The homework we were given was to anaylse the opening scenes of 2 movies. The movies I chose to analyse is Casino Royale and Iron Man. This is the analysis for Casino Royale.
The film begins with a low angle medium shot of a black car arriving at a building. It is in Black and White. This suggests that it could be a memory or something that happened in the past. There is no music. As the car stops on the bottom left hand side of the screen, in white letters appears the following words: Prague, Czech Republic. The scene is possibly set at night because there is a streetlamp in the foreground that has been turned on. The shot the cuts to a low angled shot of a man entering the shot. He has just stepped out of the car. This man could be the main character of the movie. The next shot is another low angles meidum shot of an rising elevator. A close-up shot oif the man looking at the elevator numbers. It could mean that he on his way home or going to an office. There is a wide shot of a glass corridor with thew man walking down it. Next the scene cuts to inside a room and a low level shot of the man entering the room. The camera pans to the right as the man crosses the room.
The setting looks like an office. During the camera movement, a chair enters the shot. the camera stops at an over-the-shoulder shot of behind the chair. The camera then cuts to a close-up of the man looking up, the background is out of focus. He has an alarmed look on his face. The shot then cuts to a medium shot of an open safe. it then cuts back to the close-up of the man, as a another man starts to speak. The man turns around to reveal Bond sitting in the cair across the room. The forground is out of focus.
Next there is a medium close-up of Bond as he is still talking. The shot cuts to medium shot of the man as he leaves the shot from the left hand side. The camera cuts to a wide shot of Bond and the man as he sits down opposite Bond. There is no music in this scene as it could be used to create a tension between the two charcters. Bond is wearing a black coat as he is probably in the office as he is going to kill him. The man is a suit, this could mean that he is the owner of the buliding or has a very high status.
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
City Of God Analysis
We watched the opening scene to City of God and 28 Days Later. During which we had to analyse the Equilibrium, the Disequilibrium, the Enimga and Action Codes etc.
The frist thing we hear in the scene is the sound of a knife scraping. I immediately thought that someone was going to be stabbed. The next shot was a chicken being prepared to be skinned. The music in the background is that of a livley, celebrtationry type. It is then here we see the a chicken in the box. The chicken escapes and a man yells for somone to chase the chicken. A group of men, wearing no shoes chase the chicken. The next few shots show the men cahsing after the chicken. It is here where we see the rural town where the film is set.
After the scene with the chicken, it runs out into the middle of a road. It is in this scene that we meet the protagonist of this movie. It is also where we are introduced to the New Equilibrium. The Protagonist is told by the antagonist to pick the chicken. He attempts but as he bends down, a police car arrives behind him. The film then travles back to the sixties where the protagonist starts to reminscene on his life.
There were a number of different shots in the film. The first few shots I previously explained are 1-2 seconds long. The scene/ shot canges were very fast. This could be used to create suspicion, as we are trying to figure out what is going on with the chcickens and the knife scrapping. The sound overlapped in the opening scene of the film. This could be used to make the scenes flow. Most of the shots used in the opening scene are filmed at low angles, some of them were close-ups. This could have been used as a way to increase the suspicion that has been presented.
In the opening scene, we are presented with a few enigma codes. The first being the scrpping knife; we immediatly assume that someone is going to be killed. The second is the kid(protagonist) being stuck between the police and the anatagonits weapons. This could mean that he is always getting stuck between the two as he tries to please the anatagonist. The third enigma introduced is the drawing of the weapons. The police and the gang draw guns. The guns could be pointed at the chicken, the boy in the middle or each other. However it is also where are presented with a disequilbrium. Which is the arrival of the police, who could be there for the boy or the gang. This then creates a new equilbrium for the film.
The frist thing we hear in the scene is the sound of a knife scraping. I immediately thought that someone was going to be stabbed. The next shot was a chicken being prepared to be skinned. The music in the background is that of a livley, celebrtationry type. It is then here we see the a chicken in the box. The chicken escapes and a man yells for somone to chase the chicken. A group of men, wearing no shoes chase the chicken. The next few shots show the men cahsing after the chicken. It is here where we see the rural town where the film is set.
After the scene with the chicken, it runs out into the middle of a road. It is in this scene that we meet the protagonist of this movie. It is also where we are introduced to the New Equilibrium. The Protagonist is told by the antagonist to pick the chicken. He attempts but as he bends down, a police car arrives behind him. The film then travles back to the sixties where the protagonist starts to reminscene on his life.
There were a number of different shots in the film. The first few shots I previously explained are 1-2 seconds long. The scene/ shot canges were very fast. This could be used to create suspicion, as we are trying to figure out what is going on with the chcickens and the knife scrapping. The sound overlapped in the opening scene of the film. This could be used to make the scenes flow. Most of the shots used in the opening scene are filmed at low angles, some of them were close-ups. This could have been used as a way to increase the suspicion that has been presented.
In the opening scene, we are presented with a few enigma codes. The first being the scrpping knife; we immediatly assume that someone is going to be killed. The second is the kid(protagonist) being stuck between the police and the anatagonits weapons. This could mean that he is always getting stuck between the two as he tries to please the anatagonist. The third enigma introduced is the drawing of the weapons. The police and the gang draw guns. The guns could be pointed at the chicken, the boy in the middle or each other. However it is also where are presented with a disequilbrium. Which is the arrival of the police, who could be there for the boy or the gang. This then creates a new equilbrium for the film.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Camera and lighting
In todays lesson we were in the CLC. Mr Holloway introduced us to the lighting and camera kit that they have. We were taught how to set them up and that by setting up the lighting stands at a low angle gave it more stability. We then had to set up a scene using a table and 2 models.
He showed us how to light the models by using the lights and how you can move the camera to give different shots. Each of which gave a different effect. After break, Amanda and myself chose to be models. During which Mr Holloway told the class that by setting up the camera and lighting in different places and using different shades of light. The shot could have a different effect. It could give out a different meaning. He also taught us about the Rule of Thirds. It is about how the shot can be divided into 3 sections and it is useful to have a good shot by using the rule. He said that by placing the actors eyes onto the top third, your shot becomes better when it comes to editing.
I found today to be very useful as I understand how you can can get different times of the day, different meanings and different shots all by moving the camera and adjusting the level of light on a scene. I think that this may prove useful to me for my preliminary exercise as I can use the camera and lighting more to my advantage when it comes to filming.
I think that spending to day lessons in the CLC have helped to understand how Media is used more and what effect, feeling and meaning you can get from it. Finally I think that now with what I have learnt today I can use it to help me analyse films, T.V. Dramas and more.
He showed us how to light the models by using the lights and how you can move the camera to give different shots. Each of which gave a different effect. After break, Amanda and myself chose to be models. During which Mr Holloway told the class that by setting up the camera and lighting in different places and using different shades of light. The shot could have a different effect. It could give out a different meaning. He also taught us about the Rule of Thirds. It is about how the shot can be divided into 3 sections and it is useful to have a good shot by using the rule. He said that by placing the actors eyes onto the top third, your shot becomes better when it comes to editing.
I found today to be very useful as I understand how you can can get different times of the day, different meanings and different shots all by moving the camera and adjusting the level of light on a scene. I think that this may prove useful to me for my preliminary exercise as I can use the camera and lighting more to my advantage when it comes to filming.
I think that spending to day lessons in the CLC have helped to understand how Media is used more and what effect, feeling and meaning you can get from it. Finally I think that now with what I have learnt today I can use it to help me analyse films, T.V. Dramas and more.
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Script Opening
Wide shot of Alex sitting at a table surrounded by books. One of which is she is reading. Running footsteps can heard. Alex looks at the door as the footsetps get louder.
The shot then changes to an over-the-shoulder shot of the door and Alex's table. Charlie bursts through the door, out of breath.
Charlie:(standing in the doorway, breathing heavily) Alex....I've...been...looking everywhere....for...you. I have something to tell you.
Over-the-shoulder shot facing Alex.
Alex:(looks up from her book and frowns) Oh yeah?
Charlie walks up to the table and smiles. Alex,still frowning gestures for Charlie to carry on.
Charlie: Alex, it's about-
Alex shoves her chair back and stands up.
Alex:(agressively) What about it?
Charlie:(slowly shakes head) Alex...I'm sorry.
Alex:(drops the book) No....it can't be.
Wide shot of Charlie and Alex. Alex drops to the ground, buries her head in her hands and breaks out into convulsive sobs. Charlie attempts to touch her but Alex pushes Charlie away. Charlie attemtps again and Alex sinks into her arms. The shot then moves back into a Medium Long Shot.
The shot then changes to an over-the-shoulder shot of the door and Alex's table. Charlie bursts through the door, out of breath.
Charlie:(standing in the doorway, breathing heavily) Alex....I've...been...looking everywhere....for...you. I have something to tell you.
Over-the-shoulder shot facing Alex.
Alex:(looks up from her book and frowns) Oh yeah?
Charlie walks up to the table and smiles. Alex,still frowning gestures for Charlie to carry on.
Charlie: Alex, it's about-
Alex shoves her chair back and stands up.
Alex:(agressively) What about it?
Charlie:(slowly shakes head) Alex...I'm sorry.
Alex:(drops the book) No....it can't be.
Wide shot of Charlie and Alex. Alex drops to the ground, buries her head in her hands and breaks out into convulsive sobs. Charlie attempts to touch her but Alex pushes Charlie away. Charlie attemtps again and Alex sinks into her arms. The shot then moves back into a Medium Long Shot.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Planning our short film
The group I was in was working on a scene. After we had posted our videos, we were set questions that we had to answer related to our planning. Here are my answers:
What did you find most difficult in planning?
The thing I found the most difficult in planning was creating a short film that was related to the task we were set. It was then trying to think of ways that we could accomplish the task without breaking the 'rules' that I posted in one of my previous blogs. Once we had come up with our film, it was then trying to think of ways we could make the film have different shots and angles. As well as being able to make the film stick to the genre we had chosen for it.
What was the most successful part of your planning?
The most successful part of the planning was the fact that we had come up with an idea of how we going to shoot the film. The shot size we were going to use and how we could improve it. I think that even though we had kept that same shot size, the film had accomplished what we wanted it to.
What was the effect of the restrictions of having no dialogue to tell the story?
The effect of having no dialogue meant that it made it harder for the group i was in to come up with a story that we could shoot. I think that it made it more stressful as it meant that it took us longer to think about the shot sizes and the story we were going to tell. However I think that it made it easier because we didn't have to worry about writing a script, which meant we would have had to worry about what the actors would have to say. I also think that it made the film a lot better in a way. This is because it made the film more effective in trying to tell the story.
What did you learn from editing the film?
I learnt how to edit a film. I realised how you can use editing to make a film more effective in getting the story across.
What did you find most difficult in planning?
The thing I found the most difficult in planning was creating a short film that was related to the task we were set. It was then trying to think of ways that we could accomplish the task without breaking the 'rules' that I posted in one of my previous blogs. Once we had come up with our film, it was then trying to think of ways we could make the film have different shots and angles. As well as being able to make the film stick to the genre we had chosen for it.
What was the most successful part of your planning?
The most successful part of the planning was the fact that we had come up with an idea of how we going to shoot the film. The shot size we were going to use and how we could improve it. I think that even though we had kept that same shot size, the film had accomplished what we wanted it to.
What was the effect of the restrictions of having no dialogue to tell the story?
The effect of having no dialogue meant that it made it harder for the group i was in to come up with a story that we could shoot. I think that it made it more stressful as it meant that it took us longer to think about the shot sizes and the story we were going to tell. However I think that it made it easier because we didn't have to worry about writing a script, which meant we would have had to worry about what the actors would have to say. I also think that it made the film a lot better in a way. This is because it made the film more effective in trying to tell the story.
What did you learn from editing the film?
I learnt how to edit a film. I realised how you can use editing to make a film more effective in getting the story across.
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Analysing a Serial Drama
My homework for the this week was to analyse a Serial Drama. I was to take notes on the Lighting, Mise-En-Scene and the sound of the programme. The Serial Drama I chose to watch is Eastenders. Most of the episode was set outside so much of the lighting wasn't really required. As I watched the show, I noticed that the lighting was used in the scenes inside a hpouse to make the actors stand out or to make the scenes more realistic.
There was a lot of Mise-En-Scene useds on the show. Some of which were things like the costumes, the actors speech, the extras etc. I found that the extras were used to make the scene more lively and to help the set the scene more. The costumes that were used helped to set the scenes. Also they could also give you an idea as to what the charcter was about. Not many props were used.
Finally, in most of the scenes sound wasn't used. The sound used to grab your attention, or to make you focus on a prop for example, a ringtone from a mobile. There was traffic used in some of the outdoor scenes to help set the scene. The speech of the characters helped to tell that the scene was set in the East End. At the end of the show, the theme tune breaks into the scene. This is done to create suspence. I've realiesd that by analysing serial Dramas, I have a better view of how Media is used in today's world.
There was a lot of Mise-En-Scene useds on the show. Some of which were things like the costumes, the actors speech, the extras etc. I found that the extras were used to make the scene more lively and to help the set the scene more. The costumes that were used helped to set the scenes. Also they could also give you an idea as to what the charcter was about. Not many props were used.
Finally, in most of the scenes sound wasn't used. The sound used to grab your attention, or to make you focus on a prop for example, a ringtone from a mobile. There was traffic used in some of the outdoor scenes to help set the scene. The speech of the characters helped to tell that the scene was set in the East End. At the end of the show, the theme tune breaks into the scene. This is done to create suspence. I've realiesd that by analysing serial Dramas, I have a better view of how Media is used in today's world.
6 Shot Scene
This is the video that the group I was in made, in today's lesson. It had to be no longer than 6 shots that were no longer than 10 seconds. The movie was filmed in silent as it was a 'rule' that we were not allowed to break. The video has been uploaded to Youtube. This is the link to the video itself. We were given the name of the film;The Game. We then had to create a film based on the name. It was allowed to be anything we wanted. Then we had to plan our scenes, each shot, the angle of the shot.
We were given a few 'rules' which were not allowed to break. These were:
- Each shot could be no longer than 10 seconds
- The film was not allowed to contain any dialogue (including voice-overs)
- It had to have a demonstrable narrative
- Two or more actors had to be used
- The film could only have nor more than 6 shots
- Each shot had to have a different angle
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