Camera Shots and Angles-28 days later



28 Days Later

 

28 days later uses an establishing shot in the opening scene to great effect. The wide establishing shot immediately introduces the location, you can see that its set in London and therefore England because of the iconic image of big ben in the shot. It also straight away gives you an idea of the situation that the lone character is in. London, usually a busy city, is seen as completely empty in this shot. This straight away lets the viewer know that whatever has happened here has left London deserted and this one character we can see is alone.

 

Camera Shots and Angles

These are the main 16 camera shots and angles used when filming.

 

• Establishing Shot-Usually the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the audience where the action is taking place. It is usually a very wide shot or extreme wide shot.
• Wide Shot-Typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings.
• Medium Shot-A shot at medium distance, shows less than a long shot, more than a close-up.
• Close up-A shot that is close to and focused on a character or object. Can emphasise importance of an object or emphasise feelings of a character.
• Cut Away- Interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else. It is usually, although not always, followed by a cut back to the first shot, when the cutaway avoids a jump cut.
• High Angle-A shot looking down on a character or subject often isolating them in the frame. Can make someone look alone or small in character/importance.
• Low Angle-A shot looking up at a character or subject often making them look bigger in the frame. It can make everyone look heroic or dominant.
• Extreme Close Up- Closer than a close up allows the viewer to enter the character’s intimate space, revealing certain characteristics and emotions that would otherwise go unnoticed from afar.
• Two Shot-A medium shot that depicts two people in the frame. Used primarily when you want to establish links between characters or people who are beside rather than facing each other.
• Worms Eye View-A perspective seen from below or from a low or inferior position. Can make someone look bigger than they are therefore exaggerating power or authority.
• Birds Eye View-A shot looking directly down on a scene rather than at an angle. Gives an overview to see what is happening in a large part of a surrounding in a scene e.g. a street in a car chase.
• Over The Shoulder-A shot where the camera is positioned behind one subject's shoulder, usually during a conversation. Implies a connection between the speakers.
• Reverse Shot-A shot that views the action from the opposite side of the previous shot, as during a conversation between two actors, giving the effect of looking from one actor to the other.
• Perspective-A technique which employs optical illusion to make an object appear farther away, closer, larger or smaller than it actually is.
• Point Of View-A shot that depicts the point of view of a character so that we see exactly what they see. Lets the audience see things from a characters point of view giving them more of a feeling and understanding towards the current situation from that characters point of view.

Effects of Long and Short Shots:


Having a close up or a shorter length shot rather than a long shot does have different effects than longer. This is because, shorter shot lengths focus more on the actors and their emotions rather than what is happening around them. This is effective because it engages the audience more because they have to concentrate to read their body language, facial expressions and emotions. It shows less on the screen but it has more quality rather than quality in this part of the film. In a film there should be both long and short camera lengths, to make sure it is as professional and interesting as possible. There would be more short shots than long in romance films to catch their emotions. But, in action films there would be more long shots because more would be happening in the film and you would want to see everything that is happening not just one part. They would need to capture everything so people could get the whole experience not just some of it. Longer shot effects would mean that you could get the whole picture so you can see what the actors can see, not just their face an their conversations but everything they can see as well.

Preliminary Task

For my preliminary task I had to film and edit a character opening a door into a room and walking across the room to engage in a few lines of dialogue with another character. I was in a group of four to do this and the clip only had to be about a minute long.
In my preliminary task I had to demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180 degree rule.

Match on action refers to film editing and video editing techniques where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action.

Shot/reverse shot is a shot that views the action from the opposite side of the previous shot, as during a conversation between two actors, giving the effect of looking from one actor to the other.






The 180 degree rule refers to keeping the camera position within a field of 180°.

Submarine Task

We were set this task to recreate the following scene from the film Submarine 

Sound

 

There Are Two Types of sound:      

Diegetic - Sound is called diegetic when its source is visible or implied in the world of the film. Common diegetic sounds present in most films are:

• Actors speaking to each other (dialogue).
• Sounds originating from any object on the screen, like footsteps and doors opening/closing.
• Music that comes from a sound system or an orchestra.

Non Diegetic - Sound is said to be non-diegetic when its source is not present or implied in the narrative universe. Common instances are:

• Music or score, used to augment emotions.
• Actor’s commentary or narration.
• Any extra sound added for effect.

 



Opening Scenes-Student Made Film 3

                                  

This a 2minute opening scene to a film called 'Hugo and the Island of Death'. Within this first two minutes we know what the plot will be. We here characters in the clip talking about getting a ferry so we know they're going somewhere. There is also a shot focusing on the main character, Hugo, leaving his wallet behind suggesting that this will also play a part in the story line and effect their trip in some way. The three main characters; Hugo, Ken and Stanley are introduced in the opening scene. Each character is introduced with on screen writing of their name. There is quite a lot of dialogue within this opening scene, this helps to build up an understanding of each characters personality (i.e. Stanley shown to be annoying). It also helps to hint at the story line. There were 2 locations shown, a riverside area and Hugo's house. There was credits introducing all the characters and also at the end to show the movies title. There was an ident at the start to introduce the company logo.

Opening Scenes-Student Made Film 2

  

 This two minute opening helps to suggest a lot about the film. Straight away from the first two minutes you know what the plot will be. The non diegetic sound at the end of the voiceover helps to explain this. Furthermore the fast paced music and camera work during tis opening scene helps to suggest that it will be a fast paced film. There are 8 key characters who are all clearly introduced in the first two minutes, all of their names come up on the screen whilst on a still image of the characters face. This helps to clearly identify the main characters of the film. There are quite a few locations in the film; as each character is introduced the camera whips to a new location for each character. At the end of the scene there is allocation where all the characters are together in a line. There are a couple of the credits at the start which are just plain writing on a plain background. The credits at the start and the still image with dialogue over the top at the end are the only slow paced parts of the scene.

Opening Scenes-Student Made film 1

This student made film starts with an establishing shot to introduce the viewer to the scene. Every few seconds titles and credits fade into the screen, it is very bold white text on a black background which is typical of a horror film giving you the immediate feeling that this film is a horror or that it has a dark or sinister feeling to it. Within a few seconds you are introduced to the characters, a young couple. The couple are made to be seen as a pleasant young couple that the audience is encouraged to associate with. There is a point of view shot of the killer to let you know that the couple are being watched and there is even a brief ambiguous shot of the killer, creating enigma but not giving away his identity. Throughout most of the film a soundtrack of a piano is played, this creates tension and gives an ominous feeling to the film. This soundtrack is removed towards the end and the volume of diegetic/ambient sounds is increased to create further tension and suspense. At the end there is a jump scare to round of the suspense and to establish the horror genre of the film. This also creates an enigma for the audience leaving them to want to know what happens next.