Mise-en-scene blog

Mise-en-scene

Activity Goals

Our goals for the Mise-en scene were to collaborate on designing an interactive station that our classmates can explore to learn who our character is and what they enjoy doing. We wanted to make the experience simple for the other groups to navigate, but at the same time, we didn't want to make it so simple that they could fly through it. Also, we didn't want it to be a simple PowerPoint, so we came up with ideas like creating a music trivia and an interactive slideshow where participants could click on different elements to learn more about our character. 

Character Summary

Our character was Nova Skye, a woman in her mid-50s, a former award-winning singer who is clever, kind, and humorous. She fills her life with music, friends, and memories, creating a warm atmosphere in her cozy apartment. She enjoys reading books, listening to music, and sharing wisdom with others. 

(Picture of Nova Skye performing at a concert)

Interactive Elements

To illustrate our character, we created several interactive and multimedia elements. One of ours was a clip of her meeting the next-door neighbor and offering him a life lesson(Nova Life Lesson Video link), as he was a bit down. Another activity we made was a Guess the Lyrics of songs(Song Trivia link) that connected with our character. This gave the viewers a fun activity to do, keeping them engaged. Our interactive slideshow(Interactive Slide show link) helped provide information about our character by having them click different parts of the image to reveal more details. Finally, our tactile objects (vinyl records, a microphone, books, awards, plants, and a blanket) represented items you would most likely find in her apartment and brought viewers into her world. 

Station Organization

We organized the elements at our station to make it feel as if you were stepping into her life/apartment. We had the blanket spread out across all four desks with fake plants to create a warm and cozy feel, along with vinyl records, books, and awards scattered around all four parts of our station to give each part of the station the impression that the viewers were sitting in different areas of her home/space. 

(Picture of Nova Skye Apartment)

Character Development

When developing our character, we tried not to stereotype or trope older female characters as commonly seen in the media, such as being lonely or out of their prime. We instead represented her as smart, friendly, and not having lost her attachment to her interests. Based on ideas from the lesson on representation, we considered the processes of construction, such as how her story was built with props and dialogue, and selection, like what we chose to add to her world. We did not treat her age and gender as something different; instead, we presented her as a person our audience could identify with, and we created a cozy, friendly mise-en-scene that matched her character. 

(Picture of Nova Skye)

Reflection on Group Process

Our team was able to learn that mise-en-scene is not only about props, but about the decisions that are put together to create a story. We have worked together, planned and paid attention to details in order to make our character(Nova Skye) feel as real as possible and to be remembered by the audience. 

Credits and Sources: (Credits and Sources Link)

Genre Research Blog Activity

Why is Action so thrilling?

Typical target audience:

    The action thriller genre is one of the most powerful and exciting areas of modern films. This genre has been continuously shaped through the history of multiple directors, through heart-pounding sequences and well-crafted plots. The popularity of this genre is largely due to the number of people it appeals to within the target audience, mostly young and middle-aged adults who crave energy, suspense, and tension. The action thrillers movies/series are exciting as they make the audience feel the tension of a battle, and the strategies that go along with it. One example of this is the film Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie that made over $526M and attracted an audience interested in fast-paced action and mystery.  

 

A poster from the film Sherlock Holmes

Genre conventions Content:

    The content within action thrillers can be found within majority of action thriller films/series. These movies focus on a skilled hero or small team that is trying to defeat or destroy powerful enemies or survive in deadly situations. Unlike pure action movies, the thriller element brings a sense of psychology to the film which adds to the feeling that danger could strike at any moment. Heroes/protagonists in these moments tend to be clever in every situation presented, whereas villains are usually more unpredictable. An example of this is in The film The Gentlemen by Guy Ritchie. The plot of the movie is centered on Mickey Pearson, a wealthy drug lord who is forced to defend his business against betrayal from people who are trying to sabotage his farms to lower their prices, making it cheaper for them to buy. The movie balances humor and high-tension moments that demonstrate how brains and the right moment can be just as deadly as a bullet. It is this combination of intelligence and the conflict that keeps the viewer engaged till the end.  

 

Genre conventions Production:

    Majority of these films are primarily shot in urban environments, with places like crowded cities that are full of opportunities like threats or corruption. These locations give filmmakers the opportunity to create complex chase scenes, underground meetings, high tech missions, and represent the modern world. Lighting and tone are also significant, with flashes of light highlighting key explosions or other important moments; darker colors tend to suggest mystery or moral conflict. An example of this is the darkly lit streets of London in the Sherlock Holmes movie by Guy Ritchie, which add a sense of mystery and suspense; together, this creates an action thriller genre. The styles of production on action thrillers are designed to add tension and urgency. Directors use wide tracking shots, shaky cameras and quick cuts in chase scenes and battles to help the audience feel like they are part of the action. Deep bass and tense violin are a couple of the sound effects that create explosions, stealth scenes and abrupt silence that bring a sense of shock. Different sounds are important aspects that enhance soundtracks and sound effects. For example, in Jarhead the noise of helicopters, gunfire and emptiness all contribute to the mental tension soldiers experience even when there is no fighting. In Jarhead the genre is maintained through the transitions between silence and actions instead of relying mainly on fighting.  

  

Institutional conventions:

    The advertising that goes along with these movies is usually based on visual appeal, mystery, and energy. With one type of advertising like posters, they often show the main or group of heroes alone in the middle of a dark or blazing background, holding a weapon. In contrast, trailers are typically filled with dramatic moments, stunts, one-liner moments, and bursts of action. To convey power or tension, advertisements often use hues such as silver, black, and red to evoke emotion. An example of this can be seen in the Netflix series The Night Agent advertisement, which uses a slogan such as “ Heroes aren't Born. They answer the call. ” with the protagonist ready to fight and a dark scheme to attract its target audience. Similarly, The Blacklist combines crime, politics, and danger into one long plot, featuring an FBI agent and a professional criminal with a mix of mystery and intensity.  

  

A poster from the series The Night Agent

Film 1 ex:

    The 6 Underground is a film that fits the action thriller genre, with the movie being about six agents faking their deaths to take down dangerous criminals and corruption. The action and undercover missions are shown through the narrative, and each of the protagonist with each one having a special skill in a different field. The rapid editing, bright visuals, and artistic camera angles used by director Bay enhance the movie's energy. The characters are relatable to the audience despite the chaos around them because of their humor and teamwork. In this movie, the thriller genre is expressed through the combination of humor, spectacle, and danger.  

A poster from the film 6 Underground

Film 2 ex:

    Another movie that portrays the action thriller genre is The Gentlemen. Instead of numerous explosions, the movie focuses on dialogue, tension, and strategy. Starting off with a plot related to a chess game, where each move and word contributes to the entirety of the movie. Next the use of editing, slow-motion shots, abrupt cuts, and wardrobe choices (well-fitted suits and bright colors(The Gentlemen)) all directed by Guy Ritchie make the film stand out from traditional action movies. This keeps viewers on the edge of their seats in suspense as they wonder who is controlling the events until the very end, when everything is revealed.    

A poster from the film The Gentlemen

Other film examples:

    Other examples of the thriller action genre include Sherlock Holmes, Jarhead, The Night Agent, The Blacklist, You, John Wick, and Extraction. Each of these films/series shares similar filmmaking techniques: fast pacing, plot twists, and moral complexity. All these movies feature some form of spies, detectives, and anti-heroes. The action thriller genre remains popular because it combines raw energy with mental power, creating exciting battles fought with intelligence and strength. 

 

 

Sound Blog

 

Sound Projects

Sound Project 1:

What I learned: From the sound lesson and videos, I learned how much of a contribution sounds add to films, as well as the difference between dialogue and non-dialogue sounds. One interesting point was that not all sounds are made the way they look, for example bones breaking can be made by breaking celery stalks to create the sound.   

Summary of Directions: For the sound project we were given the task to tell a story only through sounds. We had to brainstorm an outline for a 1-2 minute film, identifying the sounds we would use, and having no more than seven words used. Then we had to create at least four foley stage sounds with real objects to use in the project and the rest of the sounds we gathered online. The sounds then needed to be put together into a 1–2-minute video with a black screen. For the OWF (one word film) sound project, we were tasked to work with our original OWF partner to brainstorm an outline of sounds that we would need to create (foley and collect. Once all the sounds were collected, individually each member then needed to add them to their OWF project. The sounds needed to be realistic and help convey the word that was assigned to the OWF project. 

Our Approach for Sound Project:  For sound project 1, we tried to make a realistic environment through sound that would represent pirates finding an island. Our goal was to make it sound like you are with the character while they are moving throughout the scenes. We chose a pirate ship finding land as the theme which had a wide range of sounds, and we used foley to create and to pull online.  
Brainstorming: When brainstorming, we thought of how pirates are shown in movies and how they are viewed by a movie watcher. We also thought of what sounds would be best to foley as some like thunder or wind would be difficult to get and wouldn't sound realistic compared to a peg leg and glasses clinking. As for one sound, the accordion, although it is in movies and some think pirates play accordions while according to history they do not.  

Outline: We organized the sounds by scenes, for example setting sails, storm approaching, captain yelling out commands, finding the land, and the celebration. The outline helped us collect our sounds and then put them into a clear order to convey the story. It also helped us brainstorm what are the best ways to make different foley sounds.  

Editing Utilize: For editing, we used Clipchamp and it was perfect as both of us were able to work on it at the same time.  

Done well/Needs for improvements: I think we did well on the foley as they sounded very similar to the sound effects pulled online. It was a creative way of making the sound like the ship creaking through the twisting of belts.  For next time I would want to try a different type of scene like pirates fighting another ship, but it would be a challenge as a pirate battle does not happen in the span of 2 minutes. Also, I would want to make it a bit longer and try some more advanced sounds.   

Link to Project: NorlingBarbeito_soundscape_per2

Link to some of our foley sounds: NorlingBarbeito_foley_per2

Our Outline:

Sound Project 2/OWF Sound:

Our Approach for Sound Project: For sound project 2, we wanted to add the sounds to our OWF while still making it sound realistic, while adding extra sounds to convey our word (optimistic). We wanted to make the sounds as realistic as possible to add a sense of realism like it could really happen.    

Brainstorming: When brainstorming we came up with the sounds that we hear around school every day like the bell ringing, students chatting, doors opening, etc. We made sure to film them in school to have the effect of the surroundings on the sounds to make better matched to the video. Along with that, we thought that adding some sound effects can help tell the story better with the transition from tense to happier. Also, we thought of trying to watch and replicate how the movements were performed in the film to make it sound as realistic as possible.   

Outline: We organized our sounds by the scenes like in the hallway, in class, doing homework, flashback, confidence grows with work, and leaves class. The outline had helped us make sure we didn’t miss any sounds when recording them. Also, it made editing parts easier as we had numbered them to make the shared drive more organized. 

Editing Utilize: I used premier pro as an editing resource, and because I have other certifications with adobe applications, it provides a format that is familiar and easy to navigate. 

Done well/Needs for improvements: I thought the sounds were very realistic and the timing was aligned with the video. For the next time I would have the recording device closer to the objects creating the sound to avoid the background noises. 

Link to Project: OWFSound_NorlingRader

Link to some of our foley sounds: OWFsound_FoleySounds_Norling

Our Outline: