Characters ((A little less) UNFINISHED)

Thriller story board (opening)

Treatment

Treatment

Black backdrop fills the shot. The sound of vehicles passing floods the darkness, a passing car interrupts the pitch black as we are taken to a gloomy overcast. Opening with a pathetic fallacy, clouds cover the sky. Revealed central frame complimented with a long shot, a nerve stricken boy stands. Simplistic clothing masks the complexity of the emotions running through the characters mind. As if his life depended on it, clutched to his chest is a common backpack, the contents of which is masked from the viewer. The boy starts to look around, the camera, using disorientating angles (mixes of extreme close ups and mid shots) is used with a handheld style to show the anxiety of the character as well as the situation.

The purpose behind this shot is to create an exposed insight into the character. By using different points of view/angles to shoot the character we are constantly reminded of the disorientation the character feels. The use of quite a gloomy, natural light enforces the tone and atmosphere of the opening. Revealing quite a slow paced shot to start with, an initial tension is created among the introduction of the character. However, as the scene progresses the pace of the action soon follows suit.

The influences behind our opening come from a number of well-known thriller productions. The first, concerns the use of the visual affect from a handheld camera, coming from the Bourne Trilogy we are trying to recreate the unsteady/uneasy feeling in which is shown within the movies. The slow paced start was inspired by the opening of Casino Royale as we have the suspension from the action. By doing this, enigma is created and the action can be progressively introduced throughout rather than all in one go. The concept of the character running from someone is influenced heavily by the film Chatroom. Coming from a psychological thriller it isn’t your stereotypical chase scene, however the key concepts are still there. Not only does this create thrill within the scene it also helps to establish more of the storyline. Another film influencing our opening is that of Essex Boys. A certain shot that is used within the opening of this movie has proved most useful. The shot I am referring to is that of when two characters are in a car travelling through a tunnel and we see the drivers face shadowed with a cross pattern. This is foreshadowing certain events that are soon to come, instead of completely replicating the shot we have adapted it. We have taken the concept and chosen to place the character in front of a fence. Not only does this give a sense of entrapment, but by shooting him from behind we could also be foreshadowing a life behind bars in the future. The final film we have used to influence our work is used in association with the transitions between shots. In the celebrated style of Layer Cake, in our opening we have chosen to use the environment to transition between shots. For example: Our first shot of a car driving past reveals a boy standing in a long shot. As another car drives past the boy is completely hidden, and as the car drives away the boy is revealed again however this time in a mid shot.

Thriller - mood board

Moodboard on Prezi

Preliminary task: Continuity editing - Teacher's marks

Preliminary task: Continuity editing

Submarine trailer

In short, the trailer for submarine is selling its unique style and its indie feel. 
From the first image we see, the trailer is already targeting a certain market (indie); It isn't grabbing us straight away with action or music, but introducing the film too us with the sound of gentle waves, imagery of a beach and a nostalgic typewriter theme. This theme will continue throughout the trailer. The moment the music begins and we are introduced to the character, Oliver, the cuts become very fast paced, but still with little action or movement from the character. The narration from Oliver is immediately spilling his heart out to us and, as he explains his thoughts, shows us how socially confused he is and his odd and unexpected thoughts. All of this, mixed with the fast paced, unconventional editing style creates a good image of the film's unique style. Around half way through the trailer, the tone changes as it becomes apparent the film is of a love story. This seems to be achieved with the light music as opposed to the quite dark surreal music used previously. Also the setting as the two sit together is of a scenic and romantic one. However, the films odd and surreal style soon adds a twist to this with the unexpectedly forward line from Jordana, "Are you asking me to come round and have sex with you". These odd, unexpected moments throughout the trailer have quite a humorous style with the deep feelings of this boy mixed in. As the trailer edges upon its conclusion, one of the selling points of the film is introduced. The sound track. Written and performed by Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys), the soundtrack is a heavy feature in the viral and printed marketing for the film, catching the attention of music critiques and young audiences already fans of Alex Turner. The music is used to evoke the only serious tone in the trailer, as Oliver is trying to win the love of Jordana and a montage is played over the top ranging over a variety of emotions. 
Through out the trailer, the imagery was constantly cutting between the film and reviews from high class magazines and news papers such as Empire and The Telegraph. These are used to confirm that the film is well received by critiques and is not a child's film but one to be taken seriously.
The trailer sells us, as I have said, it's unique and individual style. It highlights its use of odd and surreal humour whilst retaining the over all serious tone of a love story. Rather than selling us the film, as a blockbuster would do, it sells us the story and relationship between Oliver and Jordana, but also Oliver and himself. The use of music seems quite vital in the success of the trailer, creating several tones throughout and pausing for specific moments, whilst also continuing to demonstrate the Alex Turner soundtrack.The trailer appears to be aimed towards teenagers and young people but, also to film goers and couples. 

Final Cut and Adobe Premiere

Apple's Final Cut and Adobe's Premiere software are both semi proffesional video editing programs. There are not many differences between the two, but many people decide to take sides. For many years, Final Cut was seen as the only serious option for film makers and that when premiere was introduced, it was simply trying to mimic Final Cut. Though, in more recent years they have caught up and in some ways excelled Final Cut.
Final Cut (up to Pro 7) and Adobe Premiere both work on, more or less, the same layout. The two pieces of software are relatively simple to switch between, the biggest difference being the location of buttons and shortcuts etc. There are some times advantages to one piece of software, as it may have a feature the other doesn't but, these features are usually added in the next iteration of the other software.
However, the biggest advantage Premiere has over Final Cut is how it syncs seamlessly between the Adobe suite. This means, if you require the use of Photoshop, After Effects, Audition or anything else, it requires very little effort and is a smooth process. This is why I am transitioning from Final Cut Express to Premiere Pro CS6 and any future home editing will be done on this software.

Summary and conventions of Film Noir UNFINISHED

Film Noir is recognised around the world as one of the most recognisable film genres. The genre found itself in such a defined style through a number of techniques and an incredibly dark and enigmatic feel composed with artificial elements and met with a lot of moral ambiguity. Film Noir derives from the french word for black, noir, literally meaning films of a dark subject.

A key feature of Film Noir, that makes the style so defined, is the subject matter. Noir films often focus around themes of greed, crime and extortion, our main character will almost always be enigmatic and have an untold side to them. This untold side in the lead roles often gives a sense of moral ambiguity. The stories often revolve around gangsters, cops, detectives and perhaps a love interest or femme fatale. There is often a metaphorical meaning behind characters, where they are and how the film is edited.

Lighting in noir films is crucial in its iconic look. Every scene is lit with an intention to suggest something. Shadows are often used to create enigma around a character or to suggest they have another, darker side to them we do not know about. For example, this still from double indemnity on the right is a prime example of this. The sharp shadow looks almost as if there are two of the character, a light/ good one and a dark, silhouetted one with something to hide. The lighting in noir a scene, almost always single point lighting or backlit, is very un-natural and artificial which can really keep an audience on edge, never being able to settle into some gentle visuals. It can also be used to drag the audiences eye to where their focus is needed, such as again in the same still from double indemnity, the edges are darkened focusing our attention on the character and making us feel we have no other place to go.

The use of the camera is another recognisable trait of film noir. The way the camera is manipulated in noir films can create a disorienting experience for the viewer. For example, using  a canted angle gives the impression that events have taken a turn for the worse and makes the audience feel a certain unease and desperation. Moving shots can have a similar result to this. In many noir films, the camera is constantly moving slightly from one place to another, demonstrating a lack of stability. There are a lot of extreme angles used in noir. These angles can suggest status, make us feel disconnected from characters or can foreshadow an area of interest by being low to the ground and looking up at a high building. Techniques are continued to be used when filming characters. In noir, shots of people are primarily tight, claustrophobic close ups or wide and empty long shots. This either makes us feel up close to the character as if they have no place to go or disconnected from them exaggerating how alone they are.

A common feature in noir films is an obstruction between the audience and a character. A reoccuring example of this is bannisters. UNFINISHED

Preliminary task: Continuity editing

Preliminary task: Continuity editing

How technology has affected the film industry

How technology has affected the film industry

The film industry really kicked off in the 1930’s in North America, during the ‘golden age of Hollywood’. At this point, just about the only way to go see a film, was to go to the cinema. Cinema really peaked at around the end of the second world war when people would treat themselves by taking the family out to the cinema. Soon after this however, cinema took it’s biggest hit... television. Focusing on the UK, television really boomed around the time of the Queens Jubilee. What this meant for the film industry was that people didn't have to leave their homes to catch a glimpse of a moving picture, so as a direct result of this, there were significantly less people going to the cinema. As ever, the film industry continued to hold onto what they had. They continued to make bigger, better, and more dramatic films that the experience of just couldn't be repeated at home. This is the only thing that kept cinema and the film industry afloat, and was entirely necessary as films began to air on television. Cinema would continue to take a further blow as VHS was released in the early 80’s, So you would think the same would happen as DVD’s, Blu Ray and downloads are released, but this is not necessarily true. But even if cinema is grasping onto what it has, how is the film industry as a whole Being affected by technology?

Film industry relates to all things, from the production companies to the actors themselves, and from film festivals to the editors. This allows for a lot of change in a lot of places. To start with a recent example downloads and streaming; Downloads and streaming is a very modern medium to watch a film on and is almost entirely done by those aged between 15 and 35. When downloading films was first introduced it was primarily pirate copies, and striked uproar through the news. The downloaded piracy was said to be the end of films and cinema but in evidence really had little effect. However in the last few years, more and more options and ways to legally download and stream films have become apparent. They are now so common and easy to use that sales for DVD’s and DVD rental are dropping. As a direct result, every day we are seeing rental shops like blockbuster and the now extinct choices are closing up shop. Infact, since 2004, video rentals have dropped almost 500 million in revenue. Now, although some of these effects of downloads and streaming may seem dramatic, in 2011 downloads and streaming held only 5.5% of the annual film viewing for the UK. This does seem awfully low but when considering that the platform has only really been in swing a few years and DVD only holds 14.2%, it actually seems quite a lot.

When looking at the annual film viewing in the UK, one area rises far, far higher than all other platforms; This is Film on Television. Film on Television holds a huge 77% compared to the second highest, DVD, at only 14.2%. A lot of this is to do with convenience and a lack of cost. As I mentioned earlier, TV’s came in around the time of the Queen’s Jubilee, and films began to air not long after that. There are entire channels dedicated to films, thanks to the digital switchover, such as Film4 and others. Speaking further on the matter of digital; Since 2000, terrestrial and digital channels have had an almost opposite correlation. As more digital channels are introduced, the audience for feature films on terrestrial channels has constantly dropped. Of course, at the exact same pace, the audience of feature films on digital channels has risen. Film on television is also the most consistent in terms of revenues. Whilst rental has risen and fallen in the last decade, film on television has stayed roughly the same, having almost precisely the same revenue in 2011 as in 2001. Although television may have been a slug in cinemas side, overall, television has had possibly a positive effect on the film industry. It has created a certain amount of revenue for a film after its release in cinema.

Now, television may have had a dramatic effect on cinema in the 50’s but, during the late 80’s, cinema managed to stabilize its place in the film industry. Cinema is currently on a gentle increase, this is due not only to cinema having found its niche but to a load of other techniques and occurrences. Since 2001, box office gross has gone from just over six hundred million to over one thousand million. One reason why this may be is 3D; 3D has been on the rise since the release of films like ‘Beowulf’ and ‘Fly me to the moon’ but, 3D was really popularised by the film ‘Avatar’. However, 3D is thought to have reached its peak in 2011. There is predicted to be less 3D titles this year (2012) but, if nothing else 3D has been fantastic publicity for cinema. Whether people loved or hated 3D it was a speaking point and was often a subject throughout media such as magazines. Surprisingly, Cinema only generate 3.4% of annual film viewing in the UK, this figure may seem low but cinema is still a vital part of a films process. If a film goes straight to DVD, without advertisements for theatrical screenings etc, people would not know of the film, nor would there be hype or a suspenseful wait between box office and public release. Films would not get nearly the attention they need in order to thrive without a cinema release. So, for this reason its important to continue to release technologies such as 3D, to keep cinema in the publics eye.

Finally, I believe that the film industry since it’s birth, has been constantly evolving and changing due to new technologies and will continue to. Whether films are being shown in a cinema, on a mobile phone or the next big thing, the film industry will adapt and cope. Films will always supply jobs, because people will always enjoy watching films. So technology, yes it affects the film industry, but it will never damage or really improve it a great deal. All it really seems to do is make it films more and more convenient.

The Dark Knight Rises - Process

The Dark Knight Rises

Filming a conversation

Filming a conversation

There are a number of techniques used when shooting a conversation, these can be to help the conversation flow smoothly, to create various effects on the audience or even to simply set the situation. These techniques are ones used in just about every film you see, however, they are by no means rules. You should cater the techniques you use to the theme and content of the conversation and scene. 

It seems sensible to begin with camera  angles and shots. A standard conversation will consist of two mid shots, sometimes over the shoulder, and a wide shot containing both characters and the environment, this would often be used as the master shot. Here is a fantastic example of this from the film Drive. By using the 180˚ rule we easily get a sense that the two characters are speaking to each other. The wide shot below is used as a master shot in the scene and is returned to, to keep the audience aware of the geometry and the action happening in the scene. This can be to show how close or far the characters are from each other.

On the left; Our protagonist, unusually framed to the right suggesting a lack of control in the conversation.
In the centre; The antagonist of the conversation is framed to the left, in this case this suggests control over the protagonist and the conversation.
On the right; The wide shot, also the master shot. Our protagonist is framed much closer to us creating an emotional link, whereas the antagonist is positioned down the hall as he makes his way towards us accentuating his threatening role.

There are of course many other shots and angles you can use to continue to develop and add to your scene. A close up can really help to add emotion to a conversation, particularly useful if there is something you want to put across without dialogue. Also, cut aways are a fantastic tool. A cut away is simply cutting away from the characters to see an object or a close up on some action such as picking up a cup. A useful and effective way of using a cut away is to use a 'shot to reverse shot'; This is used when a character looks down at an object, we then cut to see the object and then cut back to the character. Using low and high angles is also a fantastic tool in telling a characters position of power in a conversation.

Moving away from specific shots and angles, a fantastic way to demonstrate tension in a conversational scene is to use tight or loose shots. The difference between these two can be quite dramatic as you can see below. The shot on the left is an extremely tight shot, this can make the audience feel that the character is under pressure and has no where to run. Whereas on the right, the shot is very loose, this can have the opposite effect. 

You can achieve a similar effect to this within a conversation with a subtle dolly movement towards or away from the character e.g. moving from a close up to a mid to create a sense of distance from the character.

When directing a conversation you must keep in mind a number of things. The first of these is the progression from one point in your story to another. The purpose of a scene in any film is to take the viewer from the current point in the story to the next. Because of this, your protagonist at the start of the conversation should be in a different place personally, or have gained power or changed status by the end of it. This proves a challenge when directing actors; you must try to give them an idea of how they should be feeling throughout, without directly telling them a specific emotion or expression. This is because you want the actor to have a natural and believable response to the conversation, without simply trying to comply with what the director has said.

Keeping this in mind, the director must have an order in which they want the shots ordered in. You must keep your priorities in order when doing this, it is very helpful to create a shot list to keep things flowing. When ordering your shots, priorities the shots that tell the story and progress to the shots that tell the details. A sensible example if you have one camera is:

1. Master shot

2. Protagonist MS 

3. Other characters MS

4. Pick ups and other

If you have two or multiple cameras a sensible order is:

1. Master shot + Pick up

2. Protagonist MS + Other characters MS

3. Other

Another element you can consider is lighting. Lighting can create an entirely different atmosphere. You will of course have to cater the lighting to your scene but, having a standard three point light set up can create quite a friendly rom-com kind of style where as a harsh light on the side of a person's face will give it a dark and dramatic feel. The lighting you choose will effect your whole scene giving it one feel or another so it can either make or break a scene. The same can be said for sound; Sound is remarkably important, particularly in a conversation as it is quite reliant on audio. An audience can cope with sub standard imagery, but if a film or scene has bad audio people get very distracted. There are a number of uses to sound, of course you will want to strive for clear dialogue but, there are all sorts of creative uses too. Music will change your audiences feel toward what is happening, for example if you use dramatic orchestral music over a conversation the audience will think it is dramatic whereas if you use summery happy music, the audience will think it is just that. There is also diegetic sound to consider. This is sound that is not actually part of the environment but can seem as if it is. Diegetic sound is commonly used to subtly make the audience feel a certain way about an action or event. In a conversation, if tension is building up to a climax, you can in the background use the sound of an approaching train and as the scene climaxes have the train hit its brakes.

When editing a conversation it is good to keep in mind the beat of the conversation. Rather than cut to see who is speaking every time a person opens their mouth, try to think what is most effective in telling the story. If one of the characters says something and another reacts without speaking, show that, even if the other continues to speak. Also keep in mind the progression of the scene, use the most appropriate footage to where the drama should be at that point. A fantastic example of both of these is this short film called 'The Alienist'

You do not have to stick to any of these techniques, film making is about creating something new and expressing your own identity but, it is difficult to create an effective conversation without using any of them. Many film makers such as Tarantino, Terry Gilliam and Rian Johnson all break the rules of conversation, but only some. If you watch their films you will see many of these techniques used, as well as many of them broken. But what you must always do when shooting a conversation, is to cater your style and techniques to the subject and content of the conversation.

-Joe

Anna Karenina

Anna K

Camera shots and angles

Camera Shots and Angles

How to shoot people walking

How to Shoot people walking

Tracking: A great way to capture the movement of walking, is to use a tracking shot. A tracking shot is simply moving the camera along a rail or track whilst filming. This is great for a number of uses, but fantastic if you move the camera along following your walking subject.

This is a brilliant example from Orson Welles' "Touch of evil"

This is an exceptional example of a tracking shot. With a very creative use, this shot became an iconic scene in film history (the couple begin walking at 1:30). My only negligence towards this scene,  though it is from another era, is the lack of rhythm and variety, but more on that later.

Dolly and Handheld:  These two types of shots can have a similar effect as a tracking shot. A dolly, is simply a base on wheels that you would put your camera onto to allow smooth non restricted (by a track) movement. Handheld is in the name, a shot holding the camera by hand, the camera goes where you do. There are many tools such as steady cam and shoulder mounts to smooth handheld, but the idea is always the same. The big difference between the two is that a dolly (and a track) give a very prepared and measured look; whereas, handheld can give a livelier, closer to the action feel.

Variety: This is something Orson Welles' scene falls down on; Variety is crucial in any walking, running or chase scene. If there is no variety, people lose interest and most importantly begin the be pulled out of the film and story. Having variety such as filming a persons feet, then a mid shot and into a wide gives the audience a sense of what the protagonist is doing, where they are and where they are going. Even in a seemingly slow scene, it is still needed for those same reasons, and if chosen carefully, your scene will still appear slow.

Here is an example of variety from a little film I made with some friends.



Master shot: This isn't necessarily vital, but it is definitely something I would include in a walking scene. A master shot, is a shot that contains all the action that happens in a scene. You can cut away to CU's etc. but, you'd generally come back to the master shot for a point reference, to stop the audience getting confused with geometry and action.

LS, MS CU's etc: This cuts into the territory of variety a little, but feel it is important to mention these specifics. MS (Mid shot) is very useful for determining characters, characters such a protagonist or signifying other roles if they are walking in a group. A CU (close up) is a great tool for showing and even exaggerating a characters expressions and feelings. When going this close in a walking scene, it can be nice to use a slight handheld look retaining some of the movement you may lose in a tight shot. LS (Long shot/Wide) can be utilised to show the audience the character's environment and surroundings. In an LS, any movement from tools like dollies, will be most visible. There are no real rules to the angles you should use in a walking scene, these are simply things to bare in mind, its always great to be creative with shots in a scene like this.

The line: Don't cross the line (unless you really know what your doing)! The line is a simple rule; When shooting a person walking, you only really have 180˚ to play with. If you go past those 180˚ your central character will look as if they have changed direction and you will disorientate the viewer. This rule is also applied to conversations, cars, and many other areas. However, much like the shots listed above, it is simply a guideline, you can play around and break the rule if that is your intention, it's simply something to keep in mind.

Basically, I believe that all of these 'rules' are very much strong guidelines; it makes perfect sense to follow them and it doesn't mean you're not be 'original' if you do. Experiment with all the rules in place and experiment making a scene without them and see what fits you and your style but more importantly, the scene. I strongly believe that you should be using angles and shot types to fit the story, the rhythm and the scene, not just because they exist.

-Joe

A little doodle done in photoshop

6th AVENUE

6th AVENUE, a photo by GRAPHICS DESIGNED on Flickr.

The Southern Belle

A fantastic short film that caught my eye.

Introduction

Hi, I'm Boris Munchkin and this is my blog

Showreel - Joseph Murray