Below is the first video I have chosen to analyse, from the short film category.
The purpose of this media product is to inform you about how difficult it is to answer emergency calls, and to entertain you by immersing the viewer in the action. People don't often think about the job emergency call operators do, they know more about people who respond to 999 calls, so this short film aims to show you another vital role that media products don't often show. The only person shown in the scene is the operator, so the audience can focus on her facial expressions and emotions. At the end of the scene, it shows her reaction after the call ended, and how she only has a few seconds to collect herself before she's thrown back into a stressful situation again. This is deliberately included to show the audience how hard operators work, and how stressful their job is.
The viewer also becomes very immersed in the film, as we only have the same amount of information as the operator, which is just what she can hear over the phone. We can see when the operator is listening carefully to what the lady on the phone is saying, so viewers will subconsciously do the same, as we know the information she gives is vital to her being rescued (e.g. her address). It is very easy to get caught up in the suspense, as we want to know if the lady and her son are okay. At the end of the scene, we hear her being rescued, but we never know for sure if she survives, and this lack of closure keeps the scene tense and exciting all the way to the end.
The sound elements used in this short film are dialogue, sound effects and silence. Diegetic sound effects are a very important part of the film because show-not-tell is used to give us information about the scene, for example we can hear the fire burning and know that the caller is in imminent danger. Sound effects make the scene far more realistic, and so the audience is more immersed in the scene and it feels more real to them. Silence is used very effectively because at the end of the call, the sudden quietness brings you back to reality and is quite a shocking change from the tense phone call. I think the silence is the most effective part of the whole short film, and without it the film would be far less powerful. Dialogue is the main sound element used, so a lot of attention has been put into finding actors who can convey emotions well through their voice, and the parts where they talk over each other increases the sense of panic.
Dialogue, fire crackling, glass smashing, sirens, typing sounds and some ambient background talking can be heard in the short film. These all add to the immersion, and make the audience feel like they are part of the action. The sound effects like sirens and glass smashing show the audience what is happening on the other end of the line, and tell us that the caller is being saved without explicitly telling us. This is much more accurate to real life, where we can infer action taking place from the information we are given.
The visuals in this short film add to the sound because we cannot see what is going on in the burning house, we see everything from the operator's perspective. The camera very slowly zooms in to her face as the film goes on, drawing the audience in and making them feel as though they are part of the action. We can only see the operator and her facial expressions as she reacts to what the mother is saying, with no other distractions. This emphasises how the mother on the phone and her safety is the only thing that is important in that moment, and the operator is giving her all of her attention.
The purpose of this short film is to entertain and amuse the audience. This is done by gradually revealing more and more items this woman has hidden on her person, each more ridiculous than the last. We're drawn into the story because at first we can't see how the items are linked together, and want to find out how she will use them. Sound is used in the form of music and sound effects, these are used to build up the drama and tension, with music traditionally used in a heist scene or spy film. The music has a fast pace to raise the audience's heart rate, and show them that they should be nervous and on the edge of their seats to find out what she is up to. In this short film, we can hear the plane, paper rustling, the lighter flicking and the lady sighing, along with the music. These sound effects make the audience more immersed in the scene, and make them aware of her every action, as these are clues for what she could be trying to do. Since it is a confined space with only one character, the sound effects make the scene more interesting and give the audience more intrigue.
The sound elements used are music, sound effects and silence. Silence is used very effectively when the lady cuts the wire, since it gives the feeling of her holding her breath and everything else being put on hold until she has accomplished the task. Since the music is very repetitive, the sudden pause makes the audience pay attention, and realise that this is a critical moment. The music begins when the woman locks the cubicle, which signals to us that this is where the action will take place, as for all we know, nothing interesting usually happens in a toilet. The sound adds to the visuals because the fast pace gives a sense of urgency, which is mirrored by the shots changing very quickly, revealing all the different items the woman has. Without any sound, the scene would be very dull, as the music connotes a lot about what might happen. It makes the audience think the woman is about to do something dramatic, like blow up the plane, which makes the punchline funnier.
The purpose of this animation is to entertain and make the audience laugh. This is done through a lot of slapstick humour, a jolly tone and comedic facial expressions. Lots of sounds can be heard throughout the clip, some of which are, punching sounds, tiles breaking, buildings crumbling, footsteps, exaggerated bouncing sounds, along with dialogue and music. These sounds make the audience reassured that the fight will end well, because the music is happy and the sound effects are silly, so the young audience will know that the good guy will win. Since this is a childrens' film, the sound effects also help to keep the audience interested, as it is quite a long action sequence and they might get bored otherwise. The main dialogue is at the start and end of the sequence, but during the fight, the characters make lots of exclamations (e.g. "ouch", "oof", etc.) which also make the scene funny. Music is used to structure the fight, as for example, cymbals crash in time to characters falling down stairs. The music is a fairly generic to that of a battle scene, but with lots of oriental instruments added it, to remind the audience of the setting (China).
Silence, dialogue, sound effects and music are all used in this clip, this is because without all four elements, the young target audience would get bored, or upset. Silence is used very effectively after the battle has been won, it signifies that the danger is over and the main character has won. This pause also mimics the way the townspeople might be holding their breath before they find out who has won. The pause indicates a transitional period, between Tai Lung being a threat and being defeated. Slow motion of both action and sound has been used to comic effect (4:30), because it shows the audience the funny expressions the villain makes as he rolls across the ground. The visuals and sound compliment each other because they are both undeniably in the same genre, and are designed to make children laugh. Without the sound, the sequence would seem unnecessarily long and wouldn't be as funny, it changes the tone of traditional fight scenes and keeps the audience entertained.
The purpose of this animated film as a whole is to entertain, but the purpose of this clip in particular is to introduce a new character. Like Kung Fu Panda, there are lots of exaggerated sound effects like robotic movements, air 'whooshing', items falling off a shelf, etc. These keep the audience interested and also add comedic effect, as the sounds Baymax makes are not what you would expect from such a large robot, they are much softer and gentler sounds. Music doesn't pay a very key role in this clip, but it is still important as it sets the tone for a new beginning/an awakening. Dialogue is the key part of this scene, as the purpose of it is to show the characters getting to know each other, and the audience gets to properly see how Baymax interacts with people for the first time.
Music, silence, dialogue and sound effects are all used in this clip and they all have different effects. The music is quite lighthearted and bright, but not overbearing and leaves room for the dialogue to fit between it. This uplifts the audience and tells the young viewers that this is a positive interaction. The silence adds natural pauses to the scene as the two characters tentatively get to know each other, this also mirrors the natural pauses in conversation and action. The silence as Baymax works his way across the room makes him seem awkward and non-threatening, which is an accurate representation of his 'personality'. The dialogue is the crucial part of the scene, as we learn what Baymax's role is in the relationship between the two characters (his purpose is to care for Hiro) and it tells us Hiro's current emotional state (probably needs support but doesn't want it). The sound adds to the visuals because it conveys a lighter mood, suggesting new beginnings and that a major plot point will soon arise. The scene isn't dramatic, but reassures the audience that Baymax will be a friend to Hiro, not the traditional tough character that a robot might be. It also reassures them that Hiro isn't alone and will be cheered up/helped by Baymax as the film goes on.
The purpose of this clip from an action film is to excite and entertain. This is done through the use of hopeful, inspiring music and the use of a chase scene. Even though at this point in the film a major character has just died, the music gives the audience hope that everything will turn out okay in the end. Lots of sound effects can be heard throughout this clip like gunshots, screeching tyres and explosions. Both characters speak, but they don't have a conversation; one character shouts something but it isn't in English, and the other talks to himself. The language used when Marty talks to himself is not suitable for a young target audience, so the audience becomes more immersed as the language he uses is accurate to how 17 year-olds actually speak. It also emphasises what a life-threatening situation he is facing, and that he is needing to vent his anxiety/fear.
Silence, dialogue, music and sound effects are all used in this sequence to enhance the film. The use of silence comes right at the end of the clip where the car drives into a barn, this signifies the end of the chase scene and gives contrast to the stressful situation that Marty was just in - it is a pause for breath in the action. Dialogue is used sparingly because the two characters are in separate vehicles, so they wouldn't be able to hear each other, and the two drivers need to concentrate on their high speed chase. The music is uplifting, and includes the main Back to the Future 'theme', this is a sound byte used in various points throughout the film to highlight an important moment in the plot to the audience. In this case, Marty is about to time travel for the first time. Lots of sound effects are used in the scene to immerse the audience and to make the sequence more exciting, the contrast sound of gunshots bouncing off the road reminds the audience of the imminent danger. The explosion signals the climax of the chase as Marty goes back in time, and the audience is initially unsure whether or not he was successful. The sound used compliments the visuals because the music crescendos as the music speeds up, creating more tension and excitement. The use of close up shots to show characters' facial expressions heightens the drama, but without the music and sound effects the sequence would be a lot less exciting.
The purpose of this clip from an action film is to entertain and excite the audience. This is achieved through the use of upbeat action music, a fast paced shootout scene, along with the very quiet conversation preceding the action. The music makes the scene very exciting, as it is thrilling and starts off gradually, with a beat that is in time with the characters' footsteps. A sound bridge is used between the large portion of dialogue at the beginning, and the later action to show that these two scenes are linked, and they will affect each other. This music connotes to the audience that something dramatic is about to happen, so they look forward to what's going to happen next.
Dialogue, silence, music and sound effects are all used in this sequence. At the beginning of the clip, there is a long monologue, which is spoken very quietly so the audience has to pay close attention. This draws the audience in and forces them to listen closely so they are able to understand this pivotal point in the plot. This monologue being followed by a cool action sequence gives a contrast to this quiet scene. The silence used right at the end of the clip is very effective because a large number of enemies have been defeated, and the characters are free to move to the next part of the building. This also gives contrast to the loud gunfight, and serves as a short reflection period to take one last look at the carnage. Sound effects like gunshots, metallic sounds, shouts of pain, machines beeping, etc. all add to the thrill of the scene. These sounds remind the audience of the danger the characters are in, and are also very industrial sounds, which reflects the cold, business-like setting. The music changes dramatically when the characters switch from defending themselves to being on the attack, this makes the audience feel that they will ultimately be successful even though they are significantly outnumbered. The visuals and sounds used compliment each other because a lot of the action is in time to the music, such as the sound of footsteps. This one fight scene lasts quite a long time, and would seem very boring, long-winded and repetitive, but the music makes everything more exciting. The music also tells the audience that this is a crucial piece of action, and is a major turning point of the film.
The purpose of this TV advert is to sell John Lewis products, but it is also to entertain the audience and provide nostalgia for the older generations watching. They do this by creating a narrative the audience gets drawn in to, so they feel more inclined to carry on watching the advert, and eventually to visit John Lewis. It's not immediately obvious what the product is, so the audience are curious to watch to the end, helped along by the use of star power. A lot of people would be very familiar with the Elton John song, so they might want to keep watching just to hear the song. Sound is used to create emotion and to tell a story of Elton John looking back at his life and how he became famous, by using a sound bridge to connect all the different eras together with one song. In the advert, we can hear a piano playing music, which is diegetic in some places and non-diegetic in others, for example when he plays the song in concerts. In a few scenes, you can hear him playing a different song on the piano from "Your Song", because he is at an age where he hasn't yet written the song, so both diegetic and non-diegetic can be heard at the same time. You can also hear people cheering, which immerses the audience, excites them and provides a contrast between him playing the melody by himself vs with a rock band in a big stadium.
Only music and sound effects are used in this advert. No dialogue is needed because the story is told through visuals, and the slogan for John Lewis is shown with text on screen. This keeps the audience immersed in the song, and they have to watch the screen to find out what the advert is for, therefore giving it all of their attention. Since this is a well-known song, the audience are likely to have it stuck in their head afterwards, keeping the John Lewis brand in their mind, making them more likely to shop there. The visuals are very dependent on the sound, because without the song the advert would make no sense, and not create as much emotion or impact. Since the camera pans around each scene, this helps to create a smooth transition between eras, which is helped by the song that continues throughout the whole advert.
The purpose of this advert is to sell Skoda cars, and to relate to the audience. This is done by showing a nuclear family, with a fairly ordinary life, so the audience can identify with the everyday activities they do. Sound is used in this advert to create an uplifting and inspiring feeling, which would make the brand look appealing to the audience, as it could help them achieve the lifestyle advertised. In this advert, we can hear music, birds chirping and the voiceover. This advertises a quiet and peaceful life to the audience, with no distractions from your family and nature. The only sound effects heard are the birds, which is unconventional for a car advert that is usually filled with mechanical noises. The advert makes you think you can use your car to escape to nature, rather than be a savvy busy person like most car adverts.
Music, sound effects and dialogue are used in this advert. The music used is very uplifting and makes the audience feel relaxed and at ease, which reflects the calming surroundings. The dialogue is in the form of voiceover, which is used to give the audience more information about the car and remind them of the brand name and slogan. It is only used at the end of the advert so that it doesn't break up the journey from the home to the countryside. The visuals enhance the audio because the text on screen shows the different features of the car as the family use it, providing information without breaking up the music. These also help to sell the car, as the audience is given more details on why it might be suitable for them.