camera lesson 2

In The Studio (24/09/2015)

Last lesson we went into the studio to learn more about the cameras and how to use them.

180 Degree Rule

The first aspect we looked at was the 180 degree rule. This aspect is essential when shooting as if you disobey this rule it can disorientate the audience. The idea is that when filming something, for example a conversation, you cannot cross the line that goes between the two characters. This means you will always been filming from the same side, but you can adjust to different angles when switching between who is speaking. At first I thought this rule would limit the amount of different angles you are able to get however it actually has a wide range of different angles you are able to use. This was demonstrated on a toy motorbike, as if filming some sort of chase and it clearly showed how to get plenty of different perspectives just by following this rule.

Filming A Sequence

We were then taught how to film a sequence in groups. To do this there had to be a director, a camera operator, a continuity person, and someone on lookout for anything that looks out of place or wrong (assistant director). I acted as the director and looked out for continuity errors also, all of us did as this is an essential part of a movie and a commonly made error. Continuity is essential as, if you do not look out for continuity, when you put the scenes together some things will look out of place if not everything is kept the same between shots.

After establishing these roles, we learnt about the important terminology you must use. For example the director must say to the camera operator:

Director: “standby”

Camera Operator: “standing by” meaning they are ready to begin filming.

Director: “role camera”

Camera Operator: presses button to start recording, “rolling”

Director: “action”

This is when the actor/actress will walk on set and begin the scene.

Director: “cut”

This means the camera operator will stop recording and they can adjust something that didn’t look right, or move on to another scene.

We then went off in our groups to work with the different cameras. Our group was working with the Canon 5D. We decided to do a scene of Francesca taking off her watch and placing it on the table. We began with a wide shot to establish the environment she was in and just generally set the scene. We then moved on to  a mid-shot of her taking off the watch where you could still see her surroundings, but the main focus was of her taking off the watch. Finally we moved on to close up shots where we shot one of her hands while taking off the watch to add a sense of drama to the very normal action. After this we did a close up of the watch being placed on the table and then kept the camera on the watch for a bit longer to add dramatic effect again. We then attempted to do a close up of her face as she took off the watch however we realised throughout the scene Francesca had her hair covering her face so you could not see her expression, due to this we decided to abandon this idea.

If we had more time I would have liked to have done a shot from above, looking down on her taking off the watch, and one from below looking up, as we tended to stay at the same sort of height throughout.

camera lesson 1

In the studio (17/09/15)

Last Thursday we had a lesson in the studio to get an introduction about the cameras and how to approach some of the equipment when in the studio or in a filming situation. The first thing we did was split into groups and set up a tripod, which was a lot simpler than it looked at first, we then got to experiment with the height of it which gave me a clear idea of the kind of angles you are able to create with the tripods alone. After this, we looked at three different types of cameras, the Sony NX5, Sony FS100 and a Canon 5D.

After looking at these cameras (when they were in their boxes) we got them out in our groups and set them up on the tripods. To set them up on the tripod you have to hold down a button on the side and slide the camera in the tracks. Once the cameras were fully set up and stable, we then got to play around with the different features on the cameras and just generally get to know how they work.

 Each group got a go on the different cameras in turn and we got to know which cameras would be best suited for which type of video and which cameras we preferred to work with. For example my favourite is the Sony NX5 because I find it very easy to use. However when taking this camera off the tripod you have to be careful not to bash the lens on the tripod as this camera is top heavy. My least favourite to work with is the Canon 5D because it is a little different to the other cameras and more difficult to use (in my opinion).

We were also taught how to make sure the camera is straight. To do this you have to hold the camera at the top and manoeuvre it around from the bolt at the bottom until the small air bubble to the side of the camera is in the centre of the yellow circle surrounding it. After trying this out on the camera a few times, we moved on to how to put a battery in. This is very easy, you simply push the battery in, and slide it either up, down, left or right (it differs on certain cameras) and it should click into place.

When filming, the shot must be in focus to stop it from looking strange or abnormal. To make sure the camera is in focus you must zoom in as far as you can and focus the lens, then zoom back out so it is focused on every aspect. We were also taught how to white balance a camera. White balance is needed for when the white objects in a shot do not look like they do in person, to do this you have to get something pure white and zoom in on it so the whole shot is taken up by something white, you then press the white balance button so that the camera can adjust to the lighting. This can be used when filming in daylight.

 This is an image I took of two of the cameras set up on the tripods with the background we were working with.

film poster analysis

Poster Analysis

A Nightmare on Elm Street

From the first glance at this poster it is obvious this movie is a horror. From the dark red tones to the tip of the blade for a finger glaring in the light. The entirety of the page is taken up by one malevolent figure, despite only being able to see his hands, shoulders and half of his face, this does not make the figure any less disturbing. In fact, you could say the sense of mystery portrayed from only being able to see half of his face adds to the overall frightening feel of the image. The reason this figure takes up the whole page is to intimidate the audience and make them feel uncomfortable as they are forced to stare at this one image, because it is the only thing they can build ideas about the movie upon.

The figure at the front is recognisably the villain in the movie and as the audience you are supposed to fear him. Even just from the image he comes across as particularly frightening especially due to the significant burn marks across his face and hands, his jumper also appears to have been melted and burnt holes in. The lumps and chunks missing from the figure’s face trigger ideas that he has been in some sort of accident or a very aggressive fight, however he is still alive after whatever happened to him which almost gives the figure a sense of immortality, adding to the chilling feel this character gives off.

The hat in the picture is used to add mystery and suspense to the character, it gives the impression he is almost trying to conceal himself among normal people so he doesn’t come across as different or stand out. He is planning to be hidden in crowds so he can go unnoticed. This reinstates the idea of him being creepy and fearsome. The overall tone of the poster is very dark and gloomy almost difficult to see some things which I believe is done purposefully in order to keep the audience guessing and interested so they don’t give too much away. This dark and gloomy setting conforms to the conventional elements of a horror movie, as do the abnormal burn marks and the blade for a finger.

The lighting is placed tactfully to add to the suspense of the poster. For example there is light shining from behind him down on his shoulders and the back of his neck, it looks almost like steam coming off from the back of his neck which also creates a sense of burning and pain and ties in well with the burn marks across the figure’s cheeks. Also, the light that reflects off the blade is there to make the blade stick out and be prominent within the image, despite all the other aspects there are to focus on.

The slogan written above the title, “Welcome to your new nightmare.” Is brilliant for making the audience feel creeped out and anxious for what’s to come. This removes any doubts you might have of this movie being anything but horror as the slogan is obviously put there with the intention to make the audience feel uncomfortable. The way it is welcoming you into a nightmare makes the audience feel as if they are unable to escape this nightmare and just by reading the poster they have been forced into it. The font used for this slogan and the title also creates a rather spine-chilling image and adds to the overall effect the poster is trying to depict.

The target audience for A Nightmare on Elm Street is definitely those who love to feel the tension and suspense in certain scenes as well as the action and drama that is involved once that tensional atmosphere has been shattered. This movie is obviously not aimed for young children and their families, it is a much more mature movie and is not appropriate for children as it is supposed to scare adults so the effect it would have on children would be vast in comparison.

How tension is sued within thrillers.

How Tension is Built Throughout The Thriller Clip:

Blitz

In the short clip, Blitz, tension is built throughout the duration of the opening sequence. At the beginning we are shown all around the room to give the audience the idea of what setting and time period the opening sequence is set in.

It quickly becomes obvious, due to the propaganda posters presented on the walls, that this is set during the time of WW1 and that the girl we see at the beginning is in a bunker underground. We can see this due to the way the camera pans down at the beginning to show a large pipe and ground above the small room in which the movie is set.

As the camera travels around the room the title sequence is shown so that the audience can pick up small details about the setting as well as take note of who was responsible for this opening sequence. When being shown around the room at the beginning there are frequent photos of a man which at first you think nothing of but as the photos become more obvious, the man becomes more mysterious. These photographs also create tension for the audience due to the amount of mystery that has been built up quite subtly behind the character that is this man.

 

Another way tension is created through the Winston Churchill speech which is playing throughout the video of the details of the room. This speech is put in the video to help set the scene so the audience is aware of the time period but it also has a certain eeriness about it as it has connotations of war and after seeing the little girl in the very beginning, you begin to wonder if she is completely safe in this bunker. There is also air raid sirens and bomb sound effects which add to the tension and general feeling of war in the video. 

Suspense and tension are especially built in the video when the door swings open and you can see the silhouette of a man wearing a hat projected on the wall. Just the sound of the door squeaking adds a huge amount to the overall frightening feel as in most thriller movies there is some sort of squeaking furniture due to this sound making the audience feel uncomfortable. Also, because it is in a lot of thriller movies the audience are more likely to relate this kind of creepy noise to something bad happening not too long afterwards, in other words this squeaking noise has connotations of something bad happening afterwards. The gasp that comes from the girl also helps to create a suspenseful and scary tone for the video and also has the same effect on the audience of feeling uncomfortable.

When the video changes to 60 years later there is an overall sensation of mystery in the video, questions ranging from wondering what ever happened to the girl at the beginning to what is that noise in the distance. A man then breaks in to the bunker and more mystery unveils as we have no idea who or why this man is in the bunker. While this man travels around the room the audience becomes rather disorientated. Firstly from the change in time period and the unanswered questions but also from the darkness and gloom in the room, and the short shots that are taken so that you can only focus on certain areas (the ones
 the torch is shining on) meaning you can’t see the entire room like you may wish to.

The moment in the opening sequence where there is the most suspense is definitely when the torch is shone in the distance slightly and the audience see footsteps scurry past. This causes excitement and confusion for the audience, enticing them to watch more of the video. The audience then become fearful for what is going to happen to the man that broke into the bunker, they also begin to guess who the footsteps belong to, these unanswered questions are what keeps the audience interested. This is when the camera switches to the ghost of the girl wearing a gas mask which may cause some audiences to jump as it is sudden and shocking.This image is particularly frightening and now, in contrast to what you felt for the girl at the beginning (pity, sympathetic) you now feel afraid of her and pity the man that is in the bunker alone with her.

At the very end of the video there is the sound of a young girl laughing which, in a normal situation, would be a happy sound, but in this situation it sounds sadistic and malevolent.

opening sequence analysis

Kill Bill Vol.1: Opening Sequence Analysis

The Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill Vol.1 is a violent film and that is obvious even from the title of the movie. The very first thing you see is a quote that says “Revenge is best served cold” – Old Klingon Proverb. This quote reinstates the idea of the movie being violent. Immediately after the quote disappears you hear the sound of a woman breathing quite heavily and you notice that her voice is shaking viciously. This causes confusion for the audience as the screen is black at this point so the only thing you can build ideas on is the sound of her breath. The first image you see is of Uma Thurman in a wedding dress, bleeding and crying on the floor. This image is in black and white and usually the use of black and white in a primarily colour movie is signify a time in the past, to show that it is a flashback of some sort. All of these aspects put together help the audience to come to the conclusion that this movie is on the thriller scale to some extent.

The second image you see is of Bill’s heeled boots walking across a wooden floor. This is when The Bride’s breathing becomes less noticeable and the main focus is on the sound of Bill’s boots moving slowly across the floor. This creates a sense of fear or menace for the audience which also helps add suspense to the scene. This moment is particularly important in order to show the vulnerability of The Bride in comparison to the confidence of Bill. There is a creek as Bill walks which also helps to make Bill seem rather sinister and threatening. The dark clothes Bill is wearing also helps the reader to put into perspective what kind of role Bill is going to have in this movie, especially when put into comparison with The Bride’s clothes- all white.

The image is then turned back to one much like the original image of The Bride, except now you can hear Bill’s steps coming up closer and closer to The Bride and the you notice Bill’s boot come up close to her face, which again shows how threatening and powerful Bill is. Bill then asks The Bride in a very calm, collected voice “Do you find me sadistic?” The Bride does not have a reply other than her uncontrollable panting. Bill then pulls out a handkerchief and wipes some of the blood from The Bride’s face. This handkerchief is engraved with his own name. This allows the audience to put a name to a voice and it also suggests that he is vain and a little arrogant,which helps the audience to create their own personal views on the character of Bill and be able to interpret him in their own ways. Another feature that adds to the image of him being vain is Bill’s bracelet which gives the impression he is narcissistic.

Bill then says,while wiping The Bride’s face with his handkerchief  “You know,  I bet I could fry an egg on your head right now, if I wanted to.” This is to show how calm Bill is in comparison to The Bride. The fact that she is in so much pain and is obviously very unstable right now doesn’t have any affect on Bill whatsoever. This also shows how much control he has over her in this situation, hence why he comes across so calm. He then goes on to say “You know, Kiddo. I’d like to believe you’re aware enough, even now, to know that there is nothing sadistic in my actions. Well, maybe to those other jokers. But not you.” At this point the sound of Bill’s voice overpowers the sound of The Bride’s weeping which also displays a level of control and the fact that The Bride does not say anything gives the impression she does not want to provoke Bill as she is afraid of what he might do to her. Bill then removes the handkerchief and appears to stand up while saying “No, Kiddo. At this moment…” This is when Bill pauses and you can hear the faint noise of bullets rattling in the background. The Bride’s face changes as she realises what is about to happen and a certain terror enters her eyes. This guides the audience in the right direction when predicting what is going to happen next. While Bill seems to be setting up a gun of some sort, he says “This is me.. At my most masochistic.” 

This is when the rattling of the bullets stops and The Bride finally replies as she realises this is her last time to speak and she has nothing left to lose. The Bride says “Bill… It’s your baby.”Just as she finishes her sentence the gunshot goes off and it goes to the title sequence. 

This is a very dramatic ending as it tells the audience that The Bride and Bill have a past together and that she is in fact pregnant. You watch The Bride get shot in the head and see the black blood splatter next to her head on the light side of the screen. It is relatively generic for a thriller movie to show an amount of blood and Tarantino stuck to this idea when showing this shocking image of the bride. The blood has connotations of death and pain which is a large part of thriller movies.

In conclusion, this opening sequence is very dramatic and does not fail to intrigue the audience in order for them to keep watching the movie. It leaves mystery behind the character of Bill, and behind the character of The Bride whose name we still don’t know. After this shocking image it cuts to the title sequence while still having the bang of the gunshot fading in the background as the song “Bang Bang” by Nancy Sinatra plays. This lyrics of the song fit well with the previous scene as it says “my baby shot me down” referring to when Bill shot The Bride. It then says “He wore black and I wore white” reffering to Bill wearing black and The Bride in all white (from what the audience can see).