Prelim Part 2

Having shot our prelim video it was time to edit it. We went onto the computers and in pairs began to edit our different shots. We had to make sure that we paid attention to moving the video tracks and audio tracks as they could not overlap in any way because if they did there would be different voices out of time coming from different parts of the clip so we dragged the video down making sure we put it in an empty space.

We ran into a few problems when we wanted to change the order or duration of our shots as we kept dragging it on top of another shot. We eventually worked out how to drag it either below or above our previous shot so there were no clashes meaning our video did run smoothly. Another point we had to focus on was when we were trimming the shot as for the clip to look likes its flowing properly each shot needs to be cut at the exact right time and we often found that our shot transitions appeared slightly jolted so when thinking about filming our opening of a thriller, I definitely need to spend a bit more time getting those transitions to look better as it does effect the overall quality of the video.

I think I would defiantly make sure in the future that when filming I capture as many different angles as I can so that in editing we are not limited to what choice we have. A few more shots for our prelim would have come in useful. Secondly when doing the thriller I think it’s important to focus on how much each character is in the shot. We gradually got better at doing this but towards the beginning I think we had many more shots of the guy than the girl actor who wasn’t even introduced till over half way through luckily we did notice so changed it but it is something that is actually key if you are wanting to end with a good edited video.

I think overall it has prepared me for my thriller piece as all the small things that you wouldn’t think have a huge impact on the quality of your video are so much more important then I realised from overlapping your shots, cutting the shot at the correct time and getting enough variety to choose from all are crucial to your video and the end result. For the thriller we are now prepared and have hopefully made all the stupid mistakes now so that in our real thing we can focus on making it look as professional as possible.

Prelim part 1

We were put into groups to begin with and given a storyboard to which our actors had to follow. It contained a simple script we decided to develop the story line so that our two actors were in a house living room, and the boy is trying to convince the girl to set these peoples house on fire even though she doesn’t want to.

We started by setting the actors up where we wanted them and then connecting the camera onto the tripod. Checking the camera was straight on the tripod. We then focused on the 180 degree rule thinking about not crossing it whilst we tried to achieve the necessary shots. To make sure we didn’t have a continuity slip we had to use a sticky note to label exactly where each actor needed to stand whist we filmed so that when we go to edit the film it all looks good and makes sense. We used wide shot’s, behind the shoulder shots moved the camera along the 180 degree line also changing the height to which we shot the characters. For the male actor who was playing the dominant character we used a low shot to make him appear in charge and important. Where as we shot the girl actress from a high angled shot this created an inferior look in which she appears small and innocent. We then tried a few shots using a handheld shot.

We found it very tricky when filming with the handheld shot as it’s extremely hard to keep it as still as possible and prevent it from looking to shaky and unbalanced. After re-taking a few shots we managed to hold the camera slightly differently and it did improve the quality of the shot. We also fell into a few problems whilst trying to focus in on the actor pre filming, It would appear on the screen fully zoomed in and focused but when the actor started moving around and we shot the scene it came out slightly blurry. To solve this we took more time to zoom in on the actors face making sure the focus was exactly right and this made a huge difference to the quality of our future shots.

I think next time we could be more clear when telling our actors where to stand, it took us a while to get them in the right spot and keep them from moving which did waste a bit of time which we will need to make good use of when filming our thriller shoot. I do also think for our thriller we should plan the shots we want to use ahead of the shoot as its tricky thinking of what shot to use next when on set and your actors are having to wait. In terms of actors we should think about when the script may get more complicated. In the future we should definitely try and give them a script to learn before hand as it will help speed up the time taken to film and we can save time retaking shots for other reasons rather then as the actor forgot their lines.

Editing Workshop write up

Having filmed our start sequence the previous week we joined our groups and in two’s sat at the computer connected to our camera that we used.

First we went onto premier, in the top left corner you have the project window which is like a finder window with folders, files inside it. When you add video, audio and text It all goes to the project window.

There are then two projects screens and a timeline at the bottom, which go from left to right. You have V1, V2 and V3, these are video channels as well as A1,A2 and A3 which stand for audio channels.

You then have a thing similar to a folder known as “bins” which is a film making term. If you need to make a new folder you go to file new bin.

The next term we were introduced to is “rushes” this is the footage shot that is still untouched its called this due to the fact that at the end of the day traditionally the film would “rushed off” to be developed overnight and ready for the next day so the producer and director can watch it and look at what they need to film and go from there.

When looking at the rushes you double click on the icon which looks like a film wheel. Then press the play button and footage will begin from there you can always use the space bar as well. There is also the play back head which enables you to look back and forth through the footage.

Cutting footage – Two principles and tools:

First the last moment and first moment out this means you keep the key bits on the screen. Last moment in is when just as the action happens you press “I” for in and “O” for out. You can also drag the pictures you want onto the timeline.

Secondly you should cut on movement. As if you cut before it looks odd and doesn’t work but if you cut on action and then continue to find the same moment on the next shot you can match them. Remember- Premier always plays the shot that is on the top of the bar. This is the basic’s to cutting your sequence.

Sound Analysis of the sniper scene from Captain Philips

I have chosen to use the sniper scene in the movie Captain Philips. In this particular scene the American Seal team have found the lifeboat and the Somalia pirates who are holding Captain Philips hostage, The Navy seals are right in the heart of the rescue.

The clip uses non-diegetic sound from the very beginning of the scene. The use of a soundtrack which sounds heroic as well as gradually increasing in volume as the tension rises in the scene. It gets louder and louder until we reach the absolute climax of the scene when the pirates prepare to shoot the captain. The seal’s jump into action and the soundtrack cuts out. The soundtrack may be representing the pirate and what he is feeling. The pirate is then shot and the soundtrack  “dies out” with the dead man. Prior to this when we think the pirate has control and will shoot the captain the soundtrack is very much alive, appearing to the audience to symbolise when a character dies as well as when a character survives to live on. The contrast helps to portray how closely linked life and death really are.

The first diegetic sound that plays one of the longest and more important rules in the scene is the dialogue. The initial dialogue we hear is from the navy seals who are in a completely professional zone and all focused on their job. Instantly we as an audience feel safer knowing they are taking control of the situation. The use of mise-en-scene such as the costume play a big part in setting the scene. They are in Navy seal uniform which is very patriotic and connotes heroicness and bravery the audience trusts them even though most of us don’t understand the fancy terminology to which they use, it sounds professional and that is enough to supply the watcher with comfort!

The dialogue then changes to the captain himself who is screaming but it is made purposely hard for us to make sense of what he is saying, this helps to convey his confusion about not knowing what is going on, and being unable to see this then translates to the watchers confusion of not understanding what he is saying. Very shortly after that the dialogue switches to the Somalia pirates who are shouting at one another in a panic, this is when we feel a brief moment of sympathy  towards the pirates as they realise their fate and try to blame each other. The last bit of dialogue is the navy seals giving the final command to “execute” the shot, This dialogue helps establish meaning for the audience by giving us all the information we need to piece together the puzzle.

We are then taken to a point of view which see's it through the perspective of the snipers head and the seal who shoots it. The use of the sound effect and the gun shot adds so much intensity to the scene as all we hear is the gun being shot, smashing through the glass and entering the body. Following the gunshot all sound is cut apart from Captain Philips who is screaming, shouting and crying. Beyond that the ambient sound of background noise when we  just hear waves hitting the lifeboat and the sound that echoes through the inside where the captain is tied up. The ambient sound helps to reinforce how lonely the character is in this moment in time, The contrast between all the previous action to nothing but waves crashing onto the lifeboat makes the audience feel the epic change in pace of the clip.

This scene uses lots of parallel sound for instance when the seals prepare to take a shot the soundtrack reaches its loudest and most fast tempo music to accompany the situation, This is yet another way of adding tension as an audience we link fast-tempo music to a build up to something, in this case the man being shot to his death.

In the clip they use the sound of the winch on the ship as a sound bridge from non-diegetic to diegetic this means as they stop the tow of the boat we hear a brief moment of waves then a gun -shot is fired. The change in pace keeps the viewer quite literally on the edge of their seats in anticipation for what’s to come.

Overall the sequence creates all sorts of varied emotions for the audience in a very short space of time. Through the use of non-diegetic sound we feel that our emotions are heightened. Then through diegetic sound we feel as if we are involved in the conversations right there with our hero Captain Philips even though in reality we are sitting on our sofa doing nothing at all. All these emotions are created by different uses of sound in the extract making it a great thriller scene forever keeping its audience alert and on our toes.

Camera lesson two - 180 degree rule

We went into the camera studio and first of all learnt about the 180 degree rule. The rule is used when you need to film one or two things. You have to create an imaginary line on which you have to keep the camera on one side of that line. If you break the rule you have “crossed the line”. It’s called the 180 degree rule as the camera can’t move more than 180 degrees around the characters or objects.  If the camera swaps over to the other side for one of the shots, the pictures won’t work together. Instead of two characters facing each other it will now look as if they are facing the same direction.

There are occasions where you need to change the line, you need to do this carefully otherwise you leave the audience getting confused. You have to visually show this through a tracking shot physically filming it as its moving.

We were then showed how to start shooting a full scene. It is crucial that you allow the film to play all the way through and even film a bit longer then you need to so that you have the option to use it. We can cut to a point and this gives us the ability to use as much or as little as we want. So always film the whole sequence. This is also why it’s important to shoot a wide long shot first, to act as a “safety shot”. No matter what you end up with usable footage that you can cut when you need to.

While filming we were taught about all the important “call signs “ that the professionals use.

1. “Quiet on set” – director or assistant director shouts this so the crew know filming is about to begin.
2. “Standing by”
3. “Roll camera/camera” – lets the film maker know when to press record.
4. “Camera Rolling”- this is what the camera man shouts back to make it clear he is filming.
5. “speed and sound” – to show the sound is ready
6. “Action”- Acting begins.  

Analysis of the film poster "Oblivion"

Instantly you are drawn to the poster simply because of the two huge names that are revealed, Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman this is such a great selling point due to the fact you have already managed to capture the fans of these two great actors and people will want to look into this film more as we associate the great actors with producing the great films. From the costumes, props and setting as well as the subtle helpful quote at the top “Earth is a memory worth fighting for” we assume it is going to be an action film as well as science fiction as this quote suggest earth no longer exists or has changed and is know just a memory. This also helps us come to the conclusion that these two men are good as they are fighting for a good cause giving us a rough idea of the plot.  This films target audience would be fans of the two actors as well as people into adventure and action I would say its not just enticing for those action lovers but also those who just want to see these phenomenal actors.

This poster is simply Black and White. The two actors are in full black, which often connotes negative imagery it is linked to death and darkness but can also be seen as more powerful and is often a sign of wealth. In this poster Tom cruise is wearing a lighter shade of black to Morgan Freeman I believe this has been done on purpose to show that they are clearly on each others side however both play different roles in the film. They clearly support each other as the characters are stood in a way that “they have each others backs”

Both the characters costumes suggest they are experienced. Tom Cruise is holding a gun as a prop which on most inexperienced people would look big and dangerous but his positioning and stance suggests it’s not the first time he has used one. He has leather straps all over as well as zips and pockets showing he is well equipped for what ever he about to take on. His facial expressions also show he has a very harsh lighting on his face which emphasizes his wrinkles which often connotes wisdom or the fact that he is tired this helps reveal to us the intensity of this characters combat lifestyle. However Morgan Freeman has been dressed in a much more formal attire which shows he might be in a higher position however not necessarily featured as much as we only see his face from the side and his name in printed below Tom Cruise’s on the bottom of the poster which could be another hint that he is not playing the main role however he must be very important as he is included within the poster.  Morgan Freeman's face is also very secretive and he has dark glasses on which prevents the audience from seeing his eyes which means he remains more impersonal and more mysterious, this may be foreshadowing the type of role he will be playing in the film. Compared to Tom Cruise where we can see all his facial expressions clearly we feel like we know him more just from looking into his eyes.

The White in the background is very plane and blank which has a reference to the title “oblivion” which means you do not know anything and are unaware of your surroundings this shows a context of blankness in the background and the white connotes emptiness as well as heaven which also links to the title. Heaven is seen as a place you go after you die if you have been pure and good. It is often considered as being above us this contrasts hugely with hell which is thought of as dark and black and beneath us therefore the poster could be representing the men who appear to be on a barren black land with nothing but danger and are slowly “rising above it all” to get to heaven weather that means winning the fight they appear to be undertaking or simply being the “good guys”.  This poster has achieved its job and captivated me so much I would go and watch it as soon as I could.

First Camera lesson 1

In our first camera lesson we started off by simply learning how to set up the tripod in the correct way. We saw that on the tripod there is a magnet which centres when the tripod is fully flat and on an equal level this is crucial as it means that when you film using the tripod the camera and film is straight.

We then learnt how to set up the camera on the tripod as well as the technique needed for attaching the batteries.

We then went on to look at exposure each camera has a zoom as well as the exposure button often the furthest wheel back on the camera, you often know you have got it as unlike the zoom it makes a clicking sound as you turn the wheel.  To adjust the aperture on the camera you often use the iris and this helps to focus in on the background so its not blurry.

Then we were taught about white balance which is to do with how light gives off a variation of colours. First of all there is man made light and secondly natural light such as the sun. When trying to adjust the white balance you need to find a white surface and zoom all the way in this enables the camera to work out what the other colours are around the room. You press the white balance button on the camera and this means the camera knows how it needs to adjust the reason we don’t use automatic white balance adjusters is because often the camera is unpredictable and doesn’t know what is going on so almost guesses and this can become a real problem when your trying to film and the light is completely off.