Greetings, fellow film and television enthusiasts! Welcome to Media Aesthetics. Here we blog about all those aspects of video recordings designed to create a seamless, aesthetically pleasing product for the audience. Directors and cinematographers today are so skilled at--and we as viewers so accustomed to--aesthetic techniques that quite often, the work goes almost unnoticed.
This blog will open your eyes.
If you love TV and film and want to uncover the tricks of the trade, how and why things are done the way they are, read on. We'll post topic discussions breaking down all the major components of aesthetics within media, and allow you to comment and participate in the process. Please Me Aesthetically, our video series, will help further analyze the topics, using a sense of humor and visual aids--this is a blog about video, after all!
(SPOILER ALERT: If you'd prefer to remain oblivious to the elements of media aesthetics, we suggest you visit another URL. Like now. Go, enjoy your sitcoms and period pieces in ignorant bliss.)
Now, back to business. There are countless examples one could cite when explaining the aesthetics used in film and television. But for our purposes of a basic introduction to studying media, we think it's best to choose a single, simple example. We've selected a public service announcement from the Ad Council about unplanned pregnancy:
We'll apply the main categories within media aesthetics to the attributes of this commercial, to help you recognize the deliberate choices made by its creators, and understand the reasons behind those choices.
We hope you enjoy our blog. Feel free to comment and tell us what you think!
Form and Narrative Structure
Form is one of the most basic elements in film. In the simplest terms, form signifies the relationship between the parts of the commercial. There are various ways in which these parts can connect, which we will discuss here.
For starters, there are formal expectations, or the pattern in which the creator reveals the commercial to us. In this case, we have a simple ABAB format--a couple is trying to initiate sex, a couple encounters a mishap. Lather, rinse, repeat. This similarity and repetition brings us to another aspect of film form--the motif.
Motifs occur when elements within the film repeat themselves. It can be countless aspects of the film--a color scheme, a place, a character trait. Within this short, 30-second commercial, we have more than one example:
Our commercial begins with a hard opening--bringing the viewer straight into the action, with a couple in the bedroom about to disrobe. A soft opening, on the other hand, would have led us slowly to this moment in time--perhaps the couple pulling up to the house in a vehicle, then going inside, having conversation, etc. For the purpose (not to mention time factors) of this commercial, a hard opening was the better choice of form to communicate the story to the audience in both an entertaining and efficient manner.
Emotion, both represented and felt, can have formal implications. Within this PSA, we see representations of romance juxtaposed with a sometimes unsexy truth of the awkwardness of sexual situations. The emotions represented--arousal, pleasure, embarrassment--then generate a emotional response from the audience--humor and understanding through relatability.
Form also contributes significantly to the meaning and overall message of the commercial, which, in our case, is the persistence of sexual desire despite awkwardness, compared with a need for persistence in the use of contraception. There are multiple levels of form as meaning within the PSA:
Range deals with how much information the viewer's are given about the story. When we see and hear more than any of the characters in the story can see or hear, this is called an unrestricted range. When we are limited to what the characters are seeing and experiencing, the range is restricted.
Within each shot of our commercial, we are restricted, seeing and hearing what the characters see and hear. But then the scenes change, and the characters within the scenes change. We get an inside look of all these couples trying to get it on--one couple is not aware of another couple--but we are. They don't see all the awkward moments presented in a montage that reveal the story and the effect the director intended. Moreover, they do not hear the voice-over narration that gives us even more information about the story. This means overall, our range of the story is unrestricted.
Depth refers to the level of knowledge the viewer has about the characters within the story. If we know the thoughts of one character, or all the characters, or experience the story through point-of-view or sound perspective, the depth of information is subjective. But if we cannot experience anything as one or more of the characters would experience an event, our depth of information is objective--as it is in our unplanned pregnancy PSA.
For starters, there are formal expectations, or the pattern in which the creator reveals the commercial to us. In this case, we have a simple ABAB format--a couple is trying to initiate sex, a couple encounters a mishap. Lather, rinse, repeat. This similarity and repetition brings us to another aspect of film form--the motif.
Motifs occur when elements within the film repeat themselves. It can be countless aspects of the film--a color scheme, a place, a character trait. Within this short, 30-second commercial, we have more than one example:
- color scheme (soft tones, mostly blues and whites) -- we'll address this further in another blog
- clumsy characters (injury, things breaking, stumbling)
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| Our PSA begins with a hard opening (no pun intended). |
Emotion, both represented and felt, can have formal implications. Within this PSA, we see representations of romance juxtaposed with a sometimes unsexy truth of the awkwardness of sexual situations. The emotions represented--arousal, pleasure, embarrassment--then generate a emotional response from the audience--humor and understanding through relatability.
Form also contributes significantly to the meaning and overall message of the commercial, which, in our case, is the persistence of sexual desire despite awkwardness, compared with a need for persistence in the use of contraception. There are multiple levels of form as meaning within the PSA:
- Referential meaning – meaning that the audience understands from applying prior personal, real-world experience. We've all had those awkward moments, in most or some of these situations, and we all still power through to the good stuff.
- Explicit meaning – can be see as the overall "point" of the commercial. Here, our message is spreading awareness about the options for birth control. This meaning is explicit in the voice-over narration at the end of the commercial, telling you exactly what the intention of the montage of couples is meant to be.
- Symptomatic meaning (ideology) – a meaning that carries traces of a society's values. Our commercial clearly does not condemn these couples for their sexual exploits. Our society promotes a woman's right to a healthy and happy sex life, and part of that is responsibility to play an active role in their reproductive health. It should be commended, however, that the PSA doesn't make a distinct plea to either the male or female--implying an equal distribution of responsibility by each person engaging in sexual activity to prevent an unwanted pregnancy.
Range deals with how much information the viewer's are given about the story. When we see and hear more than any of the characters in the story can see or hear, this is called an unrestricted range. When we are limited to what the characters are seeing and experiencing, the range is restricted.
Within each shot of our commercial, we are restricted, seeing and hearing what the characters see and hear. But then the scenes change, and the characters within the scenes change. We get an inside look of all these couples trying to get it on--one couple is not aware of another couple--but we are. They don't see all the awkward moments presented in a montage that reveal the story and the effect the director intended. Moreover, they do not hear the voice-over narration that gives us even more information about the story. This means overall, our range of the story is unrestricted.
Depth refers to the level of knowledge the viewer has about the characters within the story. If we know the thoughts of one character, or all the characters, or experience the story through point-of-view or sound perspective, the depth of information is subjective. But if we cannot experience anything as one or more of the characters would experience an event, our depth of information is objective--as it is in our unplanned pregnancy PSA.
BELOW:
Please Me Aesthetically's Film Form and Narrative Structure
Light and Lighting
In this post, we'll discuss the ways in which lighting is manipulated. There are four main components that impact light's meaning within a shot: quality, direction, source and color.
Quality is defined as the intensity of the light within a scene. In our commercial example, the light is more diffused, meant to create transparent shadows that mimic window lighting. The directors are trying their best to imitate natural light and illustrate the time of day in which the scene is taking place. High key lighting is used within most of the scenes to suggest midday, combined with low-contrast lighting to reveal all information within the scene to the viewers. The exception to this rule within our commercial would be the car scene--the directors utilize low key lighting here to give the impression of nighttime illumination, with illumination both on the car (streetlamp? moonlight) and in the vehicle (interior car light) to suggest selective focus.
Next comes direction, which is pretty self-explanatory in terms of definition. Different directions can create different moods, just as the quality of light can. Since our commercial is generally lighthearted and comical, deep contrasts and shadows won't really be necessary. The direction of light in this commercial is typically side and frontal lighting. The window light serves as the key lighting, with an off-screen fill light meant to diffuse shadows and give visibility to the entire scene. In addition, we see other background sources (set lighting) to create ambient interior atmosphere, such as the scene with the couple on the couch, with the light seen in the "room" behind them to the left.
We do, however, have one example of top and side lighting, once again with our rogue nighttime/outdoor scene in the car. The top light is presented as coming from a streetlight or moonlight, as well as the dome light inside the car. The light coming in from the side creates a distinct separation of the car and the asphalt.
Source is the third element of lighting--simply put, what is creating the light. Typically the lighting available through table lamps and natural light aren't going to be enough to illuminate the scene so the audience can see what the director wishes them to see. In this case, the commercial uses two-point lighting (key and fill), in addition to background sources of light, as in the example mentioned above of the couple on the sofa.
Last, we have the use of color. Changing the color of the light illuminating the scene can create different moods--red as intense, blue as calming, etc. In our case, the light is simply white and incandescent lighting, again, meant to mimic the light of day both inside and outside. Ever the rebel, our car scene uses a slight blue gel to enhance the feeling of an exterior night shot.
BELOW:
Please Me Aesthetically's video on Light and Lighting
Quality is defined as the intensity of the light within a scene. In our commercial example, the light is more diffused, meant to create transparent shadows that mimic window lighting. The directors are trying their best to imitate natural light and illustrate the time of day in which the scene is taking place. High key lighting is used within most of the scenes to suggest midday, combined with low-contrast lighting to reveal all information within the scene to the viewers. The exception to this rule within our commercial would be the car scene--the directors utilize low key lighting here to give the impression of nighttime illumination, with illumination both on the car (streetlamp? moonlight) and in the vehicle (interior car light) to suggest selective focus.
Next comes direction, which is pretty self-explanatory in terms of definition. Different directions can create different moods, just as the quality of light can. Since our commercial is generally lighthearted and comical, deep contrasts and shadows won't really be necessary. The direction of light in this commercial is typically side and frontal lighting. The window light serves as the key lighting, with an off-screen fill light meant to diffuse shadows and give visibility to the entire scene. In addition, we see other background sources (set lighting) to create ambient interior atmosphere, such as the scene with the couple on the couch, with the light seen in the "room" behind them to the left.
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| An example of top/side lighting. |
Source is the third element of lighting--simply put, what is creating the light. Typically the lighting available through table lamps and natural light aren't going to be enough to illuminate the scene so the audience can see what the director wishes them to see. In this case, the commercial uses two-point lighting (key and fill), in addition to background sources of light, as in the example mentioned above of the couple on the sofa.
Last, we have the use of color. Changing the color of the light illuminating the scene can create different moods--red as intense, blue as calming, etc. In our case, the light is simply white and incandescent lighting, again, meant to mimic the light of day both inside and outside. Ever the rebel, our car scene uses a slight blue gel to enhance the feeling of an exterior night shot.
BELOW:
Please Me Aesthetically's video on Light and Lighting
Color Function and Composition
Colors serve important roles within a film. They can establish mood, illustrate a relationship between elements, and direct a viewer's attention. In the case of our commercial, colors is used to do all three.
Throughout the commercial, we continually see the repetition of softer colors--namely blues, blue-grays, whites, creams. They show up time and time again--in the bedroom linens and decor of the second couple, the bluish evening light with the third couple, in the supply closet of the fourth couple. These tones create a calmer, perhaps more seductive tone than would the constant use of bright hues. They put the viewer at ease and allow us to simply enjoy the humor and relatability presented.
Blue and whites everywhere! In particular, the shades of blue featured in the scene with the last couple--the man's underwear, the pillows--match almost spot-on with the logo screen shot at the end of the commercial. The director wants you to make a relationship between the couples portrayed in an entertaining manner and the overall meaning and message of the PSA.
The function of these neutral and pastel colors are to lend invitation to
gestures and expressions, as opposed to highly saturated colors, which grab the viewer’s
attention and give context to the scene. Case in point: The bright
yellow and orange in the supply closet draw our eye and quickly communicate the office party atmosphere.
Throughout the commercial, we continually see the repetition of softer colors--namely blues, blue-grays, whites, creams. They show up time and time again--in the bedroom linens and decor of the second couple, the bluish evening light with the third couple, in the supply closet of the fourth couple. These tones create a calmer, perhaps more seductive tone than would the constant use of bright hues. They put the viewer at ease and allow us to simply enjoy the humor and relatability presented. |
| Blue underwear, blue pillows. Blue logo screen. |
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| The saturated yellow lei and orange funnel draw attention and give context to the scene--it's party time! |
Composition is another important element to consider when analyzing media aesthetics. Composition consists of how the scene is laid out, or the arrangement of the mise-en-scene--all of the elements in front of the camera to be shot. A screen composition relies heavily on the rule of thirds, in which the
character movement alternates from left side of the screen to right, never completely centered. These
shots counterweight elements on screen, encouraging our eye to move back and
forth. The third car-happy couple employs a strong diagonal composition, creating a form of dynamic framing.
BELOW:
Please Me Aesthetically's video on Color Function and Composition
BELOW:
Please Me Aesthetically's video on Color Function and Composition
Aspect Ratio and the Shot
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| A medium, slightly canted shot of our office lovebirds. |
This post will discuss aspect ratio and different types of shots used in our commercial.
Aspect ratio refers to the width and height of a frame. This commercial was shot at a ratio of 1:85:1, currently the standard Academy ratio. A commercial meant to air on television as opposed to in a theater doesn't require anything beyond this standard.
Our commercial features several different distances for shots:
The PSA utilizes mostly a straight-on angle, but our couple in the broken bed appear to be shot at a slightly low angle. The couple in the car are shot at a high angle.
The frame can also be moved in varying degrees of how level it is--whether it is parallel to the horizon line. With our supply closet scene, the couple enters with a slightly canted shot--tipping the camera to the right to mimick the angled motion of the man and woman--then cuts to a straight-on angle. Overall, the PSA is shot with a balanced level to create a comfortable space for the audience.
With mobile framing, our camera moves during the shot. In our opening scene, we see the camera travel to duplicate the motion of the man's fall to the ground--this is called a tracking shot. We see the same again when the couple enters the supply closet, then backs out again. Any motion from the camera, however, is done at a rate that we as the audience can perceive in reality.
The shots themselves do not suggest any offscreen narration. Everything the audience is meant to know is viewed onscreen, helping the communicative impact to Bedsider's intentions.
BELOW: Aspect ratio refers to the width and height of a frame. This commercial was shot at a ratio of 1:85:1, currently the standard Academy ratio. A commercial meant to air on television as opposed to in a theater doesn't require anything beyond this standard.
Our commercial features several different distances for shots:
- medium - characters from waist up (e.g. office closet couple)
- medium long - characters from knees up (e.g. opening shot)
- long - figures are prominent but background dominates (e.g. couple on cough)
The PSA utilizes mostly a straight-on angle, but our couple in the broken bed appear to be shot at a slightly low angle. The couple in the car are shot at a high angle.
The frame can also be moved in varying degrees of how level it is--whether it is parallel to the horizon line. With our supply closet scene, the couple enters with a slightly canted shot--tipping the camera to the right to mimick the angled motion of the man and woman--then cuts to a straight-on angle. Overall, the PSA is shot with a balanced level to create a comfortable space for the audience.
With mobile framing, our camera moves during the shot. In our opening scene, we see the camera travel to duplicate the motion of the man's fall to the ground--this is called a tracking shot. We see the same again when the couple enters the supply closet, then backs out again. Any motion from the camera, however, is done at a rate that we as the audience can perceive in reality.
The shots themselves do not suggest any offscreen narration. Everything the audience is meant to know is viewed onscreen, helping the communicative impact to Bedsider's intentions.
Please Me Aesthetically's video on Aspect Ratio and the Shot
Area and Screen Forces
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| Screen forces: The men are always on the left of the screen, serving as a motion vector toward the female at the right. |
- Direction - Subjects in a frame with a vertical direction generate energy and excitement. We see vertical elements repeated throughout the commercial--for example, the position of the two figures in the opening shot, framed by the vertical walls--to signify sexual arousal. But throughout the PSA, there seems to be a balance in the use of horizontal and vertical elements; this idea along with complete visibility in the frame creates inviting and comfortable screen forces.
- Tilting - The canted angle mentioned in the previous post, beyond lining up with the bodies in the shot, can suggest energy or activity, and perhaps in this case, awkwardness.
- Asymmetry - People's eyes see movement as going from the left to the right. In each shot, the male is placed on the right side of the frame, the female on the left. The energy is felt in the male movement toward the female, acting as a motion vector and creating a narrative motif through the commercial. The right side of the screen holds the dominant elements--in this case, the female. This may be considered a communicative technique in relation to the PSA’s ideology that a woman plays an active role in prevention of unplanned pregnancy.
Cinematography/Videography
Cinematography is quite a broad term. It refers to all the manipulations of the film by the camera during shooting, as well as in the development phase. Many elements we've discussed in previous posts fall well within the topic of cinematography, so we'll simply cover a few more that have yet to be addressed.
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| Movement and depth cues create a three-dimensional space. |
Depth cues are used create a sense of three-dimensional space. In our PSA, these spaces are suggested
through character movement, lighting and color differences. The color differences in the scene with the couple on the couch are a prime example of overlapping planes which help bring out dimensionality.
Fluctuating frontality is used to guide the viewer's attention to key communicative gestures and information. In general, the commercial keeps the audience view square on to the mis-en-scene. Changes are indicative of calling attention to a certain aspect of that frame.
Likewise, slight movement cues enable the audience to detect character gestures
and emotions.
Fluctuating frontality is used to guide the viewer's attention to key communicative gestures and information. In general, the commercial keeps the audience view square on to the mis-en-scene. Changes are indicative of calling attention to a certain aspect of that frame.
Sound
There's no denying sound plays a large part in film. Have you ever watched a film without the score yet inserted, or a YouTube video on mute? It's an entirely different experience--and a little bit boring. We expect sound to be there, to help further our understanding of what we are seeing.
Our commercial features no dialogue, but it does feature sound both inside the shot and separate from the scene--elements known as diegetic and nondiegetic sound, respectively.
Diegetic sounds take place within the world of the characters. For the most part, we don't hear any--which makes those that we do significant. Within each scene, the diegetic sound emphasizes the aspects of awkwardness. In the first scene, we hear the squeak of sneakers as the man hops around trying to undress, then the thud of his fall to the floor. We hear the snap of the bed breaking with the second couple, the whack of the woman's head bonking in the car. The loudness placed on these items only tells us to pay attention to them, forming a recognizable pattern of bangs and thuds.
Nondiegetic sound is any sound coming from outside the story--anything the characters themselves could not hear within the scene. This would include the music that plays throughout the commercial, as well as the voice-over at the end of the commercial. The music sets a mood for the audience--French lyrics, evoking romance, but with an upbeat and quicker tempo, appropriate for the intended humor and the pacing of the PSA.
Within both of these elements, we can recognize a rhythm set by the creators of the commercial. There is a coordination in both the nondiegetic with the diegetic, as well as a relationship between these and the images seen onscreen.
First, the diegetic sounds we do hear are placed in time with the nondiegetic music. The man unzips his sweatshirt to the beat in the first scene; the woman in the car hits her head to the the beat in the third.
The nondiegetic contributes to the action within the scene as well. The couple within the supply closet, after realizing they are not alone, have an embarrassed and shocked look upon their faces. At the time we see their expressions and they begin to back out of the closet, the music's singer makes an "uuuhhhhh" sound that plays really well with the characters' feelings.
The music in particular sets the pacing for the commercial. The cuts between scenes often change to the beat of the music, pushing the shots forward with rhythm.
All of these contribute to the overall playful and humorous qualities of the commercial.
Our commercial features no dialogue, but it does feature sound both inside the shot and separate from the scene--elements known as diegetic and nondiegetic sound, respectively.
Diegetic sounds take place within the world of the characters. For the most part, we don't hear any--which makes those that we do significant. Within each scene, the diegetic sound emphasizes the aspects of awkwardness. In the first scene, we hear the squeak of sneakers as the man hops around trying to undress, then the thud of his fall to the floor. We hear the snap of the bed breaking with the second couple, the whack of the woman's head bonking in the car. The loudness placed on these items only tells us to pay attention to them, forming a recognizable pattern of bangs and thuds.
Nondiegetic sound is any sound coming from outside the story--anything the characters themselves could not hear within the scene. This would include the music that plays throughout the commercial, as well as the voice-over at the end of the commercial. The music sets a mood for the audience--French lyrics, evoking romance, but with an upbeat and quicker tempo, appropriate for the intended humor and the pacing of the PSA.
Within both of these elements, we can recognize a rhythm set by the creators of the commercial. There is a coordination in both the nondiegetic with the diegetic, as well as a relationship between these and the images seen onscreen.
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| Diegetic sound: Zip + bang = ooh la la? |
The nondiegetic contributes to the action within the scene as well. The couple within the supply closet, after realizing they are not alone, have an embarrassed and shocked look upon their faces. At the time we see their expressions and they begin to back out of the closet, the music's singer makes an "uuuhhhhh" sound that plays really well with the characters' feelings.
The music in particular sets the pacing for the commercial. The cuts between scenes often change to the beat of the music, pushing the shots forward with rhythm.
All of these contribute to the overall playful and humorous qualities of the commercial.
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