dvd cover analysis

This dvd cover has all the conventions of a successful dvd cover. It has the main actor's name in bold print as a point of sale as it shows the film has a sucessful actor. The tagline has an element of humour as it ties in with the image in the foreground of a man in a housedress holding a special agent badge. This cover has great apeal as each element ties is well with each other the cover is meant to portray an action comedy about an agent goin undercover as a scary woman.

Director:Steven Spielberg

Steven speilber has directed a vast number of films from many genres as he is very widely known for his unique style.Many of his movies have a number of awards including schindler's list, A.I- artificial inteligence,  catch me if you can and ET- the extra terrestrial. There are many conventions from films which he has directed which include:

• focusing on the main character and uses supporting characters to feed off
• exposeses the true emotion of the main character
• uses the soundtrack/score to shaddow the movie and tell a story of it's own
• creates many anticlimaxes throughout

In this clip from ET although e.t is not the centre of attention from the camera speilberg uses the characters around the alien to keep him involved for example the little girl and boy talkabout e.t when he is not on camera or talk about him emphasises his importance, this is clever technique as by allowing other characters to be more heavily involved the can be used to enhance the status of the main character even though they may not be on screen



In this clip from artificial inteligene the use of music in this scene is used to great effect as between 0-2:10 there are a collection of high notes which suggest something is about happen and moments later David is lft abandoned. the music reflects the mother's distress and david's sadness as she tries to drive off but david refuses to be left alone.



This clip shows the expossure of frank in Catch me if you can as when he finds out his father has died the audience begins to realise he isn't the excellent inteligent con-man he portrays but is a scared boy who has been running from the truth since he was 16 hiding unde different personas.



1. What did you think was the point to the activity?

I think that it was to help develop the knowledge of making sure that when shooting a movie from different angles that you make u leave hang time so when camera shot is switched there isn't an obvious jump cut and the video flows well.

2. In regard to your finished sequence, what worked well?

I think that the continuity in this clip is very well edited for example when the camera angle switches from the overview to the extreme close up of the hand there is no obvious jump cut and the clip then flows well.

3. What would you aim to improve about your sequence? What continuity mistakes can you see?

there is a error when the camera starts with a POV of actor 2 and he is holding a sheet but when the camera angle changes to a medium shot the actor is no longer holding the sheet and there is no evidence to suggest he has put it down.

4. What did you learn from doing this activity?

I learnt how to correctly show continuity and remove any accident jump cuts while edtiting so that post production there is a more asthetically pleasing final product

1st shot - Establishing shot
2nd shot - Mid Shot
3rd shot - Medium Long Shot (tracking)
4th shot - Low angle Mid Shot with slow rotation
5th, 6th shot - Mid Shot
7th shot - Medium Close-Up
8th shot - long shot
9th shot - Medium Close-Up
10th shot - Medium Close-Up
11th shot - Medium Close-Up
12th shot - High Angle, Wide Shot
13th shot - Medium Shot
14th shot - Close-Up
15th shot - Long shot continuity Medium Long Shot
16th shot - Long shot
17th shot - low Angle, Close-up


1. What principles of continuity are used here? How successfully? Refer to specific shots / screengrabs.


the principles are sucessful to a certain extent as the picture flows but there are certain frame transitions were you can see the director has chosen to cut to a new camera angle which is conspicous such as shot 1-2 there is clear jump cut which doesn't look very neat and there is a clear switch in position by the protagonist otherwise the continuity is very successful as shot 3-4 is very well cut as the movie flows perfectly during theese shots.
2. What is the effect of the editing on the viewer? What are we meant to feel at different stages? (ie before she enters the house, in the kitchen, in the corridor, in the bedroom, running away)?


the editing is very successful as as there are three main stages through this clip the protagonist's entrance to the house , the finding of the body and the reaction and the emotions felt by the audience as there is a great element of shock as the body without the eyes is found.

3. What is the 'best bit' for you in this sequence in terms of learning new techniques and why?


sequence that i felt was most effect was shots 15 throuh to 17 was most sucessful as there is a great flow in terms of continuity and the shot compisition is very clever in terms of it the relfects how the clip is going