Saturday, 5 May 2012
Evaluation (Part 8): Looking back at your preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
The preliminary task, helped to us to get used to the technology and the editing. It showed us the how to use the basic form of editing, which was continuity editing.
The camera was a standard camera, but since it was just a simple task, we learnt how to use them properly. It helped us get some good shots, when Nicky was talking face to face with the devil, the lighting made the conversation dark. Since it was the devil the lighting made the atmosphere perfect. It was great filming all the different shots, because we new how it was going to come together.
The Apple Macs were great, because it helped us to edit our film. Once we got the hang of it, it was pretty simple and it brought the different parts of our film together nicely. We used i-Movie and it allowed us to add in sound effects, which added to the whole mood of our film, we could also put in credits at the end, because at this stage it was just about getting used to the technology and how we can improve on it.
There were some drawbacks, like the quality of the footage was not that great, because it was a standard camera. Also when Nicky was walking down the corridor, there was a noise in the background, which sounded like a plane. Furthermore, the acting wasn’t great and the costumes were not perfect. But since this was the first filming task, it was alright. The main purpose was to get used to the technology.
When we were making our actual opening sequence, the acting was a lot better. We were using HD cameras, so the quality was great. For editing, we used Final Cut, which allowed us to be more detailed, with our opening; we could change specific points in the film. So our end product for our BSR, was exactly what we wanted.
Evaluation (Part 5): How does your media product represent particular social groups?
In our opening 2 minute sequence, we tried to give a stereotypical view of a young teenage girl getting ready to go out. But behind this, the main point that we were trying to get across to our audience is that she is being abused by her father.
Camera
Camera angles were important, to show the representation of how she is feeling and what we want the audience to think about the character. When molly is walking down the stairs, instead of the camera being at the bottom of the stairs pointing up, we did the opposite. At this point, it shows that she is very vulnerable, because in the story she could get caught by her father at any point, so she needs to be careful. By shooting her from a high angle, it gives a tense atmosphere that we wanted our audience to feel. This part of the opening was also filmed handheld, because we wanted the audience to feel like they were walking with her, to add the tense atmosphere. When the dad is shouting from the top of the stairs, the camera was at a low angle. This was to show that he has authority over her and to show his power.
Mise-En-Scene
Our location for the opening sequence was a just an average working class house, because the character is a normal teenage girl, who leads a normal life, but with problems, this conforms to the conventions of British Social Realism. We also wanted to get across to our audience that these things can even happen in a normal environment, without anyone else knowing. The lighting at the beginning was quite bright, because we didn’t want to give away anything to the audience yet. So it was just like a teenager is getting ready to go out. When it showed the dad sleeping, the lighting on the room was darker, because we wanted to show that he was the antagonist. The climax of the opening sequence, when the dad finds out that molly is escaping; the lighting was quite low at this point. We wanted to represent that he is the one that is hurting molly. The costumes were meant to represent everyday working class people, which it did. So costume wasn’t much of a problem.
Sound
We mainly used diegetic sound, for example the radio. We used it as a sound bridge and was a hint to what our story was about. We also made a wild track, for when molly is outside. The only dialogue we had, was when the dad is talking, it shows his anger and his dominance over her. But at the beginning there was no dialogue, to build the tension.
Editing
There is mostly continuity editing, which is the main editing technique, we were meant to use. We used some jump cuts, when she is sorting out her room, to show that she is rushing and the time is passing. When she is applying make-up to her scars, it has been speeded up, to show that she has many scars. The part where she is tying her shoe laces has also been speeded up, to show that she is rushing to leave the house, so that she does not get caught.
Evaluation (Part 4): In what ways does our film use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real social realist films?
The narrative of the film was always at the fore fronts of our minds. Because, in our opinion, our story was quite different to the standard film fare, therefore it was imperative we got our narrative across. We noticed, from such films as "Fish Tank", how social realism films have the tendency to just drop in the action, rather than some slow, dramatic gradual build up you'd get in something like the Hollywood film "Transformers". "Fish Tank" cuts right to her panting in her dancing room; we dropped right in on Molly putting her lipstick on. Straight away, themes of dangerous beauty are established. And then we soon come to the reveal of the scars, so already in the first minute we have the introduction of the main themes of insecurity and violence.
The genre of British Social Realism has definite signs that confirm to the audience that we are watching that kind of film; they are all the gritty conventions, such as the shaky camerawork, minimal dialogue and quite mundane action on screen. We made sure to have these in our piece in order to get that feel.
With camerawork we went down the handheld route, because - while it is the go-to style these days - we wanted the invasiveness of the style. It allowed us fluid motions of the camerawork for more movement and not become boring on a tripod for long periods. It is a common method of social realism so will allow us to meet the brief. We were now given liberty to push the camera right into the faces of the characters for full emotion, and - with the close-ups of the scars - full shocking impact of the reveals.
When it comes to editing, we knew we needed long takes to establish that sense of documentary-style realism, that longer takes seem more like a natural occurrence. We had a long shot of her walking down the stairs, which adds verisimilitude. Exactly what we want social realism. We don't want escapism. And prior to that we had the shot of her setting her room up; whereas it was a long take previously, we chose to jump cut it and this gives it a quite jarring feel, creating unease which suits the uneasiness of the subject matter.
Apart from the imagery, we needed to get every ounce of impact from the audio of the film. A convention of social realism is the natural dialogue, and in most opening sequences the dialogue is kept minimal. We went this and we also left out any music. I think it worked to give a slightly eerie and cold feeling. For us that was perfect as it is supposed to be uncomfortable and for something resembling silence, it left a chilly feeling. However, of course, we did have a radio track playing in the background off a radio in the diegesis, but I think its blended to the atmosphere to not be so much of a distraction. Because of the fact we needed signs of the narrative, we dropped a phone-in segment about domestic abuse. It's comes off as forced but without it I don't think it's quite as good.
Our mise-en-scene was pretty innocuous when it comes to social realism; usually you may get the grey and dark palette of a "Kidulthood", but we tried to be different and I think the safe, standard colourful and well lit look of the film gives it that sense of surprise when it does turn out badly, and also from then on, the nice look becomes unnerving because it doesn't match the horribleness of what's on screen. The light also shines burningly on her face and scars, as if to put her on the spotlight as the protagonist of this story, and to highlight her pain clearly.
We've grown to understand during the course of school that there are plenty of iconic signs in life that hint at a message without blatantly coming right out. We've put a few in to give it the film that impressiveness that people in a film class could extract something deeper meaning. Our first shot is of the red lips, and this instantly sets out that sexual whiff and the feelings of desire towards this show of beauty, however the reluctant way she puts it on shows the uneasy and uncomfortable sense of desire, which encapsulates the relationship between Molly and her father. The fact she is uncomfortable by the feeling of beauty, almost ashamed by it, is reinforced when she wipes off the lipstick. That main image of the red is throughout the opening, when she puts on the red jacket she signifies that feeling again. She becomes the Red Riding Hood figure. Sexual, yet vulnerable. And the prize to the Wolf - the Dad.
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