Saturday, 24 December 2016
Idea 2 Initial Storyboard
This storyboard is the initial one for my second idea (briefly described two posts back). The structure is similar to that of the first idea's initial storyboard because it simply just ties everything together and will help me make a decision on which idea I should use to create my film opening. As I have stated in the last initial storyboard post I will develop the storyboard further to include shot types and camera angles, etc. when I have decided on the idea I want to use.
Idea 1 Initial Storyboard
This is the initial storyboard for my first idea, in of which was outlined in my previous post. I just briefly did this storyboard to show how everything would tie together, and to help me make my decision on which idea I should take forward. When I have chosen an idea I will go on to make a more developed storyboard that shows the scenes from the correct camera angles and shots. This more developed storyboard will be able to give you a better idea of what the film opening will look like properly.
Film Opening Idea Update
I have come up with two ideas for my film opening, which is a positive because I actually have something to go with and am not going to be stuck with no clue on where to go next! However a negative is that I cannot do both, and I will have to decide on one of them.
As a result I have decided to do storyboards for both and then choose the one that I think will be able to do the most with (i.e. continuity, range of shots/angles, techniques, etc.).
Here are the summaries of the two ideas that I have:
Idea 1
Camera meets two characters in a dark room, where a package is handed over. The identities of these characters are not disclosed as they're wearing black hoodies; adds to the mystery. One of the characters comes out of this room and heads over to another location where they are expecting to meet another character to hand over the package. At this point the camera will be following the character from behind as they walk, and the character will be acting suspicious and shifty. The location the character arrives at is old and scary looking. When the character enters the camera focuses on his face to show that he/she is confused as to why there is nobody in the room waiting for him. At this point a police siren sound will fade in to the scene and will gradually become louder. As the character hears the siren, they panic and stuff the package in the room and run out. The camera focuses on the package and then fades to black. The film name will then show. The film will then continue to show the character running round the back of the building, where they stop and prop themselves up against the wall as if they're out of breath. This is where the opening will end.
Idea 2
The opening will start with an old teddy bear (pictured below) sat in a box full of items, like somebody would be moving house. Then a lady would take the teddy out and say something like, "Aww, my childhood teddy! I do not really need it anymore...". The lady would then throw it in a bin bag and take it outside to the bin. The next shot will show the teddy sat on a rocking chair back within the house. The camera will then pan to show the front door being opened, where the lady will come back in from taking out the rubbish. The lady will go straight up the stairs to bed, and therefore will not notice the teddy bear back in the house. As the lady is going up the stairs a tragedy will happen, for example she will fall down the stairs or something. The camera will then go back on to the teddy bear. If done properly, the editing should show that paranormal powers coming from the teddy bear are responsible for the woman falling down the stairs. The camera will close up on to the woman's face to show her unconscious, and then it will fade to black and show the name of the film.
Idea 2
The opening will start with an old teddy bear (pictured below) sat in a box full of items, like somebody would be moving house. Then a lady would take the teddy out and say something like, "Aww, my childhood teddy! I do not really need it anymore...". The lady would then throw it in a bin bag and take it outside to the bin. The next shot will show the teddy sat on a rocking chair back within the house. The camera will then pan to show the front door being opened, where the lady will come back in from taking out the rubbish. The lady will go straight up the stairs to bed, and therefore will not notice the teddy bear back in the house. As the lady is going up the stairs a tragedy will happen, for example she will fall down the stairs or something. The camera will then go back on to the teddy bear. If done properly, the editing should show that paranormal powers coming from the teddy bear are responsible for the woman falling down the stairs. The camera will close up on to the woman's face to show her unconscious, and then it will fade to black and show the name of the film.
Friday, 16 December 2016
Questionnaire
I created a questionnaire so that I can hear directly from the audience. I have included questions about film genres, especially the crime genre as I am planning to go down this route with my film opening and also just general questions about film openings. When I retrieve the results I will be able to plan for my film opening more effectively. I am going to share the link to be able to take my questionnaire on my school network to maximise participation. I also planned what I would create the questions on, and I have attached a photo of this below. A link to be able to take the questionnaire is below also.
Audience Expectations
Audience expectations are very important to when it comes to film making because the film being made needs to appeal to the target audience. I have done this research so that I am prepared when I come to filming. I have looked in to and learnt about the criteria an audience will have for a film opening, which I will be doing.
Monday, 12 December 2016
Audience Theories
Uses & Gratifications Theory
Media theorists realised that audiences made decisions about how they would watch film and television. There were a number of reasons that audience's watch a piece of media, and this was expanded upon by researches Blulmer and Katz in 1974. They said that there were five different categories that audience's consumed a media for: diversion, entertainment, personal relationships, personal identity and surveillance. Diversion, also referred to as escapism, stated that an audience sometimes watch films to escape from their everyday life. Entertainment is obviously just where an audience watch a film to simply have fun and enjoy themselves. Personal relationships are formed between the audience and certain characters and this is a reason for them to watch a film. Personal identity is where an audience choose to consume films as a source of personal identity. The audience will like the beliefs and values that this character has. Finally there is surveillance, which is where an audience watch a film in order to gain information. This could simply be just watching a weather report or the news to watching a full documentary film.
An example of how this theory could be applied is in a soap opera, such as Coronation Street. The audiences will watch a film for diversion, personal relationships or even personal identity. It could be diversion because as you're watching the soap you are escaping from your everyday life and watching as if you're part of the cast. It could be personal relationships because as you continue to watch is regularly you feel like you come to know the different characters more personally. Also it could be considered as personal identity because as you watch you may like the different self values and beliefs of a certain character and aspire to be more like them. This is for a television soap opera, however everything can be transferred over to film quite easily.
Reception Theory
Stuart Hall developed an idea of audience positioning - he claimed that the media representations had 3 possible responses from the audience:
Media theorists realised that audiences made decisions about how they would watch film and television. There were a number of reasons that audience's watch a piece of media, and this was expanded upon by researches Blulmer and Katz in 1974. They said that there were five different categories that audience's consumed a media for: diversion, entertainment, personal relationships, personal identity and surveillance. Diversion, also referred to as escapism, stated that an audience sometimes watch films to escape from their everyday life. Entertainment is obviously just where an audience watch a film to simply have fun and enjoy themselves. Personal relationships are formed between the audience and certain characters and this is a reason for them to watch a film. Personal identity is where an audience choose to consume films as a source of personal identity. The audience will like the beliefs and values that this character has. Finally there is surveillance, which is where an audience watch a film in order to gain information. This could simply be just watching a weather report or the news to watching a full documentary film.
An example of how this theory could be applied is in a soap opera, such as Coronation Street. The audiences will watch a film for diversion, personal relationships or even personal identity. It could be diversion because as you're watching the soap you are escaping from your everyday life and watching as if you're part of the cast. It could be personal relationships because as you continue to watch is regularly you feel like you come to know the different characters more personally. Also it could be considered as personal identity because as you watch you may like the different self values and beliefs of a certain character and aspire to be more like them. This is for a television soap opera, however everything can be transferred over to film quite easily.
Reception Theory
Stuart Hall developed an idea of audience positioning - he claimed that the media representations had 3 possible responses from the audience:
- Preferred (Dominant) Reading
- Audiences respond to the way the narrative is constructed and adopt the points of view implied.
- Oppositional Reading
- Audiences reject the way the narrative is constructed and challenge the points implied.
- Negotiated Readings
- Audiences partially accept the way the narrative is constructed but can see both points of view - dominant and oppositional.
An example of how this could be implied to a film is in the opening scene of Spectre. The preferred/dominant reading of where Bond shoots at his targets will be positive and with good connotations. However an oppositional reading could be that he has just caused a huge mess and his work has not been efficient.
Audience Categorisation
This post is looking in to the different methods in of which an audience would be categorised. I have done this so that when I come to look at my own target audience I have at least these three methods I can use. Personally I think I will take elements from all three to improve accuracy and be able to target exactly who I want.
Monday, 28 November 2016
Archetypes
An archetype is a typical character, action or situation that represents such universal representations of human nature. I have done some research in to the 12 different archetypes from Jung's theory because it might give me some character based inspiration for when I come to plan.
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
History of Film
This is a piece of research on the history of film. I have done this because I wanted to understand how film has developed over the decades, and really how it originated. I have learnt quite a lot, including what I wanted to find out about the film industry. I thought that to be able to do my own film opening I should have a good understanding of film's past.
http://ths1.ttsd.k12.or.us/cs/studentwork08/rebe_hubbweb/2000.html
Monday, 21 November 2016
Film Regulations
I have looked in to the BBFC and how it regulates its films in regards to age. I have been able to find out all different things, such as the acceptance levels on the different film age restrictions. I wanted to do this research so that when I get to plan my own film's opening I can keep in mind the different criteria to match to give it a age restriction.
The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) in an organisation accountable for nationally classifying and censoring films within the UK. The organisation is funded only by the film industry and the government have absolutely nothing to do with it. It came around in 1912 because according to the government there needed to be some element of classification and censorship within films. The government were ready to set some rules and guidelines to be followed to make sure that films were safe to watch for people appropriately. People within the film industry, such as directors, came together and proposed the BBFC to the government where they could set their own rules and regulations to ensure films are kept appropriate and safe for everybody. The government accepted this and this is how the BBFC came about.
When first established the BBFC was actually called the British Board of Film Censorship, however they changed their name to the British Board of Film Classification because classifying films played a larger part in their work than censoring did. This shows that over the years of the BBFC their work and how they approach their decisions has become much more relaxed. The board has faced a lot of criticism for over censoring films in the past - before they became more relaxed. As an example, the film 'Rebel Without a Cause' was cut down immensely to reduce "possibility of teenage rebellion". Due to this, several films have been changed over the years by reclassifying them or having the films re-released. The film 'Revenge Of The Zombies' was originally given a certification of 'X' (equivalent to an 18 today), yet on re-release was given a 'U'.
A regulation that the BBFC have implemented is the age rating regulations. There is 'U', 'PG', '12', '12A', '15', '18' and 'R18':
The BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) in an organisation accountable for nationally classifying and censoring films within the UK. The organisation is funded only by the film industry and the government have absolutely nothing to do with it. It came around in 1912 because according to the government there needed to be some element of classification and censorship within films. The government were ready to set some rules and guidelines to be followed to make sure that films were safe to watch for people appropriately. People within the film industry, such as directors, came together and proposed the BBFC to the government where they could set their own rules and regulations to ensure films are kept appropriate and safe for everybody. The government accepted this and this is how the BBFC came about.
When first established the BBFC was actually called the British Board of Film Censorship, however they changed their name to the British Board of Film Classification because classifying films played a larger part in their work than censoring did. This shows that over the years of the BBFC their work and how they approach their decisions has become much more relaxed. The board has faced a lot of criticism for over censoring films in the past - before they became more relaxed. As an example, the film 'Rebel Without a Cause' was cut down immensely to reduce "possibility of teenage rebellion". Due to this, several films have been changed over the years by reclassifying them or having the films re-released. The film 'Revenge Of The Zombies' was originally given a certification of 'X' (equivalent to an 18 today), yet on re-release was given a 'U'.
A regulation that the BBFC have implemented is the age rating regulations. There is 'U', 'PG', '12', '12A', '15', '18' and 'R18':
Here are two websites that I have used to help me with this post:
http://www.slideshare.net/georgiadaly/media-regulation-powerpoint
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/what-classification/guidelines
Thursday, 10 November 2016
Warp Films Case Study
The link attached will take you to a Wix website that contains my Warp Films case study. I have done this case study to find out more about Warp because I think that I can relate to them when making my own film opening. On the website I have covered all of the points made in my mind map, in of which I have previously posted. I have learnt quite a bit about Warp Films, such as how it came about and how they can actually influence my own work.
Monday, 7 November 2016
Case Study - What To Look For
I am going to do a case study in to Warp Films because afterwards I will be able to identify different things that I like about them and possibly concepts they have that I want to implement in to my final film opening. Here, I have drawn out a mind map containing different things that I am going to research about Warp Films for the case study. This will help me as I'll be more organised and be able to instantly find the information I need to complete the case study. At the time of creating the mind map I was not sure of what company I was going to do the case study over, however I have since decided that I will research Warp Films; I believe that they're quite appropriate.
Thursday, 3 November 2016
Preliminary Task Evaluation
I have followed the task brief very well. One of my characters walks through a door, across a room and sits down opposite from the other character. They then exchange a few lines of dialogue, before being interrupted by a fire alarm and leaving the room. The brief insists that a match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180º rule is implemented. Match on action is used as the character walks through the door because this enforces an idea of continuity. It is easy for the audience to follow because the video is smooth. The shot/reverse shot technique is used in my preliminary task as the two characters are engaging in conversation. The camera looks over the shoulder of the two characters so that the conversation is understandable from the point of view of the audience. The 180º rule is used throughout the preliminary video, however is emphases when the fire alarm goes off. The camera and characters stay on the right sides of the imaginary 180º line, which is great for the audience as it doesn't get confusing. If the camera and characters were to switch, a reverse shot would occur and the left/right relationship between the two characters would change. Obviously this would be confusing for the audience.
I am proud of the continuity that has been achieved in my video. All the continuity techniques (match on action, shot/reverse shot and 180º rule) that have been used in my video have, in my opinion, been executed to a good standard. I have created a video that is understandable and can be easily followed by an audience because of the good standard of continuity that has been edited in.
I have developed my camera work skills and editing skills throughout this preliminary task. I have had to record footage and then go away and edit it to a good standard in order to achieve the continuity I have previously talked about. I would now say that I am good to go with using the camera and the basic features of Final Cut Express, however would need additional help if I were to want to use more advanced features. My preliminary task does not really conform to any genre and does not really have any conventions at all, therefore no meaning can really be created by the audience. The only meaning that the audience can take from viewing my video is the story. Audience meaning will definitely be implemented to my final piece because there will be a genre and generic conventions will be applied. I do not believe that my preliminary video will appeal to or engage an audience at all, simply because there is no genre, no conventions, no themes, etc. and nothing to engage with. My main task should definitely appeal to and engage with a targeted audience; for a start there will be a genre.
I have learnt how to use a Nikon DSLR camera with a tripod, and can now record footage, zoom in, zoom out, along with other basic techniques. In addition, I now have a basic understanding of the editing software Final Cut Express, including how to edit a video, cutting clips, deleting clips, importing video and audio, and using text. As I have already said, I will need to develop my skills further if I were to want to use the more advanced features available on both the camera and Final Cut Express. In regards to myself, I have learnt that I am much more capable than I thought I was. I learnt all of the features of everything very quickly and can now use them whenever I wish and without any assistance. Also, I have found out that I am much more confident than I thought as I felt comfortable when using the camera and the editing software. This surprised me as I personally thought that I would be much more cautious and always be asking for help! With the film industry as a whole, I have learnt a few different things. The time it takes to edit something should not be underestimated; I now know that for my final video I will have to dedicate quite a lot of time to editing.
As I have just said, one thing that I will take in to my main task is the time that it takes for you to edit. The actual editing part of the editing process doesn't really take much time, it is the rendering that takes forever! I will give myself quite a substantial amount of time when editing my main task. Although this issue didn't happen to me, others in my class found that some of the footage they had recorded wasn't what they wanted. Therefore they had to go back, gather their actors and re-record that clip. This is quite time costly, especially if the issue was to happen many times. The lesson I have learnt here, and what I will be taking with me to the main task will be to record the same shot at least two times to ensure that you definitely have what you want; one thing I do not want to do with my main task is to waste time! Personally I do not really think I need to develop any further skills to succeed in my main task, however I will look to develop the current skills I have to make my final video look professional. Skills I will look to develop are my camera skills and also my editing via Final Cut Express skills. To make sure that I do develop these skills I will make sure that I get plenty of practice in before I start my main task. This way I will know exactly what I need to do in order to achieve a great standard of work and to make my final task appear professional.
I am proud of the continuity that has been achieved in my video. All the continuity techniques (match on action, shot/reverse shot and 180º rule) that have been used in my video have, in my opinion, been executed to a good standard. I have created a video that is understandable and can be easily followed by an audience because of the good standard of continuity that has been edited in.
I have developed my camera work skills and editing skills throughout this preliminary task. I have had to record footage and then go away and edit it to a good standard in order to achieve the continuity I have previously talked about. I would now say that I am good to go with using the camera and the basic features of Final Cut Express, however would need additional help if I were to want to use more advanced features. My preliminary task does not really conform to any genre and does not really have any conventions at all, therefore no meaning can really be created by the audience. The only meaning that the audience can take from viewing my video is the story. Audience meaning will definitely be implemented to my final piece because there will be a genre and generic conventions will be applied. I do not believe that my preliminary video will appeal to or engage an audience at all, simply because there is no genre, no conventions, no themes, etc. and nothing to engage with. My main task should definitely appeal to and engage with a targeted audience; for a start there will be a genre.
I have learnt how to use a Nikon DSLR camera with a tripod, and can now record footage, zoom in, zoom out, along with other basic techniques. In addition, I now have a basic understanding of the editing software Final Cut Express, including how to edit a video, cutting clips, deleting clips, importing video and audio, and using text. As I have already said, I will need to develop my skills further if I were to want to use the more advanced features available on both the camera and Final Cut Express. In regards to myself, I have learnt that I am much more capable than I thought I was. I learnt all of the features of everything very quickly and can now use them whenever I wish and without any assistance. Also, I have found out that I am much more confident than I thought as I felt comfortable when using the camera and the editing software. This surprised me as I personally thought that I would be much more cautious and always be asking for help! With the film industry as a whole, I have learnt a few different things. The time it takes to edit something should not be underestimated; I now know that for my final video I will have to dedicate quite a lot of time to editing.
As I have just said, one thing that I will take in to my main task is the time that it takes for you to edit. The actual editing part of the editing process doesn't really take much time, it is the rendering that takes forever! I will give myself quite a substantial amount of time when editing my main task. Although this issue didn't happen to me, others in my class found that some of the footage they had recorded wasn't what they wanted. Therefore they had to go back, gather their actors and re-record that clip. This is quite time costly, especially if the issue was to happen many times. The lesson I have learnt here, and what I will be taking with me to the main task will be to record the same shot at least two times to ensure that you definitely have what you want; one thing I do not want to do with my main task is to waste time! Personally I do not really think I need to develop any further skills to succeed in my main task, however I will look to develop the current skills I have to make my final video look professional. Skills I will look to develop are my camera skills and also my editing via Final Cut Express skills. To make sure that I do develop these skills I will make sure that I get plenty of practice in before I start my main task. This way I will know exactly what I need to do in order to achieve a great standard of work and to make my final task appear professional.
Monday, 31 October 2016
Progress Review 1
I have done a self assessment, where I've identified my current strengths and weaknesses, what level I think I am currently working at and what level I think I will end up with at the end of my research and planning. I have said that I think I will finish on a level 4 because I am ensuring that the work I do meets the criteria of what a level 4 requires. My teacher has also gone in to this document and given her input as to how she thinks I am doing. Mrs. Fisher has agreed with me that my final research and planning grade will be a level 4, which has made me feel more comfortable and confident with what I am doing.
I have looked in to the improvements Mrs. Fisher has given me and I will look over exam board examples, mark schemes and checklists to ensure that my work is the best that it can possibly be.
Tuesday, 25 October 2016
Camera Movements and Techniques
I have done this research in to different camera movements and techniques because I will then be able to have an understanding of when and how to use them in my own coursework piece.
Reference:
https://www.videomaker.com/article/c10/14221-camera-movement-techniques-tilt-pan-zoom-pedestal-dolly-and-truck
Reference:
https://www.videomaker.com/article/c10/14221-camera-movement-techniques-tilt-pan-zoom-pedestal-dolly-and-truck
Monday, 17 October 2016
Spectre Opening Analysis
There are no typography elements within the opening scene of Spectre. Directors may have chosen to do this because titling, or any other text, is just not necessary due to the extremely high brand awareness associated with the James Bond films. The marketing/promotion of the film and the commonly known James Bond ident, along with other things, will allow the audience to identify the film when they come to watch it. This famous ident and the other James Bond related information is a cultural code when you look at the Barthes semiotics theory, because the audience will have to have this external knowledge prior to watching the film in order to be able to identify it as Spectre. Due to the audience do have this knowledge, it represents the Spectre and James Bond brand as being well known and in turn successful.
Throughout the opening scene the lighting is kept light, besides when the building collapses and dust/debris causes for it to slightly darken. The frequently seen bright light gives positive connotations to the audience, which when linked with the James Bond brand may represent an exciting and action-packed narrative. Alternatively, the audience may have an oppositional view of this choice of bright lighting and they might interpret it to be foreshadowing that the good will defeat the evil in the end. The darker parts of the scene highlight the destruction that has been caused and for the audience this is rather thrilling because it shows that destruction and action will be a major part within the narrative.
When the camera is filming outside there appears to be a dull, yellow coloured tint over the scene. This dull yellow colour is known to represent caution and decay. Caution is relevant because James Bond is about to put himself in to a dangerous and life threatening situation, and decay could be used to connote that the buildings and the location of where this scene is taking place is quite old and is being to look worn down.
James Bond's clothing is kept darkly coloured and dull. First we see him wearing a primarily black skeleton costume and then he switches to a smarter, dark grey suit. The dark colours look smarter, making James Bond look more official and responsible, however dark colours are a semantic code for darker and more evil concepts. The character, portrayed as an antagonist, is seen wearing a cream and bright suit, which contrasts with this idea of him being one of the bad characters within the film. These two contrasting costume colours clearly differentiate the two characters from each other and cause the audience to make the protagonist and antagonist connections, linking to the binary opposites theory by Levi Strauss. Looking back to the start of the opening scene when all the characters are wearing skeleton costumes, this is confusing for the audience because we have no background information, such as why is James Bond there and what the event is actually about. This event therefore becomes a hermeneutic code as it crafts mystery for the audience. This code is a great way to engage the audience as they will want to discover the answers to the questions they're raising.
The gun that James Bond uses to kill some of his targets and to blow up one of the buildings is one of the first props we see, after the skeleton masks. Guns and other weapons are conventional to the action film genre because they are iconic to violence, destruction and crime. With this being said, using the gun in the opening scene and so early on in the film will engage the audience further because action is being implemented and this probably foreshadows more to come. The antagonist does not have a weapon at all, whereas James Bond has the gun. For an audience that has never seen a James Bond film before this could possibly cause them to think that James Bond is the antagonist. It represents his character as being violent and dangerous. Another prop used in the opening scene is an earpiece. Bond inserts an earpiece in to his ear as he is approaching his targets and he is then able to listen in to the conversation happening in that building. Earpieces are associated with police and security, making it very easy for the audience to link Bond to some sort of security agency through the use of this prop. A more major prop is the helicopter that comes in to rescue the antagonist character. By using a helicopter, equipped with two pilots and another member, emphasises on wealth and power. That person, or the organisation he is working for, must have a lot of money and power in order to be able to afford a helicopter and to operate a rescue mission during a highly populated event.
As there is no text used or any significant codes shown we cannot identify a specific location. However we can deduce from the opening scene it is being set in a major city or town due to the major amount of money and effort that has been put in to this parade. This does not surprise me as it is an action film generic convention for films to be set in major cities. Bond walking on rooftops is tense for the audience because one false move and he will be dead, however his smooth and confident body language calms us. It also makes us feel tense because we are expecting action and this bizarre choice of getting from one point from another almost shouts out to us that this action is close. Inside the helicopter is another setting used within the opening scene and as I have previously mentioned it connotes wealth and power. In addition to these initial connotations, the crazy, hectic situation of the mid-air 3-1 fight between Bond and the antagonists puts the audience on edge as it is unlikely that Bond will win. Nevertheless he does win the fight and flies the helicopter away, showing another of James Bond's skills.
Previously in this analysis I have discussed Bond's confident and smooth body language as he walks along the rooftops. He manages to convey his confident and smooth body language throughout the opening, even when he is fighting in the middle of the sky!!! As an audience, we identify Bond as someone who knows what they're doing and are experienced in their field of work. As we watch the film we relate to it because we visualise that this happens in real life (uses and gratifications - personal relationships), and we hope that all government agents are as good as he is as then we know we will be safe.
Spectre falls in to several different genres: action, thriller, crime and adventure. As an audience we can identify these different genres because of the conventions associated with them. Despite these multiple genres, the main one is action and this is the one I will be exploring in this analysis. Action film generic conventions that apply to Spectre's opening scene are weapons, big city, good vs bad, mass destruction, killings, a chase, explosions and fights. James Bond uses a gun to kill the antagonist characters and cause an explosion, which in turn creates mass destruction. As I have already stated in this analysis I am not aware of the location of where this film is set, however I can deduce that it is quite a big city because of the money and effort that has been put in to that event. The good vs bad (binary opposites) concept is implemented as Bond is seen fighting against people, who are portrayed as antagonists. Bond chases the main antagonist character through the parade, where they eventually end up on the helicopter and fighting.
The standard of editing is very good because it comes across as smooth, continuous and sharp. The sharp part of the editing is important because it fits in more with the action genre. For example, cuts are frequently used as they are sharp, quick and easily build up tension. If a dissolve transition was to be edited in to the opening analysis then it would would dramatically reduce the tension, slowing it down and making it boring for the audience. When the audience watch the opening scene there is no clear cuts, and everything just flows - it is seamless. The editing manages to build the tension and build the action very well, which is what the directors needed to do to engage the audience's attention and maintain it.
Shot types vary throughout the opening scene of Spectre. The first shot we see (below) immediately sets the scene for the audience and lets them know that some sort of major, well populated event is taking place. This helps to build the tension because from the very start there is action and everything appears to be hectic.
The gun that Bond has hanging over his shoulder and uses to kill some people, cause an explosion and then create mass destruction is iconic to the theme of violence. This emphasises this experienced concept because somebody who has no clue about guns would definitely not be walking on a rooftop with a high-tech gun! The helicopter, and how it can just be called for quickly, is iconic to wealth and power. I have already discussed this iconography above. Basically, the antagonist's organisation is very wealthy and powerful.
At the start of the opening to about a quarter of the way through, there is a carnival style tune repetitively playing in the background. This diegetic sound fits in with the parade environment and gives the audience this sense of continuity. This carnival music is combined with one of the well known Bond theme tunes. This Bond theme tune is fast paced and therefore is able to increase tension levels and engage the audience. This tune is iconic to the James Bond brand as it is used regularly, in the latest films at least. It is non-diegetic because that music has been edited in to the scene - it is not natural as dialogue would be.
Throughout the opening scene the lighting is kept light, besides when the building collapses and dust/debris causes for it to slightly darken. The frequently seen bright light gives positive connotations to the audience, which when linked with the James Bond brand may represent an exciting and action-packed narrative. Alternatively, the audience may have an oppositional view of this choice of bright lighting and they might interpret it to be foreshadowing that the good will defeat the evil in the end. The darker parts of the scene highlight the destruction that has been caused and for the audience this is rather thrilling because it shows that destruction and action will be a major part within the narrative.
When the camera is filming outside there appears to be a dull, yellow coloured tint over the scene. This dull yellow colour is known to represent caution and decay. Caution is relevant because James Bond is about to put himself in to a dangerous and life threatening situation, and decay could be used to connote that the buildings and the location of where this scene is taking place is quite old and is being to look worn down.
James Bond's clothing is kept darkly coloured and dull. First we see him wearing a primarily black skeleton costume and then he switches to a smarter, dark grey suit. The dark colours look smarter, making James Bond look more official and responsible, however dark colours are a semantic code for darker and more evil concepts. The character, portrayed as an antagonist, is seen wearing a cream and bright suit, which contrasts with this idea of him being one of the bad characters within the film. These two contrasting costume colours clearly differentiate the two characters from each other and cause the audience to make the protagonist and antagonist connections, linking to the binary opposites theory by Levi Strauss. Looking back to the start of the opening scene when all the characters are wearing skeleton costumes, this is confusing for the audience because we have no background information, such as why is James Bond there and what the event is actually about. This event therefore becomes a hermeneutic code as it crafts mystery for the audience. This code is a great way to engage the audience as they will want to discover the answers to the questions they're raising.
The gun that James Bond uses to kill some of his targets and to blow up one of the buildings is one of the first props we see, after the skeleton masks. Guns and other weapons are conventional to the action film genre because they are iconic to violence, destruction and crime. With this being said, using the gun in the opening scene and so early on in the film will engage the audience further because action is being implemented and this probably foreshadows more to come. The antagonist does not have a weapon at all, whereas James Bond has the gun. For an audience that has never seen a James Bond film before this could possibly cause them to think that James Bond is the antagonist. It represents his character as being violent and dangerous. Another prop used in the opening scene is an earpiece. Bond inserts an earpiece in to his ear as he is approaching his targets and he is then able to listen in to the conversation happening in that building. Earpieces are associated with police and security, making it very easy for the audience to link Bond to some sort of security agency through the use of this prop. A more major prop is the helicopter that comes in to rescue the antagonist character. By using a helicopter, equipped with two pilots and another member, emphasises on wealth and power. That person, or the organisation he is working for, must have a lot of money and power in order to be able to afford a helicopter and to operate a rescue mission during a highly populated event.
As there is no text used or any significant codes shown we cannot identify a specific location. However we can deduce from the opening scene it is being set in a major city or town due to the major amount of money and effort that has been put in to this parade. This does not surprise me as it is an action film generic convention for films to be set in major cities. Bond walking on rooftops is tense for the audience because one false move and he will be dead, however his smooth and confident body language calms us. It also makes us feel tense because we are expecting action and this bizarre choice of getting from one point from another almost shouts out to us that this action is close. Inside the helicopter is another setting used within the opening scene and as I have previously mentioned it connotes wealth and power. In addition to these initial connotations, the crazy, hectic situation of the mid-air 3-1 fight between Bond and the antagonists puts the audience on edge as it is unlikely that Bond will win. Nevertheless he does win the fight and flies the helicopter away, showing another of James Bond's skills.
Previously in this analysis I have discussed Bond's confident and smooth body language as he walks along the rooftops. He manages to convey his confident and smooth body language throughout the opening, even when he is fighting in the middle of the sky!!! As an audience, we identify Bond as someone who knows what they're doing and are experienced in their field of work. As we watch the film we relate to it because we visualise that this happens in real life (uses and gratifications - personal relationships), and we hope that all government agents are as good as he is as then we know we will be safe.
Spectre falls in to several different genres: action, thriller, crime and adventure. As an audience we can identify these different genres because of the conventions associated with them. Despite these multiple genres, the main one is action and this is the one I will be exploring in this analysis. Action film generic conventions that apply to Spectre's opening scene are weapons, big city, good vs bad, mass destruction, killings, a chase, explosions and fights. James Bond uses a gun to kill the antagonist characters and cause an explosion, which in turn creates mass destruction. As I have already stated in this analysis I am not aware of the location of where this film is set, however I can deduce that it is quite a big city because of the money and effort that has been put in to that event. The good vs bad (binary opposites) concept is implemented as Bond is seen fighting against people, who are portrayed as antagonists. Bond chases the main antagonist character through the parade, where they eventually end up on the helicopter and fighting.
The standard of editing is very good because it comes across as smooth, continuous and sharp. The sharp part of the editing is important because it fits in more with the action genre. For example, cuts are frequently used as they are sharp, quick and easily build up tension. If a dissolve transition was to be edited in to the opening analysis then it would would dramatically reduce the tension, slowing it down and making it boring for the audience. When the audience watch the opening scene there is no clear cuts, and everything just flows - it is seamless. The editing manages to build the tension and build the action very well, which is what the directors needed to do to engage the audience's attention and maintain it.
Shot types vary throughout the opening scene of Spectre. The first shot we see (below) immediately sets the scene for the audience and lets them know that some sort of major, well populated event is taking place. This helps to build the tension because from the very start there is action and everything appears to be hectic.
This long shot of Bond walking on the rooftops also helps to build up tension and now excitement for the audience. The level of danger is very high and therefore causes for the audience to be on edge as one wrong step would result in Bond dying or becoming extremely injured. Here he can be seen putting in his earpiece and having a gun hanging over this shoulder. Both of these props aid the audience with identifying the action genre and they also convey this concept of Bond being a spy, if they did not already know from the cultural code. Having the parade also in the long shot emphasises on how high up James Bond is and reinforces this idea of a high level of danger. In addition, having Bond in the foreground, forces the audience to focus on him and what he is doing. You can also see vaguely how his body language comes across as confident and experienced.
The gun that Bond has hanging over his shoulder and uses to kill some people, cause an explosion and then create mass destruction is iconic to the theme of violence. This emphasises this experienced concept because somebody who has no clue about guns would definitely not be walking on a rooftop with a high-tech gun! The helicopter, and how it can just be called for quickly, is iconic to wealth and power. I have already discussed this iconography above. Basically, the antagonist's organisation is very wealthy and powerful.
At the start of the opening to about a quarter of the way through, there is a carnival style tune repetitively playing in the background. This diegetic sound fits in with the parade environment and gives the audience this sense of continuity. This carnival music is combined with one of the well known Bond theme tunes. This Bond theme tune is fast paced and therefore is able to increase tension levels and engage the audience. This tune is iconic to the James Bond brand as it is used regularly, in the latest films at least. It is non-diegetic because that music has been edited in to the scene - it is not natural as dialogue would be.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Friday, 7 October 2016
The Conjuring 2 Opening Scene Analysis
In this blog post I am going to analyse the opening scene of The Conjuring 2 using the list of techniques I uploaded in a mind map previously. I chose to use this film because it is fiction and therefore relates to my main task, where I have to produce the opening to a fictional film of my own.
At the end of the clip, you see the first bit of typography where a brief description is scrolled up the screen and then where the title is displayed. The brief description has been put there to give the audience a little inside knowledge so that they can understand the rest of the film without having to know the backstory before watching the film. Linking this to the cultural code from Barthes's semiotics theory, the audience have this external knowledge given to them so that they can now continue to watch the film and relate back to this information if they are required to. The font of this text is similar to that you would expect to come from a typewriter, and is coloured yellow. The typewriter effect connotes an old fashioned theme to the audience because typewriters have more or less been extinct for many years now. This old fashioned theme links to the idea of sprits and ghosts because they are widely associated with old people; death. Additionally, the colour yellow (colour of the text) is generally referenced to joy, happiness and energy because its link to sunshine. It is also said to produce a warming effect for the audience. All of these references are totally contrasted by different things: the scary opening scene shown before it, the content of the text, the link to the prequel film, the connotations produced from the different typography aspects, the non-diegetic sound playing in the background and much more. The title is also yellow, however is written in a different font. This font is extremely well known globally as The Conjuring logo and the high level of brand awareness will be recognised by the target audience as a result of their interest in the either the previous films or the horror film genre. Overall this film is foreshadowed to not have a nice, joyful and happy narrative from the use of typography in the opening scene alone.
At the very start of the opening clip you can see that the lighting is kept low in order to help make it appear darker, which gives the audience connotations of evil and sinister situations. I think that the directors and will want to have achieved this because the main narrative of the film is evil/sinister due to its relation to spirits and ghosts. A secondary interpretation of how this low lighting could be conceived by the audience is to show a clear differentiation between the lady's dream and real life after she wakes up.
Towards the end of the opening scene, the picture fades in to a colour that you would recreate using wet teabags in primary school, before fading to black. This colour gives connotations of old-fashioned times, which again relates to this idea of death and spirits. During the lady's dream the colours shown in the scene are very dull and on the darker end of the colour spectrum. The directors will have purposely done this to ensure the audience are aware of the scary and dark narrative that is awaiting. Everything that I have interpreted from the low lighting applies to this dark colour scheme. When the female character wakes up from her dream and in to real life, the colour scheme switches to a much brighter one, however dark colours still exist subtly. This could be conveyed as the lady and other characters being innocent and pure, however dark, evil spirits are still close by and ready to haunt. This bright colour scheme contrasts with the dark colour scheme shown in the first part of the opening scene, and this could portray how different the spiritual world is compared to the real world that we live in. The scene finishes with a fade to black, which reminds the audience of this dark and evil narrative that is about to start.
In the basement style environment seen in the first section of the opening scene, there are lots of props, giving off a cluttered look. This could be a code used by the directors to inform the audience that this area has not been lived in for a long time. This code engages the audience and makes them want to continue watching to see if the clutter relates to this connotation of an empty house and the possibility of ghosts and spirits. Props also appear when the dream ends and it becomes real life. These props include camera, microphones, etc. and have been included by the director to ensure the audience are aware this is a horror film; the props are a cultural code and are commonly known to be related to paranormal investigations.
The costumes and sense of fashion is definitely not modern nor current. The clothing worn by the main characters, who come across as paranormal investigators, seem to be rather old-fashioned (1970s fashion), and then the clothing worn by the four ghostly characters seem to be even older! The nun costume links to a historical time because they are less commonly seen in today's society when compared to previous eras.
As previously mentioned, the cluttered atmosphere comes across as the opening scene being set in an abandoned property. This abandoned house environment really emphasises on the scary narrative. When the lady wakes up from her dream the setting changes. The wallpaper and curtains have pattens that relate to a style from the 1970s, which act as a semantic code; the audience will be able to gain additional meaning to work out the setting of this film.
In this opening scene the body positioning of the four young looking, ghostly characters and the main female character is great because it allows for the audience to see all the characters at once and also understand how close/far away she is from them. This is shown in the first screenshot below. The next screenshot shows the female positioned next to a mirror, which is again great positioning. The body positioning of the female character in relation to the mirror shows the audience how close it is and how she is acting around it causes it to come across as scary. Her body language and the focus on the mirror makes it both a proairetic and hermeneutic code. It is a proairetic code because it builds tension for the audience due to the scary atmosphere being constructed around it, and it is a hermeneutic code the mirror is an enigma for the audience - they do not know what it is and it is being conveyed as something that will be important further along in the narrative.
The main female character is represented as brave and independent from the start. Her enthusiasm as she follows the little boy around the basement shows how she is there to do something that she finds interesting, and will not allow fear to get in her way. However as the opening moves forward the plot worsens and she eventually ends up in the arms of who I presume is her husband. This final image of her with her husband totally contrasts with the independent idea; she is relying on someone else for comfort and help. For the audience this will be confusing, forcing them to engage and want to find out how the lady has any relevance with the remainder of the narrative.
The ghostly figures are represented as strange and in turn quite frightening, especially the full black character we see towards the end of the dream. As a horror film, the directors have accomplished the aim of putting the audience on the edge of their seats.
The male character, presumably the lady's husband, is represented as more laid back, however still in a shocked state of mind. He doesn't talk much as his wife is telling him of the situation she has just witnessed, which highlights his laid back mentality. On the other hand, this could be interpreted as him being shocked and terrified for what he is inevitably going to come up against. The facial expressions on the face of the male character further backs up this point, as you can see from the screenshot below it connotes elements of fear and shock.
There are many codes and conventions specific to the horror genre. From research I have conducted, one of them that can be seen in The Conjuring 2's opening scene is where the lady is in a secluded location (the basement). As an audience, this would build tension because there is nobody around the female character to help her and there is also no seeable way out of there for her. Another convention would be that the power would go out and there would be no light, and this applies to this opening. Although there is no power cut, the light is already out. This could suggest that the lady is possibly being taken back to a time before electricity was even around! Additionally, the eerie music that is being played quietly in the background slightly builds tension for the audience as they anticipate the next scare. This is also used in this opening, from the very start.
Editing is used very well in The Conjuring 2's opening scene because there is a good sense of continuity throughout and ideas/objects the director wants to stand out does. A great example of how this applies to this opening is where the four children are lined up and are staring straight at the female character. Suddenly there heads unnaturally move to face the mirror. This, for the audience, confirms this concept of them being spiritual and ghostly because an action as sudden as that is not natural to a human being. This effect has been created from the editing, which has been done to a great standard.
At the end of the clip, you see the first bit of typography where a brief description is scrolled up the screen and then where the title is displayed. The brief description has been put there to give the audience a little inside knowledge so that they can understand the rest of the film without having to know the backstory before watching the film. Linking this to the cultural code from Barthes's semiotics theory, the audience have this external knowledge given to them so that they can now continue to watch the film and relate back to this information if they are required to. The font of this text is similar to that you would expect to come from a typewriter, and is coloured yellow. The typewriter effect connotes an old fashioned theme to the audience because typewriters have more or less been extinct for many years now. This old fashioned theme links to the idea of sprits and ghosts because they are widely associated with old people; death. Additionally, the colour yellow (colour of the text) is generally referenced to joy, happiness and energy because its link to sunshine. It is also said to produce a warming effect for the audience. All of these references are totally contrasted by different things: the scary opening scene shown before it, the content of the text, the link to the prequel film, the connotations produced from the different typography aspects, the non-diegetic sound playing in the background and much more. The title is also yellow, however is written in a different font. This font is extremely well known globally as The Conjuring logo and the high level of brand awareness will be recognised by the target audience as a result of their interest in the either the previous films or the horror film genre. Overall this film is foreshadowed to not have a nice, joyful and happy narrative from the use of typography in the opening scene alone.
At the very start of the opening clip you can see that the lighting is kept low in order to help make it appear darker, which gives the audience connotations of evil and sinister situations. I think that the directors and will want to have achieved this because the main narrative of the film is evil/sinister due to its relation to spirits and ghosts. A secondary interpretation of how this low lighting could be conceived by the audience is to show a clear differentiation between the lady's dream and real life after she wakes up.
Towards the end of the opening scene, the picture fades in to a colour that you would recreate using wet teabags in primary school, before fading to black. This colour gives connotations of old-fashioned times, which again relates to this idea of death and spirits. During the lady's dream the colours shown in the scene are very dull and on the darker end of the colour spectrum. The directors will have purposely done this to ensure the audience are aware of the scary and dark narrative that is awaiting. Everything that I have interpreted from the low lighting applies to this dark colour scheme. When the female character wakes up from her dream and in to real life, the colour scheme switches to a much brighter one, however dark colours still exist subtly. This could be conveyed as the lady and other characters being innocent and pure, however dark, evil spirits are still close by and ready to haunt. This bright colour scheme contrasts with the dark colour scheme shown in the first part of the opening scene, and this could portray how different the spiritual world is compared to the real world that we live in. The scene finishes with a fade to black, which reminds the audience of this dark and evil narrative that is about to start.
In the basement style environment seen in the first section of the opening scene, there are lots of props, giving off a cluttered look. This could be a code used by the directors to inform the audience that this area has not been lived in for a long time. This code engages the audience and makes them want to continue watching to see if the clutter relates to this connotation of an empty house and the possibility of ghosts and spirits. Props also appear when the dream ends and it becomes real life. These props include camera, microphones, etc. and have been included by the director to ensure the audience are aware this is a horror film; the props are a cultural code and are commonly known to be related to paranormal investigations.
The costumes and sense of fashion is definitely not modern nor current. The clothing worn by the main characters, who come across as paranormal investigators, seem to be rather old-fashioned (1970s fashion), and then the clothing worn by the four ghostly characters seem to be even older! The nun costume links to a historical time because they are less commonly seen in today's society when compared to previous eras.
As previously mentioned, the cluttered atmosphere comes across as the opening scene being set in an abandoned property. This abandoned house environment really emphasises on the scary narrative. When the lady wakes up from her dream the setting changes. The wallpaper and curtains have pattens that relate to a style from the 1970s, which act as a semantic code; the audience will be able to gain additional meaning to work out the setting of this film.
In this opening scene the body positioning of the four young looking, ghostly characters and the main female character is great because it allows for the audience to see all the characters at once and also understand how close/far away she is from them. This is shown in the first screenshot below. The next screenshot shows the female positioned next to a mirror, which is again great positioning. The body positioning of the female character in relation to the mirror shows the audience how close it is and how she is acting around it causes it to come across as scary. Her body language and the focus on the mirror makes it both a proairetic and hermeneutic code. It is a proairetic code because it builds tension for the audience due to the scary atmosphere being constructed around it, and it is a hermeneutic code the mirror is an enigma for the audience - they do not know what it is and it is being conveyed as something that will be important further along in the narrative.
The main female character is represented as brave and independent from the start. Her enthusiasm as she follows the little boy around the basement shows how she is there to do something that she finds interesting, and will not allow fear to get in her way. However as the opening moves forward the plot worsens and she eventually ends up in the arms of who I presume is her husband. This final image of her with her husband totally contrasts with the independent idea; she is relying on someone else for comfort and help. For the audience this will be confusing, forcing them to engage and want to find out how the lady has any relevance with the remainder of the narrative.
The ghostly figures are represented as strange and in turn quite frightening, especially the full black character we see towards the end of the dream. As a horror film, the directors have accomplished the aim of putting the audience on the edge of their seats.
The male character, presumably the lady's husband, is represented as more laid back, however still in a shocked state of mind. He doesn't talk much as his wife is telling him of the situation she has just witnessed, which highlights his laid back mentality. On the other hand, this could be interpreted as him being shocked and terrified for what he is inevitably going to come up against. The facial expressions on the face of the male character further backs up this point, as you can see from the screenshot below it connotes elements of fear and shock.
Editing is used very well in The Conjuring 2's opening scene because there is a good sense of continuity throughout and ideas/objects the director wants to stand out does. A great example of how this applies to this opening is where the four children are lined up and are staring straight at the female character. Suddenly there heads unnaturally move to face the mirror. This, for the audience, confirms this concept of them being spiritual and ghostly because an action as sudden as that is not natural to a human being. This effect has been created from the editing, which has been done to a great standard.
Continuity editing techniques have also been used. One example is the 180º rule, which is implemented at the end. As the two characters engage in conversation, the camera moves in front of the 180º line of where the two characters are. It doesn't go over that line because it would result in a reverse angle shot, where the character's positions would be reversed. Going against this rule is not encouraged because it becomes very difficult for the audience to follow, which in turn causes them to become disinterested and stop watching the film.
When looking through the opening scene, you can see that the most commonly used shot type is the medium shot. This means that the female character's body is kept in shot from the waist upwards. The director has done well here because although we do not have a full body shot (long shot), we are still able to understand how she is reacting to what is happening. Predominantly using medium shots also allows us to not get confused. With long shots we would probably see too much and start to lose focus on what is actually important in the narrative, and with close-up shots we would see too little and not be able to see everything we would need to to understand the narrative.
I have already included elements that relates to iconography, however I have not gone in to much detail about them. Iconography is what we expect to see attached to a certain genre. In The Conjuring 2's opening scene iconography is used to emphasise on the narrative. The light and dark, but mainly dark, used is iconography because it is something that, as an audience we expect to see in horror films. I have previously spoken about the connotations, etc. of light and dark in the paragraph dedicated to mise-en-scene. There is also the old fashioned style to the property and to the characters involved, which again is conventional in horror films due to its relation to ghosts and sprits.
I have also spoken about non-diegetic sound and how an eerie underlying sound is conventional to horror films. The dietetic sound however has not yet been discussed. These natural sounds are sudden and fast paced, for example when the cloth is pulled from over the mirror. This causes for tension to stay built up and to keep the audience on the edge of their seats and engaged. If the diegetic sounds where to be slower it wouldn't be as effective for the tension and keeping the audience engaged would be more difficult. Sound plays a big part in audience engagement and is therefore why both non-diegetic and diegetic sounds must be used effectively.
In conclusion, The Conjuring 2's opening scene has been directed well by the directors with an objective of keeping the audience engaged throughout the opening scene with the use of editing, mise-en-scene, sound, typography/titling, generic odes and conventions, shot types and representation.
Monday, 3 October 2016
Audience Positioning/Reception Theory
In class we learnt about the reception theory, which says there are three ways of which a viewer can respond to a media text. I thought that it would be good to include in my coursework because I can use it when I am doing my textual analysis of existing texts. Also I can think about how I would like the narrative of my final task film opening to be constructed and what I would like to be implied from it. I have learnt the three different ways of which a text can be responded to (preferred, oppositional and negotiated) and also what all three of them mean. Due to this I can now apply this theory to my research pieces in the future.
Barthes 5 Codes Theory
I have embedded a powerpoint presentation about Barthes Semiotics (5 Codes) theory, where each code is explained on a separate slide. I have included this in to my research and planning because I know that I can implement at least one of the codes in to my own work in the final task. By having this in my work I know that it will be of good quality and more understandable for the audience. Currently I do not understand all of the codes, however with revision I will get there quite quickly.
Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Preliminary - Final Storyboard
As I was happy with the concept and the ordering of all of the individual revision cards in my draft storyboard, I decided to develop the storyboard in to a more professional looking one. I created this storyboard because in comparison with the draft, it looks much more professional and I know it will keep me much more organised. In my action plan I stated that for my main task I would use Pixton to create the storyboard, and I really wanted to use that here in my preliminary so that I could get an understanding for it before I started the main task. Unfortunately, it did not work as I needed it to for one reason or another, for example you needed a backdrop on every box and for some I did not really want a backdrop. After researching a few other storyboard online softwares I decided to opt for Storyboard That because they supported everything that I required and wanted in my storyboard. In my opinion it has turned out well in the end.
The first cell depicts a medium shot of character 1 walking over to the door. A great feature of Storyboard That is that you can crop the images down to how you would like, and as you can see I have managed to create the illusion of that cell being a medium shot by only showing it from the character's waist upwards. Moving on to the second cell, the character is now going to open the door with the shot being a close up. The camera in the third shot is positioned on the other side of the door to the previous two shots, so I can therefore shoot the character walking in through the door. With the footage taken from the first three cells I am going to use the match on action editing technique and hopefully have it smoothly flow through. In the third cell you can also see character 2 sat at the table, waiting for character 1. On the second line in the fourth cell, the two characters are sat down and are now exchanging a couple of lines of text. This is where the shot reverse shot editing technique will be implemented because I have found out from my research that a situation where two characters are talking to each other is ideal for using this technique as it shows the flow of conversation well. The two characters are then interrupted by a fire alarm and in the next cell you can see the characters are now stood up. They continue to talk, however now about the alarm and what they should do next. The final cell shows the two characters walking away and out of the shot, where the video will come to an end.
Monday, 26 September 2016
Textual Analysis of Existing Products - What I'm Looking For
I have researched what I need to be looking for when I am analysing existing products and have brought together a mind map full of different components. I have done this because I was slightly unsure of what exactly to be looking for when I am watching the existing products in order to produce a good quality analysis.
Now I have done this I believe that I am good to go regarding analysing existing texts because I know exactly what to look for.
Now I have done this I believe that I am good to go regarding analysing existing texts because I know exactly what to look for.
Preliminary - Final Script
For my preliminary work's final script I will be using the script I have previously uploaded as my draft script. I have made this decision because I know that I can implement all the criteria that the task brief is asking of me. I can include match on action right at the very beginning as character 1 is walking through the door, which is a classic example. Shot reverse shot will be used when the two characters are sat down and are exchanging a few lines. The 180º rule will be used after the alarm sounds and the two characters have stood up. I am hoping that with this script I will be able to edit the continuity aspect well; that is what I am focussing on.
Saturday, 24 September 2016
Preliminary - Draft Script
By using Microsoft Word I have managed to draft a script for my preliminary task. I wanted to make a script not only so the actors know what was happening at all times, but also to keep myself organised and so that I know what was supposed to be happening next.
Preliminary - Draft Storyboard
Below you will see a total of five photos that I have taken of my draft storyboard for my preliminary task. I have created this draft because I wanted to be able to finalise my ideas and ensure that I have got the order and everything else correct before I went ahead and did the main storyboard. Using revision cards were a big help in this because it meant I could easily erase and replace ideas, change the order and just make small alterations easily. After reviewing this draft, I have decided that I like this idea and it complies to the task brief, therefore I will be using this as my final storyboard for my preliminary task. I will be creating a more in depth and professional looking version.
Monday, 19 September 2016
Continuity Editing Research
As I have never done any work with video and this is the option I have decided to take for my coursework, I have decided to research in to some of the key words associated with the film task. I chose to do this because without knowing these key words I would not be able to create a good quality piece of work and therefore not reach the best grades. From doing this research I have learnt what the listed below editing techniques are and also how to use them effectively.
Continuity editing - Editing which is done to make one event follow on from another with a natural look. The audience shouldn't notice that the edit has been made.
Match on action - This is an editing technique where you switch from one shot to another, the second shot matches the first shot's action. A common example is where a character walks through a door, as seen on the embedded youtube video below.
Eg.
Shot reverse shot - A reverse shot is an editing technique where a character looks over at another character (second character not in shot) and then the second character is shown looking back at the first character. A good way of using this is during conversation of two people, where the camera goes from behind one character to the other. It shows the flow of conversation really well when used effectively.
Eg.
180º rule - When two or more characters are having a conversation the camera should stay on one side of an imaginary 180º line. This is so the two characters maintain the same left/right relationship, and if the camera crossed this line then the characters would reverse positions and it would become a reverse angle shot.
Eg.
Continuity editing - Editing which is done to make one event follow on from another with a natural look. The audience shouldn't notice that the edit has been made.
Match on action - This is an editing technique where you switch from one shot to another, the second shot matches the first shot's action. A common example is where a character walks through a door, as seen on the embedded youtube video below.
Eg.
Shot reverse shot - A reverse shot is an editing technique where a character looks over at another character (second character not in shot) and then the second character is shown looking back at the first character. A good way of using this is during conversation of two people, where the camera goes from behind one character to the other. It shows the flow of conversation really well when used effectively.
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180º rule - When two or more characters are having a conversation the camera should stay on one side of an imaginary 180º line. This is so the two characters maintain the same left/right relationship, and if the camera crossed this line then the characters would reverse positions and it would become a reverse angle shot.
Eg.
Action Plan
Here is a copy of my action plan. It covers both areas of my coursework for AS level media: the preliminary task and the main task. It it just a plan, and therefore is eligible to change if I feel like something else would work better. In addition to the list of things I should include in my research and planning, there are extra branches where I have suggested what piece of software I could possibly use to present this piece.
The program that I used to create the digital mind map is called Text2MindMap.com. At first I found using this software quite difficult because I couldn't get my head around the interface and also I could not understand how to control the branches. However after spending time with the interface and adapting to how it works, I was able to overcome my original issues and in the end produce this mind map.
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