CSI: Harris South Norwood - Title Sequence

               
                             

We recreated the title sequence to CSI Miami and this was used as a practice for our own title sequence we will be creating.

This was useful in helping me improve my filming and editing techniques, it also helped with judging the right transition times and editing pace for a short sequence.


            

Preliminary Task Evaluation

For our preliminary task we had to work in a group to create a short continuity clip. We had to film someone walking through a door, walking across the room and exchanging dialogue with someone else. it also had to include editing techniques such as match on action, shot reverse shot. We had to make sure all the clips did not break the 180 degree rule.

As a group we chose to film our preliminary task as a Parents evening so we started with a tracking shot of the parent and then a match on action of him opening the door, he walks across then
takes a seat in front of the teacher, which was captured as a two shot, they shake hands and then the dialogue begins and the parent and teacher talk shot reverse shot is used and over the shoulder shots are also used. 

The continuity of the video could have been better if we had filmed more footage before and after the clips we needed because it would have made it easier to match the actions, because the ending of each footage put together cuts off quite fast and makes the editing pace quite fast and for a clip that is meant to seem realistic, the editing makes it seem very unrealistic.

Another problem we faced whilst filming was that we played back the footage quite a lot so when we forwarded the tape to finish recording the footage ended up too far down the tape so it made it a little harder to retrieve our work.

Preliminary Task

This is our preliminary task which is the first practice at both filming and editing our own footage so far. The action presents a parents evening and a conversation between a teacher and parent.

                             

Continuity Editing Task

Continuity Editing is making the existing footage consistent and continuous so that all the action is in chronological order and makes sense to the audience viewing it.This can be done through filming or editing parts to fit together.This task was given to us to use as practice for other videos we will be editing throughout the year. We used footage that was recorded by Year 13 students and opened the files in Final Cut Express so that we could put the footage together and cut out the unnecessary clips. This task was very helpful because prior to this I'd never edited a continuous sequence so this helped me prepare for my preliminary task!

                                     

180 Degree Rule

This is a storyboard created to shot 6 shots we took following the 180 degree rule

The 180 degree rule is a rule that must be followed whilst filming, the scene is usually shot on one side of the two characters or objects so because of that the viewers acknowledge what is on the left and right side and to avoid problems they stick to one side of the imaginary line between the two characters.

The line in the middle is never crossed.

                                               
It is important to use the 180 degree rule when filming because the audience will get very confused it the characters continue switching places especially if they look a like or they are not familiar with the characters it is best to stick to one side. Another reason why it is important is because if they didn't stick to the rule the two people having a conversation would be facing the same way and their eyes wouldn't be aligned which would affect the illusion of conversation.

if you want to change the direction in which you film the two people you have to break the 180 degree rule and you can do this effectively by using a tracking shot to move around them so that the audience aren't confused.

The 180 degree rule will help in the preliminary task to plan out where to film the shot and when it comes to filming the dialogue we will follow the 180 degree rule so that it is not confusing and if we do break it then it is done the right way.

Narrative Theory

A narrative is not the story itself but it is the way the story is put together so when analyzing narrative we tend to focus on the organisation and structure.

When we think of how stories are structured we always think of it as the Beginning, Middle & End. There are 4 key narrative theorists the first being Tzvetan Todorov, his theory was that there are three parts to a narrative the first being an equilibrium where everything is normal until a disequilibrium disrupts the normalcy which could be broken down even further to 3 sections the first being there is a disruption, the second is recognition of the disruption and then an attempt to repair the disruption. Lastly there is a resolution equilibrium where the equilibrium is restored or there is a new one in place.

The second theorist is Vladimir Propp, he was interested in the patterns in nature and why it happens, he studied a lot of Russian folk tales and came to the conclusion that there are 31 functions and 8 character types in all stories.
The 8 character types include:

1. The Hero (Protagonist) - Usually the lead role, they usually have to fight evil or solve a mystery


                                                    





2. Sidekick/Helper - Helps the hero

3. The Princess - Usually the prize or reward for the hero it could even be money










4. The Villain (Antagonist) - Tries to stop the hero from accomplishing their super-objective

5.  The Donor - They provide the hero with something to help them complete the quest which could be a clue or special power.

6. The Princess' Father - An authoritative figure that offers the hero a reward for completing a quest which could be anything from a prince/princess to a new car


7. Dispatcher - The dispatcher is the one who sends the hero off on the quest in the first place


8. The False Hero - They try to take credit for the heroes actions or they might try to get the heroes reward.

Some characters may take on more than one role for example The Princess' Father could also be the Dispatcher in the story but all these character types are always present.

The third theorist is Claude Levi-Strauss, he examined how stories unconsciously reflect the values, beliefs and myths of a culture. Levi-Strauss' research was adapted by media to show the link between binary oppositions and films. Every movie has a contrast between two for example most movies are a battle between good and evil.

The fourth was Roland Barthes, he suggested that narratives work with 5 different codes which activate the reader to make sense of it.

Barthes 5 codes were

1. Action - The solution is usually produced through action for example there might be a fight which resolves an on going problem within the story.

2.  Enigma - This is used a lot in trailers to teases the audience sometimes with little riddles or delays in the story lines that will only make sense as you watch or read the whole book or film.

3. Symbolic - All the connotations associated with the specific symbol.

4. Semantic - The denotations associated with the book.

5. Cultural - We recognize certain things as being apart of a certain culture. Costumes can be used to help identify a specific culture.

Syd Field is a screenwriter, considered as one of the greatest. Field suggested that there are 3 acts

1. Plot Point - something important happens within the first half hour

2. Then a Confrontation takes place, then there's a Mid Point where the main character is going through the lowest point in the movie and they seem to be on a downward slope

2.5. Things may seem a little hopeful and seem as though it is picking back up but it goes back down and it seems as though there is no hope left.

3. Then finally there is a Resolution and things get better.

Narratives tend to come in two forms Linear and Non-Linear.
Linear narratives are constructed in order of events whereas Non-Linear is constructed in the opposite way for instance it may start off with a flashback before going forward in time. 

                     


- In class we worked in pairs to create a three part narrative using jelly babies

In our three part narrative it starts out as a normal day in the park, there are a group of boys at the park and a couple sitting together at a park bench talking.
The dynamics change when the boys plan to rob the couple and threaten to stab them if they don't give them their money.
The problem is solved when the man in the relationship fights the group of boys off.