The role and existence of television in my life has become ubiquitous; a medium that I encounter everywhere. Television has become an integral and familiar part of my everyday cultural experience. It is not until this year, studying ‘TV Cultures’, that I was forced to defamiliarise myself with television to think about it as a complex technology and analyse how it is consumed in the cultural environment.

My television experience is one that I would call traditional. Traditional in the sense that I tend to watch only free-to-air television and I watch it in a social environment with my family or friends. I don’t engage with transmedia or social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to interact with the television. I rarely use the trending video-on-demand and emerging online technologies such as ‘Stan’ and ‘Netflix’ to engage and catch-up with television content – unless there is a series that I have been recommended to watch and I know that the entire series can be watched consecutively online, without interruption. As such, when I find my desired series, I often binge watch until I complete the series or come to the realisation that I have become disinterested in the content.

As a result of recording my viewing habits in my ‘time-use diary‘, I have discovered that I have a number of viewing habits that I did not acknowledge before they became under surveillance.

Holistically, I have realised that I consistently watch TV at the start of the week rather than at the end of the week or on the weekends. I believe this is because I have more time on those days. As such, I am not selective in what television shows I watch. I watch what is scheduled at a time when I am free. There is repetition in the types and genres of shows that I view such as reality television, drama and news shows. I use TV as my source of global information and entertainment.

Interestingly, I have found that when I am at my boyfriend’s house I watch television more frequently. This is caused by a number of environmental and social influences, such as the television being central to the living room where the dining table is situated. Furthermore, the television is constantly on as my boyfriend’s mum is often watching it. As a result, I feel obliged to engage with the television.  A particular show that I view most weeks on a Monday night at his house is the comedic, news and quiz show, ‘Have You Been Paying Attention?’. This has become almost a ritual and event within my viewing habits as I religiously watch the show with my boyfriend and his mum –  planning dinner around it. This is a show that I watch in order to keep up to date with all of the television and news that I miss during the week. Essentially, ‘Have You Been Paying Attention?’ is the only show that I selectively watch and schedule into my timetable.

Have a look at the show here:

In regards to my time spent viewing television, I tend to only watch one or two shows per night which makes watching television an occasional experience. I don’t often watch television for long periods on my own, it is usually experienced with my family or with my boyfriend’s family. If I am watching it on my own, I rarely watch an entire show, I am sporadic, frequently switching between channels – often zoning out and watching commercials. I see this as an intimate and private experience with television. In this sense, the television is used as an escape, it is mind-numbing and relaxing. On the contrary, when I am watching television with the family, it is engaging and interactive. As a result, watching television is considered a social event for me where I become an active viewer.

The notion of television being an engaging experience can be further exemplified through way that my boyfriend’s mum actively interacts with a show. Using a second screen, she likes to ‘troll’ Facebook by commenting on television shows such as The Bachelor or X-Factor whilst watching them simultaneously. I listen to her read out the comments that other viewers are making in regards to a show. Essentially, the television becomes the centre of attention – an integral part of a social experience, where we comment with each other on the show and converse reactions to the show’s content. In these moments, I am taking part in active viewing of television and using transmedia to interact with a text. 

Fundamentally, this reflection has challenged me to analyse my relationship and experience with television from a new perspective. I have discovered that my television viewing experience is social and has patterns of repetition. In reflecting on my viewing habits, I acknowledge that they don’t coincide with the current trending online technologies and transmedia platforms used for watching and interacting with television. It is possible that when I have more time I will transcend to watching television on these platforms. I will be more active in my role as a viewer and will use transmedia to engage with a television show’s content. For now, I will just stick to my simple routine of watching free-to-air TV. 

Click here for my time-use diary

A COMPILATION OF MY INVESTIGATIONS:

‘The Scene in Cinema’ has been a challenging course that has involved research, practice and investigation. From the beginning we set out to produce and analyse scenes with an underlying focus on shot coverage.The term ‘shot coverage’ became the catalyst for our tasks this semester. Each week we were prescribed different class exercises which saw us constantly filming and working from scripts in an attempt to produce scenes. At the end of each week we reflected on the class exercises in our blog and wrote about the naturally occurring epiphanies that we had. I found that this helped me in creating a consistent flow of ideas and discoveries which had me constantly thinking about cinema. From this, I began thinking about the goals and desires that I wanted to achieve from this course.

Within my initial reflections I found that it was best to keep it simple when filming a scene. A simple approach to an exercise and a direct focus would allow for a well-executed scene. The simple approach was achieved by purely focussing on shot coverage and creating restrictions with the camera such as only being able to film on the tripod. I enjoyed not being burdened with performance, lighting, continuity and narrative when having a direct focus on shot coverage. Keeping this simplicity in mind, I learnt the importance of being able to take risks with the camera. Being experimental with shot coverage and the approach to given exercises was essential.

Through further reflections in my blog I discovered the importance of using filmmaking as a research tool. I realised that I needed to constantly practice with the camera if I wanted to get better at producing a scene. We filmed a 3-6 shot scene (the ‘stairs’ scene) and filmed from scripts in class as part of our research by practice. After rotating roles within these tasks I was able to experience directing, acting, camera operating, booming and assisting.  Most importantly, I learnt that when directing I needed to be certain of my vision before shooting. I needed to know how I was going communicate with the crew and actors whilst still being able to leave room for experimentation and improvisation. At this point I started to see a shift in my methods of working from previous years at University (within Film-TV 1 & 2). The focus at that time was to work collaboratively in a team. The focus now is to be an individual in exploring my own methods of working in cinema.

To further my research by practice I filmed the ‘Crossword’ scene at home which came from a script that I selected in class. This allowed me to experiment and improvise, I was filming to edit. Through this, I was able to achieve dynamic coverage, giving me more options in edit suite. I pre-visualised this scene, researched shots that I liked and wrote some notes before filming.

As part of our individual research we were to find our own scenes from films, analyse and deconstruct them. The first scene I chose was the opening interrogation scene from ‘Scarface’. I selected this scene because it used dynamic shot coverage in such a confined space. I felt that it paralleled with our class exercises because we were working within the constraints of the classroom for most of our scenes. Every few days, I was writing methods of working in my blog which was helpful in developing my own ideas, planning and pre-production for the practical investigations that I was going to undertake in later weeks. In essence, the analysis of  ‘found scenes’ and the methods of working helped to further my understanding of shot coverage and what it is that makes an effective scene.

Originally, my aim this semester was to create a successful scene with an overall focus on composition and shot coverage. I intended to create a scene of my own, with my own style and script. I wanted my scene to be personal, I wanted to be an auteur. I thought that my own style would be evident in how I direct and through the artistic selections that I make. I intended to explore the meaning of shots and symbolism within my work.

As week 7 approached we had a solid understanding of what we wanted to individually explore for the remainder of semester. After having written my methods of working in my blog I became particularly interested in the visual style of a scene. I aimed for my following investigations to have a visual focus. I intended on creating a scene with little dialogue, conveying information through the image. For my proposal to the class I set out to investigate how I could use shot coverage to produce a distinctive, personal and aesthetic scene. In my proposal I suggested that my approach to the scene would centralise around visual style such as the mise en scene, the shot construction, and the framing. I wanted to discover my own distinct style of filming. I set out to analyse scenes that have a distinct visual style, including film art and surrealist film. I aimed to use the camera as a research tool, experimenting with and without a tripod and attempting to film a scene several different times as part of my research by practice. I also wanted to have a personal creative vision. I wanted to tell the story through the visuals and not let dialogue or conventional script lead the way.

My investigations from week 7 onwards saw me continuing my methods of working, analysing scenes, researching terms and practising with the camera. I eliminated the idea of having my own distinct visual style and was centralising my investigations on visual literacy and visual meaning in film. I did four separate shoots with a focus on shot coverage and composition. I filmed a differentiation of the same scene each time trying to adjust aspects of visual style to see what effect it had on the depiction of narrative and meaning. In my first shoot/investigation I focussed on composition and shot coverage in a daytime setting. I shot chronologically from a script written by a friend however the script was not the focus of the scene. The second shoot/investigation I trialled at night, using available lights. I didn’t shoot this chronologically, I was just practising randomly with the camera trying to create visuals that were symbolic or meaningful. As part of this investigation I trialled a quick test with handheld camera to see the effect that it has on the visual meaning of the shots. The third shoot/investigation I had the character moving around the space, incorporating the bedroom scene in order to be more dynamic with the shot coverage and composition. The fourth shoot/investigation was set out to be my final shoot, I used an Ex3 camera in comparison to the DSLR I used in the previous shoots. I also incorporated a dedo light to see its visual effect on depicting the narrative and meaning.

After completely these investigations, reflecting and researching in my blog, my overarching question and statement for this semester became:

How can filmic visuals be used to create a meaningful scene and depict narrative? I sought to understand and apply elements of cinematic visual style to a scene, with a focus on shot coverage and composition.

Overall, the scenes I have created attempt to use visual style to depict narrative and meaning without using a conventional script. I focused on the visuals aspects of shot coverage and composition to tell my story. Within my ‘Screener’, I have edited together scenes that I have shot with a focus on shot coverage, composition, framing and visual language. I have split screen the beginnings of my work with the end results to compare them.

SCREENER:

As a result of my own research, investigations and methods of working I have discovered the ways in which shot coverage and composition can be employed to explore the importance of cinematic visuals and the integral role they play in depicting narrative and meaning. Ultimately, this semester has furthered my understanding of cinema in a way which has allowed me to focus on the shot construction, visual style and composition of a scene. The course has been extremely useful in helping me to achieve my own individual goals and unique methods of working. I intend to keep on exploring and practising with the camera to further investigate shot coverage for my future projects.

Thanks Paul and Robin for a great semester!

This is the final test shoot that I will do for this semester. I am still calling it a test shoot because I would like to further develop it and create more layers of visual meaning in the future. If I let this scene ‘incubate’ and then I come back to it at a later time I feel as though I will be able to further shape and develop it into what will one day (potentially) be a finalised scene.

Reflecting on the scene: 

The camera-I have used an Ex3 camera for this shoot. I wanted to see if using this camera would have an impact on the visuals and the story they tell. Ultimately, the quality of the shots are a lot nicer however using the Ex3 didn’t help to tell my story through visuals. I almost feel as though it restricted me from doing shots that I envisioned as the location was too small for the camera. I had more freedom to move about with the DSLR and also more freedom to be able to quickly experiment with shots.

The lighting- I have used a dedo light and available lighting to help establish the mood and tone of my scene. The lighting is mainly dark. I have tried to light the offside of the character’s face in the living room shots.

The bedroom shots-These shots were not part of the script however this didn’t matter to me because I wanted to film my subject moving around. I felt that this added to the visual narrative and the dynamics of my shot coverage.

Visual literacy-

Reoccurring symbols-

• the clock in both rooms (represents time passing, the character’s life slowly ticking away or the loss of his father)
• the photos (form of identity, family and the past, emotionally connects you to the character)
• the clutter and mess (reflective of the character’s emotions)
• the mirrors (his conflict, identity, confusion)
• the white light in the bedroom and the living room (symbolic of the light to heaven, death)

Colour palette-(reflect the character’s emotions and tone of unhappiness)

• Very natural, earthy tones, soft colours
• green, beige, cream, red, orange, brown, white, grey

Framing and composition-(leads the audience’s eyes to what I want them to see)

The framing of the character’s feet at the start of the scene creates a sense of distance between the audience and the character- they don’t know much about him at all. As we get further into the scene the framing becomes more personal and up close. The audience get to see the emotion of the character in close ups and low angle shots and they start to see details that reflect the aspects of the character’s disordered personality such as the rips in his t-shirt.

• Medium shot (audience feel at a distance from the character)
• Extreme close up (engages audience, intrigues them, sense of something being personal)
• Close up (close to the character’s emotion, see facial expressions clearly, see details)
• Low angle close up
• Over the shoulder (character’s perspective)

Sound-

• Diagetic- no sound has been added because it is about the visuals!

What I love most about this scene is that it can be interpreted in different ways. There is no dialogue that directs the audience to think a particular way. The audience can interpret the imagery of the photos and the blank photograph however they like. To me, I interpret the photos as a representation of death or loss of the man’s father. I also see the photograph as a visual representation of the man’s loss of identity.

This will be the final test shoot that I do for the Semester.

My goal for this shoot is:

• To focus on shot construction, framing and composition in telling a story visually.
• To make an emotional and psychological point to the audience.
• To use an EX3 camera, tripod and dedo light and to see if this has a different visual effect on telling the story.
• To experiment with different shots in comparison to my previous test shoot.

For this test shoot I focussed on shot coverage and composition once again. I was experimenting and taking risks with the camera by moving it around more than I normally would and I was trying shoot from dynamic angles. I intended to film my subject moving around the room as in my previous test shoots my subject remained in the one position. The movements were much more challenging to film as I had to try and keep the subject balanced within the frame.  I used handheld camera movements for all of these shots.

In the opening shot when the character enters the room the camera is level with the carpet in a medium long shot. I have purposely included the edge of the door/clothes, the clock and the sign in the frame to create a sense of balance within the composition.

In the next close up shot of the character he leans down to look under the bed. I have balanced the frame by having the character on the left side of the frame evenly divided with the bed on the right side of the frame. I really like the use of horizontal and vertical lines within the shot- the horizontal lines of the bed and the rug on the floor and the vertical lines of the door, the window and the cupboard. As the character sits on the bed I have used a low angle shot. I am not happy with the lighting in these shots-however, the lighting was not a particular focus of mine. I have tracked the character’s movements in a medium close up shot as he sits down.

When the character leaves the room and walks down the hallway I track him in a medium long shot, trying the keep the character within the centre of the frame. In the final shots we see the character sitting on the couch looking at the frame in a medium close up. These shots signify the importance of the photograph to the character. These visuals should intrigue the audience and make them wonder what it is about the photo that is so important to the character.

When editing these shots I used jump-cuts to compress time and create a sense of urgency as the character looks for the object and walks into the living room. There is no sound in this scene as the focus is to demonstrate meaning and depict story through the visual elements.

Most of my research so far has focussed on what it is that makes a good scene. In order to further convey what it is that makes a scene visually compelling, I need to ask the opposite, what is a bad scene?

I believe that a scene in which the storyline is the only true meaningful information depicted is not a successful scene. A scene that relies on narrative rather than visuals doesn’t have intricate layers of meaning. There is nothing for the audience to decipher for themselves, there is nothing for them to perceive from visual cues. In a scene poorly told,  everything is suggested through dialogue. A bad scene is a scene that lacks dynamic and aesthetic visuals. It lacks artistic quality. The scene is created purely for the means of directly expressing the story to the audience.

A scene without visual style and dynamics is a scene that is shot in the most basic and simple form.  No risks are made with the camera. The camera movements follow the character that is talking. It is shot and then reverse shot dialogue. There are no cut aways to symbolic objects and no motifs used.

Goal: To focus on composition and shot construction with a moving subject. 

Focus:

• Try filming with dynamic angles
• Focus on framing
  • keep the frame balanced
  • notice what is in the frame-is it there for a reason?
• Take risks with the camera
  • move it around more
  • track the character
  • try quirky angles
• Filming to edit
  • think about how the shots will work together when edited

For this test shoot I focused on handheld shots and practising with the camera. I set out to shoot some pre-visualised shots that I had in my head. I wanted to film at night time because I aimed to see the visual difference that filming at night would have on the mood of my scene. I didn’t want to question my shots whilst I was filming them, I just wanted to film and then question them later.

In this edit, I have incorporated some of the handheld shots seen in the previous video. Shooting at night had a strong visual impact as it created a sense of darkness for the subject. The scene ultimately became more eerie and expressed the depressed emotions of the character. Changing the scene from day to night was more effective in communicating the character’s emotions through the visuals. The exercise was helpful in allowing me to see what I need to do when I film next time.

After reviewing the shots, I realised that I didn’t like the shot with the flowers in the foreground of the scene. They didn’t have a purpose in visually contributing to the story and therefore shouldn’t be filmed. The pull focus also seemed very contrived. This is something that I would need to work on in future shoots.

Here is the handheld test shoot that I did- I added in a few more shots than I had originally intended because I was also practising with the camera. When doing these shots I moved the camera around and tried to create the shakiness. I only moved the camera slightly up and down, left and right so that the focus was still on the subject-not on the camera movements. I noticed that as I moved further away from the subject into a medium-long shot, the handheld camera movements began to look awkward and were quite distracting.

I tried a shot from outside looking into the room through a window. The handheld camera worked effectively here as it created a voyeuristic shot. This was a good exercise because it allowed me to see that handheld doesn’t work in certain shots. I would like to incorporate a mix between handheld and tripod shots in my future shoots.

Goal: To investigate the use of handheld camera.

Question: When should handheld camera be used and when should it not be used?

Using just one actor I will film 5 different shots on handheld camera.

1. Close up
2. Medium close up  
3. Medium-long shot
4. Long shot
5. Voyeuristic long shot

I will purposely move the camera around and make it shaky to see what effect this has.