1. [RESEARCH]
Assign 10: Analysing real OTS
Due: Friday
MUST BE EMBEDDED ON BLOG

2. Why this task?
• Be able to analyse to understand meaning
• You know what goes in an OTS
• Research into similar products (mark scheme)
• Get ideas for your own coursework

3. We will look at…..
• 15 effective OTS
• Make basic notes for each one

4. Notes you can take
(copy on paper)
NAME TYPE
Linear
Non linear
Symbolic
Interesting stuff
*take a pic when done……

5. After watching 15 OTS in class, we have made
the following 10 observations (in bullet points):
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

6. Note picture
• Place photo of group member 1 OTS notes here

7. Note picture
• Place photo of group member 2 OTS notes here

8. Note picture
• Place photo of group member 3 OTS notes here

9. Note picture
• Place photo of group member 4 OTS notes here

10. We were really inspired by the
following 4-8 OTS:
• 1 _____________________
• 2 _____________________
• 3 _____________________
• 4 _____________________

11. Who will analyse what:
Group member 1 Group member 2 Group member 3 Group member 4
Example:
True Blood
+
The thing
Dexter Evil Dead The Fall
+
The Walking Dead

12. Stuff to answer in your annotations:
• -is it linear, non-linear or symbolic? Why do you think
this is? (think about purpose/genre)
• -how does the OTS prepare for the film?
• -how does it create narrative enigma?
• -how does it use or challenge forms and/or
conventions of the genre?
• -how are the characters represented and why are they
represented in this way?
• -how does the film present credits and the main title?
• -What else do you enjoy about this OTS? (sound?
Editing? Camera work? MES?)

13. ‘TRUE BLOOD’
By: John Doe

14. Answers
• It’s a Symbolic OTS:
– To introduce theme of vampires in the south
– To symbolise themes: sexuality, greed, nature, hunger, death, prejuduce, segregation, etc
• -The OTS prepares for the film by:
– Establishing the subgenre (vampire)
– Establish the setting (Southern America)
– Establish the themes
• -Creates narrative enigma?
– Who is in it? (no main characters are in it)
– What will happen in the story (as only symbolic intro)
– What do the flashes/flickers mean?
• -It mostly challenges forms and/or conventions of the genre?
– Symbolic OTS is not usual for subgenre
– Set in usual place which is realistic (usually fantasy or idealogical) which is modern
– Unusual characters (in poverty/non vampires/animals etc)
– No action/special effects/human victims
– But it reinforces aspects such as sexuality, blood, death etc.

15. Answers (cont)
• Characters represented and why are they represented in this way?
– Southern American lower class
– Religious: in church/gospel, in white costumes, traditional, priests,
extreme – (white racists)
– Trashy girls: stripping, with older men, naked bodies
– Hillybilly men and children: mullets, scruffy clothes, at home/on
porch, messy/slobby, caps, tartan shirts, ripped jeans etc
• -Present credits and the main title by:
– Using rule of thirds
– Smaller font size cast role with bigger size for names
– White to make it stand out from darker backgrounds
– Title looks like it’s over a blood soaked cloth with jump cut editing

16. I enjoyed……..
• The following slides illustrate what I
enjoyed/found effective

17. Close up shots & placement of credits

18. Animals to symbolise themes

19. Sexuality and low key lighting & filter

20. Special effects, composition, make up

21. Transitions

22. Fast cuts, ambiguous shots and blur

23. Time lapse, composition (rule of thirds)