Punnet Squares - Reflection section

 Date: 28/5/21

Text title Genotypes and phenotypes 

Text type: Article 

Text source: Scipad 

Text purpose: Readers to understand what genotype and phenotype is. 

From reading this article we understan that a phenotype is observible traits/characteristic of an organism. It is a result of the interaction between its genes and enviornment. For example, eye colour is observable so its part of your phenotype. A genotype is a combination of alleles/genes that an rganism carries. The phenotype of an organsims is an expression of ones genes/alleles. Each gene that you inherit come from your mom and dad. If one allele is dominant over the other it will be expressed through the phenotype. A recessive allele will only be expressed if there is no dominant alleles present. Dominant is shown with a capital letter while recessive is shown with a lower-case letter. 

Critical literacy question:

Why am I reading this? This will help me to further understand the genotype and phenotype as it will be of great use to pass one of my ncea externals and internals. 

Denzel washington - Reflection section

Date: 21/05/21

Text title Denzel Washington's life advice

Text type: Video

Text source: Motivational madness

Text purpose: Offer life advice to those who feel like giving up 

This video was a powerful and motivational speech that was performed during graduation. His intentions were to inspire others to live mindfully in every aspect of their life; mentally, physically, economically, spiritually and socially. He tells his life story and explains how he got to where he is now including the trials he had to go through. 

Failing is a part of learning without failing, are you ever learning?

Critical literacy questions:

1) How does the text construct a version of reality. It is human for us to doubt ourselves at times and sometimes even give up however Washington has shown the outcome of what would happen if you just keep going forward. 

2) Who is allowed to speak? who is quoted? Denzel Washington because the speech is somewhat based on his life story and he is also quoting himself much time. 

Cultural clay model

 

My clay model is a skull inspired by Día de Muertos or Day of the dead.  This celebration is celebrated on November 2nd to commemorate those  who have died. It is commonly celebrated in Mexico as it is associated with the Catholic religion. We paint our faces because it gives us a chance to overcome the fear of death. As you can tell by my clay model, painting would usually include a skull and colourful flowers all around. 

 

My culture

 

SDL work on film aspects - English

SDL works on film aspects                

SDL work on film aspects

WALT: Analyse how film aspects (camera movement, colour, POV/POT, establishing shot) show meaning.

S.C: I can explain why and how: camera movement, colour, POV/POT and establishing shot are used to show meaning in film 

Aspects 1: How does POV or POT shot work?

A POV shot (otherwise knows as the ‘point of view’ shot)  is a film aspect that puts the audience in the character’s shoes, it allows the audience to see exactly what the character sees. Pov shot is usually established between two scenes; one where the character is seen and the other where it shows the character’s reaction to something. Although this shot is used in all types of movies/shows, this is a common trick in the horror genre; that is the audience is placed in the position of the killer who creeps up towards the victim.

A POT or point of thought shot is quite similar to a POV shot. POT shows exactly what the character is thinking/feeling then later acting on it. It basically gives the audience a visual expression of a character’s mind. This shot is useful in movies because  - like all film aspects - it draws the audience deeper into the character’s world, which makes the experience more personal as if the audience feels connected to and related to a scene. 

Filmmakers usually use different shots within a POT shot. For example: if a character is frustrated, they would use a close-up shot, or if a character feels threatened they would use a high angle.

Aspect 2: How does colorwork in a film?

Directors would often show the emotion and overall mood in a film by using color. Colour can also be used to enhance one’s story as it has a physiological effect on humans.

There are 3 factors to determine color: hue (color itself), saturation (intensity of a color), and brightness (how light or dark a color is). 

Hue consists of two main types one being monochromatic colors and the other being analogous colors. Monochromatic is basically where a movie is mostly shown as one color while analogous means a film using neighboring colors in a color wheel.

An example of a film that is monochromatic is ‘The Matrix’. ‘The Matrix’ is mostly shown as green because the movie takes place in a digital matrix and hence the title of this film we associate green with coding. It gives off a sickly quality that reflects the overall state of events in that world. 

Films would use desaturation to give off a certain feel to the film and an example of this is the film  ‘Dunkirk’. ‘Dunkirk’ makes use of desaturation. Colour is drained out of the film and so it gives the audience a cold, raw, and old vibe to the movie which helps the audience get drawn into the movie because we feel connected to it. 

Brightness and the lack of brightness can affect a film for example bright images may suggest an exciting and lively vibe whereas dark images give off a dramatic and eerie vibe. 

Aspect 3: How does camera movement work in a film? 

Camera movement in a film is important because it adds impact to key scenes by giving off pace and energy which allows the audience to feel as if they are part of the action.

Points to be discussed:

The pan:

The film while rotating a camera on its vertical or horizontal axis to keep a moving person or object in view. There are two types of pan; Whip pan and slow pan 

Whip pan is a swift movement from one subject to another almost as if someone is quickly turning to see something that catches their attention. Slow pan gives time for the audience to take in what exactly is happening, this allows the audience to understand the scene more. 

The tilt:

Technique in which the camera stays in a fixed position but rotates up/down in a vertical plane. Tilting the camera results in a motion similar to someone raising or lowering their head to look up or down.

Reverse dolly zoom:

A regular dolly shot is where the camera follows backward, forward, or moves alongside the subject being recorded. Although a reverse dolly zoom is quite like that but it combines zoom and dolly together. The movie ‘vertigo’ is the first-ever movie to use this movement. They used it when one of the characters was having an intense internal feeling. 

Difference between Steadicam and dolly shot:

Steadicam also knows as a gimbal is basically like a dolly shot where it moves to an open area focusing on a subject although Steadicam is stable and so it gracefully glides from one place to another. 

Handheld shot:

Like Steadicam or dolly where it moves to an open place focusing on a subject although it has a shaky effect which raises tension and anxiety for the audience. 

When using camera movements directors need to ask themselves if the shot they would use could help support the story of the film, after all, camera movement should capture the audience’s point of attention. 

Aspect 4: How does establishing a shot work in a film? 

Establishing a shot is a trick to show the audience everything, that is why it’s expensive. 

It is a perfect opener as a transition to a scene as the purpose of it is to establish a scene and it

also shows the relationship between the subject as well as the location. Not only does this

technique establish a location but it also establishes the tone.

Examples are given:

1. Location - Hotel 

Camera - Static

Tone - Lighthearted 

2. Location - Shuttle launch

Camera - Fast push-in

Tone - Epic

Self Esteem

 

What am I learning? What self-esteem is and why it is important, signs of self-esteem, and how to improve low self-esteem. 

Why am I learning this? It helps me make my own opinion on this 'contreversial topic'.

What am I wondering? Yes, it is a human thing but why did we start having low self-esteem in the first place?

Richie Mccaw chasing great documentary - Reflection section

 Date: March 15 2021

Text type: Film - Documentary 

Text Creator: Case Avery & Richie McCaw 

Text purpose: To show the importance of goal setting and how it could affect one's life. 

This documentary shows start to finish of Richie McCaw's journey as an All Blacks Captain/teammate and how goal setting from a young age impacted his life. As a child McCaw loved rugby and because of that he wanted to pursue his dream as an All Blacks Captain/Teammate, you can see that goal setting impacted his life in a positive way because he was able to live his dream as a G.A.B (greatest all black). The moral of this documentary is that goal setting is very important if you want to try to achieve want you to want in life. 

Critical literacy question(s):

1) Whose may speak, who is quoted? Richie McCaw and the people who was with him along his journey because they are the ones who know the 'Behind the scenes' of his journey. Richie McCaw because the film is about him. 

2) Who is real in this text? All of them.