Home Learning set 30.09.10

This will be the last time I set work on the Induction blog.

ALL THE ACTIVITIES BELOW TO BE DONE ON YOUR THRILLER BLOG.

1. CONTINUITY EXERCISE: Evaluation of second shoot, making sure you explain how you maintained continuity (or tried to). Use the questions from last week's evaluation to guide your reflective comments. Alternatively, use the following questions:

1. What did you think was the point to the activity?
2. In regard to your finished sequence, what worked well?
3. What would you aim to improve about your sequence? What continuity mistakes can you see?
4. What did you learn from doing this activity?

Upload your film and screengrab key frames to illustrate choices made and techniques used. Try to use the correct terminology.

2. Compared to The Accident, how would you rate your pre-production, production and post-production this time around? Justify / Explain.

3. Watch the sequence below extracted from Hitchcock's The Birds and answer the questions fully.

4. Start a list of thrillers you've watched recently and keep updating, including group viewings.

TO BE COMPLETED ON INDUCTION BLOG:

5. Once you've had a chance to improve your editing of The Accident, explain and comment on the changes/improvements you've made to the rough cut.

Both Rough Cut and Final Cut should be on your blog.

This brings you to the end of your Induction Blog, so a closing post about what you think of your overall blog would be nice.

The Birds - Continuity

Watch this sequence from Hitchcock's The Birds. It's an excellent example of continuity and uses the techniques we've seen in class this week.



After watching it, try and work out:
- How many shots are there?
- Where was the camera positioned for each shot?
- Which principles of continuity editing have been followed?

Then you're ready to write an analysis of shots and techniques used in this sequence to demonstate your understanding of them. You can use the following questions for guidance:
1. What principles of continuity are used here? How successfully? Refer to specific shots / screengrabs.
2. What is the effect of the editing on the viewer? What are we meant to feel at different stages? (ie before she enters the house, in the kitchen, in the corridor, in the bedroom, running away)?
3. What is the 'best bit' for you in this sequence in terms of learning new techniques and why?

Continuity editing is all about making your film work in a logical way (ordering the shots logically) so the audience can follow it easily and enjoy the story y without being confused; they are properly 'positioned'.
Can you remember all the techniques/ principles discussed in class? Can you find some examples of these techniques in other films (embed)?

Home Learning set 27.09.10 and Admin

You need to work on an opening sequence of your choice and do some research on the production and distribution of the film. Due in next Monday. Details given in class.

PLEASE bring back your EV 7 and money ASAP for the Media Conference.
3 of you also need to hand in their Assessment sheet to be filled in. If you've had yours handed back, you need to get a parental signature.

Reminder: it would be great to have some of you working on the Macs on Thursday for Open Evening. You could do your h/l, improve your blog, work on your edit, export your Accident videos to Park High YouTube channel, practise effects on Photoshop or Final Cut etc. The evening is from 6 to 8pm but you could come in just for a slot. Please email us if you feel you could attend. We would be grateful.

A final message: some of you (very few) have fallen behind with h/l. Do your best to catch up for Thursday! You have been warned...

Soundtrack h/l update

I need to say this: some superb work now on display! Really well done to those who made the extra effort! And well done to the one student so far who has remembered the moodboard when I had forgotten to remind you on the blog.
Incidentally, the moodboard doesn't have to be only images from the film but also images to represent the genre or themes of the film.

Soundtrack Home Learning needs work

Looking at your soundtrack work so far, a bit more work is needed! You need to specify what type of noise/ music/ voice/ Instrument/ effect is used and to what effect! Try adding pictures to represent these sounds visually or / and screengrabs from your sequence. You need to explain which sounds are diegetic or non-diegetic.
You also need to embed your film sequence. If you found it on YouTube or other such sites, simply copy the Embed code then paste it into your post, making sure the HTML tab is clicked first.

Remember that the more visual and creative your work, the more marks you get (one specific set of criteria). Refer to your course guide for mark scheme.

Home learning due in week beginning 27.09.10

Don't forget your illustrated soundtrack timeline for Monday's lesson.
I've distributed the home learning due in on Thursday in the last lesson. You cannot do the whole of task one but you can start reflecting on your planning and shoot, and your first try on Final Cut so far. There are two additional tasks though, and I'd like to ask you once again to send me your Thriller blog's URL as soon as it is set up. You also need to link your two blogs together to allow us to navigate from one to the other.
Creating your second blog will be easy as you've already set up your Google account. Do remember to finalise your background choice before adding your links. Your background should echo the themes or moods of Thriller films, or to refer to one film in this genre.

Finally, some of you have fallen behind or not fully completed some of last week's tasks. Please catch up to avoid a phone call home!

PS: Remember to bring in on Monday the form and cheque for the Media conference.

Extra Support - Wednesday Lunchtimes

Just a reminder that James is in the pod every Wednesday at lunch. You might want to come to finish a task, upload tasks to your blogs, get some tips and support...

Please do drop in if you need to...

Home Learning set 16.9 due in 23.9

1. Complete a post on film posters task.
- Write up your annotations to explain choices made with the signs and mise-en-scene of your posters to fit in with the conventions of your chosen film genres. Explain what you did to the characters (make-up etc) as well.
- This could be done as a PPT Presentation, with the inserted Jpeg of your film poster and the added annotations. Further slides could “zoom in” on some of the details with appropriate annotations.
- Write about the feedback you were given by your peers and evaluate it (if you got any).
- Write about what you’ve learnt to do with Photoshop, which poster you chose to recreate in Photoshop and why, what you’re pleased with and what you did not manage to do for your poster, what you need to practise further/learn to do next time.

2. Practise camera work techniques distributed in class with a camera. You should each have a minimum of 2 sheets. Save in electronic form and upload your shot(s) to your blog, explaining the techniques used and the desired effects. Evaluate how pleased you are with your shots.

NOTE: Should you wish to practise more techniques, you can ask for extra challenges or simply swap with aomeone else once you've completed your 2 techniques.
You could also scan the original sheet, upload to your blog and compare with your own shots. BE CREATIVE.

3. Sum up and illustrate the composition tips discussed in class (e.g. nose room/lead, rule of thirds …)

Find me or email if you have any questions about any of the above.
Please email me your film posters so that I can publish them here! We'll have a prize for the best one!

Here are the first ones:

Home Learning set 13.9.10

- Complete film posters (sketch / rough) for 2 different genres and annotated to explain choices. You should take photos of your characters (yourself and/or friends/ parents, made up as necessary) – you will need to bring in an electronic copy of your photos as well as your annotated film poster sketches to next lesson (with HO). This will count towards PC1.

Setting up your blog

PLEASE SEND ME YOUR BLOG'S URL AS SOON AS IT IS SET UP.

Remember to include a link back to the AS Induction blog (this one) and one to the Thriller Project blog.

Home Learning - set 9/9/10 due in 13/9/10

1. Personalise your blog – choose a background before the gadgets, including links back to INDUCTION and THRILLER BLOGS; insert a photo for your profile; send your URL to HO.
2. Evaluate the practical tasks so far, using the following prompts for each one (the camerawork movie and the crooping exercise):
- What did you have to do and what was the purpose of the task?
- What have you learnt in terms of skills, key concepts and ideas etc...
- What would you do differently if you had the chance? What lessons have you learnt in terms of pre-production / production; in other words, how will you be more efficient next time?

You also need to embed your CameraWork task and your PPT of cropped images as well.

3. Take an interesting photo of one or two characters and explain your mise-en-scene choices (see the example below which is a student's work from a different centre)


*This is a high angle MS of a white teenage male.
* He is wearing a grey hoody-the hood nearly covering his eyes so it casts shadows across his face, signifying that he may have things to hide.
*He sits against a brick wall in the dark with a spotlight shining on him which creates an interrogation-style effect.
*As one eye is covered a sense of mystery is connoted, as well as darkness which could represent that the character is evil.
*The actor is giving direct address to the camera, which seems chilling and gives a sense of horror.
* The photo is in colour, but the actor is wearing dark clothing which makes him seem evil, as he is central in the photo and we are drawn to the darkness.
*We had to turn off the lights in the hallway so that there was darkness surrounding the actor and the only light came from the police, as if to signify that the character is bad and the police interrogating are good, which plays upon opposites which are a common feature in horror films.
*Furthermore, the actor looks like a 'deer in the headlights', which is great we achieved a feeling that he was not expecting to be caught.

*The shot was achieved using a teenage male sitting against a wall, with someone holding a pag light (without filters) in front of the male.
*I also put dark makeup underneath the teenager's eyes so that he looked more devious.

Home learning - Set 6/9/10 Due in 13/9/10

Watch the clip below from 1:03 to the end then answer the questions that follow. This task should be completed on your brand new Induction blog with the label "Homelearning".

Enemy of the State, Tony Scott, 1998



1. What is the point of this sequence? Describe briefly how tension is created through the editing.
2. Look at the use of CU or Medium CU. Why are they primarily used here? Refer to specific shots (screengrab them if you can [with Fn Print Screen then Control - V on a PC] and embed them within your post).
3. Choose 15-20 seconds from anywhere in the sequence and describe each shot in detail, explaining its effect / function for the audience, as well as commenting on how the cuts (the editing) adds to the meaning.
4. How far does the editing of this sequence fit in with the genre of the thriller? Justify your opinion.

Above all, do your best to engage with the sequence and the task.

Back to basics - Camerawork

Easy to follow guide to learn the basics of the trade! Click here.

These videos from OCR are also useful.

Ocrmediaas_basics of Video Editing
Ocrmediaas_making Your Video

Film Making Techniques - Watch and Learn...

A fantastic film made by a film student to teach you all you need to know. Flawless editing. Watch and learn!

LEARNING FROM ROBERT RODRIGUEZ (director)
You can learn an awful lot about making a film on a tight budget from Robert Rodriguez, director of El Mariachi. You can also find more of his videos on YouTube as well as extracts from his films.



And here is the trailer for El Mariachi (1992).


Course Guide AS 10 11