Evaluation Continued (5)

What have you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

In the process of producing, constructing and editing, I have learnt how to film and effectively use a variety of camera shots in order to help my opening sequence explore what I wanted it too, and emphasise key points that I feel the audience would need to explore. I explored camera shots such as close-ups, extreme close-ups, low-angle shots, high-angle shots, point of view shots, wide shots, medium shots, long shots, Reverse shots, zooming shots and over the shoulder shots. 

Close-Up

I used a close up at this particular time, and I had an extremely lengthy shot of the antagonist due to both practical difficulties due to mistiming of the alternate shot of the reverse angle, but I also felt that despite this, due to the context and nature of what was happening within the film, a lengthy shot wasn't unjustified as it allows the audience to analyse the character that has just been presented before them for the first time, and it also gives the audience a chance to see and hear his emotions, such as despair and anger which really illustrates the character.

Extreme Close-Up

I used an extreme close-up for this shot as I felt with what the character is saying, it really emphasises both the danger the protagonist will be in and therefore make the audience sympathise and feel anxious for the character, and it also further emphasises the instability of this character as I feel that a close-up disregards identity by removing the rest of the person's image, and the audience focus on the place I want them too, I aimed to dehumanise the character best I could.

High-Angle Shot/ Point Of View Shot

I used this shot in order to belittle the character from an audiences perspective. A high-angle shot puts the character in a vulnerable position, and although no explicit threat has been presented to the audience at this point, on the seemingly meaningless barge from the stranger at the very beginning of the film, at this point, I'm trying to make the character look like he's in a vulnerable position in order to try and foreshadow an inevitable threat, and I'm  just trying to give my audience hints at this point. This is also  a long shot in order for the audience to gain the perspective of the suburban area, highlighting again the normality of the character that I was desperately trying to portray. I also had another significant high-angle shot that i feel would purposely confuse the audience. The shot is of the protagonist slowly walking his halls as he thinks someone is there with him, and the camera is directly above him and following his movements, and i used the shot because firstly the character being looked down makes him look inferior, and also i wanted the audience to question whether this was a first person shot and whether he was actually being watch by an intruder.

Wide Shot

In this shot, there was more meaning than what the audience may initially have picked up on, and wouldn't understand at this point. I used this wide shot to show that there are two different sides to our protagonist by splitting up the shot. On the left side, there's the façade that is initially presented to the audience, and the character is there in his smart clothing, picking up his clothes as a normal person would, and in the same shot on the right hand side, there's the door closing as the protagonist is then coming round, and initially the audience would think that there's just another perpetrator in the house, but I actually used the shot firstly to show that there is another side to our protagonist, and then on the closing of the door to show that this side of the protagonist's other side has been shut away and hidden away without him knowing, which is also another reason I didn't allow the character to see the door closing.

Medium Shot

I used medium shots in order for the audience to gain a perspective on how the protagonist dresses as his appearance is all that's given away at the beginning in terms of his identity, so I added medium shots so the audience can see his attire, and make their own assumptions about the character based on his appearance, and hopefully gain the idea that he is just another citizen that is about to be terrorized. 

Reverse Shot

This shot is used during the antagonists monologue from the television so the audience were able to see how the protagonist is reacting to the tape that is directly addressing him and threatening him. The audience are able to see the confusion and nervousness that is currently smothering the protagonist. I also included the protagonists reflection whilst he was watching the tape play as I felt the audience would always want to see his reaction, and the audience can see his attentiveness as he's watching, you can see how the character is trying to fathom what is currently happening, and I wanted the audience to see this so I seated the character in a way that he could always be seen.

Zooming Shot

I used a zooming shot in this instance because I think that zooming in on something signals the audience and makes them think 'we need to pay attention to this' and I did this with the missing poster, and I did it then because although it will not make sense to the audience at present, it would have done later in the film and a lot of my film is made to set up for the remainder of the film, which is the crux of any opening sequence I feel. So with the zooming in on the missing poster
of the antagonists daughter (unbeknown to both protagonist and audience that it is their daughter at this moment) really emphasises to the massive part the daughter plays in the film.

Construction of the film

I created a PDF document to show the construction of the film, and how I used the software to create and use effects for my production.

Evaluation Continued (5)