In a Heartbeat

Mise en Scene
       The theme of this short film can be represented through the use of mise en scene. For example the fact that the teenagers are dressed presentably and smartly this goes against the dominant ideology of Hegemony as he states that only the dominant ideology is reflected. In this case that is not true as the teens do not follow the dominant view that they are scruffy. The use of books as props further shows them to be intellectuals which I imagine is not a general view of the youth of society. This can be seen too follow Gauntlett's message of media messages being divers and contradictory.

Sound
        Sound is a further example of the contradiction in this short film to the representation which is common. The non diagetic soundtrack can be seen as soft and mellow which does not usually associate with younger characters. However it intensifies and becomes more panicky as the boys love is expressed for the other boy in front of the rest of the school. This sign of homosexuality is subject to Stan Cohens representation theory which is showing something such as homosexuality to be a threat to societal values or interests.

Editing
        The use of editing in this short film can be seen to conform to Gauntlett's  representation theory by using an animated heart. This heart is a sign of compassion from one boy to another which of course in today's can be seen as contradictory and a diverse message from the media. Furthermore the two boys being pictured holding the animated heart at the end can be seen as negotiated reading as the audience is highly likely to agree as well as disagree with the text.

Camera
    The use of close ups on the two different boys shows two different sets of emotions with the ginger boy being out of control and in a state of panic as his heart races off for the other boy. Whereas the dark haired boy is cool and collected yet becomes puzzled when he is confronted by the heart of the ginger boy. Stan Cohen's representation theory that cultures are subject to moral panic when a group of people have been defined as a threat to societal values as when their emotions are shown in school it is looked down upon and isn't normal.

Audience Theory

Demographic - physical differences amongst audiences
Psychographic - difference in interests amongst audiences


Stuart Hall - texts are encoded with a message that suits society which is then decoded by the audience and interpreted in three different ways

• DOMINANT READING - interpreted as the institution intended
• NEGOTIATED READING - audience agrees and disagrees with the text
• OPPOSITIONAL READING - audience is in conflict with the text

Uses and Gratifications Theory - Blumer and Kats theorised that audiences are active and use the text, rather than the text using the audience
- The audience seeks pleasure from the text so chooses to consume it e.g.
        > escapism                                          > comparing
        > diversion                                          > sexual stimulation
        > information
        > counter cultural experiences


Why would an audience watch a short film?
       An audience would be likely to watch a short film for a number of different reasons which are all listed under the Uses and Gratifications Theory which was set out by Blumer and Kats. They argued that the audience sought pleasure when consuming a text so they chose to watch it rather than being consumed by the text. This list of reason ranges from a sense of escapism all the way up to sexual stimulation.

What meaning would and audience take from the film?

       

Representation Theory

Dominant Ideology - views, messages, values projected and held by mainstream society
Gramsci's Hegemony - representation is unequal, dominant ideology reflected
Stan Cohen - cultures are subject to moral panic when a group of people have been defined as a threat to societal values or interests
Gary Giddens - representation experiences make us reflect upon and rethink our own self narrative in relation to others
Gauntlett - media messages are diverse, diffuse and contradictory, resources people use to think through their sense of self
Berger - "men look women appear" women are there solely for objectification of men
Bell Hooks - lighter skinned women are considered more desirable and fit better into western ideology of culture, women are objectified and sexualised in hip-hop
Star Power - institutions use films stars to attract large audiences
Tessa Perkins Stereotypes

• not always negative
• not always about minorities
• can be held about own group
• can change
• not always false

Dyer Stereotypes - always about power, those with power stereotype those with less power

I believe that the short film 'I Miss You' links well to Gauntlett's representation theory about media messages being diverse and contradictory. This is the case as the man in this short film is seen to be the sensitive and emotional character which isn't usually the case as the woman normally has these characteristics. This gets viewers to think again about the representation of men usually being cool and insensitive.

Textual Analysis - Tick Tock

Camera ·         Low angle shows significance of the box ·         Tracking shot – intensity ·         Hand held shot - disequilibrium	Editing ·         Long take – no time to think, death ·         Subtitles – help to decode narrative ·         Credits at the start – reverse chronology
Sound ·         Heart beat – adrenaline ·         Synchronous sound – closed ·         Tik tok – link to change in equilibrium	Mise en scene ·         Clock – visual representation of the reverse of time ·         Morpheme pills and box helped to drive the narrative

            


                    Todorovs theory of equilibrium was not evident in the short film Tik Tok as it didn't follow a conventional, linear story arc. Instead, a reverse chronological narrative was established through the use of editing. For example the subtitles help to decode the narrative as otherwise we would be unable to understand what is going on due to the reverse of time. Also the use of titles such as "cowardess" personify the new equilibrium which is being created. The credits at the start of the film are also a giveaway of the narrative as it can show that the film is in reverse chronology by reversing the order of the film. The use of a long take throughout the short film suggests that he has no time to think as death appears to be imminent for the character.


                   The short film has a closed narrative, as theorised by Barthes, as the meaning is clear and resolved at the end. Barthes also theorised that an enigma code is crucial in engaging an audience in a narrative which is created through the use of sound. For example the use of syncronous sound in Tik Tok links to Barthes' theory of a closed narrative as ther is only one obvious ending which is him realising it was all a joke and that he is not dying. The sound tik tok which is being made by the clock engineers a link to Todorovs Equilibrium Theory as there is a change of equilibrium in the short film. The non diagetic heartbeat which is used as the character panics can be seen as an effect of the disruption in the equilibrium as he is stressing thus pumping him with adrenaline.


                   Bordwell and Thompson state that a narrative is the product of a cause and effect relationship, and this can be seen through the use of key props used in the mise en scene such as the morphene pills. The pills are a cause that lead to the effect of him running through the campus which helps to drive the narrative and help reach a conclusion. The box can aslo be seen as a prop which helps to drive the narrative as he pursues a desire to give the box to his girlfriend. Also the clock which is ticking anti-clockwise can be seen as a visual representation of the reverse of time - visual evidence of the use of reverse chronology in this short film.

Narratve Theory

Todorovs Equilibrium Theory
Linear Narrative

• Starts from the beginning
• Continues to middle events
• Ends with the end
• Follows a timeline of past, present, future

Non-linear Narrative

• Does not always start at the beginning
• No set timeline so often jumps around
• Moves around from events in the story

Barthes' Theory of Narrative

OPEN - can be unravelled and have several different meanings or potential outcomes

CLOSED - only one obvious ending to the story

ENIGMA CODE - a question which is asked at the start of the film and answered at the end in order to kep the audience hooked on what a potential answer could be

Bodwell and Thompson

"narrative consists of a chain of events - every cause leads to an effect"

Reverse Chronology

a method of story telling whereby the plot of the story is revealed to the audience at the beginning of the film itself



Genre Theory

Barry Keith Grant - he stated that all genres are divided up into sub genres which allows them to be more specific and stand out more to audiencs therefore making them more recognisable to a niche market such as short film enthusiasts


Steve Neal - he said that genres are indications of repetitons and differences