This is our Preliminary task:
"Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom he/she exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180 degree rule.
I worked in a group with Phil, Matt and Kayla to complete this. We decided on the idea of a strange man purchasing a keyboard in a music shop.
This was our first real opportunity to use the cameras to film and then the editing software in post-production, we had very limited knowledge on film at this point.
Laura, Natalie and myself have had a few ideas of who could play the roles of Oscar and Emma, we need people who are willing and enthusiastic to play the parts, they also need to fit the role well in physical terms too. The character needs to be available and flexible in case we need to re-film a shot, or do it a certain day, as we are at sixth form with lots of work to do, there may be days where we have a last minute filming session. Possible people to play EMMA: Naomi Knight- She currently goes to Wymondham High Sixth Form and is 17 years old. She would fit the role of Emma pretty well due to her appearance and height, she is similar age to the character too. Naomi goes to our sixth form and is flexible for times, she would be there if we needed her to quickly re-film something.
Zoe Martell- Zoe also goes to sixth form and is a GCSE drama student this means she is comfortable in front of the camera or audience. She is similar age to Emma the character, also her appearance is what we aim for the character to be like.
Possible people to play OSCAR: Matt Wright- He also goes to the same sixth form as us, Matt has the same height, build and appearance to what we had in mind, he is also the same age. Matt is available because he goes to the same sixth and has similar free periods, so that would be convenient for is. Matt is also well spoke, as our character comes from a wealthy background this would fit into the role very well.
Toby Setters- Also age 17 and goes to sixth form, he is a dramas student at GCSE and A-LEVE, therefore will have experience in front on the camera. Toby is flexible on his timings, we need to consider if he would fit the role well or not.
I am working in a group with Natalie and Laura, we sat down and brainstormed all different genres and came up with ideas, we decided on a teen romance movie, we chose it because we are aware and know the conventions, I studied various romance movies, openings and the overall movie conventions they use, e.g. the typical romance of the boy meets girl but they have problems in the way of them being together. We also brainstormed all the typical conventions of a teenagers life, e.g. school, driving, appearance-clothes and make up, illness, friendships.
Movie Synopsis:
Oscar has just started at a new school, he meets a girl Emma and they slowly become friends, then typically fall in love. But they both live very different lives, Oscar finds out what her home life is like and doesn't want anything to do with her anymore, But one night her mum has too much to drink she hits her, in a panic calls Oscar, but he doesn't know whether to help her or leave himself out of her troubled life, is it true love, will he save her, when next time there could be no phone call?
Movie Opening:
In the opening of our movie we will split the screen so the audience can see how different their lives are even when they get ready for school. it emphasizes the contrast of the 2 main characters.
There will be none/limited dialogue, only from the parents in the background which will also help us show the difference in how their parents them. "breakfast is on the table, honey" "get up you lazy, useless thing" "get your brother ready". Emma: Lots of responsibilities, has an alcoholic mother, limited luxuries and home wares, dirty. Oscar: Parents have proper jobs, clean house, smart school uniform, not many responsibilities.
In the opening the characters that will be introduced are Emma and Oscar as the main characters, their parents but will be unidentified, they will see their bodies but not faces and hear them. Character Profiles- Contrasting Lives:
We chose Owen Smith age 16, to play the main
character, Jake Stewart, because they are of similar age and have very similar
features of short brown hair and short in height. Owen is also a drama student
at GCSE and A-Level, so is not shy to play very different roles. Owen is also a
media student so understands what is required and has experience of doing this
because his group have also created documentaries and short (4-6 minute)
movies.
Fionna Monk
will be taking the role as narrator. She was also a drama student at GCSE and currently
at A-level, so is also good at adapting to appropriate roles. She has a clear,
projective voice which can be used in different types of scenarios. We feel
Fionna will be a good narrator to introduce the background information as she
has experience with acting and narration.
Dr Zachary is played
by James Huxtable, he also is a
drama student, and looks older than Owen who is playing the main character,
Jake. James is playing the doctor trying to treat Jake in his ‘unorthodox’
ways, Dr Zachary, acts as a friend to Jake, in order to cure him but Jake
doesn’t know he is a doctor. James as a drama student can improvise roles for
what fits each scene, he is creative too.
Toby Setters is playing the dad of Jake. He also is a drama student
and is a creative too, he looks older than various other possibilities of
playing the father, and we thought he would be a successful part in this
production. Toby also is a media student and understand what we needed to do to
make it effective. Jake’s father is understanding of Jakes condition but hopes
he will grow out of it, and wants him to be normal.
We had problems with the casting of our production, so some changes needed to be made. James's sister played the role of the narrator, as time was short and we needed to find someone quickly, she has a clear voice which was helpful. Emily turned out to be a very good narrator, so our documentary finally was finished and good.
This is an AS media movie opening called Exiled- its a fantasy about a group of boys on a quest, as you can see by the surroundings and their speech. The first few seconds to it set the scene of the countryside there is diagetic sound of the wind. It then cuts to the 4 male characters who are wearing neutral coloured clothing, shirts, waistcoats and mid length shorts, they have no shoes on and sticks. You can tell its set in an unusual world to the ordinary one, maybe a different dimension or just in the far past.
Non-diagetic sound sets in and slowly builds up it fits with the genre as the names of the actors slowly flash up on screen. as the music is playing the boys/men continue with what they are doing- playing an instrument, sitting by the fire, and cooking food. There are various camera angles, from their height, from above, the lighting is dull but fits in well with the time period, the boys are wearing browns and whites, so they stand out from the dark greens and black of the background. They then begin to pack up and continue with the quest, as they get ready there are many quick 1-2 second shots, which is effective as it speeds you the preparation rather than having a wobbling boring long camera shot. The wind is blowing, everything is very natural, outdoors, only non-diagetic sound is current. then as the camera shots change from behind them or besides them, to in front of them the music gets louder and more powerful.
There are various shots which now show more of the surroundings. it switches to a long shot behind them. This is when you see the setting, of a valley surrounded by hills. this movie opening is very much like the hobbit, of the bare feet, costume, sticks, landscape. after other shots of they walking, there is a very long shot of the valley, in the distance landing on the top of the hill is a dragon, it is not obvious but a very good feature, to explain the genre, of fantasy.
Towards the end of the opening, there is speech, this is the only bit of the opening with it, I feel this is very effective because nothing else is really needed to be said, the language they use clearly states its not set in current time, by his clothing and the fact he is the one who speaks, you can infer he is the leader of the group. He is the only one in red to make him stand out.
The last shot is of the middle of the valley, the 4 boys walking and the sun setting. The producer of this edited the dragon, sunset and eagle flying in, this shows skill which fits in with the story.
I would want to go see the rest of this movie as they have executed the opening very well. This is my favourite opening I have seen, the editing, camera shots, overall story is very impressive. This has become very helpful for my decision in what I will do for my coursework as I enjoyed it so much, I will use this as a basis for mine.
Mise-en-Scene in My week with Marilyn Colin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier's, documents the tense interaction between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during the production of The Prince and the Showgirl. Setting: Set in the 1950's and 60's, firstly in a theatre when Colin is watching Marilyn on the screen, there are other people in the theatre surrounding him, also enjoying watching a beautiful women on the screen.Then it goes to a beautiful home, in the English country side, there is lots of greenery around. Its like castle, you can tell the family are well off. Then it goes to busy London, the posh part, with cars, detached buildings which you can tell are higher class. You then go inside on of the buildings, which has alot of wood and posh finery. Lighting: At the start its a spotlight on Marilyn as Colin watches her on screen, the spotlight focuses on her beauty. Then when it switches to outdoors its natural lighting, and then when ever the scene is inside the lighting is indoor lighting. Costume: Very glamorous dresses that Marilyn wears, the men wear suits, everyone is smartly dresses, with fitted clothing, everyone is very well-dressed as they are upper class people.
Acting: At the start there is mainly men in the audience, they are all enjoying being there as they are watching such a beautiful lady on screen. The actors are very well spoken, with clear Britsh accents. Editing: The credits are at the start, they are shown very elegantly like the movie is. It switches from the castle to the London streets then back to the rural landscape. Camera Shots: Panning out, to focus on the large house, then close up on peoples faces to show expression and the mood. When Colin is waiting for a job in films, he waits for hours, so keeps switching what he does, sitting, standing, looking around, each shot lasts for about 2-3 seconds, this is also part of the editing, as it is a wide shot but changes frequently.
Mise-en-Scene in This is England A story about a troubled boy growing up in England, set in 1983. He comes across a few skinheads on his way home from school, after a fight. They become his new best friends even like family. Based on experiences of director Shane Meadows.
Setting: Set in 1983-4, the opening with the credits is England during that time, a montage of the different events happening then. Then the actual movie starts with a young boy of about 11, in his bedroom, his room looks scruffy and messy, like a typical boys room, but there is not wallpaper, the room needs to be redone, its very run down. Then at a school, a shop and the under a bridge where he meets elders (aged 18-20) Lighting: Its old fashioned lighting, as if it was filmed on an 80's camera at the time, it gave the effect of real footage, to add to the effect of the decade. Costume: 80's clothing, lots of denim, bomber jackets, flares, funky patterns. You had your own group style, you could tell who was part of which group.
Acting: The young boy was picked from a large group of boys, the production team went to a school for a few days watching the boys trying to find out who would be best for the part.The one they chose had never done acting before, he has fitted into the role well. The language is appropriate for that time, he has to act alot older than he is, because that is how the main character in the opening is portrayed. In the first 5 minutes there is a fight between the main boy and a rivalled bully. Editing: At the very beginning of the movie there is a montage of the events happening in the 80's, the good, the bad and the ugly parts, and then the credits switch in and out. Camera shots: There are a variety of shots and angles, most of them are wide to show what is going on in each shot, some are closer up to show expression. But the majority of them are wide, long or medium shots.
