HW 3a - Continuity Task Evaluation (BLK)

Continuity Task

1. In our sequence two friends are walking down a staircase discussing homework from their last lesson. At the bottom of the stairs one of the characters (Sailesh) unintentionally pushes the other (Michaela), causing her to fall. She then sits against the wall whilst he makes sure she is ok. As this happens one of her other friends comes up to ask if she is ok, causing Sailesh to run away as he feels he would be blamed.

2. We attempted to show continuity by varying our shot type and framing and also trying to match the action for all of the shots.

3. We did not achieve full continuity as all of our shots began with the characters standing still. Additionally, between one of the shots, Sailesh had moved position which means that the action hadn't been matched properly. On top of this, at the end of shot two we can hear that Sailesh has already pushed Michaela but then this is repeated in shot three. However I feel that in the last two shots continuity was almost achieved as we can see Sailesh begin to run in shot five and then continuing in shot 6 flows fairly well.

4. In hindsight I would try to match the action better by making sure the characters are moving before we start recording. Additionally, we could have marked the floor so that the characters were standing in the same place for each shot. I also wouldn't have Sailesh push Michaela in shot two so that it is not repeated in shot three. Finally, I would have had the camera record for longer in shot five so that the audience can see Sailesh run for longer, which would have made the continuity clear between shots five to six.

HW 2c - Sound in Film Openings (DYM)

Sound in the Film Opening of 'Hugo' (2011)

Sound Effects 

The clip starts of with the ticking of a clock which matches the visuals of the cogs in a clock turning. As the clip progresses diegetic sound effects such as the wind, flies, car horns and the whistle of trains can be heard, helping to build a sense of atmosphere within the setting. The ticking of clocks is heard repeatedly throughout the opening, perhaps suggesting they have a large importance in the film. The clock sounds, along with the sound of steam and machinery, from 1:51 onwards are diegetic as the main character would be able to hear them as he moves around the inside of the clock tower in the station. Smaller sounds such as footsteps and the creaking of metal hinges can also be heard, adding extra detail. The sound of the mechanical mouse is focused on, once again implying that machinery will be a key aspect of the film. 

Music 

With the beginning sound effects of a clock, there is a faint music track which grows louder as the view of the city (Paris) and train station is shown. The music consists of string instruments and a piano creating a classical feel, which matches the calm and peaceful nature of the snow as well as the classic and ornately decorated train station. The opening music track (which is later continued) is non-diegetic, This then changes to slightly more joyful music, consisting of an accordion. Accordions are very common in France, making the setting and atmosphere as realistic as possible, Between 1:44-1:49 of the clip, an extra layer of music is added which is diegetic as a shot of a small band playing music is shown along with some dancing. Towards the very end of the clip, as the character is reaching for the mechanical mouse, the volume of the music increases creating suspense. The music then suddenly cuts off as the main dialogue begins. 

Dialogue 

There is no dialogue between any of the main characters but there is quiet, background chatter with a few people saying "good morning". The ambient sound is useful for creating atmosphere within the setting and allows the audience to see what happens around the setting on an everyday basis. When the music cuts off, the main dialogue between the shop-keeper and the main character begins. 

HW 2b - Analysis of Titles in Film Openings (DYM)

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/casino-royale/

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/guardians-of-the-galaxy/

 

The two film openings that I have decided to compare are Casino Royale and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Below are two timelines of each film opening which show the running order, placement of titles and also the music involved. 

Running order

Both films start with the production company as the first credit. Guardians of the Galaxy then follows with the writer's credit as well as the cast credits before the title appears (at 2:25) whereas Casino Royale has only has the main actor's credit and the author's credit before the title appears (00:15). Both films then follow with the crew credits and have the executive producer's, producer's and director's credit at the very end. 

Placement of titles

For both films the titles have been positioned so that they do not cover the main focus on screen. For example, in Guardians of the Galaxy majority of the titles are in the bottom right hand corner or on the sides, so that it does not distract from what is on screen as the background for the titles is a scene from the film. In most cases, the character is the focus and so the titles are positioned around him. Similarly in Casino Royale, the titles are placed around the screen so that it doesn't cover the intricate graphics behind them. Main credits such as the film's title appear in the centre of the screen for both openings. In Casino Royale, the main cast credits are in the centre as well as the production company and author's credit.

Style

Guardians of the Galaxy is a sci-fi action film which can be seen through the holograms, spaceship and advanced technology. The general colour scheme of the opening scene is greys, blues and black which works well with the outer space theme. This is contrasted by the bright yellow font used for the title and credits, which draws attention to them. The font used also has a futuristic feel to it, helping to emphasise the genre. In a similar way, the Casino Royale opening also uses the animation and graphics to portray genre. Within the animation are constant images of cards and roulette tables, highlighting that the central focus of the film will be the casino and what takes place within it. Additionally, there is a large focus on guns, fighting and violence in the animation, showing that this is an action thriller. The main colours used are black and red which are the colours of the suits on cards but also could be used to symbolise blood and death. The font is simply and the colour is white which allows it to be seen clearly and also means it does not distract from the graphics. As both films are large blockbuster films, they both have the budget to create incredible graphics and visual effects within the opening which helps to engage the audience. 

Sound

Guardians of the Galaxy starts off with a non-diegetic soundtrack as well as sound effects which helps to create atmosphere and realism. The non-diegetic soundtrack ends just before the title appears as this is when the main character takes out an audio player and plays the next track (which is now diegetic). This song continues for the rest of the titles. The upbeat track shows that this film will be quite light-hearted and comedic. The sound effects are heard throughout the whole opening. This is different to Casino Royale which has a score that has been specially written for the film that plays throughout the opening. This is because the James Bond franchise is an extremely popular franchise known for its iconic theme and memorable scores. A single gunshot is also heard at the very start which further emphasises the genre of the film. 

HW 2a- Existing Opening Sequence analysis (DYM)

Chosen Film Opening - Fast Five (0:00-2:06)

1. The above opening sequence is from the film Fast Five. The genre of the film is action, which is clear from the fast cars and the crash of the prison bus. The film follows the three main characters and their lives as fugitives. 

2. The opening of the film takes place in Los Angeles, California over the course of a day. The court room scene in the morning, the escape in the afternoon and then the evening news. However the rest of the film is set in Rio de Janeiro, as that is were the characters have fled to after becoming fugitives. 

3. The sequence begins with one of the main characters called Dominic Toretto being sentenced to prison. This is followed by a group of prisoners (in which he is included) getting on the prison bus. When the bus is one the open road it is ambushed by three black cars (two of which are driven by Mia Toretto and Brian O'Connor - the two other main characters). These cars cause the bus to crash and as a result, Dominic Toretto is able to escape. Showing this a sequence like this so early in the film emphasises that this will be an action packed film. This cuts to black and the title of the film appear. The scene continues with a montage of news clips, informing the audience on what has happened as well as providing the context for the rest of the film. It ends with a newsreader telling the audience that the whereabouts of the three characters in unknown which creates a sense of mystery as it makes you wonder where they are now. 

4. The events in the opening all link to each other and they effectively show the story. It creates a clear sense of how the film is going to progress as all of the main characters are now fugitives and running from the law. 

5. The three main characters are introduced within the first two shots. Dominic Toretto is the first character to be introduced and is introduced by the judge. The audience hears his name before his face is revealed a second later. The next shot is of Brian O'Connor and Mia Toretto, however the audience do not find out their names until the very end in the news reports. 

6. Very little story information is revealed in the opening beside the fact that the characters are being pursued by the police. This raises the question of whether they will be caught, which engages the audience as they would want to find out. The location that the film is set is not revealed until after the opening sequence, further intriguing the audience about where they are, how they got there and what they are going to do next. 

7. From analysing this film opening I think that it is important for the audience to know who the main characters are and their background. This would help them to understand why Dominic is in prison (which happened at the end of the fourth film) and that Brian and Mia are able to break him out due to their previous experience in cars and street racing. Additionally, the minor characters in this film are also from previous films and so it will help to understand the chemistry and relationships between the team.

HW 1b - Reflections on my film still (BLK)

1. We tried to make our film still signify horror by having a conventional innocent female victim and unclear villain lurking in the background of the still. The villain has a clawed hand to represent an unnatural aspect adding to the unusual and creepy characteristic. Additionally his face cannot be seen which adds a sense of mystery and also fear. 

2. The shot was directed to have the female character in the foreground as she is the focus of the shot and to have the villain in the background which creates an unsettling feeling as he creeps in the shadows. By using an extreme long shot there is a large amount of background in the still which helps to emphasise the fact that the victim vulnerable and alone. We also positioned the character in the corner to show she is hiding and has nowhere left to run. We left the villain's face out of the frame to create fear as you cannot see who it is or what he looks like. Additionally, we turned off the lights in the corridor to have low key lighting creating a sense of fear and mystery. This also helped to create the shadows on the floor. 

3.We intended for the audience to feel helpless and disconnected by having them as a bystander in the shot as well as having no eye contact with either character. This creates a sense of fear for the female character as there is nothing the audience can do for her. We also wanted the audience to be scared of the villain as his face cannot be seen and so they don't know who he is. Also the fact that he is hidden should hopefully make the audience feel nervous about what's going to happen next. 

4. I think that the positioning is successful in our shot. The victim is positioned in the corner with her arms around her legs, showing her to be scared and panicked. This portrays her as small and powerless. She is also looking as though she is waiting for the villain to appear. This anticipation helps to create suspense. In addition to this the villain is in the background but looks as though he is moving towards her, adding to the suspense. 

5. In hindsight I would make the framing tighter to remove the extra space between the character and the wall on the left to emphasise the fact that she has been cornered. By making the framing tighter I would also be able to cut out the furniture on the right hand side. I would also move the camera further back so that her feet aren't cut off. I would also experiment with having the whole of the villain in it but using props such as a hat to keep the face masked and therefore the sense of mystery. Alternatively I could have experimented with having the camera at the victim's eye level in order for the audience to see from a similar perspective as her. This would mean only having the villain's feet in the frame but that would still provide the sense of mystery I want. 

HW 1a - Existing film still analysis (DYM)

Chosen film still from White House Down (2013)

Narrative

From the film still we can tell that an explosion has just taken place as there is a hole in the wall and also the sparks and flames within the rubble in the background. The main character is in the foreground and is covered in dirt and dried blood. The blood may indicate that he was involved in a previous conflict/fight. The lighting used is very naturalistic and shows that the scene is taking place during the day. The building that has been partially destroyed in the scene is the White House, the main setting of the film.

Genre

The sparks and destruction makes it clear that this is an action film. Additionally the main character is strong and is covered in cuts and bruises as well as wearing the traditional white vest top which is conventional of heroes in other action films (e.g. Die Hard). The casual clothing shows that the character is being portrayed as a normal person who becomes the hero as the film progresses. The character is also crouched down and staying out of sight which creates suspense about what he plans to do next. The fact that the hero has survived the previous explosion is an example of one of the many death defying stunts that action films contain. In addition to this, the main setting is in a famous city which is another typical feature of action films.

Audience

The character is looking away from the camera which disconnects him from the audience. However a sense of mystery is created as the audience cannot see where he is looking as well as the use of shadows. The fact that the character is in the shadows and in a crouched position suggests that he is hiding from something or someone and makes the audience wonder who or what it could be, intriguing the audience. This also creates concern as the character may be in danger but there is nothing the audience can do as they are watching from an outside perspective. The character may also be looking at where he plans on moving to, creating suspense as the audience wants to know what will happen next.

HW 4b - Revise for your written assessment (DYM)

HW 4a - Plan your prelim video (BLK)