X - Factor exam practice

Analyse how camera is used to create meaning in a media product you have studied?

-       Close up – on judges and contestant

-       Medium shot

-       Long shot

-       Extreme long shot

-       high angle shot

-       low angle shots

In this x-factor episode, the different camera angles used play an important role in allowing us to empathize with the contestant.

For example, before and during the contestant is walking onto the stage, an extreme long shot is used. This allows us to see all of the audience to which she is walking out in front of which helps us to empathize with her as we are able to get a feeling of how intimidating and scary it is to walk out on stage to so many people. This makes us want her to do well as we now have a feeling from her perspective.

The close up shot on the contestant is used to capture the emotion she is feeling. We are able to see the tears in her eyes and how sad she feels about the loss of her grandfather, which makes us empathize with her and want her to do well. The close up on her changes quickly to a close up shot on one of the judges so we are able to capture the reaction they are having to the contestant’s performance. This enables us to get an idea on how her performance is affecting the judge and also, we can get an idea on whether or not she will go through.

A high angle shot is used on the contestant to make us look down on the her from a high angle which makes it seem like the point of focus, the contestant, is getting swallowed up. The high-angle shot makes her seem vulnerable and powerless due to the fact that the high angle camera shot makes her look so small on such a big stage in front of so many people in the audience. The shot really captures the full size of the stage to emphasize how small she is compared.