Friday 7 December 2012

Blog Feedback 1



I have applied all the changes that were suggested, by my teacher, and included all of the posts. I will also take on board criticism regarding my blog, which would involve including more pictures to make the presentation of the blog look more appealing. I have also added labels to all my posts so that it is easier for me to locate previous posts.

Thursday 6 December 2012

Saul Bass Title Sequence Analysis

Seconds (1966) 

First of all, there is an extreme close up shot of an eye, we see the eye looking around creating a sense of panic; the eye is then obscured reinforcing the sense of panic. The camera then moves to a shot of the persons lips, and 'Seconds' appears, creating the sense of time running out. The camera moves, and it shows the extreme close up shot of the insides of the persons mouth, which is darkness, but could suggest that the film has an input of science towards it. There are more shots of the persons facial features similarly reinforcing science to the film.

There is a shot of a mans face which has been edited to make it look very obscure, possibly to inform the audience that he is the 'bad' person within the film. He is looking down at the camera giving them a sense of authority and presents a dangerous aspect towards them, as if he is examining somebody, introducing the genre of thriller to the film.

There is a shot of a person's face with something over their face, as if it has been bandaged up, this reinforces a sense of thriller as it is quite disturbing. It also suggests that the person has been 'examined' as previously stated, introducing both genres of science and thriller.
There is then a birds eye view of people walking around, creating a sense of innocence towards the people.

The music within the title sequence is very intense, and reinforces the genre of thriller as it creates the feeling that something bad is going to occur within the film. The typography within the film is very basic; this could be to draw the attention more towards the images rather then the text within the sequence.

The title sequence sets up what is going to happen within the film; it insinuates that it is going to be a thriller film and that there is some sort of science fiction involved too. Also, from the music, its created that the film would consist of intense moments.

Blue Valentine Analysis



Blue Valentine Opening Sequence The genre of the film is constructed with it being set as a prologue; it shows the audience the relationship the couple had, and this portrays the genre as romance. The music begins before anything visual is shown, but the first shot is of the couple hugging, and there are effects of fireworks over them. As previously stated, the sequence is a prologue and it shows the audience shots of the couple being together. There is not as such any elements of narrative implied in the sequence except the bond of the couple is shown. One could say this has been done because when the audience watches the film they reflect back on the opening sequence, and it portrays a before and after effect.


The majority of the shots are two shots, but the individual shots are close up and also long shots; I think this has been done to show the intimacy between the couple and it reinforces the genre as romance. We see the sequence as if one of two is reminiscing on their past, which gives an insight to ‘before’ for the audience. The sequence shows different shots of the couple, together and individually, but with no narrative to it, as previously stated, I think this is to give the effect of remembering happy memories, and it suggests that it is no longer like that. Between the shots includes the effects of fireworks, which has an impact on the kind of relationship that it is, or was. The pace of the edit is fairly slow through out the whole sequence, each shot lasting about the same, possibly suggesting the remembering of that moment. The genre of the music is indie/folk, and the specific song chosen has an affect on the audiences view.


Although the sequence shows the couple being together, and it seems as if they are in a state of bliss, but when researching into the music is portrays a different view. The song: “It's a fear, it is near. the shape becomes ever clear. It bares teeth, extra sharp, that'll cut you in the heart. It attacks really quick, try and fight it with a stick. it's no use, give it up, this is life and this is love. You are my alligator” The sequence shows that although you can be happy in love, as shown in the shots, the song informs that it will not last and that it is painful, an alligator being a metaphor for the harshness of love. This clarifies to the audience possibly what is going to happen within the film, the opening sequence consisting of the happiness within a relationship, the song insinuating what is going to happen, and the film consisting of remembering what was, and the evident ending of a relationship. I think that the music within this has a great effect on the audience, and it allows people universally to reflect on personal situations within their own lives.

The first text introduced into the sequence is white and bold; this could associate with a possible purity, relating to the first stages of love. When the title is include, effects are included to give it a explosive, fiery effect, simply stating love to be like fire, and explosive and to an extent, painful. All the texts are in capitals, making it stand out to the audience, again reinforcing the harshness of the relationship.

The first shot in the sequence shows the couple hugging, but you cannot see their faces and the next is again of them, but the girl in front of the boy and an effect is included again, which similarly makes their faces harder to see. Before the text ‘blue valentine’ is shown there is a shot of the two kissing each other on the floor, and then the text is shown with the effects included. This reinforces the connotations of the intimate relationship, which is also visualized as explosive and dark. This is then followed by a series of shots of the couple together in an intimate way again reinforcing their relationship beforehand. The point that there are only shots of the couple could suggest that the pair feel as if they are in the world together, they only recognize each others presence similarly reinforcing the intimacy, playfulness and impulsiveness of their relationship previously. The ending shot is of a young girl followed by darkness, this could imply that the couple had a child and it could also suggest that the relationship has resulted in the ending of the happiness to some extent.