Tuesday 10 December 2013
The Script
The
Script
The forest
The film opens with
an establishing shot of the forest. It is a late evening, nearly dark. The
forest seems calm. Then suddenly we cut to a close up shot of someone’s feet,
running over the thick forest floor. Next we cut to a medium-long pan of the
side of the same character, before it cuts back to a close up shot of their
feet breaking a stick on the forest floor (potentially a match-on-action).
Then we cut to a
flashback of 3 teenagers in a classroom. It is a medium shot, and there is
little if any dialogue.
Faint dialogue for
classroom scene
Boy 1: Camping
on Saturday then?
Boy 2: Yeaahh!
Girl: I dunno,
it’ll be dark.
Boy 1: Well Duh!
Then the sequence
cuts back to the forest as the boy continues to attempt to flee whatever is
chasing him. This shot will be a high angle shot taken from a tree to give a
different perspective. It will also be a medium shot.
The second
flashback will then take place. It will be a long- extreme long shot of the 3
characters walking towards the camera in the forest. They are carrying camping
equipment.
The sequence once
again cuts back to the forest area. The same male character will run towards
and past the camera, with a medium then short tracking shot.
The final flashback
will then take place. This time to the 3 characters setting up camp. The
difference this time is it will be a point of view shot through the bushes from
the perspective of another character. This will be the villain.
The third from last
shot will be a medium shot of a different character, another boy. The look of
fear on his face will be obvious as he looks for whatever is chasing him.
Next, a match on
action of his foot catching a tree branch, before he helplessly falls to the
floor.
The final shot,
will be a view from behind the legs of another character. The camera will zoom
out as we see the increasingly worried face of the second male character.
Wednesday 4 December 2013
Role Allocation
The Film Director
The general role of a film director is to direct the making of the film.
They have the task of creating an overall vision of what the film will be and
what it will look like. They are tasked with selecting the right task and
location amongst other things. They also manage the technical aspects of
filming, including the camera, sound, lighting, design and special effects
departments. They may also work along with the editor during the final editing
process in creating the final product he wants. They may also take on some
roles of the producer.
In our film this will be Joe Domanski
The Film
Producer
Film producers prepare and then supervise the making of a film. They
have complete control of the overall film production. They are therefore
ultimately accountable for the success of the finished film. They will be
heavily involved in all 4 main phases of production, the Development,
Pre-production, production and post-production and marketing.
In our film this will be Steven Turner
The Film
Editor
They are very important in the overall editing and final production of
the film. They work closely with the director during the production phase. The
film editor works with the raw footage, selecting shots and combining them into
sequences to create a finished motion picture.
In our film Rebecca Campbell, Joe Domanski and Steven Turner
will all be fulfilling this role.
Camera-person
This is the role that involves the taking of shots during the filming
process. They are responsible for physically operating the camera and
maintaining composition and camera angles in a given scene or shot. They will
also be responsible for collaborating with the director in making technical and
creative decisions.
In our film this will be Rebecca Campbell
and Joe Domanski.
Art and Music
There are various roles within art and music during the production of a
film. The main roles within the art area are Art director and illustrator. The
Art Director works closely with the Construction Coordinator to oversee the
aesthetic and textural details of sets as they are realized. The illustrator is
responsible for the drawing of designs to communicate ideas about scenes.
In the sound area, there are also quite a few important roles. The sound
designer is responsible for the post-production sound of a film, for example.
In our film the Art director and Illustrator will be Rebecca Campbell
The Sound Designers will be Joe
Domanski, Rebecca Campbell and Steven Turner
Casting- Actors/Actresses.
The role of an actor is very obvious really, they have the responsibility
of playing the roles of their character during the film. There is always a
protagonist and an antagonist. The protagonist is the main character in the
film, and often bears its name. The antagonist is the villain or enemy.
In our film the protagonist will be played by Tom
Priestley.
The antagonist will be Steven Turner.
Wednesday 27 November 2013
Thriller analysis.
Conventions of a Thriller
The genre we decided we are most likely to use for our film was thriller, and they have many conventions that other film genres may not. In terms of Sound, lots of tension music is often used, this can also be known as ambient sound, and an example would be the constant music playing in the background during the opening scene to 'The Dark Knight'. Editing is also key, and fast cuts between scenes are common, as to keep the fast paced parts of the film flowing nicely. Cinematography is also used frequently in unique ways, such as crane shots of high up action to give a clear view on the setting. For example during the opening scene to 'Casino Royale' a crane shot is used of Bond and the man he is chasing, as they fight on a construction crane, far above the ground. Finally changes in pace are common, as it tends to peak and fall, to create sequences of action and less eventful scenes. These are often important scenes, that may suddenly break out into action, and usually contain some sort of key foreshadowing or foreboding of later events in the film.
Best Thrillers of 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
Without doubt the latest film in the batman trilogy was a huge success last year. Produced by Warner Bros it was the second biggest selling film in the UK and Ireland, making a gross profit of £56.3m over the year. It also had a good opening weekend gross, making £14.4m which was 4th out of the top 20 films. Perhaps the biggest reason it did so well, especially just after it entered cinemas was the hype surrounding the batman series. It has always been very successful series with the other two films in the trilogy 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight' also being hugely successful.
The genre we decided we are most likely to use for our film was thriller, and they have many conventions that other film genres may not. In terms of Sound, lots of tension music is often used, this can also be known as ambient sound, and an example would be the constant music playing in the background during the opening scene to 'The Dark Knight'. Editing is also key, and fast cuts between scenes are common, as to keep the fast paced parts of the film flowing nicely. Cinematography is also used frequently in unique ways, such as crane shots of high up action to give a clear view on the setting. For example during the opening scene to 'Casino Royale' a crane shot is used of Bond and the man he is chasing, as they fight on a construction crane, far above the ground. Finally changes in pace are common, as it tends to peak and fall, to create sequences of action and less eventful scenes. These are often important scenes, that may suddenly break out into action, and usually contain some sort of key foreshadowing or foreboding of later events in the film.
Best Thrillers of 2012
The Dark Knight Rises
Without doubt the latest film in the batman trilogy was a huge success last year. Produced by Warner Bros it was the second biggest selling film in the UK and Ireland, making a gross profit of £56.3m over the year. It also had a good opening weekend gross, making £14.4m which was 4th out of the top 20 films. Perhaps the biggest reason it did so well, especially just after it entered cinemas was the hype surrounding the batman series. It has always been very successful series with the other two films in the trilogy 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight' also being hugely successful.
Wednesday 13 November 2013
Final Pitch idea- 'The Forest'
The Forest.
The sequence begins with a shot of the forest. The only sounds that you can hear are
that of birds, and the wind blowing in the trees.
Next we
simply see the feet of one of the two main characters, a male, rushing through the
forest. We hear their heavy breathing and the sound of leaves being rustled as
they run. It then cuts immediately to the side of this
character running, at a reasonable distance then back to the feet as
they unknowingly break a stick lying on the forest floor.
Then the
first flashback, of 3 characters in school talking about going camping. It will
be a relatively short clip, with not too much dialogue involved. This will be
followed by a return back to the forest, as the boy continues to attempt to
flee whatever is chasing him.
The second
flashback, will be also set in the forest, however it will be an extreme long
shot of the 3 characters, two girls and two boys, walking towards the camera
off in the distance, approaching the camera.
Then we
will learn about a possible cause of his attempt to flee the forest, as the
third and final flashback will take us back to when the 3 characters were
setting up camp, from the point of view of someone else, looking through the
trees at their prey.
A second male character then appears. He is also running. What from? The same thing? His face shows fear similar to the other boy. He is looking back and forth. Whatever he is looking for, he would rather not find.
Then disaster, he falls. His foot catches a loose tree root. He can do nothing to stop his fall, face first into the dirt. His lack of control over his body, represents the hopeless lack of control he has over the situation. He looks up, finally seeing his impending doom standing right in front of him. What he wanted to avoid he has found. He looks up slowly.
A second male character then appears. He is also running. What from? The same thing? His face shows fear similar to the other boy. He is looking back and forth. Whatever he is looking for, he would rather not find.
Then disaster, he falls. His foot catches a loose tree root. He can do nothing to stop his fall, face first into the dirt. His lack of control over his body, represents the hopeless lack of control he has over the situation. He looks up, finally seeing his impending doom standing right in front of him. What he wanted to avoid he has found. He looks up slowly.
Tuesday 12 November 2013
My first pitch idea- Outbreak.
Outbreak.
After weeks of rumors that an
infectious disease has been spreading around the world, and causing increasingly worrying symptoms among sufferers, Kris Johnson’s life is about to
change forever.
Knocked unconscious after a fight
with a ‘friend’, Kris awakens to a changed world. With no signs of life around,
his town has been evacuated, and he is all that is left. His goal now is
simple. Try and find some sort of help, in an abandoned, lifeless wasteland,
with no connections to the outside world. Or maybe not so simple, then.
A thrilling horror, with adventure
thrown in for good measure, ‘Outbreak’ is an awesome experience.
We want to aim this film at an
audience of 16+, due to some graphic and violent content. Obviously Kris is the
main character, however he will have some company along the way.
The film will be set in Tamworth,
more specifically across certain areas in Tamworth, like Hopwas woods.
Sunday 10 November 2013
My Survey- Summary of results
General summary
The general idea of my survey was to find out about what people though of the film genres that I have been researching and what they expect to see in them, as well as to learn a little bit in general about my target audience. I only had 18 responses to my survey, however some clear patterns did appear
1. How old are you?
Out of the 14 responses that I considered, the main answer was between 15-18 years old, as 7 of the responses pointed this out. This shows that i am working with a mainly teenage audience, and this could affect the sort of film i make in terms of content and humour, as a teenager would find different things interesting or funny to say a 40+ year old.
2. Are you male or female?
The answer here shows a rough split, as i had 10 males, and 8 female responses. This shows that my target audience will be slightly more male than female, but mostly even. I therefore should consider making my film attractive to both sexes.
3. What social class would you say you are a part of?
The responses here were quite varied, however 7 people were lower middle class, and 5 working class which shows they will be the main aim in terms of social status. Again this will determine the type of humor and content my film should contain, as social standing often affect what people want to see in a film.
4. What is your ethnic background?
I left this question open, and got quite a few results that were not usable, however 6 people were either white or caucasian (same thing) so i guessed that would be my main audience in terms of ethnicity. Although race generally wouldn't have too much effect on content, white main characters will appeal more to a white audience than other races.
5. What is your education status?
7 of my responses were from someone studying at college or sixth form, which is expected considering my age responses. This will therefore back up the idea that i will be aiming at a teenage audience, and that they will be mostly well educated people.
6. On average, how many films do you watch per week?
Unsurprisingly, most of my responses to this question either went for the third of fourth option, saying they watch quite a few films, suggesting my audience will know what to expect from a good film opening sequence. It is not surprising that only 2 people said they never watched films.
7. What is your favourite film genre?
The other category actually had the most votes here, maybe due to people being in to genres such as action or sci-fi. However some films that fit into other genres have conventions of a horror, thriller or rom-com. Horror was the most popular of my 3, with 4 votes, whereas thriller had 3, and rom-com just 2. So maybe a horror would be the most popular genre to choose.
8. What would you expect to see in a thriller?
'Action' was the most clear semantic field expressed in the answers to this question, with people dieing and fast paced action being the general consensus. This would suggest people are interested in thrillers like 'The Dark Knight' with lost of fight scenes, and loud action involved. If i choose to do a thriller, i should look to put in some of the conventions shown in that film then possibly.
9. What would you expect to see in a horror?
Answers here included 'blood', 'deaths' and 'things that make you jump'. So people like the conventions of a horror that could also be seen in a thriller which is interesting. They are also conventions that are very prevalent in most horror films.
10. What would you expect to see in a rom-com?
As well as the obvious 'romance and comedy' responses to this question, people seemed to expect to see more emotional scenes than in the other two genres. Of the 8 valid answers i got, 5 were from females, suggesting rom-coms appeal more to females than males.
The general idea of my survey was to find out about what people though of the film genres that I have been researching and what they expect to see in them, as well as to learn a little bit in general about my target audience. I only had 18 responses to my survey, however some clear patterns did appear
1. How old are you?
Out of the 14 responses that I considered, the main answer was between 15-18 years old, as 7 of the responses pointed this out. This shows that i am working with a mainly teenage audience, and this could affect the sort of film i make in terms of content and humour, as a teenager would find different things interesting or funny to say a 40+ year old.
2. Are you male or female?
The answer here shows a rough split, as i had 10 males, and 8 female responses. This shows that my target audience will be slightly more male than female, but mostly even. I therefore should consider making my film attractive to both sexes.
3. What social class would you say you are a part of?
The responses here were quite varied, however 7 people were lower middle class, and 5 working class which shows they will be the main aim in terms of social status. Again this will determine the type of humor and content my film should contain, as social standing often affect what people want to see in a film.
4. What is your ethnic background?
I left this question open, and got quite a few results that were not usable, however 6 people were either white or caucasian (same thing) so i guessed that would be my main audience in terms of ethnicity. Although race generally wouldn't have too much effect on content, white main characters will appeal more to a white audience than other races.
5. What is your education status?
7 of my responses were from someone studying at college or sixth form, which is expected considering my age responses. This will therefore back up the idea that i will be aiming at a teenage audience, and that they will be mostly well educated people.
6. On average, how many films do you watch per week?
Unsurprisingly, most of my responses to this question either went for the third of fourth option, saying they watch quite a few films, suggesting my audience will know what to expect from a good film opening sequence. It is not surprising that only 2 people said they never watched films.
7. What is your favourite film genre?
The other category actually had the most votes here, maybe due to people being in to genres such as action or sci-fi. However some films that fit into other genres have conventions of a horror, thriller or rom-com. Horror was the most popular of my 3, with 4 votes, whereas thriller had 3, and rom-com just 2. So maybe a horror would be the most popular genre to choose.
8. What would you expect to see in a thriller?
'Action' was the most clear semantic field expressed in the answers to this question, with people dieing and fast paced action being the general consensus. This would suggest people are interested in thrillers like 'The Dark Knight' with lost of fight scenes, and loud action involved. If i choose to do a thriller, i should look to put in some of the conventions shown in that film then possibly.
9. What would you expect to see in a horror?
Answers here included 'blood', 'deaths' and 'things that make you jump'. So people like the conventions of a horror that could also be seen in a thriller which is interesting. They are also conventions that are very prevalent in most horror films.
10. What would you expect to see in a rom-com?
As well as the obvious 'romance and comedy' responses to this question, people seemed to expect to see more emotional scenes than in the other two genres. Of the 8 valid answers i got, 5 were from females, suggesting rom-coms appeal more to females than males.
Tuesday 5 November 2013
BFI 2012 yearbook analysis
2012- Most popular films and genres.
The year 2012 was a great year for film, with many huge successes and a general rise in viewings in the U.K and Ireland. There were many great films, however it is clear that the majority of box office successes are either U.S or U.K made films. There are of course acceptions, that may include popular films from India or Europe, but the U.S and U.K are the two most prominent countries by far.
In terms of box office 'hits', it is clear a few main genres stick out, in having the majority of success over the years, not just in 2012. For example the biggest success of all time, in terms of sheer money made, the most recent in the 'James Bond' series, 'Skyfall' can be categorized as a thriller. The sixth most popular of all time- 'Mamma Mia!' is a romantic comedy, and although its biggest hits are not right at the top of the list, the 'horror' film is a classic genre, and has been prevalent for many years, one of its most famous 'big screen' hits is 'Jaws' from 1975. Last year, some of the biggest hits could be categorized into these genres, and the ones that are not, at least contain elements of them.
It might surprise you then to find out that none of these genres are listed right at the top of all film genres, in terms of money made last year. But it is important to consider that many films are listed under one genre but contain conventions of another, for example a lot of action films contain conventions of a thriller.
Horror was listed as the most popular out of the three, however it is worth noting that a lot of the 142 films listed as comedies may have been romantic comedies. Thriller was the 9th most popular overall, despite having 41 releases, quite a lot in comparison to some. This could suggest a bad year for thrillers, or just that certain films may not have been categorized as a thriller despite having quite a few normal conventions of one.
The year 2012 was a great year for film, with many huge successes and a general rise in viewings in the U.K and Ireland. There were many great films, however it is clear that the majority of box office successes are either U.S or U.K made films. There are of course acceptions, that may include popular films from India or Europe, but the U.S and U.K are the two most prominent countries by far.
In terms of box office 'hits', it is clear a few main genres stick out, in having the majority of success over the years, not just in 2012. For example the biggest success of all time, in terms of sheer money made, the most recent in the 'James Bond' series, 'Skyfall' can be categorized as a thriller. The sixth most popular of all time- 'Mamma Mia!' is a romantic comedy, and although its biggest hits are not right at the top of the list, the 'horror' film is a classic genre, and has been prevalent for many years, one of its most famous 'big screen' hits is 'Jaws' from 1975. Last year, some of the biggest hits could be categorized into these genres, and the ones that are not, at least contain elements of them.
It might surprise you then to find out that none of these genres are listed right at the top of all film genres, in terms of money made last year. But it is important to consider that many films are listed under one genre but contain conventions of another, for example a lot of action films contain conventions of a thriller.
Horror was listed as the most popular out of the three, however it is worth noting that a lot of the 142 films listed as comedies may have been romantic comedies. Thriller was the 9th most popular overall, despite having 41 releases, quite a lot in comparison to some. This could suggest a bad year for thrillers, or just that certain films may not have been categorized as a thriller despite having quite a few normal conventions of one.
Friday 18 October 2013
Analysis of Love Actually- Opening Scene
Love Actually- Opening Scene analysis.
The popular romantic comedy, 'Love Actually' has a very potent opening scene. It encaptures many of the conventions of a rom com, and is one of the more memorable starts to a rom com in recent times.
The film itself is Directed by Richard Curtis, a man who has been at the forefront of many successful films such as 'War Horse' and 'Bridget Jones' diary' also. The film stars 3 renowned actors, with Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth all featuring.
Cinematography
The use of cinematography is one of the key features in the opening sequence of 'Love Actually'. There are many different shots that are used to create different perspectives throughout the scene, which lasts just over a minute. It is as if all of the shots are like point of view shots, as if you were in an airport like heathrow, where the scene is set, and you saw all these amazing examples of love happening around you. Another interesting feature is that during the scene, although there are quite a few different shots, they all involve 2 or more people, creating the connection that the director would want the audience to feel. You also have the frequent use of close ups and extreme close ups of people's faces, that are used to show the emotions of love, and happiness that are clear all over their faces.
Mise en-scene
Mise en-scene is always a very important part of the opening to a film, as it is used to set the scene, and give the audience a sense of the type of film they are about to watch. Here, the main uses of mise en-scene are with the setting, which is the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport, and the different types of people that are featured. The setting is obviously the sort of place you would often see love first hand, as people arrive back from trips abroad and embrace their loved ones for maybe the first time in months. It is however, quite a neutral setting. The sort of place you might find yourself quite often, especially if you travel a lot, which creates the idea that love is everywhere, or as the narrator puts it 'all around'. The different types of people is also very important, as we see old people, kids, and all sort of different ethnicities during the sequence. This is done very deliberately, as it makes you feel as if there are no boundaries for love. Richard Curtis would want to show that love is evident at every age, and with every race.
Sound
The way sound is used really adds to the opening sequence of love actually. There are two main uses of it, both involve non-digetic sound. The first is the ambient sound in the background. This mood music is parallel to the romantic comedy genre of film, and helps to create the atmosphere that the director would want. The second use of sound is with the similarly non-diegetic narration. This has maybe even more of an effect than the ambient sound, as the words used are very deep and powerful, and help once more to add to the mood. One very memorbale line is 'When the planes hit the twin towers, as far as i know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge- they were all messages of love'. The use of an emotional, and also quite controversial event like this would have a strong effect on the audience. Both of these uses of sound are very important in the opening scene.
Editing
Despite being the least prevalent of all 4 features, editing is still used to create impact during the opening sequence. Its main use is with the slow motion editing that is used to extend the moment when people see each other for the first time in a long time. They want the shots to seem real, in the sense that when you see a loved on after a long time apart, time does almost seem to slow down, or even briefly stand still momentarily.
The popular romantic comedy, 'Love Actually' has a very potent opening scene. It encaptures many of the conventions of a rom com, and is one of the more memorable starts to a rom com in recent times.
The film itself is Directed by Richard Curtis, a man who has been at the forefront of many successful films such as 'War Horse' and 'Bridget Jones' diary' also. The film stars 3 renowned actors, with Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson and Colin Firth all featuring.
Cinematography
The use of cinematography is one of the key features in the opening sequence of 'Love Actually'. There are many different shots that are used to create different perspectives throughout the scene, which lasts just over a minute. It is as if all of the shots are like point of view shots, as if you were in an airport like heathrow, where the scene is set, and you saw all these amazing examples of love happening around you. Another interesting feature is that during the scene, although there are quite a few different shots, they all involve 2 or more people, creating the connection that the director would want the audience to feel. You also have the frequent use of close ups and extreme close ups of people's faces, that are used to show the emotions of love, and happiness that are clear all over their faces.
Mise en-scene
Mise en-scene is always a very important part of the opening to a film, as it is used to set the scene, and give the audience a sense of the type of film they are about to watch. Here, the main uses of mise en-scene are with the setting, which is the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport, and the different types of people that are featured. The setting is obviously the sort of place you would often see love first hand, as people arrive back from trips abroad and embrace their loved ones for maybe the first time in months. It is however, quite a neutral setting. The sort of place you might find yourself quite often, especially if you travel a lot, which creates the idea that love is everywhere, or as the narrator puts it 'all around'. The different types of people is also very important, as we see old people, kids, and all sort of different ethnicities during the sequence. This is done very deliberately, as it makes you feel as if there are no boundaries for love. Richard Curtis would want to show that love is evident at every age, and with every race.
Sound
The way sound is used really adds to the opening sequence of love actually. There are two main uses of it, both involve non-digetic sound. The first is the ambient sound in the background. This mood music is parallel to the romantic comedy genre of film, and helps to create the atmosphere that the director would want. The second use of sound is with the similarly non-diegetic narration. This has maybe even more of an effect than the ambient sound, as the words used are very deep and powerful, and help once more to add to the mood. One very memorbale line is 'When the planes hit the twin towers, as far as i know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge- they were all messages of love'. The use of an emotional, and also quite controversial event like this would have a strong effect on the audience. Both of these uses of sound are very important in the opening scene.
Editing
Despite being the least prevalent of all 4 features, editing is still used to create impact during the opening sequence. Its main use is with the slow motion editing that is used to extend the moment when people see each other for the first time in a long time. They want the shots to seem real, in the sense that when you see a loved on after a long time apart, time does almost seem to slow down, or even briefly stand still momentarily.
Thursday 17 October 2013
Analysis of The Woman in Black- Opening scene
Analysis of opening scene- The woman in black.
The woman in black is a very popular and successful horror film from 2012, starring Daniel Radcliffe. The use of certain techniques in the horror genre is very obvious in the opening scene, especially with the use of mise en-scene and sound amongst others.
Cinematogrpahy
Close ups are perhaps the most frequently used shot during the opening scene to the film. Not only does the director get close ups of the expressions held by the three small girls in the room, but also of their dolls, and other objects. There are also many circumstances in which medium shots of all 3 girls take place, showing their joined importance. The zooming in on the window shows that it will have huge importance during the scene, as will become clear at the end.
Mise en-scene
The most clear use of mise en-scene in The Woman in Black is the way that dolls, and children are used. It is a common theme in horror films, and helps to create a feeling of innocence which is ironic compared to the genre. This idea is backed up by the way the girls are dressed, wearing almost angelic costumes, that seem anything but scary at first.
The surroundings may also be seen as a classic horror convention, as it is set in an old looking house, that may be 'haunted'.
Sound
There are quite a few examples where sound is used in the horror context, and it id often ironic. The main way it is used is with the background sound, which is obviously contrapuntal as it clearly does not fit with the horror genre. The music is calm, childlike and not threatening, so is ironic considering the genre. At the end of the sequence a woman is heard screaming, it is parallel sound that is added into the scene, so is non-diegetic, and is used to create tension and fear.
Editing
Although editing is used at a minimum during the sequence, there are a couple of examples where it has quite a lot of relevance. These are when the girl opens the window, as a match on action is used, and the shot reverse shot of the girls and then the shot over the shoulder of the 'woman in black' right at the end o the scene. Both have strong effects in creating fear in amongst the audience, and are parallel to the genre.
The woman in black is a very popular and successful horror film from 2012, starring Daniel Radcliffe. The use of certain techniques in the horror genre is very obvious in the opening scene, especially with the use of mise en-scene and sound amongst others.
Cinematogrpahy
Close ups are perhaps the most frequently used shot during the opening scene to the film. Not only does the director get close ups of the expressions held by the three small girls in the room, but also of their dolls, and other objects. There are also many circumstances in which medium shots of all 3 girls take place, showing their joined importance. The zooming in on the window shows that it will have huge importance during the scene, as will become clear at the end.
Mise en-scene
The most clear use of mise en-scene in The Woman in Black is the way that dolls, and children are used. It is a common theme in horror films, and helps to create a feeling of innocence which is ironic compared to the genre. This idea is backed up by the way the girls are dressed, wearing almost angelic costumes, that seem anything but scary at first.
The surroundings may also be seen as a classic horror convention, as it is set in an old looking house, that may be 'haunted'.
Sound
There are quite a few examples where sound is used in the horror context, and it id often ironic. The main way it is used is with the background sound, which is obviously contrapuntal as it clearly does not fit with the horror genre. The music is calm, childlike and not threatening, so is ironic considering the genre. At the end of the sequence a woman is heard screaming, it is parallel sound that is added into the scene, so is non-diegetic, and is used to create tension and fear.
Editing
Although editing is used at a minimum during the sequence, there are a couple of examples where it has quite a lot of relevance. These are when the girl opens the window, as a match on action is used, and the shot reverse shot of the girls and then the shot over the shoulder of the 'woman in black' right at the end o the scene. Both have strong effects in creating fear in amongst the audience, and are parallel to the genre.
Analysis of Casino Royale- opening scene
Casino Royale- Opening Scene Analysis
Casino Royale is a thriller, and part of one of the most iconic series' of films in the world, James Bond. This film is from 2006, and was the first time Daniel Craig had played the key role as '007'. The opening scene, typical of a Bond film, is very fast paced, and uses all 4 key areas, those being cinematography, mise en-scene, editing and sound to create the action and the thrill.
Cinematography
There are many times that camera angles and shots are used during the opening to casino royale. One of the most dramatic is the two shot/extreme long shot of the two characters on a crane, high in the air. The affect of this shot is that it gives a wide picture of the surroundings, and makes it clear that they are very high in the air. During this sequence, there is also a crane shot as they are climbing along the outside of the crane. Once again this helps to give a good idea of how high they are and a clear view of their surroundings. The movement of the crane towards the characters also adds to the shot, as it makes the shot seem more realistic, as of it was being taken from a helicopter. There are also a lot of close ups of the main character, James Bond, to show his facial expressions and emotions, which are often quite neutral, to fit in with the character he is playing.
Mise en-scene
One way in which mise en-scene is used during this sequence is with the Bond. The choice of clothing for him says a lot about the type of character he is. With a very informal, almost casual look, it shows that he is a very casual, laid back kind of person. However his actions show he is also very good at getting down to business when needs be. This is the way all Bond characters have always been. There is also a lot of focus on Bond through the positioning he has in shots, for example the constant need for him to be in the middle of shots after action, or holding heroic poses after such events.
Editing
Although there are not a lot of examples of editing being used during the sequence, there is a lot of slow motion editing used to create an 'epic' feel to most situations. In moments of intense action, it is used quite frequently to emphasize the brilliance of what has just happened.
Sound
Sound is probably the most important feature out of the four in what it gives to the opening scene. Throughout most of the scene, non-diegetic, parallel sound is used to create tension and add to the atmosphere. The tempo of this sound rises and falls depending on the level of intensity. The sound only goes away during the last part of the scene, as Bond holds a man hostage, there is very little sound. The most important piece of information that sound gives us about Bond is simply the fact that he does not talk for the entire sequence. The director obviously wants to give us the impression that with bond, actions speak louder than words.
Casino Royale is a thriller, and part of one of the most iconic series' of films in the world, James Bond. This film is from 2006, and was the first time Daniel Craig had played the key role as '007'. The opening scene, typical of a Bond film, is very fast paced, and uses all 4 key areas, those being cinematography, mise en-scene, editing and sound to create the action and the thrill.
Cinematography
There are many times that camera angles and shots are used during the opening to casino royale. One of the most dramatic is the two shot/extreme long shot of the two characters on a crane, high in the air. The affect of this shot is that it gives a wide picture of the surroundings, and makes it clear that they are very high in the air. During this sequence, there is also a crane shot as they are climbing along the outside of the crane. Once again this helps to give a good idea of how high they are and a clear view of their surroundings. The movement of the crane towards the characters also adds to the shot, as it makes the shot seem more realistic, as of it was being taken from a helicopter. There are also a lot of close ups of the main character, James Bond, to show his facial expressions and emotions, which are often quite neutral, to fit in with the character he is playing.
Mise en-scene
One way in which mise en-scene is used during this sequence is with the Bond. The choice of clothing for him says a lot about the type of character he is. With a very informal, almost casual look, it shows that he is a very casual, laid back kind of person. However his actions show he is also very good at getting down to business when needs be. This is the way all Bond characters have always been. There is also a lot of focus on Bond through the positioning he has in shots, for example the constant need for him to be in the middle of shots after action, or holding heroic poses after such events.
Editing
Although there are not a lot of examples of editing being used during the sequence, there is a lot of slow motion editing used to create an 'epic' feel to most situations. In moments of intense action, it is used quite frequently to emphasize the brilliance of what has just happened.
Sound
Sound is probably the most important feature out of the four in what it gives to the opening scene. Throughout most of the scene, non-diegetic, parallel sound is used to create tension and add to the atmosphere. The tempo of this sound rises and falls depending on the level of intensity. The sound only goes away during the last part of the scene, as Bond holds a man hostage, there is very little sound. The most important piece of information that sound gives us about Bond is simply the fact that he does not talk for the entire sequence. The director obviously wants to give us the impression that with bond, actions speak louder than words.
Sunday 13 October 2013
Analysis of Dark Knight- Opening scene.
Dark Knight- Analysis.
I watched the opening scene from the thriller, Dark Knight, the second part of the 'batman' trilogy, also containing 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight Rises'. The two main characters are batman, played by Christian Bale, and The Joker, played by Heath Ledger. In the opening scene, we learn a lot about The Joker, the main villain in the film, and his characteristics, and how the director wanted to portray him and the first bank robbery through cinematography, editing, sound and mise en-scene.
Cinematography
The use of camera angles in the opening scene is very key. Various types of shot were used to get different effects. One good example is the very first shot, which is a crane shot, slowly zooming in on the building. Then, there is a long shot of two men, wearing masks sliding down the zip line. The long shot gives you an idea of how high they are, and their surroundings. The way a medium shot of the joker from behind is used also has a very distinct effect. It makes him seem way more important than any other characters, who are nearly always paired in two shots, whereas he rarely is. An over the shoulder shot is used to show that the man with the gun, has the power, and he eventually uses that power to shoot another member of the crew. The final, and perhaps the single most powerful piece of cinematography is of the joker at the end of the scene, when he finally
removes his mask. We finally see his true identity, his scars.
Sound
Sound plays a very big role in creating the atmosphere during the first scene, none more so than with the parallel sound that stays present throughout pretty much the entire time. A sound bridge begins the scene, creating tension, which is then ended by the glass being smashed. The sound that begins the scene is constant throughout, however it increases in tempo at certain points, for example when the man is shooting at The Joker with his shotgun. This has an impact as it once again raises tension, as the action becomes more intense.
Mise en-Scene
The Joker's positioning in the scene is the main way mise en-scene is used, along with the way his identity is kept a mystery. He is nearly always on his own in the shot, in the middle, and he never speaks. This creates a real mystery around his character, however makes the audience see that he could be a key character. He is also the only one of his crew to reveal his face, suggesting that only his identity matters, and his first real line is witty and mysterious also. This says a lot about the sort of villain he is going to be. Less about brawn and power, more about intelligence.
Editing
Although not a key feature in the way The Joker is presented, editing does still give us some ideas about him, and the surroundings. The edits are designed to make the scenes simply go from one to the next, which gives a simple yet quick feel to the scene. This makes it seem that the job is well organized, and is easy, which says a lot about The Joker and his skills.
I watched the opening scene from the thriller, Dark Knight, the second part of the 'batman' trilogy, also containing 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight Rises'. The two main characters are batman, played by Christian Bale, and The Joker, played by Heath Ledger. In the opening scene, we learn a lot about The Joker, the main villain in the film, and his characteristics, and how the director wanted to portray him and the first bank robbery through cinematography, editing, sound and mise en-scene.
Cinematography
The use of camera angles in the opening scene is very key. Various types of shot were used to get different effects. One good example is the very first shot, which is a crane shot, slowly zooming in on the building. Then, there is a long shot of two men, wearing masks sliding down the zip line. The long shot gives you an idea of how high they are, and their surroundings. The way a medium shot of the joker from behind is used also has a very distinct effect. It makes him seem way more important than any other characters, who are nearly always paired in two shots, whereas he rarely is. An over the shoulder shot is used to show that the man with the gun, has the power, and he eventually uses that power to shoot another member of the crew. The final, and perhaps the single most powerful piece of cinematography is of the joker at the end of the scene, when he finally
removes his mask. We finally see his true identity, his scars.
Sound
Sound plays a very big role in creating the atmosphere during the first scene, none more so than with the parallel sound that stays present throughout pretty much the entire time. A sound bridge begins the scene, creating tension, which is then ended by the glass being smashed. The sound that begins the scene is constant throughout, however it increases in tempo at certain points, for example when the man is shooting at The Joker with his shotgun. This has an impact as it once again raises tension, as the action becomes more intense.
Mise en-Scene
The Joker's positioning in the scene is the main way mise en-scene is used, along with the way his identity is kept a mystery. He is nearly always on his own in the shot, in the middle, and he never speaks. This creates a real mystery around his character, however makes the audience see that he could be a key character. He is also the only one of his crew to reveal his face, suggesting that only his identity matters, and his first real line is witty and mysterious also. This says a lot about the sort of villain he is going to be. Less about brawn and power, more about intelligence.
Editing
Although not a key feature in the way The Joker is presented, editing does still give us some ideas about him, and the surroundings. The edits are designed to make the scenes simply go from one to the next, which gives a simple yet quick feel to the scene. This makes it seem that the job is well organized, and is easy, which says a lot about The Joker and his skills.
Tuesday 1 October 2013
Analysis of Red Dragon- Opening scene
Red Dragon- Opening Scene
For our second analysis,
we watched the first few scenes from the film ‘Red Dragon’, which is based on a
novel of the same name, written by Thomas Harris. The main character is
Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins.
Sound
The use of sound in Red
Dragon is key from the very beginning. The first sound we here is that of an
orchestra, and like most of the noticeable sound, is diegetic. Before we
actually see the orchestra however, there is a small sound bridge from the
credits, to the first scene. The orchestra itself adds to the ‘upper class’
feel to the first few scenes. In the room, ambient sound is used to add to the
tension and the atmosphere. They are actually more contrapuntal sounds than
they are parallel as they go against the almost ‘weird’ atmosphere, as Hannibal
is feeding his guests human flesh. The sounds do appear to be parallel is you
don’t know about Hannibal, however.
Cinematography
There are a few very clear
and important uses of cinematography, especially with Hannibal at the beginning
of the film. Firstly, there is a crane shot of him as he is sitting in the
theatre, as the camera drops and zooms in on his face, showing his emotion.
This, like a lot of the techniques used with Hannibal is there to emphasize his
importance as the main character. There is also a tracking shot of him when
they are all sitting down in the room, as he is walking around the table. This
is used to make him seem powerful and in control.
Mise-en Scene
There are a lot of
examples of mise-en scene being used in the clip, and like with the
cinematography, it is mostly based around Hannibal Lecter. He is usually always
in the centre of the shot, showing his importance, and the lighting often also
emphasizes this, like when it dims on him in the theatre. The theme of wealth
is very obvious as well, due to the way the characters are living. They are in
a large house, dressed very smartly and also begin at the theatre, somewhere
that is usually populated by higher class people. In the room at dinner there
was a golden, fiery glow, also suggesting class. However the fire could also suggest
evil, something which is actually sometimes associated with wealth.
Editing
The changes in the tempo
of the music and the way that Hannibal usually ends the scene in the middle of
the shot suggest his importance, and there is also a fade in from black, after
the credits at the start of the clip. Aside from that, editing is not the most prevalent
feature used.
Analysis of Seven- Opening scene
Seven Analysis.
We watched the opening scene from the film 'Seven', a thriller starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. During the clip, there were clear examples of sound, cinematography, mise en-scene and editing being used, as they are probably the four main aspects used in making a successful film.
Sound.
Sound is a key aspect of all films, and it can be used in various ways to different effects. In the first scene, pretty much all of the sound used is diegetic, as the idea is to make the scene seem as real as possible. Probably the most noticeable sound is that of traffic coming from the street, however there is not a lot of sound overall. The sounds coming from the street are there to show the surroundings in which the character played by Morgan Freeman is living, in a city. The police sirens are the most obvious sound, which could potentially represent chaos, however that goes against the general atmosphere, as it is relatively calm. Finally, the sound of rain, on the third scene, suggests that something bad is going to happen.
Cinematography
Cinematic techniques are used a lot during the opening few scenes of the film, especially certain camera angles. Over the shoulder and low angle shots are used to show certain characters have power. For example there is a low angle shot and also an over the shoulder shot of Morgan Freeman, showing him to be powerful and have the control. However he has to share the power with the other main character, played by Brad Pitt. The director uses various two shots of them, showing that they may be equal in terms of power.
Mise en-scene
The character played by Morgan Freeman is key in the use of Mise en-scene in the first few scenes of the film. The first example is when he is getting changed in his room. He has a suit, suggesting he is a serious businessman, who potentially doesn't have time for friends or family, as he is living alone.
Editing
The use of editing to create smooth transitions, therefore giving an element of fluidity and continuity is the main way it is used at the start of the film. Really, there is not a huge amount of editing, however some of the cuts are quite slow, so therefore they link in with the mise-en scene and could also suggest the main character is very organised and methodical.
We watched the opening scene from the film 'Seven', a thriller starring Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt. During the clip, there were clear examples of sound, cinematography, mise en-scene and editing being used, as they are probably the four main aspects used in making a successful film.
Sound.
Sound is a key aspect of all films, and it can be used in various ways to different effects. In the first scene, pretty much all of the sound used is diegetic, as the idea is to make the scene seem as real as possible. Probably the most noticeable sound is that of traffic coming from the street, however there is not a lot of sound overall. The sounds coming from the street are there to show the surroundings in which the character played by Morgan Freeman is living, in a city. The police sirens are the most obvious sound, which could potentially represent chaos, however that goes against the general atmosphere, as it is relatively calm. Finally, the sound of rain, on the third scene, suggests that something bad is going to happen.
Cinematography
Cinematic techniques are used a lot during the opening few scenes of the film, especially certain camera angles. Over the shoulder and low angle shots are used to show certain characters have power. For example there is a low angle shot and also an over the shoulder shot of Morgan Freeman, showing him to be powerful and have the control. However he has to share the power with the other main character, played by Brad Pitt. The director uses various two shots of them, showing that they may be equal in terms of power.
Mise en-scene
The character played by Morgan Freeman is key in the use of Mise en-scene in the first few scenes of the film. The first example is when he is getting changed in his room. He has a suit, suggesting he is a serious businessman, who potentially doesn't have time for friends or family, as he is living alone.
Editing
The use of editing to create smooth transitions, therefore giving an element of fluidity and continuity is the main way it is used at the start of the film. Really, there is not a huge amount of editing, however some of the cuts are quite slow, so therefore they link in with the mise-en scene and could also suggest the main character is very organised and methodical.
Wednesday 25 September 2013
Prelim Task Evaluation.
Preliminary Task Evaluation...
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For our preliminary task we had to make a movie scene, involving two actors walking into a room and talking to each other. It needed to contain several techniques used at the correct times in the correct ways. There is a match on action, an eye-line match, and a shot reverse shot. It also all needed to obey the 180 degree rule.
The 180 degree rule, used in all films, is based around the idea that once you have established an angle at which you are filming, an imaginary line, or an axis is created that goes straight through the middle of the two characters. This is the rule and it should not be broken, by the filming going past this imaginary line.
The match on action is when you match a long or medium shot to a close up of the same action, and was used when Kelly and me (the actor and actress) enter the room to escape the noise they heard, and whatever it came from. We also used one right at the end of the video, as I handed a mobile phone to Kelly. We decided to use these in these situations to make it easier to see what was going on, and to enhance to tension.
We used an eye-line match, showing both faces over the others' shoulder, when the characters were engaging dialogue, to show the emotion on both faces.
As for the shot reverse shot, we used that with the eye-line match, to get both characters emotions in back to back shots.
Overall, the film making process went well, as we had a plan before shooting, and we knew where we wanted to go to get the clips. Our storyboard definitely helped with that. It was sometimes hard to get clips however, as we needed patience to wait for the right moment when the area we needed was quiet. We wanted the clips to be free of any unwanted people in the background, and we basically did that.
I learned a lot about editing on Adobe Premiere, which i think will become very useful in the future. I learned a lot about basic editing, as well as adding titles, music and other effects. I found out about making clips flow, and also about finding and adding sound effects.
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