BLK Homework 3: Film Opening Analysis - Continuity

In this opening sequence, the medium shot of the character introduces the character and establishes the setting to be a convenience store. The 180-degree rule is kept to, keeping the ice cream van men on the right of the frame, and the protagonists on the left, stopping the audience from getting disorientated. However, it is broken occasionally towards the end, shots being taken from the right of the manager as he shouts while holding the jar, and then switches back to the left side (where we were placed originally).

We can immediately see that there is a master shot (the first shot) which is used throughout the opening, as the character is shot from the same position and the shot is cut back to several times, i.e. when the two are singing together. This is also the case with the third shot, using the same set-up and shot several times throughout the conversation.

There are shot reverse shots included during the conversation that allow the audience to see the reactions of the ice cream men, and the close-ups of the store keepers face while he dances allows the audience to see the comical, over the top expression, producing comedy with the shots and dialogue. For example, the shot of him combing his few strands of hair is done as a close-up to show the audience the detail, and is done to make the audience laugh at the obscenity/pointlessness of the action, as he is practically bald.

There are match on actions included as well, i.e. when the store keeper says 'hammer time', it cuts to the master shot of them both dancing straight from the last shot, as he had moved to start in the last shot.

BLK homework 3: Prelim continuity task

What techniques did you specifically use to create continuity (narrative flow) in your accident sequence?

To create continuity in this video, we used a range of techniques. For example, we used a wide-shot pan to establish the setting (school field) and introduce the character (Louis), then included several match-on-actions, changing from the wide shot to a medium shot of the character stretching and then to a long shot as he reaches down to the floor to ready himself to run. This then changes to a low angle shot as he jumps the hurdle, continuing the narrative from the previous shot, the low angle making it seem like he is going faster and jumping higher. This then cuts to the long shot of him running into the hurdle and falling, followed by an attempted match on action of him on the floor. The shot is at ground/Louis's level, so puts the audience in quite a voyeuristic position, watching Louis in pain.

 

In hindsight, what could you do to improve the continuity of the sequence?

To improve the continuity of this sequence, I would first of all prevent the 180 degree from being broken, where we had the low angle with Louis on the right of the frame, then switch sides so that we are on his left as we watch him run into the hurdle and fall. Also, I would improve the match on action of him falling, so that rather than just cutting to him on the floor, we show him fall the remaining distance, then hit the floor and groan.

Film opening analysis

The film I've chosen is Black Hawk Down, made in 2001, based in Somalia. It is an American war film, adapted from the book by Mark Bowden. The film is set in 1993, based on true events. 

In the opening sequence, the audience are introduced to the genre with the quote of Plato 'only the dead have seen the end of war', which tells us that this is going to be a war film. The font of the graphics are very military like, as in they use the font that is said to be used in government operations, which connotes the genre. The scene is established by showing a truck driving through the desert area, with the title: 'Somalia, 1992' It then shows us a dead body and people carrying dead bodies across the village, with titles explaining that conflict in Somalia has left famine, and that the main 'villain' uses people's hunger as his weapon to gain control. The progression of following the bodies and people as they tend to the bodies links to the telling of the story as it is showing the results of what has happened, the people who have died because of Aidid. 

The titles explain about the US operations, while the helicopter sound links to that part of the story, as it is talking about the US deploying forces there. 

Aidid is introduced by the use of graphics, explaining that he is one of the most powerful warlords and that he attacks the international food aid in order to gain control, so shows him as the villainous character. The US delta forces are also introduced with graphics, explaining that they have been deployed to stop Aidid, and are therefore our protagonists. The villagers are introduced in the footage, tending to the dead, malnourished, and it shows that they are suffering due to this conflict.

A lot of the story information is told to the audience, but it is all back-story. The details of what is currently happening in the operation are withheld, so intrigue the audience and leave them asking 'what is going on?' enough so that they want to continue watching. 

At the start of a film, the audience needs some semblance of character and setting so that they can identify where they are and who they are following. This helps them to build an image of what is going on, and suspend their disbelief for long enough to get engaged with the story so that it becomes real. 

BLK Homework 1: Film Still analysis

What is the genre?

The genre we chose for our film still was horror, so we chose a basement setting as it is typical for the genre. We decided to have the character crouching behind a stack of boxes because the fact that she is hiding from the unknown assailant connotes that it is dangerous and perhaps that she is being hunted by it in a house. The facial expression on our character in this shot also helps to connote this, as it is a look of panic and fear, and she is leaning as far from the hand as she can. There are chemical bottles included in the mise-en-scene as well, which could suggest that this assailant is more dangerous due to the possession of all of these, and it makes the overall environment feel very unsafe.

How did we achieve the desired effect?

We chose it to be a stack of boxes because it's a situation in which the character's safety can be shattered in seconds if the assailant knocks a box over or comes round the corner slightly, so helps to build suspense and leaves the audience in a voyeuristic experience, waiting to see what will follow. The high angle of the shot also helps to establish the meekness of the protagonist, as well as her pose, leaning away showing that she is fearing the hand and therefore that the assailant is probably more powerful. The long shot allows the audience to see the hand coming around from the corner, so in this situation the level of voyeurism is increased and the audience know what could happen, while the character is unaware, so suspense is created.

How was our shot a success?

The lighting was the main aspect that attributed to the success of our shot, as darkness/low key lighting is one of the key aspects of the horror genre. The low key lighting helps to establish the assailant as dangerous and unknown, due to the light highlighting the hand coming around the corner, looming above the boxes. The character's pose also helps a lot, because the facial expression tells us visibly that she is fearful of the assailant, while her crouching behind the boxes suggests that she is in danger from it.

What would I do differently?

If I had a chance to re-do my shot, I'd adjust the lighting to make the hand much more prominent in the frame and probably go slightly closer in to give the audience a clearer view of what's happening, and engage them more. I would do it as a MS from in front of the character, looking up at the hand while still having the character's torso and face in shot. Also, I would make the character's clothing much dirtier/torn up, to give the sense of her having been there for a while and trying to escape from this dangerous assailant. However, the clothing/make-up would not have been logically able to be done in the time available, so more time would be needed in order to achieve this.