Survey: Planning

Representations of Stereotypes

In society we have representations of certain races, genders, disabilities and sexualities. These representations are often very stereotypical, especially when it comes to the media.

Age:
In media, young people are often portrayed as rude and are often seen using social media. They tend to be troublemakers and go to a lot of clubs and parties. While this is often seen in real life, there are a large amount of younger people who don't act this way. The older generation tend to be seen either as weak and ignored or as the bosses of large corporations. The middle aged group is the most commonly used age group in movies and TV. They can be portrayed in a number of ways such as action heroes, average Joes, and really anything else.

Gender:
Male characters are often portrayed as being stronger than female characters. They tend to have more "masculine" jobs like builders or police officers whereas women are usually shown doing more domestic tasks like cooking, cleaning or looking after kids. Sometimes the roles are reversed, for example a woman goes out with her friends so the man is asked to look after the kids. Within five minutes of the woman leaving the house, the man has lost track of the kids and finds them on the roof. This suggests that all men are inept when it comes to domestic tasks when in reality, this doesn't usually happen and women often have jobs that could be considered more "masculine" like police officers or fire fighters. In most cases in media, men are portrayed as more dominant, however we sometimes see women as more dominant. For example, there could be a very nerdy and cowardly man with a brave and dominant woman.

Race:
The media usually shows very stereotypical view of each race. Caucasians are used most commonly as main characters whereas "drug lords" are often portrayed as being Mexican, Tuco in Breaking Bad for example.

Disability:
People with disabilities, mental or physical, are often portrayed as weak and often require help from others. They are commonly used to make the main character seem caring so that people like them more.

Socio-economic status:
Lower classes are often badly represented in media. They are often associated with drugs and don't go anywhere in life. Middle classes are usually used as main characters. They aspire to be successful and dream about getting that promotion that will keep their family on their feet. Upper classes are often seen as snobby and selfish. They don't care about anyone but themselves and tend to be seen as evil and corrupt.

Nationality:
In media, Russians and Germans are often seen as evil. We usually see British or American heroes fighting against other nationalities. It is common to see terrorists in the media and they are never British or American.

Sexuality:
The main character in movies and TV is almost always heterosexual. It is extremely rare to see a homosexual or bisexual main character, however they are sometimes used as side characters. For example, in Scott Pilgrim VS the World, Scott's room-mate is homosexual and seems to be attracted to every man he sees.

Preliminary Task: Planning

Storyboard:

Shot Prompt Table:

Shot Reverse Shot

Shot reverse shot is commonly used in conversations to show certain characters when they are talking. The camera shows one person as they speak and then cuts to the other person when they are speaking.


An example of this is in Shaun of the Dead

Point of View and Over the Shoulder Shots

Point of View
POV shots are sometimes used to show what a character is looking at or if the director doesn't want to reveal the identity of a character. They involve mounting a camera to someone's head so that it sees what they see.


These can also be used if characters are wearing a helmet like in "Gravity"

Over the Shoulder
Over the shoulder shots are also used to show what a character is looking at or if the director doesn't want to reveal a character's face, however they are more commonly used during conversations. The camera is placed behind one character, looking over their shoulder at something else.


An example of this is in Harry Potter. An over the shoulder shot has been used to hide Voldemort's face and capture Harry's reaction.

Linear Shots

Linear shots usually involve a camera tracking someone or something's movements. They require very little editing as they are usually one continuous shot. These are often used in music videos and are also sometimes used when introducing a character.


An example of a linear shot could be a character walking down the street. The camera will track his movements at a medium distance and will stay like that for the duration of the shot. This is used a few times near the start of Shaun of the Dead.

Match on Action

Match on action is a series of shots that are edited together to make a scene. These shots, when put together, look like one continuous scene. This type of shot is commonly used in action movies to make a fight scene. Different shots filmed at different times and possibly different places are all edited together to make it look like it all happened at once.


An example of this is the lobby scene from "The Matrix"

ABC1 Table

The ABC 1 table is useful in media as it can be used to show how certain film genres would target certain people based on their earnings. For example, people in the A, B and C1 group may be more interested in dramas, or book adaptations, whereas people in the C2, D and E group are more likely to watch an action film that takes them away from reality for a couple of hours because they may be in a tight financial situation and they don't want to think about it.

Because of this, advertisements for dramas are more likely to be embedded in the more expensive newspapers because the wealthier people are likely to read them. The poorer population are unlikely to spend money on newspapers every day, they are more likely to read the free paper. Because of this, companies could place ads for their over-the-top action movies in the free paper as that is the only way they can get the attention of the C2 - E group.

This doesn't mean that wealthy citizens can't watch action movies. Media deals with stereotypes For example, wealthy people are more interested in movies based on reality that tackle real problems like financial issues because they don't have these problems but they know that other people do. On the other hand, someone who is constantly stressed by financial issues may just want to take their mind off it and spend some time watching a movie with their family. Therefore they will probably want to watch something that helps them escape from reality.

Camera Angles and Movements

Directors use a variety of camera angles to set the scene and introduce characters in movies. These camera angles can also be used to increase or reduce tension, especially in horror movies. I have used "The Cabin in the Woods" as an example to show the different camera angles.

Medium and Long Shots
Very Long Shot:
This type of shot is usually used to establish setting. There is usually very little detail in the shot as it is meant to give a general impression of an area rather than specific information.

This shot from "The Cabin in the Woods" makes the audience feel slightly uneasy as they realise that the characters are in the middle of nowhere and they won't be able to get help.

Long Shot:
This type of shot is also used to establish setting. A long shot however gives the audience more of an idea of the immediate surroundings rather than the whole location.

For example, the very long shot showed the audience that the characters were in a forest. The long shot on the other hand, shows the audience that the characters are staying in an isolated cabin in the woods. This is where they will be staying for most of the movie, so the long shot gives the audience a chance to get used to the location so that they can understand what is happening.

Medium/Medium Long Shot:
Medium shots can be used to show a character's size, their clothes and what they look like. They are also commonly used during conversations.

This shot shows a group of people talking. As well as the conversation, the audience gets a feel of what the character looks like including their height and their clothes.

Close-Up Shots
Medium Close-Up:
This kind of shot is very similar to the medium/medium long shot. It is mainly used for conversations, but can also be used to show a character in more detail.

Close-Up:
Close-ups tend to be used to show a character's facial expression. They can also be used to create tension.

This shot shows that the character is tired and weak. This adds to the tension by showing that he might struggle to escape if something were to attack him. It makes the audience feel uneasy as they think that something bad is about to happen.

Big Close-Up:
Big close-ups are also used to create tension using the character's facial expression. It makes the audience wonder what the character is looking at and why they are reacting that way.

Special Shots
Low Angle Shot:
Low angle shots can be used to make someone or something look bigger than it is. They are also commonly used if a character is looking down at something.

For example, in this scene, the hatch to the basement just opened and the characters are looking down at it trying to decide what to do.

High Angle Shot:
High angle shots are often used to make something look smaller. This can be used if characters are in a room with a high ceiling or if they are looking up at something.

Over the Shoulder Shot:
An over the shoulder shot can be used to show what a character is looking at. They are used a lot for conversations or if a character is reading something. They can also be used if the director doesn't want to reveal a character's face yet.

Mise en scene: Thriller

Costume:
- Police outfits
- Hoodies

Makeup:
- Wounds

Props:
- Donuts
- Guns
- Knives
- Drugs
- Money
- Police tape (Crime scene)

Setting:
- Alleyways
- Diners
- Apartments

Lighting:
- Dark (not as dark as horror but not as bright as comedy)

Stance:
- Sad/depressed

Use of colour:
- Red/blue police lights

Sound:
- Diegetic
   - Sirens
   - Gunshots
- Non-diegetic
   - Narrator

Mise en scene: Comedy

Costume:
- Casual, everyday clothing

Makeup:
-None (unless it's a clown)

Props:
- Rake (hidden in leaves)
- Banana peel

Setting:
- Anywhere bright

Lighting:
- Sunshine

Stance:
- Regular human stance

Use of colour:
- Blue
- Yellow

Sound:
- Diegetic
   - Talking
- Non-diegetic
   - Laugh track (more for TV than Movies)

Mise en scene: Horror

Costume:
- Ripped
- Blood stained
- Dark
- Hockey mask

Makeup:
- Gore
- Wounds

Props:
- Knife
- Axe
- Blunt and edged weapons
- Mounted animal heads

Setting:
- Cabin in the woods
- Mountain
- Old apartments

Lighting:
- Dark
- Torches
- Lanterns
- Fire

Stance:
- Cowering

Use of colour:
- Red (blood)
- Black (shadows/dark areas)
- White (glint of moon on knife)

Sound:
- Diegetic
   - Screams
   - Breathing
- Non-diegetic
   - The music from "Psycho"
   - Tension building

Mise en scene: Action

Costume:
- Uniforms
- Vests

Makeup:
- Wounds
- Shaved head

Props:
- Guns
- Other weapons

Setting:
- City
- Warzone
- Destroyed city

Lighting:
- Natural lighting
- Explosions
- Muzzle flash (in dark areas)

Stance:
- Aggressive
- Muscular

Use of colour:
- Red (blood)
- Yellow/white (muzzle flash, explosion)

Sound:
- Diegetic
   - Gunshots
   - Speech
- Non-diegetic
   - Music
   - Narration

Mise en scene - Setting the scene

Costume
Makeup
Props
Setting
Lighting
Stance
Use of colour
Sound  (diegetic, non-diegetic)

Researching Genre Conventions

The Beginning

Hi! My name is Callum, I am a year 12 Media Studies student and this is my blog.