Camera Movements

Tracking Shot- moving the camera back and forth, uses a dolly or track and dolly, tracking into the action-provides intensity, tracking out shows the action in the scene is over. Moves on with the action.

Tilt Shot- camera moving up or down on an axis, upwards tilt shot shows power, can be used with a point of view shot.

Zoom- adjusting focal length, can be used instead of tracking shot, if without the equipment.

Arc Shot- full or semicircle around an object, character/characters. Can increase intensity, show reactions of other characters in a conversation etc.

Crane shot- attached to a crane, view from vertically above the action.

Crab Shot- often used to track the movement of a person

Panning Shot- camera mounted on a tripod, moving left to right or vice versa, often used to show a moving object, or if a character is searching a room.

Why might we use different camera shots?

- To progress the story, show when scenes have finished and when the action moves.
- To create intensity, tension, make the audience feel a certain way. Creates variety within the filming.

Preliminary Task- Requirements

Continuity task involving filming and editing a character opening a door, crossing a room and sitting down in a chair opposite anoher character, with whom she/he then exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. this task should demonstrate match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule.

Match on action -single action, seems continuous.

180-degree rule-if you go over the 180 degrees then it will look as though the characters are next to each other. This is not effective if the characters are having a conversation like the one required so it is important to make sure this is done.

Looking at film pre-production:

• Storyboarding
• Casting
• Scripting with directions
• Location
• Diaries, dates and times
• Camera operation, technical skills

FILM LANGUAGE

Editing and Sound:

• Editing is a crucial part of film language
• It structures the narrative
• Links scenes/events together
• Follows a logical order/time span
• Some films distort this, eg. flashbacks

There are many different types of editing:

Fade/dissolve

• Fade images come through another image
• Dissolve-'feathered in'
• Superimpositions-shots layered
• Wipe, 'page-turning', usually used for change of location.
• Inset, similar to insert, a shot within a shot.
• Split screen, two scenes, two locations being simultaneously shown
• Stock shot- usually used for factual films, images created by others.

Questionaires- Catch Me If You Can

After analysing the film 'Catch Me If You Can' myself, I decided to devise a questionaire on the film and ask a focus group their ideas and opinions on it after twenty minutes of watching the film and after viewing the film in its entirety.



Following is the questions I asked and the answers I received from four different people.



After 20 minutes of film:

What genre would you class this film as?

• Thriller


• Drama


• Drama


• Thriller


• Action Film

What period do you think this film was set in?Where?

• 1980's, America


• 1960's, America


• 1960's, USA


• 1960's, America

What do you think of the opening credits? Are they effective?

• They are effective, original and visually good
• I like the credits but they dont seem to have any relevance to the opening
• I think they are boring, however they are relevan to the film
• I think they are good because they are 'arty', stylised.

Do you think that the opening sentences give alot away about what will happen in the film? What do you think will happen?

• It slyly hints what may happen. I think it sontains a sense of mystery in the film. He will be a con man.
• Yes, it gives alot away because of the gameshow scene saying he is a con man and he gets caught.
• We presume from the opening scene that this film is about a con man and his fall from grace, due to the change of scene from the gameshow to the prison.
• Yes, because the gameshow host says he was a conman- I think we will see his life and journey as a con man.

After viewing the film:

Was this film the genre you expected, or did your views change on it throughout?

• Yes, I think so, but it was more of a conspiracy drama with elements of comedy.
• Kind of, but I think that are also elements of satire within the thriller.
• I think I was right to say it was a Drama genre.
• I think my predictions were correct, my views did not change.

Were your predictions of what might happen correct? If yes, do you think that this predictability makes the film not worth watching?

• Yes, but I wasn't expecting him to get caught. No, i liked that I knew mostly what to expect because it was interesting to see how he got to that point.
• Yes they were. But I think there were still twists and turns throughout the movie that make it worth watching and it is amusing to view.
• Although I predicted what would happen, the plot was still complex and I enjoyed it.
• Yes, but the action grips the audience still.

Did the camera shots seem natural, or were their artistic elements in the editing?

• They were mainly natural but there were definitely some arty elements in the scene changes.
• Natural, unnoticeable mostly...but perhaps some artistic elements.
• I think natural, but to make it more interesting other elements were used I think to make the film more amusing and 'funky'.
• Yes, they're very realistic as if you're watching a true story.

Do you think that a lot of cinematic techniques were used? Eg. CGI, mood lighting, sound effects, special effects

• The film seemed smooth as it had a large budget but no special effects because it was based on a true story.
• I dont think so- the film reflects reality and the time period, so I think it would have be out of place.
• I think lighting was used quite effectively in that it represented the situation but I dont think any special effects etc were used.
• A good use of relevant music for each scene.

From these answers, I can deduct several things:

• From the first twenty minutes of a film, it becomes very obvious to the audience the location, era and genre of a film.
• The use of opening credits that relate to the content of the film are effective in introducing it.
• You can give alot away in the first few minutes as long as you make it clear to the audience that there is alot more that can be filmed.
• Providing twists and turns throughout a story keeps an audience interested and keen to continue watching.
• If you want to portray reality in a film, it is best to use natural camera shots that are unnoticeable as the plot develops, and use more natural ways to develop a scene such as lighting and music rather than special effects which make it more fictional.