Tattoo Vox Pop: Final piece (Dean)

College promo evaluation (Mike)

In my production the visual aspect was well produced. The shots were framed with the guidance of the rule of thirds, as well as the composition being eye pleasing and intriguing. All of the shots included in the final cut were in focus and were well exposed. However there was a minor issue with the audio. The music jumps in parts, as a result of rushed editing, all though the sounds on the audio were clear and in balance as far as volume is concerned with the music. This unfortunately brought the overall quality of the piece down, however is easily addressable, if I ever re-edit this piece. The transitions between the shots, mainly consisted of cross-fades, and occasionally 'fade to black', therefore making the video have a professional finish. The lengths of the shots vary during the montage to create a quick yet relaxed, and positive pace, which seems appropriate with the brief of showing the college in a positive light. The titles included a lot of information, however they could have been improved with the inclusion of contact details, as this is targeted at potential students. It could have also been improved by ensuring that the text was consistent with in the frame.

The video, successfully, communicates a positive atmosphere to the college through many different aspects. These vary from the bright lighting, which is often associated with happiness, and the quick pace during the laughing montage. The content is also appropriate as it communicates a lot of necessary information about the college, therefore creating a strong impact. The impact is also made through the expressions on the students faces during the final montage. However the video would be stronger, once again, with the inclusion of contact details.

Our group worked well together, and seemed to enjoy the recording process. Our only downfall was that we didn't plan very well, therefore we didn't get some shots that would have been useful, such as a decent shot, done on a dolly, of someone walking around the college.

In conclusion, the piece gives a strong, happy impact. However could be made stronger with alterations to the music as well as the inclusion of contact details.

Tattoo Vox pop (dean)

We were asked to go out and record people using hand held microphones, responding to a question of our choice. I asked whether people thought that tattoos and piercing should be more widely accepted in the work place. It was difficult at first to get people to stop and answer, but eventually I found ways to identify an audience that were actually intrigued by my question, by manipulating stereotypes of the way people dress. However I still kept a varied audience, in order to keep my data valid and a representation of the public, as a whole. A majority of the people we asked said that they felt as though tattoos should be accepted in working environments, which without background, makes my compilation seem biased. If I was to re-record the vox pops, I would gather more varied opinions, but I wouldn't change my technique on recording them. Other than one clip, when the wind becomes over-powering for a few seconds, the recordings were satisfactory.

Cue:
As you know/ for years, people with body modifications have been discriminated against/ not by everyone, but by the masses.// We went out to discover what YOU the public, felt about this, and whether it should be considered acceptable in modern working environments, to sport such a, growing popular style.

Back announcement:
From the sample we spoke to, a majority seem confused into why this is still an issue in such a modern age, so why dont you call in and tell us what you think... on / 0800/666/43/21/ that number again is 0800/666/43/21.

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Lyn)

00:58- 02:26- film opening
01:22:37- 01:23:05- film ending

Theories:
The ending of this film is the final battle between the Lycans, Werewolves and Vampires. At around 01:12:00 Lucian, the hero of the film, is being tortured with silver arrows by the Vampires, and he calls the others. The concluding 10 minutes before the final scene, are mainly the final battle as the enslaved creatures create anarchy and rebellion against their un-dead oppressors. The main binary opposition (Claude Levi-Strauss) is clearly shown at 01:17:21- 01:17:31, displaying Victor as the Villain and Lucian as the Hero. However due to their being no physical indicators, such as the stereotypical 'the hero wears white' it is unclear without watching previous scenes into who is the protagonist and who is the antagonist. At 01:20:12- 01:20:38 it is implied that the Hero has killed Victor as he stands victorious over his people as they cheer his name. He responds by saying that 'This is only the beginning' as the shot pans up the castle walls and over to a ship, on which Victor is shown live and well, walking into a coffin to rest. This displays that the new state of equilibrium is that the Lycans now own the property that the Vampires once did, and have successfully battled for their freedom, however it also suggests that their will be a sequel, as Victor is shown to be embarking upon a new journey.
The final concluding scene begins in darkness at 01:22:32 as a voice over begins talking to someone about their 'dark father', thus implying that their is a succeeding film about the Vampires. There is then a quick shot of some birds flying away at 01:22:39, and as birds flying is often described as symbolism I connote that this means their will be another battle for freedom in the following film. The shot once again cross-fades to back and at 01:22:46 begins to zoom in on a female, dressed similarly to how the Vampires did throughout the film, however their is a clear time gap between the films which is shown through the style of clothing, sat on the edge of a balcony gazing down, in the rain. The voice over begins to use vocabulary such as 'You', thus implying that he is talking about the female shown. The shot then cuts to a side shot and then a close up, which suggests that this female will be either the heroine or 'princess' of the next movie, as it highlights her significance. As it shows a close up of her face the voice over changes to a female voice which says 'lies' and then the shot cuts to black once more and the credits begin. As this character is not included in the rest of the film, she symbolizes a new development in the plot, and implies that their will soon be a new disequilibrium. She is also an enigma (Barthes codes) as the dark lighting, and her positioning is intriguing. The delays the ending of the piece and is similar to the presentation of the beginning of the next film.