The Wolf Of Wall Street: Film Opening Analysis

The Wolf Of Wall Street is based on a real life story about a businessman called Jordan Belfort who was a stockbroker in the New York stock exchange.

It was released in 2013 and was produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It is classified as an 18 and therefore is targeting adults. Being a black comedy, drug use, sexual content and explicit language is heavily used. This means that quite a large segment of market has been lost due to it being an 18. However, despite this it has still been very successful and has won a golden globe in 2014 for 'best performance by an actor in a motion picture, musical or comedy' (Leonardo Di'caprio). Also it won an AFI Award in 2014 for 'Movie of the Year'. Where this film was released by a large company, Paramount Pictures, it meant they could afford to lose a large segment of the market and aim it at adults only because by getting big names in to play the roles such as Leonardo Di'caprio and Jonah Hill they can still attract large audiences. They had a budget of $100 million and on box office alone, have already made $340 million back.

Lighting is high key in the office, in the car and during the establishing shot of the house. However, we also see low key lighting when we see Belfort in his helicopter and in the bedroom scene. By having this contrast it shows the audiences different times of the day and helps them understand a time scale.

Low key lighting in comparison too..

High key lighting.

 

The camera is used effectively throughout too. Lots of different shots are used to help the audiences follow the storyline. One of the first shots we see in the opening scenes is a mid shot on Leonardo Di'caprio who plays Jordan Belfort. This sets the scene and lets the audience know who the main character is as the camera focuses on him rather than any of the other people in the office. Also while in the office we get a high angle shot of the staff in the office. This sets the scene and allows the audience to understand the set and people in the scene. When they throw the midget at the dart board we get a close up of his face, this then pauses and is used as a transition to the next scene. This makes the scene flow, even though its discontinuous editing.

Close up shot.

Low angle shots are used, for example on Belfort's Ferrari. This makes it look powerful and as though we have to look up at it. It could be seen to be degrading the audience in comparison to the expensive car. The camera then tracks the car from behind. Finally we see an establishing shot of Belfort's property, the camera then zooms out to reveal more.

Establishing Shot/ Zoom out on property.

Editing is discontinuous as scenes jump from one to another with random cuts and there is know fluency to it. At the beginning it is an autobiography as Belfort sets the scene and talks directly to the camera, so directly to the audience to inform them of his life. This then sets the scene for the film.

The film is set in America. In the opening scene Mise-en-scene consists of the office, house and car. As an audience we see lots of people and see Belfort's possessions. From this, even though we already know, we can tell he lives a very luxurious yet rough lifestyle. Also by Belfort's dress sense, it is very smart and sophisticated which straight away tells us he must work in the City or at least did at one point and is now very high class with lots of money and surplus cash to spend.

Clothing shows wealth and sophistication. Also large property shows this too.

Sound is used, mainly non-diegetic sound. Narration of Belfort, as he does a voice over to describe the moving images that the audience is watching. We also hear cheering noises when they are all in the office. Background music fades in after the helicopter scene and also as he is leaving his property in the limo. By having these sounds it helps the audience stay focused and interested.

This film fits into three genres, which are:

• Black Comedy
• Autobiography
• Crime

   

21 Jump Street: Film Opening Analysis

Lighting is high key throughout the opening scene. This in turn sets a happy and jolly atmosphere. This then rubs off on the watching audience making them engage with the film.

Camera is used effectively to make it easy to understand what's happening in the film. To start with we see who's to be one of the main characters get off the school bus. As he walks off the camera pans and follows him. This ensures the 180 degree rule is followed. We then get an establishing shot of the school. This helps set the scene for the watching audience. When he enters the school we get an over the shoulder eye level shot. This giving the audience an almost point of view shot from his perspective. We then see him talking to a girl in the school corridor. A over the shoulder shot reverse shot can be seen here. This is a type of editing.

Shot of characters getting off school bus.

Sound is used from the off, the moment we see people start to get off the bus we can hear background music of rapping being introduced into the scene. This continues all the way through until it is faded out and instead we hear dialogue between the protagonist and a girl. It is used to add an extra dimension and the dialogue is so that the audience know exactly what is happening.

Editing used is continuous. This means it is mellifluous and flows nicely. One scene leads to another and it flows in chronological order. Also the pace doesn't change much throughout meaning it's easy to watch without getting confused. A shot reverse shot is used to as I briefly mentioned above. This helps the audience clearly understand who is talking and see the reaction on the other persons face. This helps them follow the storyline and understand every characters emotions.

Mise-en-scene is everything we see. It is set in a school and this is the main proportion of the opening scene. It is a stereotypical American school with the yellow school busses and non uniform style dress code. Also we can see how different types of people can be stereotyped in society and how this can effect people.

Stereotypical American school setting.

This could be seen to be an ideology of the film. It could be saying that everyone's different and no one should be judged for it. That is purely based on the opening scene however. 

The genre of this film could be:

• Action
• Comedy
• Crime

It is classified as a 15. This therefore indicates to me that discriminatory language or behaviour must be within this film. There are many of things that may be found within that mean the film is classified as a 15. As a result of this I would say the film is mainly trying to target young adults and adults.

The film was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures.
  

James Bond Quantum of Solace: Film Opening Analysis

Mise-en-scene is used in the opening scene to help set the scene and create an idea of place. It starts when we see an establishing shot across a lake. We see mountain ranges too. It zooms in across the lake before we enter a tunnel. In this tunnel we see and hear the cars. This is when we first see James Bond. Also during the opening scene we see an area that is being developed and has people working on it. After the car chase, Bond arrives in Sienna, Italy. This is where the opening scene ends in an underground secret tunnel.

Establishing shot over lake at beginning.

High key lighting is used mainly. However, although it isn't dark during the tunnel scene, it is slightly darker as this makes it look verisimilitude as it would be in real life. The audience can still make out the different characters though. This makes it easy for the audience to understand what's happening, especially because the scene is going at such a fast pace.

The camera is used throughout very effectively. Mainly we see eye level shots and we therefore get the car drivers point of view during the car chase. We do also get low angle and high angle shots based on the situation and whether people were in danger or whether they were dominant. It helps show to the audience power. An establishing shot is used at the very beginning over the lake and also when Bond arrives in Sienna. The camera shots have been chosen carefully to enable the best viewing experience from an audience perspective but also to help make it seem most realistic.

Variety of shots of the car were used throughout.

Discontinuous editing is used in the opening scene. This is because to start with we get lots of jump cuts showing off the vehicle Bond is driving. However as we get further into the opening scene it becomes continuous and easier to follow. The discontinuous editing makes the text seem very bitty and jumpy however is needed to show the intensity of the piece. The continuous editing makes it easier to follow as an audience as it makes things happen in chronological order and easier to understand.

Sound is all the way throughout the opening scene. The majority of sound is non-diegetic, such as car engines, gun shots and James Bond theme tune at the end. There was also diegetic sounds such as dialogue for instance between the police officers via walkie talkie. This sound all helps make the piece more interesting and is vital to keep audiences engaged. Also its important as without it people wouldn't know what was going on.

The film falls under the genres of:

• Action
• Adventure
• Crime

The film has certain stereotypes that all three of these genres need to include in order to be classified within this genre. Action is the main genre, the other two being known as slight sub-genres. But this is up to debate and personal opinion.

This film is classified as a 12A. This means no one younger than 12 can view this film, unless accompanied by an adult. This therefore makes me believe that this film is quite mass market, as they have tried to include most ages, however I'd say mainly its targeted at teenagers and young adults. I would also argue it may be slightly male gender specific and could be targeted at this certain demographic more so than woman.

It was produced by Columbia pictures and distributed by them too. This means all the money they got from the film went directly back to them. This is beneficial because it means they don't lose any money. However, only big companies have the capabilities to do this. Being a large, well-known company, and also being a well-known sequence of films, audiences have high expectations for these films. Also though people immediately want to see these films, meaning not much advertisement is needed. this is both beneficial and a negative for the company because it means people will want to see the film no matter what, however being a large company, expectations are high and if it isn't as good as they expect, they will feel very let down.

Production company title at beginning of film.

  

Lord of War: Film Opening Analysis

Lighting initially in the factory is quite low key. It isn't so dark that you cant make out what is happening but it's dark enough it adds a sense of mystery to what's happening. Towards the end of the opening scene however, the box of bullets that we as an audience are almost 'travelling' in as the camera just follows as if we are one of the bullets opens and the scenery completely changes. We are now in what looks like a very warm exotic country. This in turn means the lighting is high key, however, the box we are in as an audience lid shuts and opens, meaning the lighting changed from low to high on quite a regular basis.

The camera as I mentioned above makes the audiences point of view to be a bullet in a box. This enables the audience to feel as though they are part of the scene and as though they are travelling through a journey, up until the point the opening scene ends and as of yet, we are still unaware of the storyline other than thoughts of it maybe being based around war.

Audiences point of view. A bullet in a box.

Editing is continuous and mellifluous. As an audience we travel through a passage of time as a bullet. This is very surreal but makes us feel as though we are in the scene. In turn this continuous editing means we know exactly what's happening without getting confused as it jumps from one scene to another. This makes the opening scene very unique. The pace stays fairly similar the whole way through. It isn't very quick, instead quite slow and easy to follow.

Sound is used immediately. We hear a song that is being used as a backing track. This has been very carefully chosen because the lyrics almost fit in with the action that is taking place in the moving images. Also this music helps the audience feel as though they have went on a journey as its very relevant and links in with what we can see. We also hear non-diegetic noises such as artillery (guns being fired) which helps the audience understand the situation and what's taking place.

Mise-en-scene has been used very carefully. We start in a factory where we also see men working, which I would link into maybe the production of ammunition for war based on the bullets we can see. This sort of man made production of ammunition makes me think this could have been set in the 1900's at some stage. This is because with technological improvements this sort of thing is now mainly all done with machinery as its faster (more efficient) and accurate. The location of this factory we are unsure of, all we know is that we are inside a factory, but the goods themselves are being used in a warm and sunny country.

The bullets after transportation. Looks like a tropical country.

This film could be put into three main genres, they are:

• Crime
• Drama
• Thriller

From the opening scene, I can see stereotypical iconography that links these genres to the film.

The film was distributed by Lions Gate Film. However, it was actually filmed in producer Nicolas Cage's film production company Saturn Films. This means that the film may not have had the most up to date and recent technology that larger companies have for example big production companies in the big six. However, being distributed by Lions Gate means that people may not of actually been aware who produced the film meaning they still had high expectations for it. The problem with this is that not all the funds go back to Saturn Films. Instead they would have had to pay Lions Gate for distributing the film, hence vertical integration is better than horizontal.

   

Children of Men: Film Opening Analysis

The lighting is quite low key. The café is quite well lit as we can make out all the characters however we have a slight green tint to the scene. By having this it connotes sadness and shows the audience that there is a lot of negativity throughout London, surrounding the death of the young boy. This has a negative effect on the text and initially sets the scene to be very downbeat. Due to this, the audience feels this negative energy and in turn, the opening scene feels very surreal and sad.

The camera work is verisimilitude. This is because as the protagonist walks into the café, the camera starts to pan and follow him. He then walks out and again, the camera follows him. This gives the us his point of view. We then get a handheld camera shot after the explosion, this again connotes verisimilitude and helps the audience become engaged as they feel as though they are in the scene. This therefore makes it feel real. The high ringing noise that we can hear in the background connotes shell shock. The different camera shots that have been used have been picked carefully to help the audience feel as though they are part of the scene and as though they are one of the people standing in the crowd. This helps the film feel realistic and real.

Camera follows protagonist through crowd.

Editing is used throughout to make the scenes mellifluous. It is continuous editing. This in turn means the scenes flow easily from one to another without being jumpy and hard to follow. Again, helping it feel verisimilitude. Throughout the opening scene, editing is quite relaxed and slow. Even when we get the handheld shots, editing remains the same. This trend continues, we then get the explosion and editing does not change here either. This is strange because it makes out everyone to be very calm, even during this sort of traumatic situation.

We have no sound in the clip until 33 seconds. Until 39 seconds, 6 seconds later we have a black screen. This means the main focus of the audience is to listen to the sound. Once the audience are engaged with the sound, it means the sound is there main priority and retains there attention. The sound is narration, from a news broadcaster. It tells us about the top stories and then instantly tells us the storyline by informing us of the death of the youngest person 'Diego Ricardo'. At 55 seconds we get our first moving image on the screen appear. Other than a small bit of dialogue from the protagonist who is buying a coffee, we have the news reporter speaking until a bit of sad non-diegetic music is introduced in the background. This helps set the tone of the opening scene and the audience get the understanding of how everyone in London is feeling at that time. These sort of choices have been made by the directors so that the audience can immediately engage with the film both emotionally and mentally. This helps them stay focused and interested.



Screen is black at 38 seconds, title appears at 39 seconds.

Mise-en-scene is used as a way to make the set feel realistic. Being set in a typical coffee shop, it is very traditional. Based on the time as well it is common to see business men and woman to buy a coffee before work to energise them for the day at work. To help suggest time we hear the news reported say 'Good Morning'. This indicates to the audience the time of day, what we then can visually see reinforces this. Location is indicated by the scenery as he walks out of the coffee shop, the stereotypical red London bus and the tall buildings that we can also see. As well as this, we get a sub title indicating the year and location. This makes it clear to the audience from the off when and where they are.

This film I think could fall under 3 main genres. These being,

• Sci-Fi
• Thriller
• Drama

I think this because the film from the beginning has certain trends and trades that these three particular genres always tend to have stereotypically. We can see iconic things that link them to this film genre.

I think that the target audience for this film is 15-21 year olds. I think this based on the fact that the film is a 15. This therefore immediately shows me they are trying to target young adults. However, I would also say it may be slightly targeted in terms of gender. I think it could be aimed at male audiences. I think this because from the opening scene I can see things that could appeal to men, for instance the 'Sci-Fi' part of things with a complex storyline behind it. Also the explosions and gore
all, stereotypically, appeal to men more than woman.

Being based in the future, the producer and director of this film could be trying to represent what they think may happen in the future. There may be a hidden meaning behind the text. Based on the clip I think this because otherwise it is a very random storyline, and to create a piece like this, there must be some sort of reasoning behind it to inspire someone to want to create it.

Set in the future, 2027.

This film was made by Universal Pictures. This would affect the films content because being a very large film company, it means they would have had access to the most up to date equipment in terms of cameras, editing and distribution techniques. All of these would have helped this film to sell and in turn win many different awards, including 'Best Cinematography'. Also being a big film company it would have meant audiences would be more appealed by the film. This is because being a large well known company, everyone expects good quality entertaining films. In turn meaning people want to go and see the film as they have high expectations.

 

Catch Me If You Can: Opening Scene Analysis

Based on a true story about a man called Frank Abagnale Jr, when before his 19th birthday he had conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan AM Pilot, doctor and legal prosecutor. It was released in 2002.

Lighting is high key throughout. It doesn't change very much and maintains similar the whole way through. The only difference is the background and moving images we see change. By having high key lighting it means the audience can see everything clearly that is occurring on screen. However, although the main lighting is high key, some of the images are against a black background, but the images are clearly visible as they are coloured making it easily identifiable as to what is happening.

The camera work is very basic and just follows the action. We see figures appear on screen and then the camera follows them in a clever way to makes it look like one is after another. This makes the opening scene mellifluous and easy to keep track of. No real identifiable shots can be recognised as its mostly one basic tracking shot of the action.

Editing is used lots in this piece. Its continuous as one scene links to another, by the use of subtle transitions which makes the scenes flow and make it easy to understand for the audience. It allows the audience to get an understanding of the film before seeing any of the actual movie. Acts like an opening story to set the scene for the audience.

We have background music. This is sound in terms of a music piece. It is very mysterious and works in harmony with the visual moving images we can see. When the action increases the music speeds up and visa versa. Music counts as a storyteller in itself as it adds tension and makes the audience pay attention by making the audience engage using a different sense (ears so they can hear) opposed to just watching using their vision.

Mise-en-scene is throughout the whole opening. To start with the background is very dark. However, it then gets lighter and as an audience we can see that the first scene is in an airport type environment.



Image showing the airport environment.

We see the pilots in their hats and smart clothes, along with their what could be perceived to be their cabbing crew. We then see two characters behind, one who we find out is Leonardo Di'caprio based on the sign above him with his name that points down at him below. This is a clever way of introducing characters without making it blatant and obvious. This helps the audience engage because if they aren't watching closely they could easily miss the subtle sign.

Image showing the way characters are introduced using subtle signs which point to which character is which.

These two characters behind move into an area that looks like a boarding lounge, before we then se aeroplanes in the sky which a transition is used and makes the plane look to pull the film titles in from thin air. We next see cars on a road, the audiences eyes are mainly drew to the yellow cab. This straight away allows the audience to know that the setting for the film must be America or more specifically New York. Finally we see luxurious hotels, swimming pools and cocktails. All of which are very colourful compared to everything else that has been on screen up to this point which was very dark and not as intriguing. Throughout all this we see the trend of one character appearing to chase the other, linking into the title of the film, 'Catch Me If You Can'.

Helps set the location by using yellow cab. We immediately then know where the film is going to be set.

This films Genre can be broken down into three main ones, these are:

• Biography
• Crime
• Drama

Being a 12A, I believe its target audience is quite loose, and its more a less targeted at most people. However, potentially more so for teenagers and young adults.

It was produced and distributed by DreamWorks. They had a budget of $52,000,000. Being a large film company, this meant they could afford to get big names in, such as Leonardo Di'caprio and Tom Hanks. This film made $30,000,000 on the opening weekend in America alone. It was shown across 3156 screens in America. If the film company wasn't so large, and more of a niche company, it would not be able to afford big actors meaning audience take up may be less. Also it means they wouldn't have been able to put so much money into advertising campaigns and wouldn't have been able to show it across so many screens. This is the undoubtedly the biggest benefit of being a large film company that is very mass market compared to a independent film company that doesn't have anywhere near as much surplus cash that they can afford to spend it on advertising campaigns and on large chain cinemas, instead small picture houses.

 

My Best Friends Wedding: Film Opening Analysis

This film was released in 1997. It had an age rating of 12 meaning I believe it was targeted at young adults and adults. This means it was quite mass market. From watching the opening scene, I would also say that it looks to be targeted at females more so than males. This is because the women dance and sing wearing bridal outfits. Therefore not being considered manly and something men would stereotypically want to watch.

It can be classified into two main genres, these are:

• Comedy
• Romance

This is shown throughout the whole opening scene because by the pink background and bridal dresses this can show love and passion yet the almost micky taking song shows a comical side to it too.

It was produced by Tristar Pictures and Zucker Brothers Productions in association with Sony Pictures who then distributed the film.

Mise-en-scene is used to instantly help aware the audience as to the genre of the film. This is because instantly we see the pink background. This connotes love, passion and desire which are all common traits of the romance genre. The four woman wearing bridal dresses who are dancing and singing adds to the comedy whilst keeping the serious romance side of the opening scene. We also see bouquets of flowers and a wedding ring. This informs the audience of the genre and helps give them an idea of the storyline.

Pink background, bridal dresses and flowers- all connote love, marriage and romance.

Lighting is high key throughout. This makes the four woman seem angel like and pure. This also makes it easier for the audience to be able to understand the storyline and see that these four girls are being portrayed as beautiful, young woman. The lighting remains the same the whole way through from beginning to end.

We have two fade to blacks. This is a form of editing. These can be seen at the very beginning and the very end. They are used as a transition from one scene to another. It makes the audience feel as though they are moving through time slowly. Other than that, editing is continuous making the opening flow and easy to watch as an audience with nothing to intense which could confuse them.

Sound is used in the form of the song we can hear them sing for the whole opening scene. It is a very basic opening scene but is a good way of drawing the audience in as they watch intently thinking something may happen during. The song is basically the woman saying how to keep a man. This could be an ideology put in place by the director. It could be a hidden message to the audience and potentially aimed at women saying that the best way to keep your man is too 'kiss, hold and give him what he wants'.

Camera is used effectively by using a range of shots. They use long shots which shows all four of the woman and we can see their whole body, which gives the audience an idea of their clothing and their appearances. They also use close ups of the protagonist as she rubs her leg, the camera tracks her hand then pans back up onto her face. The shots are quite basic and tend to show either the woman's whole body or just their heads and shoulders. We see a close up also on the brides ring and at the very end a close up and then the camera zooms in on the protagonist as she looks up as though looking at the sky. We also see a birds eye view in which all four characters lay down and sing into the camera. This gives off the impression that the audience are looking down on them .

    

Differences between Trailers and Film Opening

Often, film trailers and film openings are mistaken and thought to be the same. This is wrong. There are lots of differences.

Film Trailers

• Give information about the film.
• Shows a montage of clips from the film (fragmented narrative).
• Shows sections of the film that will grab audiences attention and get them into the cinemas to watch the film (often the best parts).
• Title of film at end of the clip with voiceover and actors name.
• Will often have a tag line.
• Institutions logos can be found at the start.
• Fade to blacks are regularly used.

Film Trailers generally consist of lots of random, different parts of the film. Always very action packed and snappy, moving from one shot to another shot very quickly. It will consist of different characters, however the audience does not know who they are as no background information is given. As a way of drawing in the audience, film trailers often include the best parts of the film, include key actors who are highly respected and well known. This is known as celebrity endorsement and helps make people want to come watch the film. It will usually also include the directors name, date it premiers and title.

This is the trailer that was initially released before the film was out in the cinemas to watch. The idea is that this draws in an audience and makes them aware of the film coming out and in turn makes them want to watch the film.

Film

Opening Scenes

• Details of cast, crew and institution who produced the film.
• The films title.
• An introduction to character or character type.
• Indication of place.
• Indication of historical period.
• Information regarding mood and tone.
• Introduction to signature theme tune.
• Information about genre.
• Questions that the viewer finds intriguing.
• Patterns and types of editing that will be echoed in the remainder of the film.
• Mise-en-scene and cinematography that will be echoed or elaborated upon later in the scene.
• Sets the film up.

A film opening, unlike trailer, can be a lot slower paced. It sets the scene and introduces the main protagonist, and maybe antagonist. The openings are more strictly structured than film trailers. The titles are in specific orders too.

This is the opening scene of Hot Fuzz, in comparison to the above which is the film trailer.



Film Openings help to establish..

• Genre
• Narrative
• Character
• Atmosphere
• Themes
• Setting
• Sound
• Titles (Integrated and Personnel)

Preliminary Task Evaluation

Our idea was a very basic idea. I thought it would be a good idea to keep it basic because it then meant that next time round we could easily see our progression, and also it means that we had more time to try and get the best camera angles we could rather than concentrating too much on the actual story line. In order too incorporate all of the intended camera angles into our piece we had to plan our piece before we started filming. In order to do this we made a storyboard to start with. The storyboard we made included all the actions to occur in each scene, along with the shot type itself. This meant that we would all know exactly what was being shot in each scene and the actual shot that was required to be used as well.

To start our piece off, we had a shot of one character as he walked through a door. We then had a tracking shot of him as he approached another set of doors. This was a hand held shot, this is an improvement that we could have changed to make better. Instead of having it handheld we could have had it on a tripod then make lots of fast pace cuts from cut to cut and edit them together. We then incorporated a match on action as he walked through a set of doors. This looked effective and I was happy with the quality of this particular shot. After this scene, it moves onto another and this is where we used the shot reverse shot. We had two characters in this scene that were talking to one another (diegetic sound) and as this was happening we were using over the shoulder shot reverse shots. This made it very easy to follow and was very clear for the audience to follow. Throughout all of this, we had to ensure that we always abided by the 180 degree rule. This is basically just so that the audience doesn't get confused with the surroundings and where everything is within a scene.

Animation showing the 180 degree rule in action.

To make our preliminary task, we had to use the cameras and then edit all of the different clips into one by cutting and placing scenes in order. Overall, for a first time attempt of using the cameras and familiarising myself with the equipment I felt as though I handled it and coped with it all quite well. The equipment to begin with did take some getting used to, especially things like the cameras which required a bit of getting used to so that we could get the most out of each shot by ensuring the camera was always in focus and that we had the correct lighting so that the shot looked how it should. Also I found editing the piece together to be quite tricky as before this task, I had never been on an IMac or ever been taught how to use one. So I would say I found that quite difficult to begin with, but by the end once I understood how it worked I was fine and managed to edit and cut different scenes down to the correct lengths so I could join them together to make it look mellifluous and flowing, as it should have.

During the filming of our piece, as a group we did encounter various different problems. For instance in our storyboard we had actually planned to use costumes on our characters, however, after initially trying to find the costumes we began to run out of time and instead left the costume idea and focused on the filming. Also we were going to have different actors to the ones that we ended up actually using. This was because we had to try and film it during our media lessons, and some of the original actors had lessons whilst we were trying to film. This made it difficult for us and because of this we had to change our actors. This is a lesson to be learnt for next time though in the sense that we need to consider choosing actors wisely and the potential problems caused if they are not available when we are trying to film.

When we were filming we changed quite a lot. This was basically because once we started filming we started to hit small problems that needed tweaking and changing slightly. These small changed allowed us to film our piece better and more effectively. For instance in one of the scenes we were going to use low lighting to emphasise the scene differently and make it seem more powerful than the rest. However, when it actually came to it, the low lighting was too low which meant that it was hard to make out the characters. This meant we had to change it and make it a lot lighter so that the camera could pick up each individual character and make it recognisable to the camera. This meant that we had to change the lighting and in the end just kept the lighting the same throughout as it wasn't worth the ever so subtle change as it didn't give off the same effect.

An image showing the difference between high key and low key lighting.

To avoid not having any footage, we ensured that each scene was filmed at least three times. However, we didn't actually have to re-film anything as such because of where we filmed each scene at least three times. We did this because then it meant that out of them all, we should have one reliable one which would be as we had imagined it. If not, at least we had three that we could take parts from and cut bits and pieces from each one then edit them together to from our final piece.

My group worked fairly well together. I didn't feel as though to start with we were fully prepared however, but I felt as things progressed we did all start to pull our weight and things started to get done. Before filming we made a storyboard and script which we then used when filming. However as always, it wasn't word perfect and we did find ourselves changing quite a lot of this when we came to filming. This may have partially been due to the fact that we weren't totally ready so had quickly produced the script and dint think about it as much as we could have or it may have just been because when we were actually filming things do change as some things may not have sounded as we anticipated and so it was beneficial to change them. However, for the next task, I do feel we need to spend more time over the script.



Very basic Script.

Part of storyboard, next time need to include shot length, type and angle.

When filming my group worked together by all having separate roles, I was the main camera man and filmed the majority of the scenes, then Brett was in charge of ideas and coming up with the set for our piece and informing us of what we needed to do to help out, along with all the aesthetics of our production. Rhys was then in charge of the editing and organising us all so we all new what we had to do to help out. This was useful because it meant we were all in charge of one section, however, still all helped out in every section to ensure we all did part of everything and to ensure it was done to the best of our ability's because three minds and idea would be better all combined than juts one persons.

 

Overall I mostly enjoyed the creativity and freedom we were allowed whilst deciding what we wanted to do our preliminary task on as it allowed us too really branch out and do something creative, rather than just do something boring which anyone could do.

Preliminary Task Filming

Filming went reasonably well. As a group we managed to complete the task in about an hour. By  delegating the workload between the group, it enabled us to get on with things and get the filming done quicker.

When filming we did it all by hand. Looking back on it if I were to do it again, I would consider using a dolly as it would have made our piece look smoother and more professional. Handheld filming is okay and can look effective, however it depends how it is used. Therefore parts could have been handheld and parts could have been with the dolly. Also this would show off my skills and then
when I come to evaluate, give me something to talk about.

A dolly. You then attach a tripod into this. Makes shots smoother, rather than bumpy handheld shots.

Some of the shots we used did make it look good. For instance the tracking shot from behind before the match on action. Also the shot reverse shot was fairly effective as it showed both characters from there perspective which allowed the audience to understand how both characters were feeling.

The main difficulty we faced when filming was ensuring the lighting was good. This is because although on screen it looked fine, when it came to watching it back, it was very dark and hard to make out the characters. Therefore we had to film each scene a couple of times to ensure we got the lighting and quality that we needed. Besides this we faced no real problems when filming. To try and overcome this problem we tried to film during the brightest points during the day. This is because where we were filming, there were no lights, instead big open windows. Therefore when it was bright it made filming easier, again though, we had to get it right so that we didn't get a glare. Overall, we managed to overcome the majority of these problems.

Screenshot from our preliminary task showing the difference in lighting. High key here..

 

In comparison to here, where its low key.

Overall, filming went quite well and finishing the piece and having something to show for our hard work makes it feel very worthwhile and rewarding.

Preliminary Task Video

This is our preliminary task. It shows off a variety of skills and includes the certain things that we got told to include based on the examiners requirements.

Preliminary Task Script

This is the script I wrote up using Microsoft word. I gave this too our actors prior to the filming of our piece, they then learnt it and new their lines. This then meant when it come to filming, our actors new their lines and it made the whole filming process quicker.

Preliminary Task Idea

For our preliminary task we had to create a short film which included a shot revers shot, match on actions and ensure we stuck by the 180 degree rule. Also we needed to have two people exchanging dialogue.

In my group we had the idea that we would have two people as our actors, our aim was to keep our storyline simple while ensuring the camera work was good. Being our first time using the cameras we knew we would need more time to practise and focus on camera work, so by spending more time ensuring the filming was good rather than worrying about the storyline was ideal. The storyline itself was one boy walks through a set of double doors, here we use a match on action. Then as he walks through the door there is another boy the other side. They then have a face off and exchange glares before one of them throws his rubbish in the other ones face. This is the basic storyline. During the exchange of glares we use the shot reverse shot to show the audience exactly what each person is seeing from there point of view. This is our idea for our preliminary task.

Preliminary Task Storyboard

This is the storyboard that I created before filming our piece. The idea of a storyboard is to make it easier to film. The idea is that the storyboard can be followed so that you know what scene you need to film next, the shot type and where it needs to be shot. Its a plan that you should be able to follow and enables you to successfully create a film. In our case, this helped us successfully shoot our film opening. By doing this it made it easy to film, and helped our actors know where they needed to be in the next shot, helping everyone in the group during the filming of our piece.

G321 Media Studies Coursework Brief

Today we found out our coursework task and what it was we were going to be completing it on. The task is to produce the titles and opening of a new fiction film, which has to last a maximum of 2 minutes. We also had an overview all about the different sections that we had to complete, these being:

Planning and Research (20 Marks)
Construction (60 Marks)
Evaluation (20 Marks)

Once we finished discussing the task, we then had to chose our group and pick a group name.

I am working with Rhys Willett and Brett North Cornell.

Our group is called 'Chameleon Productions'.

Name and Candidate Number

Calum Tween
8282/16315
G321 Media Studies Coursework