Film

__Film__

Film is a powerful medium through which the concept of Belonging can be explored. Essential to this is the capacity of the composer to respond to the audience through visual and sound effects. Primary to the use of a film as a text, is a clear understanding of the rlevenat techniques and how they are used to shape a concept.


 * **Technique** || **Description** ||
 * Camera shots || This consists of:
 * Long shots. These shots are taken from a distance and aim to incorporate more than one person within a single frame. It is used to show conversations and large events.
 * Mid shots. These shots are typically taken from the waist up, to show discussion between people. It is used to focus on conversations and key points.
 * Close-Up. This is used to focus on the face of a character. It is used to
 * Panning shots. ||
 * Camera angles || This consists of:
 * Angled up. This takes power away from the viewer. It can be used to show the enormity of a situation or the power of another character.
 * Angled down. This provides power to the audience/central character. In doing this the audience is able to have a sense of control over the situation.
 * Aerial. Taken from above, this angle aims to show perspective - to show the entire situation. ||
 * Lighting || Lighting is imperative to convey the mood of the shot. It can reflect the personal emotions of the character or it can reflect the key components of the event. In general terms, bright light can imply purity and innocence, while dark, dirty light can imply a mood of auterity, danger or crime. ||
 * Special effects || Special effects are now becoming a central part of the film making process. The use of special effects can influence the engagement of the audience, it can also add to the overall mood and thematic structure of the film. ||
 * Metaphor || Within films, metaphors are used to examine key concepts within scene. They relate to the character or situation, by repeatedly alluding to the underlying meaning. For example, the whale in 'Whale Rider' is representative of the cultural ties to the ocean, and it's integral posotiion within the native beliefs. ||
 * Mise en scene || This refers to the deliberate placement of props within the confines of the scene. This includes the set itself, costumes, anything in short, that has been used to create the atmosphere. ||
 * Sound effects || As with lighting, sound provides an audio indicator for the mood or emotion of the shot. It can influence the audiences response to the events taking place. That also acts as cues for dramatic effect - when something is about to take place, ie .a murder. ||
 * Symbolism || Key objects that can provide an abstract or existential meaning. They represent a meaning other than the connotations it mainatains. For example, the candle can represent hope, light and life. ||
 * Juxtaposition || The deliberate placement of characters and/or objects side by side to make an abstract comment on the situation or bring to attention the differences. It is mainly a comparisson between object to make a deliberate implication or suggestion about the situation. ||

__Possible texts for Belonging__
 * The Blind Side
 * Whale Rider
 * The Curious Tale of Benjamin Button
 * A Beautiful Mind
 * Boy
 * About A Boy
 * Slumdog Millionaire
 * Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
 * Coraline
 * Harvie Krumpet
 * Beneath Hill 60
 * The Royal Tenenbaums
 * Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
 * Lost in Translation
 * Prometheus