Preliminary Task Evalutaion

I was very pleased with our preliminary task as I feel the final product was very good considering we didn’t have much time to plan or shoot it.

Steady camera work really made the video, it was consistent throughout and the majority was shot with a stable tripod but some were tracking shots that were also very effective and shot by hand. All tough they were shot by hand they are very smooth and almost look like we used professional equipment, these shots help build tension dramatically.

Our planning was very good which allowed us to use the time we had to shoot very effectively. We knew exactly what we wanted to shoot and what we wanted in each shot. The framing was how we planned, and example of this would be where the security guards are following the suspect. Although slightly off to the right this shot is still very effective and gives the viewer an insight to what may be about to happen. The actor in the foreground immediately takes our attention but then we realise he is being followed. This shot was very successful for us so I would definitely try to incorporate it into our thriller.

We also used a wide variety of different shot types in our preliminary task, we have used long shots, close ups and mid-shots. This variety was used to keep the viewer interested and made it seem very professional; hopefully we can carry this professional feel on into out thriller task.

We have used mainly straight cuts to stick with a fast paced thriller, typical to thrillers conventions. Straight cuts are not only easy to use but from watching other movies they help race both the pace and tension of the scene. We also used a few fades in our preliminary task; we used them when cutting from scene 1 to scene 2 to make it seem smoother. Colour correction also helped us gain an almost darker shot which helped the transition. Using this fade also helped us determine that he had moved from one place to another. Another time we have used a fade to black is at the end of the video when going to credits; this worked very well and again gave the video a very professional feel.

Something that surprised me whilst editing was how much of a difference a simple soundtrack can make. Being new to media this year I didn’t quite understand that an effect soundtrack can really help build tension and create different feelings and emotions. In our preliminary task we used a simple soundtrack with thuds in it when tension was at its highest point. This helps enhance the experience for the viewer and give a professional feel. In our thriller it is vital that we get the soundtrack correct as it can really make the difference, we may even consider making our own soundtrack to create tension. As time was limited when editing, we didn’t have much time to find a soundtrack so we used a basic track that still gave us the feel that we wanted. We will have more time when editing our thriller and is something we will discuss as a group in depth whilst planning.

At the start of our video we have used the 180° rule to make sure that the viewer does not get confused with placement of the characters. The use of dialogue in the first scene also helps set the scene and creates building blocks for the next scene.  

Another clever shot we have used is a shot reverse shots, when security guard 4 shouts ‘oi’ the camera cuts from an over the shoulder shot of the target straight to the side of the security guard chasing him, we have done this to overall create tension and speed the scene up.

The editing technique’s we have used also make a massive impact on our video, colour correction helped to filter out unwanted light and make them darker to give an overall more scary / eerie feel.

I also feel that our preliminary covered all the objectives that we was set in the assignment, we have used a range of different shots and used dialogue effectively. Our use of mise-en-scene has also worked well in the ill lighted corridors, the attire of the actors was appropriate to the storyline as they wore suits, this shows power and importance. The use of props (briefcase and radio) has also helped build the tension and give the overall video a professional feel about it.

In conclusion I feel that it went very well, we had many different shots, used the 180° rule, steady camera work and a simple yet effective storyline. If I was to do this task again I would make sure that the lighting was better as some shots were very dark causing us a problem. We definitely need to consider ways of incorporating our titles into the thriller as if done correctly they can look extremely effective.

Preliminary Task feedback

Above is some feedback that we recieved from Beth Ryman http://bethrymanfoundationproduction.blogspot.co.uk/  and Libby Gelsthorpe  http://libbygelsthorpefoundationproduction.blogspot.co.uk/

Preliminary Task

Shot List for Preliminary Task

Scene 1

• Mid-shot of security guards
• Over the shoulder tracking shot of security guards
• Back to mid-shot of security guards
• Back to over shoulder tracking shot of security guards

Scene 2

• Tracking shot behind victim

(Security walks behind the victim)

• High angle shot from the security camera’s perspective
• Back to tracking shot from behind

(The victim and security all walk through the first door)

• Long shot of victim walking towards the second door
• Match on action shot of the door handle
• Tracking shot in front of victim
• Back to long shot of security walking through second door
• Back to tracking shot of the victim and security
• Long shot of the victim walking through the third door
• Close up shot of victim’s feet
• Long shot of victim
• Close up of security’s feet
• Long shot of security splitting up
• Back to long shot of victim and one security guard shouting to get the victim’s attention
• Long shot from behind of victim looking back
• Close up shot of victim dropping briefcase
• Tracking shot from behind of victim running
• Jump shot to victim being caught and thrown against the wall
• Close up of security guard’s face

Preliminary Task, Script

Scene 1

Security Guard 1 - Kingston Capes - 'Kieran It's him again'

Security Guard 2 - Kieran Hill - 'Naa, hes a gonner'

Security Guard 1 - Kingston Capes - 'Naa, you need to check this'

Securtiy Guard 2 - Kieran Hill 'Allright dont worry, ill call in the boys'
Security Guard 2 on radio - Kieran Hill - 'Yeh, its definately him'

Security Guard 3 on radio - Max Hutchinson -'Are you sure?'

Securtiy Guard 2 on raido - Kieran Hill 'Dont muck it up this time'

Security Guard 3 on radio - Max Hutchinson -'Will try not too'

Scene 2

Security Guard 4 - Domanic Saint - 'Oi'

Security Guard 3 - Max Hutchinson - 'You're screwed'

Preliminary Task Storyboard

These are the story boards that we originally created to give ourselves something to aim for, our overall video ended up being very similar which also shows good planning.

 

 

 

 

Leon Analysis

 

Leon is a thriller that is based on an a professional assassin (played by Jean Leno), who saves Matilda, (played by Natalie Portman), who's parents were killed in a police raid. It was directed by Luc Besson in 1994 and is based around crime and drugs.

The opening scene immediately shows us the location of the movie, this being very conventional to a thriller as it is part of everyday life in a built up city, this is shown by a tracking shot and a point of view shot helps us become a part of the movie and immediately interact with the scene.

The next scene is a very dark scene which uses many extreme close ups, this being unconventional of a thriller. The characters identity is hidden in the darkness and by the fact that he is wearing glasses, this also suggests that he may have little or no emotion.  The whole scene creates mystery and almost tells us that this is going to be a conventional thriller as it is indicated that he is going to kill somebody, however you are not told why which keeps the audience at a third person perspective on the plot.

In the next scene Leon takes one of the guards hostage and uses him as a means of communication to the targeted man. As an informer goes on to radio with the targeted man (fat man) to warn him of what is about to happen, Leon shows up whilst the man is on the radio and has a pleasant surprise when Leon puts a gun to his mouth. Leon approaches with no sound and kills cold heartedly showing he has no emotion, and most concerned about getting the job done. Due to his lack of emotion it informs the viewer that he may have done this before and this is not the first person he has killed. A large amount of blood is splattered when Leon kills him but yet he remains unfazed. We then cut to a shot of the fat man, after hearing the gun shot on the end of the phone, looking extremely worried and anxious. They have used this straight cut to create emotion and show the contrast between that and the calmness of Leon's killing.  As the viewer we then see a sense of urgency from the fat man, attempting to multi task.

They have used a  close shot of the elevator which helps build tension as he reaches each floor, the cuts in the shots are becoming more frequent, much like in a conventional thriller. Leon then tricks the body guards with a witty and almost humorous gesture. He sends the body up in the lift as he knows people will be waiting for him at the top, this is very quick thinking and shows he has experience in this line of work.

 

As the audience we are recognising that Leon is barely seen in all of the scenes, this is unconventional of a thriller but we know he is out there somewhere but may struggle to relate to him. Another good thing about this scene is that we are made to jump each time Leon kills somebody. The diegetic sound is of a heartbeat, getting louder and faster to build tension as Leon gets closer, then the music completely stops then Leon is behind the drug dealer, even when Leon comes into shot he is still very hidden, can only see what you have already seen. The props used are mainly guns and drugs, the fact they aren’t little guns makes you feel like it is a very serious matter and they want to get rid of him as soon as possible. This is reinforced when the main drug dealer goes back for more guns, the shots are straight curs to keep the tension high and make us feel uneasy, the deep breathes of the drug dealer helps us show how unfit or scared he is.

Leon’s movement suggests he is a very edgy character; he moves very slowly and slightly glides to places, as If he is a ghostly character. His character is unconventional as he is very open about his life, he goes on public transport and then you see him buying milk. This would not be exciting enough for some thrillers but it almost fits this one to show the personality of Leon.

Mise-en-scene in Leon

Guns	As he takes off his jacket you see all the guns attached around his waist, this hints that he is a very wanted man because he feels he is always in need of guns for protection. Also can represent how he might have messed with the wrong people and got himself into trouble.
Plant	The plant is a large contrast to his normal nature, the use of the plant symbolizes life, how he treats it with such care and affection, however, his job is to take life. His plant his placed in centre of the hallway, this is so when he walks in it is the first thing he sees and when he walks out it is the last thing he sees.
Picture of God	He lays his gun down on the table right next to a picture of God, the picture of God could indicate he is a religious man, however I feel it is set to confuse the audience, how he can be a religious man, yet still kill people.
Clock	Sounds like it ticks to a different beat than real time; might show how he is always one step ahead and in his own time zone when he is on his own.
Sister	Mathilda’s sister is first seen to be working out, which shows she cares about what she looks like compared to her mother.
Mothers Clothing	Mathilda’s mother is introduced as a very under dressed lady, this could indicate what she does for a living, also shows how poor the family are as she needs to sell her body for money.
Glasses	He seems to be wearing sunglasses everywhere unless he is in his house, this could be to hide his identity.
Lighting	Throughout these scenes it is very natural lighting, giving you the sense of realism and time of day.
Milk	He seems to only drink milk, this could show that he might miss his childhood, which then brings out a sense of insecurity. As milk is white and white symbolizes purity, it could be trying to tell you he is pure inside.