Preliminary Animatic

Shots For Preliminary

Shot List

THE CLASSROOM SCENE

1. Establishing shot of school – TBGS sign
2. Shot of classroom – from door looking in
3. POV from A opening the door
4. Match on action with opening the door
5. Camera at back of class showing all students
6. Shot reverse shot of Miss Moore and A
7. M close up
8. E close up
9. Matt and Harry close up
10. In front of back bench all laughing
11. Close up on A’s face
12. See A blurred in front showing all of back bench in focus
13. All getting up to leave showing M and A as M pushes A over

OUTSIDE SCENE

1. M and E walking towards camera - camera backing away
2. Close up on M and E
3. Camera goes past E and follows M into school

CORRIDOR SCENE

1. Camera far away from door at an angle to the left

CLASSROOM SCENE 2

1. Camera in doorway so M can walk past
2. Camera in line with back bench
3. Camera showing lit doorway with A in it
4. Shot of E outside as she runs into school hearing M scream
5. Close up shot of M under desk
6. Doorway shot showing E running in and M
7. Shot on floor of E’s phone hand reaching for it showing E and M’s feet walking away

TOILET SCENE

1. Shot of E and M walking round a corner
2. Shot of E walking into toilet
3. Match on action entering toilet
4. Close up on M eye line shot with pan to show A
5. 180 of E leaving toilet showing M staring at stairs
6. Follow E eye line – nothing there
7. Close up on E and M talking – 180 degree
8. Showing A at top of stairs

RUNNING SCENE AND HALL SCENE

1. Shot showing from A POV showing running different ways and A sending text
2. Shot of M running towards camera – checks phone and runs towards Hall
3. Shot of M entering hall
4. Shot of A entering Hall
5. Shot reverse shot of conversation
6. Shot of A walking over chairs with knife
7. Shot of E entering hall
8. Shot reverse shot of E and M ‘RUN”

RUNNING SCENE 2

1. Hand held following E run
2. 180 of corridor as E runs around corner
3. Shot showing M on floor
4. Shot showing A behind M
5. Black screen as E screams

Preliminary Ideas

Preliminary Ideas

Storyline

• Starts with a classroom scene with M and E and the guys at the back of the class, A walks in late and E,M&boys laugh at her as she sits at the front of the class on her own. Miss Moore says "Why are you late again Aisling?" A,"I was _________" (EXAM BOARD SHOT*) 
• M throws a pen at A's head (MATCH ON ACTION)
• Talking about internal fears, E says "I'm scared of spiders" M says "I'm scared of the dark" Matt says "Oh Harry is scared of girls miss!"  all laugh, then A says "I'm not scared of anything" (ZOOM ON A'S FACE) 
• (SOUND OF SCHOOL BELL) At the end of class, (ZOOM ON FOLDER LEFT ON THE FLOOR) M pushes A to the floor and E and M walk out of the school laughing about A, show clip of "Torquay Boys Grammar School"...M realises she forgot her folder so goes back inside while E waits outside
• Then films M inside the school, lights are flickering. When light is on, filming behind M, light goes off (SOUND OF DOOR CREAKING) and when goes back on, filming facing M and can see A behind her (SHOT REVERSE SHOT) 
• M walks inside the classroom to get the folder, lights flick off. Camera is in the corner of the room facing the door, can see M in the foreground looking scared, A in the doorway creating a silhouette, face unshown. M ducks under the desk and screams
• Cuts to E outside texting M "Where are you? What's taking you so long?" (MATCH ON ACTION) hears M screaming from inside, runs inside after her
• E runs into the classroom with M under the desk, lights on and no sign of A, "What's wrong with you?' M  is speechless
• Both leave classroom and E drops phone on the floor, camera zooms on phone as they walk away, filmed from the floor. See a hand pick it up - A as they walk away. 
• E "I need the loo, wait a sec" while E is gone the lights flicker again when A appears. E comes back and sees M pointing and looking scared, lights go off, E looks to wear M points, lights back on and nothing there. 
• E and M walk away a bit, with A behind them, lights flicker again so they look behind their shoulders (OVER THE SHOULDER SHOT) both run in different directions (FROM A'S POV) 
• Running scene with them both 
• A texts M from E's phone "come to the centenery hall, it's safe here" , to lure her in
• M walks into the hall, conversation with A, A reveals knife, M screams
• E runs into the hall, A is charging towards M, E&M running different ways again
• M screams...E walks round corner, sees M dead, lights off & on again, A stood over M with knife dripping with blood, lights off, E screams 

Preliminary Task Analysis

Analysis of another student's preliminary task

The Fellowship 

Immediately at the start of this short film, the storyline is identified, allowing the audience to follow the film easily. We can immediately see that there is two characters, one is pushing the other around so clearly has more power over the other. However, the film doesn't come across as a Thriller, more of an action film if anything. 

Match on action

This is the first part of the match on action as one character pushes the other along the corridor.

 

This is the second part of the match on action, a birds eye view of the push.

Shot reverse shot 

This is the shot reverse shot as we can see them walking down the corridor from behind...

...and in front.

180 Degree Rule 

1) 

2)

In this scene during their conversation the 180 degree rule isn't broken at all.

3)

My preliminary task 

When I come to do my own preliminary task I will ensure that my film sticks with the Thriller genre and has many of the conventions of a thriller as this one deviates from the genre. I will also use lighting and soundtrack to my advantage to emphasise the suspense and atmosphere. They used a variety of camera shots and angles so I will try and use a similar variety of angles in order to keep my audience interested in my film. I will use the camera angles to represent the antagonist and protagonists differently, to encourage the audience to pity the innocent and fear the evil.

Film analysis

Silence of the lambs

• 1990
• Jonathan Demme
• Protagonist - trainee FBI agent 
•                    - inexperienced but naturally talented
•                    - isolated
•                    - sweating, no make up - masculine?
• descending downstairs to Hannibal's cell - lower than society - class
• Red lighting
• brick walls
• high security
• "The last cell"
• standing in the middle of his cell as she approaches - expecting her
• extreme close ups of his face 
• lots of prisoners down the corridor - suspense building
• Knows all of her fragrances - knows skin cream by smell only -- creepy & eerily obsessive
• Eye contact between antagonist and protagonist
• He's standing, she's sitting - antagonist has upper hand 
• Sticking hands out of cell to get her - crazy, desperate
• Emotional conflict between protagonist and antagonist

Black Swan

• 2010
• Psychologically damaged character - unhinged / repressed / treated like a child / seductive
• Multiple identities - dark but innocent
• Mirrors & reflections - visual motifs of multiple identities ^ 
• Reflection - character who looks similar to her - misfooting audience too
• Echos
• Look-a-likes
• Reflections
• Lighting
• Handheld camera

The Shining

• 1980s
• Jack Nicholson - protagonist but becomes antagonist / writer in small family / caretaker for empty hotel during closed months / slowly goes mad / becomes serial killer
• High pitched violins
• Danny - able to hear ghosts & telecommunicate with others
• Close up of Danny's face when girls talk to him 
• Children - usually associated with innocence and happiness - unnerving
• Female character - victimised
• Camera movements

Fatal Attraction

• 1987 
• Adrian Lyn 
• Antagonist - female (untypical of thrillers) / obsessive (typical) 
• One night stand - pregnant
• He wants abortion
• Cross cutting 2 locations - suspense
• Camera - something waiting for protagonist?
• "Bunny Boiler"

Continuity Editing Practice

Continuity Editing Practice

Things learned

During this practice of continuity editing we have learned how to film basic continuity shots and edit them together. Aisling and Maddie both practiced acting and I practiced with the camera work. We had to record each part 3 times because we struggled to keep the seriousness and often laughed during filming! However towards the end we had regained the seriousness and filmed the last few shots in one go. We then spent an hour editing the shots and putting them together. All 3 of us had a try at the editing of the clips - shortening the length of clips and ensuring that it all flowed together. We also added in the sound effects to the film. 

To improve

To improve on our practice I think we should have used some dialogue and possibly made our 3 shots - match on action, shot reverse shot and 180 degree rule - much more clear so it's easy to tell the difference when watching it. We should have definitely had a scene in which there was dialogue.

Continuity Editing

Shot reverse shot

Shot reverse shot is a technique where the camera first shows Character A looking offscreen and then shows Character B looking offscreen in the opposite direction, making it look as if they're looking at each other. Sometimes the shoulder of the other character can be seen at the edge of the shot, as if the camera is behind the other character looking towards the first character as if they're looking in on the conversation. 

Shot reverse shot 

                                                     Match on action

Match on action is a technique where the first shot shows an action which cuts to a shot portraying this action. This creates continuity in the scene and helps the action 'flow' rather than jump to different cuts. 

Definition of a match on action shot with an example.

By having a character begin an action in the first shot and carry it through to completion in the next, it distracts the viewer from noticing any slight continuity error between shots. 

In the 2nd shot we see the character jumping, which is continued in shot 3 with the completion of the action. 

180 degree rule 

The 180 degree rule is a rule that states that the camera should stay on one side of an imaginary line. This imaginary line is perpendicular to the viewpoint in the camera's establishing shot, reinforcing the continuity of the scene. This is effective in car chases, conversations and sport for example, so as not to confuse the audience. 

The camera must not go in the red area, it should always stay within 180 degrees. 

Example of the 180 degree rule

Some editors break the rule "to create effect" although this is uncommon as most people wouldn't want to disrupt continuity or confuse their audience. 

The Birds Commentary

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Opening Title Timeline

Opening title timeline

From creating this opening title timeline, I have learnt that different titles come in a certain order. 
The institution credits come first, followed by the title of the film and "followed by Roald Dahl". Next is the list of actors, followed by the production crew titles. Finally is the director. 

Conventions of a Thriller

Conventions of a Thriller

Narrative

The aim of the thriller is to create suspense and excite the audience. It usually uses themes and crimes that many people in the world fear so they can relate to the innocent victims in the thriller and fear the antagonists more. We usually see the film in the perspective of either the protagonist or the antagonist which helps to build suspense for the audience. 

Character

Typically in thrillers, the antagonist is very intelligent and one step ahead all of the time. They are usually very organised and are able to plot vicious crimes with ease and organisation so as not to be caught. This characteristic is significantly powerful in Thrillers because the audience sympathises with the protagonist and fears for them due to knowing how bad the antagonist is. 

There is usually an extreme difference between the protagonists and antagonists. The protagonists are often shown as normal and innocent people going about their life as ordinary whilst the antagonist is polar opposite to this and is seen as extreme and abnormal to the audience. Whilst the antagonist is presented to the audience as abnormal in their behaviour, this character is sometimes presented to the other characters in the film as ordinary and one of the crowd. This can build suspense in the audience because as viewers we can see that the antagonist is evil and yet the protagonists are unaware and unsuspecting of this. 

Characters are built up throughout the entire film, giving the audience a deeper and deeper perspective into the characters life and emotions, again helping to build suspense in the audience. 

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of the typical thriller also helps in building up suspense in the audience. The tempo increases with the speed of the action in the film, for example in a chase scene the tempo of the music will increase. The music pitch is also a key part in building suspense and excitement for the audience; usually there are either very high pitched instruments playing or very low pitched. This contrast adds to the atmosphere of the film by representing the emotions of the characters. There is always a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds in a thriller. The use of silence just before a climax in a thriller is powerful in engaging and exciting the audience.

Cinematography

Thrillers typically use lots of close ups and extreme close ups of antagonists to enforce fear into the audience. Sometimes they also use close ups of the protagonists to convey their emotions clearly and allow the audience to see the fear in the character's eyes.

The location of thrillers is extremely significant. Often they'll be based in a city, with lots going on normally around the subject of the film to represent the extremity of the situation for the antagonist and protagonist compared to the ordinary life surrounding it. 

Thrillers are often based in quiet areas too, in small towns or villages on the outskirts of big cities. The small areas are often most powerful for thrillers due to the fact that it can be so unsuspecting. They're also typically dark areas at night without street lighting which enforces the chilling atmosphere for the audience. 

Lighting is powerful in thrillers as it is normally fairly dark and shadowy. This means that the audience cannot see the whole image of what is going on so might not know what is about to happen. Shadows and darkness are effective in thrillers because as an audience you don't know what or who could be hiding in the darkness. 

Opening Sequence Analysis

Insidious opening credits analysis

The opening sequence for Insidious is very ominous. The music along with the mise-en-scene creates a terrifying atmosphere and insight into the contents of the film. 

The music itself is extremely powerful as it creates a hair-raising feel for the viewer. The background music in the opening credits for this film link in very well with the mise-en-scene due to the terrifyingly creepy use of high pitch violins that create an incredible sense of fear. Because the visual content of the opening credits are very minimalistic, there is a lot of focus on the soundtrack. 

At the very beginning of the opening credits, we see a light shade close-up which is then followed by the camera moving slowly down the room to a bed with a sleeping boy. This then progresses to the left focusing on a teddy bear. Although this is usually an object connected to a feeling of calmness and love, the music gives the viewer a contrasting sense of fear. The camera then pans to lava lamp and then a lit candle. This focus on light is significant due to the complete darkness around it which emphasises the idea of everyday objects seeming ominous. As the camera moves closer to the candle we see a monochrome female face which looks like it is screaming. At the same time, the violins in the music background increase in pitch and connotes the idea of people screaming - linking in with the image that we see at 1:17. This then fades and the title of the film flashes up in block capital letters in red - INSIDIOUS. The dictionary definition of Insidious is:

Adjective Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects: "the insidious effects of stress". Treacherous; crafty: "an insidious alliance".

so the emphasis and choice of this film title is very significant in providing the viewer with an insight to the content of the film. The next frame following the title screen is a house in black and white with very gloomy skies. The title here is in red. The contrast between the black, white and red is powerful as the situations associated with these colours are things such as death, murder, horror etc. This use of the red coloured text along with the black and white images is extremely powerful in embedding the sense of fear in the viewer immediately at the start of the film. 
This then progresses to a series of seemingly normal objects - curtains; sofas; lamps; stairs...yet the combination of the black, white and red theme along with the creepy music builds a sense within the viewer that something is hiding behind the shadows. At 2.04 we as viewers get the first hint that there's something or someone in the house other than what or whom should be, with the shadow of a man on the floor from a high angle camera. Later in the credits we see a picture frame moving slightly - very discretely hinting at the idea of somebody else being in the house and again embedding the sense of fear into the viewers mind. The next significant shot of the opening credits is at 2.37 where we can see a figure standing to the left of the screen, along with curtains blowing in the wind which once again create that ominous atmosphere. Continuing the embedding of fear, the next significant part of the clip is at 2.48 when we can see a chair moving backwards by itself; In the next shot we see a light shade swinging; At 3.16 we see a footprint appear on the wooden floor. The first image we see of characters is a family portrait showing a mother, father and two sons; this shows a normal-looking family and subtly embeds a sense of sympathy within the viewer, making us sympathise with this family who appear to have strange beings in their house. 

Figure of man on floor - 2.04

Figure and curtains blowing - 2.37

The chair moves - 2.48

Footprint appears on floor - 3.16

Family portrait

Insidious title

Woman screaming behind candle - 1.17

1st Blog

Media Studies

by Emily Almond

Wherever you go, media is always around you. 

Newspapers, blogs, films, television, the list could go on. 

Media is worldwide - if an article is published in America it's very easy for somebody in England, Spain or even as far as Australia to read it. 

Media Studies is an extremely important subject to study because almost everybody in the world comes into contact with media on a daily basis. When was the last time you went a day without seeing a headline, newspaper, television report or magazine?

The media is hugely influential over the opinions and thoughts of people all over the world - which is the reason that I feel it is so vital to learn how to understand that not everything you see is true. 

I have many favourite films and genres but I really love horror films. Although I enjoy watching comedy films and action, horror is my favourite genre. My favourite horror film at the moment is Insidious (the sequel is out on Friday 13th!) because it's very scary and you never know what will happen next. Despite reviews being bad, I also really liked the Paranormal Activity films and have watched all of them. The Final Destination Films are also very good - after watching the 3rd film I will never ever use a sunbed!
I also really enjoyed Skyfall and Olympus Has Fallen. They're both very fast pace action films which I enjoy.
My favourite comedy films are Shaun Of The Dead along with Hot Fuzz.
As you can tell from above I also love Forrest Gump - because it always makes me laugh, smile and then cry so I feel that it is a very powerful film. Another powerful film is Marley & Me which I adore.
I don't like cartoons or animated films much but I cried at Up and The Croods.
My favourite actor of all time is Johnny Depp because he has starred in some of my favourite films - Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and Pirtates Of The Caribbean.
As you can tell, I enjoy a variety of film genres.