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