AS Media Preliminary Notes/Brief

Welcome to AS Level Media

Studies

How the course works…G321: Foundation Portfolio in Media

• Worth 50% of AS Media Studies

• Needs to be finished by Christmas• 20 marks for Research

and Planning• 40 marks for Production• 20 marks for Evaluation

(hand in evaluation in January)

G322: 2 hour exam

• Section A: Textual Analysis and Representation• 25% of AS media Studies• Response to unseen clip• Possible examined areas (sexuality, gender,

race, age, regional identity, social class, (dis)ability

• Section B: Audiences and Institutions• 25% of AS media Studies• Case study• Possible examined areas, ownership,

distribution, production, marketing, exchange

Our expectations of you…• Work is regularly uploaded to blogs• All deadlines are met• Paired working is fair and equal• You are prepared for tutorials by showing work, raising questions, noting down feedback – if you miss your tutorial you will not be allocated another.

• If you are absent in lesson provide notice in advance (or if you are ill as soon after).

• Catch up on any missing work• As many hours (5) of lesson time is expected outside of lessons

SETTING UP YOUR BLOGS1. You need a gmail account – you can create one for free

2. You need a blog set up through blogger www.blogger.com

3. You need to name your blog: Homer Simpson’s AS Media Blog

4. Your blog address should be similar: www.homersimpsonasmediablog.co.uk

5. All work MUST be posted to your blog. Aim for apost every 2 days…at least.

To be able to plan and begin the ‘preliminary task’.

• Opening door – match on action

• Crossing a room • Sitting down in a chair

opposite another character• Dialogue – shot-reverse-

shot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4wX_dmh8_g

Deadline: end of Wk. 5

Preliminary exercise: Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

All video and audio material must be original, produced by the candidate(s), with the exception of music or audio effects from a copyright-free sources.

Homework

What are the benefits and

disadvantages of the media in

our society?

1 side A4 typed, Arial pt.11,

normal margins

CriteriaLevel 4 (80-100 marks) All aspects of the brief have been met (opening a door, crossing a room,

sitting in a chair, conversation, shot-reverse-shot, match on action and 180° rule)

Excellent construction of at least one shot-reverse-shot Excellent construction of at least one match on action Excellent use of camera angles, and filming material that is appropriate to

the brief Excellence in the controlled use of the camera Excellent time management skills. Excellent planning skills, including drafting/storyboarding Excellent evaluation, considering technical skills developed, progress

made and lessons learnt. Excellence in the presentation of the blog and work submitted.

WHAT YOU SHOULD INCLUDE: Research into the 180 degree rule, match on action and shot-revere-shot so you

know what they are! Storyboard – so you know what you are filming before you do it! Take screenshots of getting to grips with Final Cut Pro (cmd + shift + 3) Upload a rough edit through YouTube (set to ‘unlisted’) Final version of the video An evaluation that addresses what you have learnt, how your ideas developed and

what you have found difficult.

Continuity Editing 101 – Creating FlowMATCH ON ACTION

This is an editing technique in which one shot cuts to another showing the action of the subject in the first shot.WHY?To create a sense of continuity – the action carrying through creates a ‘visual bridge’ which draws the reader’s attention away from slight cutting or continuity issues. Remember this is not the same as a ‘’match cut’ – it should create the sense of continuous movement.

Our match on action shots are present in frames 3 and 4, when character 1 comes through the door. Starts off with character 1 being filmed from the back and then once they come through the door they’re being filmed from the front.

Continuity Editing 101 – Creating Flow

EYELINE MATCHINGFor example, Character A, is clearly the star of the show.  Let’s say he’s deciding which pair of shoes to wear.  In the shot, you can see that not only is Character A looking off camera, he is looking DOWN and OFF CAMERA.  

Eyeline matching isn’t just about seeing what the character is looking at, it’s about the angle at which they’re looking at it.  It applies often to other characters, but also applies to anything that can be looked at.

What could we expect from the

next shot?Our use of the Eyeline shot can be seen in shots 6 through 10 and we used over the shoulder shots to show the characters looking at each other.

Continuity Editing 101 – Creating Flow

180o RULEThis rule is a filming guideline that keeps the camera on one side of the action. As a rule, the camera should stay on one side of the action.WHY?If the camera breaks over the 180o line, it risks giving the impression that the actors’ positions in the scene have been reversed, therefore breaking the sense of continuity.

The uses of the 1180 degree rule is present in shots 5 through 10 where the character walks to the desk and they then converse.

180o RULE in action

Continuity Editing 101 – Creating FlowSHOT REVERSE SHOT

This is an editing technique used in conversations or simply characters looking at each other or objects. A shot showing what the character is supposedly looking at (point of view/OTS shot) followed by a ‘reverse angle shot’ of the characters themselves looking at it, or the other character looking back at them.

Remember that SRS tie in with the 180o rule to maintain continuity by not distorting the audience’s sense of character location and position.

Need to see examples?

The use of shot reverse shot can be seen in shots 7 through 10 when the characters are speaking to each other whilst sitting down.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s Hard Eight

Tulliver (editor) uses a traditional set up of OTS/SRS, while occasionally turning to a medium

two-shot. The latter serves to break away from the close-ups and re-establish the sense of place.

Notice how the character’s reactions are just as important as what is being said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiWrkLJDQCQ

Follow here:

Another Example?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef3B8gixQTE