Visual Communication or Narrative?

During the course of creating my media product, I have found that visual communication is as important if not more as the narrative when writing a script. I feel this ideology is mirrored in many others' work who I have analysed so far and I wonder whether this is in fact a general consensus. A narrative is that alone but visual communication allows the audience to interact with the production and supplies them with the tool of analysis in order to fully attain the messages that the creator of the media product aims to deliver. Every memorable cinematic experience I have is vividly emblazoned with the memory of immaculate art direction and carefully structured visual communication, this notion is one that will heavily influence my media product and allow me to carefully construct visual elements that can connote and denote meanings. In effect, allowing my media product to be interpreted by the audience the way I intend it to. The question isn't the hierarchy of a media product, whether narrative prevails or visual communication, my general perception is that one is ineffective without the other.

Gloria Childs - Children Of War

Gloria Childs' piece titled "Children of War" is a striking image. The contrast between the teddy, an innocent figure, with the ruins of a past war are juxtaposed to emphasise the message of this piece. With the viewer's eye meeting the teddy, the teddybear is the focal point of the image. Although small, the viewers eye is drawn to him. Childs evokes emotion from the viewer, by playing on the strategic familiarity of a toy which everyone can identify with, while they were children themselves and couples it with an unknown feeling, one of the aftermath of war. The message of this image is an eye-opener, and represents children of the wars. The faded out saturation, with rubble is harsh and contrasted with the innocence of the teddybear almost makes the viewer compelled to grasp the character and take him away, for this is no place for him. This piece is a perfect example of a message without words, a compelling piece,

Waseem Ahmed - Lost and Searching

This is an image I created for this module, titled "Lost and Searching". The thought process behind this image is to encapsulate many visual elements that I have written about through the course of the blog so far. The image itself is of a woman shrouded in black peering outside through closed blinds. Although shut off from the world, the woman is evidently trying to connect to the world outside that is alien to her. The black clothes that she wears represent her emotion, the yearning for colour in her life. This is mirrored in the composition of the image where I have used the contrast between black and white like "Double Indemnity" for emphasis, the blind with its horizontal straight lines of bright and dark, contrast with the dark shadowed exterior of the shrouded woman. I adjusted the image in Photoshop, heavily removing saturation and increasing the contrast, in effect providing a sense of intrigue and demonstrating how composition can alter the message and meaning of a media product.

Pedro Almodovar - Loz Abrazos Rotos

Pedro Almodovar is a Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. This is a snapshot taken from his film "Los Abrazos Rotos" from 2009. Almodovar's signature is producing media products with heavy emphasis on visual composition coupled with taboo subjects and narratives. In this intance, Almodovar carefully uses contrasting colours and patterns to visually encapsulate his vision. The use of bright reds, yellows and orange with busy patterns and one-off pieces of furniture, lends his films with a mise-en-scéne like no other. Using visual elements of eras gone by and contrasting with present day aesthetics demonstrates how a media product can effectively mirror a director's vision with careful thought and precision. Almodovar's media products, encapsulate all of the above wonderfully.

MTV Logo

This is the MTV© logo, representing the MTV Network owned by the company Viacom. This image is in itself an iconic brand and has stood the test of time spanning decades. Although altered many times with different colours and themes, the structure of the logo has always remained the same and has gone on to become an instantly recognisable icon. In black and white, with a large M the logo has become a brand in itself. The logo of MTV© is vividly etched into the memory of thousands of people and is clearly demonstrative of how important something as simple as a logo can be when creating a media product and how it can be representative of a media institution.

Claude Monet - Water-Lilies: The Clouds

Claude Monet's Water Lilies: The Clouds painted in 1903 is my favourite out of the many paintings of Monet covering lilies. This image is vividly beautiful due to the evident extensive thought behind it's composition. The image itself is of a river or pond, covered with lilies and surrounded by grass. However, the main element is the sheer beauty with which Monet captures the reflection of the clouds. Through the use of contrast between the light shades of blue and bright tones of  green, Monet encapsulates nature realistically. Structurally the water is the main focus of the image, spanning the majority of the canvas, however the green grass, provides the viewer with a closed frame image. The point of view is looking down on the water, almost parallel and with the reflection of the sky and grass, the image almost acts as a mirror capturing the surroundings and providing the viewer with an all round view. Monet's painting is demonstrative of how one image can represent a whole setting.

Double Indemnity

This is a snapshot taken from the 1944 film "Double Indemnity" directed by Billy Wilder and starring Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. Double Indemnity conforms to the Film Noir genre and therefore, implements many key generic aesthetic elements. The movie is shot in black and white and the mise en scéne is of vital importance as it makes the film what it is. The backdrop of New York city ordinarily glamourous is somewhat smothered with dark shadows, long echoing corridors and no sign of light of day. The aesthetic elements of the femme fatale Phyllis are also striking. Bright red lipstick, bleach blonde hair and perfect in ever way. Phyllis is the manifestation of human desire, and supports Mulvey's idea as woman as the object of the man who is the bearer of the look. The visual elements in this film, coupled with the character's exterior are vitally important and are demonstrative of how visual components are integral when making a media product.

Blackhole Photography - Ride Safe

This image by "Blackhole Photograpy" is titled "Ride Safe". A conemporary photographer, Blackhole creates evocative images such as this one. Simply of a passageway of escalators and strairs, this image is greatly enhanced using visual techniques of darkening the hue of the image and setting a "blue" shade to the image. The image is abstract and through the use of a number of lines is one of great intrigue, an enclosed place which perplexes the viewers eye. The immaculate stainless steel lines go from the bottom of the page to the top and sided with the lined bar barriers connotes a loss of freedom when entering the passageway, almost like a jail. The slogan at the top of the golden triangle, is one of good nature however coupled with the dark image and connotations, this message is switched in translation turning almost taunting. 

Edgar Degas - L'Atentte (Waiting)

Edgar Degas a painter from the late 1800's created this painting titled "L'Atentte" which translated means "Waiting" in 1882. The image itself is a closed line image of a ballerina and an older adult sitting on a bench clearly waiting for something. The contrast between the angel-like ballerina reflecting the glamour and dark and mysterious woman dressed in black connotes great intrigue toward the image, the contrast of black and white compels the viewer to analyse the finer details. The ballerina represents the glamour of ballet and her posture directly opposes the carefully structured poise and articulate body a ballerina works hard to attain, emphasising that the girl is out of her character and propelled into a mysterious situation. The older woman with her broken-up body shape leaning forward, represents the everyday woman. Degas’ carefully constructs a painting which effectively portrays a feeling and an emotion, of patience and waiting. 

Waseem Ahmed - Photography Coursework Piece - "Belonging"

This image is one I took for part of my Photography coursework titled "Belonging". The image was taken in Vitoria's Quarter in Leeds. The image itself is a high angle, abstract and open frame image which draws the viewer immediately toward the elaborate decorations, the extravagant lighting and sheer size of the building. However, at the bottom of the image, excluded from the focal point is the highlight of the image. The woman sitting on a bench rather nonchalantly wonderfully demonstrates the topic of my coursework, a sense of belonging. The size of the woman juxtaposed with extravagant surroundings, creates a sense of intrigue to the image. The woman demonstrates that she feels she belongs, although her image, one of on an old woman doesn't match the surroundings, her sentiments which connect her to the place are the core foundation of her placing in the image. Her sense of belonging.

Waseem Ahmed - Excerpt from Visual Diary - "Time Stands Still"

This is a page from my Visual Diary from semester one. This image is of a man lying down facing a window to the world. The man is laying horizontally towards the bottom of the page whilst the window is part of the "Golden Triangle". The eye immediately attracts to the open bright window and effectively connotes the idea of light and joy. However, delving into the image, the position of the man, is in direct opposition with the window. His body language and unconventional position is that of a man who has lost his connection to the world and for whom time stands still. The use of shading around the window and on the walls emphasise the dark nature of the image and contrast with the brightness of the window. Through the use of minimal clothing, the man is stripped down to emphasise him baring his soul and loneliness and with no possessions except the bed he lays on, the yearning of human nature for more than one has is clearly evident.