Advanced Camerawork: Tracking and Arc Shots

        A  Tracking Shot is where the tripod is mounted upon a piece of equipment called a Dolly. It is on a rail where the dolly can move across, moving the camera's point of view smoothly. This shot can be used to zoom as well as follow moving characters/objects within the scene. It is a very effective shot, if got right, which can be challenging. Below is a video on how they're used:

     

        An Arc Shot is when the camera's tripod is mounted on a three wheeled base, like the bottom of an office chair, and then can be rolled around freely. It is often used in dance scenes, so had the nickname 'disco dolly'. Below is a picture of one:

An Arc Dolly with Tripod

Preliminary Task Film and Evaluation

       My Preliminary Task Evaluation

        Me and my group made a short film called 'The Payment' focusing heavily on dialogue, Match on Actions, 180 Degree Rule and Shot Reverse Shot.
        I personally think the film was a success, and the audio we added made a huge difference to it. We did some pretty good Match on Actions but the 180 Degree Rule was broken, which was a shame.

What went well
        I believe the Shot Reverse Shot worked well, and the Match on Action did too. We did a number of Match on Actions and my personal favorite was the part where Tom walks through the door and into the school.
        The Shot Reverse Shot worked mildly well with Tom and Jack's conversation, and the part where Jack pushes him up the locker was effective.
        The dialogue in the film was written in great care - it took us a very long time! It was also displayed well on video, showing the right emotions.
        The audio in the film was, in my opinion, perfect. The groovy one at the beginning suggested a normal day for Tom, but as he entered the school and saw Sam, a very effective sound was added to add tension. From then after, a more up-beat track was used, adding a even better effect improving the look of the film.

What didn't go so well...
        The 180 Degree Rule didn't go entirely as we hoped, as when Tom bent down to pick up the keys we switched sides of Tom after the fade transition. Although I think it does look good and add effect to the film, we switched sides instantly and therefore is breaking the 180 Degree Rule.

How I worked within the team
        The ideas we each came up with were thought of and taken into account by all members of our production team. However, some ideas were heavily questioned and there were a few debates on what to do, involving some people getting frustrated because they didn't know what the other meant. All of this helped, as it meant the idea was adapted and improved by people adding their ideas, and it was explained more thoroughly which made everyone understand the ideas better.
        The team as a whole worked well together, and the editing was fun, especially choosing the audio for the film!

       My Preliminary Task Film

Film Script Research

        In films, a script has to be written up before it can be made. These often use a program similar (unless they use the following) to Celtx.

       A script is a write up of everything that happens in a film, like dialogue, actions and even backgrounds. They're all organised in a specific way, and this sequence goes as follows:

        Step One

You must say where the scene is set, so if it is outdoors write 'EXT' or indoors 'INT'. After you've said this, you must (also in upper case) write what the setting is, like PARK or LIVING ROOM.

        Step Two

A brief explanation elaborating and explaining what is going to happen is vital. Say, if you wanted a man to pick up a glass and fill it with water, you state this on here. This will help everyone looking at the script know exactly what's going to happen.

        Step Three

The dialogue is obviously one of the most important parts to a film. To write on the script what the line is, you must first have the character's name in upper case in the centre. After this you've got to put the character's feelings, mood or action in brackets, like (Upset) or (Angry) or (Picks up book).

YOU MUST GET ALL THE FONT SIZES, STYLES ETC 100% CORRECT!
To do this, use a professional script writing program, like Celtx as this means it lays it all out for you and you're much less likely to get something wrong. The guidelines are already set out.

From 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'

0:27 - 1:04

Basic Filming Rules: Continuity, Rule of Thirds & 180 Degree Rule

Continuity

        Hello and welcome. This page is about Continuity, and features a ten minute long video listing a number of mistakes in Pirates of the Caribbean.

        Continuity is a very important factor to film, and many films make many mistakes all the time. Big famous films like The Lord of The Rings and Star Wars, all have their own huge store of Continuity Errors. AContinuity Error is where the film makers, actors, editors etc... have made a mistake which interupts theContinuity of the film. For example, one shot a man is wearing a dark blue shirt and walking down a hallway, he goes through a door and in the next shot has magically changed into a light blue shirt (or other) in a fraction of a moment. Unless this is explained by something (like the man has a power to change clothes instantaneously) then it's a Continuity Error.

        I hope I've shed some light on the subject, and below is the video previously mentioned. Enjoy, maybe go spotting for Continuity Errors next time you watch a film! :)

Rule of Thirds

        Hey! Unsure of what the Rule of Thirds is? Just below is a short video which will highlight everything you need to know about the Rule of Thirds, so you no longer need to worry about what it is! Enjoy :)
        The concept of the Rule of Thirds is that shots tend to look a load better with good positioning, and this helps you achieve this. Imagine the screen split up into nine equal sections, two horizontal lines and two vertical. Then, using these lines, position the camera so these lines fall on the object you are filming of taking a picture of, which makes it look better.

180 Degree Rule

        The 180-Degree Rule is infamous for catching out numerous filmmakers and producers all over the world, either major or minor. An easy guideline to follow, some people actually forget about it as it's considered quite often as being almost unnoticeable. This is the main reason why sometimes looking back at films, the rule is broken, even in slight measure.
        The 180-Degree Rule is where the camera cannot move more than 180 degrees round the scene in between shots, as it can mix up the order of characters and background. Below is a video from YouTube explaining what the rule really is about.

Basic Editing: Straight Cuts, Split Edits & Match-on-Action

Match on Action

        A Match on Action is where an action is filmed showing it from numerous angles, but not repeating a part. For example, a student wants to prove to their teacher they can do a Match on Action. They film someone going through a door, from one side of the door and then the other. The student opens the door fully on the first take, then on the second the door is still being opened. This will be a poorly executed Match on Action.
        This is a scene from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, where the dwarves make many Match on Actions throwing and catching plates and so forth. I hope this has helped! :)

Straight Cuts and Split Edits

        Cuts in films can be either L cuts (split edits) or straight cuts. In a film timeline, the video is above the audio, so an L cut would separate the two, overlaying audio onto a separate video. Most cuts are straight cuts, which means the video and audio change at the same time. L cuts can work backwards, meaning the video stays on longer whilst the audio changes first. In an L cut in the shape of an L, the video changes whilst the audio remains the same for a small while. The video below describes L cuts:

Basic Camerawork: Shot Types & Camera Movements

Camera Movements

        As well as changing camera shots to improve a film, the camera movements can dramatically change the way the shot is meant. By this, I mean that having a still camera poses no involvement, whilst a moving camera can. Panning the camera slowly can increase the effectiveness of calm scenes, like over a valley or river, but having a camera moving around can make it look as though the camera is what a character sees.
        Below here is a video link of camera movements, and should be helpful:

Camera Shots

This is a list of the Camera Shots used mostly by filmmakers and media students all over the world:

        Long Shot (AKA Wide Shot) this shot is where a large area of a scene is captured. It shows the scene and the characters involved, giving a good perspective.

        Establishing Shot this shot is usually very wide or showing a large portion of the scene, to show the setting and the idea of what's going on.

        Mid Shot this shot will show a character from the waist up, giving the audience information of what the character's style is and how they look.

        Close up this shot is close to the object, mainly a character. On a person, it would show their entire face/head to show particularly the character's mood or reaction.

        Extreme Close Up this shot is an even closer view of the character, showing their eyes closely to emphasises the mood, say shocked or angry.

        Over The Shoulder Shot this is where the camera is positioned behind a character's shoulder (usually the right) and film something in from their point of view, or angle.

        Two Shot this is where two characters are filmed near each other, mainly in conversation, both in the same scene.