AS Preliminary: Evaluation

By Rahim Rahat

PlanningWe did the majority of the planning and composition of shots during the shooting of the film with a slight understanding of what we were looking for. The plot and script were planned on a storyboard so understood the plot and could therefore experiment with shots to figure out which ones constructed the atmosphere that we wanted. The subject of the conversation was thought up of when we were going over the equipment needed for the media course and figured that a flash drive or something of the sort would be the most vital part of the coursework and would therefore be very stressing if this was to be lost. We built the conversation on that and added in a betrayal angle as this is a very conventional twist in thrillers and other movies that aim to build suspense. We realised the idea of breaking a friendship would create a hated villain which increases tension and changes the atmosphere to kind and caring to dark and menacing.

The 180 degree rule.During the shoot we tried very hard to compose shots that would stay well within the 180 degrees rule such as shot reverse shots and over the shoulder shots as they clearly establish a conversation/confrontation without breaking the 180 degrees rule. It was important that the rule wasn’t broken as there needed to be a clearly established conversation and filming from other angles that would counteract this would mean that confusion is caused which would lead to the tense atmosphere being lost and therefore ruining the film. As can be observed in image 1, this confrontation between Batman and The Joker clearly outlines a confrontation, which is successfully composed using the same shots mentioned above.

Image 1Batman: The Dark Knight

Camera AnglesPrior to the conversation, we used long shots and low angle shots to express vulnerability and create an atmosphere of being prey. These were used as opposed to close ups and high angle shots as close ups generally make a subject seem empowered which is the opposite of the effect we were trying to construct. We used low angle as opposed to high angle as these seem more animalistic and quite primitive which makes his emotions seem raw and base level. We used a tracking shot to add some fluidity and motion in order to establish a rush for a prized possession.

EditingIn terms of editing skills, I feel more comfortable with audio effects, filters and transitions e.g. dip to black/white. I have used these transitions plenty of times in this production and know when to use it and to what effect. The use of black and white filters was completely new to me and building the understanding of its appropriate uses is something that was worth doing as it transformed my production to something incredible.The general effects used in the production are very well done. There are couple of inconsistencies e.g. the volume of the conversation could be louder (but that is mostly down to the acting) and the odd shake of the camera. But the flow of the production piece is undisturbed due to the fluid transitions from one clip to another. The use of slow motion and texturizing built suspense and mystery which enhanced the piece early on. The transition and placement of the name pieces wasn’t rushed which ensured that the atmosphere didn’t clash with other connotations e.g. anger or action. We decided not to add the alternative ending onto the clip as it would completely ruin the desired effect of the production.

Conclusion• Overall this piece is a confident production with only a couple

hiccups. There are many things we can take from this such as the use of filters and the quick cuts that add tension. But we can also improve from this by using more adventurous camera angles and raise the volume level when shooting.