180 degree rule

In our lesson we learn't about the 180 degree rule and how important it is when collecting camera shots. The rule is that on the green line it shows where the camera should always be this is because if the camera is one the red line it would change the audience's perspective as to where the people in the shot actually are. 

Opening sequences

In our class we are starting to plan and shoot our short opening sequence, therefore our teacher got us to watch some good film opneing seuqnces that represented the genre of the film. Some of the opening sequences we watched were, 'Catch me if you can' 'Coraline' and 'Dinner for Smucks'. Out of all the title sequences 'Catch me if you can' was my favourite so here it is.

Preliminary Task

Our media class had to get into groups to produce a short clip using the camera angles and shots we have been studying. For Inspirtation our teacher showed the car chase in the film Ronin to get a clear idea of how to execute and edit the angles together, so here is my groups short clip:

Preliminary Task

Ronin Lesson

In our media class, we watched a clip from the film Ronin, we did this because it allowed us to understand the amount of various camera angles used within just a few minutes of a film and we also learn't how some of the film crews actually set up and execute the shots. The scene we watched was about a car chase in a major city, this therefore allowed for lots of action camera angles and shots. Here is the clip.

WW1 Soundtrack

In our last couple of lessons we were set the task in 3s to come up with a soundtrack that represented what it was like to be in the trenches in WW1, the track had to be 30 seconds long, so here is the track me and my group made in our lessons.

Sound Lesson

In our last lesson we looked at sound, we learned that 70% of sound in films are added afterwards. We watched a clip from some of the sound directors from the Lord of the Rings and we learned how they made some of the noises for some of the creatures. We learnt that the flapping of the wings for one of the dragons was made by a cheese grater on string.

Snap Shot Lesson

In class we looked at the scene in ET where the kids race away from the police with ET in the front of one of the bikes and then they ride of into the sunset getting away from the police. The teacher made us work out the order of the camera shots before watching the scene properly, my pair and I did alright we only got a few wrong which was surprising considering I'd never seen the film before.

After watching the scene we had to get into groups and make our own little scene made up of little snapshots. First we had to make a storyboard of all the camera shots and then put them in the order we wanted. And last Thursday we created and edited our own little scene and here it is.

Mise en scene - CLAMPS

Clamps means : Costume
                          Lighting
                          Actors
                          Movement
                          Props
                          Setting

Within TV dramas, you will always have different parts of Clamps playing a key role in making the drama what it is, for example, in Doctor Who a key prop for the doctor is the sonic screwdriver and that prop is ever present and plays a key role in getting the doctor out of tricky situations, and therefore it adds and improves the show as a whole.

Class Camera shots

In class we watched to flim clips from Casino Royale and Superman returns. The two scenes are very different and use different camera shots effectively.

In Casino Royale we watch the parkour scence which included Daniel Craig do some amzing stunts running accross crains and rooftops. The camera angles used in this scence had to capture the whole scence whilst also fouccsing on how dangerous or brave James Bond is whilst chasing the bad guy.

Some examples of the camera shots used were:

-Birds eye view to so you can see the fire rising up the scaffolding, this is effective because it shows how dangerous and the close to death Bond came.

-Establishing shot to set the scence and give you an idea of the kind of area they're are in and clues as to what might happen next.

And finally a reverse angle shot, this was used when daniel craig was driving the digger directly at the bad guy and causing havoc everywhere, the director used this shot to give the perspective that Bond had at that time.

In the other film Superman returns the scence was less action and more tranquil, the scence was 'in love with superman' and this whole scence was about the guy asking Lois if she loved or still loved Superman, whilst Superman was listening to the conversation they were having.

Camera shots used in this scence were:

-Closeup so you can see the hard thinking she's is doing when being asked the question, in addition it's also used to show the relief of the man but the devestation of Superman when she answers no.

And also a reverse angle shot was used to show the view from the man's perspective, this was effective because it gave us, the audience, another way of showing the emotions going through Lois' mind.