Preliminary Exercise

Evaluation

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

I worked with Despina, George and Claire and we all contributed to the exercise and suggested ideas. We studied the brief and then got on to deciding important steps such as roles and location. When making a film, the roles normally taken on are sound technician, camera operateur, actor, light technician and runner so we decided to follow most of these roles to make the shoot more professional and organised. During our first meeting, after coming up with an idea, we decided that Despina and Claire would be the main actors within the piece and George would also act at the end of the sequence. This left me to do the shooting however, we decided that George should shoot some of the shots that he was not featured in to share out responsibility. George and I also took the role of sound technician. When it came to editing, Despina and George did most of the editing as they seemed to have the most knowledge when it came to editing the final piece however, both Claire and I both contributed ideas and looked out to try and ensure that there were no continuity errors and put in suggestions. Overall, I enjoyed working with my group and I think that we all contributed a lot and worked together well and I think doing this exercise as a group, we got to learn a lot about group skills and how to handle stressful situations productively. Also, we were all very reliable and showed good time keeping skills.

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

We had a initial meeting to get started and to plan our sequence which was very useful because we all got to share ideas and plan what exactly we were going to do. In this meeting, we brainstormed ideas and then planned the script, sorted the shot list and then started on the storyboard for shots, including duration and the denotation of each shot. We also made sure that we had a shooting schedule to ensure that we were all organised and knew exactly what was happening. Once we decided our location in this initial meeting, we went into the room and had a brief run through taking into account important things such as where the camera will be positioned and how we wanted the overall sequence to appear. We also analysed the lighting within the location and what the acoustics were like and once we were happy with this, we organised another meeting during a lunchtime. At this second meeting, we finalised all of the details and completed all of the storyboard. With the planning of the storyboard, we needed to make sure that we stuck to the brief so we needed to have one character walk in and sit opposite another character and then the two needed to exchange a few seconds of dialogue. The techniques that we needed to make sure that we took into account were important continuity rules such as the 180 degree rule, 30 degree rule, match on action, shot-reverse shot and a matched cut when editing. Also, in terms of character types, we have used normal and everyday characters and have included a love interest which they both fancy.

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

Before we actually started the task, the school technician showed us the technology that we will be using and told us how to use the pieces of equipment which was very helpful and prevented questions being asked during the actual shoot which would waste time.

The hardware which were involved in the shoot, included a Cannon HDV Camera with a mini DV tape format with a camera mic attached and this allowed us to shoot the footage professionally with good sound throughout. We also used a tripod to keep the camera still and to create smooth pans with the rotating lever. The tripod legs were also very useful as we could extend and reduce them to show different perspectives for example with the girls point of view when sitting down, the reduction of the legs provided a more realistic view of the other character. We also had headphones which we connected to the camera which was very helpful in ensuring that the sound was loud enough without any background noise reducing the quality. Other equipment included a clipboard to keep our storyboard and notes on and also a mini whiteboard which was very helpful in writing the shot and take to show us when editing visually what number each shot was.

The software that we used was a PC based digital editing suite and the main programme we used was Adobe Premier Pro which was an easy software to follow. This software had a large supply of tools which were very helpful in creating the final piece. The main tools we used included the razor which we used cut up each clip to separate both the shot and the audio, the drag icon to drop clips into the timeline to pick out the footage we wanted and the transitions to go in between each shot. In this project, we used cuts for a quick effect. The programme also had a source and output monitor to show us the footage we wanted to pick out and then finally, the clip after it has been edited. Also, we could include titles through the software to introduce our sequence and then to provide an ending title. Adobe Premier Pro, made the editing of our prelim project very easy to do and it was a very helpful and effective programme.

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

When planning, there were very important factors that we needed to take into consideration. A big factor was the roles within the exercise as we wanted to pick actors that felt confident enough to play the part convincingly. Also, we needed to plan out where we would do the shoot and this was very important as we needed a location that was appropriate for the scene and we needed to ensure that everything was in place to create a good sense of place. Another factor was that we had a strong enough script that would be easy to follow and one that allowed the two actors to have a conversation.

With the shooting however, a big factor to keep an eye on was the lighting was okay for the shot and was not either too bright or not bright enough. Also, we had to check on the sound because it was important that we could hear the actors clearly and that there were no sounds from the other groups nearby that would interrupt things. Continuity was the most important factor when shooting as we had to ensure that no rules were broken and that everything flowed well. Making sure that we wrote down each shot and take was also vital so that we could sort out the shot order and record what take was the best.

When it came to editing, we took into account time management as we only had a certain amount of time to complete the editing and also, the order in which we would place the shots. Another thing we had to decide was where to cut certain shots along with what transitions would be most effective.

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

Overall, the sequence was not as successful as I would have hoped as there are a few weak points however, there are also some effective shots to the sequence. We stuck to the continuity rules which I think is very positive as we tried very hard to ensure that there were not any errors so this part of the sequence was successful. The things that I think worked well, was firstly, the first shot of the actor walking in as it is a clean shot without any mistakes and it is a shot that was required in this sequence. Also, the second shot of the pan as Claire walks into the room, works quite well as it acts as a good establishing shot in revealing the setting. Finally, the reaction shot and the points of view of Claire at 0.12 is well framed and 0.20 is quite effective also because it is framed well and shows the facial expression of the characters.

In hindsight however, I would re-do the shot at 0.23 as the framing is very weak because there is too much space at the top of the shot. The reason I think this framing was quite bad was because I was shooting this shot in the corner of the room and there was not enough space to do an effective pan. So, if I was to change something, I would consider thinking more carefully about location. Also, I think that the conversation between the girls is too quick and this makes it seem quite unrealistic so I would probably change the script and have more pauses where the girls look at the laptop, gazing at the pictures on it. At 0.13, there is too much space along the side so I would have framed this tighter if I had the chance to do it again. Another thing I would change would be by making the sequence simpler as we added three people when really, we only needed two so I think that we should have made it less complicated.

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 lot from doing this task and I think has helped increase my knowledge of filming and editing. The main things that I have learnt are firstly, the scripting of directing which includes getting everyone on shoot to keep quiet ('standby') and how the director decides when to say action and informs the camera operator when to cut and stop recording. I also learnt about all of the roles that are involved within the filming and how they all come together to cover every aspect of shooting. One of the most important things that I learn were the continuity techniques in particular with the 180 degree rule as it can ruin a sequence and make it seem unreal and fake. I also learnt about how important checking the audio is because background noise or the actor not being loud enough can be a big problem. Also, storyboarding is extremely important and making sure that there is an establishing shot within the storyboard to make sure firstly, we know what we are doing and secondly with the establishing shot, a sense of place is shown to the audience. A big lesson that I have learn is about how to handle stressful situations as it was quite stressful so I think that next time, I will try and stay calm and focus on my role more.

I think that this exercise will help me with my foundation coursework because now. I have experienced what it is like and I have been able to pinpoint where exactly it is that I went wrong and can make sure that I do not repeat these mistakes again.

Group 3C PaperworkStoryboard, Shooting Schedule and Script

Analysis using Propp Theory

Vladimir Propp Theory

Vladimir Propp was a Russian critic who created a theory based on the structure of stories. With this theory of narrative, he examined 100's of folk tales to look for similarities. His book was published in 1928 and it contained an analysis of elements in these stories that had connections. He came up with 8 different character roles in these stories and these were:

• The Villain(s)- The person who will go all out to defeat the hero.
• The Hero- The person(s) that progress and go on a journey.
• The donor- prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
• The helper- helps the hero with the quest and journey that they are going on.
• The princess/princess- the person the hero may end up with and the reward for the hero and the person who the villain schemes against.
• Her father- rewards the hero.
• The dispatcher- sets the hero on his/her way to carry on in completing their goal.
• The false hero- Takes the credit for all of the hard work of the hero to impress other characters.

The Little Mermaid

Synopsis

A beautiful mermaid, Ariel, is fascinated by the human world- much to the dismay of her father King Triton, ruler of the Mer-people. Ariel spies handsome Prince Eric and falls hopelessly in love. Sebastian, a crab, is sent by Trilton to keep an eye on Ariel, but he cannot stop her from saving Eric’s life during a storm at sea. Ursala, the sea witch, plots to grant Ariel’s wish to be a human and marry her Prince, but only as part of a larger scheme to gain control of Trilton’s undersea kingdom. In the end, Eric and Ariel, transformed into a human, is given Trilton’s blessing to marry Prince Eric.

The Villain- Ursala

The Hero- Ariel

The donor- Ursala

The helper- Flounder

The Prince- Eric

The Father- (in this case Ariel's father) King Trilton

The Dispatcher- Sebastian

The False Hero-

Vladimir Propp also came up with 31 functions that are in most fairytales and there are four main ones from this list that are used in the film 'The Little Mermaid' and these are:

• Villain attempts to deceive hero with trickery- this is shown in the film when Ursala gives Ariel the potion to give her legs although this is really a trick to get her voice.
• Hero leaves home- this is in the part when Ariel gets legs and starts to live life on land as a human and leaves Mer-land.
• Hero gets magical object to help with quest- even though the potion is a trick, the magical object helps her to meet the Prince and fall in love which was her overall quest.
• Hero given new appearance/ transfiguration- this is when Ariel gets her legs and changes from a mermaid to a human.

Critique of Propp's Theory

The main criticism of Propp's theory and one thing that I think is weak about it is the fact that not everything is taken into account and how some things can change the functions and character types within a narrative. These things include: the tone of the story, the mood of the characters and story as a whole and the characterisation as the character labels have been described but the actual personalities of these characters have not. Also, this theory is fairly old so many people have the opinion that this theory of narrative is dated as many fairytales have been transformed now and with these, the theory of functions and character types to not fit in with them.

Todorov's theory

Evaluation of Opening Sequence

Tzvetan Todorov, a Bulgarian theorist, believed that a similar structural pattern was followed in fairy stories. This theory links in to mainstream films and TV dramas today. The Narrative Pattern was- An Equilibrium > Disruption > Resolution > Restored Order > New Equilibrium. The Opening Sequence above of James Bond Quantum of Solace follows this theory.

• The equilibrium in this opening sequence is with an agent (James Bond), who is seen as a protagonist within the film as he is the character that the viewer wants to succeed. The villain is the man chasing after Bond and who is going all out to try and kill his enemy.
• The disruption in all of this is the car chase between the two characters as the villain tries to kill James violently in this chase. There is constant conflict shown between the two of them as they shoot at each other trying to force each other to crash. This disruption hints that there will be lots of obstacles on the way and people will try and stop him from succeeding.
• At the beginning of the clip, there is a moving establishing shot of the island to show the setting and to take the audience through the surroundings. At 0.56 and 0.59, there is an ECU of the actor Daniel Craig and there is a big shadow casted over his face to show the mysteriousness of this character. This use of minimal lighting is very good at representing the characteristics of the character. Also, with this shot, we can see the determination that he has through his eyes which is very effective.
• The whole clip is very fast-paced and at 1.41, there is a wide shot of all three cars which packs in all of the action so the audience gets front row seats of this action as it is all placed in front of them. At 4.07, there is a high angle shot of the villain tied up in the trunk of James' car. The effect this has is by showing the difference in power with the protagonist standing over the villain and the camera looking down on him makes him seem vulnerable and weak in comparison to the very strong, calm and collected Bond.
• The use of having the main character in a smart and crisp suit carries on the tradition of the other James Bond films and adds to his whole persona. Also, the cars act as the props in the clip as they provide action and are very expensive with the classic aston martin which shows high budget and class.
• The Resolution is when the person who the audience wants to succeed (James Bond) shoots down the other car making it fall off a cliff killing the villain and manages to get the other villain tied up. However, the hero always seems to get out alive and unharmed.
• From this opening sequence, it is obvious that there will be a lot of disruption throughout the film as the main character seems to have made many enemies and also because it is an action film.
• All of the James Bond films follow Todorov's theory as they have the agent and villain(s) that fight it out and show hatred towards each other. Often there is a girl involved and they go through a journey throughout the film consisting of chases and fights to try and complete the main mission.
• However, the new equilibrium is not always one of complete happiness as he is betrayed by his love interest Vesper but he does in every film manage to come out of it alive, but the equilibrium will be restored as we can guarantee that he will survive the obstacles thrown at him and will go on to fight again.

In conclusion, James Bond does follow the theory of Tzevetan Todarov as it starts with a equilibrium, has disruption along the way but ends with a new equilibrium. The narrative of this film following this sequence is:

Agent (Bond) and Villain > Conflict (Chases and fights) > Defeats his enemy > Changes as a person (becomes less trusting)

Continuity in films

Continuity Evaluation

I decided to use the clip of Oceans 12 as I think it follows continuity rules and I also find the interaction between the characters and the techniques used with both filming and editing interesting.

• The beginning of this clip starts with an establishing LS to show clearly where the character is, in this case a hotel room so it immediately sets the scene. We also get an idea of time due to the minimal lighting through the window.
• The 180 degree rule is followed within this clip as the line of vision between the characters is not crossed and therefore we as an audience do not get confused with the placements of the characters and with what side they are on.
• Also, as the shots of the two men are MS's we get to see both the facial expression and body language of the characters. What I also find effective is that the conversation between the two are filmed over the shoulder of each other which includes the character in their conversation looking over them. With this part (which starts at 0.29), the dialogues were probably filmed separately so Brad Pitt's character would have acted out all of his lines in one go and then this would have been edited to fit in with the conversation with George Clooney.
• There is a match on action at 0.26, 0.39 and 0.44 with the door as it is open the same amount in each part avoiding continuity errors and any confusion.
• The use of shot order is effective as it fits in smoothly through the narrative in starting with a LS, having a MS from 0.27 to 0.59 and then finishing with a wide shot of the two characters. This makes everything fit into place correctly.
• There is also matching eye line as they are looking at a correct level and a matched cut as the transitions are all cuts fitting into the speed of the scenes and making each different scene flick to the next one straight away.
• Finally, the most effective continuity technique in this scene is the shot-reverse-shot with the cut between the characters and their conversation which is very quick and places the audience within the conversation making them feel a part of what is happening.

With all of these continuity rules being followed, the whole clip seems very realistic which is the main point of following these rules. Also, all of it seems to flow a lot better and has a very professional feel to it.

Evaluation of Accident Sequence

1. What do you think was the point to the activity?

This activity required us to make a six shot sequence of an accident taking place. The point of this activity was to learn more about continuity, how important it is and the rules that need to be followed to achieve a realistic sequence. The main purpose of all of this was also to give us knowledge on narrative flow and how important it is when delivering a storyline. We also needed to learn about the order of shots and the effect each shot gives so this exercise was very helpful in teaching us this through mistakes that we might have made.

2. In regard to your finished sequence, what worked well?

There are a few things that I think worked quite well with my finished sequence and that I am pleased with. Firstly, with the first shot, a LS of the two girls facing each other we can see both their surrounding and the tense relationship between the two because of the distance between them. Another thing that i think worked well is the variety of shots shown which makes the whole sequence more interesting. There is a over the shoulder (putting the audience within the action), a close up (showing the angry facial expression of one of the characters) and a High Angle shot showing a reverse in power with how this character isn't as tough as we first think. Finally, the cut-aways between is another strong point as it breaks up the action into different pieces making it more dramatic and exciting.

3. What would you aim to improve about your sequence?

There are quite a few things that I would change with this sequence as there were a lot of mistakes made. Firstly, the two characters should be walking towards each other so that the second shot of one of the girls walking ties in with the first. Also, we get to see the point of view of one of the characters so I think we should get to see the point of view of the other character to make it more interesting with a shot reverse shot between the two. The two point of view shots would have to be broken up with a master shot to remind the audience where they are in relation to one another. With the shot of the punch, there should be a match on action as the time frame between the action and reaction should be more accurate as the dodge is too slow and it looks staged. The most important thing that needs to be improved within this sequence is to do with continuity as we broke a big rule- the 180 Degree Rule. As with some shots we moved the camera right the way round, we changed the viewers perspective in such a way that they appear to have swapped places causing confusion for the viewer. This is a big continuity rule so if I was to shoot this again, I would ensure that I would not break it again.

4. What did you learn from doing this activity? simple

From doing this activity I learned how important narrative flow is and how it is not easy to achieve a perfect and believable sequence. I also learned lots of things about continuity and tips such as the 180 degree rule and the 30 degree rule to keep things in place and to stop shots from looking staged. This exercise has definitely taught me to look more carefully into the minor details that go in to creating a flowing sequence.