Media & Film Studies
Video Sequences
If you are planning to film your own sequence on the College’s Canon cameras or use your kit there’s a few things to bear in mind.
Firstly, this option takes the most time and is the hardest option involving considerably more work than the ‘extended step outline’ and the ‘photographic storyboard’.
Secondly, you will need to cast actors and give careful consideration to mise-en-scène, costumes, props and even make-up – which might be very important depending on your genre of choice. Don’t ignore the importance of the background
Thirdly, you’ll need to co-ordinate all these factors and plan filming when everything and everyone is available at the same time. You must consider doing this out of lesson times too which will really test your production tenacity.
Consider these things before filming…
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Shooting for the edit
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Continuity editing (the 180 Degree Rule)
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Directing actors, giving character (Action!)
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Directing crew
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Shooting good pictures
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Recording good sound
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Making effective mise-en-scéne
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S/fx, costume and make up
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Using a tri-pod, camera stability and movement
Workshops can be provided, please ask and I will provide.
Here's your opportunity to gain marks being creative and creating a film sequence of between 1-3 minutes long, apx just 2 minutes in duration basically. It should be a continuous piece of narrative, a part of the story visualising a chronological sequence. In theory it's one of the more popular options but starting this late, or not adequuately planning results in a lot of these aspirations being unulfilled, and the ESO becomes the answer to last minute panics.
2. Continuity editing
Your sequence must make logical sense to the audience. That is it must show an understanding of continuity editing. Do you understand the 180° Rule, the 30° Rule and the axis of action, crossing the line and meeting your mark? Remember, your job is to create meaning/s and generate response/s.
3. Directing actors
It is unlikely you have had much experience of directing people, whether they are your family, friends, or strangers! Here’s some basic advice:
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Make sure they are fed and watered, Hitchcock referred to his actors as cattle, maybe you can get away with that when you’ve directed 66 films, but for now a bit more respect is advised.
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Do they know what is required of them, where do they walk to? What do they say? How should it be said? In short, point them in the right direction, what’s your vision, how do you picture the scene? Be patient, be polite - not curt or rude, what happens if you lose them?
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Don’t waste people’s time. They’ve donated their time and this is a precious resource to some, all they ask is that you have done your work, are you organised, are you prepared, do you know waht you want?
1. Shooting for the edit
You may be the next Spielberg but the most important thing you’ll always need to bear in mind when filming is you are not shooting for yourself - you are shooting for an editor, and s/he has to make sense of your story for an audience. Hopefully all going well the story makes sense, we know when and where we are, who everyone is, what their objective or purpose is and what is the dramatic question? It is tempting, and more enjoyable to get very arty, but don’t forget this basic tenet.
5. Shooting good pictures - Camera-operators
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You would do well to know the following,
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How do you white-balance?
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Can you master the manual focus?
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What does the iris do?
Lighting/mise-en-scène – simple effects can reap massive visual results, use your imagination and contacts to gather good gear.
Shooting good pictures - Sound recordist, most of your work will be Foley work, recording dialogue to sync with action in the edit, that is very hard, you may also be required to get special sound effects to add later too, or operating the boom.
7. Making effective mise-en-scéne & S/fx, costume and make up
Torches, car headlights, bedside lamps, extension leads all make great effective lighting sources. Ketchup or more permanent food colouring, syrup and cornflour makes good blood. Copydex is a poor man’s latex and painted over Rice Crispies® makes fabulous scabs, blisters or sores depending what colour you paint it. Location is key so use your contacts and find appropriate and interesting places to shoot sequences. Collect costumes, uniforms and props off friends and family, beg, borrow and steal… but don’t get caught. YouTube has loads of make up and SFX tips and tutorials.
Group Work
is permitted for the filmmaking option only (maximum of four). Groups of candidates should take primary responsibility for – without precluding collaboration – one or more micro features of the sequence (such as camerawork, editing or sound). Each candidate must identify their role and the micro aspect they are responsible for on the appropriate Coversheet. They will be assessed on their contribution and impact in that area primarily. Discuss this before starting!
6. Recording good sound
You’ll need to edit something and see what the limitations of the sound are in the edit. We have limited kit and it is still advised you record your sound on the camera mic, this means getting close to the action and creates problems for sound on long-shots. We keep adding to the sound kit and its always worth checking what's in and what works.
4. Directing crew - only if you work in gorups - up to 4 is ok.
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Are the crew happy with their role in the shoot, will you do your job well in your role, will they in theirs?
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How much time have you spent getting to know the piece of kit you have responsibility for? .i.e. sound, camera or editing software.
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Technically you are responsible for that department. When someone is not being utilised shooting can they be storyboarding the next shot, charging batteries, looking for the next backdrop etc?
The Edit/The Editor
You can begin the edit even before principal photography has started, start looking at the on-screen captions or title fonts perhaps, you can import stills and use them for backgrounds if need be. As the footage comes in sort it into clip-bins and do an assembly edit or rough edit, in short edit as its shot. The shoot may benefit from he editor’s presence and insight. S/he’ll know what’s needed to fill a sequence and where the edit points will be in each shot or take.
8. Using a tri-pod, camera stability, placement and movement
One of the worst mistakes you can make is shooting something hand held when you should have shot it on a tri-pod. Watch film sequences similar to yours. More often than not hand-held cameras are used sparingly and for specific effects or purpose more often than not. When you have made the decision to involve camera movement for whatever reason or purpose, what’s around you can use to good effect? A shopping trolley makes a reasonable dolly shot or crab shot even – beware on uneven surfaces this is not a sound option as the hard little wheels pick up all the bumps. A skateboard, lie down on it for stability and shoot upwards for a decent low-angle shot. A wheelchair, with slightly deflated tyres to eliminate bumps on uneven surfaces, makes another great tracking device and really aids the tricky to pull off, contra-zoom. Caution advised if using motorised transport. Put your camera in interesting, but safe, places, in the fridge when someone reaches in for the milk is a great idea but remember to work quickly and, obviously, don’t forget the camera.