Tori Wheatley's AS Media Studies Blog

This lesson, i made a storyboard based on different themes, camera angles, sounds and camera techniques. I did this to practice for my Thriller movie.

Film Language - Sound

In my most recent lesson, i learned a range of sound techniques and information that would be extremely useful in the production of my Thriller movie.
Sound has been one of the biggest developments in the cinema and movie industry, and add emotion, and sense to films.

• On-Screen sound: Sound coming from objects or people on the screen. Eg: If you can see a radio on the screen, and the radio is playing music.

• Off-Screen sound: Sound that can be heard by objects off of the screen. Eg: The audience can hear a radio playing but can't see the radio on screen.

• Diegetic sound: Sound that the actors, as well as the audience can hear. For instance, a doorbell rings in a scene, so the actors and the audience can both hear it.

• Non-Diegetic sound: Sound that only the audience/viewers can hear, that isn't part of the film/scene. For example: a music clip ''over the top'' of a scene, like a theme tune, to create emotion from the audience.
• Sound Bridges: A piece of music whether it be diegetic or non-diegetic, that continues from one shot to the next.
• Parallel sound: Sound that is complimentary to the scene/sound that makes sense to the scene. Eg:Children having fun on the beach, so the producer may play happy music, and clips of laughter and splashing.
• Contrapuntal sound: Music that doesn't fit the scene. For example, the film 'Insidious' plays happy music on the radio whenever something scary/bad is about to happen.
  
  
  

Film Language- Lighting

So far, i have learned a range of things about the different types of lighting there are. For example, i learned about low key lighting, and high key lighting which will be extremely useful in the production of my thriller film. 

• Low Key Lighting:   This will come in handy when trying to create dramatic effects and emotion in my film, due to the fact that low key lighting creates sharp contrasts and distinct shadows. It is created by using key and back lights.
• High Key Lighting:  This will be useful in my thriller when i want to make it look realistic, due to the fact that high key lighting gives a natural, realistic effect. This is created using filler lights. 
• The Key Light:  The key light is usually the brightest and the most influential.
• The Back Light:  Helps counteract the effect of the key light, which makes the character look 'rounded'.
• The Filler Light: Helps to soften the harsh shadows that key lights and backlights create. There are usually more than one filler lights.

An example if low key lighting. The distinct shadows and darkness create a dramatic effect.

An example of high key lighting. The use of filler lights means that there are no distinct shadows anywhere, and the  woman looks a natural colour. The picture also looks realistic, unlike the photo above.

Welcome to my AS Media Studies blog! This blog will chart the progress of my foundation portfolio, on it i will include details of filming,planning,research, and production of my Thriller coursework.