don't like embedding anymore.
I would use music videos as an introduction to film analysis since they are concise and usually non-linear; they seem to portray emotions more than a linear storyline. My objective of this activity is to get students thinking about the way editing and camera techniques affect a video's tone.
Students will first watch the video with no sound. After watching the video, they will answer these questions on their own:
1) What emotions did you feel while watching this video?
2) What were some examples of shots that explain your emotions from the video?
3) How would you describe the pace of the editing?
4) What kind of song do you think this will be?
After answering the questions, the students will see the music video again. This time, they are supposed to look for more examples of shots that back up their emotions (i.e. close-ups, quick pans, short shots, spinning shots) and examine how the music adds to video. After the second viewing, the teacher will discuss the questions with the entire group.
Since this is meant as an introductory activity, the students will most likely not know the specific terms for the shots. As the students are listing the shots that gave them their 'emotions,' the teacher should write down the description. After the discussion is over, the teacher can introduce the technical names and descriptions for shots (i.e. Medium shot, close-up, etc.) and use the examples students gave.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Analyzing a Show I'd Watch Anyway - Sheesh School is Hard
Here's an annotation of Arrested Development:
I've always appreciated this show's non-traditional format. In my annotation, I talk about television genre schemata and I place this show in the category of sitcom, but it bends a lot of the traditional components, such as having no laugh track, fading to white, mockumentary and hand-held camera style, and not having a neat and tidy ending. I think what this show does best, however, is understand and appreciate its audience. The reason why this show did not do so well, is that it reaches an active, quick-thinking audience. The editing is quick and the characters' movements and words are so fast, it is easy to miss jokes and plot keys. But, more than normal sitcoms, this show respects its viewers. It expects them to follow the storyline and jokes, not have the show explain everything through immediate recaps or a dumbing down of the plot.
This show aims to be light and funny. Simply put, through my annotations, I noticed it succeeds in doing that through its use of lighting, playful use of music and fast-paced medium shot cuts.
I've always appreciated this show's non-traditional format. In my annotation, I talk about television genre schemata and I place this show in the category of sitcom, but it bends a lot of the traditional components, such as having no laugh track, fading to white, mockumentary and hand-held camera style, and not having a neat and tidy ending. I think what this show does best, however, is understand and appreciate its audience. The reason why this show did not do so well, is that it reaches an active, quick-thinking audience. The editing is quick and the characters' movements and words are so fast, it is easy to miss jokes and plot keys. But, more than normal sitcoms, this show respects its viewers. It expects them to follow the storyline and jokes, not have the show explain everything through immediate recaps or a dumbing down of the plot.
This show aims to be light and funny. Simply put, through my annotations, I noticed it succeeds in doing that through its use of lighting, playful use of music and fast-paced medium shot cuts.
Friday, September 17, 2010
A Precursor for Video Annotation
I love Susan Douglas - watch her:
I have always thought - more than any other woman - she provides realistic solutions to women's issues. I believe social change happens through media portrayals and media literacy. My poor, future students will have to put up with me beating my chest.
I have always thought - more than any other woman - she provides realistic solutions to women's issues. I believe social change happens through media portrayals and media literacy. My poor, future students will have to put up with me beating my chest.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
My Actual Real Vlog
Here is the first vlog I made:
When I realized I didn't talk about the class at all, I made another one. My camera, however, decided to stop working in the middle, so you can get a little taste of my accident:
When I realized I didn't talk about the class at all, I made another one. My camera, however, decided to stop working in the middle, so you can get a little taste of my accident:
Viewing the Vlog
The vlog I chose to view was Rocketboom - a daily vlog I had never heard of before, but I really like its style. It's a little This American Life-esque with its good stories about many things you have never considered before, such as the quality of Nigerian cinema.
By the way, did you know Nigeria produced so many films? I had no clue.
I like the way this blog is set up. I follows a bit of a Dateline format, in that it is news, but it's not a talking head. You get the story. There are interviews with people; you see images associated with the topic; you see the people making films instead of just talking about making films. In a way, it makes the unbelievable topic more believable. The editing is quick and it needs to be. This is a short clip intended for people who want to be engaged in a topic for a short amount of time - I think about it as a bit of sampler. The quick editing and immersion into the story lets the viewer be more engaged with the topic in a short amount of time.
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