1.) Describe the “the establishing shot.” Explain the significance of the shot with respect to the commercial.
- The commercial introduces the two different characteristics of a Mac and PC computer when it comes to organizing pictures and information. They illustrate the benefits of a Mac computer compared to the PC computer by making a commercial with a younger, more upbeat and interesting guy wearing modern day clothes with a guy with a old boring clothes talking about how great the PC. The Mac guy compliments him with intended sarcasm to send out the message that new Mac computers are much more interesting, fun, and upbeat then old worn down PC computers.
2.) Identify the different shot types used and explain why they were used with respect to the storyline.
- Long Shot of both of them
- Close Up of the Mac guy (head to shoulder)
- Close Up of the PC guy (head to shoulder)
- Close up of the Mac guy (head to shoulder)
- Close Up of the PC guy (head to shoulder)
- Long Shot of both of them with the pie chart.
- Long shot of the Mac Book.
Most of these shots were either long shots or close up shots of each of them. They were used with respect to the storyline because as a viewer, it feels like you are almost giving equal attention to both of them. However, slightly more close ups were given to the PC guy to embarrass himself in the commercial. Even though the commercial gave the audience more chances to listen to the PC computer, it gives a boring feeling to the audience and makes them want to listen to the Mac computer guy more. It also gives a feeling that the Mac computer is better because he didn’t have to even talk much to prove that the Mac organizes more “fun stuff” like movies, music, and podcasts.
3.) Identify the different camera angles used and explain why they were used with respect to the storyline.
- There are no different camera angles used. Throughout the commercial, the camera angles were direct shots, to keep it simple. No fancy camera angles were used in order to give an illusion of listening to them face to face as if the people in the commercial were talking to you through the computer or TV.
4.) List the different transitions used in the program.
- Start video without transitions, just start
- Cuts with the Mac and PC guy back and forth.
- Cut in the end of the commercial with a picture of a Mac Book.
5.) Were there any special effects used? If so, for what purpose?
- No special effects were used. The video was very simplistic, no special effects. They did this because they wanted to give the audience a feel of being there themselves talking to the two people in the commercial themselves.
6.) What role does audio play? How does it make the commercial more or less effective?
- The role of the audio gives a feel of simplicity because the Mac is all about simplicity and minimalism with innovation of technology. The music also promotes the feel of simplicity and mocks the complicated old school guy with the old technology.
7.) Note any other interesting observations about the program.
- The commercial implies that old technology is not cool and is targeting a huge range of age groups. I have noticed that the guy with old technology looks lame and well, old. The Mac commercial implies that you can be old and be hip with the new technology and hopefully not end up like the embarrassing guy from the commercial (so that is targeting older people) The Mac guy looks like an young adult targeting the younger generation as well. The sarcastic tone the Mac guy has really reminds me of the generation now, how he tries to give respect and agree to the older computer guy but still implies that the newer technology is the better way to live.
Communications Technology. 