Continuity Task - Production and Post-production

After deciding on our idea and them story boarding and scripting it, we then got down to filming or production of our short film. For the filming I told a back set role as I was heavily involved in the pre-production faze. I thought that this was good as it allow and other team members to get involved to the proses. In the filming we had to follow the 180 degree rule, create a shot-reverse-shot and variety of appropriate camera angles as well. So to complete is we have a long shot, Mid-shot and close up; Low angle, eye level and over the shoulder shots.

After we finished filming all of the shot we need we when back to the computer and looked at all the footage we had and decided that we need to reshot 2 scene. after we did that we sat down and started editing. Is I have edited before I feel that it would be better if my team mates learn how to use the Premiere Pro. So Amy started editing. We started by piecing the shot together, focusing on getting the shot in the right older not on the time length. After getting the shot done we when about getting the right feeling to the piece cut some of the shot down in time and adding to some others. At this point we also add the title at the start and the credits at the end. we watch the sequence back and found that it would look better and that we did not need to see the weapon getting smack over the woman head. So we cut that part out but left the diegetic audio in, so the audience could hear what happened but did not see it. we also cut little bit out of the find scene to give the feel of life leaving the woman and we used fade out to black to show this. Finial We need to music to go over it all after a little consideration we decide not to uses a song the lyric but a soundtrack, we chose one of the soundtracks to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, ” Voldmort”. However to be able to hear the non-diegetic sound over the diegetic we had to fade down the Background music at certain point in the film.

Here is our finished film:

Continuity Task - Pre-production

We where lucky enough to be given a whole day to start our continuity task. This was a chance to work in our groups to learn how to come up with an idea, story board it, script it, film and edit it as well. We also developed our knowledge and technical skill of camera work, sound, editing and miss-en-sence. The film must not be more than 60 seconds long.

To complete this successfully, our technical requirements for this task are that:

• You must not break the 180 degrees rule
• You must include a shot-reverse-shot
• You must include a variety of appropriate camera angles
• You must edit so that continuity is apparent and meaning is clear
• You must include more than one location
• You must include some interaction between characters
• You must include some non-diegetic sound

So before starting filming any thing we have to come up with some ideas. here are some on the ideas we came up with: Spy, Mafia, Chase, Business Conversation and Murder. We decided on Murder as it was the most simple of all the ideas and quick to shot. Also we decided on murder and it is a thriller and as the genre we are doing is base on a thriller we thought that it would be a good idea, as we can put what we have learnt in to practice. Also because it is the genre that we know the most about, down to our research.

So after deciding that we would do a murder, we next brainstormed the ideas we have for the film itself (which can be scene below). The decision we make was that it would be about a man who find out his wife is having an affair, he finds a weapon (metal bar) and sets of to got and kill her. He finds her tell her the he know what has been going on and find hits her over the head with the weapon. We feel that this was a good idea as it was simple to shoot, easy to understand and it fulfilled the requirements.

After coming up with our idea we then decided to storyboard and script our our 60 second shot film. In this proses we known that we need to not break the 180 degrees rule have a shot-reverse-shot, a variety of angles, more then one location and a interaction between character. So we when into story boarding with this at the front of our minds.

Here is our story broad:

We now that we want music to come in at the point what our main characters see the weapon and we know what style we wanted but not what piece of music. We also known that we what to have diegetic sound through out the film.

Our script need to be short be concise, allowing our audience to understand what was doing on In a shot time. We feel that our scrip did this, here it is.

Man: I know what you have been doing. 
Woman: What? 
Man: Don’t You lie to me. You know what I am talking about. How dare you sleep with him. 
Woman: How did you find out? 
Man: John down the pub told me. How dare you? [Man lifts weapon up in the air.] 
Woman: I’m Sorry. I’m Sorry [Scream]

I feel that out script was very good as it got to the point quick and gave the audience the information they need to understand what had happened. However I think out story board could have been better, giving more information like shot angle, lengths, Sound, Diegetic or Non-Diegetic Editing, Cuts or Cross Dissolve ect. This is something to take on and think about when we make our prover story board as this will make the production and post production faster and easy, as all the chosen have been made before hand.

Title Sequences Analysis

I understand what is need for a good opening scene, however I don’t think I know what makes a really good title sequences. So i feel that I need to do some research into what makes a title sequences.

SE7EN (Seven)

In Seven the camera does very little, all the shots are extreme close up will not panning of tracking. The pace of the film is all created through cut or continuity editing which create the feeling that time is moving fasted. The fact that all the shots are extreme close up add ambiguity, mythes and unease about the whole film as the audience does not know what is really happening or where, when, how or why that are seeing what is on the screen. All of this is added to by the high key light of the shot that is in juxtaposition to the black background, making the audience feel uncomfortable with the change in lighting.

The only sound that has been used is non-diegetic music. The music has a receptive beat and sound the have been effect so that the audience can not make out what they are. This ambiguity build on the unease of the camera shot to make the title sequences uncomfortable to watch. However it is not to uncomfortable of the audience to sit through and find out when the mythes is and satisfy there inner need to know what is going to happen.

The tex is white over black, with the style been hand write as the add obscurity to what is being written. Also the text is hand written as it ties in with the fact that in the shots there is a “hand” writing in a book (diary). When the text is on the screen is moves about on the screen, little old film does. This give across the feel the something super nature is going to happen as text what should stage still is moving.

Splice

The start of Splice is extremely ambiguity. The Camera tracking across this unknown green and white skin like substance. The use of the tracking makes it feel like the audience is exploring the surface of this substance and because they don’t know what it is they become fearful of what they might find. The further uses of green adds the notion that there is some sort of alien presents or something unknown. All of the shot are extreme close up would adds different type of ambiguity as the audience does not get to see all of what is there is around so become anxious of the unknown and what is lurking in the shadow.

There is only one sound that can be hear and this is the music which is a non-diegetic sound. The music is piano with a low murmuring beat which adds the sense of unfamiliar and unease about the whole start to the film. There is also a low muffled quality as if it was underwater. This reenforce the fact that the green substance is underwater as is the shot there are bubbles around it, again this add more interest in to the film as the audience start to ask question like Why is it in water? Why is it green? What is it?

The text that has been used is mixture of typewriter text and text the has been created out of the green create. The actors names have been make out of the create and imply that there character has something to do that the create of this green animal. The crew name are in white and look like that have been type by a typewrite, this could imply that what (as the crew) had some part to play in creating this crate and that it have been write up as a report. Also the all of the text is in a green hue and imply that is some thing move to this than meets the eye.

From this I have learnt that the title sequences need to be part of the main story and need to tell the story to the audience as well. Also I have learnt that the text need to be part of the story and represents the story line.

Research into Crime / Detective plot lines

Before deciding on what is going to happen in our two min opening scene, me and my group thought that it would be a good idea to do a little bit of research into the other Crimes / Detectives plot lines. What similarities and differences do thay have? What type of characters are there? What is the main topic that the film in base around e.g. money, drags ect.?


The Dark Night

"Set within a year after the events of Batman Begins, Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new district attorney Harvey Dent successfully begin to round up the criminals that plague Gotham City until a mysterious and sadistic criminal mastermind known only as the Joker appears in Gotham, creating a new wave of chaos. Batman's struggle against the Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to "confront everything he believes" and improve his technology to stop him. A love triangle develops between Bruce Wayne, Dent and Rachel Dawes." Written by Leon Lombardi Provided by IMDb




Goodfellas

"This film views the mob lives of three pivotal figures in the 1960's and 70's New York. Henry Hill is a local boy turned gangster in a neighborhood full of the roughest and toughest. Tommy Devito is a pure bred gangster, who turns out to be Henry's best friend. Jimmy Conway puts the two of them together, and runs some of the biggest hijacks and burglaries the town has ever seen. After an extended jail sentence, Henry must sneak around the back of the local mob boss, Paulie Cicero, to live the life of luxury he has always dreamed of. In the end, the friends end up in a hell of a jam, and must do anything they can to save each other, and stay alive." Written by formica97@aol.com Provided by IMDb

Similarities
- Both films contain the mob and a main character working with or for them.
- There is a thin line draw in both film between good and evil, The main character breaking the law steeling money to get them self a better life and the Batman who breaks the law to do good.
- Both films show money trafficking.


Differences

-  In the Dark Knight there is a love triangle.
- The Dark Knight show the police or law enforcers combating agains the mob or law breakers.
- The Goodfellas main character all work with or for the mob.

Key Characters
- Mob or criminal group

- One character who breaks the law (Evil character)
- Another character who some times breaks the law to go good and stop the crime. (Good character)
- Police or a law enforcers 


Topics / Themes / Ideas
- Getting a better life
- Money 
- Good Vs Evil (right vs wrong)
- Conflict
- Morals


I feel that this have help me to understand what is need from a plot for a film to have a real good story line and therefore a good opening, as you need to know where the film is going to know hoe to start the film. I will take what I have learnt from this into my opening sense and develop upon this to create repetition, variation and familiarity.


If I did this again I would like to do more that 2 films and films that are close together in time. The reason I decided to do film the had a time gap was, that I thought it would show how film had developed. However what I how found is that I don't need to see how film have develop but to can I develop them from past film. So to do that i need to look at film that are close together in time be use close to today. 

Analysis of Godzilla Trailer

Camera

The establishing shot is a extrema long shot with a tilt from the sea to the New York skyline. This sets the location from the audience but also back than ask, Why an I looking at the sea? It creates an engaging trailer as it add myths and wonderment to what could be in the sea. The next shot is if the dock as a old man (our protagonist) enters. The is a low angle, pan and track shot which create the feel that someone or thing is watch and wait for him. Following on from that the audience sees the protagonist friend calling to him, this shot is a high angle and a mid shot create the feeling that that are up high and out of the way. Creating the feeling that something is waiting him is the next shot of the camera looking down on to him throw the chickening wire. The audience then watches the protagonist set him self down and get ready to fish. All of these shot are mid length and at eye level. This create a connexion between the audience and out main character with makes an engaging trailer. These shot follow on with long shots of the sea and the monster which create scale of how big the "Godzilla" is compared to protagonist. That is a bird eye view shot on the dock getting ripped up by "Godzilla". This give the audience a different angle to view the destruction from create interest in the story line and film. The audience then gets the title of the film and a Close up of the eye of the monsters. Followed by a shot in in a car with rubbish and cars flying everywhere, this can infer what happens in the rest of the film.

Editing

The film start of very slow, with cross devolves linking the New York skyline with the docks. However the film then start to become faster as the protagonist and audience move close to see the monster. The long timed shot with simple cut or continuity editing followed by fast timed shot and more cut between shot. This create pace and gives the feeling the time is moving faster with the cut.

Mise-en-Sence

The fist shot the audience sees is New York with a very foggy day this gives a very foreboding feeling to the film and tense atmosphere. The is reenforced my the back streets - slums of the dock. The rain also gives a cold and miserable feel the start of the film. The clothes the they are dress in are thick and warm clothing which implies that is it a cold day and that not much is happening as people would be indoors. The long dock that gets rip apart is used to create speed and tension as the audience does not know if the   protagonist will escape. The text at the end of the film is a green font the a yellow cloud behind over black. The use of green tell the audience that there is something mysteries going on and that the film had some sort of green skin monster in it as there is a texture to the font.

Sound

The music at the beginning of the film is mythes as it uses high sound, this is a non diegetic sound. The audience can hear the rain hitting water the tell the view that it is rain as cold, this again is non-diegetic. The sound of the rope unwinding is diegetic and tell the view that something is pulling the ropes line. When the monster is seem the music change and become tense and dark with sharpe and uneven sounds. All of these are used to create a dooming atmosphere and that something is coming.

Analysis of Donnie Darko

We have analysed with Mr Michie the opening scene and first encounter of the rabbit in the film "Donnie Darko". We have analysed the use of the camera, sound, editing and mise-en-scene with in the film. Here are me notes on the film.

Opening Scene






Camera:


- Panning / Tracking Shot
- Extreme long shot - establish location
- Far away to close (not cuts)
- Panning mid-shot
- Pan of landscape


Sound:


- Thunder (Non-diegetic)
- Sound Bridge
- Birds (Non-diegetic)
- Ominous Music - Deep Sound (replase thunder)
- Sad Music - Melancholy
- People Sing (angelic) when he stands up
- Upbeat Music at the end
- Song is call "The Killing Moon"

Editing:


- Fade in
- Slow Opening
- Fade in will fade out
- Faster (Cutting)

Mise-en-scene:


- White titles - black background
- Text hand written (old style)
- Man in mid of road
- Looks like he has fallen off of his bike
- Just wearing his PJs
- Characters looks confused
- Character starts to laugh (make us ask more questions)
- Jumps Location
- Sign setting the place, time and event
- American suburbia - Wide Streets, People running
- 'It' by Stephen King is being read.
- Frige saids "Where is Donnie" - He does this a lot.

First Encounter -"I've Been Watching You"

Camera:

- Long shot, Mid shot
- Tilts

Sound:

- Modified voice over
- Chiming of the clock (Midnight) - Time Travel
- Other worldly voice
- Non-diegetic (inside head)

Editing:

- Cross dissolve - Supper inposition
- Cuts - Remover the effect of time passing
- Continuity editing or "Cheat cut" as it cheats time
- Shot reverse shot

Mise-en-scene:

- USA Flag
- Indoors to outdoors
- He is in his PJ
- Light in room is low key
- Stairs
- Front door - camera look up at the stairs, chandelier before leaving
- Rabbit suit - Spot light

The activity has help me to develop my skills in analysis of films and refreshed my knowledge. This is something I can take and use to help me analyse other films for my thriller opening title scene task.

Title Sequences and Opening Scenes

We have decided that we are going to create the first two minutes title sequence of crime and gangster thriller.  Our reason for doing this is that we feel, and our surgery information shows, that the majority of people would like to see this genre in preference to others.  We also feel that this is the right decision as there are not many gangster films out at the moment.  This is a variation on what the industry is producing today.

I have researched three title sequences of our chosen genre to understand how the films use repetition, variation and familiarity.  I have watched The Godfather, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and The Departed.  The familiarity between all three is that the camera work is mostly at eye level with the characters that they are following, the shot choices or majority close up to mid shots and finally, the tracking and panning are some of the most used motions in the title sequence.  All of this has been used so that the audience connects with the characters.  However, there is still ambiguity and the unknown about these characters from the lack of information that the visual representation gives.

The editing in these films is all continuity edited and, except for the Godfather, are fast paced films.  The majority of transitions are cuts which give the sense of speed and time passing without having to see it second by second.  This is also known as a "cheat cut". The effects on the audience is that they are gripped and are interested immediately the film starts.

The main sound in all three is a monologue which allows the audience to connect with the characters and the plot early on in the film.  These monologues range from The Godfather being diegetic to Lock, Stock having both diegetic and non-diegetic to The Departed only having non-diegetic.  All of them have some sort of music in the title sequences the main style is Rock, giving the film a punchy edge and followed by an action sequence.

The mis-en-scene for each film is very different, not having a traditional costume, props or location for each.  However, the lighting, on the whole, is low key making them very moody, sinister and dark.  The colour of the films is also very dark, not having much colour at all.  All of this adds a feeling of unknown and mystery, as the audience can not see everything that is happening because of how dark and unlit the opening sequence is.  This also creates intrigue.

Every film that I have watched for our genre uses white text over a black background, which creates the feeling of the unknown as this aspect of white font is not usually seen as we normally read black print.

I feel that we need to take some of these key elements into our title sequence to keep the repitition and familiarity from other films.  We should keep the monologue from the main character as it creates interest for the audience.  I also feel that we should keep the low key lighting and mid to close up shots for the same reason.  However, I would like to add variation in the aspect of the text, as I feel this needs to be revitalised and refreshed.

 

Survey into target audience

We decided to undertake in a survey into our target audience before deciding on what type of thriller opening we are going to make. This is needed as we must understand what the audience is looking for and wants from a film before starting on research, planing, making and post production. This is the same as the film industry would do as they don't want to spend millions of dollars on creating a film to find that no one will watch it. 


The results of our survey were: 


What is your age? 
Under 10 - 0 
11-15 - 6 
21-25 - 0 
26-30 - 0 
31-35 - 0 
36-40 - 1 
40+ - 2 


What is your gender? 
Male - 4 
Female - 5

What genre of film are you most likely to go and see?
Comedy - 6
Horror - 1
Romance - 3
Science Fiction - 1
Action - 1
Adventure - 1
Crime - 1
Gangster - 0
Drama - 0
Western - 0
Musicals - 0
Other - 0

Would you be interested in seeing a thriller?
Yes - 5
No - 5

What characters would you like to see in a crime gangster thriller?

Criminals - 2
Stalkers - 2
Innocent Victims - 0
Terrorists - 2
Menaced Women - 3

Do you prefer to see a 15 or 18 classification film?
15 - 3
18 - 7

How often do you watch films in the cinema?
Always - 1
Often - 3
Sometimes - 4
Not often - 1
Never - 0


From our survey we think that the sub-genre of Crime/Gangster thriller that is rated a BBFC 18 will be the best option that we have as it is some think that have not been don't for a long time how keeping some of the thing that our audience are used to such as the unknown. We are now going to research into the sub-genre of Crime/Gangster start analysing there opening scenes.

If we did this again I would like to develop the questions more ask them what is it about the genre that makes them want to see it. Get their personal reason for why they have said what they want. Them try to put that into our title sequence. On the whole I think that our survey is good and we have easy been able to undertake and respond to the response that we have been given. 

Research into Thrillers

  Tuesday 27th September 2011

Research Topic

We were put into our coursework group to create the first 2 minutes (with title) of a Thriller film. We first considered what we would need to do and research before starting even before the plot line. This was pretty simple as we created a film idea the week before and learnt from the mistakes that we made.  [Updates] The mistakes we make where that we did not do enough in-depth research, giving up the ability to understand the action on good and informed information. Also our survey did not let the audience rank the hence they most watch or ask question on location, characters, plot or miss-en-sence.   


We now knew what we would have to do in researching into our coursework genre.  We need to research into Thriller, the conventions and code of it. Analyse past thriller openings (feature films and past students films). Research in to BBFC 15 and 18 age ratings. We also decided ,after we researched into those areas, we then need to decide if it would be a hybrid or sud-genre of thriller, then research that, undertake a survey into what the audience would prefer,(asking a broad range of questions) and after that brainstorm ideas for our film.


I feel that this process was very easy to come around to and that everyone has a fair and equals role of research to undertake.


Research Findings into BBFC Classification of "15" and "18" Certificate.


I have learned that for a 15 to be clasified as a 15:


• There must be NO discrimination
• Drugs may be shown BUT not promoted or encouraged
• Horror is permitted HOWEVER if it is sadistic or sexualised then it is not
• Imitable Behaviour should NOT dwell on detail, weapons should not be be shown in a positive light. 
• Frequent use of the word F*** is allowed HOWEVER C*** is only allowed if the context justified the use. Repeated use of this language is NOT allowed.
• Nudity without strong detail is allowed 
• Sex is allowed without strong detail, verbal language may be permitted if the context justifies. Sex works (Sexual arousal or stimulation) is unlikely to be accepted.
• All themes are excepted.
• Violence, if not dwelt on pain or injury is allow.


An 18 allows all that is not permitted at a 15, however they still think that somethings should not be shown and these are:


• Breach of the criminal law
• Risk of harm to individuals
• Illegal drug use
• Sexual or sexualised violence
• Sexual activity which can't be justified by the context
• Sex Work of sexual arousal or stimulation and real sex, strong fetish material, sexually explicit animated images should be only accepted at an R18.


For me this was very easy to find the required information on the BBFC website and the information was very comprehensive to understand.  


Thursday 29th September 2011


Today we assembled in to our group and fed back to each other all the things that we have learnt. Amy informed us that the main elements of thriller are, suspense, tension and excitement. The main sub-genre is psychological thriller. Themes of a thriller are things like terrorism, political conspiracy, pursuit, romantic triangles leading to murder. Other types of thriller are: conspiracy thriller, crime thriller, erotic thriller, legal thriller and political thriller ect.
Alice researched past thriller intros and reported that they all had black, white or red text, all start with a figure in a black coat and most of them are in a wood or alleyway. [Update] Alice also told us that the title sequences often for tells what is going to happen in the story, there is music that fit the type of genre and build the ambients of the film. The titles that are shown are the names of key actors that are in the film and the key crew members with there titles e.g. editor or director. 


After we fed back to each other we decided that we need to develop our understanding
 of what genre is and what thriller genre is. So we set some tasks for us to do over the next couple of weeks (see above). We are to work on "What is genre?", What is a thriller?, and evaluation questions to make sure that we know what we are doing and need to do.


I chose to undertake the research into genre below are my findings. I feel that the team is working well together and getting on with one another. Also I feel that the roles have been handed out fairly and that there is no one not pulling their weight or with an uneven amount of work to do. 


Research Findings into Films Genres.





At first I did not know what or how to undertake the research task. Do I research all genre in depth or just the one that I think went well with the thriller. After a conversation with my teacher who explained the task. I decide to research all genre but go in-depth to ones that I thought would work well with thrillers.