Below are the links to the websites of the other people in my group. Click the links to view them!
Megan -
Issy -
Milo -
AS Media
G321 Foundation
Rhianna Flett
On the first day of sixth form and my first media lesson, we were shown an outline of the course, what we would be doing and what was expected of our work. This has helped me, as it shows what I will be doing and also how long it should take me. This allowed me to think ahead and know when I need to have things done.
We also learned of the Preliminary Task that we had to complete. Knowing of this straight away meant I could start my work and get it done on time.
In the first lesson we also learnt about continuity. We were taught the definition and why it is so important in the process and end result of a film. After this we researched some filming techniques that we are expected to use in our prelimary task video. These techniques are match on action, shot-reverse-shot and 180-degree rule.
Preliminary Task
The preliminary task involves three sections; researching and planning, producing, and evaluating the final product. Our aim is to create a short film where a character walks through a door and exhanges a few lines of conversation with another character. Another task involved in the creation of this is to research and use three main camera techniques in the film. These include match on acion, shot-reverse-shot and the 180-degree rule.
4th September 2014
Continuity
5th September
Continuity is the process of ensuring there are no mistakes throughout the film. This includes the fluidity of the scenes and how the are cut together, and also consistency. It is extremely important for the scenes to not stop and start but to flow into each other. Clothing, props, location and the environment are important factors that need to stay the same in order for the scenes to flow. With small errors on these factors, the film will seem less realistic and not as well put together. In order to combat these problems, a script supervisor is used. This person has a story board with them on set at all times and uses this to notice any mistakes in the scene. Despite this, many famous Hollywood movies have continuity problems in them.
Shot-Reverse-Shot
Match On Action
The first camera technique I researched was Match On Action. This is the term used to describe the editing technique where one shot cuts to another. The second shot has the same action as the first shot, but seen from a different angle. This gives the impression of continuous time. This technique is useful because the scenes can be shot at completely different times, but still look continuous if done correctly. If shot badly, the error will be very obvious and make the scene less realistic.
Another shot we are required to use in our short film is Shot-Reverse-Shot. This is the technique to make characters seem as though they are looking at each other when they aren’t both in the same shot. This technique usually shows one character looking off screen and then shows another character looking back at the first character. This gives the illusion they are looking at each other, as they are both looking in opposite directions. This camera technique can be used to show a person's reaction, or to keep the audience involved in the conversation.
180-Degree Rule
The 180-degree rule is the technique used where the camera stays focused on the characters from one side of a circle (imagine the characters in the center of the circle). This means that the view the audience sees can change slightly, but not too much that they become confused by the setting. If the camera was to go over the half circle and then focus on the characters from the other side, they would- in the eyes of the audience- have then switched places which can be disorientating. Keeping to one side helps the continuity of the film flow.
An example of a continuity error is in the image to the right. In the top image, Spider-man pulls the lamp with a web and smashes it. In the image below, shown in the film shortly after it was smashed, the lamp is back where it was, perfectly intact. These kind of errors make the film less realistic.
To the right I have inserted an example of match on action from Friends. The camera cuts from one side of the door to the other, giving the audience a better view of what's happening in the scene. This is effective in this scene because it smoothly transitions from one cut to another making it seem realistic.
The clip on the right shows an example of shot-reverse-shot in Spiderman. The camera alternates between Norman Osborn to different areas around the room. It then switches back to Norman's face to show his reaction. This is effective as it shows the audience how the character is feeling.
The image I have included to the right shows how the 180-degree rule looks from above. The camera must stay one side of the centre line to ensure the film's realism and keep the audience from being disorentated from the camera angles. If the camera crosses the centre line the two people will switch places on film.
Storyboard
7th September
Treatment
11th September 2014
Treatment for our media Preliminary Task was to look at the areas we will film, the props we will use and who will act in the film. We decided to use areas around Sixth Form to film because then our whole team would be together to film and it would make it quicker and easier. We chose areas that matched what we wanted as much as possible, to make it look realistic. We also made sure to not have anything in the scene that made it obvious we weren't in a doctor's surgery.
In the first box on our story board is the opening establishing shot. This is going to be the setting of our "waiting room". We will have the main character (Grace) and three extras in the room to make it seem more realistic. The camera will sweep across the scene from one side to the other to show all the characters, and to allow the viewer to see what the setting is.
The second scene is of Grace's foot steps down the hall way. This is to show that she is moving from the waiting room and heading up to the "doctor's office". We will use a close-up shot.
Our final shot will be a close up of Grace's reaction. She will seem confused by the doctor's reaction.
In the first box on our story board is the opening establishing shot. This is going to be the setting of our "waiting room". We will have the main character (Grace) and three extras in the room to make it seem more realistic. The camera will sweep across the scene from one side to the other to show all the characters, and to allow the viewer to see what the setting is.
As a group we planned how our film would go by desgining a storyboard. The storyboard will be on set at all times, to ensure we are sticking to the plan or improving the plan.
Each square on the storyboard shows where we will cut and edit scenes together.
We plan to use the storyboard to ensure everything smoothly cuts together. Some of the pictures drawn may be slightly different to how the final extract turns out, as we may find better places to film or different techniques than explained. This way we can be improving upon our original idea to make the short film as good as possible.
Click on the image to enlarge it or press the arrows to look through the images and annotations.
Our location was an empty room to start. This was used as our "waiting room". We then used a hall way in the sixth form in order to film Grace walking and reaching the door. After this we used an office to act as the "doctor's office" and to shoot match on action with the door opening. After editing the different areas together, you couldn't tell we were cutting from one place to another.
We realised we would need three more characters in the film to act as extras, as we didn't have enough people in our group to film and act. Therefore we had one person filming, two people being the main characters and then three extras.
The only props we needed was a chair for the patient to sit on in the "doctor's office" and a lab coat to act as a doctor's uniform.
We chose this chair, because it is common in a doctor's office to have comfortable chairs for the patient. This gives a more relaxed feel that puts the patient at ease. We decided this was important in order to make the film look as realistic as possible. This realism was furthered by the coat used as you wouldn't see a doctor wearing casual clothing like jeans a t-shirt. The lab coat covered any unrealistic clothing that a doctor wouldn't be wearing, but also made our actor look more professional.
We used the empty room (first picture) as the waiting room, because it was plain, and we moved things out of the way that would make it less realistic. We used some extras in this scene to make it look more like a real waiting room, with other patients and receptionists.
After this scene we cut to the hall way. Here we shot Grace walking down to the doctor's office. This area worked well, as it was plain and had white walls like a real doctor's surgery would have - white represents cleanliness. The image after the hallway shows the door we used to do match on action. It worked well, as it opened the correct way, and opened straight into the office we were going to use. This helped continuity flow well. The office we used was chosen as it allowed good use of the 180-degree rule, and looked like a doctor's office, as it has files for information, a computer and space for the doctor's chair and a patient.
