Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Cinematography Examples
The excellent use of a crane in these shots makes the the sequence very appealing. The long running shots give a sense of flow to the movie, and shows both the setting and the full story of the character running away. This is very attractive to the audience as it shows the characters fully, without any breaks, making them appear more real and lifelike.
This amazing tracking shot from Soy Cuba (1964) follows a procession (a funeral) as it goes through a town. This shot was created by the use of a tower lift, and cables over the street, with a heavy camera which didn't need stabilisation, and a few cameramen. This is also very attractive to the audience, showing the full scene and creating a sense of being in the film by using the non-stop shot.
Monday, 18 February 2013
Sunday, 17 February 2013
Original Storyboard Ideas
The are the original ideas I sketched down to get a general view of what the sequence will look like.
This is Kirsty's part:
This is Kirsty's part:
Saturday, 16 February 2013
Location Photos
These are the original location photos taken. Shots 1-4 are where the opening scene with the group will take place, on the steps. Shots 5-8 are the stairs which Ali (Ceaser) will walk up). This shot will be still, cutting occasionally as Ali walks up the stairs. Shots 9-11 are the music studio in which Ali will be working and where (in the movie) Ali and Kirstie (Flo) will first meet.
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These locations were chosen as they are suitable to the mood of the film. It is set in a school to represent the age of Ali (being a teenager and involved in the 'street' lifestyle), with the music classrooms included to show music as possibly being his way out of the ganglife. Also as the two main characters are connected by music, the use of a music classroom seemed suitable.
We chose this school as the steps, with the imposing bars, were the perfect scene for the shots we wanted to take. We could use the bars to our advantage to create some interesting cinematography, possibly splitting up the characters. We have chosen the music studio at school to represent that, while the boy may be involved with a gang, he is still at school and being educated.
The interesting shapes on the stairs could be used to create some interesting cinematography, possibly shooting through the shapes to create contrast. The light through the window, creating the natural light effect will also be useful as we won't have to use any external lighting. The natural light shining on the character could also represent some good about him, creating an angelic effect.
Friday, 15 February 2013
'Youth Culture' Definition
The dictionary defines youth culture as "young adults considered as a cultural class or subculture" and "the sum of the ways of living of adolescents; it refers to the body of norms, values, and practices shared and recognised by members of the adolescent society as appropriate guides to actions".
The 'body of norms, values and practices' is what makes up the culture of youths. This can include things such as sport, music, clothing or vocabulary. This is divided up in to sub-categories and sub-cultures with different groups of youths connected by their clothing and taste in music.
Youth culture films specifically, usually refer to the extremes of youth culture at the time of the making of the film. This could include the mods and rockers of the 60s in films such as Quadrophenia, or gang warfare in youths in more modern times in films such as Adulthood. They often show groups of youths joined in their sub-category by their clothing and music, often in a war against another group with opposing ideas.
Our film is set to challenge the generalisation by having the main character be a youth trying to get out of his 'gang' culture to find a better life for himself, as well as another, middle classed character, linked to the main character in an unusual turn of events.
The 'body of norms, values and practices' is what makes up the culture of youths. This can include things such as sport, music, clothing or vocabulary. This is divided up in to sub-categories and sub-cultures with different groups of youths connected by their clothing and taste in music.
Youth culture films specifically, usually refer to the extremes of youth culture at the time of the making of the film. This could include the mods and rockers of the 60s in films such as Quadrophenia, or gang warfare in youths in more modern times in films such as Adulthood. They often show groups of youths joined in their sub-category by their clothing and music, often in a war against another group with opposing ideas.
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| Quadrophenia, youths of the 60s |
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| Adulthood, youths of today |
Our film is set to challenge the generalisation by having the main character be a youth trying to get out of his 'gang' culture to find a better life for himself, as well as another, middle classed character, linked to the main character in an unusual turn of events.
Thursday, 14 February 2013
'SyNC.' Title
SyNC.
The title for our film will be 'SyNC.", with the 'y' purposely lower case and with a full stop at the end. As the first characters we will see are under/working class, the 'y' will be used to signify a possible lack of education within this class. The actual word 'SyNC.' is shortened from the word syncopation, a technical musical term used to describe an offbeat rhythm in a song. This will portray the suppressed stereotype of youths being offbeat, and also incorporates music, as one of the main themes, into the film title.
The title for our film will be 'SyNC.", with the 'y' purposely lower case and with a full stop at the end. As the first characters we will see are under/working class, the 'y' will be used to signify a possible lack of education within this class. The actual word 'SyNC.' is shortened from the word syncopation, a technical musical term used to describe an offbeat rhythm in a song. This will portray the suppressed stereotype of youths being offbeat, and also incorporates music, as one of the main themes, into the film title.
Synopsis
SYNC. (Film title) Ceaser and Florence, two teenagers from two completely different backgrounds, share the same passion for music. A cross between 'Kidulthood' and 'Brown Sugar'. Both of them find themselves facing their inner demons and struggle to battle against them. Ceasar (Ali) tries to shed his 'gang life' image and Florence faces up to her parents as she refuses to live up to their great expectations of an academic career but to follow her dream to be in the musical industry(Kirsty) . Ceasar and Florence meet more and more to make music together but find themselves drifting towards being more than friends. They confide in each other sharing their problems and work together to overcome them. Problems arise and test their bond but they discover their shared passion for music and feelings towards each other are their only way out and nothing will make them go back to their old ways.
Link Between Ideas and Synopsis
We started to decide on the name for our film in the original ideas, with a few sketched out rough ideas at the bottom of the sheet. We then went through a selection process during which we decided that 'SyNC.' would be the name of our film (for reasons and connections to youth culture see above).
During the drawing up of the original script ideas, we got a few ideas for how we would start the film, and a rough basic idea of any dialogue we would have. We also had a basic idea of shots we would use (e.g crabbing).
During the drawing up of the original script ideas, we got a few ideas for how we would start the film, and a rough basic idea of any dialogue we would have. We also had a basic idea of shots we would use (e.g crabbing).
Original Script Ideas
These are the original script ideas, with a few logo/film title ideas at the bottom.
Other ideas for Film Title:
Other ideas for Film Title:
- Joined (a link between the two characters)
- Joint (a play on words, to do with drugs and a link between the two characters)
- Timing (a musical term)
- Connection (a link)
- Connextion (a more youthful version of the word connection, using an x)
- High/Low (a play on the middle and under/working class of the characters)
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
What We Will Use In Our Opening Two Minutes
(based on our audience research)
From our audience research I have gathered an idea of what our target audience want from a youth culture film.
They want:
A cast of a similar age- older teenagers and young adults, from 15 - approx. 22.
A stereotypical representation of todays youths.
From watching the opening sequences of our audience research subjects favourite youth culture films (Adulthood and Kidulthood) I have noticed some similarities that I can use in our movie.
From our audience research I have gathered an idea of what our target audience want from a youth culture film.
They want:
A cast of a similar age- older teenagers and young adults, from 15 - approx. 22.
A stereotypical representation of todays youths.
From watching the opening sequences of our audience research subjects favourite youth culture films (Adulthood and Kidulthood) I have noticed some similarities that I can use in our movie.
- They both start black, with the institutions names showing up on the screen (for Adulthood- UK Film Council, Cipher Films; for Kidulthood- Hanway Films, Stealth Films, Cipher Films). After the institutions names, the first shot has an effect on it. In Adulthood the first shot (after the flashbacks from the previous film) is an artistic one with no clear objects. It is an out of focus shot of car lights. This then goes into focus.
- In Kidulthood, the first shot is a slow motion shot of teenagers playing football. The next few shots are either sped up or slowed down, creating an interesting motion effect.
- I would like to use these- starting with a black screen with the institutions names, then an out of focus blurred shot, possibly with an effect.
Youth Culture Films Interview (Audience Research)
Audience Research:
We interviewed some of our peers asking the five questions:
- What are your expectations of the opening 2 minutes of any film?
"I should find out the main themes and a bit about the main characters"
"Know everything about what the film is trying to show me"
"Brief description (visually) of what's happening, the setting, the man characters"
"Set the scene- hooks you to the film"
- What are your expectations of the opening 2 minutes of a youth culture film?
"Find out what's going to happen, and how the film will develop"
"Get to the point"
"Show what area it's set in"
"Teenagers, walking around [...] in groups"
- Why do enjoy youth culture films?
"I can relate to them"
"I feel like I can relate to the problems the characters may feel"
"They are relatable to some of us"
"Teenagers enjoy watching other teenagers"
- How do you typically access films?
"On the internet"
"Download offline or DVD"
"Cinema or DVD"
"CInema is really expensive, so DVD or internet, peer to peer sharing"
- What is your favourite youth culture film?
"Kidulthood"
"Adulthood"
"Adulthood"
"(some mutterings with no real answer)"
What have I learnt from this?
I now know which youth culture films our peers (in our target audience group) enjoy the most, meaning I can take elements from these to incorporate into our movie.
I know how our target audience typically access a movie, the most common being (as our target audience has less money) on the internet, through downloading or on a website. Our film, being a first time amateur production, probably wouldn't make it into a cinema, unless at a free screening, so over the internet is a crucial way for our movie to be advertised and to find our target audience.
I know what our target audience expects from the opening two minutes of a movie, and more specifically from the opening two minutes of a youth culture film- generally that it sets the scene and introduces the main characters.
What have I learnt from this?
I now know which youth culture films our peers (in our target audience group) enjoy the most, meaning I can take elements from these to incorporate into our movie.
I know how our target audience typically access a movie, the most common being (as our target audience has less money) on the internet, through downloading or on a website. Our film, being a first time amateur production, probably wouldn't make it into a cinema, unless at a free screening, so over the internet is a crucial way for our movie to be advertised and to find our target audience.
I know what our target audience expects from the opening two minutes of a movie, and more specifically from the opening two minutes of a youth culture film- generally that it sets the scene and introduces the main characters.
Monday, 11 February 2013
Media Institutional Research
Possible Distributors
- 21st Century Pictures
- British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
- Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy
- Revolver Entertainment
- Artificial eye
- Capelight Pictures
- Image entertainment
- Future Film
- Front Row Filmed Entertainment
Possible Production Companies
- BBC Films
- UK Film Council
- Channel 4 films
- Stealth Films
- Cipher Films
- TMC Films
Main Distribution Companies:
Channel 4 Films is a production company owned by Channel 4 TV corporation. They produce British films for theatrical release and they plan to play the films on Film4 and Channel4 after release. They are responsible for producing a large number of films in the United kingdom. Walters directed by Stephen Frears was the first movie they produced in 1982. Film4 Productions tend to look for movies which includes of young British which is really shown to the audience through Youth culture films. They often look for movies which tend to get a message through their story line in a particular genre.
UK Film Council Was produced in 2000 to improve and promote the film industry in the United Kingdom. It was a private company funded by the National lottery. the company was set up by the Labour party so it connects the government to the film industry. Their main aim is to improve the UK film and industry and make it good enough to compete with films world wide and they also want to promote the use of cinema through the UK.
BBC Films is a British companies which works with worldwide film production. In recent years it has been the most successful British film producing company. It works with other British and International film production companies. The BBC aim to make films with good story lines and on a level to attract audiences worldwide and not just in the UK.
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Camera Angles Research
This is a short clip talking about different camera angles/shots. I watched this video to gain a clearer understanding of the varieties of shots available to use, and to get inspiration for shots we could use during our filming. We will be able to refer back to this when filming to make sure we are doing it correctly.
I learnt about the connotations of using a high or a low angle- I plan to use this to effect in our final piece. I will probably include a shot of the female character from a low angle to represent her power over the male character, showing connotations of love from the male to the female. I will also use some point of view shots when the two characters meet, possibly with the female character being higher (standing up) to represent her desirability.
Monday, 4 February 2013
Bullet Boy Opening Sequence Analysis
TITLES: The titles are simple, with white lettering on a black background. The black background then changes to a dark shot of boy (we later found out that the boy is in the back of a car). The sequence then fades to white, with 'BULLET BOY' in capitals in black. This sudden change, along with the title being slightly offset, makes the audience begin to subconsciously think the film's general theme will be slightly unbalanced, maybe with a struggle or a contrast.
INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION: Included in the titles are the logos 'BBC Films' and UK Film Council. The text 'A Shine Production' is also intermingled with the title sequence.
LOCATION: The first location seen is in a prison. This location, coupled with the title and the film poster (of the character with a gun) makes the audience think that the main character has commited a crime, possibly gun-related. The other location seen is someone in a car, possibly driving to collect the main character.
CHARACTERS: The original feeling that the audience gets from the main character is that he has committed a crime, shown from the prison, the movie title and the movie poster. The character seems laid back, lying down and seeming to be relaxing. The shot then shows a female police officer. The character seems to be on good terms with the officer, as she speaks colloquially to him, "Come on sleepy head, time to go 'ome". This shows that he may actually be friendly or familiar with the officer, maybe insinuating that he has been there before.
GENRE AND THEMES: The main theme shown in the opening two minutes is crime. This is represented by the prison. However, digging deeper into this, taking into account that he is a young black male in tracksuit, combined with his dialect and the film poster, the opening two minutes also represents to audiences and foreshadows the theme of gangs and gang violence, typical in a youth culture film.
OTHER EXPECTATIONS: The non-diagetic sound has an ominous feel to it, foreshadowing events in the film and creating tension.
Trainspotting Opening Sequence Analysis
TITLES: The titles introduce the main characters names with bold white titles in front of a paused image of the character- there is no film title ('Trainspotting') at the beginning. This introduces the characters well and shows a little bit of their personality (e.g Renton is laughing, showing his carefree attitude).
LOCATION: First shot starts with two main characters running down a high road, seemingly in quite a big town. They have just robbed a shop (shown by the appliances falling out of their pockets.
CHARACTERS: The main character (Renton) is shown to be the main character in the first shot as he is running slightly in front of the other character, making him bigger in the shot meaning the audience see him first. This is a medium closeup shot, using the rule of thirds to separate the characters. This opening sequence is unique, so attracts an audience.
GENRES AND THEMES: Products falling out of their pockets; crime. Shows Renton smoking at end; drugs.
Monday, 21 January 2013
Youth Culture
Films on Youth Culture are often very generic, involving gangs and violence. This stereotype of youths, created by the media through films such as these, gives youths a bad image. However for our coursework, we would like to portray a better side of youth culture. However, gangs and problems are ever-present, so we will still portray the gang lifestyle through one of our characters.
Common Features Of Youth Culture Films
- Almost all modern Youth Culture Films are set in the streets or on an estate, usually set in London (such as Hackney in My Brother The Devil).
- One generic youth culture idea is that the characters are trying to get out of the 'hood' and of the streets and into a better life. The movie usually portrays their hardships and struggles to get themselves a better life. Common catalysts for escape are music or education or a reality trip (usually through prison, such as in Adulthood).
- Another common convention is to have a gang war (such as in My Brother The Devil) between two main character's gangs. There is usually violence and crime involved, and often drug or weapons dealing.
- Prison is often a major part of a youth culture film, with characters often just coming out of prison as the movie starts, and trying to sort themselves a new life. For example in Adulthood, when the main character comes out of prison, he tries to set himself up a new life. However problems from the past begin to come up and he finds it hard to get out of the gang scene.
- Main characters are often from an underprivileged background with a dysfunctional family, often with a single parent.
- However, family is often a big part of youth culture. For example in My Brother The Devil, the main character is trying to help is little brother get out of the gang scene before he gets into it.
- Main characters are often trying to struggle for an identity.
- Sometimes gangs are represented as safety or a family, such as in This Is England, where the bullied kid gets involved in a gang for safety and friendship.
Youth Culture Example Synopsis (My Brother The Devil)
MY BROTHER THE DEVIL: Two teenage brothers must face their prejudices head on if they are to survive the perils of being young, British Arabs on the streets of gangland London. It tells the story of two brothers living in the gang-ruled, drug-afflicted estates of Hackney. The younger of two, Mo, (played by the amateur actor Fady Elsyad) idolises his drug-dealing older brother Rashid (James Floyd), but as he gets drawn more into his world, he realises and uncovers truths which causes schisms between them, their friends and the gang-land hierarchy. The films main thread revolves around a gangland turf-war, with the two brothers struggling for an identity in the escalating violence.
Youth Culture Example Synopsis (Trainspotting)
TRAINSPOTTING: Renton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out, despite the allure of the drugs and influence of friends.Set in Edinburgh, the film begins with Mark Renton's narration as he and his friend, Spud sprint down Princes Street, pursued by security guards. Renton states that unlike people who 'choose life' (traditional families, materialistic possessions and financial stability), he decided live life as a heroin addict. The rest of Renton's close circle of football enthusiast friends are introduced: con-artist Sick Boy, clean-cut athlete Tommy and sociopath, Frank Begbie. Sick Boy, Spud and Renton are all heroin addicts who spend their days shooting up in their drug dealer, Swanney's flat.
Youth Culture Example Synopsis (This Is England)
THIS IS ENGLAND: A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.
Youth Culture Example Synopsis (Adulthood)
ADULTHOOD: Six years after Sam Peel is released from jail for killing Trife, he realizes that life is no easier on the outside than it was on the inside and he's forced to confront the people he hurt the most. Some have moved on, others are stuck with the repercussions of his actions that night, but one thing's for certain - everyone has been forced to grow up. Through his journey Sam struggles to deal with his sorrow and guilt and something else he didn't expect - those seeking revenge. As he's pursued by a new generation of bad boys, Sam sets about trying to get the message across to his pursuers that they should stop the violence, much like Trife tried to tell him all those years ago. Can Sam stop the cycle of violence and make something positive from the destruction he caused or will his journey into Adulthood end here?
Youth Culture Example Synopsis (Bullet Boy)
BULLET BOY tells the story of two brothers growing up in one of London's most volatile neighbourhoods, where a minor street clash escalates into a cycle of violence that has tragic repercussions. A powerful and moving tale of young men on the edge, it reflects an emerging modern reality within Britain's inner cities.
The film explores themes of friendship, rivalry and revenge amid a generation of boys to whom guns have become a fact of life. When 18 year old Ricky is released from a Youth Offenders Institute he desperately wants to avoid falling back into his criminal past. However, his claustrophobic world and the huge pressure to conform proves inescapable. Ricky almost immediately gets caught up in a road rage incident involving his best friend, Wisdom, and a local rival - all for the sake of a broken wing-mirror.
This minor confrontation quickly develops into a series of tit for tat reprisals that spiral out of control. Ricky's 12 year old brother Curtis is battling his own pressures and is caught between this world and his mum Beverley's competing aspirations for him. Ricky is at a turning point - his mum and girlfriend Shea are struggling to help him stay out of trouble but he owes a debt of allegiance to Wisdom who has already crossed that line. It seems inevitable Ricky will be dragged down with him, but it's also only a matter of time before Curtis - in thrall to the allure of his older brother - will be drawn in too.
Bullet Boy inhabits a volatile world where friendships and loyalty are tested to the extreme, the interchange of fate and circumstance seems as casual as a coin toss, and the slightest flare of emotions can set off a devastating ripple of events. The film takes these two boys, their friends, families and enemies through a heady and emotional three days as one gun changes hands leaving in its wake a trail of destruction.
The film explores themes of friendship, rivalry and revenge amid a generation of boys to whom guns have become a fact of life. When 18 year old Ricky is released from a Youth Offenders Institute he desperately wants to avoid falling back into his criminal past. However, his claustrophobic world and the huge pressure to conform proves inescapable. Ricky almost immediately gets caught up in a road rage incident involving his best friend, Wisdom, and a local rival - all for the sake of a broken wing-mirror.
This minor confrontation quickly develops into a series of tit for tat reprisals that spiral out of control. Ricky's 12 year old brother Curtis is battling his own pressures and is caught between this world and his mum Beverley's competing aspirations for him. Ricky is at a turning point - his mum and girlfriend Shea are struggling to help him stay out of trouble but he owes a debt of allegiance to Wisdom who has already crossed that line. It seems inevitable Ricky will be dragged down with him, but it's also only a matter of time before Curtis - in thrall to the allure of his older brother - will be drawn in too.
Bullet Boy inhabits a volatile world where friendships and loyalty are tested to the extreme, the interchange of fate and circumstance seems as casual as a coin toss, and the slightest flare of emotions can set off a devastating ripple of events. The film takes these two boys, their friends, families and enemies through a heady and emotional three days as one gun changes hands leaving in its wake a trail of destruction.
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Genre and Original Planning Decision
After debates, our group has decided to use the 'youth culture' genre as the main genre of our movie. There will be a link between the two main characters, of music and romance. These will be the main two themes. Romance develops through their shared love for music. We have decided to call the movie 'SYNC.', shortened from the word syncopation, a technical musical term used to describe an offbeat rhythm in a song. This portrays the suppressed stereotype of youths being 'offbeat', and also incorporates music, as one of the main themes, into the film title.
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Free Period Time Table
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
| Period 1 | |||||
| Period 2 | |||||
| Period 3 | |||||
| Period 4 | |||||
| Period 5 |
Green: Ali, Kirsty, Elliot
Yellow: Jotham
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Initial Coursework Ideas
For our coursework, we have to shoot and edit at least 2 minutes of film, for the opening sequence of a film , genre of our choice. The first problem was deciding a genre, so our group had a debate:
- Action/adventure would be fun, however, locations, props and special effects would be hard to get and would most likely be costly.
- It would be hard to find suitable actors for a Romance, and none of the group were interested in doing this.
- A Comedy could very easily go wrong, as it demands pin-point accuracy in delivery and cutting. We also probably wouldn't be able to find suitable actors.
- A Thriller/Horror would be cliched and, if not done properly, even cheesy. We have also already done a trial photo-shoot based on a Thriller/Horror sequence.
- A Superhero film would have the same problems as an Action/Adventure film, with very little budget it would be hard to create a believable or suitable character.
- One option we did look into further however was a look into youth culture and society.Films such as Adulthood and Kidulthood have already portrayed the stereotypical view of youths- being involved in gangs and violence.
- However, we thought we could maybe explore both sides of the social spectrum, showing the story of an under/lower class youth and a middle/upper class youth living completely different lives but experiencing similar problems.
- We came up with a few different links between the two characters, including:
- Music
- A romance with a girl/boy
- School
- Younger childhood
- An interest in a similar sport
- Family ties
- These will have to be discussed further with the group in order to decide on a storyline and a link between the characters.
- However, nothing is set, these are only preliminary ideas.
Opening Scene Examples
The Dark Knight: This opening sequence starts with an extreme long shot of a building, which then zooms in to a window. This extreme long shot sets the scene. The next few shots begin to introduce some characters, but mainly introduces the theme of the movie - the clown/joker.
Opening Scene Examples
Forrest Gump:
This opening scene uses a single shot for almost 3 minutes of footage. The shots tracks a feather as it drifts it's way down to the main character. The main character is shown at first by his shoes, which are muddy. However, when the rest of the character is seen, he is wearing smart, clean clothes. This juxtaposition makes you start to wonder about the character and the storyline. This draws the audience into the movie, so the opening sequence has done it's job well.
Camera Techniques
I found a video with camera techniques such as time-lapse and tilt-shift. The video shows the natural world in an unnatural way - speeded up.
Landscapes: Volume 3 from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Improvements for Real Coursework
- We will practise the pull focus on the camera.
- We will practise improving the white balance.
- We will leave more time to complete the task.
- Choose our setting and location better.
- Make sure everyone is there when needed.
- Enhance sound recordings.
- Improve use of miss-en-scene (with costumes and props prepared).
- Draw out a better storyboard.
- Use a tripod or monopod for more stable shots.
Screenshots from Preliminary Task
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| Our attempted pull focus. The shot started focused on the wall, then was meant to focus on the actor that walks in. |
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| The upset white balance. |
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| The pull focus, not focusing. |
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| Bad frame positioning. |
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| Good frame positioning and camera stability. |
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| Focus on the phone. This shot had bad camera stability. |
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| Good frame positioning. |
Preliminary Task Evaluation
- The shot with the phone playing music is not steady.
- A tripod was used but it wasn't the right size for this shot so it didn't reach the floor, making the shot unsteady.
- Some shots required from the guide sheet were not taken, such as the shot focusing on the sign on the door.
- An attempted pull-focus shot was not pulled off, this will have to be practised.
- The colour of the setting was a bright green. This upset the white balance on the camera, making the whole shot green.
- The props were not ideal, and made quickly before filming.
- Some of the shots were not edited well. Some shots had bad positioning, especially the reverse shots between the two actors. Some shots went on too long.
- Group planning was quite good, apart from one actor was ill on one day of shooting. This meant that we had minimal time to film the sequence.
- The storyboard was not done accurately enough, so it was heard to interpret what shots to take.
Evaluation Table:
PRELIMINARY EVALUATION SHEET
Quality of Summary
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My honest evaluation- what was done well and what was not of good standard? Try to cite specific example and moments from your video
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Examples of strategies, good practices and skills that my group and I will put into place and develop to ensure a main production of high quality.
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Quality of holding a shot steady
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We didn't have too many problems with steady shots but one shot which was a closeup of the phone wasn't steady and the table was moving. Another shot which wasn't too steady was when the characters were dancing the cameras moving too much. The opening shot was quite still and was panned well down the building.
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To fix the problem of the moving camera while closeup we would have to use a tripod at a specific position. For the dance scene we should have done different shots at different angles.
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Quality of the framing of shots
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The reverse shot we have done while the conversation between the two characters is done quite well. The shot of the character walking along the corridor isn't very well focussed. The last shot is shot over the shoulder of the character and we could've shot it from in front of him to improve the shot.
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To fix the problem of focus we would just have to repeat the shot to perfect out focus. To improve our shots we could shoot it from different angles and see which one looks best.
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Quality of shooting material appropriate to the task set- i.e. the content of your film pre and post editing was consistent with the exam directives
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WE had a tick sheet of our script and we had ticked most of the boxes by the time we finished. We didn't track
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Quality of selecting mise-en-scène including colour, figure, lighting, objects and setting;
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The main setting of our opening sequence was painted green and we should have applied white balance to fix the colours. The light in the room was also quit dull. Our setting was quite different as we did it in a toilet which meant the objects around would be unexpected. I believe our figure was quite well done.
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To improve this for startes we would have to apply white balance to the filming. We would use a different setting more related to the story line and use our own lighting to brighten the room when needed.
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Quality of editing so that meaning is apparent to the viewer
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Over all i believe our quality of editing was decent but we could have had improvements to make it more obvious to the viewer. For example when the actors dance in the persons head it isn't clear as in the scene is actually happening or its the character imagining. We could have improved our over the shoulder reverse shots. Something i think we did very well was putting the scene of the pencil case being thrown into two shots.
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We would have to show the actor thinking at first then the scene blurring into the dance scene to make the audience know whats going on. For our over the shoulder reverse shot we should have shown the Character standing from a high angle to make him look smaller to the main character sitting down.
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Quality of using sound with images and editing appropriately for the task set;
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We used sound quite well as the only sound we really used was a song which is first heard with a music device on the screen and then it is used with the characters dancing. We also used a zip sound at the end which is reacted at by the character being shocked and running away, however this scene isn't very clear with the sound.
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To make the scene better and clearer we could show the zip being opened on the camera with a reverse shot back on the other actor followed by his reaction to the zip opening.
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Quality of positioning and movements of actors
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The positioning was quite well as the "bigger man" was sat down while his agent was standing up. Movement could have been better when he is walking into the bathroom to show more of the actor and also in the dance scene one of the characters (the girl) at the back was barely visible.
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To adjust the movement of the actor to look better we could make the camera man move a bit further to show more of his body language. For the dancing scene we could use wider space with the camera shooting at a different angle.
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Quality of group planning, meeting targets, organization
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We managed to plan everything together without any problems and we shot our film in two days with all members present so we didn't have any trouble with that. We didn't meet our targets of the quality of the opening sequence.
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To meet our targets we could spread our filming out to a wider time so we can perfect everything. We could also ask people to help us with acting to improve our planning.
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Group dynamics i.e. how did your group work together
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Our Group very well together as we perfectly divided all our work between the 4 people and we had no trouble getting our work completed. We might of had some slight difference in opinion.
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To improve we could have different people to do different things to see who does what best. For the opinion problem we could try both ways and see whats better.
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Other points of evaluation
(E.g. equipment related etc)
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We didn't have a hand pod due to which some of the shots came out to be a bit shaky. We also didn't have any additional lighting with us.
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We could use a hand pod to shoot from better angles with a support making it easier to shoot. We could use portable lighting in any place lacking good light.
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Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Problems and Mistakes
While we enjoyed creating this mini-movie, there were are few problems and several mistakes.
Problems:
The location for the shoot was not well thought out. The bright green paint in the toilet upset the white balance of the camera, making the whole shot and everything in it look bright green.
Mistakes:
In some of the shots the director is speaking and you can hear it clearly (contains diagetic sound).
Some attempts at pull-focus didn't work.
Some editing errors (shots cut too late).
Small area to work with (hard to get ideal shots).
White balance on camera.
Sound editing.
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