First attempt at different camera shots.

The video is this post is what me and my group put together to have a go at attempting some camera shots and using camera movement effectivley. Im going to try and point out what shots we used and why, as well as how they can be improved. I have numbered each shot in the video so you can tell which one i'm talking about.

1. This camera movement is known as panning. This involves slowly rotating the camera horizontally across whatever is going to be in the shot, which in this case, is me! This is effective as it gives the audience an idea of where the scene is set and gives you a brief idea of the character and his/her mood. One thing we did not think about when shooting this shot is what type of actual shot it was. In this case it is just a medium shot but if we used a shot like a close up, the characters mood would of been emphasized to a greater extent.

2. This type of camera movement is known as zoom. This can be used for a varitey of reasons, some of which are to create tension or show that something shocking has happened. It goes from a medium shot through to a big close-up to show the characters emotions. This shot didn't create the desired effect for us as the zooming in took quite a long time, not really creating any feeling or presenting anything.

3. This is known as a tilt shot. This creates a similar effect as the panning shot but this time it is vertical rather than horizontal. But once again with this we didn't think about what type of shot it was, this medium close up that we did was alright, but a close up probably would've been better.

4. This camera movement is know as crabbing as it follows the actor along, without the angle changing, like a crab. This keeps the actor in focus throughout the shot so you get to know what he/she is feeling or trying to acheive. There are a few things that could've been better in this shot. One being, to keep the camera from shaking, a dolly could've been used which is on wheels along a track, reducing bumpyness. We didn't have one available though. Secondly, the head space is an issue as it shows to much of the enviroment taking the focus off the actor and also makes the actor seem a lot smaller than he is.

5. This shot is known as a follow camera movement. As the name suggests it follows the actor. It kind of combines the tilt with the pan to fllow the actor up the stairs. This was done quite well as the headspace is good and the camera movement is smooth with no judders.

6. This final shot is known as a long shot. It puts the actors into the setting and makes the audience more focused on where they are rather than what the actor[s] are doing. This shot went fairly well for us as it does put the actors in the setting. The only problem is there is not much to be taken from the setting we are in, a way we could improve this is by picking a setting which can have a greater impact on the audience.

                               

Camera shot analysis in Quadrophenia.

 In our lesson today, I looked at a scene from a film called 'Quadrophenia.' In this post, I will be analyzing some of the camera shots used in the scene and why the director chose to use them.

One effective shot which is used is this low angle shot. This shot is used because it emphasizes the height of the drop that the man is going to fall down. If the shot was in level with the people the drop wouldn't be seen as that high. It also emphasizes the danger that hes in as it is also a long shot, showing that there is no mean of escape.

In this part of the scene, a long shot is used to both set the scene and show the dominance of the mods compared to the rockers. Firstly, you can see a pier in the background so the viewer immediately knows they're by the sea, and some people might recognize it as Brighton pier, setting the scene even more precisely. Secondly, the shot shows the mods in a big group in a small formation type cluster which stretches across the back of the shot. Meanwhile the rockers are bunched together right next to the camera showing that there is a lot less of them, and emphasizing how outnumbered they are!

This last shot is also a low angle shot, which in this particular shot, presents dominance. With the horse being a tall, strong animal charging towards the camera presents both it and the policemen as the most powerful person in the scene. The camera shot being lower tan the horse, makes it seem even bigger than it is, making the dominance of it even greater. 

   

Camera Shot Analysis.

In movies, using different types of camera shots is crucial because you can tell a lot about what is happening or is going to happen as well as being able to tell the emotions of the characters. Of course, there are other ways in which camera shots enhance the whole production. But I will be focusing on these two main points. 

The shot above is taken from the film 'The Hunger Games'. This camera shot is known as the low angle shot. It is called this because the camera is looking up at something, which is usually a character. This presents the character as a superior character and that they have a lot of dominance. The director has used this shot here because you are looking at the main character, Katniss Everdeen, who at this point is caught in a life or death situation. However, the camera being underneath her shows that she is strong and dominant, therefore reassuring the viewer that she is going to survive. 

Another few types of camera shot are know as close ups. There are a few types of close up, these are Extreme close up, which tends to focus on their eyes, Big close up, which focuses on the whole face, a close up which is mainly the face but can also show you some of the scene and finally a medium close up in which you can see much more scenery. This example here, is taken from the movie 'Se7en'. This shot is a close up shot as you can also get an idea of the scene. Close ups are good as they can easily show what emotion the character is feeling. In this particular example, the character is distraught over the death of his wife. This can be seen as he has tears in his eyes and is struggling to hold it together. The camera shot makes this a lot easier to see as it is focused on his face and all his facial features. 

Yet another shot which is effective is the long shot. This shot lets the viewer see a lot of the setting rather than concentrating on the actual characters or characters. The setting is always key to set the tone of what's happening and that's why it is important to see every part of it. In this scene from the film 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' a lot of long shots are used so that The Shire, in which the scene is set can reflect the mood of the film at the time. At this point of the film, the mood is quite happy and The Shire is seen as quite a peaceful, tranquil place, which both are happy emotions. The long shot provides the viewer with a good look at it all so this feeling is greatly emphasized. 

  

'Get Carter' car park scene analysis.

Earlier in the week we watched a short clip from the film 'Get Carter' (1971). The task at hand is to analyse what is being used for effect in this scene and why. Such things that influence this are the way the characters are presented and how the way the setting creates impact among other things.

One thing that I noticed was the positioning and stance of the three characters in the part of the scene shown to the right. The boss is easily recognizable from the two other businessman for a variety of reasons. One of which is that he is standing closer to the camera, from which I can infer that he is the more important character as more focus is put upon him. The way he is dressed also shows importance as it differs in color to the other men's suits, which are nearly identical to one another. The boss is also looking out the window, which can be also described as him looking over all that he owns, showing dominance. On the other hand the two other men are looking hard at work and productive to show that they are wishing to get on the good side of the boss.

Another notable thing used is the use of camera shots in the scene. In this particular camera shot below. You are looking over the soon to be dead businessman's shoulder and into the face of the main character. By doing this you are put in the shoes of the businessman so that you can relate to how he is feeling. The feelings are emphasized as the shot is only focused on the main characters face, which shows anger. This would intimidate the businessman and by using this shot, you feel slightly intimidated too.