Reservoir Dogs Title Sequence Remake

Here is a remake of the Reservoir Dogs Title Sequence that we shot and edited this week. I edited with Emily, and this is the final outcome. I hope you enjoy it!

Dexter Title Sequence Re-edit (DYM)

Our task was to re-edit the Dexter opening sequence. Watch ours here!

1. Summarise the conventions of title sequences that were most important to this task.

• A consistent font and colour scheme to establish a brand for the show.
• Legal requirements, such as names of the main cast, directors and producers.
• Should be reflective of the genre of the show- in this case

2. How did your group plan to edit the title sequence? (consider timings, industry requirements etc).

• We made a list of names and roles that we would typically see in an opening sequence of a drama, such as an executive producer, a director and the names of the main members of the cast.
• We also tried to synchronise the titles with significant moments of the visuals of the opening sequence. For example, we had two cast names appear when the blood dropped into the sink.

3. Explain the creative decisions made by your group.

• The typeface we used was quite plain  so that the titles would be legible, but still reflective of the horror/mystery genre.
• We wanted to follow the convention of having a consistent font and colouring in order to brand Dexter, but we also used various effects on our titles so that they could work harmoniously with the visuals.

4. How does your re-edit compare to the original?

• Our re-edit was perhaps not conventional of the genre in the sense that we used a variety of effects on the titles, whereas usually, the titles would all appear on the screen in the same way, regardless of the visuals. This is to maintain simplicity and not detract attention from the visuals and from the importance of the titles. 

Prelim Evaluation (BLK)

This is our short continuity sequence entitled Faceless.

EVALUATION
PLANNING       SHOOTING      EDITING

1.       Who did you work with and how did you manage the task between you?

·         Group members- Emily and Raagavi

·         Planning- we worked together on the planning processes (brainstorming, scripting and storyboarding) so that everybody could pitch ideas about our short storyline and how we should shoot it

·         Shooting- We all wanted to shoot at least two shots so we tried to arrange it so that the people who weren’t acting in certain shots could shoot. Raagavi shot all the shots with both me and Emily in them, Emily shot the ones featuring me and vice versa

·         Editing- we alternated who was working on the editing at regular intervals so that everybody had a chance to work with and get used to the software.

 

2.       How did you plan your sequence? What processes did you use? What theories did you try to take into account?

·         The main purpose of this task was to create a sequence using continuity principles. We worked so that an establishing/master shot, shot-reverse-shot, match on action, and the 180 degree rule were all included in our sequence.

·         We started off by brainstorming ideas- we initially had two ideas, one featuring somebody being followed and another about a conversation with a mysterious person whose face is never revealed. Unable to choose between the two, we ended up combining both ideas into our current idea of Faceless.

·         We then made a shot list, script and storyboard to identify continuity principles that we had to use and how we would add them in seamlessly, and how we would tell our story

·         The shot list was then translated into a shoot schedule to make the shooting process more efficient, as we could shoot according to the various set-ups we needed

·         We thought it would be convenient to rehearse the sequence in our desired location (long brick wall) prior to the shoot, in order to check that the timing would be correct. During the rehearsal, we also took into account the position of the camera in each shot, and character placing in the frame

 

3.       What technology did you use to complete the task, and how did you use it?

·         Shooting- A Canon DV30 video camera was used on the day of the shoot, along with a tripod, which we made us of on all of the shots but one- this was the shot where the protagonist/victim starts running away from the follower, and the use of the handheld shot accentuates the disorientation, confusion and terror going through the character’s mind.

·         Editing- Adobe Premier Pro was used to edit our sequence. We started off making a rough cut by sequencing, cutting and pasting clips in a desirable order. We then cut each shot down further so that it lasted for a reasonable amount of time and also followed continuity principles such as match on action.

 

4.       What factors did you have to take into account when planning, shooting and editing?

·         Planning- we had to take into account everything that we had learnt about cinematography, and therefore had to make decisions about point of view/perspective an also about where we could use camera movement and where the camera would remain static in order to put across a certain mise-en-scene. We also had to take into account continuity principles (establishing shot, shot reverse shot, 180 degree rule, and match on action) and how we would shoot and edit these. One other factor was how we would distinguish our characters from one another and how we would communicate their relationship through framing and camera work- we decided that character positioning, such as that in the first shot, was extremely significant to show them in relation to the space and each other.

·         Shooting- We needed one final rehearsal along the brick wall to confirm the spacing between shots. Furthermore, we needed to shoot shots where there was a match on action multiple times and from various angles so that when editing (such as when the protagonist turns around), it would be easier to create a seamlessly continuous sequence.

   ·   Editing- Our main focus when editing was continuity; we made frequent references to the master shot, cut together a shot-reverse-shot of the moment the protagonist acknowledges the follower and also edited various matches on action (turns and coming through the door) so that they looked continuous.

 

5.       How successful was your sequence? Please identify what worked well and in hindsight, what would you improve/do differently?

·         I was really happy with our idea as I thought it was both intriguing to watch and challenging to edit, due to the various matches on action. Furthermore, we took audience involvement into account by using over the shoulder shots and an appropriate shot order to bring them into the action. I also feel we worked very well as a team on the day of the shoot as we had to change our shoot schedule to increase practicality. In terms of the final cut, we were pleased with how we edited the matches on action as they looked fairly seamless. Also, the genre of mystery/thriller was established well through the pace and rhythm of the sequence.

·         One thing we had to amend when editing was the running sequence. We originally had three shots of the protagonist running from different angles before she reached the door. However, we had to delete the last of the three, which was a static camera shot of her running towards the door, as it was not continuous and was slightly disorientating.

 

6.       What have you learnt from completing this task? Looking ahead, how will this learning be significant when completing the rest of your foundation course?

·         We learnt about the process of taking an idea for a sequence and processing it into an actual film, through the stages of planning, shooting and editing.

·         We finally got to put the continuity principles we were learning about into action, as we were given a chance to plan, shoot and edit a sequence in which we always had to consider how to establish continuity. I think this will be relevant in all future film-making, and in the short-term, our film opening sequences.

Homework 7 (DYM)- Opening Sequence Sound Analysis

I looked at the three categories of sound- background music, dialogue and sound effects- in the opening sequence for the animated film Kung Fu Panda.

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/kung-fu-panda/

Music

• The first section of the opening sequence features an ethnic backing track, with instruments that are associated with the Oriental culture, such as a gong. This gives the audience an immediate sense of setting through cultural codes.
• The latter half of the sequence is fitted to a strong, orchestral piece which is played in a major key. Therefore, the whole sequence is very upbeat and fast-paced (and therefore exciting), and thus the genre of a children's film is established. 
• There are pauses in the orchestral music in order to accentuate the visuals or another aspect of the sound.

Dialogue

• "Legend tells of a legendary warrior"- bad play on words in the first line of the voice-over establishes the comical elements of the film plot.
• "There is no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness."- another funny punch line from the protagonist, Po, helps to establish character in the opening sequence. 
• "We should hang out." "Agreed"- unlikely punch line in a film based on martial arts, but again reinforces the comedy genre. Furthermore, this is slap-stick comedy, and as it is easy to understand, this also further appeals to the target audience of children.

Sound Effects

• The fast movement in the action sequences are accentuated by short whooshes, which suggest Po is moving at an incredible speed. 
• There is a sound effect of teeth chattering when Po enters the room, which connotes fear.
• The sound effect added when Po swallows is accentuated by a pause in the music and an introduction through the voice-over. This heightens the significance of the moment.

Sound and Vision Editing

• Po says "Enough talk- let's fight!" This is his first line in the sequence and immediately after that, there is a big change in visuals, with very sudden, staccato movements and a drastic change in on-screen colours and lighting.
• The characters martial arts moves are synchronised with sound effects, which is typical of films of both the action genre and the martial arts sub-genre, as it helps to further accentuate their movements and therefore to establish character.
• Right at the end, before Po wakes up from his dream, the whoosh sound effects along with the pauses in the backing track put emphasis on both the dialogue and the quick pans from one character to another. This camera movement is different to the rest of the sequence, and so putting emphasis on this section informs the audience that something is about to change. 

Homework 6 (BLK)- Continuity Editing Principles

I have chosen to analyse a scene from one of my favourite films of all time, Roman Holiday (1953), starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. 



Establishing/Master Shot
The establishing shot of Joe Bradley's (Gregory Peck) home comes very early on in the clip. This is so that the audience immediately sense the setting, and using their shared knowledge of cultural codes, are able to work out that they are in a home. However, throughout the clip, the master shot is re-shown so that the audience can get a sense of the space and where the characters are, in relation to the room and to each other. A significant moment of this clip is when Bradley leans down to help Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) sit up, and this is shot from the master shot position in order to show the change in space between the characters.

Shot Reverse Shot
Throughout the clip, the two characters, Bradley and Princess Ann, are having a conversation, and in order to show their responses and expressions, the sequence has been edited so that the cuts between the characters are fast-paced. In this way, the audience is able to keep up with the pace of the conversation as this makes the transitions flow easily. Furthermore, the 180-degree rule has been followed, as the camera always remains to the right side of the bed and therefore does not create a reverse angle. This is effective as it allows the sequence to flow seamlessly as the audience are not confused by where the two characters are in relation to each other. 

Shot Order
An appropriate shot order has been used in this clip of Roman Holiday to avoid skipping through large depths, which would confuse and disorientate the audience. For example, we start with the wide shot of Bradley's room, and then move on to a few mid-shots of Princess Ann in the bed. This has been done in order to show her stance (covering herself protectively with the duvet) and also to show her character in relation to the character of Bradley. At 1.26, there is a further zoom in so that we have a close-up of Princess Ann, which clearly shows her surprised but flirtatious expression. 

Homework 5 (BLK)- Continuity Sequence

This is our first shooting task at AS: a short sequence focusing on continuity and around the theme of 'accidents'. My group decided to create a short narrative whereby two people are arranging to meet over the phone but end up bumping into each other.

We considered continuity principles such as using the full range of shot distances (we used them in the wide-mid- close shot order to steadily take the audience through the geographical space), tracking a character using camera movement (shot 4), matches on action (to make the actions in the shots look the same, but shot from different angles) and cross cutting (perspectives of both characters). 



What worked well about our piece?

• I think the first shot worked as a great establishing shot because it showed the space, and also both the characters in relation to the space and to each other. Furthermore, the first shot immediately draws the audience towards the corner of the wall, which is where the accident is to take place, and so they feel as though they have more knowledge (and therefore more power) than the characters.
• The second over-the-shoulder shot of Alex (character A) walking places the audience in the scene.
• The use of cross-cutting provides two different perspectives from both sides of the corner.
• We re-placed the camera in the position where the establishing shot was taken, so we could reuse the master shot and show the development of the story by showing how far along the characters had moved through the geographical space.
• We went from wide to mid to close-ups and then back to wide, so the audience could be immersed into the action but then drawn back out to see the final outcome.

What could we work on?

• There are some people walking past in the second shot, but they do not appear again in the third- this is a continuity issue that we would have to re-shoot.
• The first shot is cut so that Sam (character B) ends up far too close to the corner and is not in the same geographical space in shot 3. This happens again in shots 5 and 6.
• Showing the whole geographical space in the first shot reveals the potential outcome too early on in the narrative, and therefore gives away the interest and the enigma.
• There are some gaps in the dialogue which do not allow it to flow seamlessly- this could be easily edited out.

Homework 4 (DYM)- Roland Barthes' Five Codes

I decided to analyse the opening of the 2010 sci-fi/action film, Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.



Enigma Codes- 
1) Why is he lying on the shore? How did he get there?
2) What is his relationship to the children?
3) Why was he carrying a gun and why does that bother the guards?
4) What is the relevance of the spinning top?
5) Why does everything suddenly start shaking?

Action Codes
1) The first thing Cobb sees when he looks up is the little boy, which suggests he has a relationship with him.
2) The soldier finds a gun in Cobb's back pocket, which carries the connotation that he intends to use it in the future or has already used it- either way, he poses a potential threat.
3) There are several close-ups of the spinning top- for example, when it is first put on the table and again when the man starts to spin it. This shows both the minuteness of the object but also suggests it is a significant prop in the narrative.
4) Cobb suddenly stops eating- perhaps the other man's words have affected him in some way.
5) The bomb blasts spark disaster, although we do not know what caused them. This makes the action more suspenseful.

Semiotic Codes
1) Crashing waves symbolise tranquillity and peace, but the jagged rocks juxtapose this.
2) The children connote innocence and naivety.
3) The gun shown afterwards juxtaposes the innocence of the children, as it suggests potential threat to the peace of the seashore.
4)  Cobb and Arthur are wearing black suits and ties, and their hair is very immaculately styled, which connotes formality and a significant event of some kind.
5) The wine Cobb is holding connotes celebration and class, which is in agreement with his attire.

Cultural Codes
1) The children are building sandcastles on the beach, which is a very typical, enjoyable activity for a family day out.
2) The dark coloured uniform and cap of the guard suggest a military presence. 
3) The Oriental architecture on the hill and interiors establish the setting as a Far Eastern country.
4) Cobb is sitting directly opposite the other man on a large wooden table, which may show that they are on separate sides and there is enmity between them.
5) The seconds ticking away on the watch show the passing of time.

Symbolic Codes
1) Danger is built up by the suspenseful music and also by the significant prop, the gun, shown repeatedly in the first few shots.
2) The way Cobb is spaced within the frame and in relation to the other characters suggests that he has enmity with them but also that he is alone in his fight.
3) The formality of the dinner has a very business-like/corporate feel, which juxtaposes the suggested personal drama of Cobb's relationship to the children on the beach.
4) The bomb blasts and the stampedes that follow symbolise disaster and panic.

Homework 3 (BLK)- Film-Making Conventions and Cultural Codes

This clip is from the independent erotic drama film, Sleeping Beauty, which was directed by Julia Leigh and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival of 2011.



Film-making conventions

• The type of framing used is a long shot. This has been framed in this way so that the audience can see the two characters, Lucy and Clara, in relation to the whole room and to each other. The space has been organised so that Lucy looks petite in comparison to the stylish interiors, whereas Clara looks like she fits into her surroundings comfortably and perfectly.
• The use of time in this clip is, in my opinion, quite clever. It is one continuous shot, of around two minutes in length, which thoroughly slows down the action but also simultaneously heightens the suspense and dramatic qualities of the film.
• This shot is quite highly lit, although the light is centred on the pair in the middle. This could represent the fact that injustice is taking place in 'broad daylight' or could suggest exposure, and therefore, vulnerability. 
• The fade-to-black at the end also slows the action down, as if a curtain is being brought down on a theatre act- this may represent the passing of time between scenes. However, as the dialogue has ended in an extremely cryptic manner, the audience are prepared for the shot to fade back in, possibly in a new setting or from a new perspective.
• The editor has deliberately limited the use of everyday sound effects to compliment the lack of dialogue. The vast majority of this clip is silent, which is an enigmatic technique used to both confuse the audience but also to keep them on the edge of their seats.

Cultural Codes

• There is an immediate use of props at the beginning of the clip, when Lucy enters the room carrying a brown, worn-looking satchel in her arms. This suggests she is young, and possibly a student at school/university.
• Lucy is also wearing a pink bathrobe. The colour pink most commonly is known as a feminine colour, but also connotes innocence, which is a strong juxtaposition to what is to come, in terms of the narrative. We assume she has just had a shower, and feels relaxed and at ease at Clara's residence. Once again, this shows how oblivious she is to what Clara has planned for her. 
• On the other hand, Clara is wearing a tight, dark dress, black heels and her hair is up. This is, traditionally, a look associated with a businesswoman, and as we later find out, she does run quite a horrific business.
• The set up in the centre of the frame is the focus for this clip. The leather lounge chairs look sophisticated and regal, but also have a very welcoming feel. Similarly, the china set on the coffee table connotes homeliness.
• The rows of books on the walls of the room are unmissable, and give the clip a very elaborate, stylish mise-en-scene. Books are the symbol of intelligence and knowledge, and  this reflects Clara's personality, which is why she has also been dressed to mirror the stylish mise-en-scene of the room, and perhaps why Lucy has been dressed in completely the opposite way.

Homework 2 (DYM)- Film Still Analysis

This is a still from the psychological thriller, Black Swan (2010).

Character Description
Nina (Natalie Portman) is the protagonist and is in this particular still. The character has been placed off-centre, which seems distorted and odd. However, this has been done deliberately to confuse the audience and also to portray Nina's twisted mind. Nina is conventionally beautiful and perhaps the most striking feature of this photo is her eyes. They are a very prominent red colour, and the colour has several connotations, such as love, lust and anger, emotions that all feature in this film. The character has purposely been dressed in white feathers, which suggest innocence and purity (she is to play a character with such qualities in a production of Swan Lake), as this strongly juxtaposes her terrifying facial features.

Technical Codes
This shot has been framed as a mid-shot/medium close-up, in order to allow the audience to see both her expression and her costume. Furthermore, this is an over-the-shoulder shot, as she is looking into a broken mirror/shards of glass; the audience are therefore seeing from Nina's perspective, and feel even more helpless that they are unable to change the circumstances in any way. The broken glass also distorts the shot and causes more confusion. Not only does this reflect the character's thoughts, but it also reinforces the genre of the psychological thriller.
Nina's surroundings are all very dark- tones of grey and black are used for the bricks and walls, which further highlights the fact that she is out-of-place and perhaps also again reflects the darkness of her thoughts.  The light source is to the side of her face, and it is high-key lighting, which connotes exposure or positivity.

Why I chose this still

• The way the shot has been framed is really interesting. The shards of glass cut through the straight lines of the bricks, which gives the whole still a distorted image.
• I like how the framing, lighting, costumes and colouring of the shot all reflect the character and her thoughts.
• This still is bound to raise questions for the audience, both of what happened and what is still to come. Why is the glass broken? Why are her eyes red? What is she going to do now?

Homework 1 (BLK)- Film Still and Evaluation

Representation of the horror genre
Our chosen genre was horror- film stills of this genre typically feature low-key lighting and a subject that raises questions. In this case, the subject is a young woman, who is stereotypically the helpless victim in horror films. Furthermore, her expression is one of terror, and she is looking to the side, which suggests she is fearful of the arrival of someone or something, and this makes the audience anticipate what is to come. The shot is very dimly lit, and the only light falls on the subject's face, creating the impression that she is exposed and vulnerable, but also highlighting her facial expression. 

How we achieved the effect
We firstly had to find an appropriate setting for a horror shot. As mentioned before, horror stills are typically very dark and gloomy, and as we were shooting in daylight without extra lighting facilities, this was quite a challenge. In terms of locations, we tried empty stairwells, attics, basements and windows, all of which create eerie effects due to light distortion and often feature bars/lines, which also alter the mise-en-scene. This still was shot under a table in a fully lit room. We chose to do this because there is some light to draw attention to the subject's face, but her surroundings are dark, which further illuminates her facial features.
In terms of framing, this is a medium close-up. A horror still in which the victim is a subject will typically be a close-up, because the audience feels that although they are within touching distance of the subject, they are helpless in the face of whichever monster is coming to get her. This close-up also helps the audience to really understand her predicament, as they are in the heat of the action and able to clearly witness her expression.

The successes of this shot
In my opinion, the best feature of this shot is the lighting. The horror genre relies very much on lighting to illuminate certain aspects of a subject and to keep particular parts hidden, which creates enigma and suspense. However, in this shot, the area surrounding the subject is very dark, so the audience is immediately drawn towards the light on the subject's face. As the subject is looking to the side, supposedly at the monster off camera, this leads to the audience wanting to see from her perspective.

If I were to re-shoot...
I think one of the flaws with this shot is the framing, as it is a medium close-up. If I was able choose a tighter frame, such as a close-up or a big close-up, this still would follow the conventions of horror films. Although I am pleased with the lighting, I feel that using underlighting may have further accentuated her expression and added to the mysterious, eerie vibe of the photo. I would also pay more attention to the subject's hair, make-up and clothing, as perhaps making her look bedraggled and sweaty would raise more questions as to what had happened prior to this still.