Coursework - Gaining Ideas

The 4th wall:
The idea that the characters shouldn't speak directly to the camera.

Example when 4th wall is broken:
Pantomimes (audience participation)

Examples of films using the 4th wall:
1. Ferris Buellers Day Off
In this film the teenage boy tricks his parents in to bunking off school for a day. In this particular film using the 4th wall effect works, purely because it makes the audience feel as though they are one of his mates staying with him for the day and getting to know the type of things he gets up to. It helps to break down any barriers by him looking directly at the camera as if he is talking to you personally and helps to keep you involved.

2. Waynes World
In this film, he character(s) look at the camera, which simularly to Ferris Buellers appeals to the audience as the relationship between the character and the audience is very good and seems as though the two are on the same wavelength. They're companions throughout the film.

- By watching these two films and seeing how the 4th wall can benefit, it is something that I may want to think about, especially if I decide to do a comedy or if my film is about the live of just one specific character. Having said this, in order to pull off this technique well, I would need to have someone who has the ability to have a rapour with the audience otherwise this idea would not work.

Voice overs:
The Big Lebowski:
In this film that we looked at which contained voice over we saw the effect of the voice over having a regional accent as it is a form of their regional identity and from doing so we can form certain opinions/stereotypes about the character just through listening to their voice.
Dan La Fontaine:
By watching a clip of famous voice over Dan La Fontaine, this enabled us to catch a glimpse of what it is that makes a voice over individual special and how they really have the ability to add to the effect of the film and intrigue the audience into watching. Furthermore, how by deepening the voice and making it sound authoritive/powerful can go with films that have theme's such as horror or action and how a softer tone which is more upbeat can go with films that have an eliminate of romance and comedy.


Previous Media AS Coursework:
Lastly, to finish off the lesson, we watched clips of previous Media AS two minute films that had been done from other students - either from our own Sixth Form (Wymondham High School) or from other area's within the UK such as Liverpool. As a class we then discussed the good and bad points about each of them and from watching these I came up with the following evaluating points on what to do/not to do for my own production. They are as follows:
- Not to have too much going on. Plot's cane be ruined if they become over complicated.
- To try and use varied age ranges within my production, not necessarily people of my own age.
- If I have credits, try not to write the same name for everything as it doesn't look write. Instead, write who really did them on my blog.
- Not to chose a typical teenage storyline but to try and do something different.
- Lower music (if used) when character's are using dialogue, otherwise they cannot be heard accurately.
- Ensure that the location I chose fits with my plot.