Possible Camera Shots/Angles

Some camera shots and angles are quite difficult to do when you don't have the advanced equipment so with basic equipment for A Level, these are the possible rang or camera angles or shots we can use with a standard camera and tripod.

Close Up: 
This is often used on objects of significance to the narrative to show that is has an importance to a certain story, could be a book of some kind or a letter (if it is done with a close up the audience can read the words and then understand). If it is used as a facial close up, it can focus on emotion of characters and this will intensify how the audience feel towards certain people.

Establishing Shot: 
This is a simple shot often outside, that indicates where action will take place, so if it is outside a shop then before the action in the shop happens to open up the scene there will be an establishing shot of the shops name/logo.

Low Angle Shot: 
The camera will be placed below the actor looking up on them, this can make an object, person or building seem a lot larger than it actually is, this has the effect of letting the audience know how powerful, intimidating, strong or imposing the certain thing is.

High Angle Shot:

Taken from above a person, object or anything else to make it look less significance, often represents withering authority and can draw attention to the setting and shows importance of the environment that surrounds the insignificant object.

Wide Angle Shot:

Showing a wider view of a scene, this allows people to take in a setting and things in the setting usually have some representation towards the narrative, the wide angle shot means more characters can be involved in one and it often shows people as a team.

Framing Shot:

Using a piece of set or scenery to frame a shot, corridors, windows, doors and many other things can be used to frame and if things like this aren't used then the scenery will often surround a certain object to frame it, this shows significance and individuality of either a person or an object.

Point of View Shot:

The camera shot is set as if through the eyes of the protagonist or character, it follows movement of a person and it see's things as if being looked at from someone eyes, this establishes what they are seeing and when it is switched to the next shot as a close up showing the reaction, we can then understand why they react in such a way.

Two-Shot:

When the camera involves two people in a shot. This doesn't really add an effect it just allows the audience to see two people and what they are doing and if there is a contrast or similarity between then each character can emphasise the opposite characters look or being.

Amelia and myself had some spare time, with this spare time we thought we could do something useful and create a video of us experimenting with the camera shots and angles. We used parts of the school to create them all and I feel that it really helped me to learn and understand the techniques properly. This should help us with our final task and if i need reminding, i can watch this video back and refresh my memory.

Sound

There are a number of sound key terms used in filming, some are involved in filming others are added in during the editing process.

Diegetic

Sound that exists within the world of film.

Non-diegetic

Sound that emerges from outside the world of TV, for example: fiml sound tracks.

Selective Sound

Emphasises key sound elements within a sequence.

Ambient Sound

Sound or Music used to create a particular atmosphere or a sense of place.

Synchronous

Sound caused by some event on the screen-this means the sound matches the action.

Asynchronous

Sound that is seperate from the visuals, such as a voice over or dialogue from another scene.

Sound Bridges

The use of sound to help transitions between sequences pass more fluidly, for example: the editor may cut to a completely new scene, but allow sound from the preceding scene to run for a short time. Alternativelty, we may hear the sound of the next scene before we see it.

Sound Effects

Sound created and placed within a scene or emphasised.

Music

This can be diegetic or non diegetic - it creates a more intense atmosphere for the audience.

Beginning to think of ideas

+Because time is going quickly i thought it was time to begin to think of ideas such as locations and themes.

Location:

- Church, this would be a typically scary setting because it relates to funerals and perhaps spirits and typical things like that, they are old buildings and are often very creepy at night.

- Cemetery, this is also an obvious setting for something scary because of the atmosphere and gravestones representing death, they are scary in the daytime as well as the night time and often they are used in films or television programmes and they represent and hint that bad things are going to happen.

- Lake/Lock/River, at night these places are extremely isolated, rivers and locks can often be places where horrible things happen. Bodies are often found at the bottom of such places and there is a definite sense of danger around these sort of places, especially in winter months.

- Forest/Woods, Obviously these places are extremely creepy because when you are in a woods anything could be hiding in, over, around or underneath you and they are quite untouched places. Harry Potter is a good example of a scary forest setting and when it is dark you definitely need a torch to see where you are going.

- Shops, these aren't typically scary or thrilling but if a good storyline was put along side it, then that would make it more interesting because people would be less likely knowing what to expect and it would be an original idea.

- House, when people are home alone often people get scared easily. The feeling of vulnerability in your own home is actually extremely common, but yet again it is quite different to the typical scary setting - it doesn't give anything away. 

- Train Station, trains are fast moving and always active and a lot of the time they are used in films when people are escaping or doing anything to do with thrilling action. It would be a good place to film something scary too because it is less typical, apart from when people find trains an easy way to commit suicide... it isn't typically a place for bad things to happen.

Filming Techniques

In class we were taught some common filming techniques, i looked for some examples on line and put them together here, it has increased my understanding of each three basic rules/techniques.

180 ° Rule

 - This is the term given to the basic film making rule that stops the audience getting confused about the action that is taking place.
- There is a strict line set that the camera must stay on, it should stay on the left or right point of view and it is only able to move within 180°.
- The only way you can exit the 180° boundary is by keeping the camera on and filming the movement so the audience can see where it is being moved to and will not get confused.


This is a good example of the 180° rule being BROKEN


Shot Reverse Shot

 - This is the main filming technique that shows a dialogue sequence where the shots cut between the two speakers showing each persons point of view.
- This is used to show reactions and emotions of each character during conversation, it intensifies the audiences perspective on certain dialogue and helps the audience feel how one character or the other is feeling during conversation.


Here is an extract of a film that includes a lot of Shot Reverse Shot 

Match on Action

 - This is the term given to continuity filming where action takes place in the first shot and is completed in the second.

- For example: in a library scene, shot A might be a medium shot of someone walking in and choosing a book; Shot B would then be a close up of the book being read. (Match on action MUST flow from shot A to shot B)

Here is an example of the Match on Action