BBFC Certification

Film Pitch

Film Pitch

Editing as Punctuation

Editing as Punctuation

• "If [two characters] are in the same shot, I can say that they are united (by being in the same shot) or separated by the space between them..." - David Bordwell, Making Meaning.
• Meaning is subjective, it depends on the context and reinforces it.
• vulture.com/2014/01/best-punctuation-marks-literature-nabokov-eliot-dickens-levi.html
• Punctuation in literature is used to show what the writer is thinking
• Therefore, film 'punctuation' -types of cuts mostly- can be used to create the same effects.
• (acting is also a form of punctuation but comes under theatre more than editing).
• "My very photogenic mother died in a freak accident (picnic, lightning) when I was three..."
• In literature this would stop the reader in order to add the casual detail of his mother's death.
• In film, this line could be interpreted as a cutaway for "(" then a flash cut for ",", mirroring how it seems on the page.
• A cut between shots can be used additively: 
• e.g "knife + a heart = 'sorrow'" - Einstein Sergei, Film Form.
• "Montage is an idea that arises from a collision of independent shots" or "a concrete word next to a concrete word yields an abstract image - Einstein Sergei, Film Form.
• Ellipses can be narrative, such as a sudden jump forward in time, or suggestive of something missing, like a scissors insert, or an abrupt ending.
• An 'editing ellipsis' can also be showing a passing of 'pure time' -shown through a abnormally long take, or freeze-frames on points of extreme importance (e.g death).
• Most importantly the insert of a vase between the shots of a happy woman to sad woman in Late Spring.
• "One morning, some weeks after her arrival at Lowick, Dorothea - but why always Dorothea?"
• Freeze-frame for narrative intervention (although a true 'narrator' isn't always necessary)
• A 'reverse' of the film is also defined as a sort of hyphen - Sliding Doors.
• Caesura in literature is used to show discomfort through the break in the line. In film, the insertion of 'wrong' cuts can also be used to create disruption, such as;
• Jump cuts between what should be a constant shot- discomfort.
• Split screen between characters near each other- distant created between characters who should be 'closer'.
• Dissolves when a straight cut should be- monumental.


• “It is that which at this instant, issuing out of a labyrinthine tangle of yeses and nos, makes my hand run along a certain path on the paper, mark it with these volutes that are signs: a double snap, up and down, between two levels of energy, guides this hand of mine to impress on the paper this dot, here, this one.” - draws attention to the fact that it is a medium.
• Replicated by media through deliberately obvious transitions, e.g fade to red.
• Sans Soleil draw attention to the medium through the used of black screens interjecting clips, suggesting it is part of a thought process. "If they don't see happiness, at least they'll see the black".
• "A shot presents us with the idea, or a sequence of ideas, and the cut is a 'blink' that separates or punctuates those ideas" - blink punctuates thoughts, so cuts guide the 'blink' and so suggest the progression of these ideas, creating abstract thoughts.

Investigating Thrillers

Investigating Thrillers

Preliminary Evaluation

Preliminary Evaluation

From the audience feedback it is clear that there was one area of improvement shown in our preliminary, this being the stability of the camera during the opening tracking shot. This is an area we were already aware of prior to feedback and simply required re-filming, something we will be aware of next time.

Title Sequence Conventions

Preliminary Diary Blog

Preliminary Diary Blog

Role

During the preliminary film production, my main role was cameraman, this included deciding which shots we should use and when. I also did some post-production including some continuity editing (shot reverse shot) and the overall colour and brightness.

Experience Filming

Overall, I had a positive experience filming. I think we worked well together as a team, although we were not always on the same page in some areas of filming it more of a positive experience as it allowed communication within the group.

Changes from the Storyboard

We made very few changes to the storyboard overall, only adding shots to the overall story line during filming in order to 'flesh out' the end product.

Changes for Future Filming Activities

If I repeated this practical the main change I would make would be to construct a better storyboard at the start of the the practical, so that it would include not only a idea of the story but include the camera shots as well as editing techniques which we plan to use in the final piece. This is due to the fact that a large amount of time was wasted during production was deciding which shots to use. I would also make sure we had more takes for individual shots as some, especially the stabilisation tracking shot, could have looked better with more time.

Developing of Skills

Although, I think camerawork is my most confident area of film, I would like to try the position of director as it would help in my overall knowledge of production.

Preliminary

Hitchcock Commentary

Editing Techniques

Editing Techniques

Shot Reverse Shot

Where one character is shown looking at another character, and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character.

180 Degree Rule

The guideline that two characters in a scene should maintain the same left/right relationship to one another- or become a reverse angle.

Match-on-Action

Where the editor cuts from one shot to another that matches the first shot's action.

Eye-line Match

Presenting a character gazing into the distance then showing what the character is seeing.

Shot Types

Preliminary Planning

A Day in the Life

 

A Day in the Life

Shaun of the Dead, Opening Titles

Shaun of the Dead

The opening titles of Shaun of the Dead use repetitive rightward tracking shots as well as flat angle medium- long shots in order to present a almost 'storybook' style opening, as if the viewer is turning pages in a book. This is further unforced by the use of left wipe transitions.

The misc-en-scene used is also highly suggestive of the 'undead forces' as the characters body language is 'zombie-like' in nature, foreshadowing the events later in the film. For example the mindless mirroring of the cashiers.

The overall graphic style of the opening titles are also suggestive of a 'zombie film', the font used seems to be battered, with various holes in letters, implying something is not right

Editing Techniques

Editing Techniques

Analysis of the Thriller Genre

The Thriller Genre

First Post

1.)Picture

2.)Video

3.)What is Media Studies for?

Media is important to me personally due to its contemporary side, whereas other subjects do not focus on the present, due to medias presence in everyday life it is very useful to be able to convey meaning from what is shown, making it practically useful.

4.)Favourite Film, Director, and Actor

My favourite film is probably Slumdog Millionaire as it was directed by Danny Boyle, who's always amazing(and is my favourite director) the film also presents some very interesting themes.
My favoured actor is probably Gary Oldman, mainly due to hes performance in Leon: the Professional, as well as in Harry Potter