Visual ElementsBeing literate in the twenty-first century implie.docxjessiehampson
Visual Elements
Being "literate" in the twenty-first century implies a variety of skills. Often, the term refers to verbal literacy, describing someone who can read and write. Literacy might also be used in the context of computer literacy, someone who knows how to operate a computer and manage files. In some ways, building visual literacy is similar to building verbal and computer literacy. Basic elements and terminology come first, followed by more advanced skills that help you analyze and explain the impact of images on viewers.
The Visual Grammar
The gurus identify and offer examples of the visual elements used to analyze images: content, framing, composition, focus, lighting, angle, and color.Video Focus Point
Look for answers to this question when watching the video:
· How do specific visual elements help a viewer understand what a picture is saying, rather than just what it is showing?Video couldn’t be attached, just attached the script belowThe Visual Grammar
ENGL 1301
Analyzing Visual Images: Visual Elements
Guru #2: You know, a lot of times when you look at a picture, you barely notice it. You may get the gist of what the picture is showing, but you don’t really think about what it’s saying and how it’s saying it. Now that we’re looking at these images more closely, I can see that there plenty of elements I never considered before.
Guru #1: You know the first thing I look at is the Content -- the actual subjects or objects that are pictured in the image. Now that may seem obvious, but it’s all-important, even the tiniest details.
Like this picture of Tiananmen Square -- at first you see the line of tanks and then your eye finds this one small man facing them down, daring them to run him over. Because of him, it’s not just a picture of tanks. It’s a picture of courage and hope.
Guru #2: Yeah, yes, I see that. You know, the content of an image is also affected by Framing. What part of the subject the photographer or artist decides to put in the picture, or leave out, definitely impacts what you see and how you feel about it.
Guru #1: Yeah, like right this minute. Excuse me!
Guru #2: See, the interesting thing about this one is, if you just look at this much, it’s a photo of General MacArthur arriving on a beachhead. But, when you see the way it’s actually framed, it includes this photographer documenting the event. That adds a whole layer of meaning to the image, suggesting how much MacArthur cared that the world would see that he had returned to the Pacific.
Guru #1: You know, it’s not just what you put inside or outside the frame. It’s also how you arrange the elements within the frame -- what’s in the foreground, what’s in the background, whether the objects seem to be close together or far apart. It’s all part of the Composition and it also affects how you perceive an image.
For example, look at the composition of this picture. Now, you see how these troops and their banners form arrows that point right at ...
The music video of the song her morning elegance by oren lavie
Audience Feedback Questions
1. Audience Feedback Questions☺<br />Camerawork?<br />1: Shots... were quite slow and steady which made them look controlled and professional.<br />2: I liked the panning and the fast cutting shot, and the change of pace was good, its interesting.<br /> <br />Editing? <br />1: They were sometimes noticeable…? (Me: But that is purposeful in some places, because it signifies the change in scene, time, pace.) Oh, Ok. Yeah, then it looks good.<br />2: The fades were effective, they fitted nicely with the shots.<br /> <br />Mise-en-scene?<br />1: It was created really well, I liked the dark feel to it.<br />2: I think it is very good, the music really helps to create the tense feeling, in my opinion.<br /> <br />Use of Titles?<br />1: I think the beginning titles, with the water effect (ripple dissolve) is really good at creating the creepy-scary atmosphere…<br />2: I think keeping them simple is a great idea, it is simplistic but also effective, I like the black and white– its basic but also quite scary– definitely like a thriller film.<br /> <br />Suspense?<br />1: Oh my god– the ending it so good! I like the effect on the Paperchain and the way Paperchain is written, with the text all shaky. <br />2: I really liked the police sirens, it makes me think that something has happened, involving that freaky guy... (Me: the serial killer) … yeah him.<br />3: I think the ending is fine, really good. This bit is particularly suspenseful... <br />(Everyone seemed to enjoy watching this bit)<br /> <br />Enigma?<br />1: I think it is a bit confusing, but you have to watch carefully I guess. But its in a positive way, like, I want to watch more!<br />2: I want to understand more about what the Paperchain is all about. Like why he is cutting them up when he is an adult. <br /> <br />Characterisation?<br />1. I think that there is good development, and I like that the face isn’t showing, so its more mysterious.<br />2. The business suit and briefcase lets me know he is a businessman.<br /> <br />Plot/Narrative/Theme?<br />1: It is expressed clearly, the themes are there, like the images on the desk show violence, and the flashback shows that something had happened to him before he got mucked up. (Me: Becomes a serial killer? You do know that he is a serial killer, right?)<br />Yeah of course, that’s what I meant. <br />2: The plot is secretive, and that’s what I like about it. It leaves a cliff-hanger thing at the end, which shows you that there will be more. But I get the fact that he is a murderer and that it may have had something to do with his childhood. <br />Areas of improvement?<br />1. I had a brief misunderstanding with the flash-back scene, I didn’t realise that it was in the past, but maybe that’s just me! You could have dated the shot to make it clearer. <br />3: The titles in the middles scene- the desk scene- have unusually positioned titles, one on top of the other, rather than separate titles. Maybe could have done them separately to make it look more professional. <br />Also the gap between the main title (“Paperchain”) and the police siren and text could be longer, it would look better with a pause. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />
