AICE Media Studies

1.  What conventions of the genre that you chose to base your final task on does the movie have? Our final task is going to be in the thriller genre, and so Spiderhead, a sci-fi/thriller, has many conventions of a thriller. These conventions are clues, editing, low-key lighting, mis-en-scene, praise in the protagonist, and crime. Clues are seen mostly through Jeff, but at times through Steve and Verlaine. Editing is seen at the beginning and end of the movie in the opening scene and when things start to get chaotic. Low-key lighting and mis-en-scene is seen throughout the whole movie, as it is something that really ties together the aspect of a thriller. Crime is the base of the plot as to why all the characters are being tested in the first place, and this helps tie in the praise of the protagonist, Steve Abnesti, who freed all the charcters from prison and brought them to this private, secluded land. 2.  What conventions of the genre did the movie have the you like? This movie had ma

 Movie: Don’t Worry Darling (2022) 1. What conventions of the genre that you chose to base your final task on does this movie have?      Our genre, thriller, contains conventions that signal the reader they are in for a suspenseful film. Some of these include close-ups of characters' faces and quick cuts, both of which were seen in the film. The close-ups help to display clearly the change in emotion the actor portrays during an event. This is especially important within this genre of thriller as a lot of the time, we learn sinister details through what a character is discovering. Quick cuts on the other hand set a fast and engaging pace during action. Black and white scenes created by editing is another part of thriller films. This aspect was used in the film to enhance emotion and low lighting. Even to enact fear in the viewer.  2. What conventions of the genre did the movie have that you liked?      Some of my personal favorite aspects of the film Don't Worry Darling include

 Movie: The Killer (2023) 1. What conventions of the genre that you chose to base your final task on does the movie have? The movie “The Killer” uses many conventions of the thriller genre, including multiple different types of angles, such as high angles, low angles, and eye-level angles. The types of shots in this movie include: full body, medium shot, over the shoulder, close-up, bird’s eye view, wide shot, etc. It uses “suspense music” (sound motif), diegetic sound, and ambient sound. The editing includes fade in/ fade out, transitions, insert, etc. The mis-en-scene in this movie varies, but generally includes natural makeup and casual clothing, and dim lighting when inside buildings.  2. What conventions of the genre did the movie have the you like? We liked many conventions of the genre that the movie did. We plan on using fully body shots, wide shots, medium shots, and over the shoulder shots. These shots are great at displaying a setting while something is happening, and will b

For our group's final decision, we went with thriller. After careful consideration and researching many movies, we feel this is the best option for our plot. Our opening scene is meant to thrill our audience so that they'll be engaged throughout the rest of the movie. We have an idea as to how we want our opening scene to look, and this genre encapsulates it the most. As a group, we watched movies together and spoke about and paid close attention to details we did and didn't like. We covered mis-en-scene, editing, shots, sound, angles, and movement. We loved not only how a thriller made us feel, but how it looked as well.

Genre: Comedy  Common camera angles, movement, and shots:  - wide shots - close-up -low angle  A type of cams used in comedy films are wide shots. They are used to capture the whole scene and incorporate every element including characters, and the environment into the shot. They also provide the ability to show visual gags, reveal funny situations, and showcase physical comedy. Another type of cam is a close-up. Close-ups reveal facial expressions, reactions, and nuances that contribute to comedic timing and deliver. Lastly, another type of angle is a low angle. This helps employ the effects of comedic effects, making characters appear larger than life, and emphasizing physical comedy.  Common mis-en-scene:  - exaggerated costumes - props for physical comedy Some mis-en-scenes that are used are exaggerated costumes. Exaggerated costumes can enhance physical comedy and contribute to the visual humor of the characters. Lastly, there can be props for physical comedy. Cleverly chosen and u

Genre: Horror Common camera angles, movement, and shots: - dutch angle - low angle - high angle - POV  - wide shot - extreme close up - tracking shot - tilt Common mis-en-scene: - makeup: fake blood - props: weapons (knives, guns, chainsaws) - costumes: dark clothing, messy hair - acting: scared - lighting: dim lighting - setting: dark, deserted areas Common editing: - fade in/ fade out - jump cuts Common sound: - heavy breathing - footsteps - screams - whispers Movies in this genre: - It - Talk to Me - Scream Elements we liked: - mis-en-scene; especially the props because using blood addds to the story and makes it scarier - sound effects - eerie element Elements we didn’t like: - dim lighting 

 Genre: Thriller Common camera angles, movement, and shots: - wide shot - pan - over the shoulder - action shot - medium shot - full body - close up - high angle - bird’s eye view Common mis-en-scene: - costume: casual shirts, pants, sneakers - props: stopwatch, phone, gun, weapons, etc. - acting: calm, quiet, distrusting, secretive, private, suspicious  - setting: homes, parks, city - makeup: natural Common editing: - fade in/ fade out - insert - parallel editing - focus/ unfocus - transitions Common sounds: - suspenseful/ intense music - voiceover - diegetic sound - ambient sound - dialogue Movies in this genre: - The Killer - Spiderhead - Run - Don’t Worry Darling - The Intrusion Elements of genre we like: - unpredictability - suspense - rising action - keeping audience on edge of seat Elements of genre we don’t like: - boring parts where event is being strung out - isn’t suited for all audiences - jump scares

  Pitch A: Two thought-to-be strangers meet, except one knows the other too well and seeks revenge on their new-found half-sibling.  Pitch B: Friends drug a girl to humiliate her, but when she goes missing, their guilt leads them on a mission to find her.  Discuss Pitch A: Valentina had an idea for an opening sequence in which we follow the stalkee's day, with the voiceover of the stalker. This would lead the audience to believe the protagonist is the stalkee, creating a huge plot twist when the stalker is revealed at the end of the sequence. Charlize suggested the idea that the stalker is a girl whose father left her at a young age to create a new family. When the girl grows up, she finds her half-sibling and stalks her with the intent to kill. The girls become "friends", but will they ever be family? Discuss Pitch B: This idea came to life when Sabrina was thinking of common occurrences that we can portray through film. We wanted to start with a party scene to set up th

    How's it hanging pals?      It has literally been less than a week since I've last blogged. Nothing much has happened to catch y'all up on, which is probably a good thing with what I've suprised y'all with the last couple months. It is Christmas season though! My house is all decorated, with the Christmas tree, lights, and more! And, for the first year ever, I got to decorate my room. I have a mini Christmas tree, a bunch of Christmas stuffed animals, blankets, etc. I love it!           The only thing that's really changed is that we've been tasked with a new assignment. The final task, in fact. It's kind of bittersweet, huh? But don't worry, I have a feeling this one's going to take a while, so I'm not going anywhere yet!      I have the same group as last time, Charlize Moran and Sabrina Navarra. Although there were some bumps in the road last time, we ended up really good in the end. We all had such a fun time while we were doing the m

     Hey pals!      I'm Ella (Valentina) Agnese, a sophomore at Fort Lauderdale High School. I’m sixteen years old. About a week ago, I officially finished my first music video. I learned a lot about production through that process, and now I am going to be putting those newly learned skills to use by making a movie! I know, so soon?? But what can I say, a busy girl's a busy girl. I'm not going to be making a full movie though, just the opening sequence!          What are some interesting things I can say? Well, to start with the basics, my favorite colors are pink and viridian green. My favorite food is Chinese food, but I also eat a lot of meat since my family is from Argentina. I'm a competitive sailor, and I also just started playing tennis last January. I've actually gotten very good at tennis for someone so new. I've been sailing since I was five years old, and it's probably one of my favorite things to do. I sailed the Optimist from the ages of five t

How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues? While choosing a song, my group and I already had an idea in our heads. While there are many genres that have songs about love and heartbreak, we chose a song in the pop-rock genre. We did thorough research, looking to artists like Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Maroon 5 to see what they did for their music videos. Our product uses many of the conventions in the pop-rock genre. First of all, our music video follows a story. We use many components of mise-en-scene, including acting, costume, props, and set. Furthermore, we tried to use similar shots and camera angles to what one would see in other pop-rock music videos. The only thing we did differently was in editing, where we did a split screen. We hadn’t seen any other videos do this, but we felt as though it enhanced the story, so we did. A major social issue our video addressed was cheating. It is unfortunately common now, and w