Task two - Game trailer analysis

Dead island 

Firstly the logos appearing at the beginning of the game advert clearly indicate its authenticity , for such major brands to be putting there name to this game it already indicates before the advert has begun that this is a trustworthy and credible game as if it not it would not have such strong sponsors. The fact the game is also indicated as copyrighted it indicates it is in keeping with the law and if you were to buy it this would not break any sales laws involved . The music behind the advert is slow and almost opera like this is out of convention with the theme of the game , this being zombies attacking, as such creatures are generally associated with danger and fear indicating loud , frightening music would be used opposed to this.  Therefore to change this concept around and to go in the opposite direction the game has already caught our attention from the word go. When it comes to the narrative of the advert it is very much represented as a film advert as it contains many film conventions such as an open narrative . this being a girl and her family being attacked by zombies and failing to escape and also a variety of quick jumps and transitions between past and present e.g when the little girl is show at the end of the advert happy before she is attacked whereas the other parts of the advert are predominately her getting attacked in the future tense. The advert makers have also captured the audience through the use of gore e.g when the zombies are chasing the little girl. This catches the attention of those who love such graphics and therefore already the game is reaching its vast target audience , this being the older generation and predominately boys ,before it has even told us any information visually or verbally about the game. The certificate of the film is also clearly shown in the advert , in this case it is an eighteen this is vitally important as without this the advert would be viewed as inconsistent as it would not have clearly indicated the audience it intends to sell to , this being the elder generation and such conventions of a game advert are always needed and necessary. Finally the edits in the game advert are fast paced and quick this builds anticipation in itself as it creates the fast paced mood of the game and the fear it embodies as a whole.

Task 2 - Analysis of a short film

Craig Devine film - This is the life 


The short film itself seems to be an autobiography as the main characters name is similar to Craigs name. We also know from background information that this short film is representative of his own personal life. The narrative of the storyline tackles the idea of a family containing a mom a sister and a brother receiving there father home from prison. 


The short film is filmed in familiar settings to the characters and also to the audience . Such settings include a house and outside a school this is in keeping with conventions of a short film as they generally take place in familiar / normal settings for the characters and the audience in order for the audience to be able to relate to the film. The camera shots show that the film is set in a working-class area as the types of houses and the rubbish outside each house conveys the idea of how the working class stereotypically live. This is also implied by the characters costumes as the boy is in trainers with his school uniform signifying the idea that his mom can not afford to buy him the proper uniform , suggesting therefore they do not have a lot of money. This is also suggested by the boys uniform as it is scruffy and looks old creating the idea his background isn't one full of wealth as his presentation is poor. The theme of a working class family is also signified further by the lack of there father as the mother states he will be home today . This is stereotypical of working class families as they are known highly for living in lone parent families. The family is also indicated as working class through the use of their eating habits the low angle shot of them eating dinner on there laps in front of the TV indicate they are not of a middle class background as middle class people stereotypically eat at a table with the telly of and this family is doing the complete opposite. 


The camera shots are predominately hand held. This may have been done to add a sense of realism to the whole film as it is a documentary technique and is generally not seen highly in films. It becomes clear that there dad has been in prison when he is eating walkers crisps and claims he has missed them . Such a line hints at there father having been in prison as such food is generally not allowed in such circumstances , plus the mom also states that she thought it would be easier when he got home suggesting that where he has been is not a nice place as she has been struggling at home with her children.The edits used by Craig are predominately long edits this is used clearly to highlight the feel of the short film. As the film is only around five minutes long it is a short time to get the emotion and understanding into the time limit . Therefore by using longer edits Craig allows us as an audience to absorb the feel of the film and truly understand the moods involved within the whole production. 


The whole short film switches moods rapidly in such a short space of time for example in once scene the sister creates fun which is shown by the shopping trolley indicating a sense of recklessness as this has nothing necessarily to do with the main plot line of the short film but it may have been added to balance the whole mood of the film itself so that the audience feel they have had an overall experience. 


In the scene where the dad and son drive the car together craig makes it clear that this is an important moment in the plot line as they are making up through this fun act . Therefore this fun , sweet scene has been added in order to highlight who the characters are and what they have been through. 


Craig devine has actually been clever with his camera angles. For example in the probation office at the end of the short film when the father is actually clarified as having gone to prison he uses an angle which allows just his face to be seen rather then the office. Therefore you do not always have to have the equipment and space to make a short film work as you are fully convinced this man is with a probation officer. 

How to structure a short film

Short films 

When making a short film structure is the most important thing in helping towards the film look how it should do. You also have to consider what kind of movie it will be e.g experimental. You also have to consider what genre the film will be. The length of a short film is vitally important as if you go over a certain time frame the film is no longer classed as a short film but a feature film . It is also important when thinking about the plot of the film and the structure because more can be done with more time. Short films are usually four to ten minutes long but no longer then thirty minutes. 

Plot - when it comes to the plot of a short film it can not be a complete plot instead it should be a snapshot of a characters life.  Short films also tend to throw the audience into the action and there is no need for explanation in the lead up to the setting.  Plus there is no time or need for character development. You then have to think about a problem the short film will tackle and you actually have to decide who the characters are and how the audience will relate to them and how will the audience recognise this . Finally you have to think where would the film go if it is actually turned into a feature film. However the main guideline to follow when making a short film is to keep it simple and make sure there is substance over style. 

Task 2= Analysis of music videos

Damien Rice - The Blowers daughter

Performance style = acoustic
Narrative = The music video follows a linear storyline and is about a man who cannot simply stop loving this one person and because of this his mind is possessed by her and so he cannot find anybody new.

Casting and characters = Jude law and Julia Roberts in footage from a film and Damien Rice and a female actress. 
Mise en scene = The music video is filmed upon a isolated sea front. This may be in order to signify the isolation this man feels because he is trapped by his love and therefore he cannot escape the place where she is, in this case on the sea front. The costumes consist of dour clothes and rain macs this implies that because the weather is stormy and is rough as it is raining there relationship has also been through rough times to. The use of heavy waves in the  camera shots and a cloudy sky is symbolic of this mans mood because as the lyrics state he cannot take his eyes of her or move on and therefore his vision is clouded like the sky is obstructed by the clouds.
Editing and images /sound and camera work.
Throughout the music video the footage skips from film footage of a film containing both Julia Roberts and Jude law who in the clip are evidently in love. This therefore signifies straightaway that the music video has gone down the path of a love theme due to what the lyrics entail. This footage then fades to the footage of Damien Rice singing to a girl. This follows the music video convention a performance as he as a artist is performing a song. However he has combined two different types of music video as the footage also plays out a storyline of him being obsessed with this particular girl . The cuts from the footage of the film to the music video is very slow in keeping with the slow pace of the song. The majority of the shots of Damien singing are close ups of his face. This has been done it seems in order to convey the emotion embedded in the song and the pain this man feels. There is also various over the shoulder shots and two shots in order to show the proximity between the man and the women This is because throughout the music video he becomes closer and closer to her but never actually reaches her . Therefore these two shots may have been used in order to help the storyline along and show that no matter how close he gets to her he never actually reaches her. This being symbolic of this women he loves being unreachable to him not matter how much he loves her. The music video also contains some highly effective establishing shots of the sea front where the music video is shot. This seems to have been done in order to show the actual isolation of the stormy place and therefore how alone Damien really is and how lost in love he is.
Animation /technology= 
Damien Rice has gone down the path of using no actual animations in his music video it seems on first glance however the sky may have been re enhanced through computer technology in order to clearly achieve a feeling of gloom and misery to the music video.







Beyonce - Best thing i never had

Performance style = solo performance
Casting and characters = Beyonce , wedding guests , husband and ex boyfriend

Narrative = The narrative is non linear. This is because Beyonce in her music video is telling a story therefore the video contains various flashbacks in Beyonces characters past e.g at prom . The narrative relates to the lyrics about how Beyonces character was to be married to a man but they broke up and how she is looking over there past together because now she is marrying another man and her ex boyfriend is as the lyrics say the " Best thing she never had".
Mise en scene = In the opening of the music video Beyonce is seen getting ready. The clothes she is wearing are of the colour white suggesting the event she is preparing for is a wedding as traditionally white is the colour the Bride wears. As she is shown putting on her wedding dress and a tiara it becomes evident that she is the bride to be as such items of clothing could be meant for no other occasion but a wedding. Some of the footage in the music video is filmed outside as the sun is setting , this is symbolic of the fact that the sun is setting on her past relationship as she now enters marriage with another man.

The other settings in the music video such as a party room and in a dressing room are very bright and colourful. This is symbolic of the happiness that is stereotypically associated with a wedding day because like the room being bright all the guests and the husband and wife are meant to be feeling happy to. The outside shots of Beyonce in a large open space may have been used in order to show the freedom that Beyonce now has because she has escaped the relationship she was once in. 
Editing in images and sound/camera work

The music video consists largely of fast cuts that sometimes slow to a medium pace ,which in turn keep in synchronisation with the music. The camera work used in this particular music video varies greatly . There are many close ups of Beyonces face as she sings in order to display clearly the emotion the song holds. Half way through the music video there is a low angle shot of Beyonce when she is outside singing this may have been used in order to show Beyonce dominance and how she is in control maybe of the music video or it could be of the relationship in the videos storyline.

The majority of the wedding scenes are filmed in hand held shots this seems to have been used in order to add a sense of realism to the video in order to create the idea that an actual wedding is happening and like with all weddings it is being recorded . Therefore this convention used here fits greatly in with the wedding storyline present in the video. Finally the long shot at the end of the music video showing Beyonce walking away is symbolic of Beyonce fully leaving the past relationship behind and moving on mentally as well as physically.

Take that - Back for good
Performance style- Band performance 


Casting and Characters- The band members = Robbie , Gary , Jason , Howard and Mark

Narrative - The narrative takes place on a film set. The story seems to embody the band members feeling down and miserable as they have lost a girl and now they regret it and want her back. Through the use of the sound stage and the black and white colours in the music video the storyline seems to embody a storyline within itself this being the boys being in a film as many hints e.g film lights and film conventions are present e.g a dramatic storyline suggest this.

Mise en scene - The boys in the music video are wearing dark clothes this may have been used in order to convey the mood of the music video this being a dark and saddening mood as the connotation of dark things is usually sadness. Throughout the music video it is raining this may have been done in order to mirror the mood also as the boys are meant to be feeling down and fed up and the rain could be a metaphor for there spirits being dampened.

The black and white image used throughout the music video may have been used in order to keep in convention with the narrative of the storyline of the boys acting in a film as such an effect is generally associated with old Hollywood films this is further suggested by the props used in the music video such as fake lighting because such equipment is used in a film production, therefore signifying the boys are acting for the camera. However the whole wet image may have been used in order to stay in convention with what a boy band entails as such groups are meant to be icons for teenage girls and therefore they must encompass this look in order to gain fans. 

Editing in images and sound - The edits in the music video are generally fast paced this may have been done in order to give each band member there full screen time. The edits are also in sync with who is singing for example if Gary is singing the camera cuts to him then when Robbie sings the camera will cut to him instead. Therefore in general the edits are done to the sound of the music and the pace of the music to. The edits include a lot of effects such as fade in and out this may have been done to make the music video dramatic and in keeping with the storyline of the boys acting in a film or mirroring the dramatic mood they are feeling after losing this girl. 

Camera work - Throughout the music video the camera shots vary greatly. At the peak of the song there are numerous close ups of the boys this may have been done to show the emotion they are feeling as they sing along to the song and therefore the close ups are used in order to display what the meaning of the song  actually is . There is also numerous shots of the rain falling down in order to mirror the dampened spirits of the boys as it is evident from the lyrics of the song they are feeling exactly like the weather, this being  dampened and dismal.

There is also the use of backwards tracking in the music video this was probably used in order to keep in line with the dramatic feel of the music video and how it is like an actual film being filmed. This is because all the way through the music video both movement and camera work are dramatic and exaggerated. This could also have been used to show the strength of the emotion the boys are feeling as they sing along to the song. 

Johnny Cash Music video analysis

Hurt

As the music video begins it is evident from the very start that the images and camera shots used cut to the beat of the music. An example of this is the opening montage of objects such as Christ and fruit decaying which appear on the screen and cut away in accordance to the music itself. The majority of the music video is Johnny Cash in his house, which looks highly expensive, surrounded by decay in the form of fruit and food and dour figurines such as Christ dying on the cross. This could be symbolic of how Johnny’s life has always been full of darkness and death something the lyrics of the song relates to. Therefore it is evident that in this particular music video Johnny is telling the story of his life through the lyrics.

The shot then changes to a close up of Johnny playing his guitar symbolising the idea that Johnny’s life has always been full of music, this also mirrors the song itself as it is a song about life and in Cash’s' case music is and has been his life. The fact Johnny is wearing black in this shot is symbolic as he is known by all as the man in black. This particular convention used in the music video may have been used in keeping with Cash’s' public persona this being someone who always does unconventional things. The black clothes however have a strong connection with the song as it is about grief and heartbreak things highly associated with the colour black as it is a mourning colour.

Johnny cash is singing away from the camera almost like an interview style, this also fits in with the classic convention of making a music video a story. This is because by making the video have an interview feel to it ,it is almost like a last confession of Johnny’s as the lyrics talk of ill made decisions and broken regrets and he is conveying this to the audience. However as he is not breaking the forth wall it deepens the story as such a convention suggests he is so ashamed of his behaviour he cannot bear to bear all to everyone and look them in the eyes .Through the use of synthetic light which lights up the guitar and his face it clearly highlights where are attention should be as the song is very emotional and painful we have to look at Johnny’s face to clearly see this.

 
The camera then switches to a shot of the American flag implying that Johnny cash is proud of being American. Therefore a personal touch has been allowed to be added to the music video. the video then displays footage of the House of Cash which is a museum dedicated to his life’s work. The footage shows close ups of broken records and basically a place gone to pure waste. This poses the symbolic question has his star light gone to? This is further implied by the close up of a sign saying closed to the public.

As Johnny sings the line "I remember everything" a parallel between the lyrics and the music video appears once more as a flashback sequence follows, full of archive footage of Cash through his years at home and at work. Suggesting that he still remembers all of the life he has lived both public and private. This then changes to a side close up of Johnny performing now and then a quick flashback to Johnny in his prime with his children .This may have been done to show how far Johnny has really come and what he has turned into , who it seems through the lyrics of the song is a broken man.

The line that continues the song "everyone goes away in the end" brings the image of his mother in a photo frame into focus in close up form in order to signify the fact that he truly has lost people around him in his persona life. The shots that follow are of Cash performing and on his TV to show how much Johnny Cash actually had and like how the song states it has been all for nothing because it means nothing to him and now he is left in this sad state. The use of integrated images of broken records may also have been used to mirror how like his records he too is broken "I will make you hurt".

As the video begins to focus on his life now , in his mansion this particular footage relates to the lyrics about his "Empire of dirt" and how we "can have it all" because the rotting foot and the dusty artefacts show he cares very little for it as does not look after any of it. However as Johnny is eating by himself it signifies actually it is all he has got to show for his life. The proceeding shot of Cash on a chair mirrors the song once more "liars chair" this clearly shows that Cash has related the song to himself , and he is the one who has let everyone down and he who sits on the liars chair. Also the line "My sweetest friend" is also related to him as a camera shot of his wife coming into view is shown this being a connotation of how he has put her through nothing more than absolute grief and heartbreak through the abuse of drugs and alcohol over the years.
 

As the song reaches its peak Johnny Cash pours wine all over his table, the connotation of red wine being the blood of Christ. This suggests that like Christ this Johnny Cash’s' last supper and his life is coming to an end and he has no one like Jesus had no disciples when he died. He is just alone. These shots cut away to an image of Christ on the cross and then Johnny also on a cross again mirroring the similarities between the two and giving the connotation of Johnny being at his end to.

The montage then begins to speed up at a faster pace as Johnny shakes implying all this pain and hurt he speaks of has left him damaged and shaken. The music video then shifts to the feel of a man reflecting on his life as footage of his past moves on and of the screen to the beat of the music once more. Finally ending with his first TV performance signifying this was a key moment in Johnny’s life. The music video ends with the lights fading and Johnny closing the piano symbolic of Cash’s life coming to an end and like the light he is fading away. The stroking of the piano symbolises Cash feels it is the end and knows it as the screen fades to black.

Music videos - Conventions of contemporary music videos

There are three general types of music videos made :
1. Performance based music videos e.g a live band performance. This music video is largely associated with rock music. Artists such as Beyonce , U2 and Muse make such videos
2. Narrative based music videos e.g where a storyline is evident examples of artists who use this are Ed Sheeran and Noel Gallagher
3. Abstract /artistic music videos i.e Radio head. One example of this is a song called "Teardrop" where the whole video is a baby in a womb singing which makes the whole video very surreal.
It is possible and it has been known that all types of music video can be combined in different forms.