Preliminary

Preliminary

In preparation for the media coursework, we had to direct a short video where the brief stated that we needed to have a character open the door, cross a room and sit down in a chair opposite another character where some dialogue is then exchanged. This would demonstrate my ability to film and edit these sections together as well as the brief requiring me to include match on action and a shot/reverse shot over the shoulder where all these shots had to keep to the 180 degree rule.



I worked alone as I felt that my attention would be best focused if I produced this independently. I decided to create my short video on a kidnapping and interrogation scene that started with the kidnapper preparing himself for the interrogation by acquiring his handgun and putting on his ski mask. Then the man enters the interrogation room, sits down, interrogates the hostage and then kills the hostage.



I created a story board that listed the order, shot type, dialogue, example of what the shot should look like, the length of the shot, sound effects and other extra information such as how the shot cuts to the next shot so that the video flows seamlessly.

I believe that I did meet the brief. This is because I included the shots asked for which included: match on action (3 shots) where I included a shot of the kidnapper walking up to the door, then a close up of the handle being turned and then a shot from the other side of the door being opened and then the kidnapper approaching the camera.

As well as match on action, I was required to use a shot of a person walking across the room. I showed this shot in the shot of the shoes walking across the screen and then the kidnapper walking over to the seat and sitting down.

I included conversation in the dialogue “Where is it?” from the kidnapper and then “I don’t know!” from the hostage.

The shot of the shoes also acted as a transition shot of the kidnapper walking into the room and then sitting down in the chair.

Evidence of the use of sound effects is at the end of the video where the gun is fired and then the sound of a gunshot and shell casing can be heard.

Dubbed audio is included in the line “Don’t lie to me!” which was re-recorded and then re-positioned to sound more natural.  I also added the song Gyorgy Ligeti- Requiem for the opening 19 seconds of the preliminary. This was inspired by 2014’s Godzilla Halo scene where the music is used.

An aspect that went well was the sound effects were highly effective when used for the gunshot with a cut to black that emphasised the speed of the event. The music in the opening created an eerily creepy feeling for he audience with the accompanying shots of the kidnapper preparing himself by placing on a ski mask and recovering a handgun from a briefcase.

I also have a large variety of shots that are ordered in an appropriate fashion. These shots include: still shots, angled shots, rising shots, shots from behind a character, close ups, medium shots,  match on action, transition shots, medium shots, wide shots, over the shoulder shots and reaction shots from characters. Examples of correct ordering would be the rising shot showing the firearm in the briefcase and then the briefcase being empty afterwards. This also allows inference by the audience to be made as they can work out that the empty briefcase means that the kidnapper has taken the gun. The use of the rising hot it self is quite unique and allows a somewhat slow realisation of the audience when they realise what is in the briefcase.

The ending also went well as it cuts quickly to black after the gun is raised to the hostage’s head which surprises the audience and creates a level of shock after seeing the violent actions of the kidnapper.

An aspect that did not go as well was the cut from the domesticated home (with darker lighting) setting to the interrogation room setting that was much brighter as it was filmed on school grounds.

There were also some continuity issues like the last shot where the hostage is shot yet her hands are still tied even though the shot just before shows her removing her ties.