The document provides details about planning and filming a short film project. It discusses storyboarding the plot and camera angles used. Shots included a long shot to establish the setting, a high angle shot to show the protagonist's obliviousness, and over-the-shoulder and medium tilt shots to convey worry and disorientation. Editing skills like cross-dissolving and dipping to black were practiced. The 180 degree rule was followed, and music, slow motion, and switching to black and white were effects employed in editing.
2. Planning Our Task
• Before we began filming, we drew out a storyboard detailing the plot of our film and the rough
idea of the different camera angles we would try and use. When deciding on the dramatic
moment, we wanted to stick as close to the brief as possible in regards to using an “everyday
experience”. Although the main dramatic moment is the reveal that the protagonist’s pen has
been stolen, we also added in a secondary dilemma of him being late to an exam to provide
motive for him wanting his pen back so badly.
• Because of the importance of keeping continuity, we made sure we completed the filming as
quickly as we could so that we wouldn’t forget the clothes we were wearing on the day.
• While creating our storyboard, we discussed using shot reverse shot for the conversation to make
the interaction more simple yet refined. This allows the plot to develop linearly and the fact that
the characters are looking at opposite directions tells the viewer that they are looking at each
other. The scene:
3. Camera angles/shots
We used a long shot to establish the protagonist’s appearance and to immediately show the setting in which our
film takes place. [1]
We used a high angle shot to indicate the naivety of the main character who doesn’t realise he’s late for an exam;
the implication that someone is watching him from above is telling of his obliviousness. [2]
We used an over-the-shoulder shot of the protagonist’s phone to add tension when the time on the phone is
revealed, so that the viewer is more close and personal to his perspective. [3]
We used a medium tilt shot to indicate the protagonist’s worry of being late to an exam; the instability of the
camera gives the impression that the main character is disorientated and not thinking straight because of his fear
and panic. [4]
In the second close-up shot of the stolen pen, we positioned the protagonist to be in the gap between the pen-
thief’s body and the wall. This was to make him seem more vulnerable and hopeless, while the position of the
camera to hide the thief’s face and make him look bigger than the protagonist was to make him look like he’s in
control of the situation; he holds all the cards. [5]
After the protagonist finds his pen, there is a close up shot to allow the viewer to see his emotions and become
more connected with his struggle. [6]
5. The 180 Degree Rule
• The 180 Degree Rule is a film-making guideline which states that all
shots must keep to one “side” of a line until the next line is
established. This rule is important to stick to because it prevents the
audience from becoming confused over where a character is standing
and talking from. The illusion of reality set up by the film is therefore
disrupted. In our film, the line is established when the protagonist sits down
to finally confront the pen thief. This line remains uncrossed
throughout the rest of the interaction.
In The Shining, during Jack and Mr
Grady’s conversation in the
bathroom, Stanley Kubrick breaks the
180 degree rule by flipping the shot
to the opposite side of the room.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Cpf-IMqxjVI
6. Editing Skills Developed
• Despite being the first time using premiere pro, I felt that I used the
software effectively and I learnt a lot of skills which will be helpful in our
main task. One example is learning how to use effects such as cross-
dissolve (0:55-0:57) and dip-to-black (2:01-2:03), which I felt were used
very effectively in the project to convey both a passage of time (dissolve)
and a tense, open ending (dip to black).
• Although I felt the music chosen was edited in well, I had trouble fading
the music to make it quieter during the conversation and fading it back into
a climax just before the struggle between the characters. This is evident at
1:41-1:42 where the music comes back in quite abruptly and doesn’t blend
in as subtly as I would have wanted it. The issue with this was the key
frame feature which I found difficult to use – but can improve with practice
for our next project.
7. Editing Skills/effects Used
• During editing, we used only three tracks for the music. The first is played at the start of
the film (0:07-0:25) to show the protagonist’s carefree and oblivious attitude and stops
when he realises he’s late for an exam. The second is a loud, intimidating sound effect
used when he sees the time on his phone, and when he notices his pen is missing. The
third (0:30-1:52), and most prominent, piece of music (from Run Lola Run) is used to
make the running scenes more appealing in a dramatic and urgent way.
• Another effect we used was the slow motion at the end of the film (1:53-2:01) when the
pen is thrown out the window. This was used to provide focus on the fast-moving pen
and is appealing to the viewer because it prolongs the action, giving a “cliff-hanger”
effect.
• Furthermore, we altered the colour in the extreme-close up scene (1:41-1:43) to black
and white to exaggerate the protagonist’s rage and impatience. This appeals to the
audience because, mixed with the music and extreme close up, it gives the impression
that the scene is building up to a climax.
