Video Games and Me

My Experiences With Video Games (5W+H)

What:
Over my life I've had many forms of console and platform to game on. The first recollection of videogames is probably from when I was about 7. I was playing Super Mario Land on my Mum's retro 80's Nintendo Gameboy in the airport while waiting for my delayed flight (my first and last for quite a while), in order to calm my nerves.
Other consoles I have owned include: Nintendo Wii, DS Lite, PS3, PS Vita, PS4.
When:
I've always found that videogames are accessible in many different circumstances and at many different times, however a natural time to play is after school or at the weekend. Holidays have also proved  game-heavy, although Holidays tended to be packed in a way that weekends never seemed to.
Where:
The place I definitely play(ed) the most is at home, because that what where my consoles were. However, portable devices like my DS Lite or even my phone provide my gaming with a portable element.
Why:
Often I play(ed) because I have nothing else to do or I'm bored as a means of escapism, However some games commanded a commitment to come home and play or to stop doing other things and to pick up a controller.
With Who:
One (slightly sad) appeal from gaming is that you can do it by yourself and you don't need to rely on others to enable you to play. That being said, playing with others has an allure of its own. For example, some of the most fun I've had was playing Battlefield 3 with friends afterschool.
How:
Gaming has become so developed that one can even play with their fingers on their phone or on a portable device like my PS Vita for example. However, Playing with controllers comes with a feel and almost excitement that playing with just a screen could never have, hence some of my fondest gaming memories coming from the controller-orientated PS3.

Minecraft Mission

Minecraft Mission

Minecraft is the second most successful videogame of all time. It can be played virtually anywhere at any time due to the pocket edition version of the game, which is what these (low quality) photos are from. It has endless possibilities and therefore will in theory 'never get old'. One can play either by themselves or with friends due to the console and PC editions including online features.

My Breakfast Show Segment

My Breakfast Show Segment

1. Did you fulfill all the content requirements; both in terms of including all the correct features as well as the actual choices made? Myself and Andreas set out attempting to follow the brief, and in my opinion, we were successful in doing this. We included loud jingles, a celebrity promo, lively host interaction and all of the other conventions of a typical BBC R1 Breakfast Show. The main focus of the segment was our 'Celebrity Gamble' with our caller 'Nick', however we also featured typical A-List music such as 'Too Good At Goodbyes' by Sam Smith. This is conventional of BBC R1 as it satisfies the mainstream needs of the TA.
2.  Have you nailed the conventions and style of Nick Grimshaw and the Radio One Breakfast Show? I believe that we nailed the feel of a Nick Grimshaw Breakfast show with lively and upbeat host-caller interractions which are typical of the BBC R1 Breakfast show, reinforced by mainstream tracks with mass appeal. Furthermore, we included social media responses thus keeping with the contemporary style of the show.
3. How well did you manage your running order/timings? Myself and Andreas utilised a script in order to increase efficiency, however we also found that a certain amount of ad-lib was necessary. This was due to the improvised and conversational tone of Nick Grimshaw, who clearly does not follow a regimented script, although perhaps a rough running order. We also learnt from our first take which was far too long and managed to shave off a minute in our next take by dialing back the amount of unnecessary banter in the 'Celebrity Gamble' section.

Current Music Video Analysis

Current Music Video Analysis

Conventional Techniques in Music Videos

"Will He" by joji

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2zXxQHBpd8


 1) Effective use of proxemics

In the music video, the second shot we see features some interesting proxemics and juxtaposition of imagery. There is a person in a panda suit dancing on a table in a dimly-lit room surrounded by flickering lights and people who are unconscious. When paired with the piano introduction, this shot eludes an element of mystery and crypticism. This mystery will effectively draw the viewer in as they will want to perhaps wait and see how the different images are related, or at the least work out any hidden meaning behind them.

2) Use of Camera Movements

At timestamp 0:21, we see a shot where the camera tracks a bloody bathroom floor up to a bathtub. While the shot is tracking forwards, we see the mask from the panda outfit in shot 2 on the floor followed by a MLS of a bath with the artist, joji, in it. This camera movement is effective as it reveals to the audience that joji is the panda, therefore, in all later shots featuring the panda, we can assume this is joji. 

3) Use of Filters and VFX

In the "Will He" music video, the editors have applied filters in post in order to do a few things.
Firstly, The use of filters is conventional of not only joji's visuals but also his alter ego Filthy Frank. This is appealing to fans of joji and his other personalities as it is something he is recognised for and makes this music video easily identifiable as one of joji's. Additionally, the filtering gives the music video a professional feel, which is a convention of modern music videos, which is important as I believe this is only joji's second music video, so being able to capture the high level of quality associated with the industry he's entering. 

4) Contrasting shot types

At timestamp 1:51, we see a very sudden cut from a CU of the female character to a low-angle MS of joji, with a a very brief edit in between. This rapid change in perspective helps to build pace and keep the music video moving forward. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of the girl and joji hints that they are related in some way and in many senses shows some element of foreshadowing. Storytelling without words is integral to many music videos as often there is the track playing on top, so if an artist wishes to tell a story which isn't int the lyrics it is conventions like this quick cut that are so important.

5) Use of Structural Devices

At timestamp 2:40, we revisit the same shot as earlier, however it is slightly darker than before and instead of tracking to joji in the bathtub, we track to the girl from the video sitting up against the wall with an arrow in her head, blinking idly. This is effective use of cyclical structure to convey a message. In this case, it ties together all the previous imagery and almost makes the video make more sense by revisiting earlier shots. In this case, it could show that joji has murdered the girl, or as she is still alive, the arrow could have connotations of love etc. It is these double meanings that will capture the audience.