Evaluation

For the preliminary task as the brief was only asking for a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting opposite another character and then exchanging a few lines of dialogue. This meat that I was not doing a genre such as romance and this meant that I did not have to follow the conventions for set genres. Thought I felt that because of the style of the film that I followed the convention of a soap. This meant that I had to think about the relation between the characters, for in a soap there is lots of drama between the characters. For this I tried to add in tension, thought having a big build up at the start, to show what was happening was going to be importuned to the character. I also felt that the language used helped to created and idea of drama.

To go with the convention there were different techniques that I used to create the film and given the right effect to go with the action and help the audience to understand what is happening. I used match on action, shot reverse shot and the 180 degree rule. I used these techniques as I felt that they would fit in with the conventions and be able to get a better understanding of the characters and what was happening. I tired to use the match on action at the start to build up the tension when the character was going to open the door. Thought I feel that I did not use this technique well as I feel that I did not edit the different shots together to create the right effect. I used shot reverse shot when the two characters were having a conversation. This is as I thought that the audience would be able to understand how the characters are feeling, being able to see their reactions. I felt that in my finished piece that changing from shot to shot it did not flow as well as I would have like it to. This technique I felt fits in the conventions I was trying to put across. I feel that when I was filming that I was able to keep the 180 degree rule and when I was editing I felt that I had done this. When I was filming using this rule meant that I had to think about where I was putting the camera and positioning the characters, so not to break the rule. A long with these I tried to put in different shots and use different framing to make the film more interesting and to help the audience to see the difference in the characters; such as I used a high angle on one of the character to show the audience that she was a smaller character, showing her status.

Doing the preliminary task helped me to developed skills that I will be able to use in my main task. One of these would be having a better understand of the different techniques that I could use to make it clearer to the audience the relation between the characters. Being able to show the setting I feel is important in creating the right narrative. As the audience needs to understand what is happening. Another skill that I have developed is to be able to direct, so that the actor knows what I want them to do. This skill is imported to have as I need to be ale to tell that what they need to do. As this will effect what happens in the film and how it comes across to the audiences.

The skills that I feel I will need to develop more will be my editing skills as I feel that when I was editing I did not put across the right shots. Also the transition I used don’t work well and that the film did not flow well from shot to shot and this affects the way the film's narrative. Also when editing I wanted to add in music and did not end up doing this as I did know how to import music into the film. I also feel that I needed to know all the information about technique I wanted to use in my film. I need to be able to research better so that I gain a better understanding of what I need to put into the film.

Preliminary Film

Shot List

1. I will have a mid shot of Girl 1. Thought she will have her back to the camera, so that you can see what she is doing and where she is, giving the audience a better understanding of location and what is happening.
2. Will be a point of view shot of Girl 1 opening the door. This is to make it clear as to what is happening and the viewer will be able to see her hand as she goes to open the door.
3. A low angle for Girl 2 sat inside, in the shot you will be able to see Girl 2 and the location around her. This shot will allow the audience to gain a better understanding of the characters and their relation.
4. Eye level shot to show the audience how Girl 1 is feeling. This will be a mid close up to show the audience her reaction.
5. Long shot of Girl 2 sat down. This is as it shows the location and you can see what is happening.
6. Same shot with Girl 2 sat down and Girl 1 walks into the shot and sits down opposite Girl 2.
7. I will have a master shot of the two characters sat down. This is so that the audience can see where the characters are and the relation between them. 
8.  I will use this technique, shot revise shot to show the audience the reaction to what is being said and how it is saying it. In the first shot you will see the side view of Girl 2 and be able to see Girl 1.
9. Then it will be the revise shot of this and the view will see the side view of Girl 1 and be able to see Girl 2, using this the audience will be to see the reaction.
10. This will be the same as before with the audience being able to see the side view of Girl 2 and be able to see Girl 1.
11. The last shot you will be able to see both characters this will be an eye leave shot of them.

Script

Girl 1 stands by a door with her back to us about to go in.
Point of view shot of her hand going to open the door.
You then see a shot of Girl 2 sat inside with a chair opposite her, the camera will be a low angle.
Then you see Girl 1 standing by the door on the inside.

Girl 2
I’ve been expecting you

Then you see Girl 2 sitting down. Then Girl 1 walks across and sits in the chair opposite.

Girl 1
Hello?

Girl 2
You took your time!

Girl 1
What do you want?

Girl 2
I need to tell you that err…

A shot of the two girl sitting and
then a fade to black.

Plan

Date Activity
13/9/10 Research into match-on-action, shot-reverse-shot and the 180 degree rule.
16/9/10 Finish research into the different techniques
17/9/10 Find examples of where these have been used in real life shows/films.
20/9/10 Write up what I have found out and why these techniques are used

Examples of Editing Techniques

The shot reverse shot is used a lot in TV and film when two people are having a conversation, as using this shot makes it clear for the audience to understand the relation between the characters, the spaces between the characters, what they are saying and their emotions thought their facial expressions. The sit-com ‘Friends’ used this technique a lot, as it helps to create the right images for the audience to understand what is happening and to know the characters better. For example an episode where the character Chandler Bing is having a interview of a job and in this scene they use the shot reverse shot technique to show the relationship between the two characters. The shot changed mainly when the characters were speaking this was so that the audience could see what they were saying and their expression. Doing this helps the audience to give an understanding of the character and it also helps them to see where the characters are and the space between them. Thought sometimes the short would change to show the character’s reactions too what is being said. This is because of the type the genre the programme is and doing this makes it comical in that it links back to what has happened early in the episode. Using this technique in film and TV means that the audience gets a better understanding of the character and the location. Using this shot is good as it help to tell the narrative and communicate to the audience about the characters and location being able to show subtext to the audience easily.



The 180 degree rule is used in TV and film, to make sure that the scene and actions look correct, so that the audience can understand the relation between the characters, they have a better view of the location and the spaces between the characters. When using different shots the camera man needs to make sure that they stay behind the line, other wise to the viewer the location and the position of the character would look wrong and confuse the audience. In the TV serious ‘Smallville’ they break the 180 degree rule. Though the editor had flipped the image over to stop the audience from noticing and ruining the effect they were trying to make. This is a technique that is used in editing a lot to make sure the image looks correct. From the example you could tell that this had happened because one of the characters has a cut above their left eye and then in the next shot the cut is above the other eye. Having this you are able to see that they have broken the 180 degree rule. Thought they have changed the image it stops the positioning of the characters in the right places. In film and TV they use this techniques to make sure that they are show the correct images and that the props, set and characters are in the correct places.

The match on action is used to put two different views of the same action at the same moment in the same movement. This technique is used to make the action flow better and for the audience to understand what is happening better. This technique is used in TV and film to create a better flow and image for the audience and it helps them to understand what is happening and get a better view of the action and how the character is feeling. This technique is used a lot in trailers so that the audience know what the programme is going to be about as they need to match the action to what the titles are saying and to make what they are showing flow in order. In the examples it’s a trailer for ‘Skyline. This advert use this technique to make their target audience wanted to watch ‘Skyline’ and this will make them more money which is the purpose. Using this technique to match the action to the titles used. The way in which they use this technique helps the audience to have a better understanding of what is happening.

Editing Techniques

In editing there are different technique used to help piece the action together and tell the audience the story and plot line of the film. One of these techniques used is match on action this is a type of match cut. The match cut action connects two different views of the same action at the same moment in the same movement. This is done to make it seem that the motion continues uninterrupted, to make this work well the action should being in the first shot and end in the second shot.

Which can be seen in this clip

Shot reverse shot is a style of continuity editing. It is a technique where one character is shown looking at another character and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. By doing this the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer then assumes that they are looking at each other. Doing this means that the editor can create the right shot for the actions happening, to help tell the story.

The 180 degree rule is used when filming and if it is broken then the editor has to flip the picture, so not to confuse the audience but sometimes this means that objects can be on the wrong side. The 180 degree is an imaginary line that is drawn across the screen. The camera operator needs to stay on one side of the line in which they are shooting the action from. Doing this means that the characters stay in the correct places and the locations, props and set behind them do not change. This means that the audience do not get confused and the action stays flowing.
This image shows clearly the rule.


In post-production mistakes can happen when shooting that are not seen when filming and it is up to the editor to change this and show the audience what they need to know and make the story flow. This is called continuity editing. It smooth over the mistakes made and establish logical between the different shots. Doing this makes the film narrative run correctly and the audience is about to understand the change in time and location. Using different techniques means that the directors, editor can create the right shot being able to tell the audience the correct information such as the relationship between the characters and making the plot and storyline clearer to the audience watching.