Transformers Year 12 Visual Text Study for Unit Standard
Transformers Year 12 Visual Text Study for Unit Standard Verbal Elements 1.dialogue of the Autobots – This appeals to teenagers because they use phrases common to teenagers in recent years. Eg “My bad” . Even the things that the Autobots talk about reflect the experiential interests of many teenagers. Eg. When one of the Autobots accidentally falls into overhead powerlines he gets a buzz. He then remarks to the others about the “zing” he got out of it and another replies that it “looked like fun.” This appeals to teenagers because many themselves experimenting with things that may or may not give them an emotional or physical “buzz”. 2.Scientific Jargon (specialised language to do with a topic). This is used throughout the movie to give importance and give credence (belief/ acceptance/ trust) to the obviously important scientific things that these scientists have to say. Even the airforce commander doesn’t just say that the planes have been fitted with suchnsuch a laser, they have been “retrofitted”. 3.Voices of the small deceptacon. This is matched perfectly with the form that this “baddy” takes as a deceptacon. It is small, shiny, metallic and scuttles like a spider. So when it talks, it’s speech is sharp, scratchy and high-pitched. 4.Voices of the larger autobots and deceptacons are hollow and booming. This sound technique shows the power and massive size of these objects. It also shows their authority over the weaker human species. 5.The use of dialogue to help explain the theme of “good versus evil”. This is when the boy, Sam Witwicky, explains that Megatron is trying to harness the technological power of human kind to mix with the “all spark” to take over the Universe. In our human world, many believe that it is The Devil that is always trying to harness the power of the human mind and soul to take over the world. So through this dialogue we can see that Megatron takes on the role of the “really bad guy” in a struggle of good v’s evil. Sound techniques 1.The sound of the Autobots and Deceptacons morphing in and out of shape is metallic and harsh with at least three notes. It helps to convince the viewer that this alien form is actually becoming another shape in front of us because we can hear the sound that it causes. Visual Techniques 1.Blue lighting – is a science fiction movie convention (something we expect to see). It is used throughout Transformers to help the viewer believe that something of an alien, technological, or science nature is going on. The blue lighting is usually set against a black background and so makes the action more mysterious, sinister or dangerous. We see it in the movie to back-drop alien activity or computer technology. It is reflected in a damp pavement or concrete, a flowing stream or rain drops. It is also reflected off a cloud of smoke or steam which has been created by billowing dry-ice. It is also seen in the background to a “scientific” conversation about the danger that Earth is in from the aliens, when we see a welder at work spraying sparks of blue in the background. 2.The more ordinary props such as the walls of an office have been made to look “sciency” and technologically sophisticated and important. When the commander is being briefed about Sector 7 the wall of their office is ridged with vertical and horizontal lines. They are sitting in the dark and the wall is tinged blue, looking very like the ridges on the outside of lawn-mower engine! Carburator???? 3.Low Angled shots look up at the Autobots and Deceptacons from the tiny standpoint. This makes these graphic images of robots look huge and towering. They have been placed against backdrops of sky-scrapers and homes to allow the viewer to believe that these alien forms are gigantic when compared to earth’s humans and buildings.
Transformers Year 12 Visual Text Study for Unit Standard
Verbal Elements
1. dialogue of the Autobots – This appeals to teenagers because they use phrases common to teenagers in recent years. Eg “My bad” . Even the things that the Autobots talk about reflect the experiential interests of many teenagers. Eg. When one of the Autobots accidentally falls into overhead powerlines he gets a buzz. He then remarks to the others about the “zing” he got out of it and another replies that it “looked like fun.” This appeals to teenagers because many themselves experimenting with things that may or may not give them an emotional or physical “buzz”.
2. Scientific Jargon (specialised language to do with a topic). This is used throughout the movie to give importance and give credence (belief/ acceptance/ trust) to the obviously important scientific things that these scientists have to say. Even the airforce commander doesn’t just say that the planes have been fitted with suchnsuch a laser, they have been “retrofitted”.
3. Voices of the small deceptacon. This is matched perfectly with the form that this “baddy” takes as a deceptacon. It is small, shiny, metallic and scuttles like a spider. So when it talks, it’s speech is sharp, scratchy and high-pitched.
4. Voices of the larger autobots and deceptacons are hollow and booming. This sound technique shows the power and massive size of these objects. It also shows their authority over the weaker human species.
5. The use of dialogue to help explain the theme of “good versus evil”. This is when the boy, Sam Witwicky, explains that Megatron is trying to harness the technological power of human kind to mix with the “all spark” to take over the Universe. In our human world, many believe that it is The Devil that is always trying to harness the power of the human mind and soul to take over the world. So through this dialogue we can see that Megatron takes on the role of the “really bad guy” in a struggle of good v’s evil.
Sound techniques
1. The sound of the Autobots and Deceptacons morphing in and out of shape is metallic and harsh with at least three notes. It helps to convince the viewer that this alien form is actually becoming another shape in front of us because we can hear the sound that it causes.
Visual Techniques
1. Blue lighting – is a science fiction movie convention (something we expect to see). It is used throughout Transformers to help the viewer believe that something of an alien, technological, or science nature is going on. The blue lighting is usually set against a black background and so makes the action more mysterious, sinister or dangerous. We see it in the movie to back-drop alien activity or computer technology. It is reflected in a damp pavement or concrete, a flowing stream or rain drops. It is also reflected off a cloud of smoke or steam which has been created by billowing dry-ice. It is also seen in the background to a “scientific” conversation about the danger that Earth is in from the aliens, when we see a welder at work spraying sparks of blue in the background.
2. The more ordinary props such as the walls of an office have been made to look “sciency” and technologically sophisticated and important. When the commander is being briefed about Sector 7 the wall of their office is ridged with vertical and horizontal lines. They are sitting in the dark and the wall is tinged blue, looking very like the ridges on the outside of lawn-mower engine! Carburator????
3. Low Angled shots look up at the Autobots and Deceptacons from the tiny standpoint. This makes these graphic images of robots look huge and towering. They have been placed against backdrops of sky-scrapers and homes to allow the viewer to believe that these alien forms are gigantic when compared to earth’s humans and buildings.