Learning+Journal+3

**__7/11/11__** Today we compared the openings of War of the Worlds (2005) and Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1957). We recapped Todorov's Narrative Stages and used it to analyse both films. We wrote a paragraph to compare them, using media terms. We also looked at the Media terms and learned more, like "costume". We also looked at how many of the characters were stock characters, and we looked at what stereotypes were used. || ** 8/7/11 ** ** On tuesday we watched two films, Independence Day(2008) and The Day After Tomorrow(2004). We then compared them both, writing a paragraph stating the similarities and differences using words like 'connotes'. We looked at each one's Parallel narratives so now I am automatically looking for them whenever I watch a film. We discovered how Parallel narratives and stock characters move the storyline on followind Todorov's theory. Which, because we are watching the start of the films, should show normallity (equillibrium) with a little bit of distruption. ** ** 9/11/11 **  ** Today we watched the beginning of Invasion of the Body Snatchers(1957) and compared it to War of the Worlds(2005). we found that they were similar in many ways, for example they both have sterotypical stock characters and the they both are about an alien invasion. We also looked at how the films followed Todorovs narrative theory.In the lesson we also recapped on some media terms and learnt some new ones through out the week e.g. costume. ** || ** Last lesson we watched the opening of 'The day after Tomorrow'(2004) and compared it with the opening of 'Independence Day'(2008). We learnt about how Paralell narratives are used in films aswell as Stock characters and how they move the storyline on, which in the majority of cases follows Todorovs theory. Some times I find it hard to compare the two films I have the idea but don't know how to write it down. ** || ** In our last lesson we watched the start of The Day After Tommorow (2004) and compared it with the opening of Independence Day(2008). We learnt about stock characters and how they are introduced early and help to move the narrative on. We also learnt about parallel naratives and I found that they're used in lots of films. We compared the two films and I learnt that they have lots of similarities and differences, and so far they have both used Todorov's stages. I am getting more confident using more media terms in my work. ** ** 9/9/11 **  **Today we watched the opening of Invasion of the of the Body Snatchers (1956) and compared it to the opening of War of the World (2005). We discussed how they are similar and different in the way of costume, characters and how they are stock characters.** In our last lesson, we watched the opening of invasion of the body snatchers and the opening of war of the worlds. We wrote about their different stock characters, and their costume and personality. Both the films were fairly similar in the parts we saw, but I think it would help if we could watch more of the two films and compare them further. || ** Last lesson we compared Independence Day (2008) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004). We looked at Parallel Narratives and compared the opening of the two films, inclueding their similarities and differences. I learn't that Parallel Narratives are when a few stories of the characters are interlinked in some way. When comparing I looked at the similar settings and characters in both films such as scenes in space and scientist characters. The only thing I found difficult was that it had been a couple of lessons since we watched the beginning of Independence Day so it was hard to remember some key elements to it. I think we should have done this activity earlier and watched the film openings at closer times. ** ** Lesson- 9/9/2011 ** ** Last lesson we watched the opening section of Invasion of the body snatchers so we could compare it to the beginning of War of the Worlds. We found it was pretty similar but also very different. Both films have steriotypical characters such as a caring doctor in 'Invasion' and an irresponsible dad in war of the worlds. They are both about invasions and both begin with people rationalising strange happenings. However 'Invasion' was made a long time before war of the worlds so they are very different. For instance one is about aliens invading human bodies and the other is about aliens invading earth. War of the world is about what happens to a family in the attack but Invasion is about what happens to a doctor who is trying to figure out what is wrong with people. Also Invasion is a flash back film but war of the worlds is the present day. I think it would be good to watch more of the films, so we can compare them further. ** || ** In the lesson we looked and how independence day(2008) and the day after tomorrow(2004) and how these were similar or different. They both had the same kind of editing, use of captions and stock charectors, we also saw how they used sci-fi elements to conform to the genre. We saw how they conformed toderov's theory and Watched some clips of the films to help our understanding. ** ** We learnt about parralel storylines, which I can now use in my writing as I can instantly think of lots of sci-fi films that use this technique. ** ** I would have liked to watch some more of the films as with short clips I find it hard to keep up with the storyline. **
 * ~ __**Scoones, Michael**__ **__ 8/7/2011 __**  Today we looked at Independence Day (2008) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004). We compared the openings and wrote a paragraph on their similarities/differences, using Media terminology. I found that taking notes on the films really helps me, so I'm going to try and use this a bit more. I was able to apply Todorov's narrative stages to the film and I learned more about stock characters & their uses in moving the narrative onwards. I found everything fairly easy to understand, so I wasn't confused about anything.
 * ** Seymour, Kate **
 * ** She **** ridan, Emily **
 * ** Smith, Laura **
 * ** Stewart, Catrin ** ||
 * ** Webster, Rebecca **
 * == ** Worth, Molly ** ==

** 9.11.11 **
** Today we watched some of Invasion of the body snatchers(1956), and we took notes on how it was similar to War of the worlds (2005) eg. charecters, story lines, and the way stereotypes were used. ** ** We also wrote about how the opening scenes in Invasion of the body snatchers compared to war of the worlds. ** ** We used Todorovvs narritive theory to prove how the narritive complied aswell. ** ** I have learnt some useful techniques on how to compare two narritives, eg. use charecters aswell as storylines, to make a more valid point. ** || ** In our lesson we looked at the simillarities and differences between Independence Day(2008) and The Day After Tomorrow(2004). As they were both directed by the same person (and writte by the same person I think?), they were quite simillar. We saw how they both used sci-fi features to get across the genre and simillar stock characters that can help move the story onwards. We also looked at Todorovs theory and how it could be applied to alot of fiction across many medias. Both films started in Equillibrum and moved on to Disruption. One thing that would have been better was if we had seen more of the film as watching lots of short clips confuses the storyline. ** ** 9.9.11 **  ** Today we watched the openings of Invasion of the Bodysnatchers(1956) and War of the Worlds (2005), we then compared them. They both used stock characters to help move the story on and these normally conformed to stereotypes. We also analysed how Todorovs narrative theory works and recapped some media terms such as "costume". We compared characters as well as storylines which means you can compare two more abstract films and still find similaities between them. ** ** Catrin Stewart 11/11/11 ** ** I found the first website on the list the most useful as it contained many different topics and examples of magazines and adverts in which there had been inapropriate representations of women, it also had a few books that are about this subject which sound interesting and i would like to read. ** ||
 * __ ** Wright, Kirsten ** __