EVALUATION QUESTION 7 – CONTINUITY AND CAMERA/ EDITING SHOTSBy Madeleine Fox

PRELIMINARY TASK – 180 DEGREE RULE

180 DEGREE RULE

The 180 degree rule is when the camera can only pan 180 degrees around two or more characters, rather than a full 360 degrees.

We showed this by panning across from one character in conversation to another character’s response/ listening.

The 180 degree rule is typically used to show two characters sat down at a table or stood in a highly intense verbal scene.

PRELIMINARY TASK – MATCH ON ACTION

MATCH ON ACTION

This is when you film cut from one shot to another shot that matches the first shots actions.

We did this by showing someone open and go to walk through a door on one side of a wall. We then cut to the same person walking through and closing the door but on the other side of the wall.

Match on action is typically used to break up an action shot of someone jumping or something like that... They are specifically designed to make a scene more interesting and eye-appealing to the audience.

PRELIMINARY TASK – SHOT/REVERSE SHOT

SHOT/REVERSE SHOT

This is when you show one character looking another, before you cut to the other character looking at the first character.

We portrayed this through a discussion of over the shoulder shots, (cutting back and forth between characters).

Shot/reverse shot is typically used when two characters are having a conversation, as it shows the environment from each characters eye-level.

OPENING SCENE – 180 DEGREE RULE

180 DEGREE RULE

This example of the 180 degree rule (taken from the opening scene) has been used to film the starting point of our Doctors’ killing spree of serial murders.

(You witness him drive out of a parking spot and head of into town.)

We chose to use the 180 degree rule here, as we didn’t want to split the scene, but instead keep the continuity to create intense suspense amongst the audience (symbolising his journey into murder).

It is therefore the moment that he drives off from the hospital that the storyline truly begins.

180 DEGREE RULE

180 DEGREE RULE

This example of the 180 degree rule (taken from within a car) has been used to film the Casino (nightclub) from the Doctors’ eye line.

The main focus of this clip, is the Casino itself (being the only mise-en-scene in shot). This is crucial, as it sets the location of the murder and acts as a clue to the Doctor’s motive.

OPENING SCENE – MATCH ON ACTION

This clip uses Match on action to show the Doctor grabbing his bag and jacket from his locker, it then cuts to him coming out of the locker room and walking down the hospital corridor (whilst putting his hood up, to create the stereotypical shadiness of a killer).This match on action is focused on between the locker closing and the doctor being on the opposite side of the door to the room. I believe that this was a perfect place to add the match on action, as the cut between clips caused a dramatic change in atmosphere (reeling the audience in).

MATCH ON ACTION

This clip uses Match on action to show the Doctor getting out of his car (behind the Casino). And similarly to the 180 degree rule used to symbolise the beginning of the murders, this is used to symbolise the first step/ murder amongst the many more to come.

I think it was important to use match on action to cut the clip into two, as it would have been:

a. boring to watch someone step out of a car

b. difficult to film him stepping out from behind, therefore worsening the quality of the scene.

c. the medium shot the doctor to the high angle shot represents his sudden power/ ability to kill.

OPENING SCENE – SHOT/REVERSE SHOT We chose not to use this editing technique of continuity

during the opening of our film, simply because we only had one character in the scene at all time.

Therefore it was not necessary to use shot/ reverse shot, because although there are scenes where the two characters overlapped due to the adjusted opacity, neither were in the same time zone. This means that it would have broken the continuity.

However in the scene between a nurse and the doctor (which we ended up cutting due to a lack of continuity), we had aimed to include shot/reverse shot (whilst the two discussed their weekend).

Therefore if I was to repeat this filming process I would include this editing technique, by introducing a scene where the Doctor and victim have a short conversation/ acquaintance.

OPENING SCENE – WHAT WE USED INSTEAD.

When filming we used a mixed variety of camera shots. For example

Close up – at 0.19 seconds and 0.45 seconds Extreme Close up – at 2.01 minutes Establishing shot – at 0.53 seconds and 1.27

minutes Low angle shot – at 1.30 minutes High angle shot – at 1.50 minutes Medium shot – at 0.26 seconds to 0.31 seconds Long shot – at 1 minute to 1.03 minutes Panning - at 0.10 seconds to 0.18 seconds