2. Preliminary task
Our preliminary brief was: Continuity task
involving filming and editing a character
opening a door, crossing a room and sitting
down in a chair opposite another character,
with whom she/ he then exchanges a
couple of lines of dialogue. This task
should demonstrate match on action, shot/
reverse and the 180o rule.
Our main task was: the titles and opening
of a new fiction film, to last a maximum of
two minutes.
3.
4. In the preliminary task I learnt what the 180o rules
was, how it helps promote realism in films, and
how to use it. The 180o rule means that an
imaginary line (axis) connects the characters,
and the camera cannot cross this axis
(otherwise you’d be crossing the line and the
characters would swap sides). In the
preliminary task we used the 180o rule, when
the characters are talking Belle remains on the
left.
5. We used the 180o rule in our main task, none
of the scenes crossed the line. In the party
scene Archer and the two girls remain on
the left while the sister remains on the
right. If we crossed the axis we wouldn’t
promote realism, and the film wouldn’t
appear to be filmed in a continuity style.
We never showed
his side of the room
6. I also learnt what match on action is, how it
helps promote realism in films, and how to
use it. Match on action is an editing
technique that’s used in editing to show the
action of the first shot. It created a sense of
continuity. In our preliminary exercise we
used match on action when Belle enters
the room. We filmed the door opening and
Belle entering the room on the other side.
7. We used shot reverse shot in our main
task. We used a very similar shot in our
main task, we shot Archer opening a
door and cut to him on the other side.
Our entire task is filmed in a continuity
style, with each scene happening in
chronological order. Match on action
allowed us to smoothly transition from
cut to cut.
8. I learnt what shot- reverse shot is, it helps
promote realism in films, and how to use
it. Shot-reverse shot is a type of
continuity editing that’s used in
conversations. There’s one shot of a
character, followed by a reverse shot of
the other character looking back. In the
preliminary task we used shot-reverse
shot in the conversation between Belle
and the other girl; this was used to show
they were talking together.
9. We used shot reverse shot again in the
main task, when Archer’s sister gives
Archer the gift . We used it to show they
were talking to each other, and to
promote realism. In this scene we didn’t
show Archer’s sisters face because
Archer expression was more important.
We used a close up of archer then a
shot of him from his sisters shoulder.
10. I got a lot better at filming in the main task, as I
was a subject in the preliminary, and only got
to film little sections. I have got a lot better at
shot reverse shot, and can film entire
conversations and work out when I want a
close up of a character. I also got a lot better
at deciding where the axis is where filming, so
I know not to pass it.
We used very similar methods in our film to our
preliminary task, and seemed do some similar
scenes (the door closing). Though we did
change the shot reverse shot scenes because
we felt Archers expressions about the gift and
conversation was more important that the
other persons face.
