THE POSTS BELOW ARE MY RESEARCH

Stills from the Chase Scene of our Opening Sequence

Suspect entering Recreational Ground

Agent pursuing Suspect out of Recreational Ground.

Suspect in Chase Scene

Suspect Jumping over railing down alley way

Pack of Lies Plot

Agents have tried and failed for two years to obtain a stolen, priceless artefact from a suspect on the run. Now 2 years in the future an agent is requested by her boss to find the suspect (who is though to be male) after a lead from a member of the public. The agent spots the suspect walking into a local recreational ground. The suspect realises he is being followed, this starts a fast paced chase through the recreational ground, up a back alleyway and across a street where the suspect jumps quickly into the back of a van disguised to fit in normally with the parked cars along the street. The van is driven away by an anonymous driver. The agent is left not knowing what to do, so she phones her boss. The agent realises that the suspect is actually a female as the suspects hood fell down as she got in the back of the van. The agents boss says that letting the suspect go, still owning the stolen artefact could be fatal. The agent is left alone to sort everything out....................

Prop List

Props:                                                                                       

•  Backpack
•  Office accessories: such as files, folders, paper trays,computer, telephone,mugs,
•  Mobile: Agent will use this to contact boss on the run.
• Van: This grey van will be the 'getaway' vehicle at the end of the chase scene.
•  Photographs  of suspects: Three photographs of possible suspect appearances laid out on the office desk.

The Bag we are using (Suspect carries priceless artefact in this)

Picture of all Suspects
 (These will be displayed on office desk, Suspect 2 is the main suspect.)

My Action/Adventure Questionnaire and Results

Click on this to make larger

Click on this to make larger

Results:

Overall people felt that these five films come under the action/adventure genre out of our list on question three: The River Wild, Shoot' em up, The A Team, Snakes on a Plane and Die Hard 3. The age range which people in our questionnaire associated with watching action/adventure films is 11 years old up to 28 years old, as the main audience/viewers. The top three Locations that people said fit the action/adventure genre were; A Back Alley, A Deserted Warehouse and on a Mode of Transport, i.e on a plane, in a 4x4 car, etc.

For costume people preferred characters in an action/adventure film to wear Dark clothing, such as a leather jacket, combat trousers and a worn/old t-shirt and weaponry, such as ammunition belts worn over the user. Characters that most commonly people find in an action/adventure film are agents on missions and individuals fighting other forces. The main music genre associated with the action/adventure genre is Rap/ Rock music and Suspense/atmosphere music. The lighting that people feel would suite our genre of choice is cold, dark, eerie lighting. In our questionnaire people felt that the both the Hero and Villan should be played by male teenagers/adults.

Pack of Lies Characters and Costumes

Emily J: Plays the Boss

Costume:

•  Leather Jacket.
• Light coloured t-shirt underneath, e.g pink or cream.
• Black jeans with silver belt.
• Black footwear.
• Watch.
• Polished fingers/ Nail varnish.
•  Hair scraped back into bun.

Emily K: Plays the Agent

Costume:

• All in black
• Hair tied up
• Belt
• Jacket with pockets

Isobel K: Plays the Suspect.

Costume:

•  Hooded top in grey/black
•  Black trousers and footwear.
•  Hair scraped back so can't be seen underneath Hooded top. 

Pack of Lies Script:

(Opens with agent talking on phone to boss.)

Agent: I have eyeballed suspect entering the recreational ground carrying backpack

Boss: BACKPACK? WHAT BACKPACK?

Agent: Its …hang on….. black with a large grey logo on it with black straps, and he’s running towards the exit of the ground.......

Boss: Right, we need to get that backpack; it must contain the missing artefact. IT MUST NOT BE DAMAGED.You need to retrieve it with immediate careful action.

CHASE SCENE: Running,Jumping over obstacles, etc.

(The piece of script below would follow on from the chase scene, but I am unable to fit it in in the two minute time of my opening sequence. I feel it is important to open with some dialogue and mainly a chase as my genre is action/adventure and commonly other action/adventure films start straight in with a fast paced chase to immerse the viewer/audience in the action.)


Agent: (calling boss out of breath.) Not able to retrieve the backpack. Too fast,.... unable to catch her.

Boss: Well where is the backpack then? ......Did you say SHE?.

Agent: It’s in the back of a van. The suspect threw it in the back of the vehicle and then drove off, yes the suspect is female; her hood fell down as she raced towards the van.

Boss: In a van?! Oh my god.You've got to sort this out ......This could be fatal. (Hangs up abruptly)

Agent: (Punches button to end call, shakes head and walks away angry and disappointed).

ON NEXT PAGE THERE IS LOCATION RESEARCH (end of research)

MY LOCATION RESEARCH BELOW 

Suggested Locations

Below are the main locations our I will film at. The first location is a recreational ground, which the characters will run through, I will show both the entrance and exits to the ground. I thought this location would provide the appropriate space to film our chase scene. I feel it would provide interesting obstacles (such as walls that could be used to hide around, jump off, etc.) and different angles and heights to film from. I could also use the entrance and exit to the park and field effectively through filming our suspect entering or escaping and the agent in close pursuit.

The Second location is an Alleyway.This location denotes threat and fear and also vulnerability. I feel this would be a suitable place to film our suspect running down, or being seen at one end of the alley whilst the agent is at the other end, creating distance, as the alley is long and quite dirty/rundown. Also there is overgrowing weeds and litter along the alley way which adds to the effect of isolation and no upkeep.

The third main location is a bridge which crosses a busy motorway. 

This bridge is quite old and is used for pedestrians only. Our group thought this location might be effect as it looks dated against the modern cars which travel beneath it constantly. This gives an interesting contrast. Also the dull colours of the bridge and its surroundings give a cold, eerie feel which fits the Action/Adventure genre. I will use the bridge location unless we are unable to fit it in the Two minute time we must keep to.

Bird's Eye view of Recreational ground

Entrance to Recreational Ground

Exit from Recreational Ground

Alley Way

Bridge Crossing over Busy Motorway

Street which will provide the setting for my final chase scene

Micro and Macro Analysis of 'The Cradle of Life'

Micro Analysis of Opening of ‘The Cradle of Life’

Cinematography

      

       The use of handheld shots in the plane tells the audience that the plane is under pressure and is not very stable whilst it is heading down towards the sea dangerously. There were also spinning shots which follow the plane through the sky and then swivel around to follow the planes path. The camera also tilts and shows the viewer the planes controls.

Sound

There is fast paced music, when it cuts to the shots of the plane, the fast paced music stops and we here the plane descending through the sky, with effective . When the planes descent becomes dangerous, we hear a warning sound which consists of high pitch beepings which become faster as the plane draws closer to the sea.  The diagetic sound (for example the characters dialogue) and the non-diagetic sound (the planes sound effects) overlap in the first opening scene. The characters voices can be heard almost shouting over the planes loud warning noises.

Mise-en-scene

The snow in the background creates an isolated feeling. This then switches quickly to an exotic, warm location. (Which gives the feeling that the plane is fast, according to the dialogue they shared before getting on the plane). The costume also clearly relates to the Action/ Adventure genre. The characters wear dark clothing apart from Lara Croft in the opening sequence who contrasts against the dark, 

cold insides of the building in a white snow suite,clarifying her as being different and as the leader.

 Editing

There is a use of jump cuts which follow the action of the main character boarding the plane. There is also a use of close-ups that gradually zoom in on a characters face. These make the audience feel drawn into the action, and see clearly the character’s reactions and facial expressions.

               

Macro Analysis

Story and Plot

In this short opening sequence Lara croft and Terry Sheridan board a fighter plane, in arctic conditions and fly to a tropical region, quickly, before ejecting themselves from their pilot seats narrowly missing crasing into a mountain

 Situations and locations

The locations featured in the opening sequence are typical of films of the Action/ Adventure genre. The first location is a polar region which quickly changes to an exotic, warm and tropical part of the world.

 Themes and values

Themes in this film are ‘Pandora’s Box’ which supposedly contains one of the most deadliest plagues in the world.

Characters

There is one main character, Lara Croft. Although another important character is Terry Sheridan. Lara and Terry bond together throughout the film and a relationship together looks inevitable. Yet fate sets the two f them apart at the ending of the film. What sets them apart is Pandora’s box. Lara wants to leave it in a safe place, whereas Terry wants to take it for himself. This ultimately ends up with Lara facing a choice, her choice being to kill Terry in self defence. Other themes that are covered include: M16 agents and tasks, fear and threats caused by organisations and that not all things are meant to be found (Pandora's Box)

               

Comparison of 'An American Werewolf in London' and ' 28 Days Later'

1) Write a comparision of the different ways in which the two openings define themselves as Horror Films.

'28 Days Later'

In 'An American Werewolf in London' there is a slow build up to any Horror or violence. This leaves the audience in suspense, awaiting something bad to happen. Whereas in '28 Days Later' the horror of the monkeys attacking, and Jim wakes up to find the city deserted. The horror hits the audience from the start of the film unlike in 'An American Werewolf in London'.Another difference between the two films is that in 'An American Werewolf in London' the two Americans are in an unfamiliar and desolate place, unlike America. Whereas in '28 Days Later' Jim wakes up in familiar surroundings, London, but in an unfamiliar situation, being that everyone has fled the city. 

'An American Werewolf in London'

The Similarities between the two films is the icons and themes they both explore. Both films show people dying with blood represented boldly which connotes, danger, threats and murder. The themes they both explore are isolation, as in both films the characters are isolated from what they are comfortable with and know. Icons in 'An American Werewolf in London'' are the howling wind, and heavy thunder, which show the characters vulnerability and come as a warning. Another warning is the moon, which looms in the clouds threateningly, which the audience begin to realise after the characters come out of the local pub. In '28 Days Later' the symbolic icons are the good and evil forces that have forced the people to fled London, disease and war.


The sound and special effects in both films draw the audience into the action through the use, for example, of an eery mist and heavy rain in 'An American Werewolf in London' this adds to the overall atmosphere of the film through the way they are introduced and faded out.
Overall the opening of 'Americans defines itself as a horror film by firstly not initially introducing the audience to Horror but by slowly building up the fear, tension and suspense. '28 Days Later' defines itself as a Horror film by its use of showing a threat to a whole city, and its use of blood as a threatening and vulnerable symbol.

Evaluating the Preliminary Task

1. Explain what you were asked to do and how you prepared for the task.

Our Preliminary task was to film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room, and then sitting down in a chair opposite another character, with whom she/he exchanges a couple of lines of dialogue. We had to effectively demonstrate match on action, shot-reverse-shot and the 180 degree rule.

We prepared for the task by storyboarding each shot and writing the shot types, shot angles, dialogue and actions. We also made sure that we included the three rules (match on action, shot-reverse-shot, and the 180 degree rule. We also watched some opening sequence examples to understand how they were constructed, we watched Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Reservoir Dogs.

Filming

2. Explain how you filmed each part of the task (match on action and shot-reverse-shot while maintaining the 180 degree rule) commenting on:

Your Role:

My role was to film Character one. (I am Character two). I filmed Character one walking down a corridor towards a door, opening a door and then walking through the library (our setting) and sitting down in a chair. I then filmed character one and her dialogue (she had lost her phone which was on the seat next to character two) with character two (out of shot). Finally I filmed character one walking out of the library, and putting her phone in her pocket and then out of the main entrance. I filmed the match on action part of our film, showing character one opening the door and walking through the other side before going on to do a low angle shot of character one's legs walking past a bookcase, to show which direction she was walking in.

What kind of shot you used and why:

I used a variety of different shots such as long shots to show that character one's whole body could be seen and were she was walking from and to. I also used a close-up to show the character hand over the the door handle and pulling it back before I went to a mid-shot of Character one fully opening the door and walking through.

What was your framing like:

We made sure we got the best possible outcome from our framing by carefully selecting which characters we wanted out of frame and in frame and what background or props needed to be in frame for the sequence to make sense.For example I filmed A high shot of character one sitting down at a chair, but keeping character two (me) out of frame so we could effectively begin from that shot to show shot-reverse-shot.

The positioning of the actors on screen:

I positioned character one in a variety of different ways so that  a range of movements and interesting angles could be shown, and add interest to the film. We also made sure we complied with the 180 degree rule by filming character one and two sharing some dialogue over a table from one side of them , as not to reverse the places where they  were sitting, and confuse the viewer/audience.

Editing

Were you happy with the final result?

Our group were happy with the final result, although we did need to go back and film one shot we missed, after the main filming. We were most happy with our effective shot-reverse-shot part in the film as it was appropriate with the dialogue and flowed well.

What could your group have done to improve the sequence?

As a group I think we could have improved the fluidity of our match on action, as we missed a shot where character one came through the other side of the door, so we went back to film this. We could have added more dialogue to make the situation of 'The Lost Phone' (our title) more realistic.

How did you think you worked as a group?

I thought we worked well together as a group as we discussed over any ideas each other had, and worked to combine these ideas to make an effective shot for example.

We also helped and supported each other if we were having any difficulties, for example helping the other person by showing them a tip to holding the camera (hand-held) straight and having a good grip so that the camera did not wobble. We worked well together on the storyboard and about discussing what the theme of dialogue the two characters in our film should talk about.

How confident do you feel using the camera and using imovie HD ?

I am now confident with the camera and can effectively use the camera hand-held keeping it still without it wobbling.I understand how to insert the tape,what all the functions of the buttons on the camera are and how it is important to rewind to the start of the tape each time we want to film.I can also effectively use a tripod, which our group have used for example, for establishing shots of settings. I am also more confident now using imovie.I understand how to drag down clips to create the film and how to edit, using titles, sound effects, etc. I am also aware of which wire must be used to connect the camera to the Mac and how it is important to import and save any work our group do.

Close-up of Hand on door handle

Low angle shot of character ones feet
carrying on Match on Action

Displaying the 180 degree rule

Macro Analysis of Setting and Mise-en-scene

1. Choose one area (Narrative, Setting/Mise-en-scene, Themes and Values or Characters and Representation) and compare elements from the areas in the films, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Reservoir Dogs.

Setting and Mise-en-scene:

• In Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels the characters are introduced immediately to the audience which is similar to Reservoir Dogs as the characters are introduced in the restaurant to the viewer.

• Another similarity between the two films is the clothing that all the characters wear. This consists of white shirts and black suits or long coats, and sunglasses which hide the characters identity, so that less emotion can be detected from their faces. In Reservoir Dogs the black suites they all wear contrast the background scenery highlighting them as being authoritative, strong characters.

• The setting in the opening sequence to Reservoir Dogs is a restaurant where the character are seated eating breakfast, the lighting is made to look like natural daylight pouring through the window amongst the character's cigarette smoke. 
  
  
• A tracking shot is used to include the viewer in the conversation over the table although the shot  is occasionally obscured by the character back/shoulder as the camera moves around them. Also over the shoulder shots are used so that the viewer can see the characters hand gestures, props, and what they are eating and drinking.

Reservoir Dogs

• The setting in the opening sequence of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is different to Reservoir dogs in many different ways. Firstly because Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is filmed out in the open, backstreet's of a  town/city. Match on action is also shown through the fast paced shots and quick events that unfold, such as the police men chasing the characters. Secondly the lighting in this film is different to Reservoir Dogs, the lighting is an orange/beige colour which alongside the products the character is trying to sell,  the scene looks suspicious and the orange colour in particularly makes the background street look even more dirty and grimy.

• The casting for both films was carefully considered to make the films look effective and true to life. All the characters look shady and secretive and in Reservoir Dogs all have the same type of hair style, which makes them look like a natural unit/group together.