More research and planning

Today we caught up on unfinished work - photography timelines, researching photographers and explaining to process from idea to finished photographs in a magazine or on a greetings card.

Students then looked at some of Ms Hill's photographs of Iceland to give them wintery inspiration. She had made some examples in Photoshop of how they could be used on a card which she showed them. They had a little time to take some photos themselves, ready for making their own cards.

Practicing Photography

Today we learned about the processes involved in a professional photo shoot for a magazine or greetings card. For example, they start with an idea, then need to meet to discuss it before researching locations, props and hire/purchase of lighting and camera equipment. We had to draw a diagram to demonstrate this.

Next we learned about different photography framing techniques. The first one was the rule of thirds where you divide the frame into three sections horizontally and three vertically. Where the lines cross is where you should try to put the item you want people to focus on. Here are

some examples:

As you can see, both the flowers in these pictures are roughly at the point where the lines would meet.

We also learned about creating a frame within a frame to draw the eye towards something in a photo. Here are some examples:

We then went into the studio to experiment with different artificial lighting techniques:

We used standard bright studio lighting, red heads with coloured gels over the top of them in blue, green and pink and small fairy lights. With different lights you can create a different atmosphere, whether soft and glowing or dramatic
and shadowy.

Tues 10th Nov - continuing Photography research

Today diploma students continued with their photography research - the first task is to complete a timeline of key events. The reason for this is so students can identify how developments in technology have changed the way people take photographs and use them.

Key developments include making photographs permanent, the introduction of photoshop, digital cameras and camera phones. As technology has improved, so has the quality of photos. The focus of pictures is much better and the colour more accurate. Cameras have become cheaper and more portable so more people are able to afford them now.

Students then researched different photographers to understand the different styles and purposes, such as for reportage (to go in newspapers and magazines), for fashion, for greetings cards, calendars, adverts etc.

Starting Photography

Today we started Unit 3 - Artefact in Media. We are studying photography and will be taking photos for the winter festival.

In the first lesson, we began by looking at photos from two famous female photographers, both taken in 1936. Dorothea Lange took photos from during the depression in America (1929-1941). Her photos were very unusual at the time as photography was mainly used to capture posed pictures of the more wealthy in society. She wanted to draw attention to the struggles faced by ordinary people.

The second photo we looked at was by Leni Riefenstahl. It was a big contrast from the poor and needy in America as it was of atheletes competing in the Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Riefenstahl was also later criticised for making propoganda films for Hitler, however she claims she was manipulated by him into doing it.

Both these photographs are significant as at that time, women were not taken seriously in the workplace, so both women had to face criticism.

BFI trip

Please see other staff blogs for reminders as to what you did on that day.

This is the programme that was emailed to me beforehand, though it mayhave changed slightly on the day due to the late start:


SESSION 1How to publicise a festival (NFT3)
10:00-10:10 Welcome, intro to the day. Overview of press & marketing
10.10-10.15 Case Study: The LFF: who it's for, focus on this audience
10:15-10:45 Presentation: Knucklehead, Directors & Producers of LFF trailer 09 www.knucklehead.co.uk
10:45-10:55 Presentation: LFF, Marketing Assistant looks at poster image & overview of printSession filmed and photographed by students?

SESSION 2
11:00-11:30: Poster design (Project rooms)Focus on student brief to design poster with support from a Designer
11:30-12:00 LunchPacked lunches to RFH/riverside, or other

SESSION 3
12:00-13:15 Festival screening (NFT3)Short films tbc, but likely to include all/some of these 6. Director Q&A tbc - filmed and photographed by students?
After Tomorrow A psychological suspense in which the sinister owner of a guest house refuses to let James leave. Dir Emma Sullivan UK 2009 15min
What Light (Through Yonder Window Breaks) Morning light enters the room and makes hay while the sun shines. Dir Sarah Wickens UK 2009 13min
Wolves A chance encounter in the city. And wolves. Dir Rafael Sommerhalder UK 2009 6min
Lies Three true stories about lying: the con man, the confused boy and woman whose whole life has been a chain of lies. In Swedish with subtitles. Dir Jonas Odell Sweden 2008 13 min
Kids Might Fly Set in an urban wilderness, the film is an offbeat and touching portrait of young people in East London. Dir Alex Taylor UK 2009 7min
Speechless A family test the pros and cons of leading a screen-based life. Dir Daniel Greaves UK 2009 8min

13:15-13:30 Break BFI Southbank

SESSION 4
13:30-14:15 Interviews Group of 37 split into 7 film crews of 5ish.2 x 15min interview per crew. Interviewees split between marketing and venue management, tbc asap.1.
Mia Farrell - Director of Festival Press (Premier PR)2.
Chris Besseling - LFF Marketing Assistant3.
Miki Tsuganuma - BFI Southbank Designer4.
Emmanuel Tella - BFI Southbank Senior House Manager5.
XXXX - BFI Southbank Customer Services Assistant.
Philip Ilson - Festival Director, London Short Film Festival7.
Susie Evans - Producer & Moira Mcvean - Programmer, London Children's Film Festival

Annie Review pointers

With each review you write, you need to evidence that you did some research on the production/exhibition/film etc that you have been to see. The more wide-ranging your research (i.e. from more than one source, not just wikipedia) the more marks you will get for your work. State on your blog where you got your research from. For primary research, you could ask other people in the audience yourself what they thought and note down their comments. As well as researching the play in this instance, you could perhaps look at the previous work of particular stars or production staff such as the director or costume designer.

Here's the Young Vic website with details for you to include in your review:
http://www.youngvic.org/whats-on?action=details&id=2937
They also have links to YouTube audience feedback you could look at at home. Perhaps you could see whether you agree with the other audience reviews. If not, why not? Are they perhaps different types of audience members with different tastes and perspectives?