DYM Homework Evaluation

Legally Blonde:
Narrative Expectations:
* We see the main character in slow motion-perfect manicured nails, song 'perfect day' playing in background connotes that the main character is perfect.
*A card with the name 'Elle' is passed around the sorority, which means that the main character will be Elle.
*A university, cheerleaders, jocks and other typical high shool/college iconography is shown, so we will expect a college themed film.
*Elle has a Tiffany's necklace, prada bag, mercedes benz, dog dressed in pink etc. which shows she is rich.
*She takes care of herself and is popular-her friends are signing a card to wish her luck for homecoming queen, she has a boyfriend-she seems so perfect.
*Elle wears a lot of pink, her dog even wears pink, she is blonde which makes people think of a typical ditsy bimbo.
*She has a boyfriend, Warner-everything seems so perfect-something will go wrong?

Shot Types:
* Lots of ECUs and CUs to show detail such as manicured nails, brushing her hair-all signs of perfection.
*LSs to show other characters and set the scene at university.
*Slow motion as well as ECUs are used on Elle to create an enigma, as we want to see her face. This makes the audience focus on her more than anything else.
*Tracking used to follow the card to Elle, so the audience get a sense of her surroundings, but while simultaneously seeing parts of her. In the end, both parts (the card and Elle) will meet to give an end to the opening sequence.

Character Types:
* Elle-we are made to think she will be a dumb blonde, as she loves pink, has a small dog and talks on the phone about shopping and her boyfriend-too materialistic.
*Jocks-stare at the good looking girls, as if that is all they are there for.
*Girls-seem so perfect; doing they're hair and make up, working out, cheerleaders, homecoming queen etc.


Se7en
Narrative Expectations:

*An Average Joe is getting ready for work-he lays out his suit, does his tie, has coffee. There is no music and the low lighting and dark clothes suggest a serious film
*The man is the main character, as the camera follows him through his routine and then to work.
*Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt seem to be arguing a lot, they represent the opposites that are usually found in films; personalities clash-Pitt is louder, sarcastic, Freeman is quite, almost boring.

*Both characters wear leather jackets and plain clothes, which gives a sense of normality.

*It is not until later that the titles and credits are shown. They consist of crime scenes, blood, letters etc. which connotes an intense, more chilling movie.
* The titles coming after the clip of Freeman conducting his everyday life suggest to us that his life was normal and boring before the unseen person went into his life.

*Music is also only played after the intro, when the main points have been established (main characters, genre of film)

Shot Types:
* LSs of characters together, tracking from in front as they walk towards the camera
*Wide shots used where the main characters are central, to show how important they are, but also get a feel of the background
*Low angles make the characters seem bigger and more important

Character Types:
*Detectives-obviously a crime/thriller/murder
*He seems to have OCD or something wrong with him, as he seems to do thing perfectly and needs help sleeping at night, so maybe he has something to hide or change.

*Morgan Freeman seems lonely, he is single-he wakes up alone and goes to sleep alone.

*Brad Pitt seems smart but there seems to be conflict between the two characters.

*Freeman seems boring, but his distinctive voice makes him an interesting character, he is sarcastic "Look at all that passion on the wall," (referring to blood)

What similarities can you identify between the two examples? What are the differences?
*Both films immediately establish the main characters in their typical environments.
*However, in Legally Blonde there is a lead up to Elle's life, whereas in Se7en Freeman is shown right away, which adds to the seriousness of the film.
*Legally Blonde starts off with an upbeat song and bright colours which suggests to us that the film will continue like this and have a happy ending. Se7en starts off dark and the titles only begin after Freeman has gone about his everyday business which connotes a complex/thriller film that may not have a happy ending.
*In Legally Blonde there is harmony between all the characters; Elle is popular and her friends all like her, but in Se7en there is conflict between Freeman and Pitt.

BLK Homework Evaluation

1.
*This is a high angle MS of a white teenage male.
* He is wearing a grey hoody-the hood nearly covering his eyes so it casts shadows across his face, signifying that he may have things to hide.
*He sits against a brick wall in the dark with a spotlight shining on him which creates an interrogation-style effect.
*As one eye is covered a sense of mystery is connoted, as well as darkness which could represent that the character is evil.
*The actor is giving direct address to the camera, which seems chilling and gives a sense of horror.
* The photo is in colour, but the actor is wearing dark clothing which makes him seem evil, as he is central in the photo and we are drawn to the darkness.
*We had to turn off the lights in the hallway so that there was darkness surrounding the actor and the only light came from the police, as if to signify that the character is bad and the police interrogating are good, which plays upon opposites which are a common feature in horror films.
*Furthermore, the actor looks like a 'deer in the headlights', which is great we achieved a feeling that he was not expecting to be caught.

2.
*The shot was acheived using a teenage male sitting against a wall, with someone holding a pag light (without filters) in front of the male.
*I also put dark makeup underneath the teenager's eyes so that he looked more devious.

3.
*I think that the strongest point about the picture is the way the lighting is used. The spotlight accentuates the darkness of the character, but also the darkness beyond in the corners, which makes the wall look slightly concave and distorted.

4.
*Even though the picture is good, it could be improved. For example, it is not very clear that it is supposed to be a torchlight/spotlight intereogation effect, so if I could retake the shot I would go in closer with the pag light so that the light is more defined against the dark wall.
*Also, the carpet does not really tie in with the mood that is wanted. The background is supposed to seem rugged and rough and outside, with the brick walls, but as there is carpet, it is obviously inside and connotes softness, which is the opposite to what we wanted to achieve.