Preliminary task

Preliminary task - Evaluation

The storyline to our preliminary exercise focused on an exchange of items between two characters so both characters are placated. Maddison is eager to gain possession of a crown to serve to her master while Corey is keen to recieve a sandwich he so dearly craves in return of his efforts to provide her with the crown and therefore she is not punished by her master.

I believe our storyline could have been more stringent and better related to the thriller genre as there are some aspects of our exercise that are rather comical and the action taking place is not clearly traditional to the thriller genre. An example of this is when the character talks to the sandwich, an inanimate object which is a comical element in the scene and gives the sequence an overall comical vibe.

Moreover, I believe our group complied to the technical aspects of the assessment criteria, effectively demonstrating our understanding of continuity editing. We were able to include all of the listed editing techniques focusing on making them as efficient as possible as well as being able to execute them to a high standard.

Match on Action

We used the Match on Action editing technique within our exercise from 44 - 47 seconds where Corey walks through the door. The camera was positioned within the room while he walks out of the door placed directly opposite. I believe we executed match on action to a high standard in the sense that we made it clear that Corey was walking through the same door he previously walked out of in the last shot based on the setting on screen. Furthermore the editing of this particular sequence was effective as it matched how he opened the door and what he was carrying with him as well as his clothing being the same as the last shot. Despite this, I believe our editing could have been of a better standard in which the door is in the same position to where the last shot left off as the door is near enough closed as he walks through contrary to it being opened to greater extent when he first opened the door.

Eye Line Match

We utilised the Eye Line Match editing technique within our preliminary exercise from 48 - 51 seconds. Maddie is looking away off camera to her left to imply that her attention is fixed on a character off screen. It then becomes evident to the audience when we see Leigh placing the throne on her head in the next shot that that is what Maddie is looking at. We performed the Eye line match effectively as even though the shots of the two characters were done separately and in different locations, it still seemed as if one was looking at the other and therefore the audience believe this while watching our exercise. I believe the execution of this shot was technically accurate although the camera could have been closer on Leigh placing the crown on her head so the audience get a stronger feel of her emotions at that point in time. In addition, the camera could have been in front of Leigh instead of at the side to execute the Eye Line Match to a heightened extent as the audience would be capable of relating further to the action on screen.

Shot Reverse Shot

The Shot Reverse Shot editing technique consisted of the majority of our exercise with the main bulk of it being a conversation between the two main characters. There are some aspects of our shot reverse shot that are of an extremely high quality and others where there could be improvements. I believe the speed of our editing was effective as each sequence of our shot reverse shot was quick and efficient and there was no left over baggage time in the editing which made the conversation appear naturalistic and not too structured so the audience believe the characters are having a genuine conversation. Furthermore, the editing was performed effectively where all the action from the previous shot matched that of the next one to small detail for example, while the camera was behind Maddie at 12 seconds she looks down towards the crown on the table and then at 13 seconds the camera as changed to facing her and she places her hands on the crown as she picks it up demonstrating our understanding of continuity editing and using match on action. We could have improved our shot reverse shot by placing the camera in exactly the same position on either side of the shot so that every shot was equal however I believe this may have been hard to execute and would be time consuming so it only proves as a minor improvement we could make.

180 Degree Rule

We done well not to break the 180 degree rule within our preliminary exercise. This could have easily been done when shooting our shot reverse shot sequence if we were to place the camera at one side of the conversation and then move it round to the other in a consecutive fashion as it would have looked as if the two characters had changed position while the conversation progressed. This would make our exercise look unprofessional and of a poorer quality and therefore I believe our group done well not to break this rule while recording our short preliminary film.

Sound

We could have implemented non diegetic sound to compliment the diegetic sound within our film as this would demonstrate our understanding of editing and clarity within film. We could have used suspenseful music to play over the main conversation which would relate our exercise further to the thriller genre and make the action more effective for our audience when watching. This is something to consider when we make our final thriller to improve the quality of our work.

Overall

Overall I believe our preliminary exercise was conducted effectively to demonstrate our understanding of continuity editing. We met all the listed editing techniques on the assessment criteria to a high standard although the execution of these techniques could have been slightly better. Despite this, I believe our work has prepared us for our final thriller production and we can implement any further improvements taken from our preliminary exercise.

Making our ident





Making our Ident

 

Preliminary

 

 



 

Following our decision of "Black Cloud Media" as the title for our production company, we began by searching on YouTube for sequences of clouds to be the bulk of our ident as the image and visuals of the sequence. At first we came across this motion picture sequence that we believed would be effective in relation to our company name.

 



The dark style and layout of the clouds in this video background relates well to the name of our production company and therefore we believed that we would proceed with this as the background to our ident. However, after a few more searches, we came across another sequence which we believed after editing would be even more effective and impacting if used as our ident.



However, we believed that the light ratio in this motion picture would be better if the clouds appeared darker which would more strongly relate to the name of our ident.This is when we found the moving image in our used ident as a Giff which we downloaded into Photoshop and edited in with our production company name text. We decided that this was efficient and sensible as the clouds in the motion picture were black and therefore mirrored the title. Furthermore, there was a gap in between the clouds where the text in our ident could eventually rise to from the bottom so that our audience have the chance to view it clearly before our main film actually begins.

Storyboard and Animatic

Lighting Exercise

Media assignment 2 - Sound exercise - Evaluation

In our second filming exercise, we explored the use of sound in media. Our short video sequence The Final Deed contains different sound forms in order to enhance the quality and effect the visual aspects have on the audience and how sound is extremely mandatory and essential in the film industry.

1.

We utilised non diegetic sound effectively in the opening section of our exercise. We decided to begin with this particular sequence of the film as it is a prominent and significant part within the  entire production and the audience can then register this section later on within the exercise. This specific sector portrays the main character played by Corey in a point of view shot being pursued in a chase. We decided to make the screen black and white and utilise slow motion so the audience can infer that it is an important part throughout the film. This was supported by a non diegetic heartbeat sound effect played while the picture is running on screen to create tension and suspense and is keenly related to the nature of the footage as running induces an increase in heart rate  is relevant for this particular section. Furthermore, this heartbeat is an example of parallel sound based on the relevance it has to the picture on screen.

2.

In the second scene of our exercise which occurs before the previous section in real time is an example of non linear narrative. We did this to envelope the audiences' attention at the start of the film and capture their imagination and create tension. The scene is a discussion between both suspicious characters, one the audience has previously seen running and a mysterious figure who appears dark on the screen. Diegetic sound is used while the mysterious characters are in discussion and we used a wired microphone to enhance the quality of the spoken words. Another source of diegetic sound was the ruffling of the envelope across the table when passed across to the hooded character. I believe we could have improved the sound within the scene by extending this particular part of the film and view the hooded character leaving the room so we could use the sound effect of the door slamming to increase the tension within the scene. In addition, I also believe that we could have improved this particular scene of the exercise by including low level, non diegetic and unsettling music to add to the suspense of the visual setting and support the mystery of the conversation taking place.

3.

As our third scene opened and the victim Leigh is present on screen I believe we could have used a booming sound when the hooded character Corey appears behind her on screen to make the impact of his presence more shocking for the audience. However, we did input a screaming sound effect when Leigh (the victim) is taken by the hooded villain. This made the action more impacting for the audience based on the fact that the sound works as an extension to the action on screen and it makes the event so much greater than it would have been without the scream.

We utilised contrapuntal sound effectively when the hooded character is stabbing the victim on the floor. This was effective as laughing when performing an action like this is not related as the action is violent and gruesome and laughter is something that occurs when someone is experiencing pleasure. Despite this, the two features placed together could also illustrate the idea of a psychopath which could make the sound and the action relevant for each other. In this case, we could have used some happy or soothing music instead of the hysterical laughter to present contrapuntal sound which may have been a stronger use of contrapuntal sound in our exercise.

4.

We used diegetic sound when the two police officers appear within the scene as I shout "Oi" at the hooded character who is stabbing the vulnerable victim. This is effective use of diegetic sound as it suggests that authority is now present in the film and the audience can then register this. Furthermore, as the chase begins and one of the officers run past the camera, we used the non diegetic sound of police sirens to show the audience that we were authority figures if they were unsure and this is also used to create suspense as the association with police sirens is danger and trouble.

When the shot changes to a POV shot of the police officer running after the hooded criminal, the diegetic sound of me heavy breathing is a source of creating tension and suspense for the audience as it can be used as a tool to show desperation and effort and corresponded with the POV shot, the breathing makes the audience feel like they are part of the chase and can relate stronger to the action. As the audience has already seen this chase at the beginning of the exercise, they can relate the heartbeat sound they heard first to the sirens and the heavy breathing the second time they see the chase which has allowed them to view the event in both illusion and reality making this a main aspect of the exercise.

We could have improved the sound at the end of this specific sequence by allowing the police sirens to fade when I come into contact with the hooded character and not cut out directly and quickly like the sound does as it would be smoother for the audience when watching the film.

5.



Media assignment 2 - sound exercise

Sound exercise - the final deed

Micro features - sound

Sound

Sound is a micro feature which is very prominent in the media industry. It is used effectively throughout movies to create different effects and atmospheres for the audience. The use of sound is very versatile when it is inputted into film and the different forms it appears in determines what effect it will have on the audience.



Forms of sound in film

Diegetic

Diegetic sound are real life noises made in the world of the film and occur in the  present while the action on screen is taking place. Diegetic sound appears in many different forms such as;

- Character dialogue

- background noises e.g. cars, door slams and sounds made by character actions on screen

- music from instruments on screen

Diegetic sound will occur in all types of films except from silent movies in which case no sound is used at all.

Non Diegetic

Non diegetic sound is all the music and background sound that is inputted into the film through editing and would not be heard by the characters in the film but the audience can which creates different effects. Examples of non diegetic sound are;

 - background music

 - background noises as an extension of the diegetic sound

On screen/Off screen sound

On screen sound is when the sound being produced on screen is visible to the audience. On screen sound relates with diegetic sound as the source of the sound on screen would be there in the film in real life and therefore is diegetic as well as on the screen. This may range from spoken word by characters on screen, instruments being played and electronic music from speakers.

Off screen sound refers to the sound produced for dramatic effect and is edited into the film to be played while the picture on screen is running and therefore interacts with each other and the off screen sound works as an extension of the diegetic action in the world of the film. However, the source of the sound is not present on screen and relates to the effect on the audience.



Media assignment 1 - camera exercise

Media assignment 1-

safe place

Media assignment 1 - camera exercise - Evaluation

Media - camera assignment 1

Safe place is our sickly ironic title of our video project. Our plot is based upon two curious teenagers and their quest to find the dark and mysterious figure known to haunt their school corridors and which is trying to send sinister messages over to the living. We lure the audience to follow the two characters in their attempt to find and expose the mysterious cloaked figure, and to expose the gloomy secrets of Robert Clack School.

Our objective was to construct our video in order to demonstrate our developed understanding of the range of different camera techniques you can use when creating film. We were successful in the way that we were capable of utilising many of the techniques that we had previously admitted in our plan and were able to convey these with a suitable degree of accuracy and precision.

Unfortunately we were not able to include all of the different types of camera techniques in our short film based on various different things such as storyline, timing and whether it was necessary. Also, some shots were not pragmatic such as the crane shot and the rolling shot as we did not have the necessary equipment to perform them such as a crane or a dolly. An example of what a crane shot may look like if we were capable of conducting one could be;

It is evident that if we had the ability to execute a crane shot in our sequence, then it could be very useful in demonstrating how the characters may be exploited if the area that they are in is very vast and wide open. However, we did not see how we could input this into our film and therefore did not use this camera technique.

Long Shot

We chose to use the long shot camera technique for the opening section of our film based on the fact that it gives a good perspective of the setting where the film takes place and we allow the audience to be captured by the idea of two characters approaching them through a long shot. This choice of camera technique was successful in the way that it allows the section to flow smoothly without unnecessary editing which can make the picture appear distorted and not very structured, and the long shot is a very strong and thorough camera technique.

Pan

We believe that the pan shot should continue on from our long shot of the corridor based on the fact that it is a useful technique to allow the audience to follow the action and gain a feel of what direction the film is moving in. It gives a perspective of the stairs that lead on from the corridor and it is clear where the people in the scene are heading towards. No location confusion is associated with the scene.

Low angle shot

The low angle shot which views the staircase is a useful shot as it allows the audience to clearly identify that the two characters are coming down the stairs that they previously started going down in the section before. It allows the film to flow and is clever because the audience can register that the same people are coming down the stairs and that there is not a continuity error occurring.  However, this shot could have been executed better if perhaps we could have placed the camera in a lower angled position to fully embrace the full extent of the camera technique.

High angle shot

We used the high angle shot to finish the sequence on the stairs because we made it our goal to keep the audience extremely involved in the direction of the short film and helped them follow the characters. This admittedly was not a major shot in our sequence although it does keep the flow of things. High angle shots are useful in situations such as this because they give good perspective of setting and location.

Over the Shoulder

 

We decided to utilise the over the shoulder shot when we were conducting the conversation scene. This is a highly effective technique to use as it allows the audience to fully engage in the conversation one of the characters in the film.

This exploits features such as facial expressions, gestures and movement of the characters involved so that the audience can thoroughly indulge in the conversation. It shows clearly that one person is speaking to another person in a direct approach which prevents confusion for the audience when watching. I believe we executed the scene generally quite well however there was a slight fault in our editing where two different mini clips were converted into one with a slight jump in the editing.

This was an important scene in the film because it holds the basis of our storyline and drives the direction of our short film.

We were inspired by the use of the shot from other different films and we would attempt to replicate these scenes to the best of our ability.

Medium shot

We used the medium shot to show us walking out of the doors into the playground as we wanted to show perspective of the location appearing on the screen for the first time but did not want to take the focus too much off of the two in the scene so that the audience does not get lost to what is going on. We conducted this scene to a good standard as we gradually showed the two of us coming closer to the camera to establish a medium shot. In this shot, I make a gesture with my head in a certain direction so that the audience can tell that we were referring to something off screen.  

There was an editing point in this short section which was a mistake because we had already walked past the location of the camera and then the next cut shows us behind that point again walking. This shows that we should have edited our film in a more refined way and that the usage of baggage editing may have helped in this situation.

We were also inclined to use the medium shot to show us taking the picture of the window so that both of us could be seen in the shot, and to show that it is clear what we were doing and this can be portrayed to the audience. We performed this shot to a good standard based on the fact that it provides good perspective of the setting and the meaning behind the clip is evident to the audience.

Extreme close up

We decided to use the extreme close up shot to show what we captured on the camera. The effect of this shot is that the dark figure can be seen by the audience on the camera and it gives them the idea that the two characters are looking at the camera to observe what they have found. This also has a sinister effect which relates to the genre of our film. We could have executed this shot with more precision and class where the camera could have been more central so that it looks professional. On the other hand, the sense of a shot that is unstructured and not too perfect has a realistic feel to it where it is more believable.

Whip Pan

  

We decided to use the whip pan shot following on from the extreme close up of the camera because it shows the two characters looking up towards the window and then the camera is whipped around quickly to see the figure in the window. The efficiency and smoothness of this shot allows tension to build and suspense to be created because everything is high tempo and fast, the audience feels like they are involved in the scene and the camera technique allows them to be on edge and alarmed.

This shot was inspired by famous directors such as Alfred Hitchcock where in his films he would use a close up on the character and then a point of view shot on what the person is looking at. Another close up shot of the character is shown to portray how the point of view shot has affected them. This then allows the audience to feel like they are the character and they are seeing what they are seeing in the film which makes them feel vulnerable and unsettled. An example of this is:

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The first image shows a close up of the woman and the concern on the face allows the audience to infer that she is looking at something that is troubling her. The next image shows what she is looking at which explains the concerned expression on her face. The next shot is another close up which shows her reaction to the horrific scene she has just witnessed.

POV

  

We used the POV shot for our final shot of the film. This sequence was very tense and fast pacing relating strongly with the genre of the film which is a thriller/horror. We utilised diagetic sound effectively in this scene as when I was running with the camera, I breathed heavily and quickly to add to the suspense and commotion on screen because the picture was quite distorted which gives off the idea that we do not have control over the situation. This is then cast on to the audience when watching and makes them feel like they do not have control over themselves and makes them feel unsettled and on edge.

I believe we executed the shot to a reasonable standard. However, there were some moments in the sequence where our editing was not to a high standard as both of the characters are holding the camera at different times and when I am holding the camera, Corey is running in front of me, but when the scene is cut, I am running in front of Corey which is a continuity error. This makes the scene seem less professional.

The last angle of the film is a low angle of Corey holding the camera up at the dark mysterious figure on the floor which is an effective camera angle for the end of the film because it suggests that the figure has power over us as we are on the floor and the figure is standing above us which means the being has a higher status over us. This is evident to the audience and then they can begin to feel fearful for us and our wellbeing.

By leaving the film on a cliff hanger it is effective because it is left to the audience to decide what happens next to the characters and this leaves them tense and creates and atmosphere of suspense.

Sound

Throughout our film we had a low background non diagetic tune which sustained a feeling of unease and maintained a good level of suspense. We could have further utilised sound by using sound effects for specific parts of the film such as when the camera is whipped around using the whip pan technique and the dark figure is seen in the window. I loud bang sound may have aided the suspense of this event and made it more impacting on the audience.







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