Representation of Disability in Secret Diary of a Call Girl

 How is the representation of disability created through the use of camera, editing sound and mise en scene in this clip from Secret Diary of a Call Girl?

In this clip from Secret Diary of a Call Girl, disability is represented by one central character (Blake), as well as the reactions of the other characters in the scene. In my opinion, this is a unique way of representing those with disabilities because we are shown three different perspectives, one or more of which may echo our own views or experiences. This immediately makes the audience sensitive to the issue being explored.

From the very first scene, we know that disability will be a big part of the storyline of the clip because of the camera work. As the female character (the call girl) opens the door, we are shown a shot of Blake and his dad, however the shot purposely starts too high up and quickly moves downwards until we see a medium shot of Blake. This is also shot from the woman's point of view, which demonstrates that she is having to adjust herself to the fact that Blake is disabled. In this scene, we discover that Blake is disabled through the use of a wheelchair - a universal and instantly recognisable symbol of disability.

In my opinion, the editing in the clip is used mostly to demonstrate Blake's reliance on others and his father's concern about the situation. After his father leaves the house and goes outside to the car, there are jumps cuts between each action rather than a continuous shot, which shows that time is passing very slowly for him. Also, the mis en scene - the enclosed space of the car, the fiddly actions of the father and the fact that we are seeing through a window - reflecting his feeling of being stuck in a situation he is not entirely clear about or comfortable in.  A connection between this and representations of disability go, would be that it allows the audience to notice an elevated sense of protectiveness towards his son due to his vulnerable position and we realise his reaction may have been different had he not been disabled. 


In addition to this, Blake's interaction with the call girl in the final scene and the way it's handled

Blackpool - Representation of Age, Family and Relationships

At the very start of the clip, the camera pans slowly from the floor upwards to reveal a couple sitting on a sofa. This movement of the camera from a low point, in combination with the fact that the shot is a medium shot and that the camera's moving slowly gives off the impression that the couple are quite average, normal or even boring. I think this is because it indicates that there is nothing in particular about them that stands out, or that we should focus on and also, the speed of the camera shows that there is nothing spontaneous or exciting about them. The non-diagetic music that is being played over this scene supports this belief, as it has a slow tempo, and the notes are dragged out. So far, in my opinion, they embody the stereotype of a middle aged husband and wife. As far as their relationship goes, it seems they are equals, due to the fact that they are both given the same type of close-up shot and that they talk to each other in similar tones of voice. However, the fact that they are sitting up straight, and slightly apart shows that they are either on edge about something, or are concerned with coming across 'properly' (well put together, and not too affectionate) to whoever is visiting.

Next, we see their daughter come into the house, and introduce her new boyfriend 'Steve' to them. During this scene, I think that the sound and mise en scene really affect the representations of the relationship between the characters. When Steve entered the room, I immediately notice a stark difference between him and the parents - whilst they are wearing warm, bright colours such as orange, pink and brown, Steve is clothed completely in black and dark blue. This shows the audience that he is the 'odd one out' in situation, and is an outsider in their household; it may also show the sense of reservation that the couple feel towards this man, which is also reflected in their shocked expressions. In contrast to this, the daughter is wearing a light grey top and black trousers, showing us that she has a connection to both her parents and Steve. The quiet, non-diagetic sound creates an 'awkward silence' type atmosphere, as does the flat tone of voice that the couple use, however Steve's tone of voice shows that he is confident and wants to impress.

During the conversation scene, more about the structure of this family is revealed. This is mostly due to the contrast between the tone of voice of the 'mum' and 'dad' characters, the woman's voice is much more gentle and open, whereas the man sounds skeptical and slightly irritated. This could hint at the fact that the mum is the one who gives her daughter more freedom, and wants to be accepting of her new boyfriend, or at least give him a chance. The dad, on the other hand is clearly hesitant to get to know Steve. This is a common representation of family life, the father who is very protective of his daughter and the mother who understands more what it is like to be a young girl.

As far as representations of age go, there is quite a diverse range, the camera seems to move more slowly around the two middle aged parents than it does around the daughter. This could show that they are more old fashioned, and are set in their ways. There is a larger range of camera angles and shot types when it comes to the daughter, and the editing is faster, making her seem more spontaneous and unpredictable - it seems that the usual representation of young girls is that they live fast and their parents don't really understand their choices in life. However, the diversity is increased with the fact that we have another older character, Steve

Representation of Gender - Primeval Clip Analysis

How is gender represented, through aural language, in this clip from Primeval?

From the beginning of this clip, we are provided with representations of gender through aural language - the very first thing we hear are two voices having a conversation, one female and one male.  The male voice sounds calm and in control, whereas the female one sounds panicky and flustered, this is then followed by another male character saying 'Let her go', indicating that he is not too concerned about the emotions of the woman. It could be argued these are quite stereotypical representations of the two genders - an overly emotional, distressed woman and two men that seem in control of the situation, and not too bothered, but in my opinion too few characters have been shown at this point to gauge the overall representations.

Shortly after this scene, these stereotypes are shattered when we hear the diagetic sound of a JCB truck, and on screen it is revealed that another female character is driving it. Although a male character - who I assume to be the protagonist due to the amount of screen time and close up shots he recieves - at one point shouts instructions at her, she seems to be completely confident in her ability to resolve the situation, or at least help him out. In the rest of the clip, this woman is shown to be strong through her association with the most loud and powerful diagetic sounds  - the sound of the JCB truck, the sound of the rifle being shot

The Narrative, Protagonist and Antagonist

The Protagonist

 The protagonist within a narrative, whether in film, television or books, is the main character whom the plot revolves around. Although typically a hero or heroine that the audience would root for, it is also possible for the protagonist to be an antihero, or just an average person that the story is based around. 

The Antagonist

 The antagonist of a narrative is the character who's the main opponent of the protagonist. They may be, fighting against the 'hero' of the story, or may create obstacles that distance the protagonist and their goal. However, this could change if the main character of the narrative is a villain plotting destruction, then the antagonist would be the person trying to stop them.

The Narrative

 Th

The Prestige - 9 Frame Analysis

The Prestige Opening Scene from Media Clips on Vimeo.

In this frame, we see the title in a bold white font over a shot of many black top hats lying on the floor of a woods. This odd combination of item and setting indicates that this film may be mysterious; the fact that it is quite dark / shadowy would also support this idea. The hats are not placed carefully, instead seem to have landed there naturally or just appeared, and they also look like classic magician's hats, which might be a hint at the plot of the film.

In the second frame I have selected, we see a male character, who I presume to be one of the main characters of the film due to the camera's focus on him. He is holding a small yellow bird in his hand, and is talking about the steps of a magic trick. I think that there might be connotations in that the small bird is trapped, it may indicate that even the most innocent tricks / acts of entertainment have a victim.

The little girl in this frame is the audience of the other character's magic trick, her expression is curious and she looks happy to be there. Her surroundings are dark, but there are lights and the colours are all warm (yellows, deep browns and red). Her style of dress is very old fashioned - she is wearing a pastel coloured blouse with a full frilly collar and her hair is pulled back neatly - and she also looks quite wealthy. I think she may represent the point of view of the viewer - left in the dark and trying to figure out the mystery.

In this frame, the scene has changed completely and we have another male character which the camera is also focusing on. I think he might be a main character in another story / another part of the story, indicating that this film may have a multi-strand narrative.  He appears on a stage with a spotlight on him, dressed in a smart suit, holding a baton - a typical magician's costume. In contrast to the other magician, who was performing a small scale trick to a little girl, this character is clearly a showman or a performer and is in front of a huge crowd. I think that this is meant to show the audience the difference in their personalities - humble and wise, compare to bold and outwardly confident.

Here we have the introduction of another character, perhaps a third main character? It is interesting that a protagonist and antagonist has not yet been established, particularly since so many characters have been shown. In my opinion, this is part of creating the enigma code of the narrative - leaving the audience wondering why all of these characters are being focused on. There only seems to be the theme of magic connecting the three - maybe this will bring about conflict (or even friendship) later on in the film. The character shown here raises his hand to volunteer to check that the equipment onstage is as it appears. He is wearing a dark suit, but also black gloves which tells me he might be suspicious and have another motive for wanting to go onstage.

In this frame, the magician is performing his act onstage, he gets shocked by blue bolts of electricity which come from the contraption above him. This shows that this magician is a risk taker, and works hard to impress his audience - if he is willing to go to these lengths, he is probably somebody who is also competitive and wants to be the best.

The character who was previously an audience member is now backstage, confronting a man who questioned why he was there. Obviously, he is not meant to be there, therefore the audience is left wondering what he is doing and why he is so jumpy / on edge as soon as somebody gets in his way. The other man pulls his wig and false beard off, leaving us knowing he was wearing a disguise. Previously calm, the character has suddenly switched to being very angry, showing that he has a short temper when people try to get in the way of what he wants.

In this frame, it has switched back to the first scene we saw, with the little girl and the older man who made the bird disappear. He then completes the trick and the bird reappears on his hand. The little girl is mesmerised as he is doing this, and after the trick has finished, she claps and is extremely happy. I think that this scene symbolises the full circle of a magic trick as it is meant to be - the audience is left thrilled and happy, and the outcome was as expected.

In contrast, the last frame I have chosen shows the performer has fallen down into a tank of water and cannot escape. He is silently screaming, panicking and drowning as the other character watches through the glass. The fact that the second character doesn't also panic and try to help shows the audience that the two do not have a positive relationships, and the trick may have failed due to the second character's interference. Maybe they are competitors, or maybe the man outside the tank is out for revenge (he is in shadow, which indicates to me that he may be the antagonist in the narrative and the drowning man may be the protagonist).

Submarine - Film Activity

Through having Oliver speak directly to the audience through voiceover, I think that we are able to empathise more with him and understand his actions. It brings a different feel to the film; it adds personality and quirkiness, and allows us to experience the events as if we were involved in them. Therefore, I think the film engages the audience more than it would have without Oliver's narration. Also, in my opinion, the voiceover is what makes the film so funny - Oliver's dry, witty and sometimes precocious lines are the film's best feature!

There is definitely a gap between how Oliver sees himself and the reality that we see onscreen! His self pity and self importance is hilarious, but at the same time his view on life is quite bleak and sad. He talks almost as if the world revolves around him - however at the same time his humour is quite self depricating - and he seems to think he can orchestrate everybody's life and solve everyone's problems. Contrary to what I would expect, this makes him very likeable and real and also makes the audience sympathise with the awkward situations he finds himself in. I also think that everybody could relate to thinking that you've the ability to solve every problem in the world, whereas in reality you have trouble sorting your own ones out!

I think that the film is quite literary in a few ways; it has a clear beginning, middle and end, it is narrated by the main character and it sets the scene in quite a lot of detail. In addition to this, it reminds me of books that are set out like a journal or diary; it's very personal and the impression you're given of each character comes from the point of view of one person (Oliver). However, I think that there are many things that stand out in the film that could not be in a book; the music, the quick cuts between different clips, the freeze frames as a character is introduced or a scene is described by Oliver.

I think it is important for British films to show real landscapes / cityscapes of everyday life, because it makes the film easier for the audience to relate to, and it allows them to 'see themselves' in the characters more. Although more 'grand' landscapes may be necessary in some films, in films like 'Submarine' where it's intended to be realistic and personal, it's much better to include places which are more recognizable to the people watching. In this film, I don't think an overly polished location, or one that was too run-down or gritty would have fit in with the tone of the humour / irony used.

Submarine - Before Watching The Film UNFINISHED

Before watching the film 'Submarine', I looked at some of the director Richard Ayoade's previous work directing music videos. The videos I looked at were for Kasabian's 'Vlad The Impaler', Arctic Monkey's 'Fluorescent Adolescent' and Vampire Weekend's 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'. I saw definate similarities between the style in which these videos was filmed and that of 'Submarine'. For example, the colours were bold but not bright and vivid, instead they are dull and drained out.

Planning for Preliminary Task - Script

INT: Hall in Curie Block
We see a long shot of character 1 walking down the hallway, through a small crowd of people. They are carrying a school bag and approaching a classroom. As they near the classroom, they turn to their right.


Character 1: [Tired/Fed up expression, unenthusiastic about carrying the heavy bag]

Medium shot of character 1's back as she opens the door to the classroom and walks in.


Medium shot of Character 1 entering the room from the other side of the door (face on to camera), shuts the door behind her. Walks towards a table, sits down and puts her bag on the floor.


Character 1: [Sits down on chair, looking bored]


Shot of crowd walking in corridor, diagetic sound of crowd.
Changes back to medium close up of character 1 in classroom.


Character 1: [Typing on her phone, puts phone away in pocket, crosses arms and leans on her hand]


We hear the door opening and change to a shot of Character 2 coming into the room, carrying a plastic bag. She puts the bag on the table whilst sitting down.


Shots then alternate between the two characters for their conversation


Character 1: 'Hey, how are you?'
Character 2: 'I'm good thanks, how are you?
Character 1: 'I'm just stressing over exams'
Character 2: 'This is for you'
Character 1: 'Oh, is that for me?'
Character 2: 'Yeah, Happy Birthday!'
Character 1: 'Aww, thank you!'

Planning for Preliminary Task - Shot List

1. Long shot of character 1 walking down the corridor, going past people. They will be walking towards the camera.
2. Medium close-up of character's back as they turn to enter the room.
3. Medium shot of character as they enter the room, closing the door (need to ensure continuity of actions) and walking towards a table. Close-up of character sitting down at the table and putting her bags down on the floor.
4. Another long shot of the crowd in the corridor, with diagetic sound
5. Close-up of character typing on phone keyboard and then putting her phone away in her pocket.
6. Medium shot of another character entering the room, following them until they reach the table that the other character is sitting at.
7. Shot of both characters (one sitting, one standing), standing character puts a plastic bag on the table and then sits down
8. Alternating close ups of the two characters as they have a conversation
9. Close-up of character as she is about to look in bag

Planning for Preliminary Task - Storyboard UNFINISHED

 

Types of Camera Shot

Extreme Long Shot

• Also know as an establishing shot, it's purpose is usually to let the audience know where and when the scene is taking place. 
• It is often an exterior shot / shot set outside
• Any characters in the scene may be visible, but only from a distance.

Long Shot

• Often follows an establishing shot
• Could show the character , let the audience see them from head to toe
• Hints at the relationship between the character and their environment

Mid Shot

• Often follows a long shot
• Shows half a characters body (eg; waist up) 
• Allows the audience to see the character's facial expressions and body language in more detail, which may help them to figure out their motives or intentions and their 
• Audience become slightly more familiar with the character

Two Shot

• Shows two characters
• Let's audience know the relationship between these two characters

Close-up

• Close-up of a character would mean that you can see their head and shoulders
• See the character's emotions and clearly see their facial expressions 
• Can also be used to show the significance of an object 

Point of View

• Would be shown after a close-up shot of a character, to indicate whose point of view we are following
• Audience sees a significant object or the surroundings / action / other characters from the view point of a character
• This can help to put the audience in the characters position, so that they can better understand their motives. 

Extreme Close-up

• Shows only the characters face, and may focus on a particular feature, such as their eyes
• Draws the audience into the characters emotions
• Adds intensity to the scene, as it blocks out any other action or surroundings
• Focus completely on that character 

 
 

Own Film Idea - First Two Minutes of The Film

Film Pitch

Eden Lake

Eden Lake

Film Questions Homework

1. What does a director do?

 A director works with the writers and producers to convert their ideas into something that would be possible to film. A well known or respected director can help to create interest in the project and attract actors and financial backing. The director also decides which pictures will best convey the story to the audience, working together with each department to ensure that everybody has an idea of how the finished project should look. They must ensure that they get the actors to give their best performances and decide in which order the scenes will be shot.

2. What comes first, script or finance?

At least a rough draft of the script would need to be written up before financing, because the team that are making the film would need a clear idea of what the film was about, it's intended audience, cast and location before pitching the idea to a company for funding. After this, the script can be developed and finalised.

3. How can casting help the film get made?

 Casting can help to attract financial backing for a film project and ensure interest in the film. Well known actors will bring more attention to the film due to media and press coverage - this will usually mean that there will be more of an audience 'buzz' and people will be eager to see it.

4. Who is responsible for marketing?

The marketing team is responsible for the marketing of a new film. They identify the best audience for the film, and find the film's unique selling point to attract this audience and make the film stand out from others of a similar genre. Their main job is to persuade audiences to go to see the film and ensure that it does as well as it can.

5. Where do ideas for films come from?

There are many possible sources of inspiration for films. Some may be inspired by previous work by other people, such as adaptations of books and remakes of past films. Others may be taken from a news story or current world events, touching upon issues which are affecting the world, which people may show an interest in. Also, some films are made from original ideas from a screenwriter or director.

6. How does a film reach the right audience?


The film can reach it's intended audience through many means such as advertisements, posters, trailers and media / press coverage. The internet is also a valuable tool in reaching people, especially if bloggers / users of social networks are talking about it. 

Case Study; Working Title

Working Title films is a British film production company that was founded in 1983 by Sarah Radclyffe and Tim Bevan. However in 1992, Radclyffe decided to leave and was replaced by an independant film producer called Eric Fellner. The company's headquarters is based in Marylebone in London, England, but also works from Ireland and Los Angeles. It has been responsible for producing some of Britain's most successful modern films, such as Notting Hill, Bridget Jones' Diary and Shaun of The Dead.

Three films that working title have made in the past five years are;

• Atonement, which is a romantic war film released in 2007,  directed by Joe Wright and starring Keira Knightly, James McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan. The film made $129,266,061 from a budget of $30 million.
• Paul, which is a science fiction comedy released in 2010, directed by Greg Mottola and starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and the voice of Seth Rogen. The film made $97,552,050 from a budget of $40 million
• State of Play, which is a political thriller, directed by Kevin Macdonald and starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck and Rachael McAdams. The film made $91,445,389 from a budget of $60 million.
• 
  

City of God Opening UNFINISHED

The first minute of this film is very fast paced, the editing of the clips is choppy and the music has a fast and repetitive beat. Where people are shown, the camera is usually below them, looking upwards, making them look more intimidating, whereas the chickens are shot straight on.

The harsh metal of the knife contrasts against the happy expressions on people's faces. The sound of it sharpening against the rock cuts through the happy music.

There are lots of sound effects used along with the music to create a busy atmosphere.  As we finish following the chicken run away, a pool of blood on a white plate suddenly appears. Once the plate of blood is shown, the editing slows down and the music stops abruptly. Instead we are left with the diagetic sound of the scene - the chickens squawking, people moving, then a man shouting.

He commands that everybody go after an escaped chicken. His voice is loud and clear, but not aggressive in tone.

Delicatessen Opening UNFINISHED

The film opens with a man sharpening a knife, we can hear the metal sharpener and knife scraping together and it make a really grating and uncomfortable sound. The viewer will immediately associate the knife and apron with the job of a butcher, but his menacing expression would suggest there is more to this than him doing his job.

The colours used throughout are all overly brown / yellow toned, which - along with the movement of the camera through the tunnels, makes it a little nauseating to watch.
The background music helps to build tension, and the continuous scraping of the knife keeps the image of the butcher in mind.





The close up shots of the man hiding in the bin are all extremely dark, you can only see his eyes, which look strained and yellow.

Opening of 'Three Colours: Blue'

Denotation - 

The first thing we see as the film opens is an extreme close up of the back of a car wheel as it drives along a busy road. The light dulls and then brightens as the car travels through tunnels, similarly the sound gets distorted each time the light dulls. As a female hand then holds a circular sheet of foil outside of an open car window, we hear it flapping in the wind and as it turns one side appears metallic silver and the other a dull blue colour. 

The car then passes through a longer tunnel; the sound becomes more surreal and distorted. The camera focuses on a young girl gazing out of the rear window, her expression is distant and reflective. Meanwhile, out of focus rows of light in the tunnel are seen in the background and reflected in the window.

Suddenly, the scene changes as the cars stops on the side of a road - it is now lighter, I would take a guess that it is early morning due to the bright, but cold, light. We hear the opening of a car door, as the young girl gets out and wanders away from the car. The view moves to the driver stretching and yawning whilst standing next to the car. The camera then focuses on an extreme close-up of a pipe underneath the car, from which a liquid is slowly dripping. We hear the quiet sound of dripping, which is then overpowered by a woman shouting for Anna to hurry up. I presume that Anna is the young girl, this is her mother calling for her and the driver is her father. At this point, the heavy focus on the pipe throughout the entire scene, even as Anna returns to the car (she is seen as a very blurry, out of focus shape in the background) indicates that it is a significant point in the plot and may be the catalyst of some of the events to come. 

  

The car sets off again and the next thing we see is a close up of somebody's hand playing with a toy. As the camera zooms out, we learn that it is in fact a teenage boy sitting as the side of a road with a skateboard. As with the entire opening so far, there are no non-diagetic sounds in this scene, only the faint sound of traffic and the constant tapping of his toy.  The focus moves to the car driving out of some nearby mist, and then moves back to the boy as we heard a skidding sound followed by a loud crash and an animal screeching. We then see that the car has crashed into a tree, and hear steam hissing and coming out of the windows and doors. This is followed by another shot of the boy picking up his skateboard, then a zoomed out shot of the mist as we hear the fading sound of footsteps walking away. 

Overall the opening for this film is mysterious and atmospheric, it is slow moving, almost dreamlike at times and doesn't give too much of the plot away. I notice that all of the sounds used are diagetic, which I think adds to the rawness and coldness of the scene.  

Connotation -

•  As the dripping pipe underneath the car is shown, the dripping clearly signifies something will go wrong. It could also symbolise their time running out / dripping away and the gradual loss of their lives from this point to the crash.
•  The tempo of the dripping sound matches the tempo of the sound made by the boy's toy, reminding the audience that although the danger isn't currently shown, it is still present. 

•  The change in lighting from the dark tunnel to the cold, bright light of early morning shows that their journey was a long one, which is confirmed when the driver stretches and yawns.

Opening Five Minutes of 'Casanova' (2005) - My Description

 

The film opens with a blank black screen, onto which appears the name of the writer, director, film studio and finally the title of the film. All of these credits are written in an ornate font in an aged-looking cream colour. The audience next sees the back of a man, who is sitting at a desk, writing in what appears to be a diary. The camera slowly zooms in to this diary, until we can see the tip of his quill moving along the paper. There is only soft candlelight, but the settings are perfectly visible and so is the fact that this character is dressed in elaborate period costume, which is a clear indication that this film will be set in the past. 

A male voice then starts speaking over the scene as a narration - he says that he is writing his life story, which would be one woman for every page, however there is one he hasn't written about yet - Francesca. He says this name with fondness, so the audience can gather than this may be the one woman who he was truly in love with, therefore the genre of the film will be romance. Throughout this scene, soft and orchestral music was played in the background, which adds to both the historical and romantic themes.

The scene then changes to a close up of a woman rowing a boat, with her son. It set at night, so the only thing that is clear is the worried expression on the woman's face as she uses the oars to push them nearer to the land. We then see a wide shot of the tiny boat in a large area of water, signifying that they still have a long journey. The only sound during this scene is that of the character's breath and the movement of water.

We then change scenes again, as the woman and the young boy arrived on land. The camera turns to match the character's points of view, and we see a cottage-like house from which a woman hurries out and welcomes them inside. From this point, the classical music fades in once again until it is loud enough to be heard clearly without obscuring the dialogue. Through this dialogue, we learn that these three people are grandmother, mother and son, as the mother explains to her son that he will be staying with his grandmother. The camera focuses on the little boy and we then see a close up of her assuring him that one day he will return to Venice.  Once she has left, the camera follows the busy grandmother as she tells the boy that his mother will return when she has died. As we see a shot of the boy looking out the window, she says that it's 'Not her fault, it's in the blood, the heat for love is irresistible'. The boy repeats the word 'Irresistible' and we then see a very long shot of the view from the window he is looking out of.

From the first five minutes of this film, the audience can gather a lot of information about what to expect from the film. It is clear that it is a romance, and that the main character is a man who was a serial cheat before finding love.  

Opening Five Minutes of 'The Descent' (2005) - My Description

 

The film opens with the titles and clips to represent each production company (Lionsgate, Pathe, Celador) - 

although the Lionsgate title has an image of turning cogs and the sound effects to match this, the others are shown in complete silence. This is extremely eerie and is helping to build tension before the film has even started; it also hints at the film's genre being suspense or horror. 

We then see three women on a raft going at a high speed down a rapidly moving river, they are shouting out in excitement and appear to be having fun, whilst a man and child are standing on the bank to cheer them on. This scene appears to be quite joyful, however the colours used in their surroundings (blue lifejackets, a blue raft, pale sky, icy grey water and a dull green forest) are all cool toned colours. This means that, what on the surface appears to be a happy scene, is set against a very chilling backdrop and an almost hollow atmosphere is being created by the lack of music (the focus is transferred to their screams and the sound of the waves). 

As their journey becomes much more turbulent, their screams get louder and the camera alternates between a  wide shot of the boat and background and a closer shot of the women's faces. The latter shot appears to be from the perspective of somebody on the boat,  helping to create a building tension as the viewer is placed in the scene.

Some credits appear alternately at the top left and bottom right of the screen in fragile-looking, thin white characters. 

As the boat reaches the bank, the camera focuses separately on each of the women, but concentrates on one of them who greets her husband and daughter. This leads the audience to assume she will be the main character in this film. We then skip to a shot of the family in their car, the woman is talking in a calm and caring way to her daughter and I can also hear other cars passing them. The man's facial expressions indicate he is frustrated and the camera focuses more on him as he insists nothing is wrong. Everybody is looking at somebody else inside the car and suddenly the camera angle changes as we see a car driving towards them. This car unexpectedly collides head on with them and a loud smashing can be heard, this is a very shocking scene and gives the audience an idea of the terrifying twists and turns they can expect (or won't be expecting!) throughout the film. However, other than this, the opening of 'The Descent' is vague, and although it is effective in creating an tense atmosphere, it leaves the plotline very much a mystery.

Opening 5 Minutes of 'Sucker Punch'

The film opens with a darkened stage, all that is visible are some surrounding lamps which cast soft light onto the ornate bronze front of the stage. A woman's voice begins to speak in a soft and calm tone, she talks about everybody having a guardian angel - which could take any form - who are there to remind us that we have control over our life. There is also a song playing faintly in the background; once the voice stops, the volume of this song increases. The names of the production companies (Warner Bros Pictures, Legendary Pictures)/ their logos appear on the red curtain that is hanging down from the top of the stage, both company logos are bronze to compliment the aged colour scheme.

The curtains part and we see a bedroom, with a girl sitting on the bed facing the wall. The camera moves in towards the girl, and then pans around to the front of her face. Through her facial expressions, the girl appears nervous as she looks at a man standing in an open doorway who shakes his head as she gets up and runs past him. Both characters are wearing unusual costumes, which look slightly old fashioned, but with a futuristic twist. The camera shows her back as she is running down the hallway , then we switch to another camera which shows her running out of the shadows in the background as it is focused on a character in the foreground covering a body with a white sheet. All of the scenes of her running are in slow motion, which allows the audience to pick up on her every movement and facial expression.

The music has now become very loud and there are absolutely no sound effects,which makes the scene  slightly surreal. There is another younger girl looking at the bed, who collapses in grief and is comforted by the older girl. The camera then rotates, moves upwards and then pans down to show the face of the body that is being covered. At this point, the scene is very dark, and the only light is a flickering dark blue one coming from the storm outside; suddenly the film has become very nightmare-like.

These opening scenes have given the audience an idea of what the film may be about, mostly through the narration at the very beginning. From the amount of time the camera spent focused on her throughout these five minutes, we can also gather that the girl we see sitting on the bed will be a significant character in the film. In addition to this, the surreal use of slow motion, costume and music hints that the film may be in the genre of 'fantasy'.

''Understanding the Media Is Vital To Modern Life'

In my opinion, understanding media is vital to modern life, simply because most of our lives revolve around media in one form or another. Whether it's watching the TV at home, reading a magazine on the train or using the internet at work, it takes up a significant percentage of our time. This undoubtedly means that it will influence everything; from how we feel about current social issues, our opinion of ourselves and other people, to our ambitions and politic views.

An example would be, without knowledge of how to use the internet for communication, you would not only be missing the chance to meet new people from across the world who share your interests, but would risk losing contact with distant friends and family members for whom internet is their main means of worldwide communication. Recent studies in American have shown that Americans spend a quarter of their time online on social networking sites (source), and I am sure that this percentage will continue to increase each year. Personally, I have first talked to many of my friends through the internet (even those I'd seen in person beforehand) rather than face to face as it is easier to find people with common interests and to 'break the ice'.

Also, not understanding how to use media to it's full potential could affect your future job opportunities. For most companies, media platforms are their sole / main means of marketing and they would want to employ somebody who knew how to reach the largest possible audience. This is now applicable to jobs in most fields, as every business manager knows about the important of creating an online buzz about their company through advertisements and posts by bloggers.

In addition to this, it is important to understand how portrayals of certain groups of people in TV and films can shape society's opinions of them. For example, characters on TV can help to break stereotypes, educate people about the lives of others and therefore these shows can encourage acceptance and empathy within their audience. The media can help to open people's eyes to different ways of life and cultures that they may not come across in their 'real' day to day lives.

On the other hand, many negative things come from the media, such as sensationalist news, reducing face-to-face interaction and the rapid spread of false or malicious information. However, in my opinion, for every bad thing that comes from understanding and utilizing different forms of media, there at dozens of benefits. In addition to this, a better understanding of media and how it works could help you to learn how to avoid these pitfalls.

You could argue that 'vital' is too strong of a word to use because you could still live your life, socialize and learn without the media. Saying that understanding the media would be 'beneficial' to modern life may be more accurate, however as the media, technology and media influence grows each year, you would undeniably be missing so many opportunities that others around you have. Therefore it is absolutely vital if you want to truly embrace modern life.