Preliminary Task 1

This is our first preliminary task which had to include someone walking through a door and dialogue. In the first shot we do not show my face which creates suspense for the audience because they do not know who this person is and we also used a low angle to make this person look dangerous. On the other hand Shaiane is shot from a high angle which makes her seem weak and vulnerable, she also has earphones in which tells the audience that she will not hear the person walking in behind her. There is a point of view shot which shows me walking up to Shaiane and this creates tension for the audience because they know she has her earphones in and you can hear the music very faintly in the clip. When Shaiane gets shocked on the shoulders there is a shot of the paint pallet falling on the floor which has been slowed down the add effect, but there is also too much focus on this. In this shot Shaiane hasn’t got her earphones in anymore which is an issue that we found after we had finished shooting all the scenes and went to edit; the audience can assume that the earphones fell out when Shaiane got shocked but this makes the continuity of the clip seem unrealistic. The location we chose was good in some ways because it was quiet and there was no noise to disrupt the scenes but ultimately it wasn’t an ideal place to shoot our preliminary task because we were shooting with the light behind the action which made Shaiane’s face particularly dark while my face was facing the light and therefore the contrast was very noticeable. After shooting and editing this and looking at the things we could improve in the clip we decided to do another preliminary task.

Match on Action

This is our first task we did as a group which we each edited. We had to include someone sitting down and standing up, someone walking up the stairs, someone turning pages on a book and a movement of our own choice to show our understanding of match on action. The first movement of someone sitting down and standing up flows well and also the dropping of the bag looks realistic but we needed to get more footage of the turning of the book because there is a gap where the book is open and then it goes straight into the page is already half turned which doesn’t look like a continuous movement. The person walking along the railing flows well but the gap between when he jumps of the railing and when he lands on the floor is a bit too long. In the shot of the person sitting in the chair and then running up the stairs we had some issues about the light, there is too much natural light which means that the continuity from shot to shot was bad. We had to edit the colour of one shot because the light was too dark and the shot before that was quite light.  

Representation of Hip Hop CD Cover

The target audience for this CD would be for boys aged around 20 years old. You can tell this by the artist on the front who seems to be around that age. You can tell that this is a hip hop album because of the writing used which looks like graffiti. The writing colour is also telling the audience that this man on the front cover is wealthy because of the way it reflects which represents his money and that he can afford expensive chains or jewellery.The expression on the artists face is also a way to tell what genre this music will be. He is looking directly at the audience which makes them feel vulnerable and that he is in control. He is also looking down slightly which shows that a low angle shot was used to make him seem powerful. He is also wearing a bright orange coat and on the shelves in the shops this album cover will stand out.The background is of lots of lights and he is wearing a NY hat which indicates that he is in New York which is where lots of successful artists are from. On the other hand, it is also night which represents the artist to be the kind of person who is around on the streets at this time. There is also a police car with its sirens on which shows that this artist gets into trouble a lot, this also tells you which genre the music is going to be.

Camera Movement - Mounted Camera Tilt

A mounted camera tilt is when you move the camera up or down, without lowering or raising the position of the camera. This is like panning, only it is done vertically. This video camera technique is used to follow the subject that you are photographing, or to show the viewer a large object from top of bottom - or from bottom to top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jYXX48Oz7s&feature=related

Camera Movement - Mounted Camera pan

Mounting the camera on a tripod, simply move the camera horizontally from left to right. Pan shots are used to show the viewer more of the scenery. This technique is also used to show views from high places, such as overlooks. Pan shots should begin with a still shot, then pan, then finish with a still shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhTEe5vjN3Q&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Camera Movement - Dolly

This is when a camera is mounted on a cart which travels along tracks for a smooth movement. This is also known as tracking shot or trucking shot. Most professional film studio dollies have a hydraulic arm that raises or lowers the camera on a vertical axis. When a dolly grip operates a dolly on perpendicular axis simultaneously, it is known as a compound move.  

Camera Movement - Mounted Camera Pedestal

This video camera technique is the opposite of the tilt technique. You do not tilt the camera, but you either raise or lower the position of the camera. This technique is simply used to get the proper view that you are looking for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAiMHoTBlqo&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Film Sound - Non diegetic sound

Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action:

• narrator's commentary
• sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect
• mood music

Non-diegetic sound is represented as coming from the source outside story space. 

The distinction between diegetic or non-diegetic sound depends on our understanding of the conventions of film viewing and listening.  We know of that certain sounds are represented as coming from the story world, while others are represented as coming from outside the space of the story events.  A play with diegetic and non-diegetic conventions can be used to create ambiguity (horror), or to surprise the audience (comedy). 

Another term for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.

Film sound - Diegetic Sound

Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film: 

• voices of characters 
• sounds made by objects in the story 
• music represented as coming from instruments in the story space (source music)

Diegetic sound is any sound presented as originated from source within the film's world 

Digetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame. 

Another term for diegetic sound is actual sound.

Camera Movement - Moving Camera handheld

Using this technique, the photographer simply holds the video camera, and moves wherever, and however, he needs to move to get the shot that he wants. When using this technique, you should avoid using the zoom feature on your camera. Zooming while using the handheld technique will make your shot appear to be shaky. Instead of zooming, move closer to the object you are shooting.

Camera movement: Moving camera boom

A camera boom is a smaller version of the cranes that are used for construction. A camera boom is used to get a view of subjects or scenes from above. These are commonly used in filming movies, and the boom moves up, down, and around. 

Camera Angles - Low Angle

A Low angle looks up at the character which makes them seem extremely powerful and important, it increases the height and gives a sense of speeded motion. It is placed below eye level, with the camera looking up at the subject. This can make the audience feel vunerable and small by looking up at the character. The background of a low angle shot will tend to be sky or ceiling, the lack of detail about the setting adding the disorientation of the viewer. The added height of the object may make it inspire fear and insecurity in the viewer, who is psychologically dominated by the figure on screen. In movies the character who is mostly seen from a low angle is a villain or the bad person because it automatically lets the audience know that this person is powerful.

Camera Angles - Long Shot

A long shot, sometimes reffered to as a wide shot or full shot, typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings. It has been said that the long shot ranges usually correspond to approximately what would be the distance between the front row of the audience and the stage in live theatre. The full shot should be of the head near the top of the frame and the feet near the bottom of the frame. While the focus is on the character, plenty of background detail still emerges. The small amount of room above and below the subject can be thought of as safety room.

Camera Angles - Pan Shot

A Pan shot is the horizontal movement or rotation of a still camera, or the scanning of a subject horizontally on video or display device. It is mostly used for following action or giving movement to a scene that otherwise would be static. The Pan shot can be used as a dramatic implement, for example in a horror movie when the character sees something that shocks her in the distance, the camera would slowly pan in the direction she is looking, adding suspence to the scene and making it more effective.

Camera Angles - Birds Eye View

This angle is a Birds Eye View shot, it makes it seem as if you are looking directly down onto the scene, making the character seem small and insignificant. These shots are usually used in battle scenes or establishing where the character is. This puts the viewer in a godlike position, looking down onto the action.
A director would usually use this shot to make some kind of dramatic comment on a character or scene. Birds Eye View shots can invoke feelings of control, possessiveness, understanding and acceptance in viewers. It might also be used to draw attention to how a character is feeling, having a Birds Eye View shot on one person could make them seem lonely or upset. Another way it could be used is to show where a character is and what is surrounding them, by using one shot you can get a good idea of what is happening.

Camera Angles - Close Up

In a close-up shot, a certain feature or part of the subject takes up most of the frame. A close up of a person usually means a close up of their face, close-ups are useful for showing detail. A close-up of a person emphasizes their emotional state and lets the audience see clearer the persons expression.

Camera Shots - Match On Action

Match on action, also called cutting on action, is a technique used when the director cuts from one shot to another, which creates the impression of continuous time. The movement or gesture of one character seems to be continued to completed in the next shot. However if movement from one shot to the other are not matched the action would loose it illusion of seamless continuity.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RjfGD1RTW8&NR=1
 In this youtube clip you can see examples of a match on action shot and the ways in which to create the proper effect that one movement carries on into another shot.

Camera Shots - 180-degree Rule

The 180-degree rule which is also called the 'Line of Action' or 'Axis Line' is a common shot to use during an action scene so you can tell whats going on; it follows whats happening. You draw an imaginary line between two characters and keep the camera on one side of them throughout the entire scene.Sometimes the filmmaker will purposely break the line of action in order to create disorientation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNOT9iHDSXU
In this youtube clip they explain the ways that the 180-degree rule is used and use examples to show you how effective it can be. They also tell you how if you break the rule it can make it harder for the viewer to understand what is happening.

Camera Shots - Shot Reverse Shot

A shot reverse shot is a classic technique used in most Hollywood films which creates the effect of two characters looking and talking to each other. It shows one character looking at the other, then it switches onto the second character looking back at the first. The way that this is shot makes the viewer assume that the two characters are talking to each other.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLkUHZ1qips
In this youtube clip they are showing you what a shot reverse shot is like and how the characters are shown on the screen to the viewers. You can see the back of one person while you can see the other person talking or looking at them and then it swaps to the second person, showing you the reverse.