Week 11: Audio Visual Information PDF

WEEK 11: Audio Visual Information Topics: Evolution of Audio and Visual Dimension, Production Process, Audio-Visual Codes and Conventions I. Evolution of Audio-Visual Media Mid-19th Photography became a part of public life in the mid-19th centur...

WEEK 11: Audio Visual Information Topics: Evolution of Audio and Visual Dimension, Production Process, Audio-Visual Codes and Conventions I. Evolution of Audio-Visual Media Mid-19th Photography became a part of public life in the mid-19th century, especially during the Century Civil War, when photographers documented American battlefields for the first time. Experimenting with ways to exhibit photographs, several inventors came up with a simple toy that made it possible for a series of pictures to be viewed in rapid succession, creating the illusion of motion. It was called a zoetrope. 1891 The Edison Company successfully demonstrated a prototype of the Kinetoscope, which enabled one person at a time to view moving pictures. 1895 The first to present projected moving pictures to a paying audience were the Lumière brothers in December 1895 in Paris, France. They used a device of their own making, the Cinématographe, which was a camera, a projector and a film printer all in one. 1906 Color was first added to black-and-white movies through hand coloring, tinting, toning and stenciling. 1914 By 1914, several national film industries were established. Films became longer and storytelling, or narrative, became the dominant form. As more people paid to see movies, the industry which grew around them was prepared to invest more money in their production, distribution and exhibition, so large studios were established and dedicated cinemas built. The first 30 years of cinema were characterized by the growth and consolidation of an industrial base, the establishment of the narrative form, and refinement of technology. 1927 The first attempts to add synchronized sound to projected pictures used phonographic cylinders or discs. The first feature-length movie incorporating synchronized dialogue, The Jazz Singer (USA, 1927), used the Warner Brothers’ Vitaphone system, which employed a separate record disc with each reel of film for the sound. Electronic television was first successfully demonstrated in San Francisco on Sept. 7, 1927.  WEEK 11: Audio Visual Information Topics: Evolution of Audio and Visual Dimension, Production Process, Audio-Visual Codes and Conventions 1930s- 1940 By the early 1930s, nearly all feature-length movies were presented with synchronized sound and, by the mid-1930s, some were in full color too. 1950s The first electrical, color television system was created by RCA Laboratories' research team between 1946 and 1950. On December 17, 1953, a successful color television system based on a system created by RCA started airing in commercials. 2000s Using digital technology, digital television is a system for transmitting and receiving television signals. Via terrestrial, satellite, or cable networks, digital TV can transmit audio, video, and data to residences and establishments. By the late 2000s, digital television has been the norm in the majority of developed nations. In various nations around the world, the transition from analog to digital broadcasting will be complete by 2010. 2010s Smart TVs are a type of television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features, such as apps, streaming media, and Web browsing. Smart TVs allow users to stream content from the Internet and to use social networking services. Production Process 1. Pre-Production-includes brainstorming, scriptwriting, storyboard-making, casting, scouting for location, and scheduling. 2. Production-also known as the principal photography phase. 3. Post-Production- includes the editing, reviewing, and rendering (saving the film in its final format) Types of Films 1. According to Film Format-Narrative, Animation, Documentary, Experimental 2. According to Origin- Original, Adaptation, Remake, Prequel, Sequel 3. According to Basis-Fiction, Non-Fiction 4. According to Sound-Talkies, Silent 5. According to Color-Colored, Black and White 6. According to Rating-Rated, Non-Rated 7. According to Quality-A Films, B or A Films 8. According to Length-Short Film, Full-Length Film  WEEK 11: Audio Visual Information Topics: Evolution of Audio and Visual Dimension, Production Process, Audio-Visual Codes and Conventions II. Audio and Visual Codes 1. Audio Visual Codes Technical Codes involve filming techniques and methods such as shot types, angle, movement, and editing, most of which are specified in the film language section above. The choice of what technical codes to use when filming is critical in the production of meaning. The decision about what shot, angle, movement, lighting etc. may be very important in the construction of the film / documentary’s meaning. Camerawork This refers to how the camera is operated, positioned, and moved for specific effects. Aspects of camerawork include positioning, movement, framing, exposure, and lens choice. Editing Editing is the process of choosing, manipulating, and arranging images and sound in a media product. Editing is done for four different reasons: graphic edits, rhythmic edits, special edits, and temporal edits. Audio Audio is the expressive or naturalistic use of sound in audio-visual media products. Lighting Lighting is the manipulation of natural or artificial light to selectively highlight specific elements of the scene. Elements of lighting include quality, direction, source, color. Different Camera Shots Extreme Long Shot-Sets the scene, establishes the shot, usually exterior, little detail. Long Shot- Shows the subject from top to bottom; for a person, this would be head to toe, though not necessarily filling the frame. The character becomes more of a focus than an Extreme Long Shot, but the shot tends to still be dominated by the scenery. This shot often sets the scene and our character’s place in it. Medium Long Shot - Shows subject from the knees up. Medium Shot-Shows subject from waist up, little background Medium Close-Up -Falls between a Medium Shot and a Close-Up, generally framing the subject from chest or shoulder up. Close-Up-Fills the screen with part of the subject, such as a person’s head/face. Framed tightly, the emotions and reactions of a character dominate the scene.  WEEK 11: Audio Visual Information Topics: Evolution of Audio and Visual Dimension, Production Process, Audio-Visual Codes and Conventions Extreme Close Up -Emphasizes a small area or detail of the subject, such as the eye(s) or mouth. An Extreme Close Up of just the eyes is sometimes called an Italian Shot, getting its name from Sergio Leone’s Italian-Western films that popularized it. Different Camera Angles Low -Shoots up, shows power/size High-Shoots down, shows powerlessness/vulnerability Worm’s-Pet Character Bird’s-Landscape, establishes a scene Dutch tilt-comic effect, psychological unrest Different Camera Movement Pan-side to side Tilt-up and down Tracking-follow the subject Dolly-towards or away 2. Symbolic Codes- Reflect what is beneath the surface Setting: the time and place where a narrative or story takes place. Mise en scene: used to describe all elements in a frame, including their arrangement. Includes set design, costume, props, staging and rules of composition. Acting: portrayal of a character through gestures, facial expressions, body language, movement, and vocal qualities, among others. Color: cultural in nature, with connotations and underlying messages. In studying media texts, take note of dominant colors, themes, contrasts, and symbolisms of colors used. III. Audio and Visual Conventions 1. Form conventions- ways in which audiences expect codes to be arranged. Film: Title at the beginning, credits at the end. Video Games: Tutorials at the beginning. 2. Story/Narrative conventions- are common structures and understandings in storytelling, such as: Structure: Exposition, inciting incident, conflict, rising action, climax, denouement, resolution and ending Point of View: First person, second person, omniscient Types of Conflict: Man vs. Man, Man vs. Machine, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Supernatural, Man vs. Self 3. Genre Conventions- are common use of tropes, characters, settings, or themes. Horror Genre: commo settings are abandoned or isolated locations, color is predominantly dark, or use of silence and creepy sound effects  WEEK 11: Audio Visual Information Topics: Evolution of Audio and Visual Dimension, Production Process, Audio-Visual Codes and Conventions Romance Genre: boy meets girl story, popular urban city locations, pop music soundtrack, voice overs, or light-colored themes and scenes IV. Current and Future Trends in Audio and Visual Dimension Rise of short-form content CGI-heavy films and television shows Use and improvement of virtual reality AI-generated personas on TV and film V. Legal and Ethical Issues in Audio and Visual Dimension 1. Male Gaze-Women are still often represented as subordinate to their male counterparts— emotional, noncompetitive, domestic, and sweet natured. In contrast to these types, other women are represented as unattractively masculine, crazy, or cruel. In TV dramas and sitcoms, women continue to fill traditional roles such as mothers, nurses, secretaries, and housewives. By contrast, men in film and television are less likely to be shown in the home, and male characters are generally characterized by dominance, aggression, action, physical strength, and ambition. 2. Stereotypes- as seen in the appearance, the manner of talking, and with interaction with others. Example: Minorities are often either absent or presented as heavily stereotyped, two- dimensional characters. Rarely are minorities depicted as complex characters with the full range of human emotions, motivations, and behaviors. Meanwhile, the stereotyping of women, gays and lesbians, and individuals with disabilities in mass media has also been a source of concern. 3. Piracy-R.A. 9239, or the Anti-Piracy or Videogram Regulatory Board (Optical Media Board), is assigned to regulate the production of optical media in all its forms and impose stiffer fines and penalties for its illegal reproduction. 4. The Hollywood Standard 5. Mainstream vs Indie Film 6. Cardboard Characterization-It is an unnatural or unreal character that is more like a piece of cardboard than a real person. 7. Cookie Cutter Storytelling-one that lacks originality because it is like every other story on that topic.  WEEK 11: Audio Visual Information Topics: Evolution of Audio and Visual Dimension, Production Process, Audio-Visual Codes and Conventions