Initial Storyboard Ideas

This video shows us walking through some filming ideas for our real coursework. It might all change, but this gave us the chance to present some first ideas to the class and to think about how we might film them.

Practise Film Sequence

This is the practise film sequence that I took part in early in the course. We used this to learn how much you need to plan, how to film with good continuity and to learn to edit. After filming and editing this sequence, we looked to see what we could learn from it.

Planning and storyboarding

Our planning did not go as well as it could have. We ended up spending our time discussing what we should do to make it interesting and so we didn’t have time putting our final idea onto paper and so our story board was incomplete and this made it more difficult to shoot and edit as we had to make some decisions on the spot.

Acting

I felt that the acting was good in general, especially when they were running. However I felt that when we did the close ups, they did not seem to fit into our final piece. I believe this was this was the case as they were looking at the camera when they did this. This could have made the clip less believable.

Selecting shot and angles

Most of our ideas where pretty spontaneous as we didn’t have much material on the storyboard. Our starting shoot was the victim and the killer’s feet running thought this was effective as it leaves a lot of questions for the viewers like; ‘where are they going?’ and ‘why is he chasing him?’ We decided to not show the face of the murderer in any of our shots as it adds some mystery to our story and the character. Also we had had a canted angle to represent distortion and lack of control.

We also had a point of view shot.

Editing decisions

This was a particularly tricky task for us as we could not work the camera at the start so this wasted a lot of our time and so we did  not have enough time to get the all the shots we would have wanted or to experiment with different angles. With this problem, merging the separate clips that we did manage to get appeared to be a bit of a difficulty especially with close ups. I will be sure to spend more time shooting different shots in the actual coursework.

Sound

We didn’t really focus on this as much as the other elements as we thought the original ambient sound worked quite well for the running scenes especially as just having the sound of running leaves the viewers to focus more on that and less on what music we might have used. There was one point in our video that we took out the sound and it just didn’t seem right so we must be sure not to do that in the real one or try to fill it up with a sound effect or background music. We did have some dramatic background music at the murder scene, what I liked about this was that it added tension to that part of the video and when the music picked up in volume so did the atmosphere.

Use of mise-en-scène

I liked having the island as a place where the two actors have the chase, as it has a nice atmosphere there as it had a lot of green leaves and the ground was stony and it had no sign of any buildings and for them to end up in a building makes you think they have run quite far. However I did not like the setting of the murder scene as it was a confined space and it didn’t have a very dramatic atmosphere in my opinion.

 

 

 

Practise Film Sequence

This is my practise film sequence, which I carried out in a different group. We were given the task of filming a short sequence leading to a murder as practise for the filming task in the coursework.

Evaluation of murder scene

Planning and storyboarding:

We began our storyboard by creating a beginning and an end for the murder scene, this allowed us to fill in the blanks and it gave us a rough idea on how we were going to film it. Unfortunately we weren’t able to film some of our more ambitious scenes, this was due to difficulty and lack of time. This meant that we had to change some of the scenes around to make it fit together, and this lowered the overall impact of the story. We also decided to change how we filmed some scene because in practice some of our ideas weren’t as effective as we first thought

Acting:

All of the actors in are murder sequence were fairly capable in want we wanted to achieve, although Raphael did tend to struggle at times when trying to follow direction, such as smiling at the camera when trying to be serious. I would try to avoid this when filming my actual coursework because this didn’t portray the character in the way we were aiming for.

Selecting shots and angles:

The first scene starts off with an establishing shot of a stairwell and lockers, which slowly pans and then stops on the main character. We choose this because it helps to introduce the scene effectively whilst introducing the main character; unfortunately we suffered from poor lighting under the stairs this meant that we weren’t able to achieve the right effect of introducing the character. Another issue we had with this scene was timing with the panning, this lead to a lot of wasted time with one scene which we could have used on more difficult scenes.

We tried to implement as many different angles in are scenes, so that each scene would be interesting to watch, one angle we tried was a POV shot from inside the locker looking at the actor taking items out of the locker, we choose this because it fully introduces the main character and doubles as a close-up shot which allows the viewer to see the characters emotions.

In one scene we tried to attempt a 360 degree panning shot, which ended up being the most difficult shot we did. In the end it became a 180 degree shot because it was too difficult getting the whole 360 degrees due to spatial reasons. This wasn’t a scene we were that happy with because it was very shaky because we weren’t equipped and prepared for such a difficult shot. I probably would not use this shot in my actual coursework because it’s too tricky to do and the end results were poor.

In our murder scene we decided to film the death through a bush, this gave us another POV shot and made it seem as if there was a witness to the murder. This shot was chosen because the having the leaves in corners of the frame just gives some colour contrast on the mostly brown background, it was also chosen because it gives the scene more visual impact.

Camera & tripod:

We didn’t struggle using the camera for filming, our biggest problem was some of our more tricky shots which had us fiddling with the camera to take it off the tripod or balance it on something to keep it steady. The tripod was simply to use although we did have issues trying to get everything level but they were soon resolved.

Use of mise-en-scène:

The main idea we had when it came to location was, it’s set in a school, and we tried to show that in our establishing shot with the lockers, but our location for the murder scene was tricky because we were looking for a dark ruined alleyway kind of look, which we found behind one of the buildings which suited what we were looking for quite well. Because we were portraying students at a school costumes weren’t an issue, but we used a few hoodies to make certain characters stand out from one another.

Our biggest issue was props, because we didn’t have any, this meant we had to improvise using a ruler in a bag as one of the murder weapons. In the actually murder itself we never show a weapon being used, but this creates more mystery with the murder.

The use of lighting was very poor because it wasn’t a factor we were prepared for. This led to some scene being too dark, this is apparent in our first introducing scene when the main character’s face is too dark.

Editing:

In the opening shot the camera fades in from black to panning, this gives a nice sense of flow to the scene and keeps it smooth. Some of our editing could have been smoother such as the flashback scene which looks like a random piece of footage was left in. This feels very jarring and could have perhaps been edited more smoothly with a fade.

A lot of the shots didn’t flow well together, such as the running sequence. In these shots we tried to make it appear seamless, but every time it cut it looks like he is going from stationary to running instead of smooth running.

Practise Film Sequence

Here is our practise film sequence. Here we were learning to construct a sequence and edit it on Final Cut Express as preparation for our coursework. We were working in the murder mystery genre, and evaluated our piece afterwards to learn for the real coursework. We were asked to focus on creating an atmosphere, as we will have to in our opening sequence:

Evaluation of murder scene

Planning & storyboarding

When planning our storyboard we had a very exact picture of what it would look like and when it came to filming many parts of this storyboard it worked out well including POV running shots and opening scenes. But there were also many parts that didn’t seem to go as well as we had planned in the storyboarding, for example close ups of faces and when you are moving the camera when an actor is walking. But the story line stayed relatively the way we had planned.

Acting

The acting in our murder scene was not always done well, for example I was playing the murderer and did not always remain in character and at points you can see changes in my facial expression and sometimes a failure to commit to parts like running after the victim played by wise. Wise's acting remained consistent throughout and you gather from her actions and expressions that she is scared. Although at one point she trips in character but it is not believable. Also the murder itself when taken on camera was not believable and unrealistic on the murderer's part. Acting is not an assessment criteria but we need to work out what our acting skills are as a group to see if we need to cast outside actors to make the work look effective.

Selecting shots and angles

Our opening shot comes from a high angle watching the victim being followed down an alley way. I feel this shot was effective because you are not on eye level so you feel like an observer and that you are about to witness something horrible.

There were other shots like when we videoed through the fence which gave another feeling of looking in and that you cannot help. We also used running POV shots that I think were effective because they added more tension and excitement and also a little mystery.

Editing decisions

When we edited we cut a lot of scenes short or removed them altogether as we had a lot of material to work with but also some of the scenes didn’t work as well as we had hoped they would.

We added music to the piece that we thought was appropriate for the scene and we faded it to comply with the sounds that came through whilst filming i.e. the noise of scraping shovel which gave it atmosphere.

At some points in the editing I think we could have made better transitions as the picture sometimes blacks out for a split second but doesn’t seem to fit where it happens. I feel the music is appropriate but it gets a little repetitive.

Use of mise-en-scene

I feel the layout of where each part took place/ where they ended up made sense and the use of the alley really helped with the scene but I feel that some bits were a bit disconnected and that we could have used more props or added more characters to the scene instead of it being deserted.

The setting itself wasn’t very creepy and therefore not many people would think of it as a good place to commit a murder but the alley way helped to ensure that feel.

Use of sound

When we did the scene there was no talking and no use of diagetic sound apart from the scraping of the dragging shovel (murder weapon) so this scene lacked things like conversation and background noises that allow it to seem more present and more likely to resemble a realistic atmosphere.

Ellen

 

Planning and storyboarding

The story line I believe was suitable for the task we were given. However we should’ve probably spent more time discussing the story board and tried for a more creative angle.

Acting

Most of the acting was sufficient for the task,  however I should’ve made the fall more realistic instead of just touching the brick and faking it. I didn’t make it as good as I should’ve been which was a bit disappointing. I know we are not marked on acting specifically, but it does obviously affect the overall look of the film.

Selecting shots and angles

We started our piece on the alleyway next to the mobile blocks which creates the tension of when Ellen was walking behind me without me knowing. We had to be at a distance where the camera could clearly see both of us. Then we showed how I saw a spade and started to run away from it which Ellen picked up. To do this we had to pull the camera back to show a wide angle. We moved the camera to  close up to see my facial expression when I saw the murderer.

We ended the piece with the murder in the alleyway behind the sixth form which shows the containment of the place which also shows there were no way to try and escape from it. This is why we tried to show a long shot, to give a sense of the whole location.

I think the choice of shots that was made and also the angles that were used and selected was used well and I would use it in my coursework.

Editing Decisions

Watching the film clips that we made I found that we have done reasonably well linking the clips together ina sequence and the continuity runs reasonable smoothly. This is quite good for a first task.

We have used slow motion when the murderer kills the person which creates a slow, creepy and a dramatic atmosphere which I think was necessary to be used to show a murder story.

We also used slow motion when the victim was running while she was breathing which extends the tension and we also used fast motion for the killer running which speeds up the actions.

Use of mise-en-scene

The location and setting was very impressive. It was a perfect match of what we were aiming for. The alleyways were a great idea to shoot a murder scene.

We didn’t plan the props very well because we should’ve made the killer more threatening and scary instead of someone in a school uniform but the rest of the props was very good because we used a spade which was prepared for at the beginning.

Use of sound

We started the clip with a sinister sound which has given the film a bit of a tension then when the running came involved we decided to put a more uplifting sound which reflected to the running part which had shown more action. Then after the victim was killed there was a remorseful sound which reflects  the murder. We didn't pay much attention to sound, though, the main task was about filming and we were only asked to put in some non-diegetic sound if we had time.

Overall I believe that we have done a great job with the film overall but in my coursework I believe that I want to spend more time in the props to make the film more believable.

Wise

 

 

Analysing Film Openings - Bend It Like Beckham

The opening scene starts with the ball flying through and the credits starts rolling through with the sound of cheer from the football match. The screen is dark so we can only hear the commentary for the first 40 seconds then it has a POV shot of what the main character is watching which is a football match. There are many close ups and group shots shown which links to the theme of football as it uses a team to play the game. Our film will probably flick between close ups of each character and group shots of them together.

We then see Jess, the main character, watching the football match in her bedroom, getting interrupted by her mum. This is shown in a  two shot and Jess becomes a little  annoyed by her mum because she interrupted her and turned of the TV while she was watching her favourite sport. Jess’ mum is seen as an angry woman wearing an Indian costume while Jess is wearing jogging bottoms and a hoodie, suggesting they do  not share the same culture. The mise-en-scene of her bedroom show how she is football crazy because she has a poster of David Beckham and all around the room there seems to be Manchester United related stuff.

This is an establishing shot because it shows how many people there are in the crowd and it gives a setting.

This is a two shot which shows the footballers tackling each other to get the ball which shows the rivalry between them.

This is a close up which shows how happy she is after scoring a goal which highlights her emotions.

This is a group shot which shows there is a relaxed discussion because two of the men are leaned back as if it’s a normal conversation.

This is a non-transparent shot because he is looking directly at the camera which gives a sense of reflecting the emotions of what the audience would have on their faces and also it gets us involved in the movie.

This is also a two shot which shows the chemistry of the mum and the daughter which obviously shown how the daughter is annoyed by the mum by switching off the television.

This shot is an over-the-shoulder shot which gives a sense at what the main character is looking at.

This is an extreme close of the poster which is so close to see the emotion and happens to have a disorientating effect on the audience, suggesting her obsession.

Titles and Credits-Bend it like Beckham

The first 6 are the production and the distribution company credits and logos. The final screenshot is the title. There are no transitions, just a simple cut that has been used. The colour scheme is black with a different font gold writing throughout. These slides just simply go through one by one without any other distractions going on. I think we need a simple colour scheme and for our credits not to disrupt the action too much. However, I don't think they should all come up at once like this. It would be better if we introduced them gradually through the sequence.

Use of Sound-Bend it like Beckham

Approximately the first 40 seconds are just the slides going through with the football commentary in the background which is an effective use of diegetic sound because it is played throughout most of the two minutes clip because it is being watched on television. Also after the game there is a use of dialogue which is used after the match when they are commentating on the game. The football match is on the background when the main character and her mother are having a conversation which gives the idea it is the background to the whole film. There is then a non-diegetic sound when the main character leaves the room.

Analysing Film Openings - Dr Doolittle

Doctor Dolittle 2

Scene Summaries

The scene starts with a tram going up a hill with a river shown behind which is an establishing shot because it’s setting the scene for the viewers to show what type of society the film is set in. We need to establish a posh setting at the beginning. Then there is a tracking shot along the road to show the houses and then a POV shot because it’s as if someone is watching while the car’s driving. The movie then shows the bridge again but it has been zoomed out and is seen from the outside perspective which then changes to the evening shot of the city which is an establishing shot of what goes on at the evening time. Lots of changes in perspective but it's not confusing - our ideas are quite busy, but maybe that's ok.

There is a shot with no head shown when the scene changes to a man wearing a medical coat wearing a shirt and a tie flicking through a file which shows there is going to be an introduction of someone. It also shows that person is important and has an important job because of the costume that he is wearing, which is the main focus. The lack of face makes us focus on his job / status rather than his character. This is a good idea for how to introduce our boss character.  Then a few seconds later the mysterious man is introduced in the scene and is talking to a nurse and is also talking to a dog which shows the business of his life. His discussion talking to the nurse creates a two shot and the discussion talking to the dog creates a POV shot.

The scene then changes to the room where the lead character is in a room with dogs and it starts with a dog introducing itself with a close up. Then it shows the rest of the room which gives a sense of unity to this scene. There are also various close ups that are used on the dogs and the lead characters to show their emotions. There is also a use of POV which shows who the dogs are looking at and also who the lead character is looking at their perspective.

There are many uses of credits early in this film and some are used when a character is speaking. We will probably have actor names come up when they are speaking. The opening shows how the place is a wealthy enough society and it is small and homely and it seems to be a friendly neighbourhood because of the fact that the trams are being used and also how the lead character is portrayed.

In the two minutes, we get the impression that the lead character is someone that is looked up to by animals and the setting seems to be a friendly environment. The voiceover is setting the story and also is giving an introduction to the dog and the lead character. There is also a use of synchronous sound which goes with the story because it is a rushed scene and the sound is pretty quick. There is also a use of bright colours which illustrates the fact that this movie is going to be a light-hearted movie.

This is an establishing shot which shows how this is a small society and it’s not a busy day usually. This also shows that the neighbourhood is near to the sea which sets the scene.

The establishing shot used shows that the movie that is placed is going to be in the city which shows on some ways wealth because of the skyscrapers. It also shows how people are still working at night because of the lights turned on.

Shot with no head used is to show that the person is about to be introduced and it also shows how the camera is looking up to the person which makes it looks as if he has a high status and is going to be an important in the movie. The mediacal coat is clearly the most important thing. This is something we could use when we introduce our boss character.

This photo is a close of the person’s emotion. It also puts the camera down looking up to give this character authority.

This is a rule of thirds shot because it shows the character and the dogs sitting on the chair and the character to the left which engages the audience to watch.

This is also a POV shot because it is exactly what direction the dogs would be looking at from their view which engages the audience and also gain their attention.

This is a POV shot and also a close up because it shows his emotions and it also shows what the dogs are seeing when they look directly at him.

Titles and Credits - Dr Dolittle 2

These four separate title slides before the movie and during the movie. There are 3 production and distribution company credits and logos. The last picture is the title of the movie.

Use of Sound-Dr Dolittle

The ‘20^th century Fox’ theme comes up first which shows the introduction and also tells the audience that the movie is about to begin. Then the credit appears which has  non-diegetic sound and also an ambient sound of the tram which gives a sense of a daily life in that particular environment. When there is a view of the bridge and the river the voiceover comes in to tell the story and begins with an introduction to set the scene. We might consider voiceover - narration from the boss character? The sound goes with the ‘Dolittle’ because it is jumpy and has a very fast beat.

When the dialogue begins, the sound of the music seems to get higher pitched and quieter and it also gets faster because there is more action going on. Our music needs to match our action. The second part of the dialogue has silence at the beginning when the dog introduces itself to the class and also there is silence when the main character is speaking at times.

Analysing Film Openings - School of Rock

Scene Summaries-School of Rock

This begins with a person walking. We can’t see his face and so we focus on his hoodie. He walks past a person talking on the phone outside the room where the mini concert is happening which is heard in the background. Then there are two men walking to the room where the band is playing with a very rock look having their noses pierced etc, which is a good use of mise-en-scene to suggest character. Then it shows how a person is getting stamped to go in. We have to make sure our characters wear the right clothes to show their personality.

The camera tracks to the door which a person pushes open and then the title of the movie appears on the brick wall which we get a close up of. We need a good empty shot for out title to appear, although we don;t know what it is yet. Then the camera tracks towards the room which works as an establishing shot of all the things that are happening for example people talking to each or enjoying the music. You don't have to put establishing shots first, which I didn't realise. The camera is creating a POV shot because it moves as if it glances around the room which connects with the audience. We then have a direct view of the band itself and of them playing but the camera first turns to the first character and then the rest of the band which is also known as a group shot, helping us to identify and remember these key characters. Our characters work in a gang so a group shot is a good idea to show this.

There is another POV shot when the person is texting a person about not liking the gig. His direct gaze at the camera distances us and makes us draw back from the film a little. We can use this kind of editing to make it clear we are not serious in our genre. When the main character makes a dive and falls onto the ground it makes the camera tilts downwards to make a shot which is a POV shot which leads to the camera spinning around him while he was lying which creates a dizzy atmosphere.

In the two minutes, we get the impression that the main character is seen as a person who doesn’t takes things seriously and does not think about the consequences of his actions. This has been useful to show how quickly you can give the audience an insight into the character. From our initial ideas, we will be introducing quite a few characters so we need to be quick in how we do this.

Screen shots-School of Rock

This is a two shot of a couple who seems to be shouting over each other in a rock concert.

This is an establishing shot which gives a sense of the atmosphere of a small rock concert that is going on.

This is an extreme close up because it shows an impression of this character which shows excitement.

This is a low angle looking up to the singers which is in a sense a POV shot because the audience would be looking up to them to watch them perform live.

This is a POV shot of the person writing the text which engages the audience with what is going on at the time. This is also a slightly canted angle.

This is a close up of the character’s emotion which makes us feel sympathetic towards the character because of the facial expression which suggests pain.

This is a tinted angle looking down which makes this character look distraught but also this is a POV shot after he landed on the floor which shows how we are the witness of this action.

This is a non-transparent shot which engages the audience to get involved which at this time to leave the concert because he thought it was rubbish.  This is also like a one way conversation.

Titles and Credits

The first three slides are the production and the last slide is the title of the film. There seem to be different designs in each slide which gives a sense of fun and there will be no restriction. The background in each of the slide changes which gives the movie a slight edge.

Use of Sound-School of Rock

From the very start, there is a use of diegetic sound which has been used because of the loud band playing in the background while the first few seconds is filmed in the background. This is also a use of synchronous sound because the first few seconds seems to be chaotic and hectic which reflects  the song in the background. There is a use of dialogue from time to time in the movie which gives a sense that there are other things going apart from the concert. Then there is a sense of silence when he lies down with a distant dialogue which means that the main character is away from the room.

Analysing Film Openings - Van Helsing

Van Helsing

In the two minutes that I watched this film it was all in black and white, however the rest of the film is not. Tthis then signifies that the opening part of the film is supposedly meant to be in the past . It also gives it the feel of a sinister mood and thus making it clear this film will be quite scary and mainly based on a thriller. The opening sound is non-diegetic eerie music, giving the vibe that something bad is going to happen, but it is also a firm and strong sound which represents the anger of the crowd.

The first shot is a continued shot from the universal title, this is an inventive new way of starting a film that does not happen often. Soon afterward it turns into an establishing shot of some woods with an angery crowd storming though, this shows that the place they are heading to is pretty secluded away form the town. It is then as if we follow them to where ever they are going, this gives us the feeling that we are part of the crowd, instead of being onlookers from a distance.

There is a lot of use of lighting in this film, there are the torches, the electric sparks in the lab and these all contribute to the atmosphere. At one point in the scene there is a sound of pounding, this part is unclear as to if it is diegetic or not as it could possibly be the breaking in of the castle, or it could represent the puonding of the scientist’s (Victor’s) heart. But whenever the sound is heard a light flashes , adding to the effect making it even more tense.

The clothing helps us to define the character. The villagers were wearing old ragged items of clothing and the props they have consist of torches and pitchforks, this makes us believe that the majority of them are farmers and not very rich. Victor wears a lab coat, which instanly make us think of a scientist. Also the count is compleatly covered in black clothing and we link that to him being evil and dark, also his long black hair makes him seem even more out of the ordinary and a character that stands out.

One part of the scene that is particulary important is the awakening of the monster, we know it’s important because when he does awake there are three extreme close ups on him; the eyes, hand and mouth. Another reason we know it is significant is because Victor shouts out “it’s alive” and shouting shows his enhightening of his emotions, telling us that he is thrilled when his creation has come to life.

The Universal title has been altered to suit the stile of the film. It has been changed  to black and white and made is so that it sets on fire so that is can have a smooth change over with the torch in the first scene. This is quite unusual to see in films as the opening credits are always the same, but having these added effect makes the veiwers more intrigued about this original title sequence.
 

At this point this is like a POV shot of someone in the crowd as it follows the people through the gates as we are one of them. This makes us feel more involved in the film. It also has added information about the destination and date, this is useful as it is providing extra infomation without having to have someone say it.

It then changes to an establishing shot of the castle it is unclear whether we are in the POV shot still or not. The establishing shot works well because it is taken from a low angle, making it seem that that the castle is a very intimidating place.

There are a lot of extreme close ups in this part of the film as it is telling us that this is a significant moment in the film.

It is then a POV shot of the the crowd breaking in this is so we can see what the scientist is seeing out the window.

There is then a two shot of the count and the scientist. This is to show their relationship, it seems as if they do not have an equal relationship though as the count is in the foreground where as Victor is at the back, this makes him seem smaller and in a lower status to the count.

In this shot the light only hits half of the count’s face. This gives the impression of him having an evil side or a secret hidden away. The close up tells us he is significant.

We are not doing horror, but this is a good way of creating an opening that really grabs you.

Bits we can use include using music to establish atmosphere,  close ups on significant characters and establishing shots to set the scene.

Analysing Film Openings - Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine

All throughout the two minutes there’s non-diegetic music playing in the background. It first begins quite loud so that you can gather that it has quite a happy bouncy feel to it, but also it has a feeling of anticipation and eagerness. This is likely to be portraying the girl’s emotions as she is clearly the main character. The music is the first thing you take in as it starts with a black screen with only the music playing, so the viewers would take the music into account more. When the scene begins, the music quietens down more, this is so you can hear the other sounds happening at that time in the movie, like the television in the background for example.  The lighting gives some clues as to what atmosphere this film is going to have, because it is a bright and colourful lighting the mood would be upbeat.    

At the beginning of the movie there is an extreme close up of the girl’s face, specifically her eyes, so that the viewers are able to see the transfixed expression on her face, so that we also now know she is a significant character in the movie. In the shot the girl is wearing glasses and in the reflection you can see the television screen. This is effective as the audience can tell why she is so focused and it tells us that she is very interested in what is on the TV. Soon after this shot it changes into a POV shot of the TV screen to show more clearly what she is watching. It is clear to us that whatever is on the television screen is of importance as it has a close up of it and also because it keeps changing from the little girl’s face to the TV screen to show how focused she is and that she is watching the TV.

After that it goes into a mid shot of the girl. This is so we can get a good look at the girl herself and also have a view of her surroundings, it appears that she was in her house which seemed to be quite a plain and empty house, signalling that her family does not have so much money and so they can’t afford many luxuries. It then goes back to that lady and she had the same positioning as the girl in the previous shot, so this is a graphic match which makes the transition from one screen to another smoother.

The costume of the little girl suggest that she is not of a high class as wearing a top and sweatpants are stereotypically not normally worn by someone who has a lot of money to spend on nicer clothes. This is a big contrast as to what the lady on the television is wear as she has a fancy dress on and a tiara on, also her hair is styled to make her look presentable. Unlike the girl who only has it tied up in a ponytail. This is effective as it shows you how far-fetched the idea of that girl becoming like the woman is, even though she clearly admires her as she is mimicking her movements as if she was the woman herself. Also another way they have made it seem like the girl is not like that woman is that they have chosen an actor that is a little bit overweight for her age making it seem like she doesn’t take care of herself and is also lazy. A way they have made her look overweight is by using a low angle on her because then it look like she is bigger than she actually is. Also the glasses normally connote geek and so by giving her some glasses that automatically feel that she is a geeky girl.

Later on we hear the voiceover of a man speaking; the voiceover is non-diegetic as it is sound that the girl on screen is not able to hear it. However when we move onto the next shot it is of the man speaking and so it changes from a non-diegetic sound to a diegetic one. This is effective in making the transition from one shot to another a lot smoother.

The man is clearly a business man as he is in a meeting room delivering a presentation to an audience; we see it is a meeting room as the camera angle becomes a mid-shot and an establishing shot. The lights and colours in this part go duller and gray, this gives the feeling of a boring and serious atmosphere, which is a contrast to the last scene when it was bright and vibrant.

The lighting in this film is brightly coloured and warm, the light brown walls makes it feel homely and welcoming. Having the lighting so bright tells the viewers that this film is intending to be a light hearted on with no intention of a horror or a lot of violence. When the camera is turned on the television screen the colour go a bit duller and more blurred, this is so we know that it is no longer filming directly, but filming a screen. 

Like most films, this one starts off with title slides to show what companies have made this film. The music at this point is non-diegetic, there is a sound of a drum roll, this is a lead up to the actual film and it makes you feel anticipation and excitement about the film starting.

This shot is an extreme close up of the main character to show the emotion in her eyes and also to show the main features of the girl, for example the glasses seem to be significant in this shot. Another thing I find effective in this shot is the fact that you are able to see the reflection of the TV screen on her glasses. The lighting is so that half of her face is light up and half is hidden, this makes it seem there is a window in the room and this makes the shot more authentic and less like a set.

When she looks at the TV screen it turns into a POV shot of two women, therefore making it a two shot. This makes it seem that there is some kind of relationship between the women. However it seems like it is trying to favour the woman on the right as she is in a brighter light and higher than the other one. This shot is also a shallow focus, the women in the background are very blurred and less significant than the ones in the front, this is so that the attention is on those two ladies and the others are of less importance.

This is a close up to show the extreme emotions on the lady and how excited she is to have won the pageant, it is also a close up so that the viewer know to look at her as nothing else is of importance right at that moment in time.

We then cut back to the little girl, but now it is in a mid-shot, we then get an idea of what her house look like, it is uninteresting and plain, which could be because of a shortage of money. This also allows us to see more of the girl and we can now see what she is wearing so we get a better understanding of the girl.

This is a close up to show the extreme emotions on the lady and how excited she is to have won the pageant, it is also a close up so that the viewer know to look at her as nothing else is of importance right at that moment in time.

When she looks at the TV screen it turns into a POV shot of two women, therefore making it a two shot. This makes it seem that there is some kind of relationship between the women. However it seems like it is trying to favour the woman on the right as she is in a brighter light and higher than the other one. This shot is also a shallow focus, the women in the background are very blurred and less significant than the ones in the front, this is so that the attention is on those two ladies and the others are of less importance.

This too is a mid shot but at a different angle so you can see her face more and see what actions she is doing. This is important for the next shot as it has a graphic match.

This is a graphic match to the last shot and this helps make the changing of the shot smooth. Also it is a POV shot again and because it changes over so many times it makes us believe this character is the significant role in the film.

It then cuts to a different location with a new main character, we can tell he is a main character because the shot is a close up of him and that is all we can see. It is also a shallow focus as the background is not important.

My last screen shot is an establishing shot, we see it is a meeting room with a presentation taking place, we get to see the man in more detail and we can see he is in quite a formal outfit, telling us he is a man that is in business of some sort.

I thought watching this opening was really useful to learn how to make an opening that's light-hearted and unexpected but isn't full on slapstick comedy. I think the filmmakers did this by the way they showed us information. For example it works well to start with the girl's face and actions and then see what she is watching, as that comes as a bit of a surprise. We could maybe use this technique. There was also a good lesson about how to move from scene to scene - we have lots ofd scene changes in our opening and we need to make them smooth. Using a sound bridge is a good idea.