The Pen Story: Olympus Pen Advert

This advert is in stop motion, and is advertising the Olympus Pen.

                     

This advert is in stop motion, and is advertising the Olympus Pen.

                     

Camera: The advert opens with a long-shot of the office work space where the advert will commence. It is followed by a series of centralized photographs, which are literally telling the story through the on-going changes in the photos.  The cameras position move alongside the image horizontally for the first 10 seconds, as the photograph pattern is laid down the table leg the camera is then vertically positioned.  There are various mid and long shots used indexically imply the difference in age of the child this is reinforced by the change in colour of the ever changing photo. The camera tracks back along the photographs in another series of shots and then another layer of photos are added.  Close ups are used to allow the audience to be unconsciously absorbed into the narrative. The camera is not completely straight and is slightly slanted to indexically imply the movement and motion.  This is followed by extended series of photographs whereby the camera positioning follows the photos with a variety of mid- shots and close ups.  A minute in there is a slight variation where by the photograph is raised, therefore it not flat on the table indexically implying the depth of the shot by the lake with the other photos placed behind, the camera then pans around the photo to change the scene.  This is followed by another series of shots and a zoom in to transition from one shot to another, to connote the movement within the advert and keep the audience embraced.  The same techniques are used throughout the advert with variation of the subject matter and narrative.  

Mise-en-scene:

The adverts’ location is set within an office or house is symbolically represented in the first shot of the office table and the movement of the photos throughout the house. The photos and the location are intrinsically linked; this can be seen in the photo of the person in the water as it placed in the fish tank.  The narrative is presented through the photos, as the character gets older, the differing outfits change connoting the difference in time and the years that have gone by. This is also shown through the variation of black and white symbolic of old photographs and then the change to colour photos indexically implying  the modern contemporary age.  

Sound:

The music behinds and indexically resembles the mood and tone of the piece, it connotes the products like ability factor and the light hearted narrative of the advert.   The lyrics are linked with the narrative of the piece, memories is repeated connoting that the camera allows you to re-live those time with your family and friends. This is reinforced in the last shot of the group of friends together, indexically implying the products USP. The music fits along with the pace of the editing, this connotes to the audience the contrasting time periods and how time is gradually moving forward through the memories.  

Editing:

The series of shots are put together to make a narrative sequence, to allow the audience to feel as if they have been on the character’s journey. The sense of time is create by the fast pace of the editing, connoting to the audience that the memories are ever-changing.  The editing and music are concurrent  is allows the audience to feel as if they are involved and embraced in the narrative through the fast pace and the ongoing variations of narrative.