In today's lesson, we learnt about the different language/actions/useful techniques film editors and producers use when shooting a film regarding Camera, Movement, Mise En Scene, Editing and Sound. We were taught acronyms to help us understand these concepts. After this, we then analysed a few clips using this language in order to help us understand how the producers did the same.
Camera
F - Frame
A - Angle
M - Movement
Frame:
ECU - extreme close ip
CU - close up
MS - mid shot
MLS - medium long shot
LS - long shot
ELS - extreme long shot
Angle:
Low Angle - Worms eye view (camera filming on the floor)
Level Angle
High Angle - Birds eye view
Movement:
Pan left to right
Tracking shot
Stedicam
Hand held - action
Zoom in and out
Mise En Scene
C - costume
L - lighting
A - actors
M - make-up
P - props
S - setting
Boyz N the Hood
Camera
F - Frame
A - Angle
M - Movement
Frame:
ECU - extreme close ip
CU - close up
MS - mid shot
MLS - medium long shot
LS - long shot
ELS - extreme long shot
Angle:
Low Angle - Worms eye view (camera filming on the floor)
Level Angle
High Angle - Birds eye view
Movement:
Pan left to right
Tracking shot
Stedicam
Hand held - action
Zoom in and out
Mise En Scene
C - costume
L - lighting
A - actors
M - make-up
P - props
S - setting
Boyz N the Hood
At the beginning of this clip, there is sounds of gunshots, screaming and swearing in the background. However, it is not very visual at the start which automatically makes the audience wonder if there is a shooting happening or is it just a representation of these characters every day lives? The first image to appear in the film is a 'STOP', bright red warning sign, which the camera zooms into, this can symbolize many things, which is why it could be seen as a Semiotic. We are then introduced to the first four characters to appear in the film who are carrying out a casual conversation of the shooting last night as if it was a daily occurrence. The director of the film deliberately dressed these children in baggy clothing and also showed walls covered in graffiti to symbolize the stereotypical view of them living in a rough, desolate area.
When the children are on their way to school, they come across a crime scene; covered in bright yellow police tape targeting by passers not to enter. However, the children duck under the tape and walk into the crime scene where the shooting obviously happened. This shows that they are not afraid of what is in the crime scene nor the possibility of getting in trouble for trespassing in the first place. Inside the crime scene is gunshot marks on posters, holes in the wall where someone 'got smoked' and blood on the floor, however, the children act completely casual and relaxed when they notice these things, implying it happens so often it becomes normal for them to experience that.
Soon into the film, there is a classroom filled with African/American children and one teacher who is white. One young boy makes a remark to the teacher about what she was explaining, then soon after has the cheek to tell her that he can teach the class. Through this action, we as an audience see that this young boy might have been brought up in a background where manners and good behavior was never disciplined. This young boy and another begin to feud with one another, swearing and calling each other nasty names in front of the whole class. This suggests that because of this confrontational manner they have, it immediately comes to mind that their backgrounds/families may also have this nature. When the argument breaks into a fight, their fellow classmates encourage them on whilst the teacher is trying to separate them. By the encouragement of their classmates, this again shows how often this occurrence happens and that they find the situation funny.
The final scene we analysed in 'Boyz N the Hood' was presented in an extreme long-shot showing the young boy walking home from school. On his way home, the boy stumbles past a gang having a fight on the streets in broad daylight. This scene in the film signifies the danger that happened on the streets, whereas a usual fight would have been in the dark where the victims are less likely to be spotted. Again, this presents the area the boy lives in is dangerous and that the year this film was filmed, crime in society was high.
The scene then finishes by switching from a close up shot of the boy to his mother on the phone to his teacher at home. The teacher automatically thought his mother was uneducated and unemployed, suggesting most mothers at the time were guilty of that. As well as this, because of the trouble her son would cause, the teacher thought that his upbringing at home was poor and a reflection on his behavior at school.
Cape Fear
In today's lessons we watched the opening scene of cape fear. It was set in a jail with daunting music playing in the background which matched the images displayed on the screen. From the start of the scene, the camera wasn't cutting it was tracking, it showed the mans back before we saw his face and on his back was a tattoo with a picture of the crucifix and 'truth' on the left hanging off it and 'justice' on the right. This displayed a picture of a set of scales also implying that he may be religious. As well as this, in his jail cell was pictures stuck on the wall of old fashioned people with medals on their jackets, implying aspects of military.
The camera then gradually moved down the wall, displaying books relating to fitness and politics. The camera was tracking the whole time and moved out of the jail cell with the bars passing in-front of the camera. The man then exits his cell with the camera not even cut yet and walks out of another door in the same building, this is when the camera then cuts. A graphic match is then carried out by a gate closing, then going to the next scene with a gate opening.
This cut is very smooth and effective.