Prelim Task Evaluation Questions

1. Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

 

My group, 2C, consisted of myself, Philippa Dodi and Sam Szczurek. We brainstormed ideas as a group and came up with the plot for our sequence together. We then split up the tasks to save time, so Philippa drew the storyboard with help from the rest of the group, then I wrote out the shot list while Sam typed up the script. When in production, Sam and Philippa took the acting roles, so I filmed and directed the shots with both of them in, Sam filmed the shots with just Philippa in and Philippa filmed the shots with just Sam in. In post-production, the three of us took turns editing the sequence while the other two helped.

Here is our script:Group 2C Script

2. How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try and take into account?

When planning our sequence, we tried to keep things simple and not try to make it too complicated or elaborate. We used the processes of storyboarding, scripting and brainstorming to develop our ideas. This happened during our group's one hour planning session.

Here is our storyboard (click to enlarge):

Here is our shot list (click to enlarge):

Once we came up with the idea and script for our sequence, we found our location and acted it out to make sure it was feasible and to decide where the camera and actors will be positioned. We made sure to take these theories into account:

• Todorov's Theory of Equilibrium - There is an equilibrium with Sam perfectly happy, sitting in his chair, then Philippa comes in and disrupts the equilibrium.
• Principles of Continuity - We followed the 180 degree rule throughout our sequence. We actually filmed a shot that broke the rule, and once in the sequence it didn't flow properly and looked confusing so we decided to remove it. We also used match on action, in particular between the two shots of Philippa sitting down, meaning we edited the two together to make it look like one flowing movement. We also incorporated shot/reverse/shot to film the conversation between the two characters, editing together multiple OTS shots to make the conversation flow.

3. What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

We used a video camera with a microphone and headphones to check the sound was exactly as we wanted it to be. The microphone allowed us to pick up sound more clearly, especially for the long distant shots. We put the camera on the tripod the whole time, to ensure the shots weren't shaky and that they were level. We then captured and edited our sequence using Adobe Premiere.

4. What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

The first thing we had to take into account was location, as we had to film in school and we needed a classroom set up to go with our story idea, so we sorted out locations within our class so that our group had the space we wanted. Another important factor was time, as we only had one hour to shoot, so we kept the script short and simple, and didn't put in too many camera positions or complicated shots. We again had the one hour time limit when editing, so we made sure to work efficiently and help each other out so we didn't run out of time. We also didn't try to edit anything too fancily, and kept it simple.

5.  How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?

I think our sequence was very successful at demonstrating continuity techniques, even though it wasn't particularly original and we didn't take many risks, but that didn't really matter as the point of this task was to show we know the principles of continuity. I think the sequence flows quite well, and nothing looks wrong or confusing to the viewer. This is because we deleted two shots from our sequence during the editing process, as one of them broke the 180 degree rule and one of them didn't quite fit with the match-on-action we wanted, so leaving them in would have made the sequence look wrong. At around 16 seconds in, the sequence does look a bit jolty, as Sam's head moves down then up again quite quickly, so with more time we would have made sure that every shot matched perfectly. I think the OTS shots work very well as shot/reverse/shots, as the conversation looks natural and there aren't really any bits that cut too quickly, and the match-on-action shots when Philippa sits down fit together very well. It probably would have been beneficial if our group had one more member, as the cameraman also had to direct, use the clapperboard and work on sound, which was a little difficult at times, so another person to use the headphones would have been helpful. We also could have made the sequence a bit longer to show a few more continuity techniques.

6. What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?

From this task I have learnt all of the principles of continuity for filming, and have learnt how to use them in practice. I have learnt to always apply these rules, and to think carefully about whether everything makes sense or not, as we could have saved time filming if we hadn't shot those two clips that we later removed because they didn't work. I have also learnt how the camera microphone works, and how to work with sound on set using the headphones.

This learning will be very helpful when shooting and planning my next coursework task, as I will be able to apply all the principles of continuity I have learnt, and also try to incorporate some of the theories I have learnt, such as Todorov's theory of equilibrium. I think I will also be more productive working in a group for the next task, as we now all know how to use the equipment and how to properly start off and end a shot when filming. Using Adobe Premiere to edit the sequence was also a helpful refresh of everything I learnt about how to use it in year 10, so I will  be able to start using it properly straight away in the next task, as everything is now fresh in my mind.

Research: Barthes Codes in Film Openings (Dorian Gray)

Dorian Gray (2009)

Clip up to 6:00 mins

1.  Identify the key actions within the opening - what kinds of actions are included and how is the narrative moved forward?

The first key action is a young man violently stabbing something we cannot see, and blood spurting all over him. We can than assume that time was skipped to the next scene, either back or forwards, when we see a carriage driving someone somewhere, then the same young man arriving somewhere looking bemused and excited, signifying to the audience that he has just arrived in a new place. The camera follows him as he explores this new place, then cuts to an aerial shot of some houses, then moves down to show the young man arriving at this house, allowing the narrative to move forward from him arriving in the new town to settling into his new home. The next action is the young man playing the piano at the house, and the narrative cleverly moves on from this by dissolving this scene into another where he is playing piano at some kind of event. We then see the young man meeting lots of new people, showing us that he is being introduced into society and that time has passed since he first arrived in town. The next action is the young man standing whilst another man is painting him, which is clearly a very key action in this film as it is based on the book The Picture of Dorian Gray.

2.  Identify the enigma codes within the opening - what kinds of questions are posed and how is the audience meant to read these codes?

The biggest question posed is of course what Dorian is stabbing at the very beginning of the sequence, as it isn’t a very normal, accepted action, so that clip is definitely placed there for extreme enigma. The rest of the story, we expect, will lead up to an explanation of who he was stabbing and why, and the audience are meant to wonder this throughout the whole film until the answer is revealed. We are also wondering where he has come from, as he seems very mysterious, and how he now owns this huge house in a different city.

                                                    
3.  Identify key characters and think about what they represent in the opening

We can tell within a few minutes that the main character is the young man stabbing something at the beginning, and we assume that he is the titular character, Dorian Gray. He seems to represent mystery, as he is a new character in town and we know nothing of his back story or why he’s come to London. He also represents someone seemingly perfect with sinister secrets, as he seems very handsome, rich and popular, but from the very first scene we know that he definitely has a dark side. We are also briefly introduced to another key character, Basil, and all we know so far is that he is a painter and a new friend of Dorian. The audience is curious as to why he is painting Dorian, and how much he knows about this mystery new man.

4. Interpret the cultural codes in the opening.  What kind of knowledge is being drawn on? social/historical/political/art and culture etc.  Highlight the 3 most important references in the opening that help with audience understanding.

This film already draws on cultural codes, as it is based on a famous novel written by Oscar Wilde, so most people will already know something about the story, or at least when it’s set, from the book itself.  The only other real cultural code in this opening is when a man says, “Welcome to London,” so viewers will obviously know where London is and immediately associate the places in this film with the London they know about.

5.  Identify key themes and analyse how they are presented visually/technically.

Some of the key themes are secrets and evil, presented to us very clearly in the first scene when Dorian is shown stabbing someone and covered in blood, straight away giving the audience an uneasy feeling. This scene along with the creepy music and the dark mise-en-scene clearly represents these themes. Corruption is also a key theme, and already we can see that by the contrast between the sinister Dorian and the innocent Dorian, arriving in London for the first time, fill of hope and excitement. Another more obvious key theme is art, and the portrayal of people through artwork, and we can tell this straightaway by the introduction of Basil the painter, and the shot of lots of different sketches of Dorian (5:04 mins).

Research: Continuity in film clips (Inception)

Inception (2010)

The first 40 seconds of this clip is made up of lots of shot/reverse/shots as a conversation between two people is being filmed. There are 11 OTS shots in a row, switching each time from Ariadne to Cobb. Each shot is slightly more zoomed in than the last one, making the audience feel more involved and as if they are moving closer and closer into the action. It also allows the viewers to see the expressions on the characters’ faces, which becomes more important throughout the sequence as Ariadne is becoming more confused.

At 0:42, there is a master shot so we can see the characters in relation to each other and their surroundings, and also to vary up the shot types and avoid it becoming too repetitive. It also fits in with the fact that Ariadne is looking around to find out where she is, so we follow her gaze and take a look around too, making the audience feel more in touch with the character. There are then three more OTS shots as the characters talk a bit more, then a cutaway to show a close up of the cup of coffee shaking on the table. This moves away from the whole action of the sequence and focuses momentarily on a small part of the action, in this case the shaking cup to show that the whole place is actually shaking, again adding variety to the shot types.

Shot order is important in this sequence too, as it deliberately goes back to the OTS shots before the CU of the cup, otherwise it would go straight from a wide shot to a close up which wouldn’t flow very smoothly. At 0:56, there is a reaction shot of Ariadne looking shocked at the shaking cup, and the cut matches as she is looking down at the cup, then we see her look up in the next shot. After all of the books explode from a shop, it cuts to another, further out, master shot so we can see what is happening all around the characters.

At 1:00 there is another reaction shot of Ariadne reacting to the exploding and flying objects, and she looks in the right direction so it makes sense. There are lots of match-on-action shots at the end, because when we some that some objects have already exploded outwards, they are still in logical positions in the next shots, and they don’t seem to have moved back in time or moved too much.

There are also lots of special effects at the end of this sequence and specific techniques have been used in order to make it look as if all the humans in this scene have frozen whilst all of the exploding chaos happens, adding to the effect of this impossible dream world. Of course the diegetic added sounds of the crashing objects and bursting ground fit perfectly with the action so it seems to the audience as if these actions really are creating that noise.

Research: Levi-Strauss's Theory of Binary Opposites (10 Things I Hate About You)

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

1. What is the genre of the film? How are the genre signifiers introduced?
This film is a High School Romantic Comedy. We can tell this by the cheery pop music used with the colourful titles at the very beginning of the film. The first characters we see are a group of teenage girls looking over-the-top happy and dancing in their open-top car, which we would expect to see in a romcom aimed at teenagers. The soundtrack then changes to a rock song, Bad Reputation, which clearly fits with the rebellious teenage girl we are introduced to next. All the girls are quite stereotypical - the cheery, girly girls and the lone, miserable-looking rebel - which fits with the conventions of this kind of film, and the way the girls look at each other in quite a bitchy way suggests that this film is a lot to do with cliques and social statuses, another key genre signifier. The next scene clearly shows a high school, and a boy shows a new student around the school whilst talking him through all the different cliques at the school, which is very stereotypical of this genre. There is also of course the classic 'love at first sight' moment with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's new student character and the typical blonde queen bee of the school.

2. Who are the main characters and how are they opposed?
There are a few main characters in this film: Kat, Patrick, Bianca and Cameron. Bianca is the pretty, popular good-girl, Kat is her rebellious older sister, Cameron is the new boy and Patrick is the mysterious 'bad-boy'. The first binary opposite we see (1:06 mins) is the group of girly, perfectly groomed, dancing girls listening to pop music in their car, in contrast to Kat pulling up in her car, on her own, listening to loud rock music ('I Don't give a damn about my reputation...') dressed in dark clothing and looking pretty miserable. The way the camera slowly pans across the screen from the girls in the first car to Kat really emphasises the contrast between them. The next binary opposite (2:42 mins) is between Cameron and Patrick. Cameron has just been shown as quite a nervous, stammery, innocent character, and when he rushes to leave the school office he comes face to face with Patrick, who is much taller and bigger-built than him. Patrick stares at him, looking tough, whereas Cameron is jittery, looks quite startled by him, and nods at him nervously before stumbling out. We are then shown a lot of binary opposites between all the different cliques around the school. There is another strong contrast (5:41 mins) between Kat and the rest of her fellow pupils in her class, shown when she voices her strong opinions that no-one else seems to agree with, especially when one girl describes Hemingway as 'so romantic' and Kat argues back that he was actually 'an abusive, alcoholic misogynist'.

3.What are the main themes of the film and how are they introduced?
One of the main themes will most likely be Cameron's attempt to get Bianca to go out with him, as we can guess by the way he seems to be enchanted by her as soon as he sees her that he won't just forget about her and not bother, despite being told that she is way out of his league and that she can't date anyway. This will of course involve one of the main themes of Romance, and probably Comedy too. There is also the theme of Rebellion, and Non-comformity, as we can tell that Kat is very outspoken with strong opinions, and the viewers will want to know whether she will stay like that throughout the film or maybe change her ways. We also wonder how Patrick will come into it, as he is introduced as a main character but he hasn't really had any connection with any of the other characters yet, although because he seems like such a strong character, we want to know more about him and what will happen to do with him and the other characters. The audience will probably guess that Kat and Patrick will have some kind of romance, as they are both shown as rebellious, non-comforming characters.

4.  How is the narrative organised to show conflict?
The narrative deliberately flows straight from the girly-girls in their car to Kat in her car to show the difference between them, and these differences, plus the way they look at each other in an unfriendly way and Kat's outspoken attitudes, suggests that there will be a conflict between Kat and some of the other girls in her school, even if it's not necessarily these particular girls. The sudden switch of the music also shows conflict between their opinions and tastes. We already see conflict between Kat and her teacher, as well as Kat and Joey (a boy in her class) when she argues with them about literature.

Research: Principles of Continuity

From reading the notes I have learnt a lot of different continuity techniques and rules, and they will be extremely useful to me and my group when it comes to shooting my film opening sequence, as it will look much more professional and effective. I broke a lot of continuity rules whilst filming for the 'accident task' but I didn't even know the rules existed, so now I know I won't be breaking them again, unless intentionally for effect. Here are some of the things I've learnt...

Camera directions and techniques create different effects when filming, and directors use a full range of shot distances. For example:

• Close-Ups for emotion, shock value, to put the audience right in the action, to focus on something important
• Mid range for dialogue, action and for linking shots
• Long range to establish a scene or to show large scale action
• OTS shots to place us on the side of a character and empathise with them 
• Camera movement to create the effect of physical movement

Editing has four main functions:

1. To cut the film down to the required length
2. To remove unwanted material and mistakes
3. To change the order of shots and the way events are portrayed
4. To establish a particular style for the production

Transitions are used to knit clips together, for example:

• Cuts to vary pace and rhythmn
• Fades
• Dissolves to slow time down or link action in different time frames (eg. dreams, flashbacks, etc.)
• Wipes

Continuity editing follows a set of unwritten rules to allow footage to be shot and edited into a seamless narrative. This allows suture, when the audience is metaphorically sewm into the narrative and doesn't notice the editing process. Here are some of the basic continuity editing rules:

THE 180 DEGREE RULE

There is an imaginary line which cuts through the middle of the scene and crossing this line changes the viewer's perspective so that it will create disorientation, therefore breaking the 180 degree rule. There is a similar rule for a moving subject: keep to one side of the direction of motion.

THE 30 DEGREE RULE
Don't change the camera angle by less than 30 degrees within the same framing, or viewers may notice a visible 'jump' in the footage known as a jump cut.

EYELINE MATCHING
The direction of the characters' gazes must stay the same.

MATCH ON ACTION
Movement should be edited so that the character has clearly moved between shots otherwise the action will appear as if it's been repeated.

SHOT/REVERSE/SHOT
When filming two characters talking to each other, film a master shot, then film again close to one character and again close on the other character, allowing you to cut between these three different shots throughout the conversation.

SHOT ORDER
Edit together certain shot distances for a smooth narrative, or it may seem jumpy, for example a CU to a LS may not flow very well in a conventional sequence.


There are many different techniques used in the editing room once the film has been shot:

• Transitions are used to link shots together and make the audience make sense of the film the way you intend them to.
• Sound is added, for example diagetic sound (sound effects), non-diagetic sound (not part of what's on screen eg. music) and a sound bridge (used to link two scenes).
• Lighting can be high-key, low-key for dramatic contrasts, from below to make a subject appear threatening or backlighting to produce a 'halo' effect around the edges of a subject.
• Colour can be edited, for example cold/blue lighting can signify alienation or coldness, whereas warm/yellow lighting can signify comfort and warmth. Very intense colours are describesd as saturated, and sepia or black and white effects can be used to represent a scene set in the past.

Research: Todorov's Theory of Equilibrium (Snow White)

 

Snow White (1937) [Up to 8:00 mins on the clip]

1. Who are the agents: the protagonist (the main hero who propels the narrative forward) and antagonist (opposing agent).
Our protagonist is of course Snow White, the beautiful, innocent titular character of this classic Disney film, and the antagonist is The Queen, who is the first character we are shown in the opening sequence.

2.Describe the Equilibrium. How is it represented? What kind of camera shots can you identify? (e.g establishing shots to create a sense of space or use of CUs/cutaways to emphasise particular objects/characters faces). Pick out 2 or 3 examples. Describe the mise-en-scene: what meanings do the props/costumes/lighting/framing carry?
The equilibrium is Snow White, living peacefully, clearly quite content with her life as it is by the way she is singing happily. The Queen is also living separately, content with knowing that she is the fairest of them all. We can see a contrast between the two characters by the way that the Queen is in a very dark, eerie looking castle, then it changes (with a fade rather than a cut, but that might be more to do with the technology or conventions at the time rather than for effect) to a bright, outdoor location with lots of white (symbolising peace and purity) where Snow White is sitting. The Queen is wearing more extravagant clothing, in rich purple, the colour of royalty, with a harsh-looking pointed crown and over the top dark makeup, whereas Snow White is in very simple, muted clothing and is drawn with a much more natural beauty. The differences between the two agents are also underlined by their facial expressions: Snow White has a constant smile on her face whilst the Queen is scowling throughout her scene.

3. Is the Disruption or Disequilibrium introduced or hinted at? (e.g the serial killer in "Seven" is introduced in the title sequence).
The suggestion of what will be the disruption of the equilibrium is introduced at the beginning of the film, when the Queen is told by her mirror on the wall that Snow White is now the fairest of them all, rather than the Queen herself. We can tell that the Queen doesn’t like being second by her outrage at this revelation, and when she clutches her hand and gasps, “Snow White!” we guess that she is now going to try and get her revenge on her, therefore disrupting the equilibrium of peace between the two characters.

4. Are there any visual/verbal/aural clues that hint at what the hero's journey might be? (e.g having to solve the murders within a time-limit of seven days in "Seven")
From the Queen’s reaction to finding out that Snow White is fairer than her, we assume that the hero’s journey will be something to do with escaping the Queen’s revenge on her, and attempting to thwart her plans to become the fairest of them all once again. We are also introduced to a handsome prince riding by on a horse, so we can also guess that her journey will have something to do with the prince, either teaming up with him to defeat her or trying to overcome the Queen’s evil to be together. Because it is an old-fashioned classic fairytale, it is likely that it will actually end up with the prince saving Snow White himself. At the end of the clip we see the Queen ordering a hitman to kill Snow White, so escaping death or capture by the Queen will probably be the main journey Snow White has to go through in the movie.

5. From your knowledge of the film, how will the equilibrium be restored and what will be the new equilibrium?
Having watched many classic Disney movies and fairytale before, the viewer will probably guess that the equilibrium will be restored by the death of the Queen, leaving Snow White and her prince to live happily ever after. This is of course what happens, when the Queen falls off of a cliff at the hands of the Seven Dwarves, then the prince kisses Snow White to bring her back to life.