Martin Scorsese - The Art of Silence

The Great Gatsby - Green Screen and CGI.

A Talk With Hitchcock

Whether you're an AS or A2 Media student, this interview with Alfred Hitchcock, in which he discusses his creative process, is really useful. It gives a detailed insight into how to tell stories on film. The section on 'cutting' is particularly insightful.

Part 1 and Part 2.

Learn Adobe Premiere Pro

For those of you embarking on your first video-based editing project and for those of you who need a refresher, Adobe have put together a useful set of video's to help you learn to use Adobe Premiere Pro.

CS5.5 (Old Macs)

CS6 (New Macs)

A note on blogging...

A brief guide for AS student's who have begun blogging...

1. Check out previous students blogs to develop an understanding of what to include/write about; expectations in terms of post length/quality; and how to use/embed media including video, audio and documents.

The following blogs are a good place to start...

• Serena Moriarty
• Heather Casey
• Lucy Taylor
• Joshua Gray

2. Blog regularly - a minimum of once a week.

3. Your blog is your 'Foundation Portfolio in Media'. It is a record of the stages of your coursework: Research, Planning, (Post)Production, Evaluation. Therefore, it needs to be detailed and well written. Proof read your posts. Your blog will be marked and will be sent for moderation.

4. All of your posts should demonstrate learning and understanding. And where appropriate, given the purpose of the post, include evidence of analysis, reflection and evaluation. This may also include work done with me as there are direct links between the two sides of the course.

5. Evaluation is one of the most important skills at AS Level. See this document for additional guidance on what 'evaluation' is.

6. Finally, post rather than draft. You can edit/add to posts, even if they have been published. Mr Ford and I can only help you if we can see where you are at on your blog. If you keep lots of drafts we can not help you and will likely draw the conclusion that you are behind with your work.

Remember, you can get in touch with us via email or Twitter. And don't forget to ask your A2 peers. Josh, Hannah, Lucy, Danni, Avvy, Alice & Alice will be more than happy to help you.

Happy blogging...

Mr. M.

Mouth Taped Shut

Check out this fantastic blog promoting the upcoming release of David Fincher's 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo'.

http://mouth-taped-shut.com/

It includes many artistic images on-set, on-location and in the editing suite. Also, you can see the film poster, parts of the script and also the trailer.

AS: Group Presentations (22.09.11)

Group Presentations from today's lesson have been compressed and uploaded to YouTube. You can find them here:

Group 1 (Averielle, Alice and Danielle): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77S_OnCEe88

Group 2 (Lucy, Amy and Nicole): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSjWFkpswIo

Group 3 (Josh and Hannah): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG3TnMJhzdA

Group 4 (Rhiannon and Alice): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R992V-pQbOM

To add them to your posts you need to click on the "Share" button below the posts and select "Embed". Copy the code in to your blog post.

Concept of Consumption

When completing your evaluations don't forget to consider the place of consumption for your film/music video/ads etc...

Here is an interesting example on 'Short of the Week'.

The evolution of film titles

Useful exploration of the way film titles have evolved - can you recognise all the genres represented by their titles?

Check it out: http://www.idsgn.org/posts/now-and-then-how-film-titles-have-evolved/

Recommended Website: Video Copilot

If you wish to take your video editing to the next level and have been trying to learn after effects then this website is for you:

http://www.videocopilot.net

It features advanced plugins and tutorials for use with after effects. In the words of James Hall (a current A2 Media student): "You learn so much from using it."

today we put up my last album, 'wait for me' on mobygratis

From Moby's blog:

today we put up my last album, 'wait for me' on mobygratis:

as some of you might know, i have a website called mobygratis:

http://www.mobygratis.com

it provides free film music for indie and student and non-profit filmmakers.

today we put up my last album, 'wait for me' (which features prominently in academy award nominated 'waste land', as well as paul haggis' last movie 'the next 3 days') on mobygratis.

so if you're an independent or student or non-profit filmmaker (or all 3, as the case often is) who needs free music you can now use the songs from 'wait for me', as well as the other 100 or so pieces of music up on the site.

free music for indie, student, and non-profit films.

moby

Film Riot!

Here's a link to a useful set of videos to help you with your coursework. 

Learn how to shoot and edit your films, music videos and ads guerilla stylee with Film Riot over at their YouTube page.

Thanks Dan for the heads up!

Mr. M.

AS: Key Concepts and the Language of the Moving Image

Thanks to our friends at Ringwood School for the following excellent resources about the key concepts of Media Studies and Moving Image Language.

Key Concepts: http://mediastudiesringwood.blogspot.com/2010/11/key-concepts-basics.html

Language of the Moving Image: http://mediastudiesringwood.blogspot.com/2010/11/film-terms-techniques-shots-lighting.html

Enjoy!

AS/A2: Anatomy of a Scene: 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1'

Sophie thought some of you would find this useful. David Yates, director of the latest HP movie, discusses some of his film making techniques.

Click here to view!

AS: The Use of Colour in Film

Here is an email I received from Andrew, an ex-student, now studying film at University, that I felt was worth sharing with you all:

Hey Sir,

Whilst doing some research for Uni I came across this great blog post that explains/shows the use of colour in Film. To save you from reading the whole thing it basically tells you about how Ridley Scott reversed the conventions of colour use in his movie Black Hawk Down and the effects it has in the audience. The thing I found most interesting was the colour chart towards the bottom of the post. Comparing the relationship between what each colour represents and where they are predominate in the narrative is very interesting. In my opinion the colours match very closely to Todorov's narrative theory. 

http://www.outside-hollywood.com/2009/03/color-theory-for-cinematographers/

Just though you might find it interesting as well as your A-level classes!

Regards,

Andy

---

It's great to hear from students who enjoyed studying Media and have carried on doing so at University. One day this could be you! In the mean time, go check out the website - it should be very helpful as you plan your thriller openings.

AS: Coursework Focus - Continuity Task

Year 12 - The next two weeks are focussed on completing your "Continuity Task" - one of the key features of your coursework assessment.


Below are the key dates and deadlines.


Monday 1st November - Basic Video Training - Room 72 with Mr. Michie
Thursday  4th November - ILP Day - 9:10 to 3:40 - Room MU3 with Mr Michie

• Planning
• Storyboarding
• Filming - of your Continuity Task

Independent Study Time - Complete filming and editing of your Continuity Task - The HUB is always available!
Friday 12th November - P7 - Arrive with your completed Continuity Task ready for teacher/peer assessment - Room 72 with Mr Ford

AS: Semiotics - "The Bad Colour"

Aaron Mahnke, a freelance graphic designer from Boston started writing a post about where he found his desktop background for his computer but ends up discussing M. Night Shyamalan's film The Village and the symbolic meanings of colour in particular red - "the bad colour."

Please take a moment to read the post - it demonstrates that you don't have to be a film maker to understand and care about the connotations of colour; and also offers a picture of the many possible meanings that a single colour can have, dependent upon the individual who is interpreting it.

Oh, and if you have not seen The Village, do so now, it is an excellent example of the thriller genre. Here is the trailer to wet your appetite:

AS: Continuity Task

Listen up Year 12. The standard has been set, courtesy of Dan, George, Leah and Martin from the Ringwood School!



When you complete your preliminary tasks after half term this is what you must measure up to. You can view more continuity tasks, made by the students at Ringwood here.

Media @ CCC Blog Update

Current AS and A2 coursework blogs can be found in the sidebar. Please scroll down to see this years' coursework in progress.

There is now a coursework archive with all students blogs created since the introduction of the new OCR 4-unit syllabus. This includes AS blogs from 2009 and 2010 and A2 blogs from 2010.

Year 12 and 13 Cover for Monday 10th May

One and all - I'm sorry but I am under the weather and will not be in today.

Year 13, to make up for missing today there will be a lesson this Wednesday P5.

Year 12 I will arrange an extra session for you as well and let you know when that will be.

In the meantine:

Year 13: Continue with your research/revision in to your key conceptual areas and prepare your presentations for Thursday's double lesson. 

Ryan, Lewis and Jamie - you all need to work on your blog today - I can give you 24 hours more to get things looking smarter and then I will have to take what is there as your final work!

------------------------------

Year 12: Please do some revision for your exam.  Watch from 0:33 until 7:02 from the opening of "Kidulthod" - make notes and answer the following question in full please (that means 3/4 sides of writing!)

Dicsuss the way age is represented in the extract considering the use of the following:

• Camera
• Editing
• Sound
• Mise-en-scene 

Haydn, Shawnee and James - you all need to get your coursework sorted.  You have 24 hours to make sure your blog and evaluation are as they should be or I will mark what's there and you will have to live with the result!

Any problems please e-mail me!

Regards
Mr. M.