Misfits Extract

In class we watched an extract of 'Misfits', we learnt about a group of characters. Three of those characters we learnt about were Nathan, Simon and Kurtis.

Nathan

Camera: Nathan comes across as confident and the biggest personality in the group, often on screen he is centralised which emphasises his stature in the group.

Sound: During the extract, Nathan makes a lot of jokes and insults the others. This shows that he is self-confident, cocky and a bit of a clown.

Mise-En-Scene: At the beginning of the extract Nathan is smoking, and throughout the extract he's seen playing a fool and mocking the others. This tells us that he doesn't really care and doesn't take much seriously.


Simon

Camera: From the camera usage, Simon comes across as a quiet and also rather disturbed individual. This is emphasised by him usually being shot from a high angle and he is usually off-centre.

Sound: Simon doesn't usually talk during the extract, but when he does he sounds very defensive and withdrawn. This makes him come across as a lonely person who finds it hard to warm to people.

Mise-En-Scene: Simon is first seen aggresively pressing his hair down while looking extremely stern, then for the duration of the extract he segregates himself from the group. This makes him come across as a lonely person who keeps his emotions and frustration inside, furthermore making him seem rather mysterious.


Kurtis

Camera: Kurtis is usually off-centre, this makes him seem as though he doesn't want to be with the group.

Sound: Throughout the extract Kurtis often mutters "I shouldn't be here", this shows how he feels he has not done wrong and therefore shouldn't be doing community service.

Mise-En-Scene: Kurtis is usually seen keeping himself to himself and half-heartedly getting on with the task given, this shows how he doesn't particularly want to involve himself with the group but he is a genuine character.

Semantics and Syntax

Semantics

• The study of meaning of different words.
• For media, it is the study of signs and symbols and their relationship for eachother.

Altman and Semantics

Genre, according to Altman, is usually defined in terms of certain signs.

Sci-Fi: Aliens, spaceships, planets, space, metallic colours.

Horror: Monsters, blood, screams, darkness, death.

Western: Cowboys, indians, taverns, cactuses, horses, guns.

Gangster: Mafias, Italian-Americans, suits, casinos, money.

Romance: Love, sex, boy meets girl, happiness, female characters.

Syntax

• The grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence.
• The syntax involves the plot and themes.

Language Of The Moving Image

Camera
Shot distance
Angle
Movement
Position

Sound
Diegetic/non-diegetic 
Volume
Matching

Editing
Pace
Style

Mise-En-Scene
Lighting
Setting
Props
Body language

Thriller Intro Storyboard Sequence

1. Intro starts with darkness.


2. Camera slowly begins to track down the stairs.


3. Dead bodies become visable as the camera tracks down the stairs.


4. As the camera tracks over each body, cut-scenes of that person being murdered are shown.


5. Eary music begins playing while the camera continues to track over the bodies.


6. After the camera tracks to the bottom of the stairs it slowly begins to tilt upwards.


7. The camera keeps tilting upwards until a person is seen sitting on the chair, head down.


8. The person then slowly looks up directly at the camera, blood splattered on their face.


9. The person then begins laughing as the non-diegetic music stops playing.


10. The screen suddenly goes dark again as the person's laugh continues to echo.