What film genre have you chosen and why?
- We have chosen to make an opening sequence to a musical drama film. This is because we believe we can make a good sequence and really hook the audience into the film. This genre will also be different to everyone else's in the class and stand out from the other films.
What genre conventions have you identified and how might you use and adapt them?
- We have identified that all dance films have music and dance in them, obviously. We will use this by including many dance styles and there will be different music played. Some other conventions we have noticed is the costumes used. The typical costumes are hoodies, tracksuits, trainers, combats, etc. We will use these costume conventions as we will wear hoodies and trainers, but we may break them by wearing jeans and other clothing. There are also typical location conventions that we will stick to. These include parks, halls, clubs and venues with stages for the final 'big battle'. One of the main conventions we will adapt is the ending. The typical convention is that the two main characters, generally one male & one female, get together as a couple. We are not going to do this as we feel it is too 'cliche'.
How have key texts in the genre influenced your initial ideas for your opening sequence?
- To research the dance genre, I watched opening sequences to existing dance films. These different opening sequences all helped and influenced our opening sequence because I saw that every film uses different conventions. Some of the films start at the end and work backwards. Some start in the training hall whilst others start in clubs and dance shows. These all helped us to decide we are going to start with little snippets of the ending, where they are in a big dance competition, and work backwards revealing the story of how the characters got to where they are.
What themes and ideas from the genre will you use in your opening sequence and why?
- We will use the idea that each individual character has a bad background and they all have their own reasons for going into dance. These charcters will get through the rough times in their life by taking it out in the dance performances and by using dance as a distraction. The characters, even when dacning, will show their bad sides by stabbing each other in the back, but they will all come together as one unit to be the strongest dance company they can be...
How has your genre research informed your treatment development?
- The research helped us to develop out treatment as we found out exactly what goes on in the openings. We used this to decide on how we are going to lay out the opening sequence to our film. The research helped the treament as we could decide what two films to base our's on and what conventnions we can use from these two films.
Monday, 29 November 2010
Treatment Feedback - SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
- We changed the conventions of the musical drama genre as the characters are all dancing for themselves not for the group like in most other dance movies. They will be stabbing each other in the back in order to achieve their dream.
- We researched the musical drama genre well.
Weaknesses:
- It could run the risk of looking like a trailer if we aren't careful in filming and editing.
- There are some conventions we still need to look at and include in our research.
Opportunities:
- We can use various different locations to film this opening sequence.
- We can use lots of shot types, and shot angles.
Threats:
- It might end up looking like a trailer.
- It could be too dark and cold to film some of the scenes, e.g the park scenes.
- We changed the conventions of the musical drama genre as the characters are all dancing for themselves not for the group like in most other dance movies. They will be stabbing each other in the back in order to achieve their dream.
- We researched the musical drama genre well.
Weaknesses:
- It could run the risk of looking like a trailer if we aren't careful in filming and editing.
- There are some conventions we still need to look at and include in our research.
Opportunities:
- We can use various different locations to film this opening sequence.
- We can use lots of shot types, and shot angles.
Threats:
- It might end up looking like a trailer.
- It could be too dark and cold to film some of the scenes, e.g the park scenes.
Sunday, 28 November 2010
Treatment Presentation Feedback
The feedback we received was that the idea of our opening sequence of starting at the end and showing the build up to that is a good opening sequence that will hook the audience. We were also told that we researched the genre of musical drama well as we knew everything we were asked about it.
To improve it, we were told that we should make all the characters be seen separately and show their backgrounds. This will make the opening sequence stronger. We were told the characters should all have their own problems and stab each other in the back to get to where they want to be as dancers.
To further our opening sequence and main task, we will do some more genre research to get a better understanding of the dance film industry. We will also start to plan our opening sequence out (the camera, the locations of where to film, the order of events) and start to plan the voice over’s and effects we will use in the opening sequence.
To improve it, we were told that we should make all the characters be seen separately and show their backgrounds. This will make the opening sequence stronger. We were told the characters should all have their own problems and stab each other in the back to get to where they want to be as dancers.
To further our opening sequence and main task, we will do some more genre research to get a better understanding of the dance film industry. We will also start to plan our opening sequence out (the camera, the locations of where to film, the order of events) and start to plan the voice over’s and effects we will use in the opening sequence.
Monday, 22 November 2010
Dance Film Conventions Research (For Presentation)
Dance Conventions:
In dance films, there are some obvious conventions. All dance films have to include dancing and they include music. The music is generally modern and up to date. Typically, dance movies have both male and female characters.
Dance films use various locations. Common locations are parks, the street, dance studios / workshops, clubs, dance floors and stages. These setting conventions all show to the audience that it is obviously a dance film.
The costumes are usually street based. These include tracksuits, combats, vests, t-shirts, hoodies and trainers. These dance conventions are based on the fact most dance movies are about street dance. Other dance styles come into it, but the majority of the film is of a street dance.
In most dance films, there are two teams or main characters, one male and one female. These characters meet up in a dance battle. They fight it out and dance against each other. At the end of the films, the two characters come together and fall in love, or the two teams join together to make one stronger force.
We are going to stick to some of these conventions. We are going to include dance and use music. However, we are going to use a mix of new and old songs to stand out. We will use various shooting locations, i.e. parks, halls and maybe a club and Boothroyd Stage. We will probably stick with the same sort of costumes (combats and trainers) but we will include a variety of dance styles. Our film will not stick to the typical romantic love interest at the end.
In dance films, there are some obvious conventions. All dance films have to include dancing and they include music. The music is generally modern and up to date. Typically, dance movies have both male and female characters.
Dance films use various locations. Common locations are parks, the street, dance studios / workshops, clubs, dance floors and stages. These setting conventions all show to the audience that it is obviously a dance film.
The costumes are usually street based. These include tracksuits, combats, vests, t-shirts, hoodies and trainers. These dance conventions are based on the fact most dance movies are about street dance. Other dance styles come into it, but the majority of the film is of a street dance.
In most dance films, there are two teams or main characters, one male and one female. These characters meet up in a dance battle. They fight it out and dance against each other. At the end of the films, the two characters come together and fall in love, or the two teams join together to make one stronger force.
We are going to stick to some of these conventions. We are going to include dance and use music. However, we are going to use a mix of new and old songs to stand out. We will use various shooting locations, i.e. parks, halls and maybe a club and Boothroyd Stage. We will probably stick with the same sort of costumes (combats and trainers) but we will include a variety of dance styles. Our film will not stick to the typical romantic love interest at the end.
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Monday, 15 November 2010
Film Genre Convention Research: Peer Assessment
My idea of an opening sequence for a gangster movie was:
- A man is sitting on his motorbike, on a street, outside a house in America. He has a remote in his hand, but the audience is un-aware as to what this remote does. Another male character leaves a house, gets into his car and begins to drive. Further down the street his car explodes. The scene fades to black as the camera zooms into a close up of the remote; revealing the button has been pressed...
My feedback:
Vikki said:
- That the adaption of using a motorbike instead of the typical car was a good idea. The sequence also stuck to the convenions and the twist of the two characters being linked was good.
- It would be better if I changed the order of shots (shot the button being pressed, then the explosion, then the fade to black).
Andrew said:
- It is a good opening as it sticks to the Gangster Film conventions and the storyline was intersting and makes you want to know what's going on.
- It could be improved by including more characters and explaining them a bit more (who they are and what they do).
Yasemin said:
- It's good as you don't realise the characters are related. It's also good as it is using different ideas to typical gangster films.
- It could be improved by using some different editing techniques, such as slow-motion and transitions.
To improve it, I would re-arrange the shot types by using the image of the button being pressed, then the explosion and then face it to black. As the man walks out of his house, I would use slow-motion to creat effect. I would also try to explain who the characters are a bit more and what they do.
- A man is sitting on his motorbike, on a street, outside a house in America. He has a remote in his hand, but the audience is un-aware as to what this remote does. Another male character leaves a house, gets into his car and begins to drive. Further down the street his car explodes. The scene fades to black as the camera zooms into a close up of the remote; revealing the button has been pressed...
My feedback:
Vikki said:
- That the adaption of using a motorbike instead of the typical car was a good idea. The sequence also stuck to the convenions and the twist of the two characters being linked was good.
- It would be better if I changed the order of shots (shot the button being pressed, then the explosion, then the fade to black).
Andrew said:
- It is a good opening as it sticks to the Gangster Film conventions and the storyline was intersting and makes you want to know what's going on.
- It could be improved by including more characters and explaining them a bit more (who they are and what they do).
Yasemin said:
- It's good as you don't realise the characters are related. It's also good as it is using different ideas to typical gangster films.
- It could be improved by using some different editing techniques, such as slow-motion and transitions.
To improve it, I would re-arrange the shot types by using the image of the button being pressed, then the explosion and then face it to black. As the man walks out of his house, I would use slow-motion to creat effect. I would also try to explain who the characters are a bit more and what they do.
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Representation of Gender in Dalziel & Pascoe's "A Clubbable Woman"
Gender is represented in many different ways throughout this episode. Mise-en-scene is a big area of focus for the representation of gender. Firstly, one of the first scenes is of an all male rugby team. After the game the men then go into a pub for a drink. This instantly shows that the episode will be a male dominated one, as we see men playing rugby then going into the stereotypical ‘male dominated’ pub. Men apparently always go down to the pub and get drunk. This is already creating characteristics and ideas about gender in this episode. Secondly, the whole police force is denoted as male dominated. This connotes that during the time of this episode being set, it was the men who went out and worked, whilst women stayed at home. This is backed up by the scene where the officer returns home to his wife at home cooking a meal. This shows that men are seen as the ‘more important’ gender at the time as they got the higher importance jobs (police) and the women were ‘less important’ housewives.
Camera is also used to represent gender. One of the first key shots is a low-angle shot of a male officer. This connotes that the men are really important and have a high status within society. There is also a shot-reverse-shot of the injured rugby player and his wife. It goes from the man, to the woman; who is sitting at home bored, and then back to his wife. This, again, connotes that the woman has been sitting at home, maybe doing house work, whilst the husband has gone out to have fun and work. Another key shot is when ‘Mrs Evans’ is in the pub. When the shot turns to her, she is surrounded by men all flirting and chatting with her. This connotes that the men ‘pounce’ on any woman they can in the pub. It could also connote that woman vary rarely enter the pub and have a drink.
Sound can also represent gender and stereotypes. One of the first key sound areas is the dialogue between the men at the bar. This shows that the men use ‘slang’ terms and have a laugh with each other; they are talking about girls and sport (stereotypical conversations between men). One line in which one of the characters says is “You know women”. This is said in context when talking about the pub. This connotes that woman don’t go drinking in the pub and that they are boring. There is a twist in the gender representations. Throughout the episode, men are seen as strong characters, but when the man gets injured at rugby, he turns into a weak character. The non-dietetic sound of a heartbeat and a sound track supports this twist that the male character is now a weaker person.
There is a limited amount of editing that can represent gender. One bit of editing is a transition and opening shot of a male police officer banging on a door for entry. This connotes men have a physical strength and are dominant. The scenes (when changing from a male scene to another male scene) the transitions and editing was smooth and effective, but when it switched to a woman scene, the editing was more jumpy / overt.
Overall, Mise-en-scene and the use of camera were the most important areas in which gender was represented in this episode of Dalziel & Pascoe.
Camera is also used to represent gender. One of the first key shots is a low-angle shot of a male officer. This connotes that the men are really important and have a high status within society. There is also a shot-reverse-shot of the injured rugby player and his wife. It goes from the man, to the woman; who is sitting at home bored, and then back to his wife. This, again, connotes that the woman has been sitting at home, maybe doing house work, whilst the husband has gone out to have fun and work. Another key shot is when ‘Mrs Evans’ is in the pub. When the shot turns to her, she is surrounded by men all flirting and chatting with her. This connotes that the men ‘pounce’ on any woman they can in the pub. It could also connote that woman vary rarely enter the pub and have a drink.
Sound can also represent gender and stereotypes. One of the first key sound areas is the dialogue between the men at the bar. This shows that the men use ‘slang’ terms and have a laugh with each other; they are talking about girls and sport (stereotypical conversations between men). One line in which one of the characters says is “You know women”. This is said in context when talking about the pub. This connotes that woman don’t go drinking in the pub and that they are boring. There is a twist in the gender representations. Throughout the episode, men are seen as strong characters, but when the man gets injured at rugby, he turns into a weak character. The non-dietetic sound of a heartbeat and a sound track supports this twist that the male character is now a weaker person.
There is a limited amount of editing that can represent gender. One bit of editing is a transition and opening shot of a male police officer banging on a door for entry. This connotes men have a physical strength and are dominant. The scenes (when changing from a male scene to another male scene) the transitions and editing was smooth and effective, but when it switched to a woman scene, the editing was more jumpy / overt.
Overall, Mise-en-scene and the use of camera were the most important areas in which gender was represented in this episode of Dalziel & Pascoe.
FInished Prelim Analysis
We chose our location based on what our scene was about. As we were doing a hospital scene, we couldn’t use a standard classroom full of educational posters, as this wouldn’t really go with the story. For this reason, we chose to use the meeting room. This was an ideal location as the room had a white board and separate chairs just like a real waiting room. For this reason, the location suited my film well.
We filmed the 180degree rule by only staying on the one side of the characters. This was done by ensuring the doctor was always on the left, and the female character was always on the right. This ensured we only stayed on one side and kept within the 180 degrees. The match-on-action was filmed by showing the door handle moving (with a bit of the doctors lab in the window), the shot then flicked over to the woman, and back to the door, but this time the doctor had fully entered the room. This is match-on-action as we didn’t see the doctor enter, but we assume he did because the door handle went and the door started to open, insinuating someone entering.
We adapted our original ideas because we used a white board which wasn’t planned. On this white board we wrote the doctors names and jobs just like a real hospital. We also re-arranged the chairs in order to look a bit more like the way a waiting room is set up. This helped to make the scene more convincing. We included a prop at last minute; the doctors lab coat. We used this to make the doctor character look more realistic and look like he was a true doctor on the ward.
We filmed the 180degree rule by only staying on the one side of the characters. This was done by ensuring the doctor was always on the left, and the female character was always on the right. This ensured we only stayed on one side and kept within the 180 degrees. The match-on-action was filmed by showing the door handle moving (with a bit of the doctors lab in the window), the shot then flicked over to the woman, and back to the door, but this time the doctor had fully entered the room. This is match-on-action as we didn’t see the doctor enter, but we assume he did because the door handle went and the door started to open, insinuating someone entering.
We adapted our original ideas because we used a white board which wasn’t planned. On this white board we wrote the doctors names and jobs just like a real hospital. We also re-arranged the chairs in order to look a bit more like the way a waiting room is set up. This helped to make the scene more convincing. We included a prop at last minute; the doctors lab coat. We used this to make the doctor character look more realistic and look like he was a true doctor on the ward.
Monday, 8 November 2010
Prelim Editing
In the editing process, my group shared the roles. I uploaded the footage off of the camera and imported it into iMovie. I started off the editing process and cut some footage into the project and started to include transitions and effects.
We kept to the brief as we filmed a short film where two characters had a conversation. We had a character walk through a door, sit down with another character and have a short conversation. This kept to the brief. We had a shot-revers-shot when the doctor and wife were having a short conversation on his condition. We kept by the 180degree rule by only filming on one side of the characters. We made sure the doctor was on the left and wife on the right. This kept to the 180degree rule. The match-on-action was filmed when the doctor turned the door handle, the shot went onto the wife and the doctor appeared in the room. This is match-on-action as we didn't see him enter but we know he did.
We kept to the brief as we filmed a short film where two characters had a conversation. We had a character walk through a door, sit down with another character and have a short conversation. This kept to the brief. We had a shot-revers-shot when the doctor and wife were having a short conversation on his condition. We kept by the 180degree rule by only filming on one side of the characters. We made sure the doctor was on the left and wife on the right. This kept to the 180degree rule. The match-on-action was filmed when the doctor turned the door handle, the shot went onto the wife and the doctor appeared in the room. This is match-on-action as we didn't see him enter but we know he did.
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Prelim Post Filming Analysis
We chose our location to film in to fit in with the scene. As we were in a hospital waiting room, we couldn't use a classroom with lots of learning posters, etc. We also used a meeting room as we could use the chairs and windows to look like a waiting room. The glass window and chairs made it seem like you were inside the room and people were going by outside doing their own jobs.
We filmed the 180degree rule by only staying on one side of the characters. We made sure that the doctor was always on the left and the patients woman on the right. This ensured the camera was always in the right 180 semi-circle. The match-on-action footage was filmed when the doctor opened the handle of the door and we saw this in the shot, then it went onto the woman, and when the camera returned to the doctor, he was standing in the room. This is match-on-action as we can not see the doctor enter, but we assume he has as we saw the door open and he is now in the room.
We changed our initial idea by including little details, i.e. props. We borrowed a lab coat for the doctor so it makes him look more realistic and believable to the audience. We also adjusted the room (moved tables and chairs about). This helped to, again, make the scene more believable as the chairs looked like they were set up in a waiting room. We wrote the doctors names and occupations on the white board to seem like the real hospital. We also changed the people who played the roles. We changed the female nurse for a male doctor so that we could include different sexes and show things differently.
We filmed the 180degree rule by only staying on one side of the characters. We made sure that the doctor was always on the left and the patients woman on the right. This ensured the camera was always in the right 180 semi-circle. The match-on-action footage was filmed when the doctor opened the handle of the door and we saw this in the shot, then it went onto the woman, and when the camera returned to the doctor, he was standing in the room. This is match-on-action as we can not see the doctor enter, but we assume he has as we saw the door open and he is now in the room.
We changed our initial idea by including little details, i.e. props. We borrowed a lab coat for the doctor so it makes him look more realistic and believable to the audience. We also adjusted the room (moved tables and chairs about). This helped to, again, make the scene more believable as the chairs looked like they were set up in a waiting room. We wrote the doctors names and occupations on the white board to seem like the real hospital. We also changed the people who played the roles. We changed the female nurse for a male doctor so that we could include different sexes and show things differently.
Prelim Script
(Direct address shot of woman sitting in a waiting room of hospital – waiting for news on husbands operation)
(Woman’s fidgeting badly, she paces up and down the room, then sits down and she is tapping her feet on the floor and fidgeting with her hands) (nurse enters and woman jumps up out of her seat)
(Close up on her feet- then close up on the door handle- woman jumps up- log shot back at the nurse standing there)
Woman: (shot-reverse-shot) What is it? What has happened? Is he going to be okay?
Nurse: Would you like to take a seat..?
Woman: Can you just tell me if he’s okay?
Nurse: (Zoom out to long shot when they sit down) He pulled through the operation-
Woman: (Buts in) (Close up on womans face) Ah thank god! I’ve been so worried, I-
Nurse: (Butts in) But… Although we’ve got rid of the tumour, he’s lungs aren’t strong enough to keep him alive, the life support machine is what is keeping him alive.
Woman: (Mid shot looking at both characters)(Stutters) Just tell me how long he’s got left?
Nurse: (Moves in closer and holds her hand) I cant guarantee it, but from past experiences, 2weeks, tops… But if you give us your permission we would turn the life support off to put him out of the pain he is in, it’s up to you…
(Close up on womans face as she quivers, then as she cries her head drops)
Target 2 - November 2010
To use more key terms in my writing and link the different areas into audience impact.
Monday, 1 November 2010
Prelim Task - 01/11/10
For the preliminary task, I have to film a 30second short film. In this film a character has to walk in through a door to find another character in the scene. The two characters have to take a seat and have a conversation.
There are two rules which we have to follow; Match-on-action and 180 degree rule.
Match-on-action: With this rule you have to use continued editing, which embeds cuts in the middle of the action. This helps to hide the cuts. An example would be if someone hears a door handle move, looks at it and then in the next shot another person is in the scene. The audience automatically assumes the person walked through the door although we didn't actually see it.
180 Degree: In this rule, the camera has to be fixed on an imaginary axis. The camera can move anywhere on one side of this axis and only within the half circle which is formed from this axis. For example, if two people are having a conversation and the camera is looking at the side of them, (man on left, woman on right), the camera can only shoot footage where the man is on the left.
My footage idea is the a woman is in a hospital waiting room waiting for news on her husbands operation. The nurse comes out and starts to tell the woman the man has survived, but he is on life support and only has two weeks left to live. The woman is left in an awkward position of deciding whether or not to turn the life support off...
There are two rules which we have to follow; Match-on-action and 180 degree rule.
Match-on-action: With this rule you have to use continued editing, which embeds cuts in the middle of the action. This helps to hide the cuts. An example would be if someone hears a door handle move, looks at it and then in the next shot another person is in the scene. The audience automatically assumes the person walked through the door although we didn't actually see it.
180 Degree: In this rule, the camera has to be fixed on an imaginary axis. The camera can move anywhere on one side of this axis and only within the half circle which is formed from this axis. For example, if two people are having a conversation and the camera is looking at the side of them, (man on left, woman on right), the camera can only shoot footage where the man is on the left.
My footage idea is the a woman is in a hospital waiting room waiting for news on her husbands operation. The nurse comes out and starts to tell the woman the man has survived, but he is on life support and only has two weeks left to live. The woman is left in an awkward position of deciding whether or not to turn the life support off...
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