Preliminary Exercise

Preliminary exercise: 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 she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. This task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

1) Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

I worked with Adam Romo and Matt Smith.

We split up the roles equally between each other, trying our best to ensure that we each did about a third of the overall work. We decided that Adam and Matt would be the main actors (Adam was the bully and Matt was the nerd) and I would direct and be cameraman to most of the shots, however when either team mate wasn't in the shot they did the camera work. Since I did most of the technical work whilst filming, we decided that Adam and Matt would do the majority of the editing and I would finalise the edit by ensuring that each continuity technique was checked. Overall, I feel we delegated the work load fairly to each of us.

2) How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?

We first began brainstorming together and we agreed on the idea of a bully dominating a nerd by forcing him to leave the study room so that he could be in there himself. After agreeing on the idea, we sketched up a storyboard of the sequence of events, ensuring that the continuity and the specifications in the exercise brief were the top priorities. Since very did the storyboard near our set, we each got up and stood in the position of the camera for each shot, to best visualise the framing.

The above image is our storyboard. The storyboard was very helpful for us to organise our shooting schedule with the minimum camera set-ups required. We followed the storyboard very closely during the production stage, however in post-production the shots weren't necessarily edited in the same order and with the same number of shots. For instance, there is an added shot at 00:18 to give another perspective of the argument. Also, by following the storyboard we were able to incorporate the principles of continuity (such as the 30 degree rule and 180 degree rule) to ensure that the film showed a clear focus on continuity.

Although our sequence was very short (about 20 seconds) we were able to include many theories. Firstly, for Todorov - the theory of equilibrium - disruption - disequilibrium - equilibrium, the stages of his theory are clear. The initial equilibrium is where Matt is quietly getting on with his work. The disruption and disequilibrium happens when Adam comes in and argues and scares Matt, with a sort of equilibrium being reached where Matt leaves the room in a tantrum and the situation has calmed down.

Levi-Strauss' theory of binary opposites can be applied with the most obvious being bully verses the nerd, shown very clearly as the overlying idea of the film through the narrative and characters involved. There are other binary opposites such as good and bad, innocent & violent and hooded & unhooded.

Barthes five codes theory can be applied as well.

• Enigma - Who is this person? What is his motive? Why does he want this room specifically? Why does the nerd react in this way? What history is there in the relationship between these characters?
• Action - The protagonist (the bully) is shown in the opening shot walking to this room specifically with a facial expression revealing a motive and the intent to upset the antagonist (the nerd).
• Semiotic - The bully is wearing a hoody, which usually gives the connotations of adolescent anti-social behaviour. The shot / reverse shots at high and low angles to represent the perspective of the person speaking, with the high angle signifying superiority and the low angle signifying inferiority.
• Cultural - The first title shows the group number and the members of the group, allowing the viewer to understand that the film is a project and the next title is the title of the film, "NERD," giving the audience the expectation that they are about to see a film about a student who is picked on and studies a lot.
• Symbolic - There isn't anything signifying the symbolic code since the film sequence is very short.

We cannot apply Propp's theory directly to our film sequence because it too short and hasn't been given the opportunity to develop more characters, but an extended version of our film would be able to include his theory.

3) What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

In the production stage, we used a HD quality video camera, a tripod, headphones and a shotgun microphone. Since the majority of our shots had a stationary camera and there was only one shot in which a pan was included, we used a tripod to ensure the shot kept level, kept steady and looked professional. The shotgun mic was used in the first setting, shotgun, to reduce the interfering background noise when dialogue needed to be heard. In all other shots, however the mic was on the second setting, which allowed a more stereo sound to be heard.

In post production, we used Adobe Premier Pro to capture and edit the footage in a tidy fashion. This software allowed us to cut up the footage and put each shot on different levels so that we can edit frame by frame with ease.

4) What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

We had account for time during all production stages since we were given a time limit: 1 hour to plan, 1 hour to film and 1 hour to edit. In the filming time we had to ensure we had time for retakes in order to make sure we got the best quality shots, which I feel we did. Also, in the editing stage we were set back early on by a technical problem when capturing, however we soon resolved this by capturing all the footage in one go.

It was important for the person operating the sound, me, to let the director know whether background interference noise was a factor, in order to reduce poor sound quality. I feel we controlled this very well, since sound quality was not a problem in the final edit.

Before we could storyboard our film we had to secure the location to make sure our shots suited the setting. We decided to use the media block to ensure the sound and interruptions of other people could be kept at a minimum.

The most important factor to control was the continuity since this was the focus of the task. We ensured the 30 degree rule and 180 degree rule wasn't broken in the storyboarding and shooting to avoid confusion of the audience. To allow the shot / reverse shot to be edited successfully we filmed the whole set of dialogue from two angles. We did this also for the match on action technique. We filmed the entire film from several angles, one being the master shot, to allow for smooth editing.

5) How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve / do differently?

After analysing our film and listening to the feedback of peers I am able to withdraw the pros and cons.

The positives are that we were able to maintain continuity successfully, without breaking the 180 degree rule and making good use of the match on action and shot / reverse shot techniques. Also, the acting was believable which allowed our very simple sequence to be finished to a very high standard.

The negatives are that it was perhaps to simple which meant that the narrative lacked originality, meaning many viewers found it quite dull, although the sound it was technically well finished.

In hindsight, I would make the sequence longer to allow more time for a narrative to develop and i would try to be more creative with shots to add flare and originality to the film. I feel our group worked brilliantly together and we enjoyed working together so this would stay the same.

6) What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?

From this task I have learnt and developed many skills including the ability to work with others and manage time, how to maintain successful continuity and the techniques involved, problem solving under time constraints and how to work short range audio.

This learning will be significant since the rest of the foundation coursework relies on my knowledge, understanding and ability to utilise these continuity techniques and people skills; without which I cannot hope to do well.

Applying Barthes Five Codes to Monsters, Inc.

The film I have chosen to analyse is Monsters, Inc. (Pete Docter, 2001)

Engima Code: Why are the credits full of doors? why is the an eye in the middle of the `M` in Monsters, Inc.? Where is the room with the boy in? Whats going to happen? What's going to come through the door? Who do the monsters work for? Why do they scare children? Who is the spider monster? Who are the blue and green monsters? Protangonists or antagonists?

Action Code: The first piece of action is the monster entering the child's room and attempting to scare him, but fails miserably. Next, is when Mike wakes up Sully and makes him exercise to keep as the top scarer.

Semiotic Code: Initially, the scene opens in a dark room and has many eerie sounds, creating tension and then the squid-like arm is shown through the door which is immediately matched with that of a monster. The shots are vary between quick cuts and slow cuts to build up the tension.

Each monster is designed in many vibrant colours with features usually connoted with monsters,  e.g. horns, single or many eyes, odd shaped bodies, etc...

The monsters that analyse the purple monster's failed scaring attemp are all wearing soemthing that would typically be worn in an office / factory enviornment, i.e. a suit or yellow helmet.

Cultural Code: The film first shows the Walt Disney and Pixar logos, allowing the viewer to immediately understand that this film will be aimed at a young audience (pre-school and primary school age) and will be light hearted amusement with many feautures that are expected from these brands.

Symbolic Code: The `scream` collected represents fuel, like petrol, and explains that there is a shortage of scream, perhaps implying there is a shortage of fuel in the real world and it is up to us to find ways to produce `clean` fuel.

Applying the Principles of Continuity to Kick Ass

The sequence I have chosen is from from Kick Ass (Matthew Vaughn, 2010) and it is one of the action sequences which sees, Hit Girl, one of the main characters, running down a corridor and killing anyone in her way.

The scene opens with an establishing shot, zooming showing to men sitting down and one pacing the room. This then cuts to a LS, by using the match on action continuity technique to showing the man change direction. As the lift doors begin to open the shot cuts to a MLS, again through match on action, where the doors continue opening showing Hit Girl standing inside. When the doors are out of frame there is a reaction shot from the pacing man, who turns to look over his right shoulder so as not to break the 180 degree rule. The first fight sequence sees many matched cuts to allow each movements to flow seemlessly into the next.

After Hit Girl kills the last man by tying rope around the gun and making him shoot himself in the head, the audio - the gun shot - alerts a room full of other men and the room with the antagonist, Frank D'Amico and his main bodyguard (shown in two consecutive shots). We then see a MS, with the camera behind the desk, of D'amico running towards the camera and opening a draw; the shot the cuts, using the match on action technique to the opposite side of the desk showing him take a gun from the draw.

The next scene brings us to the room filled with men and starts the audio overlay which bridges each shot, helping to create a seemless narrative. We first see them begin to approach the camera, which is positioned in the opening to the corridor. The scene the cuts to the point of view of the leading man, walking from the room into the corridor and it is a matched cut, since the movement of the camera, turning into the corridor in LS, mimics the movement of the man. The shot then cuts back to the line up of men at the entrance to corridor, where the point of view shot ended, thus creating flawless continuity. The next shot cuts to Hit Girl, who is preparing for the next fight, through the continuity technique of cross cutting. The shot then cuts to showing the men walking down the corridor from many angles to create tension. We then see the camera move from the men to hit girl. There are shots of some of the men, all of which are cut to the now quickened beat. The shot cuts, via cross cutting to Hit Girl with two guns raised either side of her head. Finally, we cut to a shot across the 180 degree line, showing Hit Girl appearing and taking a shot at the closest man. The purpose in cutting between these two pieces of action slowly at first and then more quickly is to neatly bring together both pieces of action.

The following action, again shows all matched cuts, showing Hit Girl run down the corridor and killing of the men, of course, the sound overlay bridges the action, creating a seemless narrative. At the end of this action sequence, Hit Girl, is aiming a gun at the last man, who is lying on the ground beneath her. We then see the continuity technique of shot / reverse / shot, with each shot cutting back and forth from a low angle to a high angle; the eye line of each character.

Levi-Strauss' Theory of Binary Opposites

The film I have chosen for this task is Frank Coraci's Click (2006).

1)  What is the genre of the film? How are the genre signifiers introduced?

The genre of the film is fantasy-comedy-drama. Semiotics of these sub-genres include a universal remote prop, which can be used to control everything in the universe, the fact the antagonist is an angel and the way that the entire film was a dream, clearly show the fantasy aspect. The comedic, light-hearted aspect of the film is shown through the generally positive and upbeat audio and the consistant natural sunlight lighting. Also, you have you're blunder humour, for example, when the protagonist, Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) says the clients name incorrectly several times. Also, the lack of CUs creates a vibrate, positive atmosphere, the platform for comedy to take place. In these early stages of the film it is hard to see signifiers of drama, however the minor family conflicts, such as turning up late to the swimming race, indicates to the viewer that the conflict is likely to increase.

2) Who are the main characters and how are they opposed?

Michael Newman (Adam Sandler) and Morty (Christopher Walken) are the main characters, with Newman as the protagonist and Morty as the antagonist. At first these characters seem to get on really well, however it later becomes clear that Morty is the Angel of Death, who is trying to cut Newman's life very short.

3) What are the main themes of the film and how are they introduced?

There are themes such as good & evil, heaven & hell, mortal & immortal, humour & sinisterness, life & death and fulfilment & regret. These ideas are introduced to us gradually as we learn more about Morty's character. This is clear for the first 5 binary opposites aforementioned, but the last pair, fufilment & regret is shown to us throughout the film once he has obtained the remote. This theme is the most important since it sums up the moral of the story; to enjoy and make the most of your life, without wanting to speed it up. We see this theme through Newman's sadness after events such as the death of his father, the divorce of his wife and ultimately, his death.

4) How is the narrative organised to show conflict?

The main conflict is to do with the family, especially in the opening sequence. For example, when Newman complains about the O' Doyles having a universal remote, we see jealousy and then just after that he upsets the children by saying that he is too busy to build their treehouse, showing us that he is overowrked, which the audience knows will be the result of many future conflicts due to the connotations with this trait.

Applying Todorov's Theory of Equilibrium

For this task I have chosen Clark Johnson's S.W.A.T. (2003)

1) Who are the agents?

Protagonist: Jim Street (Colin Farrell)

Antagonist: Brian Gamble (Jeremy Renner)

2) The equilibrium

Whilst presenting the film company and producers involved (Original Film and Columbia Pictures) the is an audio overlay of a police radio, with the hyped reports of various police. This immediately unrests the viewer, and then when the visuals of a police helicopter flies over a scene of a bank robbery, where there is gunfire, the equilibrium is officially broken.

There is an establishing shot of the famous Hollywood sign on the mountain side, with the camera moving over the mountain. A LS, steadicam is next, showing a mess of birds flying around, as though panicing and it is folowed by another LS, high angle from a helicopter, showing a distressed woman running for her life. We get a handheld ELS, showing a masked bank robber shooting at the police with a light machine gun, the sound of gunfire here helps to set the chaotic vibe. The camera then zooms to an LS of the robber, and with the handheld effect it unsteadies the viewer. The first MS is shows a policeman ducking behind the door of his car, closely follwed by several gunshots going into the windscreen. There is an LS whip pan from the robebrs to a police officer who attempts to advance towards a vehicle for cover. The camera cuts whilst the officer is still movign to a low angle MCU of the robber holding a machine gun; he then fires the gun, and the camera cuts to a LS of the police officer, who collapses to the floor. This shot is from the angle that the robber would so it, so as not to break the 180 degree rule. The mise-en-scene in this part of the sequence generally shows many police cars, police officers, distressed citizens adn the bank robebrs themselves.

We are first shown the lead bank robber (he is not the antagonist) in a CU inside the bank, his face covered by a balaclava. This is the first cut away, since we are shown a second part of the action, the events which are simultaneously occuring inside the bank. We then cut outside to the entrance of the S.W.A.T. There is a MS of the inside of a helicopter, showing the protagonist with his team. The uniform they were differs to that of the police officers, indicating a hierarchy. The entrance of these characters is emphasised by a decrease in pace and an audio overlay to highlight the importance of these people.

3)  Is the Disruption or Disequilibrium introduced or hinted at?

In this opening sequence, we are introduced to the lives of the S.W.A.T. team, particularly the main characters, whichs involves seeing a high key offence being handled. We are also introduced to the antogonist, to the antagonist without realising.

4) Are there any visual/verbal/aural clues that hint at what the hero's journey might be?

After disobeying the orders of higher command, Street and his partner Brian Gamble (Jeremy Renner) are demoted by Captain Fuller (Larry Poindexter), the comander of LAPD's Metropolitan Division. In this meeting, the Chief of Police, insists that Street and Gamble are still involved in the LAPD. Gamble quits the LAPD after an argument with Street. This sets up the stage for Street to embark on his journey.

5) From your knowledge of the film, how will the equilibrium be restored and what will be the new equilibrium?

The Chief of Police calls on Sergeant Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson (Samuel L. Jackson) to put together a SWAT division including himself, Street, and several others. Whilst they are training, a drug lord, the antagonist, Montel, is imprisoned and escapes with his own team of criminals. Gamble has been associating himself with Montel too, so the audience now understands that Gamble is the antagonist to watch out for. The new equilibrium sees Street emerge out of a fist fight with Gamble, by pushing him under a passing train. The SWAT team also takes Montel to a federal prison in L.A.

Research on Continuity

Continuity is one of the most important things to consider in film making since it ensures that the narrative of a film is coherent and professional looking. It helps keep the story flowing smoothly, allowing shots to cut or mix to one another flawlessly and fluently.

Continuity Editing

This process is followed by directors of film and tv fiction, which allows footage to be shot and edited to create a seamless narrative.

The process that this derives from is suture, which means that the audience is hooked by the narrative. The audience is distracted by the charcters and doesn't think that this film as been constructed and edited for effect.

Continuity Editing Techniques

180 degree rule: It is important not to cross the 'line of vision' between two characters, since this may confuse the viewer meaning they won't be able to make sense of the scene. The same rule applies to objects in motion, the camera must keep to one side of the movement.

 30 degree rule: When the camera angle changes by less than 30 degrees, a noticable 'jump' in the footage can be seen, known as a jump cut, which can confuse the viewer.

Eyeline Match: The direction of the characters' vision must stay the same. For example, a taller character must look down towards the eyes of a smaller character, and vice versa.

Match On Action ( or Matched Cuts): Action should be edited so that a character or object has clearly moved forward between shots, as opposed to having the action look repeated.

Shot / reverse / shot: This technique is used when two characters are in conversation.

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  The conversation must be filmed at least 3 times with the acting and positioning of the characters being exactly the same.
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  Firstly, the conversation is filmed with a master shot.
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  Secondly, the covnersation is filmed over the shoulder of one character
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  Then the conversation is filmed over the shoulder of the other character.
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  Other shots, such as close ups can be added for effect.

Making Meaning Through Continuity

Meaning is created through various cuts and mixes, both of which control the pace and time frame of a sequence.

Cuts: This is the most common way of seamlessly moving form one shot to the next. When used correctly, cuts are effective in creating many effects of pace and rhythm. For example, an action sequence will include many very quick cuts to shtos of action.

Dissolves: These are used to provide a slow, relaxed way of linking shots, for example, in a montage of shots in an opening sequence. They also show that time has passed in the narrative.

Fades: Fade up & fade out / Fade to black & fade from black. They are used to signify that a pariod of time has elapsed between 2 sequences.

How will this help me in my filming?

This research on continuity will help me greatly in the my own film making. I now understand that it is possible to save time by reducing the number of camera and lighting set ups and I know how to avoid falling into the traps of the 180 and 30 degree rules.

I also now acknowledge the use of different transitions which can be used for effect in the editing process.