Visual Culture Theorists

I dug up my notes today from A Level film and found a few pieces on different theorists. However, the main module I did it on in AS have gone missing and I have probably recycled them. Typical. The below notes are colour coded; green is ones to definitely use and are relevant, yellow are ones to use as backup (they look impressive, but not 100% necessary). 

• Laura Mulvey- 'the male gaze'. Women sexualised for male pleasure. "to-be-looked-at-ness"
• Carol Clover - 'the final girl'. The female protagonist that survives the film (more applied to horror)
• Barbara Creed - 'the monstrous feminine'.
• Helsby - "voyeuristic pleasure"
• Gauntlett - "queer theory". Identities are not fixed. Useful extract.
• Freud - voyeurism (pleasure in looking)
• Vladimir Propp - antagonists vs. protagonists serve narrative function
• Todorov - equilibrium, disequilibrium, new equilibrium
• Claude Levi-Strauss - binary opposites
• Lazarsfeld - hypodermic needle theory. Passive audience. media 'injects' ideas.
• Gerbner - cultivation theory. Passive audience. Repeated exposure to same values.

(side note, I couldn't find any particular people to cite about colour theory so the notes above are mostly gender)

Going through my notes, colour seems to link with semiotics a lot with what each colour means. This has made me think of possibly changing my topics. Not quite sure yet.

I have also found useful notes on the Riot Grrrl Manifesto, Surrealism (some gender studies involved) and a few key films in reference to the theories; The Descent, Fight Club...

Digital Production #12 - The Quiz Show

Today we did exactly the same as last week and set up a live stream in the art cafe, but this time we took out 3 cameras, 3 microphones, the vision mixer and sound mixer. We had a few worries on the morning with us being seriously short staffed and with no extras. I asked the filmmaking people if they would want to help in the afternoon (since we took one for the team and took up being student reps for them) but didn't get one volunteer (shout out to Beth that came to help in the morning!) 



I live streamed us setting up the equipment! Just because.

We moved the equipment at around dinner time and had a small heart attack when one of the students rammed the trolly with everything on, into a kerb. Luckily they still worked (a few scratches though). A few level 4's came to help and Jamie from Level 6. Lee ended up being our quiz show host. We did a quick rehersal to make sure everything was working here. Then we did a real take. It went well, apart from a few sound issues (what do you expect, it's a cafe), a few vision mixing glitches (my bad, not sure what the black bit was about half way through), and the sound being on at the very start of the stream so you can hear me countdown.

Rundown Filming - Day 3

This isn't actually the third day of filming, this was the third day I was on shoot. I was camera and sound today for Miles and the office scene. All went smoothly and met a new actor. Nothing really to report! Just that it was a good day's shoot. Looking back at the footage, some of the shadows are a bit big, but the director seems to be happy.

Digital Production #11 - Director, Floor Manager and... Gazebos?

Today we looked closely at the job roles of the Director and Floor Manager and the way you should speak. But first we had a quick look at the TV show Faking It, showing us that anyone can be a director and fake it, which crushed my dreams to be honest.

To cut to one camera to another (e.g. camera 1 to camera 2) you don't need to specify the word 'camera', you just need to say "cut 2" in this case, or "fade" or "mix", depends what transition you want. Goes for the same with VT's and credits- "cut to credits". If you need to specify the timing of the transition, say "fade slowly 2" or a specific timing if needs be and is necessary. The camera layout (1, 2 and 3) tend to be based on the actor, going from left to right where they are facing, so it's easier for them to find a camera if they need to speak into it. 

"Track back" means to pull out. "crab left/right" means to move the whole camera and tripod to the left or right, "pan left/right" is just the camera. Tilt, likewise, is just the camera moving; to "elevate/descend" is the tripod. 

If we want, we can have different camera positions (call them A, B, C...) If needs be, the director can tell a camera to "check focus" or zoom. If it's out of focus while it's live on that camera, you would normally cut to a different camera (usually the safety camera) and tell that camera to refocus (as you would need to zoom in to focus). 

A prompt for the vision mixer is "cue shot 2" so they know what to cut to next and also alerts whoever is on camera 2 to stay where they are. You also need to cue in the mics. If it's too quiet on the output speakers, tell the sound mixers, but you also have to figure out which microphone they need to increase. If there's special sound effects, tell them to "cue [title of track]". Also, will the sound be audible on the studio floor? If so, "cue floor sound". All of this is usually prearranged.

Lighting also needs a cue in. Switch on the on air light is also a must, so is gallery and house lights. The sound mixer would probably need a torch to see what they are doing. 

On the headsets, there is an orange tali light which you can press if there's an issue. ALWAYS KEEP AN EYE ON THIS. (also a side note about producing/PA, take timings for the programme a few rehearsals in). 

We then looked at the floor manager hand signals. This picture is relevant for us, but we also have the count in from 10 seconds, then a silent count from 5 in case sound cues in early. Also speed up is slightly different for us- we get one finger and circle it above out heads, in a lasso motion.

http://bit.ly/2e7MKoY

We then started talking about our actual production, focusing on set dressing and how we would set it up, where to put cameras, mics, etc. One of the students decided to put up the gazebo they found in the base room, but turned it into a teepee. It failed quite a bit, with the tent material not fitting it enough, the pole in the middle making a table hard to put in, and also limited space. We decided to get the biggest, thinnest sheet we can find and pin it to the roof. We will have to arrange lighting around it (I suggested using red heads instead of the studio lights if needs must). 

Thanks Ethan for the pictures! (my camera broke)

Visual Culture #6 - Signs, Symbols and Semiotics

Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and is essential for communication, as it can often include facial expressions. Sassure founded the idea of semiotics and also came up with the idea of "the signifier and the signified". Charles Sanders Pierce later developed this with the idea of the "icon, index and symbol". The icon resembles what it stands for. The indexical sign refers to the senses, for example looking at a wet pavement we know it's been raining. The symbolic sign is thing we are culturally learnt, for example rose is symbolic for love. 

Yea Rose is symbolic for love, it's obvious

http://www.radiotimes.com/uploads/images/original/84459.gif

Roland Barthes developed it further with his interpretation of connotation and denotation and signs in relation to myth. Denotation is the primary meaning and the connotation is what we gather and interpret from it.

We then had a look at some film posters and what they could reveal about the film. Lost in Translation was the best example for this, and Donnie Darko, which adds mystery to the film, not giving much away. We also had a look at some advertisements. 

http://www.sharegif.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Donnie-Darko-quotes-1.gif

Barthes also had a theory of 5 codes;

• Proairetic code - the sequence of events. We want to know what happens next.
• Hermeneutic code - where the story avoids telling the truth, witholding information from the viewer. Often happens in mystery, crime and detective films. 
• Connotive or semic code - the deeper meaning. Object as a symbol or a metaphor. Often in surrealism (dream logic)
• Cultural or referential code - cultural references
• Symbolic code - binary opposites

http://bit.ly/2e7MKoY

There are also a few other codes in film;

• Dress codes - represents class, gender, age, employment, sexuality, status
• Colour codes - red=passion, etc
• Non-verbal codes - gesture, a 'look', body language
• Ethnicity/race codes - language, dress...
• Cultural codes - pop culture references
• Class codes - designer brands, money, dress, objects of desire
• Cinematic codes - angles, framing, type of shots

A handy book to look at is Semiotics: The Basics by Daniel Chandler (who also writes about 'the gaze'). Also, a note to myself, check out these films; Wings of Desire, Pleasantville (and also Adam Curtis).

https://66.media.tumblr.com/aea9e92e8237bb67b3c7664bee2b815f/tumblr_mjhc4kdRo61qiz3j8o1_500.gif

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Semiotics or realism?

Realism is aesthetic theory based on similarity or an identity between the photograph and depicting reality. A photograph is indexical (caused by it's own referent (what it refers to, indicates). The signifier (actual photograph) is the same as the signified (reality).

http://66.media.tumblr.com/acb3d3bbe31e754aa1ababa315c26b72/tumblr_mswmovcBjf1sytwjuo1_500.gif

Semiotics is distinction between the signifier and signified. The difference between what we see and the actual reality is not identical. Reality is constructed through codes and requires the spectator to give a signified meaning. We interpret the world as signs to be read: a paradigm shift into the way we think. 

Semiotics was conceptualised in 1915 by Sassure but developed in 1960s with ideas of structuralism- the idea that thought can only exist within a system that necessitates, interrelations and reciprocation. We read signs in the world and treat everything as a text to be read. Visual culture is the signifiers and the concept we read is the signified.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/5d/33/84/5d3384b17d36f61d728108e88df29367.jpg

Labels are arbitrary and only corresponds to objects because we are culturally conditioned to recognise them. [insert some deep conversations about fonts and flags] (also this picture came up on the slides and made us laugh)

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maduazyHZa1qasxjlo1_500.gif

A visual metaphor uses an image rater than words to make the comparison between one thing and another. A metonym is an image rather than words to make an association between two things. A symbolic image makes reference to something with a more literal meaning (a cross=a church). Advertising uses this a lot. Banksy has an antithesis (contrasts) and places opposites together to create new meanings. 

Lipstick Test

Today I experimented with different apps to try and achieve my colour splash effect. I downloaded a burst app to take loads of pictures at the same time and then I could edit them in the photo splash app.

I later found out that the burst app has it's own effects and has something similar to a colour splash. However it didn't quite generate the black and white effect I wanted.

So I then saved a few pictures to edit in colour splash and then turn into a gif. HOWEVER that also didn't generate the effect I wanted (the colour seems to jump) but the black and white is a lot stronger and I like that.

My next port of call is taking a video and trying to edit it in Davini or After Effects.

The History of Streaming

Live streaming actually first had it roots in the 1920s with George O. Squier who was given the rights to distribute signals, which because Muzak, which was able to stream continuous music without the use of radio. 

The full development, including computers and the internet, didn't develop fully until 1990s/2000s. The increase of technology started to set things in motion. In 1993, Severe Tire Damage was the first band to broadcast live over the internet. In 1995 RealNetworks televised a live baseball game, and later that year, Paramount Theatre streamed the first symphony concert online. The first continuous streaming was Word magazine (not live), who streamed soundtracks online. The first large scale video broadcast was in 1996 with the Tibetan Freedom Concert.

"Live streaming" comes from a content source (video cameras and microphones) and is made available at the same time of recording. "On-demand streaming" (Netflix) provides content from a source, where you can watch it at will (live streaming occurs at that moment, in real time). The choice between streaming and buying hard copies of films is a major divide in viewing habits.

Live streaming is everywhere today, with the introduction of Facebook Live and Periscope and is likely to only improve and become more common in the future.

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VICENT, A. 'The History of Live Streaming'. http://www.dacast.com/blog/the-history-of-live-streaming/ (24.10.2016)

DIXON, W.W. 'Streaming: Movies, Media and Instant Access'. 2013.

Domestic Abuse Chairities

I have developed my visual culture creative piece lately and decided to cover domestic abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships. I feel like it's something not covered in the film industry, covers the topic of gender, and can also portray my idea of using one colour instead of dialogue in each scene (like Sin City). 

I have researched into a few charities I could possibly message to attach their name to the project (this is more for post production, but I felt that if I researched into it, I could portray it more truthfully).

Galop

National LGBT Domestic Abuse Helpline. 

Some useful information on what exactly domestic abuse is too.

Emotional and practical support for LGBT people experiencing domestic abuse. Abuse isn’t always physical- it can be psychological, emotional, financial and sexual too. Speak out, don’t suffer in silence.

London LGBT Domestic Abuse Partnership

If you are in London, the LGBT Domestic Abuse Partnership can help too. The DAP is made up of 4 LGBT agencies who each provide different services for LGBT victims/survivors of domestic abuse. With one phone call, you will be linked in with Galop, Stonewall Housing, LGBT Switchboard, and London Friend.

Stonewall

Information on LGBT's rights when it comes to domestic violence and guides to read through.

Safelives

Not for LGBT specifically, but they look for new ways to stop domestic abuse. My film might be useful.


A few more domestic abuse (in general) charities;

• Refuge
• National Domestic Violence Helpline
• Samaritans 
• Women's Aid

Digital Production #10 - Live Stream Test (on location)

Today we took out some of the equipment to the art cafe (the computer, one camera and sound) to see if we could hook it up. We had a few issues when we thought we hooked it up; we plugged the camera into the wrong inputs on the computer (note to self, they are the ones marked input...) There was also a few sound issues where it was playing the sound on the computer rather than on location.

We planned to do some live voxpops of people's favourite films but there wasn't many people. I managed to do one, but the sound was muted on the computer. Andrew then messed around with some of the features on the software on this stream. Since there was no one in the art cafe, we decided to do a stream of our choice instead. We did a game playthrough, a photoshop drawing, and a pool game. Overall it was a fun day's filming, we successfully set everything up in the art cafe and back in the gallery again. Next week we are doing the same, but with the vision and sound mixer and with the level 4's! 

Digital Production #9 - 3 Point Lighting Workshop

Today some people from Green Lane came for an open day so we helped out with a 3 point lighting workshop for them. The lecturer showed them the basics with me as a model. We then tried to recreate the lighting in The Godfather and Grease using the red heads. Today was a good refresher for lighting, especially useful for me being lighting designer for out live stream.

It's A Man's World - Planning Meeting

Today I met up with a fellow student in CCAD to talk about a project she wants documenting/filming. It's about female sexuality and it's quite provocative. Just a warning I will be talking openly about this on the blog as it's what the person wants and to get my ideas across.

The documentary will be about rape and sexual culture and will track the progress of the client finding research and painting and also her views on the subject. There will be a photoshoot with other women saying about their experiences and later stripping down. Verity wants very sexual images because "sex sells" and also to make it shocking and visceral. There will also be interviews of men and their opinions. 



Verity also wants a trailer with a close up of her boots and fish net tights, dragging a baseball bat behind her (possibly a colour splash), throwing the bat at a penis shaped pinata. I suggested going to stage design for this. There might also be a few clips of the documentary. She wants the trailer black and white, so it looks sleek.  

She also showed me a few visual influences, mostly perfume adverts, and a Lily Allen music video. She loves the idea of a tape recorder playing the interviews like the Monroe advert. I said I have a record player but not a tape recorder, so that's a suggestion. 




Since the video is quite dark and sexual, Verity wants some form of humour in the documentary, such as her wearing a monkey onesie while we do VoxPops, outtakes at the end. 

She also wants a huge premiere at Wynyard Hall (hopefully I can arrange this, filming there before they know my face) with a party bus just to say thank you to everyone involved. I suggested if she wanted fame, to get a few charities attached. I know someone who did this and got a lot of views because of it. I also suggested taking screen grabs of Facebook as she gets a lot of misogynist comments on her wall. Another idea Verity had was following her in a night club or where she works as she gets a lot of weird comments about her looks.

I have suggested we start shooting ASAP (hopefully this weekend as she is working on some art right now). 

Visual Culture #5 - Gender and Film, LGBTQ+ Film and The Gaze

We have a new time for our visual culture lessons on a Monday now- 5:45-7:15. Weird times but hey it works better for the lecturer. This week we looked at gender in film, but first we had a quick history lesson in feminism.

Mary Wollstonecraft fought for equal rights and in the mid 1800s women could study freely. First wave feminism started with the suffragettes and a campaign for education. Second wave feminism in the 1960s saw the end of WWII (where people realised women could handle the men's jobs at home fine) and the introduction of the contraceptive pill. Third wave feminism saw the riot grrrl and ladette culture. Transgender rights and queer theory also emerged at this time (1990s). 

PLEASE APPRECIATE THIS GIF it took me so long to find out the name of this film and a gif apart from Marla Singer

Future reference the gif is from The Last Seduction

https://67.media.tumblr.com/596c9edec7cd5d6e43321f28341b974b/tumblr_nvik025EJR1ugh9ieo1_500.gif

Fourth wave feminism in 2008 saw the rise of the internet and social media. People wanted justice. There are three main type of feminists;

• marxist feminists - blame class for inequality
• radical feminists - blame patriarchy for inequality
• liberal feminists - believe legal reform will change inequality

Some film theorists now! This part of the seminar was mostly names (most of which I have learnt in A Level. I have also added some of the theorists I looked at then in the list);

• Laura Mulvey - the male gaze. 3 different gazes (director, protagonist and the spectator). Women as decorative objects.
• Carol Clover - the final girl
• Barbara Creed - the monstrous feminine
• Freud - voyeurism (pleasure in looking)

A few books I could look at:

• Simone de Beauoir - The Second Sex (1949)
• John Berger - Ways of Seeing [chapter 2] (1972)
• Naomi Wolf - The Beauty Myth (1990) [third wave]
• Betty Friedan - The Feminine Mystique (1993)

Representations

• 1920s - The Flapper
• 1930s - Hollywood
• 1940s - Noir, femme fatale, trophy (Double Indemnity)
• 1950s - Monroe, Bombshell
• 1960s - Dorris Day

https://67.media.tumblr.com/81dfa4a86879fda905402bc701eae40e/tumblr_n5xs62KCut1qdm4tlo1_500.gif

LGBTQ+

We had a very quick look at homosexuality in the classical ages and also the hays code. Also briefly mentioned cross dressing. The rest of my notes don't make sense as the lecturer was going too fast. Something about Warhol.

http://images.amcnetworks.com/ifc.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Rocky-Horror.gif

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In Tuesday's seminar, we looked at gender, identity and 'the other'. I didn't get very useful notes that I didn't already know, the lecturer also wasn't confident, constantly saying it's "very confusing".

"Some gender differences in the mind and behaviour may in part be the result of our biology (prenatal hormones and genes) interacting with our experience) but the old “nature vs. nurture” debate is absurdly simplistic and a moderate position recognises the interaction of both." - Simon Baron Cohen

I wonder if they're related

https://magicoficecream.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/station-inspector_sacha-baron-cohen.gif

We then looked at the gender spectrum which could also link to colour theory. The lecturer then went to list every gender (a bit pointless to be honest). I won't be typing these up because there's too many and it's on the VLE. 

We then looked a bit at 'two spirit' which is when North Americans mix gender roles within first nations and native american tribes. Mahu means both male and female genders.

Another mention of Tangerine. Comparing colouring books ('beautiful girls' vs. 'brilliant boys'). A quick look at Grace Jones singing with a hula hoop (not sure what this has to do with gender. Any other Grace Jones video would be understandable). We then somehow talked about facebook privacy, again not sure what this has to do with gender.

Had to post this because Tom

http://www.wotyougot.com/pictures//2012/06/grace-jones-at-wembley-tennis-260612.gif

Visual Influences - The Fortune Teller

We looked at a few clips of fortune tellers to see how they act. Hand holding is sometimes a definable feature. All of them have very impressive settings (a challenge for prop hunting, but luckily I have quite a few prop like this). 

The Big Bang Theory

Mentions to spirit guides. Inhales deeply with hands out. Broad answers. Crystals, candles, tarot cards.



Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows 

Herbs, candles (health and safety risk?) Tarot cards, crystals. He reads her fortune. Similar thing could happen in our script?




The Originals/The Vampire Diaries

Can't find any clips (copyright?) but here's a few stills of how it could look. Some potion bottles, candles, holding hands.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/vampirediaries/images/6/62/The_Originals_3.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130402194504

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/vampirediaries/images/2/29/017.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100402191732

Visual Influences - The Narrator

Personally, how I picture the narrator for the 2nd unit, is like the below examples. They are quite the stereotypical narrator; reading from a book, to the camera, beside a fireplace.

Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

Ignoring the bad production values, the visual influences can still be used and inspired. It's also a good example if we can't get a fireplace. It's quite a basic set up- book shelves, desk.

https://cdn.pastemagazine.com/www/articles/marenghi%20list%204.jpg

Rocky Horror Picture Show

Speaking directly into camera/the audience. I kind of pictures him reading from a book, but in this clip, the book is behind him and he is clearly not reading from it. Another good example if we can't get a fire place (not sure about the whiteboard in the back though!)

Big Fat Quiz - Charles Dance

Pretty much exactly how I pictured it. Nice, cozy set up.




Tales of the Unexpected

Again, very similar to how I pictured it.


(Begins at 0:35 seconds until 1:09)

Job Roles - Set Builder

https://thtrwestminster.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/537970_460203600700101_513747294_n.jpg

Set construction is the process undertaken by a construction manager to build full-scale scenery suitable for viewing by camera, as specified by a production designer or art director working in collaboration with the director of a production to create a set for a theatrical, film or television production. 

The set designer produces a scale model, scale drawings, paint elevations (a scale painting supplied to the scenic painter of each element that requires painting), and research about props, textures, and so on. Scale drawings typically include a groundplan, elevation, and section of the complete set, as well as more detailed drawings of individual scenic elements which, in theatrical productions, may be static, flown, or built onto scenery wagons. Construction supervisors interpret the drawings and allocate labour and resources, with the Production Designer giving approval of the finished set on the Directors behalf. 

The construction department is led by a construction coordinator. The coordinator reports to the art director and production designer and is in charge of budgeting and implementing designs. The construction coordinator, or construction company, provides all tools and equipment apart from small hand tools specific to a craftsman's work, such as screw guns, paint brushes and plastering trowels. This makes logistics and efficiency the responsibility of the construction manager and leaves each crew member as fluid freelancers to be hired and off hired at extremely short notice throughout the production.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_construction

Job Role - Lighting Designer

http://plsn.com/images/stories/16/02/current/muse/1-oli-metcalfe.JPG

Lighting Designers use the script or brief from the production team to design the specific look required for each shot. They use their advanced technical skills to realise the design and, with the help of the rest of the lighting department, to set up and operate specialised lights and accessories. 

Lighting Designers make extensive preparations before recording days, including script reading and taking part in discussions about the style required. Following the planning meeting, Lighting Designers may prepare a lighting plan (or plot) which provides information about the position, type and colour of all the lights to be used. 

Lighting Designers oversee the set-up and operation of the lights, by instructing a team of Sparks on the studio floor, and the Lighting Console Operator who controls studio lighting effects, using equipment in the gallery (technical area). During recordings or live transmissions, any final adjustments are made as and when required.

http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/298_lighting_director

Job Roles - Production Assistant (PA)

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/production-assistant-ethan-kuperberg-and-director-jill-soloway-attend-picture-id169820158

Production Assistants are responsible for assisting in the smooth running of the production. Their precise responsibilities vary depending on the studio and the size of the production, and may include: 

• taking notes in production meetings and distributing reports to the appropriate people 
• operating equipment for viewing tests and dailies 
• co-ordinating and logging incoming and outgoing materials 
• maintaining a database for tracking work progress

Production Assistants help to take care of the crew. They make sure that work is ready and available for them to begin. They ensure that the delivery schedule is met and check that the necessary materials, equipment and references are available.

http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/356_production_assistant_animation

Job Roles - Production Manager

http://creativeskillset.org/assets/0000/7838/Pride_banner.jpg?1408047677

Production Managers are responsible for all the organisational aspects of production scheduling and budgeting. They also assist the Producer to interpret and realise the Director’s vision, financially and logistically. They prepare production schedules or script breakdowns to confirm that sufficient time has been allocated for all aspects of the production process, and to check the Producer’s budget and schedule.

They are in charge of the 'below-the-line' budget. This covers costs relating to the crew and the practicalities of running a production. In pre-production, Production Managers work with the Producer, Line Producer and First Assistant Director to prepare a provisional schedule. Production Managers then consult with the various Heads of Department. They estimate the materials needed and prepare draft budgets. 

Once the overall budget has been agreed, Production Managers help Producers to recruit crew and suppliers. They negotiate rates of pay, and conditions of employment. They arrange the rental and purchase of all production materials and supplies. Production Managers oversee the search for locations, sign location releases. They also liaise with local authorities and the Police regarding permits. On smaller productions they may also negotiate contracts with casting agencies.

http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/3068_production_manager
http://creativeskillset.org/job_roles/306_production_manager_tv

Digital Production #8 - Job Roles and Final Idea

Today, we finally arranged our job roles for the live studio, 2nd unit and also pre-production roles. My roles are as follows;

Primary 'Live Studio' Roles: Producer /PA (part 1), Director (part 2)
Secondary 'Live Studio' Roles: Make Up 
Pre-Production Roles: Production Manager, Lighting Designer, Set Builder, Make Up
2nd Unit Material: Director, Editor

I believe these still need to be approved by Mike but I am quite happy with my roles. I also asked Lee if we can have a meeting with all the years, so I can finally meet all the level 4's, and see if anyone would be willing to help with our stream.

We have also finally agreed on an idea, merging both Ryan and Jamie's ideas together. Our 2nd unit material will be a narrator telling a story of fake fortune tellers. The live studio will be the story actually happening, with a tent set up, two fake fortune tellers. A man walks into the tent and the fortune tellers look through his bag for clues about him and make it look like they are telling his fortune. We could have three different endings so viewers can say which ones they want in the live chat. I have asked Jamie if he wants to write a quick script for us since it was his idea, of course his filmmaking pathway comes first, but we are not screenwriters and could do with the help and so Jamie can give do his idea justice. 

Rundown - Day 2 Filming

Today was day 2 (for me) of Rundown filming! We filmed in Newton Aycliffe which was an adventure for me, even though the house where we were filming was half an hour away from the train station :L Me and Jamie did a few of our shots before Dan arrived. Ran rather smoothly, apart from a few weather hiccups which Jamie planned around. 

SQUIRREL

I also ended up doing quite a bit of camera work which I was very happy about. Watching a tiny bit of it back after the shoot, I am very proud. Can't wait to help Jamie edit it!

Digital Production #7 - Live Stream Test

Today we got thrown in at the deep end and we had to set up three cameras and one microphone into the vision and sound mixer, with the cables we learnt about. It went really smoothly! We did a quick live stream of a water bottle and we had to sell it, but then reveal it was special Halloween water (I don't know why it was a random brief). I somehow ended up as sound mixer and I think I did a pretty good job!




We then discusses the ideas that the filmmaking pathway pitched to us on Monday. We have come up with two ideas from them merged together; the 2nd unit being a narrator telling us a story, cutting back to the studio where three fake fortune tellers are telling a shifty guy's "fortune". Turns out he has a knife or a gun in his bag (where they search for clues about him). Don't quite have an ending yet! I suggested we could do a online vote where people vote for the ending they want (Trail to Oregon does this). So I have asked the person who came up with the idea to put together a script when they can with three endings. Understandably, his commitment is with the filmmaking pathway and their Kodak module, I still hope they can write a basic script for us since none of us are screenwriters.

The lecturer then showed us Dr Marenghi's Darkplace for the idea of the narrator. I have seen this already and it's a good series once you start to appreciate the bad production values. Hopefully ours will be a bit more polished though!

https://66.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw6jzmC8hF1r6145qo1_400.gif

Visual Culture #4 - Brechtian and Dogme / Paradigms, Relativism and the Creative Process

That was a mouthful. With the lecturer this week, we were supposed to learn about Brechtian and Dogme. We touched on it a tiny bit, but the lesson was focused on auteur theory that we missed last week. Not quite sure if the lecturer will continue Brechtian next week or if we will skip straight to gender.

Bertold Brecht was a marxist playwright who was very political in his works, and often broke the fourth wall.

http://i2.wp.com/www.hofmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Deadpool-GIF.gif?resize=480%2C208

Dogme 95 was a very purist movement with strict rules (aka the vow of chastity). There was no capitalist values, the director must not be credited (but most break this rule), no special lighting, music, genre, etc. It was made to purify the film industry.

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In Tuesday's lecture, we learnt about paradigms, relativism and the creative process. But first, a few definitions;

• rhetoric - persuasive writing. Negative term nowadays. 
• paradigm - basic assumptions. Commonly accepted and shared. Set of accepted ideas
• paradigm shift - change in underlying assumptions
• relativism - 'relate'. Understood in terms of what it stands near in relation to (context in which it was made)
• cultural relativism - values and culture making, only valid in own cultural context

We normally don't question culture, we just accept it (a paradigm). However, some artists wanted to establish and break the rules. Some examples of paradigms in film are genre, style, location, etc. We then looked at "unity in variety" with different films using the same location.

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--KPm9j5dX--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/1484311854805567409.gif

Westerns are also paradigms interpreted through the lens of different cultures, with spaghetti westerns, etc. This can result in a culture clash where objective truths are discovered. Cultural evolution is always changing, where it can be marginalised or adapted, often resulting in a culture clash with different values and opposing paradigms. Hybrids also often happen, that are also authentic and true. Acculturation can be a consequence.

Visual Culture #3 - Auteur Theory

The lecturer was ill last week so we had to research various links for independent study. This week, she went through her PowerPoint she was going to do last week, so now our weeks have gone all wibbly wobbly.

https://www.tumblr.com/search/tv:%20wibbly%20wobbly%20timey%20wimey

The auteur theory suggests the "camera as steelo". They then talked about The French New Wave (50s-60s), the most famous example being The 400 Blows. In the 1800s, France was prosperous with the industrial revolution and the leader in new technology with the Eiffel Tower. With the invention of photography, artists had to be more expressive and experimental. This era was also known as 'Belle Epoque' ('Beautiful Life') where people lived life to the full. A few examples of films from the late 1800's are the Lumiere Brothers and Voyage Dans La Lune.

http://67.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m32kccxUQL1qzxt5zo1_500.gif

World War 1 saw a decrease in French technology and the film industry. Filmmakers managed to appeal so they could produce one film every seven films America produced. They broke free from traditions with 1920s surrealism, with films such as Un Chien Andalou. 

http://s2.photobucket.com/user/Christopher4myspace/media/Une%20Chien%20Andelou/5_zps3748b392.gif.html

Poetic Realism was the next era of filmmaking where people yearned for the Golden Age. And apparently "the nazis were another thing altogether". The next era was Calkiers de Cinema (sp?) with Andre Bazin in the 60s where they opposed plot as it was too mainstream.

Mise-en-scene tends to be the auteur's focus, with directors having "interior meanings". However some criticism of the theory is that films should be films in their own right, and if to understand a director's interior meaning, you have to watch all of their films? Or if it's collaborative? Can we even class it as a theory, is it too general?

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In Tuesday's session, we covered Agency, The Auteur and The Audience. A few key terms;

• Agency: state of acting (action or power)
• Auteur: director gives film character. Practice is distinctive
• Auteur theory: 'director-as-author'. Oversees all audio and visual elements. Personal stamp.
• Audience: interprets work, can be imaginary or real.

“[audience] consists of those persons who are capable of being influenced by discourse and of being mediators of change” - L. F. Bitzer

Personal/collective agency informs creative process and defines the final shape of the work. The author has free reign to be an active auteur. An agent auteur tends to be a writer, actor, director. Woody Allan is a good example of this, with his autobiographical context with a very visceral sense of his culture. The audience also relate to this (I think that's what the lecturerwas saying? I'm not quite fluent yet. Kinda lost concentration at this point, his PowerPoints are too long and wordy). 

Me trying to decipher the lectures

https://www.tumblr.com/search/m:%20midnight%20in%20paris

Here I wrote "personal agency negotiated creative act in a social context", not quite sure what that means.

The audience and auteur's needs can be similar or dissimilar, each with different consequences (I can't quite deciper my notes about this sadly. Something about authenticity). One scenario is when the author produces work they want to do and the audience is given what they want. An example of this is Chaplin's The Great Dictator.

http://giphy.com/search/great-dictator

Another scenario is that the key agent imposes authority and uses his free expression to give the audience what they think they want. A good example of this is public information films.

However, the audience can sometimes hold authority and get the outcome they want. An example can be the spontaneous applause after Lady Dianna's funeral.

Or, a compromise can be reached and a topic can be valued by both parties. An example can be Oh! What A Lovely War.