Analysis of 4 Film Stills - Camera Angles and their Effects

King Kong

King Kong is a 2005 remake of the 1933 film about a fictional giant ape called kong, which was directed by Peter Jackson. The main focus of the use of camera in this extract is a long wide shot which was used to create a suspenseful atmosphere. The directer used this shot to have a mixture of mise-en-scene as he showed the setting, lighting and characters. This was a clever shot to use because it was used to emphasize on the speriority of the creatures and how powerful they are compared to the human, which also created tension because it showed both the creatures as they faced each other. The positioning of the female character showed how inferior she was to the creatures, however as the audience isn't able to see the characters face to see her emotions, her body language was used to create terrifying situation.

The clever use of a mixture mise-en-scene allows the audience to understand the scene in more depth and acknowledge the main characters, by noticing the hero, villan and victim with the same shot. The shot also accompanies the mise-en-scene as the lighting helped emphasis on the characters as well as the use of other props like the smoke, which conveyed a strong and powerful meaning to the shot.

Superman Returns

This is a still image of the film Superman Returns created in 2006 which shows a life of a superhero. This image is a very powerful photo which shows different emotions and conveys a story to the audience. The positioning of the character works very well with lighting as it showed part of the earth being dark and other parts being light, which could connot day and night. The camera angle of this shot is seen to be a high shot of where the character is looking down at the earth which connots his powers and superiority over the world. Although there is a close up of the man but the use of a long shot was used to show the man's body and his surroundings. His facial expressions are not shown but his body language conveys a strong meaning of him being powerful and prevailing over the world. The use of shot in the image can automatically tell the audience the genre of this film, because there is an enigma of why the man is there it can show that the film is fantasy as the man is soaring over the earth which can entice the audience to watch what might happen next.

The lighting is also very noticeable in this image as as there is a spilt between dark and light which can connot immorality and goodness of his character. The mise-en-scene used in this shot was the actors' costume and the setting which helped show his male supremacy and control because the audience can see the "S" printed in his costume and see he is superman which explained why he was flying over the world.

The Royal Tenenbaums

This is the still image from the film The Royal Tenenbaums which was created in 2001. The first element of this shot the audience can see that the characters positioning are facing someone which shows the first shot as a point of view shot (POV), because someone is looking back at the character sitting in this position. The is a clear use of the mise-en-scene within this still image as the audience is able to see the characters facial expressions which shows that they are shocked like they have heard or see something disturbing thus the body language is shown to be very similar with each other. There is a medium shot of each character only showing half of thier body as the camera is able to fit them in, within one shot. The setting is very visible in this shot and it helps connote things like the wealh of the family as it looks like they are rich from looking at that expensive chandelier, this works with the lighting used in this shot as it appears to be high key lighting which helps the audience see the characters facial expressions. Other elements of mise-en-scene seen in this shot is the actors costumes, props and make-up.

The is an enigma set within this because the audience are wondering what is happening in this image and who the characters are looking at. Just from looking at this image the narrative is unclear because the audience aren't able to tell what is happening thus the genre is hard to tell also. However as the image only shows these four characters they are symbolized as significant people within this film.

The Matrix

This is a still image from the film The Matrix created in 1999 by the Wachowskil brothers. This shot is a reversed shot of two different shots used in one scene. The first shot used is an extreme close up of the man's face but mostly is glasses which then shows a reflection of another character of a medium shot showing two different images. One side of the camera shows the man taking a red pill, but on the other side of the image the man looking at the blue pill. This image can connote different meanings like the character may have two sides to his character like a good side which shows he doesn't take the blue pill, or there can be an evil side where her take the red pill which can also connote danger. The director used a clever shot to establish a point of view shot using a reflection, for example he showed the other man's as though her was looking at him which indicates is authority over him. There is not a lot of mise-en-scene shown in this image but the characters costume is shown and the lighting is ver low key which emphasises on the darkness that surrounds the man, thus connoting mystery.

The way that the director captured the man's glasses to show another image of a person was a very clever use of the camera and this would most certainly entice the audience to watch more.

Lighting and Its Effect

Notorious (1946)

This is an image from the film Notorious which was made in 1964 by Alfred Hitchcock. This is a film noir image which contrasted between black and white colours. There is a mixture of lighting used in this image, for example there is a clear use of top lighting, which is used to accentuate the features of a character, and in this case it has been used to show the expressions on the characters faces. There is a mixture of low key and high key lighting used in this image, for instance the high-key lighting was used to show the womans facial expressions which connotes sadness and to signify that she is inferior to the man as she lays in his arms which also symbolises her weakness and her dependency upon the male figure. The top lighting is also used to show the women glamour and her beautiful allure face. The use of low-key lighting was used to show the man's face, which could possibly connote evil, thus creating shadows around him, which might also symbolise secrets from the expressions on his face. There is also top lighting used for the man and the use of bianary shows a spilt between black and white seen on his face which can also connote a good and evil side to his character. Lighting has many different affects upon a movie, and it can show the genre, and set the narrative of the movie. The lighting used in this poster is a mixture of high-key and top lighting, to create chiaroscuro effect. There is also a hint of hard lighting used to create intense between the two characters.

The lighting can usually appeal to the audience, for example posters that have low-key lighting and shadows would most probably be suitable for people who enjoy watching horror films. The fact that the women is shown to be brighter that the man, can connote mystery of the man and it can also show that the women is a victim and the man is a villain through the lighting. Lighting used in a poster can show many meaning and even set the narrative for the audience to see what the film is about. The use of shadows can show a typical convention of a horror film and the use of high-key lighting can usually connote a comedy or a romantic film. Although in this case the genre isn't very clear, but the use of bianary and the characters can show that it's a romantic film.

Saw 3 (2006)

Throughout this extract the lighting used is low-key lighting to create intense and the lighting goes very well with the horror genre. The use of low-key lighting helped create shadows and make it more horrific. The low-key lighting used in this extract was to create dark tones and emphasis on the women as the darkness and shadows surrounds her, so that the audience can pay more attention on her, rather than her surroundings. The use of the green light gave it a surreal affect, which focused on the pain the woman was feeling to have a sense of connection with the audience. The background was very dark, to not give away the location of the place, and to set an enigma to the film. The low-key lighting created a dark shadowy and gruesome atmosphere.


Other key elements of lighting used in this extract was the use of beam light coming above the women as she screams which again connotes a horror genre. This then works with the camera movement, for example as the camera zooms to her face, the lighting becomes dark and it again focuses on the pain the women gets. In the end of the extract, there is a back lighting used to produce a powerful effect on the image of the women being killed, in a horrific way. This was used to have an influence of the audiences reaction and the light created more focus on the surround as the camera zoomed out and showed low-key lighting around the woman and the location she was at. Finally the lighting used in this extract was used to create suspense and intensity, which set an enigma to the narrative of the film.

Film Noir's Distinctive Lighting Style

Film Noir

Film noir is motion picture term that is used to describe a modish Hollywood crime drama, especially those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. However today film noir invokes the visually stylish but morally cynical black-and-white films of classic Hollywood crime melodramas featuring down-and-out detectives, mysterious femme fatales, shady conmen and lovers on the run.

Usually people think of film noir as an American genre, the cinematic version of hard-boiled crime fiction, but the best way to categorize film noir is to place them with the original film noir period, generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography, with it's chiaroscuro lighting distorted camera angles and symbolic designs was probably the single most important influence on the look of film noir.

Below is some examples of how film noir was used to capture the essence of lighting and create the genre.

The other key iconic figure of noir is the fetal women know was femme fatale, who poses suductively both on the film posters and on hundreds of mid-twentieth century pupl covers. The elements of the image are a kind of visual shorthand for perilous attraction and stemy corruption. Sometimes the dangerous woman is simply a sexual predator who tempts and weakens a male protagonist.

On the poster or pulp cover the femme fatale would perhaps hold only a cocktail glass and a smouldering cigarette, or she might hold a gun to create the narrative and meaning of the posters. Hollywood tended to package the femme fatale narrative in ways that ensured the defeat of the independent female, but such was the power of the image of the sexual, aggressive, strong woman that she in many ways, in the minds of audiences resisted the formulaic reassertion of male control.

Summary

Film noir often centres on visual and specifically cinematic elements on things like low-key lighting, chiaroscuro effects, deep focus photography, extreme camera angles and expressionist distortion. But it is essential as well to take account of themes, mood, characterisation, point of view and narrative pattern. Both literary and cinematic noir are defined by the subjective point of view, the shifting toles of the protagonist, the ill-fated relationship between the protagonist and society (generating the themes of alienation and entrapment) and finally the way in which film noir functions.

Film noir was created to emphasize on the genre and create this similar bond between the characters and the audience, and to have a connection with the use of mise-en-scene. The best way to describe and define film noir is to look at the lighting in a film, and an example of this is the image below, which was created in the 1950s which showed two silhouetted figures in The Big Combo film (1955).

Comparison of Mise-en-scene

Mirrors

(Horror)

I Robot (Sci-fi)

Alexander (Action/Biography)

Costume-The costumes worn in the I Robot contrast to the ones worn in the films Mirrors and Alexander, and this is because in I Robot the main Actor (Will Smith) wears mostly casual clothes but mostly dark leather jacket and jeans which can really reflect on reality on how poeple usually wear. Throughout the movie he seems to wear dark colours which might indicate his power and superiority over people and the robots and it can also connote mystery and dark secrets. At the beginning of the trailer of the film Mirrors the main character (Kiefer Sutherland) is wearing normal casual clothes to indicate that he's a normal man, doing normal things but as the trailer goes on his change of clothes goes to black which connotes danger or something evil has happened, which sets an enigma to the film. In the film Alexander the costumes that are worn can be seen throughout the film as ancient history because of the location and costume the audience can see that it was set in the ancient times which connotes war and status. The connection between the three movies through the costumes worn is that each main character uses his clothes to show superiority and power, however the main connection is the films I robot and Mirrors because the clothes that are worn are dark clothes i.e. black jacket and it can connot mistery which sets sn enigma to the films.


Lighting-The lighting used in the film I Robot is traditional lighting of high key lighting and filter lighting which gives it a strong power effect making it seem realistic and creating a contrast between the shadows in the night footage and the sunny day which might connote happiness. There is a lot of low key lighting used when the robots start to control the world which connotes power and respect. Due to the genre of the film being sci-fi which indicate its set in the future because of the high key lighting at the beginning and low key lighting at the end. The lighting used in the film Mirrors is mostly dark low key lighting which connotes the genre of horror which creates mystery and spine chilling moments. However there are some moments that high key lighting is used like when the actors are shown in their home, might indicate happiness. In the film Alexander there is a lot of high key lighting used throughout the whole film because there is a lot of wars which are in battle lands which is shot outside, although in some parts of the film there is a bit low key lighting which creates suspense and dramatic moments.


Actors/Actresses- The actors and actresses in I robot are different with the actors and actresses in the films Mirrors and Alexander. This is because the directors choose to pick actors and actresses that would best suite the genre they play. In I Robot the main actor depicts a strong character because he's a policeman it makes him a powerful man which links to the film Alexandra the main actor Colin Farrell, because he is a leader and a powerful man with a lot of authority upon his people. The actor in Mirrors Kiefer Sutherland is the main actor who portrays a struggling man trying to make a living, which sets a contrast with the actors in I Robot and Alexandra, because he has no power or superiority.


Make up-The make up used in I robot is very different with the ones used in Mirrors and Alexander because its set in the future, a lot of natural make up is used accompanying the high key lighting makes it seem real and natural, although at the time where the robots and humans fight there is people bruised. There is a lot of make up used in the film Alexander because there are battles which have people bruised and bleeding which has a connection with the film I Robot, which shows that a good use of make up has been used. The make up used in Mirrors is very good because a lot of close up shots used the make up is very good and natural and clear.

Props-There is clear connections between the films Alexander and I robot because of the battles, however the difference occurs when the props used in the films because in the film I Robot is set in the future and machine guns are used and cars set in the future that can drive itself etc, but in the film Alexander is set in historian time the props used are horses, knives and body amour. The props used in Mirrors are mostly mirrors hence the title which connotes self-image and beyond what’s in the mirror, but apart from that the use of props used in Mirrors are things like torches, guns and police cars.

Setting- The settings used in the 3 films are very different because of the time difference between all films, for example I Robot is set in the future, Mirrors is set in the present and Alexander is set in the past. By the settings are also different, although Mirrors and I Robot have different time periods the setting seems the same like New York City, but the setting in the film Alexander seems to be set in a place like Rome or Egypt because of the sands its mostly looks like Egypt.

Genre/Target audience- The genre of the three films are totally different due to the themes, I Robot is set in the future which connotes sci-fi genre, Mirrors is set in the present and because of it's theme it automatically tells the audience its a horror film which is based for people 18 and over and this is shown through the dark low key lighting colours which shows suspense and fear, the film Alexandra is set in the past and has a genre of action, adventure, drama, war and romance and this is seen through all the themes and colours used in the film and its target audience is most probably 15 and over and mostly for men because of the war action based theme.

Analysis of Mise-en-scene

Jumper

Costume-The costume that worn in this poster that is mostly visible is leather jacket. Although it has been adjusted to make it seem futuristic so that it can automatically tell the audience what the genre may be about. The clothes the main character wears is just black which can mean that it symbolises that the actor has deep secrets, and the fact that only his top half of his body is shown so that the audience focus on his body language and positioning. The costume also connotes that it may have more that it shows as it entices the audience in as it tells a story.

Lighting-The lighting used in this poster is high key lighting with a hint of key lighting which focuses on the character and makes him standout more and there is clear dark low key lighting around his face to emphasise a deep secret that he depicts. And because these isn't any background lighting it because it's just white it makes the audience more focused on the actor.

Actors/actresses-There is only one actor that is shown in this poster, which can mean that he's the main character and that the film is based around his stories. As seen above the actor doesn't directly looking camera which connotes seriousness about this film. The typography surrounds on him which focuses mostly on him, and indicates his importance and the message he sends to the audience about him and the genre. His body positioning is facing the audiecne but his face looks down like he is showing that he is serious or is looking down at something, which shows different cities across the world, which connotes what the film might be about.

Make up-The is no visible make up used as seen from this poster, because the actor isn't looking directly at the camera, however there is a natural make up that is used to make it seem more real.

Props-There is no clear props used in this poster, and this make be because it shows that there is no real danger of the use of guns or knives, which can indicate that it is suitable for children 12 and over.

Setting-Looking at the poster there no particular setting because we can just see that the man is standing there, however there is cities that are being shown below him, which might indicate the way he is looking down at the cities which connotes he is telling the audience to look at what he is looking at. The use of colours to make it seem more dynamic and realistic sets an enigma because the audence might wonder what he is doign and what the film might be about.

Target Audience- The target audience for this movie looks about 12 and over. And this is because it shows no real danger or anything that might be inappropriate for children 12 and over, i.e. no guns, knives or anything that symbolises danger. The gender might appeal to mostly men due to the sci-fi and action genre with all the excitement.

Genre-The genre for this film is action adventure, and this is because the high key lighting shows that there is excitement and adventures which links to the positioning of his body and what he is looking at like he is superior to the world and has secrets.

Typography- The typography used in this poster is very vibrant and eye catching because the white colour with black background makes it stand out more. The taglines 'Anywhere', 'Anything' and 'Instantly' connotes that his character has secrets like superhero powers as he can travel anywhere and instantly which tells the audience that the genre could also be sci-fi. The typography tells the audience what the movie is about, because the title says 'Jumper' and shows a city below him which can mean that he flies across different cities.

Expectations-After analysing the mise-en-scene of this poster it has come to conclusion that what would be expected of this film is a lot of action which links to the genre of this film. From looking at this poster this film might be about a man finding about his special abilities and it leads him to different parts of the world which shows he has supernatural powers thus connecting to the sci-fi genre. It has mix emotions which gives it an enigma and authenticity.

A British Independent Film and Television Production Company

Case Study 2

Pinewood Studios

Pinewood Studios is a major British Independent Film and TV Studio located in Lver Heath, Bukinghamshire. The Studio was created in 1934 by Charles Boot and was built within 12 months by the Henry Boot Company of Sheffield.

In 2001 Pinewood Studios merged with Shepperton Studios which is another leading British Independent film production. Both studios are linked to the media network Sohonet.

In 2004 Pinewood Shepperton floated vert successfully on the London Stock Exchange.

In 2005, Pinewood Studios acquired Teddington Studios.

Pinewood studios has 31 stages, including 10 digital television studios, gardens & woodland for outdoor shooting. The Pinewood Studios has acted as the base for two-long-running British film series the James Bond films and the Carry On films, both of which also used the studio's main buildings to represent various locations, including SPECTRE Island in From Russia with Love.

The home of world class film, television and commercial production and post production facilities. The Studios provide facilities for major national and international film production, filmed television, studio television recording, the filming of commercials and post production sound services. Pinewood, Shepperton and Teddington Studios are all part of the Pinewood Studios Group and are within easy reach of central London. The Pinewood Studios Group has played a part in the production of literally thousands of films, television productions and commercial.

There have been many films that have been filmed at the Pinewoods Studios and they include films and TV shows like:


Quantum of Solace (2008)












Sunshine (2007)









The Vivienne Vyle Show (Series 1)
(2007)





Although there has been many films and TV shows that have been filmed at the Pinewood Studios , it has also created and distributed many films mostly in the 30s till 2009 and mostly being Drama based genre. The were very popular then because the films were based in the most m ambitious sets and played home to many silver screen's which had the most spectacular moments. Films like:

Black Narcissus (1947)







Oliver Twist (1948 film)









The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

The Sound Department within Pinewood and Shepperton hosts probably the largest integrated Post Production Sound facility in the world, enabling its talented pool of Mixers and dedicated technical support to offer the full range of audio experiencesThe Pinewood Studios Group audio post production department has assembled an award-winning team of experts who collectively and individually deliver internationally acclaimed audio post-production for film, television and commercials. With Pinewood Studios its not just about world class facilities, experience and expertise of the studios that have brought so many international productions to the UK, but its the competitive costs, talented performers and diverse array of accessible locations that contribute in attracting filmmakers time and time again.

Institutional Value

Pinewood Studios aim to continue to create the UK's leading film, television and media destination and to enhance their brand heritage. They try to aim for the best when it comes to their customers' expectations to be exceeded through their commiement to professionalism, quality of service and offering substainable advantages. Overall Pinewood Studios aim to provide the best quality productions in the UK for being British Independent Film and Television Production.

Websites used

http://www.pinewoodgroup.com/gen/about_us_default.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinewood_Studios

Media Institution

Case Study 1

Paramount Pictures International


United International Pictures but now know as Paramount Pictures International is a joint venture of Paramount Pictures which is owned by Viacom and Universal Studios and this is also owned by NBC Universal/General Electric. They distribute some of the two studios films histrionically outside United States and some parts of Canada. It was founded in London and its headquarters are in London. The industry of Paramount Pictures International is motion pictures and products are motion pictures. The holding company which owns part of Paramount Pictures International is Paramount Pictures and Universal Studios.

Paramount Pictures Corporation is a United States motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. Founded in 1912, it is the oldest running movie studio in Hollywood, beating Universal Studios by a month. Paramount is owned by media corporation Viacom. The chairman of Paramount Pictures Frederick D. Huntsberry and the revenue for Paramount Pictures is $3.0 billion USD in 2005 alone but the operating income is $ 62.1 million USD. The owner of Paramount Pictures is Viacom.

Viacom short for Video and Audio Communication is an American Media Corporation with many worldwide interest in cable and satellite television networks (MTV networks) and movies production and distribution (Paramount Pictures and Dreamwork movies studios). Viacom was founded in 2006 in New York by Summer Redstone. Some of assets which are owned by Viacom are:

-Film Production and Distribution, e.g. Viacom International, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks

-Television Networks- e.g. Comedy Central, Logo, BET, spike, TV La

-Television Production and Television Distribution- e.g. DreamWorks Television

-Video Gaming, e.g. Xfire, Hamonix, GameTrailers, Neipets

Viacom is the leading owner of Paramount Pictures International


Institutional Value for Paramount Pictures International

Paramount Pictures International distributes Paramount and Universal films to cinemas in many countries in the international markets, outside North America since 1981. Paramount Pictures International has distributed more that 1,000 movies including more than 100 Academy Award winners, and they have enjoyed huge box office success with a diverse range of films. PPI also hold non-theatrical rights in all markets outside North America. Because it's one of the largest leading film distribution companies it aims to create choices for different people thats why it distributes in many countries. They aim to provide the best film distribution to meet their audience's needs.

Revenue

Paramount Pictures International has offices in 34 countries and represented in 23 other countries. PPI Annual Revenue is $17.3 billion USD. However statistics show that figures have dropped to 15% due to overseas revenues.

Films Paramount Pictures International distributes

Although Paramount Pictures International it is an American company it distributes a lot of British films.

Life and Lyrics was a British Film created in 2006 and was distributes in 2006 also. The production company that created Life and Lyrics was Fiesta Productions.

Crank was a UK/USA film, because set in the UK it has some aspects of USA like the characters. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures International in 2006 in the UK but it's production company was Lakeshore Entertainment.

Shaun of the Dead was a British film which was distributed by Paramount Pictures International in 2004. The production company for Shaun of the Dead is Studio Canal.

The Holiday was a created in 2006 by Columbia Pictures Corporation and was distributed in 2006 in the UK and Argentina by Paramount Pictures International.

War of the Worlds was created in 2004 by Paramount Pictures in USA and was distributed by Paramount Pictures International in the UK, Argentina, Italy, Greece, Sweden and Germany.

Meet the Fockers was created in 2004 by Universal Pictures but was distributed in 2005 in the UK by Paramount Pictures International and was a very big success in the UK with its box office reaching $279,261,160.



Summary


Paramount Pictures International is a very well known for it's distribution of films in many different countries. It is a successful company that brings many of the most exciting films made today to international cinema audience. It sets a new trend for the "new media" age because it appeals to all audiences not only in the UK or USA but all over the world and its advertising ways through internet sites like Youtube or its official site which is http://www.paramountpictures.co.uk/. It also distributes through magazines and TV by having their logo featured mostly everywhere. Paramount Pictures International is well-positioned to exploit the UK's growing cinema audiences. It is a stream of Hollywood blockbuster is providing a good selection of films to promote multi-screen cinema in the UK and all over the world.

Websites Used

http://www.imdb.com
http://www.paramountpictures.co.uk/
http://www.uip.com/