The second quarter of my school year is almost over, bringing the first semester to a close. Throughout the past few months, I have learned many things about films and what directors implement into them that I never took a real look at. I use to think that I knew a lot about how scenes were shot and what they represented, but this class showed me how to actually look at scenes, which has allowed my analyzation skills to increase. I also learned about key terms that influence many decisions in the media and in film, some of which I have never even hear of. With only one more semester left to go for the AS Media Studies course, my comprehension of the media has definitely evolved.
Firstly, I have learned how important the little things are in a film, and what they can inform the audience about the story. Mise-en-scene is one of the terms that I learned early on in the class, and it really has helped me reevaluate the layouts of scenes, including composition, sets, props, actors, costumes, and lighting. While many will often identify the names of the actors and the setting that scenes take place, things like lighting, props, and costumes are less noticed, but still very important. I learned that lighting can help indicate the tone and atmosphere of a scene, or shine importance on particular props. I learned that props, even background ones, are significant in informing the audience about the characters or sets, and I learned that costumes give insight about the identity of characters, and no one is randomly dressed without a reason. With my added insight on Mise-en-scene, I can now look back at scenes of films that I thought I knew and scout for things or meanings that I previously missed. I can ponder what props denotate about who a character is or what a location is like, as well as the subtle connotations about themes of films and how they are set up. Looking at films in a more in-depth way, I have really grown to appreciate them as its own special form of art. It is kind of like a Monet painting, where you can never fully appreciate a film or a scene unless you look at it with a wider perspective.
All of the things that I have learned will help me plan out and film the opening sequence of my movie, as I will be utilizing the new techniques I have learned to make the scene as immersive and thought-provoking as possible. My partner and I will create a sequence of credits that excites the audience, that will be conventional to a high-school drama, while also being appealing to the eye. We will use colors to connotate the emotions and viewpoints of characters, as well as the atmosphere and moods of the settings used. We will use shots that are dynamic and nice to look at, making sure that the audience can grasp what is going on in the scene, both the overt details and the subtle ones, as we will use Mise-en-scene to make sure that every shot is filled to the brim with information about the story. I, along with my partner, will use the knowledge that we have learned to craft an opening scene for a film that I hope to impress the target audience, making a high school drama/comedy that is appealing to both teenagers and adults who were teenagers/have teenagers, a film that makes people think but can be enjoyed on the surface layer. Reflecting upon the past semester has shown me that I have gotten better at understanding the media and films, which will help me when I film my own movie opening.
Comments