Jeep Commercial

The Jeep comercial was an effective ad for the car. It used very quick shots that worked well with the music, enticing the viewer. We were shown 2 clips, one was a bit longer in duration that the other and I found that the first one we watch (the shorter one) was better as I was engaged for the entirety of the duration. According to The Bandrews we found this a lot better because over time our attention span has decreased meaning that we are not engaged for long period of time. It was also intriguing because of the use of different scenarios which relate to all ages and generations, all of the scenes link was that they were all having fun, going and doing exciting things with this car.

Props/Costumes

Props:

• Parliament pass
• Papers
• Mug
• Coffee
• Pen
• Papers to sign
• Flag

Costumes:

• Dress shirt
• Blazer
• High heels
• Dress pants

Assignment Reflection - more planning!

My teaser trailer is going to be similar to house of cards trailer which can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy6x4Y1wus4
I will be using fast shots, intense music and cold/ blue lighting to give the mysterious effect.
I have changed who will be playing my character, Lucia will be doing this and I will film this tonight and put a rough edit together which will then be shown tomorrow for peer drafting. I am also not sourcing news reporters, I will be filming Mrs Jobson and Mr Crowe on the green screen. I will also not be sourcing the video of parliament but instead using an image but panning it and then filming a close up shot of the flag at school to give the effect of Parliament House.

Assignment Reflection - Filming & Shots

I started filming today but didn't get as many shots as I would have liked to but hopefully I get them tomorrow. I won't be able to shoot everything I was planning to do for my rough edit but I will put in what I have and then on the weekend I will source my external shots, next week will be used to edit the final assignment and re-shoot anything if it needs to be shot. I don't know if my story is going be to clear enough as there isn't much I can do to express to the audience that she (Portia) is corrupt, so once I find the sourced footage and place it at the beginning of my film that will show that she is corrupt.

Character Profile

Sharon Anderson, age 42 an Australian politician who was later found to be corrupt. She was born in Wollongong and graduated from a private school in Sydney in 1991 where she went onto to university to study law. After a few years working with a range of law firms and not loving it as she predicted, this left her feeling empty, hopeless and unaware of what was her next chapter in life.

She decided that it just wasn’t for her and wanted to pursue a career in politics and hopefully be elected for a seat in her area. She ran for her local seat in 1998 but was not successful, as people didn’t want to trust a 25 year old because they were uncertain of how she would perform. In the next election (2001) at the age of 28 she was elected. During in late 2003 she met a man called Darren who worked as another politician’s chief of staff. By 2004 they were inseparable and were married by the end of that summer. All was going well for Sharon until late 2012, her marriage started to fall apart and she began committing serious money fraud, in mid 2013 she was exposed but there was not clear enough evidence to be arrested. Her husband left her and didn’t want to pick up the pieces of the mess she has caused herself. This media that surrounded the issue was intense, every newspaper and every channel were discussing the matter. She tried to go along with her normal life with the thought of resignation hanging over her head but decided she would try and tough it out. These serious claims caused her great distress with the upcoming election and resulted in her losing her seat in 2013, after 12 years she had no idea what was next in her life and rumours were still circling her name. By 2014 allegations of the money fraud were confirmed, the media started again and she was arrested for corruption of the Australian parliament. In the teaser trailer you see her carrying on with her normal life but see snippets of corruption in the media with the use of news snippet, a shot of the news papers and the media circling her and in the last shot it is revealed as being a lady and the whole time you believe it is a male due.  

Story boards

New Cameras

We had a look at the new cameras today and just tested them out. They are the new Canon DSLR's and lenses and we tried out the focus and different features. I can't wait to use them for our first project!!

Planning

I have started developing my character for my teaser trailer, in today's lesson I wrote a few ideas for what I could draw on my storyboard and then later write for my shot list. I came up with a few ideas for Sharon Anderson who is a corrupt politician, the whole trailer will be lead up and position the audience to believe that the character is a man but at the end it is revealed that it is a woman. Portia will be playing my character and there will be not shots of her directly except for shots of hands and silhouettes until the last shot where her whole body will be in the shot. Here is a brief list of the ideas I came up with today and in tomorrow's lesson I will expand on them:

-       Handshake, money?

-       Papers

-       News report

-       Putting jacket on

-       Silhouette

-       Answering Phone

-       Flash walking into room (photographers)

-       Interview

-       Walking away from court

-       Coffee

-       Voting sign

-       Signing papers
-    Shot of badge unlocking science building key pad

-       Commonwealth Car

Character Profile:

Basic Information/Statistics
Name: Sharon Anderson	Age: 42
Occupation: Politician
Current Residence: Australia
Birthplace: Wollongong
Family: Married
Physical Characteristics
Height: 180cm	Body Type: Tall & Thin
Race: Australian	Skin Colour: Caucasian
Eye Colour: Brown	Hair Colour: Blonde
Distinguishing Features: N/A
Dress/Clothing Style (Elegant, shabby): Dress, Suit, High Heels
Mannerisms:
Hobbies: Swimming, Tennis
Emotional/Intellectual/Mental attributes:
Ambitions:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
What motivates this character: Need for more, not satisfied with what she has
What frightens this character: Failure
What is this characters goal: Have a large sum of money
Introvert or Extrovert: Extrovert
Educational Background: Graduated private school Sydney
Character's short-term goals in life: Be rich
How does Character see himself/herself: Hard working, resilient
How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others: Bad person, Robber
Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination: Regret, Anger
What would most embarass this character? Being caught out for money fraud
Best Characteristics: Great Debater & negotiator
Worst Characteristics: Need for more!
Does the character have any prejudices: N/A
Additional Character Notes:
The character is a corrupt politician who steals a large sum of money from the Australian Parliament, she is caught out and exploited all around the world in the news.

Fairy God Father

-Close up on leather shoes
-Close up on smoke
-Close up on hair
-Close up gloves
-Close up on cane
-Close up on walking, shoes against gravel
-Close up of smoke
-Close up of walking with cane, gloves & cane
-Close up on smile
-Long Shot of character walking away

Fairy God Mother

-old
-sweet
-wise
-powerful
-helpful
-over exposure
-dream like
-darkness and then light

Crime Genre

-detetive
-killer
-knife
-gun
-screams
-bomb
-criminal
-blood
-hat
-magnifying glass
-portfolios
-suspect

Evaluation

Cinematography Evaluation:

Using only visual evidence in the provided sequence respond to the following: 

What types of shots are used to convey the intended message in this scene?

-Lower angle shots are used to make one of the men seem more powerful -A angle shot is used when he is going up the elevator, this is used to show that he is moving.

How has framing been used to show or hide information to the audience; refer to specific elements and information.

-It doesn’t show us that there is another person in the room when the first guy enters

Describe how camera position has been used effectively? List some specific shots

-The camera position affects each shot

What type of camera movement takes place and how does it enhance or detract from the shot?

-In the scene when the two guys are fighting the camera is moving  except for when you see them fighting from a higher angle, it makes the viewer feel as if they’re standing there and watching it.

Does the cinematographer make specific use of underexposure  or overexposure to convey a message?

-In the scene where they’re fighting it is over exposed so that they will stand out, this also makes one of their suits being black more obvious to see making him look more powerful.

List 5 of the most important shots from your selected scene and describe the following:

Shot 1. Focal point (does it shift or remain constant)

The focal point in the building and it sets the scene showing that it is some sort of building that contains either apartments or offices.

Shot type

This is a wide long shot and this is used to show how large the building is.

Framing/perspective

It is framed so that we only see the building and the car, which looks miniscule, which could be showing that the man isn’t very important.

Camera position/movement

There is no movement with this shot.

Shot 2. Focal point (does it shift or remain constant)

The focal point is the two men, the one who just walked in and isn’t aware that other man is in the room as this is only shown to the viewer.

Shot type

Long shot

Framing/perspective

This is from the perspective just behind James Bond; by showing his shoulder he could be the more powerful or influential person in the room.

Camera position/movement

This shot is quite quick so there isn’t much movement.

Shot 3. Focal point (does it shift or remain constant)

The focal point is disorientated with the screenshot but in the film it is the elevator because it is the only thing moving and that’s what all of the lines are used to lead to the elevator.

Shot type

Low angle shot

Framing/perspective

Shows that the man has some sort of power or is visiting someone important because he’s going to the top of the building.

Camera position/movement

This shot is quite quick so there isn’t much movement.

Shot 4. Focal point (does it shift or remain constant)

The focal point is the man’s face and this happens because of the use of over and under exposed lighting with the lamp which shows half of the man’s face making it mysterious.

Shot type

Long Angle Mid Shot

Framing/perspective

Perspective of James Bond.

Camera position/movement

This shot is quite quick so there isn’t much movement.

Shot 5. Focal point (does it shift or remain constant)

This shot is very underexposed on the left hand side which could show that James Bond is mysterious and the right hand side is lit with the man looking like he holds the power in the situation but a few seconds after this the power is shifted.

Shot type

Wide Shot

Framing/perspective

Framed to show this contrast of both the men.

Camera position/movement

This shot is quite quick so there isn’t much movement.

Conversation

New Extreme Close Up

Shots

Mise-en-scene and Setting Evaluation:

Using only visual evidence in the provided sequence respond to the following:

Briefly Describe the Setting/Location and the type of activity/ies would usually take place in this setting?

Location: Office Activities: Working, using computer, writing, making phone calls, organising papers

What props have been included in the setting to convey an intended message or describe the activity/ies taking place?

Computer, paper, usb’s, newspapers, empty coffee cup, photo frames

What does the contrast (light levels, difference between dark or bright areas) indicate about this setting?

The lighting gives the impression that it’s a sci fi movie and that the character might not like being at work and this is also seen through the style of acting with him missing his family.

What type of tones or colours are used within the setting; pleasant, simple, cheery, bleak. (Also consider the lighting).

Dark colours are used on the man and on the office particularly black, blue and grey but when he is looking through the videos brighter colours are used and this is because this was probably a happier time in his life.

Describe the spaciousness of this setting (Cramped or open/roomy).

Cramped and very busy setting this would be to show that he is feeling this way in his mind as setting is usually shown to portray what someone is thinking.

Describe the physical state (messy, neat, formal).

The office is in a messy state with things displaced and in no real order.

What is the general atmosphere of this setting (what moods or feelings does it invoke)?

An office is used for people to do work and majority of the time in film this can be portrayed in a negative way.

Describe the acting style of the characters within this setting?

The actor is sad in this scene as he feels like he is missing out on his child growing up and being with his wife and this corroborates with the colours and lighting that is used.

How does this setting contribute to the acting style and character/s personality?

The setting helps very much as you can clearly see that he is a very disorganised person and he might be confused at this point in his life and this is shown through the setting.

From the elements listed, describe the overall tone and potential genre of the film. Justify your response with specific examples.

Science Fiction/ Action because of the style of acting and most definitely the colours that are used which indicate that it’s a science fiction movie.

Explain how mise-en-scene has been used to depict the type of character who might inhabit the space. Use evidence to justify your response

A busy/ dark/ upset person as the lighting and costumes are very dark and this helps explain the character in more depth and this subsequently helps portray the story.

Brazil Images

Unfortunately I was away this lesson due to student ambassador tours and this was completed as a class.

Minority Report

Mise-en-scene and Setting Evaluation:

Using only visual evidence in the provided sequence respond to the following: 

Briefly Describe the Setting/Location and the type of activity/ies would usually take place in this setting?

Location: Apartment  Activities: Sleeping, eating, living

What props have been included in the setting to convey an intended message or describe the activity/ies taking place?

Plants Messy house Food left around Dugs/ Alcohol - Pills Photo frame Newspapers Computer

What does the contrast (light levels, difference between dark or bright areas) indicate about this setting?

The white/blue cold light makes the apartment seem quite lonely, as if no one else has ever been there. This creates a certain mood and also empathy for the man as you can see he misses something possibly his family or his old life.

What type of tones or colours are used within the setting; pleasant, simple, cheery, bleak. (Also consider the lighting).

Blue/White tone Harsh lighting

Describe the spaciousness of this setting (Cramped or open/roomy).

Cramped apartment

Describe the physical state (messy, neat, formal).

Modern/futuristic looking Messy - possibly show his mental state e.g. confused/worried/angry/lonely

What is the general atmosphere of this setting (what moods or feelings does it invoke)?

Upset Loneliness Evokes feelings of sympathy for the man

Describe the acting style of the characters within this setting?

Very upset with life Strong front - doesn't want to seem weak

How does this setting contribute to the acting style and character/s personality?

The rain contributes to the viewers opinion of the character, rain is sometimes linked with upset Room - showing his state of mine e.g. confused/worried/lonely/angry

From the elements listed, describe the overall tone and potential genre of the film. Justify your response with specific examples.

Quite sad and mysterious Style of acting and lighting create this tone - dark and cold light & upset character Technologically advanced with cars/ advanced touch screen laptops - makes it's mysterious

Explain how mise-en-scene has been used to depict the type of character who might inhabit the space. Use evidence to justify your response

Lighting - cold/dark/white/blue - sad and upset lighting  Style of acting - can tell the character is upset with their life  Setting/Location - isolated/ messy room - depicts how he is feeling which links with his style of acting  Props/Costumes - looks like a regular person + advanced technology including advanced cars & laptops!