Kweku Obiri-Yeboah's Blog

Setting the scene, establishing shot. Location is central in the frame. Cheap family diner on a high street - working class location?  Two friends - One white, one black, shop chefs middle-eastern - diverse community. Both in centre of frame, sitting either side of table; setting scene up for conversation/dialogue.  Again, centre of frame, most important subject. Lights either side emphasise length of tunnel, emphasise length of pursuit. Slightly low angle shot, makes him look bigger in the frame.  Shot of blood, shows extent of damage done. 'Realisation' moment for audience, shows the damage gang violence can cause.  High angle shot of blood makes it look like it's coming out of a tap; heightens severity of injury.  Point in film where tension peaks - diagetic, non-diagetic sound all heighten, and after this shot flashbacks end, and the rest of the 'Ellington Kid' narrative is left to the audience's imagination.

Complete a blogpost detailing your film viewing over the past month. You should consider the following when completing your blogpost: • Where do you watch films? I watch films in primarily two places, either at home or at the cinema. If travelling, I tend to watch films on a plane and in a car. When at home or travelling I prefer to watch films on my phone, even on a plane. At home I prefer to lie in bed in my room with headphones and watch movies on my phone, so nobody else disturbs me. • What devices do you use to watch films? How does this change the viewing experience? Primarily tend to use my phone, with headphones. Watching films on a 5.2 inch screen means that I'm closer to the screen, and pay attention to the finer aspects of the film. I also  watch films on the television with headphones, which is different from watching on my phone as there is a much bigger display.  • Are there certain films you prefer to see at the cinema? If so which?   Yes, I ...

Over CCTV footage throughout the film – stationary cameras elevates tension through the film and constantly heightens expectations in each shot of the film. Flashbacks foreshadow what is to come in later in the film – juxtaposition of the past and future, working in tandem. Timeline moves backwards instead of forwards – Keeps audience watching to find out the cause of the events. No non-diegetic sound – all from the cameras in the world of the film. Again adds to tension of the film, lack of soundtrack increases the extended silence in the film. The final scene of the film is the body dropping on the car, and a plane flying overhead, revealing the subject of the film. Personally, the first time I watched it, the body falling on to the car was so sudden it gave me a scare. The minimalistic approach of the film adds quite a sombre tone to the narrative, it makes the death of the man even more sad.

The Fly Begins with a sound bridge (shotgun being cocked, and an audio line), immediately setting us up for what’s next to follow. Already sets the scene of a robbery, without the need for visual cues. The title screen flashes brightly multiple times and in rapid succession, so anyone with epilepsy be sure to skip this one out. Other than catching our attention, it heightens expectations simply due to how overdramatic the film is with its entry. Robbery never actually shown, only audio of men shouting violently and some scared screaming along with the bank’s closed doors shown, leaving us to assume the robbery is taking place. The sound of the fly is continuously heightened and brought to the forefront, and the distinguishable, sharp buzzing. No shot is entirely stationary; camera is at the very least swaying. Gives off a more naturalistic perspective, as rarely do people ever stand completely still. Multiple shots of bank door, along with sound of chaos inside give...

Echo Recognisable ringtone – immediately know a phone call incoming Long shot of reaction Camera in cab stationary, shakes with bumps in road, adds realism to car journey Use of chiaroscuro to show isolation while smoking. Creative camera use of different depths of fields to show man smoking in reflection – clearly being established as some sort of vice in this film. Lack of sound adds tension and isn’t noticeable until car passes. Household relationships and roles quickly established – Rebellious teenager, innocent child sibling and frustrated parent. Long shot + conversation muted – gives a sense of distance: brother watching from afar. Bike’s in garage – foreshadowing an actual accident, likely involving child? Slow motion shot of Ollie cycling off – depicts importance. Depth of field used again here, shifting focus from passerbys to her. Same scene as the beginning, however slow motion shots added in – audience see through her act, and see her in a different...

Tight Jeans Multiple shots of setting Don’t see the faces of the characters for a long time Excessively long OSS shot – increases ‘waiting’ sensation Bright Vibrant colours stand out against dull environment Characters kept anonymous, distinguishable only by clothes and position. Conversation stemmed from ‘tight jeans’ lasts long time – no change in frame. However  camera isn’t stationary, pans from left to right and back again every time a new subtopic is started. Change in frame/camera angle triggered by term slavery, a topic that carries weight in today’s society. Change in frame accompanied by a surprised ‘What?!’ by character in red, followed by an equally surprised reaction by character in blue. Camera angle returns after slavery discussion. Only Tyrone and Charlene’s name revealed to the audience – stereotypical black working class names. Fit directly with the setting of a council estate. Main characters however, are still kept anonymous, addressed as ‘you lots’ ...

The Operator Sound bridge first thing used – sound of typing on a keyboard is used before any footage is showed. Immediately gives us a rough setting and time period – as the sound of keyboards is instantly recognisable we know film takes place in the 21st century. Very little variety in types of shot – the average shot length is very high – forces audience to give less of their attention to what’s on the screen and more to listening to the phone call, as well as increasing tension in the scene Connection cuts between the two – moment of uncertainty – slight deep hum used to increase tension – non diegetic sound being used as diegetic sound. One close up  held for 55 seconds – have to focus on what is being said to get information. When connection is finally cut, there is a moment of complete silence, where the tension is heightened (by the lack of sound) before the operator begins the process all over again. This final action causes us to feel empathetic towards the op...

Film Contexts: Contemporary British Film From our study of Ex Machina as a contemporary British film answer these general institutional, social, political, cultural contextual questions: How typical was its funding model? Typical enough for a small studio – Garland had stated he wanted to make the movie on a small enough budget as possible. The budget was   $15 million, and being so small, did not reflect the eventual success of the film. How did it fit into the landscape of distribution and exhibition in the UK? In the UK, the film was distributed by Universal Pictures. The marketing of the movie was also somewhat unique – a tinder profile was created for Ava, matching with other users and eventually leading them to the promotion of the film. Using social media as a method of engaging their audience, Ex Machina also catered to the younger generation. To what extent is Alex Garland a director of British films? Or is he less of a cultural Auteur and more of a commerci...

The Exam - Premise Story - A student takes an exam, using the events of the previous week to help him answer the questions in the exam. Questions 1 - What is the common informal term for members of the Irish Traveller community? (2 marks) A - Bully at dodgeball calls him pikey. Question 2 -What is the name of the messenger of God in the religion of Islam?. (1 mark) A - Discussion with friends (Muhammed) about meaning of names Question 3 - How long will does the average human remain a virgin for? (6 marks) A - Recalls 'the talk' with his mother, writes ask Mr Jones Question 4 - A - Final question - Comedic Characters: Protagonist - Bored, un-athletic student, spends most of his time playing video games. Unpopular, has barely any friends. Doesn't care about many things except his k/d on Call of Duty. Flunking school, held behind to take exam. Antagonist/Enemy of progress - Angry, underpaid teacher. Lazy, doesn't want to work, ...