A term coined to unpack the notion of 'realism'. Modality refers to how close to reality the producer intends a particular text to be. For example, the makers of Tom and Jerry obviously intended their animation to be some distance from realistic - to have 'low modality'. Some documentary makers, on the other hand, especially observational documentaries - would like to persuade us that they are capturing a version of reality i.e. 'high modality'. Each text will include clues as to how high or low the modality is. 'Modality markers' might include whether there is music on a soundtrack, whether the editing is stylised, or shots are long and static.
Read the article at http://www.digitalvision.tv/the-jinx/ and also think about your own understanding of “The Jinx”. What is constructed in “The Jinx”?
- Editing
- Re-enactments
- Soundtrack
- VO – rhetoric
- Colour filters
- Rendering of footage
- Manipulation of timeline
- Shooting of interviews etc.
- http://www.digitalvision.tv/the-jinx/ “Sean R. Smith - Three-Month Post-Production
- Diverse array of sources – crime-scene photos, news, different footage on different cameras. “We used different conversion methods for each format and frame rate to achieve optimal results. The Jinx’s final look was refined through a series of grading sessions in Digital Vision’s Nucoda. Smith notes that the aim was to achieve consistency among material shot over a long period of time with different cameras and to establish a mood. Andrew didn’t want it to look like a typical crime show”
- Colour filters – “we devised looks to reflect the climates. Texas is bright and hot. New York is darker, more gray. Los Angeles is colorful, almost playful. Northern California is cooler. More blue.”
- Crime scene reenactments were given their own look. “It was important that the audience never confuse reenactments with reality,” explains Smerling. “We shot them in a cinematic fashion that Sean helped to perfect in the color correct. The reenactments are a special place for the storytelling, a place of insight and elegance.”
- Smith used Autodesk Flame to apply image enhancements and other fine-tuning effects. In all, he spent nearly three months preparing finished masters of the six 1-hour episodes.”
