Film Genre Mind Map

Research and planning

- Analysis of at least 4 different genre openings (analyse how mise-en-scene, sound, plot convey genre to audience)
- Preliminary task diary
- Preliminary task evaluation
- own ideas mind map - what genre? plot? etc
- Analysis of at least 2 openings of films from your chosen genre

Making of our Preliminary Task: The Editing.

Editing Software used: iMovie
We used iMovie because we did the editing at one of our homes, we used a mac computer to edit the task.
For the editing we put all fo the clips we wanted together, cropping and zooming on some of them.
For example, we used the clip of mine and Abbie's eyes twice, but zoomed in the second time that we used them, this gave the effect of tension between the characters.
We used a fade to black transition at the end to show a time lapse, and we also changed the colour of the last few shots to a dusky colour to make it seem as if it was the early evening.

Making of our Preliminary Task: Camera Angles

In our preliminary task, we used a wide range of camera angles to show the events that transpire on screen.
This is how our camera angles were planned out:

1. Close-Up: Abbie's hand opening the door.
2. Low-Angle: Shot from below of when she comes through the door.
3. Close-Up: Door closing.
4. Over the Shoulder: Abbie sitting down at the table from my view.
5. Medium: Me closing my book, and folding arms.
6. Long: Abbie and I placing our hands on the table.
7. Close-Up: Abbie speaks.
8. Close-Up: I speak.
9. High-Angle: Abbie and I looking around.
10. Close-Up: Abbie's face.
11. Close-Up: My face.
12. Extreme Close-Up: Abbie's eyes.
13. Extreme Close-Up: My eyes.
14. Medium: I speak.
15. Medium: I get up from the chair and walk out the door.
16. Medium: Abbie hitting her head on the table.
17. Multiple Close-Ups: Abbie banging head on table.
18. Medium: Abbie's head on the table.
19. Long: Me walking in.
20. Close-Up: Me picking up the book and speaking.
21. Long: Abbie still at the table.

We used many different shot types, and we also filmed different parts of the scene with different angles, but only used the angles that helped the scene to flow better. When adding in the extra shots of Abbie hitting her head on the table, we had planned it from the start, using this as a way to get a laugh out of the audience.

Making of our Preliminary Task: What Happens?

For our preliminary task we had to film a short clip that had to include dialogue and a range of camera shots. E.g. High angle shot, Low angle shot, Over the shoulder shot etc.

We decided to have two people having an awkward encounter. We encountered several problems whilst filming, including the fact that a nasty bug was going around, resulting in one of us being absent every time one of us wanted to film, and that we wanted to plan it down to the very last detail.

Eventually, we chose to shoot it at one of our homes, as this would give a different setting.

Preliminary Task Outline:

1. Abbie walks through door.
2. Abbie closes door.
3. Abbie sits down at the table, faces forward.
4. I look at abbie, close the book, and then fold my arms whilst staring at her.
5. We then simultaneously place both our hands in front of us at the table.
6. Abbie says: 'So.'
7. I say: 'So.'
8. We both look around the room, looking for a solution to the situation.
9. We have a close up of Abbies eyes staring at mine.
10. A close up of my eyes staring at Abbie's.
11. Repeat of the last two actions, but with the camera zoomed in even more.
12. I say: 'I'm just gonna go.' whilst gesturing to leave, and getting up and leaving the table.
13. I leave the room.
14. We have several shots of Abbie slamming her head on the table.
15. Camera fades to black.
16. Camera fades into a new scene, the light is darker, showing a time lapse.
17. Abbie's head still rests on the table.
18. I enter, pick up my book, and say: 'I forgot my book.' and then leave again.

Over the course of filming, we built up a very lengthy set of outtakes, as both people behind and in front of the camera were laughing. We shot a lot of the same things at different angles, so that when we were editing we had a range of things to choose from.

Preliminary Task - Evaluation

Our preliminary task was well received, with other students in our class saying:

• The camera work was steady, and it was well filmed.
• The editing and sound were effective, and it flowed very well.
• We used over the shoulder shots, and extreme close-ups effectively.
• We stuck to the 180 degree rule.
• Our shot reverse shot and match on action were effective.
• Wide range of camera angles.

But, even though we did get good feedback, i couldn't help but feel that if we had used more dialogue during the task, it would have had a better feeling to it. I was pleased overall with the shooting of the footage, and I think that Hannah and Jasmine did a good job with keeping the camera steady. We edited using iMovie, and I think we created a good clean piece of film that moved steadily and flowed into the different shots effectively. The wide range of shots and camera angles we used helped to emphasise the situation that both characters were in. We used the 180 degree rule and stuck to it, filming from the same side throughout.

I think that out preliminary task was very effective, and we managed to apply everything we have been taught over the first term of our course., and hopefully our next piece of coursework will turn out just as well as this one.

Preliminary Task - Diary

-For part of our coursework, we have to record and present a preliminary task.
-We have included several different types of shot, including High Angle Shot, Extreme Close-Up, Close-Up, Over the Shoulder Shot and Match On Action.
-Our preliminary task is an awkward encounter. A girl's hand grips a door handle, and opens the door she then sits down at a table, a boy at the other end closes his book, places it on the table, and folds his arms. Then, we see both characters clasping their hands and placing them on the table in front of them at the same time. The girl says the word 'So.', as does the boy, and it then cuts to an extreme close-up of both pairs of eyes staring at the other. After this the boys makes his excuses and leaves, and after walking past the girl and exiting the room, we see the girl slam her head down on the table. Then, the lights changes, showing a time lapse, the boy enters and we see him pick up the book that he was reading at the start of the video, the girls waves her hand, showing that the awkward encounter has exhausted her.
-When the girl hits her head on the table, we show several shots of the impact, adding a comedic effect to the piece.
-When using the extreme close-up, it helped to show the tension of the characters, and who would end up breaking the silence first.
-My personal opinion is that we should have added more dialogue, but the task still worked with less dialogue, it helped the viewer to focus on the action on screen.
-It took us a whole sunday to film and edit our preliminary task, as we spent quite a lot of time planning and preparing it, as we wanted to make sure we turned in the best piece of work we could create.

-Overall, I am pleased with how our preliminary task turned out, with us using shot types in 

the best way possible. 

Camera Shots

Romance.

Interview.

Mugging.

Preliminary Task

Preliminary Task:

Awkward.

The Ring Opening Scene Analysation

The Ring: Horror Cliche's

The Ring is a 2002 horror film directed by Gore Verbinski, and is a remake of the Hideo Nakata film Ringu also known as The Ring. The opening scene of the film depicts two girls who are home alone and are sitting watching Tv, Katie (Amber Tamblyn) starts talking about the harmful magnetic waves that TV's produce, saying that the magnetic waves kill our brainwaves. Becca (Rachael Bella) then starts to talk about a videotape that is rumoured to kill you. She goes on to describe the tape in explicit detail, and reveals that after you've watched it, the phone will ring, and you'll be told by a young girls voiced that you have seven days left to live. As the camera shows a close-up of Katie's face, she reveals the set-up for the rest of the film: She watched the tape.

The opening scene of the ring uses many of the traditional horror cliches to enhance the opening of the film, for example, The teenage girls left home alone, and the more promiscous one telling some form of scary tale to the other. As Becca comes to the end of saying what happens on the tape, she reveals that you'll get a call on the phone. Which really doesn't come as any surprise. Then Katie reveals that her and her boyfriend had watched the type seven days earlier, meaning that she is going to die very soon. The film also uses the horror cliche of having actresses in their twenties play girls in high school. Along with the acting of the opening two minutes, it's rather cliche. The girls in the house home alone, a scary phone call, it makes it sound like the opening of a Scream movie. But what follows the opening two minutes is the complete opposite, an exploration of the supernatural and those who want revenge after they have passed on.