-x- Spooks- Essay- Opening Sequence -x-

Throughout this essay i will be explaining what techniques the opening scene uses to appeal to a weekday mainstream audience. The essay will also focus on what the text tells us about the media insitutions involved. Also this essay will include whether the extract follows the codes and conventions of an opening scene. Lastly this essay will include how people and places are represented in the opening scenne of this 'Spooks' Tv series.

Firstly Spooks is a Tv series broadcasted on the BBC. The BBC is a public service broadcatser. This therefore means that their duty is to the public, serving to inform, educate and entertain rather thank to make a commercial profit. This therefore means that the Tv series should automatically have a meaning behind the series, and also the series should be up to the same advantage as other TV series produced by the BBC.

Media texts are constructed using a number of codes and conventions which refer to meanings portrayed byt the text. A code is a network of signs, written, visual, artistic or behavioural meanings that are culturally accepted and shared. A convention is a conduct or practice or mehtod that is commonly accpepted and has a tradition. Therefore this relates to the 'Spooks' series due to the reason that the setting shown throughout the opening is set to look as an urban type of posh area, located in London. The first shot is of a young, white schoolgirl skipping on the pavement. This therefore is a typical London tradition and is accepted as people find it normal for a young school girl to be skipping and playing about outside ehr house. This can however be contridicted as some people may have a negative view on this as they may belive there are many hazzards and dangers for a young girl to be playing near a road by herself. Also the codes and conventions used to represent the young male and female are put across as positive. For example the young couple can be seen as a newlywed couple who are hapily in love, the diea of this makes the audience want to think what will happen next and the reason to why they are so happy.

The music being played in the background of the dialogue also connotes that something bad is going to happen. The build up of the storyline also attracts the audience more. The reason for this is because the dialogue starts with the couple getting ready to go to work, eating breakfats and then finnaly getting into the car. The music seems to be slow paced and suspensful therefore making the audience believe something bad is going to happen, or keeps the audience wondering what is going to happen next.
A binary opposition can also be reflected from this opening sequence. The main reason being that the couple is seen to be loved up and also happy, however when the two other characters are intorduced the dialogue used ' they deystroyed our life' conntoes evil. This therefore shows a binary opposition as the audience dont expect a happy couple to be interferring with neagtive things. This therfore makes the audience want to carry on watching the movie and find otu what the happy couple done to the other two characters.

The main codes and conventions based upon the opening sequence, are mainly used by building up tension throughout the sequence. Firstly the main shot is a close up of a young school skipping, this therefore attracts the audience as it automatically shows the types of people that are going to be in the school. Also the voices used when there are two people in the car are close up shots of the tow characters mouths, this therefore conntoes suspision as their identity is not shown until the end of the openign sequence.

-x- Targets To Hit ATG -x-

The three targets i have chosen in order to gain my ATG are ..


> One main target i have chosen is to hand in my homework/ essays det by Ms Holiday.. the main reason being that it would benefit me as i will be gettin correct feedback from her.

> Another target i have chosen to acheive my ATG is to at least once or twice a week to take part in a previous media exam. The reason for this is so that i can be familiarised with the exam paper and it will also be a good peice of revision and practice.

> My last target is going to be foccussed on my writing skills. I feel like that is one of my weaknesses therefore i will have to work on my writing skills much more.

-x- Audience -x-

LO: To explore how media texts appeal to different audiences! ..

2 Main Points about the Media Audience ..

=D .. The media are often experienced by people alone ( cutt off from people )
=D .. Wherever they are in the world, the audience for a media text are all receiving exactly
the same thing

History .. Media can affect people in many negative ways. An example of this would be that people usually tend to go out with their friends to experience the media i.e cinemas or sometimes relaxing with friends watching the tv. Therfore if they all see a negative approach reflecting soemthing i.e a celebrity, this will mean that millions of people see this negative approach which makes the media have a superior power upon the audience.

The audience as a *Mass* .. According to many theorists, particularly in the early history of the subject, when we listen to our CDs or sit in the cinema, we become part of a mass audience in many ways like a crowd at a football match or a rock concert but at the same time very different because separated from all the other members of this mass by space and sometimes time.


The Effects / Hypodermic model .. According to this theory the media injects ideas, attitudes and beliefs into the audience.

-x- Next Best Steps -x-

Editing ..

The editing used in this short extract is mainly done in a slow pace style. The reason for this is becuase this particular scence focusses on the father taking a concentrated view to see whether or not the baby looks like one of the prisoners. Therfore the director has done this so that the audience are scattered with tension and suspense in finding out whether or not the father will find out if one of the prisoners is the father of his grandson.

-x- Self Evaluation -x-

Self Evaluation of Natasha Nti ..

Attainment : 2 . The reason for this is because there have been numerous amount of times that i haven't been in lessons and i personally think it is not up to suitable standards.

Effort : 2 . The reason for this is because i think i put more effort into the clasroom speaking and contributions to the class rather than putting as much effort into my essays and homework.

Punctuality : 1. Since this term has started i haven't been late to any lessons.

Submission and quality of homework : 1. The reason for this is because all of my homework this term has been on time.

Ability to work independently : 1 . Mr Bush this term set us independant work after wathcing certain clips and analyising them. I thought i done this quite well .

Quality of writing : 2 . I dont think it is accuratley perfect at the moment but i think in time it is going to improve.

Organisation of Media folder : 1 . Everything in my media folder is up to the dat and organised.

Oral contributions in class : 1 . I think thsi term i have contributed to the class quite well and much more than i did last term.

Contributions to your practical production group: 1 . I organised where we should meet up and i made the sneak peak trailer in our film picth to Mr Bush .

How film trailers are used to attract an audience?.. -x- .. The Chronicles of Narnia.. The Lion The Witch and The Wardorbe..

The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe..



In this particular trailer the main aspect used to emphasize the trailer is the use of diegetic sound and the voice over. The reason for this is because they both explain to the audience what the main storyline is about. Right at the beginning of the trailer the sound of a clock is played, this straight away connotes the idea to the audience that the film is going to be about time running out or events happening with a time limit, also decision making happening within a time period.
The use of dialogue is not used until midway during the trailer; this emphasizes the use of sound during the trailer as it makes the audience figure out what the storyline is going to be about without hearing any use of dialogue. The first dialogue used in the trailer is *Impossible*. This phrase alone connotes to the audience that the film is going to be fairy tale or fantasy based, as impossible connotes fictional events happening within the movie.

The genre for this film is fantasy. There are many ways the director has used media aspects to show how the film trailers genre is established. Firstly the mise en scene plays a high role in establishing the genre. The costumes of the fighters wearing armour shield protection such as helmets connotes that they are taking part on a battle or war, however the fighters are half human and half animal. This therefore shows the fantasy genre as it is a fictional type of character. Also the use of editing establishes the genre of the film. For example there is a long shot used allowing the audience to see the setting the 4 children are in. It is also from a high view shot, this connotes how lonely the children are their idea of heroism within the film. This therefore establishes the genre being a fantasy as there are 4 children in the middle of a mountain instead of being at school or a home.

From this trailer I can straight away assume that the film is going to be family based. The reason for this is because the main characters are all children, one being around the age of 10, this therefore shows that the film will be family based because parents will be taking their children to the watch the movie.
The trailer shows that this film is worth coming to see by the writing put across saying * based on the beloved masterpiece by C.S. Lewis*, this shows that there has already been something based on the same storyline, in this case a novel. Also the phrase *This Christmas* shows that the film is worth going to see as it is coming out in the Christmas season and the snow in the trailer also connotes the festive fantasy season.

-x- Film Language Essay .. *LIFE* -x-

*..LIFE...*

Martin Lawrence
Eddie Murphy

The film I have chosen to analyse is a film called *LIFE*, with actors staring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. This automatically tells the audience that the film is going to be humour based, due to their stand up comedies and their other roles in films are usually humorous. Throughout this extract there are many film aspects used. Firstly I will be focusing on the opening shot used in the scene and how it attracts the audience’s attention.

The opening shot of this extract is a medium shot, this therefore automatically shows the audience the characters facial expressions and the type of clothing, this specific character is wearing. In this case the character is wearing a shirt tucked into smart trousers, this connotes that he is a wealthy man and his occupational status is very high. His facial expressions used in this particular shot are happy; due to the reason that he has just found out that his daughter has had a baby boy. However the camera movement then zooms out to a long shot, focusing upon the people he was talking to. The audience then realise the sudden change of emotions within the scene, as his wife and butler are not sharing the same joy that he was. This therefore enables the audience to think what is wrong in the household and what could be possibly be wrong with the baby or daughter. This brings up tension within the scene as the viewers are eager to know what is wrong.

After the male character walks off the audience then get to see a point of view shot, as if they were the new born baby. The male character then has a smile on his face but suddenly drop faces his facial expressions into a shocked and terrified moment. The audience therefore captures the sense of idea that something is wrong with the baby, and enables suspense and tension upon the audience as they don not know the reason behind his dramatic sense of negativity.
The shot also used for this specific scene in the extract is a close up. This is done so that the audience can relate to the characters facial expressions and see or feel what he is feeling.

In the next part of the extract the editing used is a jump cut. The reason why this is done is so that the audience doesn’t expect it. In this particular moment of the extract the audience is determined to know what has happened to the baby or what is wrong with the baby, therefore the quick and sudden jump cut to the male character shouting and showing anger and frustration towards the police officer shows that he has a high advantage and control over the police officer and is determined to find out the reason behind his troubles. In this particular case the reason being that his grandson is black. The jump cut therefore gains the audiences attention due to the reason that they are forced to focus on something very suddenly and unexpected.

The setting used in this extract is particularly based in an old century country type placed atmosphere. When the male character calls out every man, the audience then automatically gains the idea that he is at a local prison full of black men. Therefore the setting is shown to be at a prison full of men, who have committed crimes. Also the setting is seen in a very hot area, which can connote to the audience that the men work very hard in the heat, due to the amount of men that were sweating. This can also be seen as some kind of punishment. However, the male character portrayed in this part of the extract is wearing a full piece suit during the hot season, this can also tell the audience that his house and car may be wealthy, due him not feeling the heat as much as them due to the use of cool conditioning.

The lighting used in this extract differs quite variable. Firstly there is high key lighting used when the male character is filled with joyful emotions that his daughter has just had a baby girl. The high key lighting therefore symbolises his happiness and emotion. However when he goes to take a look at the baby the lighting suddenly goes into a back lighting and low key lighting. The reason for this is because there is something strange or wrong with the baby, or just a personal dislike about the baby. The low key lighting therefore emphasises the dramatic tensions and shadows used to connote something bad within the scene.

The sound used in this extract is mostly diegetic sound. This particular scene focuses on the dialogue used by the characters which can be known as diegetic sound. Also sounds such as birds singing and the car door closing comes across as diegetic sound as it comes from a source we as the audience would naturally expect that sound to come from. Also parallel sound is used within this extract towards the end as the music being played is gospel/romantic type of music, when the scene focuses on the real father looking at the mother. This connotes their love and affection towards one another.

There are close ups used in this extract when the father puts the baby up towards the prisoners faces. This is done so that the audience and father can see if there are any resemblances towards the baby and men. Also their facial expressions show whether or not they are guilty or suspicious.

The camera movement mostly used in this extract is the tracking shot. The tracking shot is where the camera follows the action along tracks laid for the purpose; this is done when the father goes to each man one by one to see if the baby looks like any of the prisoners. This also gains a point of view shot as the prisoners are looking straight at the father and so are the audience.

Overall the director has used a wide range of media aspects. Mainly mise-en-scene, lighting, sound, cinematography and editing. This has therefore leaded to the film being a successful film due to the history life behind it and the changes in society compared to modern day today.