Film Analysis

Comparison between a prime-time news program and a 24-hour news broadcast

Prime-time: ABC News

Shots and Framing

At first, the camera uses Long Shot, to show the vulnerability of Nathan Haug to his addiction, but then at the rest of the record it is used the medium shot, with some exception when introducing other victim, Breanne Saldivar, again using Long Shot with the same purpose as before. The medium shot is used to ground the history, to put it as a concrete thing so the viewers will believe what they see; most of the broadcast are interviews. Two Shot is also used to show some dialogues between characters.

Camera Angles

Eye level is the angle used. This is because the story is based on people testimony and it must be at eye level, so to cause an sympathetic feeling in the audience and to show the story as a normal and real problem.

Camera Movements

The camera doesn’t move a lot across the video, but in some instances the technique used is zooming. This zooming is forward the characters, leading a revealing sensation that helps the audience getting the message from the interviewee.

Lighting

In general there is a lot of light in all the scenes, but the light of the camera produces a bit of front lighting, which makes the actor look innocent and poor against its syndrome.

Editing Techniques

The Shot-Reverse-Shot technique is used in conversations like in the end of the video, while there’s a conversation with the expert.

Sound

The sound is Diegetic, there’s no background music that the character wouldn’t hear, this is because as a report, the facts must be veridical and there’s no intension to cause a determinate feeling toward what appears, only in giving information from a certain perspective.

Bias

In this news channel, and particularly, this piece of news, the personalization is the most present informational bias. The story is focused on different individuals, starting with victims of the addiction, as Nathan and Breanne, and the continuing with some experts that work with this type of cases. In all cases, the interview is the base of the report, from which we can get direct information about the case. This type of bias is used to emphasize the human interest in the theme of the item and to have and emotional impact in people, but not involving anything about politics or other certain points of view as that.

24-hour: Fox News

Shots and Framing

At the beginning of the video the presenter is introduced and it also she appears throughout the whole video speaking about what is happening in Chicago. While the camera is focused oh her, the type of shot used is Medium Shot because apart from her there is a screen in the set showing images from the disturbes in Chicago city. Another example of medium shot is when O'Reilly is talking and the complete image is of the people in Chicago, this may be used to present it as a real problem and a way of putting it more realistic. Finally there is another example of Medium Shot, where President Obama is talking. But Medium Shot is not the only type of shot used, in presenting scenes from the city the Establlishing Shot is the one used in this case because it can introduce easily a totally different situation comparing Chicago with the Fox News set. Another reason for the use of Long Shot may be to show the policemen of Chicago as vulnerable against the protesters.

Camera Angles

The angle used to present the speakers in a set is naturally at Eye Level because they must be seen natural and also to contrast with the scenes out of the set. When showing the problems in Chicago, the camera adopts a High Angle to emphasize the idea of weakness and vulnerability of the policemen of Chicago fighting with the anarchists.

Camera Movements

The camera moves a lot in the place of the action, panning and tiltling as the people moves, this produces the effecto of chaos and disturbes. Normally the scenes don't cover great extension so the camera doesn't need to track the people.

Lighting

In all the scenes outside the set the light present is only the natural one, and also in the set, the lights aren't so strong to prodce an effect of Front Lighting. High Key might describe the light is this segment because all is clearly visible and easy to distinguish.

Editing Techniques

An editing technique used is Parallel Editing in various parts, for example in the set when the camera shows the presenter, tough the person talking is in a screen next to her. This is to show what is happening in the outside, but not taking the camera out of the set, giving importances to the presenter and the channel. The screen where the action happens also Dissolves the presenter in a certain moment.

Sound

The sound is completely Diegetic because this is a piece of news and everythng reflected in it must be veridic.

Bias

The most powerful informational bias used in this piece of news is Authority-disorder, which also involves the use of Personalization and Dramatization. The problem shown on this report is between the local authorities and proteters, but the it ivolves even the president, and O'Reilly blames him for what is happening. The personalization is evidenced with  the representer of the anarchist movement giving his opinion about what is happening showing the movement as a normal thing; O'Reilly shows Obama as someone who doesn't take account what he says, in this case, being in favour of the movement of Wall St.; Obama also speaks giving his point of view about all the issue, but with no strenght at all. In the end, all is presented like problem caused by the authorities and that they can't solve for themselves. The dramatization is this story is in the fight between all the manifestants and the police, where one officer gets his leg stabbed.