Deep Viewing is a strategy for media analysis that we use in class to identify the theme of a media text and to interpret a director's intention.
Deep Viewing analyzes the following elements of a media text: Symbols - An object that represents something else. Sounds / Music - The tone and tempo of the sounds and music impact our emotional connection and interpretation of events in a media text. Lyrics and Dialogue - The words sung or said and the meaning behind them in terms of the media text. Camera Angles - High, low, near, far ... what does the angle off the camera tell you about your relationship to the story characters and their relationship to each other? Audience - Who is the intended audience and why? |
Sound: As you watch the videos track the physiological changes in your body, specifically focusing on your pulse and breathing. What impact does the sound have on you?
Listen again. What sounds do you notice? How do those sounds help you to interpret the images you see?
Listen again. What sounds do you notice? How do those sounds help you to interpret the images you see?
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Lyrics and Dialogue Listen to the lyrics - how do they contrast with the music? What is the effect?
Pumped Up Kicks was written by Mark Foster who was a commercial jingle writer at the time, after he posted it as a free download on his website, it blew up and got him recording contract and a Grammy nomination.
Connection to our course theme of how success is 1 part opportunity +1 part ability or interest + 1 part practice.
Reflecting on the lack of inspiration he felt when writing the song, Foster said, "I've heard a lot of other artists talk about this as well, like, 'I'm not inspired right now. I've got writer's block. I'm just not really feeling anything.' And I've felt that way, too, just not being inspired and wanting to wait for inspiration to come before I wrote. But I wasn't inspired when I wrote 'Pumped Up Kicks,' and that's what came out. So... it just solidified the notion that perspiration is more powerful than inspiration."[3] Thinking that he was just recording a demo, he played all of the instruments on the song,[4] and using the software Logic Pro, he arranged and edited the song himself.[5] The demo is ultimately the version of the song that Foster released.[4] (Thanks to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped_Up_Kicks)
Connection to our course theme of how success is 1 part opportunity +1 part ability or interest + 1 part practice.
Reflecting on the lack of inspiration he felt when writing the song, Foster said, "I've heard a lot of other artists talk about this as well, like, 'I'm not inspired right now. I've got writer's block. I'm just not really feeling anything.' And I've felt that way, too, just not being inspired and wanting to wait for inspiration to come before I wrote. But I wasn't inspired when I wrote 'Pumped Up Kicks,' and that's what came out. So... it just solidified the notion that perspiration is more powerful than inspiration."[3] Thinking that he was just recording a demo, he played all of the instruments on the song,[4] and using the software Logic Pro, he arranged and edited the song himself.[5] The demo is ultimately the version of the song that Foster released.[4] (Thanks to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumped_Up_Kicks)
Deep Viewing in action (answer the following questions on a piece of lined paper)
1.) The film is called Silent Beats - based on the title what the short is about? (1)
Watch the Video Silent Beats from start to finish then answer the following questions
2.) What is you initial interpretation of the film - What is it about? What is going on? (2)
3.) Make a list of all the objects you identify as symbols. (3)
4.) What additional meaning do you get as a result of the director's use of them (explain)? (3)
5.) Make a list of the sounds. What are they and how do they make you feel? (3)
6.) What information do you get from camera angles (eg. Closeups) (1)
7.) What is the information is provided by the director as a result of switching perspective and inserting flashbacks or asides for each character. (3)
8.) What would you say is the theme in his short film and why? (2)
1.) The film is called Silent Beats - based on the title what the short is about? (1)
Watch the Video Silent Beats from start to finish then answer the following questions
2.) What is you initial interpretation of the film - What is it about? What is going on? (2)
3.) Make a list of all the objects you identify as symbols. (3)
4.) What additional meaning do you get as a result of the director's use of them (explain)? (3)
5.) Make a list of the sounds. What are they and how do they make you feel? (3)
6.) What information do you get from camera angles (eg. Closeups) (1)
7.) What is the information is provided by the director as a result of switching perspective and inserting flashbacks or asides for each character. (3)
8.) What would you say is the theme in his short film and why? (2)
For this Unit we will be using some resources developed by Ms.
A. Ibsen which can be found HERE (1) and HERE (2)
A. Ibsen which can be found HERE (1) and HERE (2)
Video clips to be used for deep viewing can be found below or on the Here (2) link above.