Reflective Analysis

Guidance

You will need to prepare a reflective analysis of the complete process (story idea/cinematic techniques used/film sequence or photo-storyboard) involved in this Practical Application of Learning (750 words maximum).

A good reflective analysis is honest, detailed and will cover all aspects of the work you have produced in a concise manner whilst reflecting upon on how far it has met it’s aims. It should not be descriptive (“I did this …..then I did that”) but highlight what was good about it and what parts are weaker, you may also offer solutions to improve the work in light of its intended audience.

You should include:

• A critical approach to the micro features you have used: cinematic techniques/film sequence or photo-storyboard.

• Be critical (positive & negative) of the stylistic techniques used (sound, editing, lighting, camera, mise-en-scene), what aspects do you consider worked well or not so well and why? Would these provoke an emotional response in the audience?

• Assess how well you have applied these. How could you have improved the work? Would your intended audience be capable of understanding your intended meaning/s or enjoy your work? This could be assessed through feedback sessions.

• Discussion of the narrative and how well your message/s were received. Could you have used a more effective structure or varied techniques? Did your audience find it difficult to follow or understand.

• Discussion of the appropriateness of the characters used and whether your choices could have been better. How would an audience respond to them?

• Discussion of the plot and how well your own initial ideas turned out. What improvements could you have made?

• What was your role in the team and what do you consider the strengths and weaknesses are of the aspect of work you produced.

Remember to consider the target audience for the genre of film you have worked within. How would they respond to your ideas?

Exemplar Work

Grade A Reflective Analysis for Extended Step Outline

Throughout my step outline I wanted to use the micro elements of the film noir genre to represent aspects of my key characters. I wanted use to use the cinematography to create visual symbolism as a way to express this, for example in ‘scene one’ I used overhead lighting and positioning of Detective Jones to suggest deceit by concealing half of his face in shadow. I did this to show the audience that this Detective - who is in a position of responsibility and justice - has a darker immoral side to his persona. This scene is the catalyst in the film; it begins the story and sets up the protagonist and his narrative development.

Scene two propels the story further by focusing upon sound. It begins with a ‘soundscape’ of city noise from an urban environment (a key convention of the noir genre), it also symbolises normality and everyday life. Later in the scene Mr S kills a hired gun, this juxtaposition from everyday life to murder and death is a stark realisation that under the veil of everyday life there are criminals that hide in plain sight. In this scene I also use a non-diegetic accentuated heartbeat as the hired man faces death, this is a stereotypical technique used in films such as ‘Crank’ when he is on the pavement in the face of an imminent death. However, upon reflection I wouldn’t have used this technique as it is too clichéd. Although it adds tension to the scene I think it makes the death too drawn out for a character of which the audience have no emotional connection with, I also don’t want to follow this stereotypical overly used technique as it has been used and copied many times. In this scene I also wanted to make the mechanisms such as the lighter, cigar cutter and gun louder and clearer than in reality. This cold, calculating and callus metallic sound is reflective of Mr S’s personality and almost detaches him from human emotions.

In scene three I focussed upon the mise en-scene. The main purpose of this scene was to represent the historical and social context of the film as well as showing the film noir genre conventions. Also another key aspect I wanted to explore was props and performance, using the conversation between Veronica and Jones to show a suggestive flirty side (as a femme-fatale would be represented) to them both and then the impact of his realization as he gets shot at. This gives a good contrast between emotions and I think this small scene works well showing the conventions whilst intertwining it with action and performance.

Scene four explores the use of editing, I wanted to use montage editing to show a distorted representation of time and space, this not only adds interest and pace to a scene but is also used to show the audience detective Jones feeling and memories. I wanted to show an insight into the detective and allow the audience to be able to comprehend and establish empathy with his character. I used white fade in and outs because I thought it worked well with the clinical and pure environments, perhaps not for the bar scene but both the wedding and hospital scene as it gives them an eerie dream like feeling. I like how the white pure memories clash with the dark entrance to his house which is the setting for death and the beginnings of insanity. Straight away the audience know this scene is not happy and pure by the juxtapositions preceding it. This also builds tension and dramatic impact for when the realization does come. Another visual representation I wanted to add in here is how his life is still dark and that in his dingy hotel room it still has the feel of his house from his memories, and that he can’t shake off the dark shadow of that event and his past.

In my final scene I wanted to show performance. I used parallel editing because I felt it gave me the chance to show the performance of two characters as they journey through their emotions and then eventually come together on a split screen, therefore visually symbolising the end to their emotional journey. I think this scene works well, showing both the transformation of detective Jones and the mercy shown by Mr S. This would hopefully give the audience a dilemma and make them question their opinions and stereotypical views based upon the opening scene. The performance here is key and the actors would need to be able to express themselves convincingly for the viewer to feel the gravity of the transformation that is taking place. Jones in an exaggerated and violent, physical performance would contrast with the subtle, but markedly different, manner of Mr S.