January assessment: learner response

26 : D Grade

WWW: There are plenty of good points and you have clearly revised media theory and terminology which will help reach the higher grades.

EBI:

1. Critical error- read the question. In Q2 you get zero marks for camera and sound paragraphs, question was on mise-en-scene
2. Focus on redoing Q also a problem on Q4

2. Media Forms

How does mise-en-scene contribute to the impact of the film? 

Mise-en-scene greatly contributes to creating a strong impact because it establishes the conventions of a family, which will allow the viewers to relate with the characters.

For example, the location that was used, a family home. creates a sense of safety. A home is seen as a place of comfort and where family can be found, this creates a sense of familiarity for the viewer. The characters, a father, mother and their young daughter suggests to the audience that they are an average middle-class Caucasian family in a relaxed setting. Medhursts theory of stereotypes being a shorthand to who the characters may be can be applied to this as the audience immediately understand that is an ideal nuclear family who are in their family home. 

The actors in this film hold a vital role in contributing to the impact of the film.    The expression and the gestures of the actors gives each character a  sentimental value because the audience can see  their expressions changing. The most crucial gesture is when the daughter and the mother form a seatbelt, which indicates that they have united as a family through the power of family love to save one's life, This evokes certain emotions from the audience towards the film which gives the film its great impact and appeal/

The use of costumes is also important as it allows the audience are able to discover more about the characteristics of each character. For example, the daughter is wearing pink coloured clothing and fairy wings which suggests she is quite feminine and girly, it also links to her youth and hints at her vulnerability because of her age. Despite this it is her father who is wearing a black coloured shirt, which links evil/death, is the one who is in a vulnerable state which makes him more inferior. The fact that they are all wearing casual clothing once again creates a sense of familiarity as the audience can view themselves within the characters, and this implies that they are no different to us therefore anyone can be in the situation of a car crash. The familiarity created through the mise-en-scene makes the audience more aware about the issue of wearing a seatbelt as a tragedy such as a car crash can happen to anyone.