Film+test

Achievement Standard English 90856: Show understanding of visual and/or oral text(s) through close viewing and/or listening, using supporting evidence

The test will be very similar to this one. Resource title: ‘Game of Life’ Credits: 3 Student instructions Introduction This assessment activity requires you to analyse a short film sequence. You will need to show an understanding of __four significant aspects__ through close viewing and listening, using supporting evidence. You will use a shot-by-shot segmentation chart to gather notes on the sequence before choosing 4 aspects to consider. Task 1: View the sequence several times, pausing on each shot and using a shot-by-shot segmentation chart to gather notes on the sequence (not assessed). You can ask for more sheets if you require them. OR ** After your first viewing and/or listening, identify which four aspects of the text(s) you intend to focus on. Choose significant (important) aspects of the text(s). These should be features that have made an impact on you in some way and are important for their meaning and/or for the effect they provide. ** // Task 2: Under the heading: // //“Game of Life”// //provide a brief overview of what happens and explain what you think is the purpose of this sequence (assessed)// Task 3: Identify 4 aspects for analysis, and explain how each aspect works. (assessed) (see the following table)
 * Achievement || Achievement with Merit || Achievement with Excellence ||
 * Show understanding of visual and/or oral text(s), through close viewing and/or listening, using supporting evidence. || Show convincing understanding of visual and/or oral text(s), through close viewing and/or listening, using supporting evidence. || Show perceptive understanding of visual and/or oral text(s), through close viewing and/or listening, using supporting evidence. ||

__ Choose FOUR aspects including at least ONE aspect from each column __ N.B For each aspect, give supporting evidence and explanation. For each of the four aspects that you identify, you must provide supporting evidence. That is, you must provide at least one specific and relevant detail to clearly describe each aspect. These details must be different for each aspect, for example, a description of a shot or special effect, a piece of dialogue, or a description of particular body language used. You also need to explain why the creator of the text used the technique; how it added to the meaning of the text and the effect it had on you as the audience. Again, you must provide a different explanation for each aspect. Task 4: Summary (assessed) - Explain how at least TWO of your chosen aspects WORK TOGETHER to create meaning. (for Merit) - Explain how the sequence as a whole, communicates ideas about the text in relation to the writer’s purpose as well as wider contexts, such as human experience, society and the wider world. (for Excellence) Special Note: The above tasks are scaffolded to help you to achieve with M or E. However, it is possible to weave the explanations from task 4 into task 3.
 * Field size ||  Setting  ||  Diegetic sound (SFX, Dialogue)  ||
 * Camera movement || Character gesture and behaviour. ||  Non-diegetic sound (music…)  ||
 * Editing ||  Costume, make-up  ||  Music  ||
 * Framing ||  Lighting  ||  Dialogue  ||
 * Angle ||   ||  SFX  ||
 * Point of View ||   || ||

Resource 1: Example of a table of findings – one shot Comments || Frame dominated by prison bars, window of light in far wall. || Karakia whispered throughout shot (continued from title sequence). Ends with ‘Amine’ to coincide with dissolve || Point of view of someone leaving prison but subject is not revealed (no reverse shot). The suggestion of movement from imprisonment/darknsss towards freedom/lights sets the theme of the clip. Prayer suggests spiritual nature of release. || Game of life: This music video depicts young maori in an alienating urban world of despair and loss. The central message of the video – that there is hope for lost urban Maori in the connection with whanau, marae and tupuna. The film clips shows a contrast between despair and hope in a set of verbal and visual binaries; shadow/light; imprisonment/freedom; urban nightscape/ marae by day; street art faces (heavily influenced by American graffiti and pop art)/images of ancestors. Four techniques in particular convey this message: non-diegetic sound; lighting; focus; colour. Use of c/u __Use of non-diegetic sound__ The title sequence uses a karakia that is whispered over the names (white font centred on black). The karakia has a sustained echo giving the sense of multiple voices and creating a mood of mystery and spirituality. The first shot of the camera tracking through the prison doors is accompanied by sounds of steel doors opening and shutting and chains rattling. The shot ends with the echoed //ake ake amine// and dissolves to white. The opening sequence establishes the contrast between the sounds of prayer and hope and the sounds of imprisonment. The chains are a reminder of the slaves that are later evoked in the lyrics. Slap bass, hand percussion and acoustic guitar introduce the song itself and give rise to a mood that is hopeful and gentle. The lyrics express a plea through the repeated imperative to “come share this game of life”. But the darker lyrical strain of “nowhere to hide’ is supported by images of urban night street scenes and the wandering of a Maori boy. Shifts to minor, 9th and major 7th chords produce a haunting quality. The lyrics themselves sustain the message by …..
 * Shot
 * || Editing/Cinematog-raphy || Mise-en-scene || Sound || Narrative
 * 1 || Wide shot of prison interior. Camera tracks forward and exits through open prison door then tracks ‘into’ window and shot dissolves to white. || Green walls, hard polished concrete floor.
 * 2 ||  ||   ||   ||   ||

__ Field size __

There’s a mixture of CU & WS. CU of faces, esp the boy to let us share the emotion of loss, loneliness, suffering and struggle. Dark eyes represent sleeplessness. Consider his emotions.

CU of singer expressing her concern and love of her people and her desire to say make better choices. The title alludes to the Game of Life, as though in life, the choices made impact on whether you win or lose.

CU of the tool he carries provides information, suggesting he’s about to commit a crime.

Wide shot (WS) is used to establish the sense of the environment, the bleak street scene, and the relationship of the character and the setting. An example of this is High angle WS of the boys on the street which cuts to the CU of them sniffing glue. This shows us the boys in their environment. The High angle looks down on the boys giving the effect of loneliness, being lost and in a rut.

__ Camera Movement __

In the opening shot the camera tracks from the darkness toward the light. Through the prison doors to the window. This shows the audience the POV of a person leaving prison, symbolic of people moving from shadow to light.

In another shot, the camera tracks along a wall following the movement of the boy as he walks around the corner. The images morph from American Ghetto street art to Maori chief faces. The director does this first to show the shifting image on the wall, second motivated by the boy’s movement and thirdly links to the lyrics, ‘descendents of the chiefs, their blood absorbed into this land’.

__ Lighting __

Throughout the clip lighting is a very significant aspect because it symbolizes the boy coming from a very dark place in his life toward the light. He is seen as making a choice, toward light from darkness. The idea that in the darkest places there is always light if you are willing to look for it.

Assessment schedule: Achievement Standard 90856 Text aspects include the following: The student shows understanding of the four aspects in the texts by: Text aspects are as listed under Achievement. The student shows convincing understanding of the four aspects in the texts by: Text aspects are as listed under Achievement. The student shows perceptive understanding of the four aspects in the texts by: Final grades will be decided using professional judgment based on a holistic examination of the evidence provided against the criteria in the Achievement Standard
 * Evidence/Judgements for Achievement || Evidence/Judgements for achievement with Merit || Evidence/Judgements for achievement with Excellence ||
 * The student shows understanding of at least four aspects of a visual and/or oral text in terms of meanings and effects created. Responses may be presented in appropriate oral, visual and/or written forms.
 * purpose
 * ideas (e.g. notable or major themes, attitudes, beliefs, experiences, feelings, insights, meanings, opinions, thoughts, and understandings within the text)
 * language features and structures (e.g. part text, whole text, narrative)
 * text conventions (spelling, punctuation, grammar)
 * explaining aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) in terms of the meanings and effects created
 * supporting responses by the use of at least one specific and relevant detail from the text (s) for each of the four aspects. || The student shows convincing understandingof at least four aspects of a visual and/or oral text in terms of meanings and effects created. Responses may be presented in appropriate oral, visual and/or written forms.
 * explaining how aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) work together to create meaning
 * supporting responses by the use of at least one specific and relevant detail from the text (s) for each of the four aspects. || The student shows perceptive understanding of at least four aspects of a visual and/or oral text in terms of meanings and effects created. Responses may be presented in appropriate oral, visual and/or written forms.
 * explaining how aspects of visual and/or oral text(s) communicates ideas about the text in relation to the writer’s purpose as well as wider contexts, such as human experience, society and the wider world
 * supporting responses by the use of at least one specific and relevant detail from the text (s) for each of the four aspects. ||