In the film Clown Train how does sound contribute to the atmosphere of this film? Describe what you heard? Can you make reference to another genre film and how they utilise sound to create tension and a unique filmic space?

The sound in this film contributed greatly to the atmosphere of this film as there was an effective balance of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds as well as moments of silence which contributed to building and deciding the level of tension in different sections of the film. The the dull, buzzing long notes which were played as music in the background at times to built up at times to determine the moments of greatest tension and yet the combination of silence and the electrical sounds of flickering lights and the train also worked effectively build tension in not know what to expect next. The sound used in the film worked to produce a spooky, horror like genre whereas in a genre such a drama although tension is also built through building music, the type of music usually varies (less minor notes used), silence is as common and dialogue can tend to play much more of a role.

Select from one of the readings, up to but not including Week 5, and briefly describe two points that you have taken from it. Points that excite you, something that was completely new to you. 

I found the reading from week two on script layout to be really interesting because script writing is something that I have never really attempted so although I have read various scrpits in the past I wouldn’t have much of an idea of where to begin with layout when writing my own. Firstly I learnt how to write a proper scene title and that you have to include the scene numer, whether it is inside or outside and the time of day. Another thing that I found interesting was that you are able to place description in brackets above dialogue, for example the word “whispering”, I had previously assumed that this went in the scene description.

In the tute we screened a short film called Rolling – a film made in Film-TV1 a few years ago.

I found this film effective in that it was entertaining and I connected well with it and understood what was going on. It had a simple but engaging and amusing storyline and a strong character was created thorugh the main male role through effective script writing, casting and acting. I can’t remember specific details but there were some small technical aspects I thought at the time of viewing could have been improved but overall I thought the film was put together very well. I really liked the setting of the supermarket finding it worked perfectly for the unravelling, awkward crush conversation that was portrayed and I found that the incorperation of toilet paper made the piece both a little unexpected but highly amusing. I feel that this past student film served to give me a taste of the level of work that I could be capable of producing by the end of the semester.