Prelim Task - Evaluation

We were set the task to create a short continuity sequence involving somebody opening a door, sitting down, and exchanging a few short lines of dialogue with another character. This sequence must demonstrate match on action, shot-reverse-shot and the 180 degree rule.

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

I worked in a group with Lewi, Megan and Charley. During the planning process, we had a meeting, in which we all discussed our ideas, and wrote up the storyboard and script together. When shooting, Lewi and I acted, whilst Megan and Charley did most of the filming. However we all had a go at being director, director's assistant, and cameraman / woman.

From left to right: Lewi, Megan, Me

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

We began by drawing up a rough storyboard and writing a script as a base to work from. This helped to visualize our ideas, and we were able to develop them further. We made sure to include a match on action, shot-reverse-shot, and the 180 degree rule in our sequence, aswell as using eyeline match and the 30 degree rule. After we had decided on a final idea we made a more detailed storyboard with annotations, and a script with more detailed stage direction. We then filmed the whole sequence on Lewi's iPod so that we could see what it would look like, and to spot any mistakes before filming the real thing.

Here is an extract from the filming we did on Lewi's iPod:

As you can see it is very rough, but it helped us visualize our ideas, and see what worked, and what didn't work.

Another theory which we took into account was Levi Strauss's Binary opposition. Lewi played an outgoing, talkative conversational character, whereas I was played a reserved and stand-offish character. We left long pauses between our liens to exaggerate the awkwardness of the situation.

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

As previously stated, we used Lewi's iPod when planning the sequence. For filming the real thing, we used a video camera, tripod, microphone and headphones. The headphones were helpful when filming, because we could hear what sound the camera was picking up so we knew if any background noise was interfering with  the filming. For editing we used a programme called Adobe Premiere Pro, where we captured our desired clips from the camera, then arranged them together in a continuous order.

Filming:

Editing:

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

We had to follow the brief, by including match on action, shot-reverse-shot, and the 180 degree rule, as well as having someone open a door, and talk to another person. This limited what we could do with our continuity sequence, so we had to come up with something simple.

Time was very limited when filming and editing so we had to work quickly and efficiently. This meant filming all the scenes outside the classroom, before filming the ones inside, so we didn't have to keep moving all the filming equipment from room to room. It also meant that we had to be very selective with what we thought was necessary to film, and not overcomplicating the sequence.

Where we filmed was important, as it would have to be somewhere that we had permission to use, and was suitable for the task. For example filming outside wouldn't be a good idea, as we'd have to take into account for the weather, as heavy wind or rain could ruin it. We also had to consider other groups filming their sequences, as we had to share some sets with them. 

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

Overall I think that our sequence was successful. We followed the brief by including the techniques already mentioned, and I think we used them effectively. The sequence flowed pretty fluently, and from our feedback we found that most people found it quite funny which was our intention. However there were a few of mistakes which should have been noticed.

There is a continuity error in the beginning of the sequence. In shot 1, Lewi's sleeves are rolled up as he walks towards the camera. Then in shot 2, his sleeves are rolled down, and in shot 3, they are rolled back up again. A few people noticed this when we had finished our task, as we didn't realise whilst editing.

Continuity error:

The punchline: "talking in class" was a bit quiet, and a few people had trouble hearing it. We tried to increase the sound when editing, but this also made the background sound louder, which sounded odd, so if we had more time, we would re-shoot it louder.

The detention sign falling off the door was cut a bit short. This is because the sign just refused to fall off even after we got Lewi to bang on the door from the other side, whilst me and Megan waved air at it with folders. After over 10 failed attempts we finally got it right and there was some excited yelping, forcing us to cut the scene short. So if we were to re-do it, we would have to try and contain ourselves. 

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

I have learnt a few things from this continuity task. Firstly, and most importantly, I have realised how crucial continuity is to film. It makes the narrative flow together, and helps the audience understand what's going on. It may not be particularly exciting, but without it, the film wouldn't make sense, so it is definitely needed, and I will use the continuity techniques in my foundation coursework. Especially match on action, as I think it is the most effective at establishing a scene.

I have also learnt that filming can often take a lot longer than expected, so you shouldn't do something too overcomplicated, especially if you have a short amount of time. For example our 'detention' sign scene took very long. To avoid running out of time in my foundation coursework, I will plan well, so that mistakes can be seen before they happen.

I have learnt that when filming, you should film a scene a few times at different angles and distances (without breaking the 30 degree rule,) so that when it comes to editing, you have lots of choice. This makes the scene  more interesting, and also means that if there is something wrong with a particular part of a scene, then you can use a shot from a different distance/angle.

Barthes 5 Codes - Research

I have chosen to analyse the opening of "Pirates of the Caribbean, Curse of the Black Pearl."

Enigma code:
Why is the first man to speak to the little girl so afraid of pirates? What is the significance of the boy's necklace? Why does Elizabeth hide the necklace? Who is the man on the sinking ship? Why doesn't he want the pier owner to know his name? Is he a pirate?

Action code:
The film opens with a ship sailing towards the camera. This makes us wonder where it's going, who is on it, is it good or bad? etc... When the crew pull aboard Will Turner, (a pirate) we are not sure whether or not he will turn out to be a good character. Elizabeth takes Will's necklace and identifies it as a pirate necklace, she then hides it from her father, This creates suspense as we wonder the significance of the necklace, and whether or not it will play a part later on.

Semiotic code:
As the film opens with a ship sailing in the ocean and a girl singing a pirate song, it suggests that the film is about pirates or sea battles. The fact that Elizabeth is is wearing nice clothes and has maids to help her get dressed shows that she is probably a wealthy character. We also see that her father is very protective of her.

Cultural code:
The way that people talk and dress in the opening give us a feel of the time period that the film is set in, and makes it clear that there are class differences in the film. E.g when Elizabeth's father looks disapprovingly at Will (a blacksmith.) The focus around ships, sailing and pirates make it clear that the film will centralize around these points, and suggests that conflict will play a main part.

Symbolic code:
Similarly to the semiotic code, the film largely revolves around pirates, however we are unsure as to whether or not we side with the pirates. It could be an Oceans 11 type film, where we side with the bad guys. There is a lot of anti-pirates signs, such as the pirate skeletons hanging from the cliff top. However Elizabeth seems to take a liking to the pirate Will Turner, suggesting that some pirates may be good.

DYM HW FEEDBACK

Good work, James, and well presented.  You use techical evidence effectively to support your points.  Well done.

Applying Principles of Continuity

Many continuity techniques are used in this sequence from "Rush  Hour 3." They help to create a seamless narrative, and give comical value. The sequence is a fight scene of Carter and Lee against a very tall man, as fight scenes can be chaotic and confusing, continuity is important, so that the audience can tell what is going on. Continuity techniques are used effectively to show this in  this sequence.

First of all, eye line match is used well, as it starts off with an OTS shot of Carter looking down on the much shorter child. It then cuts to an OTS high angled shot of the child looking up at Carter. This helps give the audience a sense of height difference between the two characters. This is also used when Carter looks up to the very tall man, exaggerating his height. It is used a third time, when Carter looks up to the master, to show that he has the power, and is important. It also helps to understand where the characters are in relation to each other.

A reaction shot is used after Carter is carried into the room by the tall man. The camera cuts to a CU of Lee, who looks up (emphasizing the height of the man) and looks scared, (making the man seem intimidating.)

Match on Action is used, when the child kicks Carter in the leg. The camera then cuts to a CU of the contact. Match on action is used throughout the fight scene, which helps the audience understand what is happening / who is winning. Match on action is also used effectively when the tall man stomps his foot on the floor. The camera cuts to a CU of his foot hitting the floor, emphasizing it, and making him seem intimidating.

Shot/reverse/shot is used when Carter is speaking to the master. The camera switches back and forth between OTS shots of the two characters with very choppy cuts for transitions. This creates pace in this part of the sequence and adds comical value.

Another continuity technique used was the fact that the diegetic sound ran on from one scene to the next, allowing us to clearly understand that the scenes follow on from one another. For example when Carter says "It's about time y'all show some respect around here," and starts heavily breathing. We can still here his heavy breathing in the next shot showing that the two scenes are linked.

Applying Levi-Strauss's Theory

1.)
The genre of the film is action superhero, with a bit of teen romance. We can tell its a superhero genre from the opening credits. The transitions between them have spider webbed effects on them, and a man putting on some kind of costume in the background. This along with the title "Spiderman" make it fairly obvious that the film is a about a superhero with some kind of spider powers. After the credits we are shown a school bus scene followed by a school trip. These are conventional signifier of the teen genre. The main character "Peter Parker," has a crush on another main character "Mary Jane," suggesting a romance.

2.)
Peter Parker (Spiderman) is the main character of the film, and is introduced as a nerdy, student at school, who is a bit of a loser. He is wearing glasses with neat combed back hair and the typical geeky clothes. In contrast to this, the other main character 'Mary Jane' is shown as a cool, pretty and popular girl, with a jock boyfriend. She is shown as sitting and laughing with her friends, where as Peter is by himself and is made fun of by the other students. It has been set up as a typical "beauty and the geek" situation, which are two clear binary opposites.

3.)
Romance is a likely theme for the film as it opens with Peter narrating, and he says: "This, like any other story worth telling, is all about a girl." This is a clear romance signifier, and suggests that Peter and Jane will get together at some point during the film, (otherwise how can there be a story?) Even though Peter and Jane are shown to be so opposite, there is some kind of connection between them, as Jane seems to like him as well. This is shown when she tell the bus driver to stop the bus, after Peter had been chasing it for ages, with the whole bus laughing at him.

4.)
The narrative is organized to show conflict as the two main characters are so contrasted to each other, that there must be some kind of disagreement in the future. Or they could get together (opposites attract) and there is some kind of break-up like in a typical romance. At the end of the of the opening sequence, Peter is bitten by a spider, with creepy and daunting music played in the background. This, combined with the title "Spiderman" and the opening credit's special effects, it's fairly obvious that this is the start of a superhero adventure, which always has a good vs evil fight in it.

Applying Todorov's Theory

1.)  

Protagonist - Tarzan

Antagonist - The Leopard 

2.)

The equilibrium in the opening scene is shown by two separate happy families living their lives. One family is made up of three humans, (the parents and their son Tarzan,) who have crash landed on an island, and had to rebuild their home. The other family is three gorillas (the parents and their son.) The human family (although crash landed on an island,) happily work together to rebuild their home. We get a sense of equilibrium with the upbeat and motivational music, and the family seem to be enjoying themselves with their happy expressions. The gorilla family live in the jungle amongst other gorillas. The baby gorilla plays with his parents and all seems well. We see how similar the families are as the humans would do something, and then we would see the gorillas doing the same thing. For example, when the father is looking proudly at Tarzan, and the camera cuts to the gorilla father looking proudly at his son. This suggests that the families are linked in some way, and that they will meet at some point in the future. 

3.)

The disruption to equilibrium is obvious when the word "danger" is sung as part of the background music, and it fades from a sunny scene showing the humans finished house, to a close up of a leopard at night time. The leopard then eats the baby gorilla and kills Tarzan's parents. :(

4.)

There aren't really any clues as to the journey of Tarzan at this point, as later on in the film, we find that the leopard isn't actually the main antagonist, and we are introduced to Clayton, (an evil man with a rifle.) However, it is likely that the story will be about the relationships between Tarzan and the gorillas, as family is a main theme in the opening sequence.

5.)

Equilibrium is partially restored when Tarzan gets revenge on the leopard by killing it. However the main disruption to equilibrium happens around the middle of the film, when Clayton comes up with a plan to steal some gorillas and sell them. Equilibrium is restored when Tarzan saves the day by putting a stop to Clayton's plans (by killing him,) and saving the gorillas. The gorilla father (Kerchak) dies in the process. :(

Principles of Continuity

     Continuity is essential in films, as it prevents the audience from becoming confused, and allows them to understand the story. As the camera cuts between shots, a director would use various techniques to make it clear to the audience what is going on. These techniques/rules make a create a continuous narrative, that all directors strive to achieve. Once the director knows these rules, he/she can break them for effect. 

The rules are:

1.  180 degree rule:

Never cross the 'line of vision' of two characters, unless you have a master shot that shows the audience where the characters are in relation to each other. This prevent the audience from becoming confused.

2.  30 degree rule:

The camera angle shouldn't change less than 30 degrees (with the same framing,) otherwise, the audience would notice a jump in the footage, making the film seem strange.

3.  Shot order:

Use a logical shot order when putting together a film. e.g. long-shot to mid-shot to mid-close-up. This is a lot more easy on the eye then jumping from long shot to close up, and a lot less confusing.

4.  Eyeline match:

The direction of characters line of sight should stay the same. For example, if one character is taller then another, then the shorter character should be looking up.

5.  Match on action:

You should edit movement 'on the action', so that one scene follows on to the next. For example, if in one scene someone is running, and the scene ends on the characters right leg, then in the next scene, the character should be on still be on his right leg. This makes it clear that the character is moving forward between shots, rather than going back in time.

6.  Shot / reverse / shot:

This is where you film a conversation between two characters several times at different angles, and once with a master shot, of both characters together. Then when it comes to editing, you can put together scenes from all of the different angled conversations. This means that the conversation will flow from shot to shot, and the audience won't be confused as to where the two people are in relation to each other.

Making meaning through editing

Transitions

 - Cuts - Used to seamlessly move from shot to shot, often used to create pace/rhythm

 - Dissolves - Used to create a slow / relaxed link between shots, often used in montage sequences.

 - Fades - Often used to show a significant period of time has elapsed between shots.

Sound

 - Diegetic sound - Sound that we think is happening in the scene, but has actually been added in by a 'Foley artist.' For example the sound of thunder.

 - Non-diegetic sound - Sound that we know isn't part of the scene. For example a voice-over.

 - Sound bridge - Used to link two scenes.

Lighting

 - High key - Bright and low contrast.

 - Low key - More pronounce shadows.

 - Lighting from below - Used to make the subject appear threatening.

 - Back lighting - Used to create a 'halo effect' around the subject.

Colour

Cold or blue-ish lighting can create a sense of isolation or alienation, whereas warm or yellowish lighting, can create cosiness, or comfort.

Camera movement

 - Track - Camera moves towards or away from subject.

 - Pan - Pivoting camera to the side, often used to set the scene.

 - Whip pan - A sudden, fast pan.

 - Tilt - Pivoting the camera up or down.

 - Arc - Moving camera in an arc around the subject.

 - Crane shot - Camera moves up or down.

 - Hand-held shot - Camera held in hand, often used to create a sense of immediacy.

Framing

 - Very long shot - Figures appear small in the landscape, often used as an 'establishing shot.'

 - Long shot - Figure seen from head to toe.

 - Mid shot - Figure seen from waist to head.

 - Medium close-up - From chest to head.

 - Close-up - Head and shoulders.

 - Big close up - Head only. - often used to show emotion.

 - Extreme close up - From mouth to eyebrows. - often used to make subject seem threatening.

How will this be useful to my own film making?

I have all of the rules of continuity to bare in mind when making my own film. I also understand how to create meaning through the way I edit and film my film, which will be very useful to the whole process.  In our accidents task, we made many of the mistakes that have been highlighted above, however we weren't aloud to edit our sequence. We did try to incorporate some of the continuity techniques we already new, but it looked fairly unconvincing as we slipped up in other places. With the skills I have now learnt I will be able to avoid these mistake during our prelim task.