DESIGN A HORROR STILL - due 1st Nov 2010

This is an ASSESSED piece of work - we are looking to see if you understand, can apply and then analyse framing, shot composition and Mise-en-scene.

In your packs on pages 10 and 11 there are some instructions on how to do this.

HALF TERM TASKS

There are TWO things for you to do:

1. Design your blog and embed clips from Youtube/Upload your own video extracts. Details below. This will be assessed.

2. Read the posts on Shot Composition and Framing and design and photograph a still frame for a Horror Film. Details Below. This will also be assessed.

Please can you make a LINK list with this blog as one of the links AND a LABELS gadget so you can organise and label your work.
These need to be done by the time you return on Monday 1st November 2011.

EXEMPLIFYING CAMERA MOVEMENTS

This part of your homework is designed to get you thinking about camera movement ahead of you working with camcorders (and eventually making your own film openings) after half term.

You need to look at each of the following camera movements and read the relevant sheets in your pack (start at p28). For each type listed, create ONE post with a brief explanation of what the movement is physically, and then having chosen CAREFULLY an example from youtube (or your own snippet/other web based video file), embed it into the post. You then need to write  about 5-6 focused and detailed sentences that explore the meanings/effects created by that camera movement (i.e. NOT mise-en-scene, not sound etc).

1. PANNING SHOT
2. TRACKING SHOT
3. WHIP PAN
4. REVERSE TRACK
5. CRASH ZOOM
6. CRANE/BIRDS EYE VIEW/AERIAL
7. WORM'S EYE VIEW
8. LOW ANGLE of any of the above

Good luck - Use the internet to help you with details, explanations and to search for examples and explanations - check what you're embedding - is it really a good example?

As an extension for the super fast among you, try finding a TROMBONE SHOT.

Look in our 'Making Sense of Film' for videos that show examples of what we have been studying and see if you can identify what is being achieved.

When you're working on your practical exercises - think about how you are moving the camera within and between focuses in a shot - how long will you hold? What movement will convey what you want to express?
This piece of work will be assessed.

Framing

Make sure you're familiar with the different shot distances that you have a sheet for in your pack. This is basically what we would call framing - Close Ups, Mid-Shots, Long shots etc.

When using framing there are two things to consider:

1. Which shot are YOU going to use and why - have you used lots of different shot distances?

2. What shot types have been used in the text and what effect is being created?

There's no point just identifying shots - you need to understand and exploit their purposes and effects. Look in the Image Gallery Blog for examples and see if you can identify what is being achieved and when you're working on your practical exercises - think about how you are framing a shot - what are you excluding? what are you including? what are you placing at the centre of the frame?

How frames are composed is called Shot Composition and this is important in creating BALANCE and/or FOCUS.

The Five Basic Rules of Shot Composition

with thanks to Smashandpeas and Richard Hemby for this post

While rules are often made to be broken in the field of photography, most experts agree that five basic composition guidelines will produce higher quality photographs and provide visual interest to your shots. By incorporating these guidelines into your photographs, you can ensure that you capture not only the elements you are photographing, but also the artistic design that you wish to capture.

Simplicity

Many of the best photographs concentrate on a few basic elements. By highlighting only those components that add to your composition, you can focus the viewer’s attention precisely where you want it. Avoid cluttered backgrounds; by changing the angle or the perspective and getting up close to your subject, you can often produce a photograph that is visually stunning and has no distracting or extraneous elements that reduce the impact of your composition. Professionals often position the primary component of their photograph off-center to add even more visual interest to the finished product.

Simplicity by korafotomorgana

Rule of Thirds

Professional photographers know that each shot is composed of three different spatial elements. The foreground, middle-ground and background are all present in most landscape shots; by noting and incorporating this into shot composition, photographers can create visual appeal by naturally drawing the eye to the middle ground and focusing attention exactly where the photographer intends. By manually setting exposure levels and deliberately selecting shots with these elements, amateurs and professionals alike can create works of art, rather than mere photographs. We have a more in depth article on the rule of thirds here.

Balance

While balancing the physical components of a photograph is important, another aspect that is often overlooked is balancing the colors present in the shot. Color theory is an essential element in the art of photography. Shots that focus heavily on first-order colors, also known as primary colors, tend to be more dramatic. Certain colors, such as red, orange, and yellow, should usually be employed sparingly and limited to one or two elements of the shot since they tend to attract the eye and create dynamic tension within the photograph. Too many high-energy colors, especially in contrast to each other, can overwhelm the viewer and cause anxiety rather than producing the visual effects desired; by balancing strong tones with neutral ones, a more balanced composite shot can be achieved.

Balance by Nicolas Ariel Zonvi

Framing

Professional shot composition requires perfect framing of each shot. This requires the inclusion of elements that give perspective to the main focus of the photograph. By being aware of the various components when composing a shot, the photographer can produce high-quality shots that include all the important elements while excluding extraneous material. Photography is the art of including some things while omitting others; this is the main object of framing. By choosing the elements to include, photographers engage in editing before the shot; by cropping the photograph after processing, the editing process continues afterward as well. Not only can you frame with your lens, you can also use objects in nature to frame.

Framing by Mike Goren

Lines

Natural lines present in the shot composition, whether intentional or not, can give an added sense of depth and perspective to the photograph. By paying attention to these lines and using them to advantage to draw attention to the focal point of the shot, photographers can create tension and drama in their photographs and make a visual statement with each composition. Diagonal lines tend to create visual paths to lead the eye to the focal point; repetitive lines, on the other hand, are often interpreted by the eye as background, bringing the main focus into sharp relief against the repeated pattern of lines.

Lines by Trey Ratcliff

Sherlock - Homework when finished

When you have finished watching the film you need to write a review. It needs to be no more than 3 - 4 paragraphs and should include the following:
    - Your personal response to the film
    - Some basic details - director, year of release, studio, other films director has done, films out at same time, possibly box office figures - use www.imdb.com to get all the information you want. For good detailed summaries of films, use Wikipedia.
    - What did you like about the film? Think about the camera work and editing as well as the development of characters, costumes, sets, props and the cinematography (use of colour and light)
    - How do you think others will respond? in your age group? in older/younger age groups?
    - What do you think about the ending? Have they set it up for a sequel? Would you see a sequel?
    - Were them some bits you just loved/hated?

That should get you started!
Due in one week from the lesson you finished the film.
POST IT ON YOUR BLOG

First Case Study - Sherlock Holmes (2009) Dir. Guy Ritchie

For the practical production, our first case study if Sherlock Holmes. You will have viewed the whole film soon and then we will be working on analysing not only Mise-en-scene but also the editing and camera movement.

To introduce you to the ideas of Framing and Classic Continuity Editing, we are going to use the excerpt from 'Pillow Talk' which stars Doris Day and Rock Hudson. You will be using Quick Time to edit the sequence and Powerpoint or Keynote to create a short analysis of the framing and editing. We will then compare it with some modern day editing from Sherlock Holmes and Fringe.