Audio Levels

• What can you do to fix audio?
• You can lower the decibels in an attempt to fix or even out the audio. Audio can be made more consistent through the manipulation of the decibel levels.
• What cannot be fixed?
•  Audio cannot be made louder and the decibels can not be increased. Also, by attempting to make the audio consistent, you often times have to sacrifice the quality of the audio. You can never fix the distortion of poorly recorded sound quality.
• What is the optimal level for sound recording?

 The optimal level for sound recording is -12 decibels.

Critique Reflection

Design
For my avant garde project, there were things that went well but there are also improvements that can be made. In terms of design, there were a few of our shots that didn't perfectly follow the rule of thirds, notably the first shot. However, when they didn't follow the rule-of-thirds, they employed formal balance so it may be more of  a stylistic choice. I also feel as though our film could've been strengthened if there were more shots that were in focus in their entirety. Also, there was a overabundance of selective and rack focus that gives the film a confused feeling. The lack of variety in shot types also detracted from the films meaning, as it was dominated by close-ups.
Positive aspects of our design included the shots in the tech ed room with the machinery. They ended up being strong images with repetition and repeating lines. Another positive aspect of design was the final shot of the chainlink fence as it has strong unity. Also, while we may have overused it, the use of selective focus was effective in singling Reilly out as our protagonist.
Technical
Technically, I feel like I could've added additional sound effects that would emphasize the machinery shots in particular. A larger variety in camera movements would also be a smart decision in the future. Another technical aspect is the fluidity of the editing - my film could've been cut and edited in a smoother way.
Positives of the technical aspect was the use of black and white. The change to black and white added a lot of contrast and also a sense of unity to the film. Also, all of our shots were extremely still due to our use of the tripod. I also liked how the quick cutting of the clips turned out in the end, as I feel that it turned out to be a decent montage.
Performance
In regards to performance, we could have had a wider variety of emotion expressed, as it was pretty similar throughout. Also, at one point, Reilly made eye contact with the camera, which not a positive. Another negative was the lack of continuity, which was really due to the non-linear storyline, but made character development extremely difficult.
Some good things that we did in terms of performance was the natural and genuine feel that Reilly added to the film. He did not appear forced at any point. Shay did a good job crying and the cropping of the shot added to the emotion.  I also enjoyed the shot of me and Shay holding hands in the end because I feel like it reached a sort of conclusion to the ideas of striving for human connection.

Summary of Text Reading: Film Analysis

Film analysis is the process of forming statements and opinions about a film's themes and meaning. There are three different types of film analysis: descriptive, interpretive, and evaluative. A descriptive claim is a "neutral account of the basic characteristics of the film." Essentially, it is a plot summary that outlines the basics of the film. However, descriptive claims can include intertextual connections and genre as well as analysis of the film's visual or audio style. This is the most simplistic type of analysis as it does not require a large degree of synthesis on the part of the critic. The second kind of analysis, the interpretive claim is described as a "more complex intellectual response." In order to present an interpretative claim, one must take a stance and argue a point about a film's themes and abstract ideas. It's important, when making an interpretative claim, to explain, create, and develop a logical argument that the reader can follow. In order to do this, one must choose specific scenes, motifs, and critical moments that support their argument and bring them together into a cohesive argument. Some examples of elements that one might use to support their claim may be the cinematic lineage of the film, or the use of irony, as seen in Inglourious Basterds. The final type of claim that a film analyst can make is an evaluative claim. An evaluative claim involves the author expressing their personal opinion about a film and ranking or scaling it according to a grading system, such as stars or the letter system. This claim is based purely on the evaluator's own opinions and standards. Because of this, evaluative claims are extremely subjective. However, this is the most advanced type of claim because not only does one have to describe details from the film precisely, they also have to make interpretative claims about the film's meaning before deciding if it successfully conveys its intended meaning. In all, film analysis can promote a greater appreciation and understanding of film through examining the complexity within the film in any one of the three ways.