Self Assessment (Kieran)

Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?

As a group we tried our best to show off the most of the set we could, we did this by using a variety of shots that showed the room from different angles, hopefully giving people an idea and a feel for the locations that our characters were in.

Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)

To some extent, whilst we followed the opening of he door, crossing the room and an exchange of dialogue, we did not include the character that entered sitting down.

Have you used match-on-action?

There are multiple examples of match-on-action being used in our preliminary task., though the most noteable of them is our films McGuffin, the door.

Can you explain what a match-on action involves?

Match-on-action is a technique in which there is a shot, usually of a person which cuts to another shot portraying the action of said person in the first shot.

Have you used shot/reverse shot?

We use Shot/reverse shot multiple times throughout our preliminary, for example when it shows me scared, cuts to the door and then returns to me, even more scared than before.

Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?

Shot/reverse shot is a technique used in which a single shot is used twice, with a different shot in between them; this can be used for dialogue, reactions and so on.

Did you observe the 180-degree rule?

The 180-degree rule was not broken throughout our preliminary task.

Can you explain the 180-degree rule?

The 180-degree rule is exactly that, a rule found in film making which states that when in certain scenarios, one should not flip the side the shot is being filmed from, for example two people sitting at a table having a conversation, if the shot was to flip to the other side, it might give the impression that something has changed and confuse the audience.

What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)

I acted, organized the equipment, I also gathered the copy-right free music found in it. Co-Produced, helped with cinematography and was the head editor of our preliminary task.

How would you assess your contribution to the group?

I think I did rather well all things considered, having only two members meant we both had very heavy workloads and limited choices on what we could do, due to only being two of us it was pretty much impossible to get any moving shots that had both of us in them. I believe the editing could have been improved; the sound especially due to it’s how abrupt it was.

What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?

I have learnt a lot about how to use te film editing software that we ad to use in the process and now believe I can do a better job as a whole with the editing, adding on the criticism’s we received from our peers I can make an overall better film, it’s also come to attention that we should try to seek some outside help when it comes to filming, so we’ll be able to get any moving shots we need.

Self Assessment (Connor)

Self Assessment of Preliminary

Does your film use continuity editing so that the sequence of events are clear and easily understood by the viewer?

- I attempted in the short film to use a variety of camera angles to show the most of each set. In the film there were only three locations so this was fairly easy to do and made for (hopefully) a good understanding of each room and scenario the characters were in and didn't cause any problems within the continuity.

Shown in the picture above is the first set the characters are seen in with a total of eight shots in that room to give a good sense of its surroundings. I.E: It's size, exit/entrance points and design within.

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Have you followed the directions in the brief? (A character opens a door, crosses a room and sits down in a chair opposite another character. An exchange of dialogue occurs.)

- In the film there is a character opening a door, shortly after this there are a couple exchanges of dialogue, but their isn't any sitting down like in the brief.

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  Have you used match-on-action?

- Match on action is used in the film, we tried to exercise this particulary with the opening of the door (The macguffin).

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 Can you explain what a match-on action involves?

- Match on action involves the editor using a cut between two different shots showing an action taking place, an action and a reaction, E.G: A person reaches out for a door handle, next shot; the door opens and the character(s) walk through.

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Have you used shot/reverse shot?

- Shot reverse shot is used a few times in the film, e.g: the repetition of returning to the shot of the door, and showing two different reaction shots of Kieran with a cut inbetween them.

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  Can you explain what shot/reverse shot involves?

- Shot reverse shot is using a shot twice with a cut inbetween them, usually used in dialogue. Character A speaks with the camera on them, then a shot of Character B, then it returns to the original shot of Character A.

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 Did you observe the 180-degree rule?

 The 180-Degree rule was not broken within the film.

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Can you explain the 180-degree rule?

- The 180-Degree rule is when the camera is focused on a set point to moved 180 degrees around it. For example, when two characters are talking at a table and you get a side angle of them, you shouldn't move around to the other side of the table, you don't do this as it can be jarring for the audience, it can confuse them by showing character movement where there has been none.

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What role did you play in the making of the preliminary task? (e.g. filming, acting, editing, equipment organisation etc.)

- I was director, writer, producer, on of the actors, one of the cinematographers, one of the editors, the storyboard artist, Set/Costume/Prop designer and the location scout.

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How would you assess your contribution to the group?

- I think I did rather well in the group regarding my jobs, But I think I could have played a bigger part in the editing (partiulary the music in the film, being very abrupt), maybe wrote a more engaging story and had maybe more moving shots, e.g: pans, tilts to show more diversity as a director.

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What have you learned from the process of making your preliminary film?

I learned how to direct fairly well and convey a simple story with iconography and performance. But I learned I need to develop in editing and the actual writing side of a film and making that work with the directing.

Preliminary Film Feedback

• Preliminary Task Feedback (Notes):
• Good variety of Camera angles / multiple match on action shots
• Didn’t break the 180° degree rule
• Canted angle was used correctly with good reaction shots
• Genre established by Music, Iconography and the performance
• Quality of upload could be improved
• Repetition of the door (Mc’guffin) was useful

Preliminary Roles

Roles:

Director - Connor Mitchell

Writer - Connor Mitchell

Producer - Connor Mitchell

Actors - Connor Mitchell/Kieran Owens

Cinematographer - Connor Mitchell/Kieran Owens

Editor - Kieran Owens/Connor Mitchell

Sound Editor - Kieran Owens

Composer - Kieran Owens

Storyboard artist - Connor Mitchell

Technical director -Kieran Owens

Set/Costume/Prop design - Connor Mitchell

Location Scout - Connor Mitchell

Makeup Artist - Kieran Owens

Preliminary Script

Sleepy Sleeps

Connor is sitting at table writing something down. The shot then cuts to behind him and shows he is watching something at the same time. It then cuts to what he is writing, revealing the title of the movie, Sleepy Sleeps.

Kieran walks into the room wearing a strange outfit.

Cut to Connor sitting there still

-           Connor: “What are you wearing?”

Cut to Kieran standing there, now in a completely new set of clothes.

-           Kieran: “...What?”

A cut to the door, the shot is slowly spinning to give a feeling of uneasiness and playing ominous music to help build the uncomfortable atmosphere.

Both Kieran and Connor look back at the bedroom door, wondering what the source of the weird music is.

It then shows Connor opening the bedroom door.

Both Kieran and Connor pop their heads out from behind a wall.

Big Close up on Kieran’s face

-          Kieran: “What was that?”

Return to the door, ominous music and slowly tilting camera.

Big close up on Connor’s face

-           Connor: “I don’t know”

The two then walk through the hallway, stopping halfway.

Connor raises a knife from out of shot, much to Kieran’s surprise.

-           Kieran: “Why do you have a knife?”

-           Connor: “I dunno”

The two then continue to walk through the kitchen.

The two look at the door, clearly scared

-          Connor: “What’s in there?”

Kieran is clearly terrified, biting his nails and sweating.

Connor reaches for the door

Kieran is paler, sweatier and biting his nails even more.

The two recoil in fear from whatever is in the door, though it is never exposed.

Cut to credits, cheerful music playing over them. A clip in black and white of Kieran approaching the camera, ending the movie with a final joke, that he had died off screen.

Pitch

Title: Sleepy Sleeps

Genre: Comedy Horror

Location: Connors house

Time: Night time (Unspecified) – We wanted to work at night time so that we could attempt to capture the horror movie feel, dispite the film consisting of making fun of many of the horror movie tropes.

Characters : Connor Mitchell and Kieran Owens, Dora the Explorer.

Director, Writer, Co-Producer and Actor: Connor Mitchell

Editor, Producer and Actor: Kieran Owens

Plot outline : Two friends who decide to have a sleep over hear strange ominous music coming from a door in the house, they decide to follow the strange noise and figure out its origin. On the way secrets are discovered. The movie ends when they open the door, before what is inside is shown.

Key Micro features

·         We use Match-on-Action for example when Connor reaches to open the door, before it cuts back to my reaction, and then cuts back to him opening the door properly.

·         Shot/Reverse Shot is seen rather early on, when I first enter the room and the shots begin to cut back and forth between me and Connor 

Preliminary Film - Finished

Storyboard

- Storyboard -

 Shot One- Is the opening shot and title shot, it is a medium shot because we wanted to display the rough location of the character (Connor), being a bedroom and what they were doing (Writing a script).

 Shot Two- This shot is an over the shoulder shot to show closer what the character is doing, and show what is on the television in front of them. It also helps show more of the characters location, helping to confirm it is a bedroom.

 Shot Three- Slight high angle and big close up on the script of Sleepy Sleeps, the joke created here is by breaking the fourth wall, and the actual story wrote there is totally different to the one in the film.

 Shot Four- Kieran enters the room with a medium shot, the shot establishes it's night time and shows more of the room, allowing for a better perspective of the environment.

 Shot Five- A shot reverse shot, this shot reverses back from shot one, and is a reaction to shot to Kieran entering the room. Here is an eyeline match and dialogue from one charatcer to the other, expressing the character's (Connor) confusion with Kieran's costume.

 Shot Six- Closer medium close up from Shot Four, allowing for a better view of the characters expression when he says "What?" confused by statement as his clothes have changed.

 Shot Seven- Shot Seven zooms in from a medium close to black, with scary music to show this is the horrific source, the canted angle and the red tint also help present this as a horrific thing.

 Shot Seven- An over the shoulder shot pointing at the door, being a reactiom shot from the two characters (reacting to the music from the 'scary' door).

 Shot Eight- Shows the character Kieran from the side, a close up, to show the character's scared expression as he says; "what was that?"

Shot Nine- Cuts back to the door, with the same scary music, helping to cement the enigma of what is behind the door.

Shot Ten- the same shot as Shot Eight but lifted upwards to show the character Connor close up say with fear; "I don't know".

 Shot Eleven- This shot is a medium two shot of the two actors walking through to the centre of the room to exchange dialogue.

Shot Twelve- This shot is a close up from the side of the two actors, revealing the knife. With the two actors exchanging dialogue questioning the knife.

Shot Thirteen- This shot shows the two actors from a medium shot to a long shot of the two walking into the kitchen. The white walls and the closely packed kitchen creates a frame within a frame.

Shot Fourteen- Goes from a long shot to a medium shot to show the actors progressing to the door.

Shot Fifteen- A medium close up showing the actors fear to the door.

Shot Sixteen- One last shot of the door, again a canted angle and with the red tint. This shot will also show the character Connor reaching out for the handle and opening it.

Shot Seventeen- A medium shot, and a two shot showing the reaction of the two actors to whatever it behind the door, leaving it on a cliff hanger.