Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Monday, 28 November 2016
Main task
Plot
A high profile celebrity is being held hostage and is tied up whilst the terrorist talks on the phone to the negotiator whilst making threats to the hostage in order to convince the negotiator to increase his offer from £250,000 to £500,000. The negotiators reluctance to increase the price causes the terrorist to become paranoid and belligerent
The setting will preferably be a small room with dim lighting. props such as rope and a weapon would also be appropriate.
The developing shot will show the hostage tied up whilst the terrorist paces up and down whilst furiously conversing over the phone with the negotiator. The camera shots will switch between the hostage situation and the negotiator and his team discussing what to do and debating whether or not to ambush the robber
The role of the terrorist will have to be played with a lot of emotion and anger in order to create the suspense the movie is intended to have and they also will have to constantly pose the threat of executing the hostage.
There will also be a back and forth conversation between the hostage and the terrorist which consists of the hostage pleading for his life.
The terrorist will then receive a call from his getaway driver prompting him to come as the police look as if they're going to ambush him and and so the terrorist uses the hostage as a human shield
Evaluation
My aim was to create a suspenseful film and by implementing a wide range of camera shots, angles and an intense dialogue. I chose this film as i felt it played into its genre the best in comparison to other ideas and also seemed the most realistic film which we could make due to the mis en scene. The prop list is neither expensive or complicated which will make the production of the movie much easier in comparison to the other ideas.
Also in comparison to our idea 'Heist Bank', this movie was much more practical in terms of the casting as this movie required one of the characters to have a height deficiency in comparison to hostage which set no specific requirements.
The feedback which my film idea received prompted me to make the mis en scene more realistic.
After a group discussion the final decision was to create the movie Young Goons as we all agreed that it had the most intriguing story line and would be more feasible than other scripts. I also was enticed by the script which is embedded below.
Young goons script (Ollie)
Heist bank storyboard
PLOT
An unexpected combination of people plan a bank heist in their local pub. Ash is a woman that has a regular body build with sharp facial features. "One bullet" Bobby has an over fat body build and is generally seen with a beer in his hand with a cigarette. Clive is Chinese and has a very short body build affected by dwarfism and carries a banana is his pocket with a hammer tied on his belt. The pub is a generally hostile setting with the people inside giving glares and uncomfortable look. The plot is that all 3 men are in debt to a leading drug and arms dealer since they have also stolen from him. However the drug dealer let them off instead of murdering them and instead demanded them to rob a bank if they can rob from a drug and arms dealer.
HOSTAGE storyboard (Kundai)
Young dons storyboard
Chase storyboard (Annabel)
Plot
A high profile celebrity is being held hostage and is tied up whilst the terrorist talks on the phone to the negotiator whilst making threats to the hostage in order to convince the negotiator to increase his offer from £250,000 to £500,000. The negotiators reluctance to increase the price causes the terrorist to become paranoid and belligerent
The setting will preferably be a small room with dim lighting. props such as rope and a weapon would also be appropriate.
The developing shot will show the hostage tied up whilst the terrorist paces up and down whilst furiously conversing over the phone with the negotiator. The camera shots will switch between the hostage situation and the negotiator and his team discussing what to do and debating whether or not to ambush the robber
The role of the terrorist will have to be played with a lot of emotion and anger in order to create the suspense the movie is intended to have and they also will have to constantly pose the threat of executing the hostage.
There will also be a back and forth conversation between the hostage and the terrorist which consists of the hostage pleading for his life.
The terrorist will then receive a call from his getaway driver prompting him to come as the police look as if they're going to ambush him and and so the terrorist uses the hostage as a human shield
Evaluation
My aim was to create a suspenseful film and by implementing a wide range of camera shots, angles and an intense dialogue. I chose this film as i felt it played into its genre the best in comparison to other ideas and also seemed the most realistic film which we could make due to the mis en scene. The prop list is neither expensive or complicated which will make the production of the movie much easier in comparison to the other ideas.
Also in comparison to our idea 'Heist Bank', this movie was much more practical in terms of the casting as this movie required one of the characters to have a height deficiency in comparison to hostage which set no specific requirements.
The feedback which my film idea received prompted me to make the mis en scene more realistic.
After a group discussion the final decision was to create the movie Young Goons as we all agreed that it had the most intriguing story line and would be more feasible than other scripts. I also was enticed by the script which is embedded below.
Young goons script (Ollie)
LOUIS
Hey Bobby
BOBBY
Hey Louis how ya doin?
LOUIS
I'm good, the boss in there?
BOBBY
Yeah he'll see ya shortly.
*muffled argument*
CRIME LORD
*Karen I’ve had it with your crap, now get outta’ my* face before I get you outta’ my face.
LOUIS
You called me boss?
CRIME LORD
(distracted) what? Yeah, Sorry you had to hear that Louis, come in, take a seat son, take a seat. I called you cause I need a job doin’.
LOUIS Well I got a lot on my hands boss with bringing in the shipment and all’.
CRIME LORD
Sorry Louis, I must ‘ave implied you’ve got a choice in the matter. I need this job done.
LOUIS
Boss…
CRIME LORD
Now you listen here Louis, I ain’t got time for your sob story! There’s this guy out there, a detective, he keeps shutting down our warehouses and stopping our weapons supply. As of yet he has no evidence that links these weapons with me but…
LOUIS
So…
CRIME LORD
BUT, and it’s a big but so you better be listening Louis, he’s getting very close. SO what I need from you is to persuade him a little.
LOUIS
What do you want me to do then?
CRIME LORD
His wife’s recently had a kid she's still in hospital. Give ‘em a little present on my behalf; you know to welcome the kid to the world.
LOUIS
Have you tried talkin’?
CRIME LORD
Yeah we have but he’s persistent. You know I wouldn’t be askin’ ya if there were any other way. He threatens the whole operation everything. You’re freedom, my freedom, our freedom. Your all like sons to me, that makes us family and family comes first.
LOUIS
What do you want me to do when it’s done?
CRIME LORD
Nothin’ the paper will speak for itself.
LOUIS Exits
CRIME LORD
Bobby, get in here.
BOBBY
Yeah, boss?
CRIME LORD
Keep an eye on young Louis aight? I’m not sure he understands the responsibility he has to this family.
Heist bank storyboard
PLOT
An unexpected combination of people plan a bank heist in their local pub. Ash is a woman that has a regular body build with sharp facial features. "One bullet" Bobby has an over fat body build and is generally seen with a beer in his hand with a cigarette. Clive is Chinese and has a very short body build affected by dwarfism and carries a banana is his pocket with a hammer tied on his belt. The pub is a generally hostile setting with the people inside giving glares and uncomfortable look. The plot is that all 3 men are in debt to a leading drug and arms dealer since they have also stolen from him. However the drug dealer let them off instead of murdering them and instead demanded them to rob a bank if they can rob from a drug and arms dealer.
HOSTAGE storyboard (Kundai)
 |
Young dons storyboard
LOUIS
Hey Bobby
BOBBY
Hey Louis how ya doin?
LOUIS
I'm good, the boss in there?
BOBBY
Yeah he'll see ya shortly.
*muffled argument*
CRIME LORD
*Karen I’ve had it with your crap, now get outta’ my* face before I get you outta’ my face.
LOUIS
You called me boss?
CRIME LORD
(distracted) what? Yeah, Sorry you had to hear that Louis, come in, take a seat son, take a seat. I called you cause I need a job doin’.
LOUIS Well I got a lot on my hands boss with bringing in the shipment and all’.
CRIME LORD
Sorry Louis, I must ‘ave implied you’ve got a choice in the matter. I need this job done.
LOUIS
Boss…
CRIME LORD
Now you listen here Louis, I ain’t got time for your sob story! There’s this guy out there, a detective, he keeps shutting down our warehouses and stopping our weapons supply. As of yet he has no evidence that links these weapons with me but…
LOUIS
So…
CRIME LORD
BUT, and it’s a big but so you better be listening Louis, he’s getting very close. SO what I need from you is to persuade him a little.
LOUIS
What do you want me to do then?
CRIME LORD
His wife’s recently had a kid she's still in hospital. Give ‘em a little present on my behalf; you know to welcome the kid to the world.
LOUIS
Have you tried talkin’?
CRIME LORD
Yeah we have but he’s persistent. You know I wouldn’t be askin’ ya if there were any other way. He threatens the whole operation everything. You’re freedom, my freedom, our freedom. Your all like sons to me, that makes us family and family comes first.
LOUIS
What do you want me to do when it’s done?
CRIME LORD
Nothin’ the paper will speak for itself.
LOUIS Exits
CRIME LORD
Bobby, get in here.
BOBBY
Yeah, boss?
CRIME LORD
Keep an eye on young Louis aight? I’m not sure he understands the responsibility he has to this family.
Chase storyboard (Annabel)
Plot
Victim is robbed in the alley way by the mugger . The mugger then runs of with his phone, watch and wallet out of the alley way and along the street. The victim looks around and decides to chase after for his belongings.
Running in parks, town centres, roads and pavements the victim eventually catches up with the mugger as he reaches a top floor of the carpark. The victim then approaches the mugger and grabs him by the throat, shouting.
There's then a struggle, resulting in the mugger falling over the edge of the carpark. The victim takes a look over the edge and is shocked it to see the body slumped on the ground below. In a panic the victim runs off
Wednesday, 2 November 2016
Downton Abbey Essay
Class
and status
In the British drama series ‘Downton Abbey’ which shows the life of an extremely wealthy family in the Georgian era, a time where classism was prevalent and there was still high tension between the upper and lower class; being prior to world war 1 in which the divide between rich and poor was narrowed as the two classes united in service. However, being prior to ww1, there was still a strong sense of the importance of class and status in society
In Downtown Abbey, the viewer is constantly reminded of the divide between rich and poor throughout, be it using the accents of the actors or even more intricate details such as the panning of the camera when showing different people of different classes.
Sound
From the onset of the clip, the elegant sound of an orchestra playing classical music is befitting to the setting of the extravagant house of the Crawley family. This sets the tone of the programme early and reminds the viewer that, this is not the average British family in 1920, but an upper class and wealthy family as back in the Georgian era music was a luxury enjoyed by the rich exclusively.
As the film then transitions to the servants having lunch, the soundtrack of classical music fades and is drowned out by the loud hurry burry of the servants, as they frantically shout orders at one another as they go about their errands. This shows class and status as the viewer is shown that such a luxury only exists in the life of the Crawley family as the servant couldn’t afford such luxury.
Around the midpoint of the clip, several bells repeatedly being rang to summon the maids show the animalistic way in which they are treated, not even being called by name but by a bell like livestock. The number of the bells also shows the large number of servants under the Crawley families payroll which again is a symbol of the wealth and privilege the family have.
The servants can be heard speaking in northern accents, which plays into the stereotype of the lower class people living in places such as Liverpool where the cost of living is significantly lower than places such as Surrey, Oxfordshire, London where you are more likely to find wealthy people as they can afford to live in such areas.
Mis En Scene
In Downton abbey, the elements of mis en scene are where the differences between rich and poor are visible. In the show the upper class live in a large, well built, pristine house with extravagant and luxurious decorations and furniture such as the gigantic painting inside the manor similar to those made of members of the royal family, whilst the servants live in filthy makeshift housing with poorly nailed together wooden planks which look unstable.
The use of costume in Downton Abbey is also key to the theme of class and status. For example, the women of the Crawley family are shown in beautiful exquisite garments complimented by various expensive jewellery. However amongst all the female servants, not one piece of jewellery can be seen and instead of exquisite garment they are dressed in plain, dirty rags.
Historically, clothing has always been a main symbol of wealth and in Downton Abbey the director have also used clothing for the viewer to be able to distinguish between the wealthy and poor.
In the wide shot at the round table, the unimpressive attires of the servants are first shown after switching from a scene showing an upperclass man wearing an expensive suit which shows the strong contrast between the two
Camera
Throughout the programme, the camera is fast panning and uses several cross cuts to represent the fast paced, busy life of the subservient class as they tend to the needs of the upper class in a hurry. The pace of the shots is reduced when showing the life of the upper class to show the leisurely pace at which they go about their life as they can afford to live as such.
Inside the mansion, the camera switches angles much less frequently so the audience bask in the luxury and wealth and also to represent the relaxed life of the upper class in comparison to the lower class who must work day by to make ends meet.
Editing
The majority of the scenes which include the servants are shot between wide shot and mid shot to show the activities of the servants, as their scenes tend to be fast moving and includes multiple subjects as the servants work in teams.
When the Crawley family are first shown, a longshot is used to show the size of the mansion and also the numerous expensive decorations which are symbols of the families wealth. The camera then moves into a close up shot, to show the well-groomed and smart look of the Crawleys which portrays them as intelligent and respected, however the tattered dirty look of the servants portrays them as unintelligent and not respected which was typical of the medias portrayal of the working class.
In the British drama series ‘Downton Abbey’ which shows the life of an extremely wealthy family in the Georgian era, a time where classism was prevalent and there was still high tension between the upper and lower class; being prior to world war 1 in which the divide between rich and poor was narrowed as the two classes united in service. However, being prior to ww1, there was still a strong sense of the importance of class and status in society
In Downtown Abbey, the viewer is constantly reminded of the divide between rich and poor throughout, be it using the accents of the actors or even more intricate details such as the panning of the camera when showing different people of different classes.
Sound
From the onset of the clip, the elegant sound of an orchestra playing classical music is befitting to the setting of the extravagant house of the Crawley family. This sets the tone of the programme early and reminds the viewer that, this is not the average British family in 1920, but an upper class and wealthy family as back in the Georgian era music was a luxury enjoyed by the rich exclusively.
As the film then transitions to the servants having lunch, the soundtrack of classical music fades and is drowned out by the loud hurry burry of the servants, as they frantically shout orders at one another as they go about their errands. This shows class and status as the viewer is shown that such a luxury only exists in the life of the Crawley family as the servant couldn’t afford such luxury.
Around the midpoint of the clip, several bells repeatedly being rang to summon the maids show the animalistic way in which they are treated, not even being called by name but by a bell like livestock. The number of the bells also shows the large number of servants under the Crawley families payroll which again is a symbol of the wealth and privilege the family have.
The servants can be heard speaking in northern accents, which plays into the stereotype of the lower class people living in places such as Liverpool where the cost of living is significantly lower than places such as Surrey, Oxfordshire, London where you are more likely to find wealthy people as they can afford to live in such areas.
Mis En Scene
In Downton abbey, the elements of mis en scene are where the differences between rich and poor are visible. In the show the upper class live in a large, well built, pristine house with extravagant and luxurious decorations and furniture such as the gigantic painting inside the manor similar to those made of members of the royal family, whilst the servants live in filthy makeshift housing with poorly nailed together wooden planks which look unstable.
The use of costume in Downton Abbey is also key to the theme of class and status. For example, the women of the Crawley family are shown in beautiful exquisite garments complimented by various expensive jewellery. However amongst all the female servants, not one piece of jewellery can be seen and instead of exquisite garment they are dressed in plain, dirty rags.
Historically, clothing has always been a main symbol of wealth and in Downton Abbey the director have also used clothing for the viewer to be able to distinguish between the wealthy and poor.
In the wide shot at the round table, the unimpressive attires of the servants are first shown after switching from a scene showing an upperclass man wearing an expensive suit which shows the strong contrast between the two
Camera
Throughout the programme, the camera is fast panning and uses several cross cuts to represent the fast paced, busy life of the subservient class as they tend to the needs of the upper class in a hurry. The pace of the shots is reduced when showing the life of the upper class to show the leisurely pace at which they go about their life as they can afford to live as such.
Inside the mansion, the camera switches angles much less frequently so the audience bask in the luxury and wealth and also to represent the relaxed life of the upper class in comparison to the lower class who must work day by to make ends meet.
Editing
The majority of the scenes which include the servants are shot between wide shot and mid shot to show the activities of the servants, as their scenes tend to be fast moving and includes multiple subjects as the servants work in teams.
When the Crawley family are first shown, a longshot is used to show the size of the mansion and also the numerous expensive decorations which are symbols of the families wealth. The camera then moves into a close up shot, to show the well-groomed and smart look of the Crawleys which portrays them as intelligent and respected, however the tattered dirty look of the servants portrays them as unintelligent and not respected which was typical of the medias portrayal of the working class.
Shameless essay
In the BBC tv series shameless, we are taken into the home of a dysfunctional Manchester family which is the epitome of the stereotypical 'underclass' portrayed by media outlets such as the sun which has contributed to the classism beliefs which are instilled into British society.
Camera
The use of particularly close range camera angles is used to draw attention to the specific themes and social undertones of the show. Whether it be the use of a close shot to highlight the drinking culture of the underclass family or the ECU shot used in the introduction to show the wild and uncivilised mannerism of the youngest child, which plays into the stereotype of lower class people having little sense or self control. (Lawler)
The show has very fast panning camera shots to represent the fast paced, stressful life of a lower class family as they struggle to make ends meet and find solutions to their many problems.
The distance of the shots throughout the clip generally ranges between ECU and medium shot with a few long shots during the establishing shot to show setting.
The camera angles throughout are relatively high which may suggest that the lower class are to be looked down upon and judged rather than to be looked at as equal and learned from as fellow human beings. Often when members of the upperclass are shown on tv, a low camera angle is used so that the audience must look up in awe at the subjects being shown.
The use of match on action also provides a sense of setting and allows the audience to gain more insight into the local community and the living conditions as you can see from the pub exit scene
In shameless, the director makes the financial situation of the family evident from the dirty, raggedy appearance of their clothing. The father has an unkempt and greasy hairstyle complimented by his baggy and creased attire which makes it clear to viewers that he is a part of the underclass. This also plays into the stereotypical portrayal of poor people being unpresentable and unconcerned with their appearance.
The younger children can be seen in 'chav' like baggy tracksuits with skinheads which is typical of lower class culture in places like Manchester and Liverpool
In shameless, setting is used to reveal the lifestyle of the underclass family. The drinking culture stereotype is maintained as the father can be seen spending his time in the pub 'drinking his sorrows away' rather than making any attempt to better his life. This portrays the underclass as unambitious and content with their situations which is often far from the case.. This type of media portrayal was noted by Butsch who believed that the media tend to show the working class as flawed individuals in an attempt to villainise the lower class by the upper class. This has been proven by Lawlers (2005) theory as the under class are often described using derogatory terms such as chavs and in this tv show the characters have been created around these terms such as chav or N.E.E.T (Newman) not in employment education or training
Sound
In the opening scene the unpleasant sound of an off key flute being played over a reggae piano chord progression can be heard as the family are introduced. This is another symbol of their low social status as the reggae music genre is generally associated with the lower class and has a negative stigma attached to it due to it stemming from a minority group within the uk.
Throughout there is a constant use of colloquialisms and foul language which portrays them as uneducated people and is another stereotype of the lower class as Newman explains that the lower class are often likened to buffoons who are incapable of acting proper and this is evident in Shameless
Throughout the film there isn't much music or non diegetic sound, which creates a realistic yet stale feel to the life of the family and may represent the hard knock life that they have to live.
In the pub Frank can be heard having a discussion with his alleged son regarding whether or not he is the biological father and despite the boy having scientific evidence that he cannot be his father due to his blood type and is reluctantly convinced by Frank that he is infact his father who quotes . This simultaneously plays into the benefit scam stereotype of the underclass and N.E.E.T.S (newman) and shows the low intelligence of Frank and his supposed 'family'
Editing
There is a frequent use of match on action throughout the clip which allows the audience to see the poor council estate environment in which the family live in. As government funded housing is synonymous the lower
The majority of the footage is shot in the medium shot range which allows the audience to pick up on the stereotypes and the mis en scene where all the signs of the families poverty are shown, from clothing to the rancid messy aesthetic of the house in which they are living in.
The fast paced camera transitions of the film represents the chaotic atmosphere of their daily lives as living in poverty rarely allows leisure. The use of short take recording represents this well also.
In conclusion, the portrayal of the underclass in shameless is extremely hurtful to the image of those people who are of the same financial status who may be ambitious and educated. In shameless there is a lot of generalisation of lower class people and they all seem to share the same undesirable features. This creates an image of all lower class people being lazy and content with living off of government aid. This is a part of the agenda of tabloids such as the sun to villainize the underclass which instills classist mindset into the working and upper class people of Britain
Auxillary equipment
Track and dolly:
A camera dolly is a wheeled cart or similar device used in filmmaking and television production to create smooth horizontal camera movements. The camera is mounted to the dolly and the camera operator and focus puller or camera assistant usually ride on the dolly to push the dolly back and forth. The camera dolly is generally used to produce images which involve moving the camera toward or away from a subject while the camera is moving, a technique known as a "dolly shot."
An advantage of using a track and dolly is that the footage has a smooth and realistic appearance in comparison to a hand held zoom
A disadvantage of using a track and dolly is that there must be tracks for the dolly to run across which may not be possible to use on uneven surfaces.
Another disadvantage is that dolly cams can take much longer to set up, which may make using a hand held seem more appealing for time purposes .
Steadicam
 |
An advantage of using a track and dolly is that the footage has a smooth and realistic appearance in comparison to a hand held zoom
A disadvantage of using a track and dolly is that there must be tracks for the dolly to run across which may not be possible to use on uneven surfaces.
Another disadvantage is that dolly cams can take much longer to set up, which may make using a hand held seem more appealing for time purposes .
Steadicam
 |
| Steadicam is a brand of camera stabilizer mount for motion picture cameras that mechanically isolates it from the operator's movement. It allows for a smooth shot, even when moving quickly over an uneven surface. An advantage of the steady cam is that it is able to be operated on an uneven surface yet still produce smooth footage as if it were shot on an even surface. Another advantage is that steadicams are portable since they are small enough to be held by hand . A disadvantage of steadicam is that they must be held by a person at all times which may make filming for prolonged periods of time problematic. |
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