Notes on Macro & Micro Features: Task 1 Film Analysis (Unit 4)

What is the difference between macro and micro features?

In terms of film, the macro features describe a film's narrative and its genre. However, micro features in film describes the mise-en-scene, performance of the actors and actresses, cinematography, editing and sound.

What is the difference between diegetic and non-diegetic sound?

Diegetic sound is the sound within the world, for example, talking, ambient noise, birds, wind. The diegetic sound is all dependent on the genre of the film. Therefore, non-diegetic sound is the sound added in post-production, such as music, theme tune, explosions etc.

The first clip- 'Batman Begins: Tumblr Scene HD'

From the micro features, myself and the group decided that cinematography, editing and sound were the most important and without these features the film would be a lot less interesting. Therefore, after we watched it without sound to see whether it would still be tense and dramatic, which it didn't. The use of dietetic and non-diegetic sound ensures that the audience is aware of the genre, and that their attention is also kept on the film.

The second clip- 'Enduring Love: Opening Scene' 

Once we watched the clip, we decided that the cinematography and sound was the most important attributes. Although with this clip, the sound doesn't conform to the ideology of a dramatic scene as i personal believe that the sound in a way doesn't match to what is happening in the scene. Non-diegetic violins are present, therefore changing the scene from dramatic to sad and upsetting. Also, the fact there is little if no verbal communication between the actors and actress, opposing to the stereotypical scene of an action film.

The third clip- 'The good the bad and the ugly: final scene'

This iconic cowboy/western scene has interesting cinematography, sound and editing from the micro features. The scene has a wide range of camera shots and angles such as extreme close ups of the men's squinted eyes and their hands edging towards the gun on their belt, therefore creating a long and extended enigma. The fast pace editing toward the end of the scene all creates enigma. At the beginning of the scene there was barley any sound, both non-diegetic and diegetic, but as the clip progressed, country/western music was present to build tension.

The final clips- 'Scream' (opening scene)

For the opening scene of 'Scream', we noted the codes and conventions:

• Master killer
• Hostage
• Dramatic non-diegetic music
• Blood
• Weapon e.g. knife
• Screaming
• Night-time
• Isolated location 

The most important micro features are sound, performance and miss-en-scene. The dramatic non-diegetic music allows the audience to decipher the genre in which is a horror. Screaming and crying is also heard a lot throughout the opening sequence. Performance is a important feature as the girl who is played by Drew Barrymore.

Codes and Conventions of Scifi:

• Good vs Evil
• Futuristic
• Advanced technology
• Robots
• Aliens
• Located in space
• Strange weapons such as laser guns
• Special effects

Codes and Conventions of Comedy:

• Located in bright places
• Diegetic sound of the actors/actresses 
• Props
• Camera usually follows the actor/actress
• Characters tend to wear bright coloured clothes
• Characters tend to act quite stupid

What is Mise-en-Scene?
https://collegefilmandmediastudies.com/mise-en-scene-2/
Otherwise known as, placing on stage or telling a story in theatre, mise-en-scene is an umberella term for everything you see on screen, how it has been arranged and shown to an audience. Mise-en-scene includes, lighting, staging, actors/actresses, props, location, costume/makeup and special effects (sfx). The way in which the mise-en-scene has been arranged, allows the audience to comprehend the genre of the film, TV show, advertisement, etc.

Lighting:

• High-key/low-key/natural lighting 
• Classic Hollywood Lighting

This consists of:

1. The key light- brightest light, found towards the front of the set
2. The back light- light behind the subject, therefore giving a sort of depth between the subject and the background
3. And the fill light- ensures there are no shadows in which have been created by the key and back light. Found generally opposite to the key light, at a lower brightness, to balance the overall image

• Quality

When referring to the quality of a piece of film, it's either described as being:

1. Hard- hard lighting create stronger shadows
2. Soft- a piece of film has a soft lighting when a diffuser is used, for example, a material is situated in between the light and the subject

• Direction

What direction is the light coming from?

1. Overhead lighting- this will create a dramatic and harsh shadows upon the subjects face, therefore making them look superior and sinister 
2. Under lighting- using this type of lighting will emphasise all the details and natural creases in the face, also used to make the audience think the character is evil
3. Side lighting- used to cast a shadow on one side of the subjects face, generally used in thrillers or mysteries 
4. Back lighting- silhouettes are created with this lighting, and it's often used in horror films to hide the killers face from the audience, therefore creating an enigma. An example of where this is most famously used is in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" (1960).

• Source

What is the perceived light source in the shot?

1. fluorescent light of an office
2. candlelight
3. table lamps

What is the actual light source in the shot?

1. it isn't real candles creating the lighting effect
2. buy may be a light off-screen

• Colour

1. the colour can be changed in post-production using a process called colour grading
2. attachments to the lens, also known as filters, and coloured plastic that can withstand the heat of bright lights, also known as gels, can be used to add a wash to the scene.
3. depending on colour of the light, information can be conveyed to the audience, for example, a red glow on a person's face can indicate that they are close to a fire.

Terminology: Exposure

• When a camera exposes light into the film stock to create an image, the film can be:

1. under exposed- the picture is darker than it should be 
2. correctly exposed- the lighting is set to a suitable exposure
3. over exposed- too much light and parts that are already light are bleached out.

The Godfather (Dir: Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)

I would describe the lighting as ambient, as the main light source is coming from above (e.g. overhead lighting) making the Italian character is the beginning look as if he is being questioned, and sympathy is felt for this character due to what happened to his daughter.

Side lighting is seen thought the opening scene, therefore creating more of a dramatic image and texture becomes more prominent. I believe the director chose to use this specific lighting to create tension and to clearly she the genre of the clip thought the use of effective lighting.