I chose to analyse the continuity techniques of a clip from Hairspray.
Shot/ Reverse Shot
This technique is used particularly well well Tracy is standing with Wilbur and talking to Edna. We go from a MS of the two characters, to and OTS so we can see Edna. The depth of field is extremely effective and noticeable as Tracy and Wilbur are blurry and our vision is focused on Edna. The camera takes us to exactly where we would naturally look when following someone else's conversation and the CU shots help us to form the characters emotions. Establishing/Master Shot
The very first shot is a LS tracking around the room so the audience gets a sense on the environment the characters are in and the spacial relationship between the two of them. We can establish they are in their home and we get a sense of their personality from the cluttered environment and warm colourings. Match on Action
All the shots flow seamlessly together and there are no radical jumps from long shots to close ups. The slight camera movement keeps the realism and helps the audience feel like they're there. Everything has a logical order and framing and the clip's matches on action are perfect. One spot where it stood out was when Tracy turns round and says "I don't wanna be a laundress, I wanna be famous!". The camera switches from facing her front, to facing her back ready for her to turn around, and the timing has been executed flawlessly.
1. Summarise the conventions of title sequences that were most important to this task
Titles with the names of the cast (and crew)
A font and colour theme appropriate to the genre
2. How did your group plan to edit the title sequence? (consider timings, industry requirements etc)
Firstly, we decided to watch the clip through and work out where there were appropriate places to place titles. We searched for shots with open spaces or simple action. We chose a white colour for our 'Insomnia' font because it was the most legible on all the shots and fit in well with the Crime Drama genre. We thought this would be an important industry requirement. We ensured the same font and colour was used throughout the whole sequence for continuity, and that the names of the actors came first and then the director for a longer time at the end. After watching other opening sequences, we realised this was a common occurrence. We decided on the names quite randomly but also included our own names!
3. Explain the creative decisions made by your group.
Using a white font to increase legibility
Using the 'Insomnia' font to portray the theme
Putting effects on the titles to match the action in the shots
4. How does your re-edit compare to the original?
Our re-edit was quite different to the original! Their font was a lot more basic and deep red in colour, which was synergetic with the DEXTER title at the beginning. Their titles matched the action in the shots a lot better than our attempt did, but we had the same idea. Some of our titles could have been longer too, so they were easier to read. We mainly included the names of the actors, and the original also included the majority of the production team too! We had fewer titles, about half the amount they did. In hindsight, I feel that we could have included more. We decided to leave the interesting looking shots untouched, whereas in the original, there is practically no point without a title.
For our preliminary exercise, we were given the task of producing a continuity clip, filming and editing a character opening a door, entering a room and exchanging some lines of dialogue with another character. It had to demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.
Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?
I worked in a group of three with Emily and Anna during the
preliminary exercise. As we only need two characters, they both took up the
roles and I alternated between directing, shooting and organising the lighting.
When either Emily or Anna weren't in a shot, they filled in another production
role alongside me. We worked well together, especially in terms of the sharing of roles.
How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?
We began planning our sequence by brainstorming
some ideas. We thought about what genre we wanted to portray and a clear narrative
that we could capture in a short amount of time. We orignally wanted to do a 'Mean Girls'-esque High School rom-com, but we realised that by doing a thriller, we could showcase our skills more effectively. We then began to script our task to ensure we included the lines of dialogues which we could shoot with the shot/reverse shot technique. After deciding on the preferred location for our piece, we made a story-board followed by a shot-list to work out the logistics of the filming. We did not create a title for our film until the editing stage. During the planning stage we didn't have any inspiration and thought that getting a narrative was more important. After watching our final product, we realised that 'Withheld' was a suitable title. Emily's character is withholding information, as well as literally being withheld in this small enclosed space.
What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?
We planned all of our task using lined paper and sugar paper, we found it easier when we could see all of our ideas on a page in front of us. We filmed our clip using Canon DV30s and tripods, and for the majority of the shot we needed to use a paglight. Our location was the small and rather dark edit suite, so further lighting was needed. After capturing all the footage we needed, we edited using Adobe Premier Pro, which allowed us to cut our clips up, and sequence them.
What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?
When planning, shooting and editing, there were lots of things we had to take in account. For example, the locations that were available to us. Due to the fact we were shooting in school, during school-hours, we had limited setting to use: outside, or the media block. A few other groups were shooting their preliminary exercise at the same time and had the same issues, so we also had to share locations. We had a limited amount of time (1 hour each for planning, shooting and editing) so we had to take this into account too when planning how many shots we had and the sharing of locations. We had to consider the lighting and weather, so we shot indoors and organised a paglight to help brighten the dark edit suite in our scene.
How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well, and with hindsight, what would you improve/ do differently?
I think we effectively included all the required processes and conveyed our genre really well in a short space of time. We were creative with our ambitions of what we wanted to do and overcame issues along the way, for example the lack of good lighting. We varied our shots well and created realistic matches on action with the walking to and opening of the door. We worked well as a team and took planning very seriously and eachother's ideas into account. We decided to rehearse our sequence and take photographs so we'd have an idea of what each shot would look like, this worked incredibly well. I think that our final outcome was well edited and we had aimed to edit in a frenzied way to match our thriller genre. In hindsight, I feel that we could have made it a bit longer and varied the shots even further. We could have used more ECUs and odd camera movements to distort the vision of the audience, which is a convention of many thrillers. We also filmed some shots as handheld OTS, but only in the editing stage did we realise that the tripod had been left slightly in shot, so they were unusable.
What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation coursework, do you think?
I have learnt about the importance of planning and how to overcome difficulties you may face when shooting. There was a lot to learn in regards to the whole aspect of continuity that you might not think to consider when shooting. It will definitely be significant in every aspect of filming. Any form of film sequence needs continuity, otherwise things will not seem realistic or make sense for the viewer.
The music is very gentle and soft, which matches the characteristics of the pure white feather on screen.
The slow pace of the movie helps the audience establish the genre (not an action movie!)
Towards the beginning, as the music gets higher in pitch, the feather rises and as the pitch lowers, the feather floats down
There is a crescendo as the feather on screen gets closer to Forrest on the bench
Still retains a sense of peacefulness even as the speed of music picks up and gets louder
It slows down and gets quieter again once Forrest has put the feather in his suitcase
Dialogue & Sound Effects
The lack of any form dialogue helps to maintain the calm atmosphere and mood created, we have a strong focus on the journey of the feather and the names on screen
The only sounds other than the background music are diagetic: the closing of his suitcase, and the bus arriving. They both seem basic but symbolic, something closing and being shut away, alongside the new beginning. With those two sounds, the audience can begin to form a story already.
I think the sound and especially the focus on the background music definitely compliments the scene, and reflects the rest of the movie.
Who are all these girls? Which is the main character?
Why is the way they dress so relevant?
Where is she going?
The slow reveal of everything with CUs on certain body parts builds up the enigma
Why does she sit flicking through some newspaper articles? What are they?
Action Code
The girls are all in parallel with each other and are getting ready to go out, most probably to work?
The main girl goes to kiss her boyfriend in her bed goodbye. If they're already together at the beginning, what is going to happen to them in the middle? What drama will occur?
Why have they made such an effort of contrasting the protagonist with the other well-maintained women in the opening scene?
Semiotic Code
Lingerie, make-up - Sexiness, care about appearance, appeal to men
Jewelry - Expensive, wealthy, glamorous, feminine
Chapstick - Practical, unfeminine, bland
Bagel - carbohydrates, not on diet
Subway - Common, normal, not very well-of
Cultural Code
New York skyline is easily recognisable
Old Phone - not a modern girl, not technological
Symbolic Code
The well-dressed sexy women in contrast with the protagonist could highlight how different she is from them, not a normal feminine woman. It could be because she is friends with all of them, or has the same characteristics and just dresses differently? This one scene shows that how you look really does make a difference to people's opinions of you which reflects all the themes of the movie.
