Prelim Task Evaluation

For our preliminary task, Gabriel, Kiran, Luke and I created a film about a drug deal. In our short film we had to include the continuity techniques: match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule. We needed to film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room, sitting down in a chair opposite another character and then exchanging a few lines of dialogue.
We thought about our mise-en-scene in a group, discussing important factors such as which location to film in, what props to have, who to choose to act in it, what lighting would best create different moods and effects and much more. We decided to use a store cupboard in the school's gymnasium as our location, we chose two year seven students to act as the drug dealer and customer and we used a flashlight to create top lighting to set the scene as dark, gritty and slightly mysterious.
Our camerawork was very versatile, with use of over the shoulder shots, close up shots, extreme close ups and bird's eye view shots. These all contributed to further creating a short film that we could appreciate and be proud to show to the rest of our class.
We did not need to edit our short film much as each clip we filmed, we seemed to get right most times. We put a sound clip over the whole short film as we felt it added a certain feel to the film which without the sound, would not be there.
During this whole journey, I feel I have learnt a lot about film making and all the different techniques it entails. I have learnt how time consuming it can be, how much concentration and determination it takes, how to use different camera shots to create different moods in films and much more. It has been a really interesting learning experience for me and has really had me more enthusiastic about film making and media studies in general.

Preliminary Task Final Video

By: Kiran, Gabriel, Luke Crisp and Alys

Preliminary Task Storyboard

The title of my groups story board is 'Dealing with Dealers'. It is in the crime genre and we tried to create a gritty, dangerous mood during filming. We filmed the short film using two year seven students at The Cherwell School. Our location used was a storage cupboard in the school gymnasium. We used dark lighting  as well as other techniques such as top lighting to create an atmosphere of fear in the scene. 

Continuity Editing

Action Match - This will involve following a single character this will be the main focus of the technical device. However when action match is used for inter-cutting . which means it can heighten parallels/contrast between two different characters in two different situations.

Example: - An example of this is in skins the young Russian woman's swinging of the axe. Here we can tell all sex and power is juxtaposed with the fat Russian dinner lady's serving of congealed mashed potato. This draws ways in contrasting ways in which the Russian women are being represented.


Eye line match - Eye line match will offer a deep insight to the characters private thoughts

Example: - In doctor who, Martha exchanges glances with all the people she loves, as though this may be the last chance she has to communicate with them before she dies. The camera cuts from her family to friends watching her signify that she is the center of action


Final Shot - In any scene, sometimes characters will have a shot taken of them in the final scene. This is implies to the audience whom the audience is expected to identify.

Example:- In primeval, although Abby saves the day, the last shot is on cutter, which signifies that the audience is intended to adopt the male, not the female, point of view.


Jump Cuts - When these are used they tend to suggest either a) Chaos and Disorder b) self-conscious ellipsis (drawing attention to the rapid pace of the action) or c) a director who likes to break the rules

Example:- In primeval, two jump cuts accelerates the cutter's preparation to slide down the zip-wire; this could be ready as speedy or decisive.


Inter-cutting: Tension - When inter-cutting is used to draw two story lines together, this can be structured to create tension, and therefore heighten the audience's identification with a particular character.

Example: - Primeval, inter-cutting between the tigers pursuit of Cutter and Abby's running in with the rifle is action code and prompts the question: will she get there in time? In Hotel Babylon inter-cutting offers both tension and juxtaposition.


Match Cut/Graphic Match - This is a cut in film editing between either two different objects, two different spaces, or two different compositions in which an object in the two shots graphically match, often helping to establish a strong continuity of action and linking the two shots metaphorically. A match cut is used often to suggest an ellipsis (a lapse of time) to the viewer. 

Preliminary Task Introduction

Our preliminary task is to create a very short film including the continuity techniques: match on action, shot/reverse shot and the 180-degree rule. We need to film and edit a character opening a door, crossing a room, sitting down in a chair opposite a character and then exchanging a few lines of dialogue. Our group is made up of Luke, Gabriel, Kiran and me.

Establishing Shot Notes

Questions answered:
- What is establishing?
- What kind of shots are typically used?
- Why is establishing important?
- How long (what duration) are establishing shots?
- What are audience associations with establishing?
- How is establishing linked to genre?
- How does the soundtrack go with establishing?

Donnie Darko Movie Poster Semiotic Analysis (notes on semiotics)

This is a movie poster for the film 'Donnie Darko'. It is quite a minimalistic poster, only using three colours to make each part of the poster stand out. The juxtaposition between the flat black background and the eerie whites and blues used in the foreground succeed in creating a mysterious, spooky feel to the poster.
The black background of the poster signifies fear, maybe of the unknown. This intrigues someone who may be looking at the poster and the background doesn't give much away about what the film is really like. The unusual foreground image, of the character's faces merged into a sinister looking rabbit's head, may signify that all the characters are linked to this rabbit in some way. This is quite an objective technique.
The use of bright, bold, white writing in the foreground for the title and actor's name connotes that the designer of the poster really wanted them to stand out to whoever was looking at the poster.
By using light shadowing around the title, 'Donnie Darko', it again connotes to any potential audiences that the title is the centre of attention on this poster.
The black background and the name 'Darko' may correspond together to represent that this film may have a lot of darkness in it and may be quite scary.
The foreground image may be quite frightening for some people and so by this, a potential viewer of this film can understand what the target audience is.
The mix of pale colours in the foreground image make it look almost as if it is illuminated and vibrating off of the background. This symbolises that the film is fast paced and enigmatic at times.
Overall, I would say that the simplicity of this poster is definitely very effective to draw an audience in and make them want to watch this film.