Location shots- Woods 2

This shot follows the pathway of the mud, which lines a path for the character. The path is also boardered by two seperate trees. This will allow for an ethereal feel for the character as he runs through.

This tree is very twisted and contorted like the other trees creating a natural yet unbalanced and dream like atmosphere.

This shot is good because it will allow for the character to be seen running along the path to the side of the shot so he will disapear behind the tree before cutting away.

This would be good to use at a slight angle so it will elongate the bush and tree, creating the desired dream feel

In this shot I like the arc of the twisted trees as it makes the area seem more like an entrance or an exit.

I like the seperating paths at this point as it can show a decision or could be a metaphore for two sperate paths. Although I think it would have a greater effect if the boy was lured down one by another person

In this image a slight path can be seen, creating a feel of mystery. Also the light coming through the trees makes the area feel slightly etheral and magical

This shallow depth of field is the something I want to use in my film as it makes the scene a more dreamlike state, this is something I learnt from the soft focus in 'Eden'

I like this form of slight fish eye focus as it distorts the rest of the image while keeping a single character/area in complete focus

Looking through the leaves is very similar to Eden as it follows a character through a woodland area ina dream like state

I will use this shot as it shows the character through the trees, this could create a tense feeling and it is close similar to 'Eden'

This is a good long shot because the tree in the distance could be where the older brother stands while playing hide and seek. This shot will allow for the younger brother to walk up to him while the audience see the back of the older brother, completely silhouetting him out adding to the mystery and suspense.

This is a similar shot to the one before and it will allow for a similar affect but closer to the actual character.

This shot allows for the audience to see a complete line of sight down a path. The twisting trees give a good effect and can also make a good chase sequence.

This would be good to put the character between the branches which is similar to 'Eden' and in this particular image the sunlight from the right makes the shot look very surreal and dreamlike.

I could use this because it is the shot of a declining hill but from this angle it makes it seem flat.

The lighting in this shot makes the shot very surreal and dreamlike as the glare slightly distorts the image making it seem.

From this image 

Targets

Strengths

Able to analyse completed extracts effectively

Improvement
Consider the Mise en scene more carefully and the visual look of the film

Target
1 annotate what I have learnt visually and orally by looking at the extracts
Go and look at the landscape of the woods again, to create the desired feel
Dress the set, find more locations
Look at short films with wedded areas to see how the filmmakers use the locations

Short film Analysis-Eden

Eden by Justin Cane

Mise-En-Scene
the first series of shots, when the woman is in the dream, we see a collection of close-ups in the foreground in soft focus. This automatically makes the audience feel like it is a dream state as the soft focus creates ethereal lights that are connected to dreams. The first character to be introduced is a woman, although we see her from the back we see that she is in a white dress. This connotes a dream like being and that she is somewhat distant to the world. However her dress being white could infer an innocence to her that is enhanced by the wild folliage of her surroundings. This connection between the character and their surroundings is something I want to share in my film as it creates a connection between the audience and the character.
At around 00:50 we see the woman in complete soft focus making it so the audience cannot see her features but we are made aware of her precence. This is something I want in my film during the opening dream sequence as it creates an etheral feel, which would be perfect as it is a dream sequence and not real. Although in Eden the effect is used to create a calming and relaxing atmosphere, while the dream sequence in my film is more of a nightmare. Something that is covered later in Eden.
We see many shots of the woman from in between the trees and through the branches. This could be seen to create a more fantasy atmosphere as it shows nature hiding and covering her. However the camera is always focused on the girl during these shots, which means that she is the focus. I want to show nature in my film and using the shots through the branches will show that it is an unnatural scene. Also I would create the shots by hiding the main character through thick trees.
A shot from 01:10 positions the woman slightly to the left of the camera while she is completely out of focus. We also see the woman standing within an 'arc' of nature, being surrounded by the branches on either side. She is then pulled into complete focus after the end of the shot.
We also see a panning shot around the character. This show pans and tracks around her, allowing us to see her in deep thought. This shot fits the calm and surrean pace of Eden but a long flowing shot like this does not creat the tension I want in my film.
When we near the end of the film we see the girl leave the woods and then it transitions into a pure white light. This could symbolise a transition to another lighter pace, but from our cultural understanding we consider this pure white screen to symbolise a goodness and purity normally associated with heaven. However this doesnt wor in my film, although using colours to symbolise certain movements and transions e.g. black to transition from the woods to real life waking up.
AFter this we see a very long shot showing a person in black with a white mask. This black costume is a complete contrast to the womans own white dress and the golden yellow of the fields around them. Presenting the idea that this character in black is a dark and evil character, this is then reinforced by the girl holding her head as if she is ill.
We then see the character in real life waking up with sweat on her head, presenting the idea that she is paniced and showing that whatever the dream is has paniced her

Cinematography
The most common shots used are mid to long shots from a distance from the character. This distance makes it seem as if the character is being followed at some point due to the hand held feel. This is not something I want in my feel because I think it brings away from the film as a whole and lowers the production value. I also want mine to be very clear on how the movements of the camera are very clean and smooth so it seems more natural. However the handheld shots seem to make the movements of the woods seem natural.
When we get to the
The cinematography in the first section is mainly mid shots and closeups, some long shots are used e.g when she is rinning around a hole. But in the majority mid shots are used because they show the characters emotions and movements without showing too much of the surroundings.
In teh second scene however we jump quickly between extreme long shots and mid shots as we look at the character in black and the woman in white. 

Sound
The sound during the first part of the dream follows a simple pattern and only uses single strings of low notes every few seconds, this makes the scene very relaxed.
In the second part of the dream however we hear the music change and become distorted, introducing resonating high sounds. This sygnifies the approaching evil portrayed by the character in black.
However to transition from the dream to reality we hear the sound of the real world before we see it. This is a sound bridge between the two scenes. There is then no non diegetic music from then on as it would make the scene seem more surreal than it is.
I will need to have a sound motiff that can be played whenever the older brother is there to pronounce the character is there without actually revealing what they look like. This sound motiff will then increase the tenstion without ruining it.

Edit
The main focus of the editing on the first half of the dream is to allow soft and flowing cuts between the shots allowing it to be relaxing. However in the second  opart of the dream the editing becomes much more fast paced as the evil character is shown. It cuts very abruptly between the woman and the character in black, this shows a disconfort and is the style of editing I want to use when the older brother is around to pronounce the character. The transition between the dream and real waking life uses a very modern and distorted style. The image becomes digatilly distorted and wee see the two shots mixed together. This makes it very uncomfortable to watch.

Location shots (woods)- dream sequence (opening)

A good location to shoot the opening shots as it has many places where the protagonist will search for his brother. The opening sequence is a dream sequence where the younger brother is playing hide and seek with his older brother. This location is very good for a dream sequence as it creates an unusual feel of fantasy. It also alows for the younger brother to expand his imagination toward the area as during the dream sequence he will be very young, meaning that this enviroment would also be typical of a place for young children to play. The 'dream' will be more of an exaggerated memory and we will cut straight from it to the boy waking up.



This long shot will be used at the begining of the sequence to introduce the area and the children.

This is a very good shot as it will allow us to shoot the young boy running into the darkness
of the trees. Making the sequence slightly darker.

The light and shadow in this shot allows for a hidden look that makes the
enviroment seem more secretive than open, which could create a feeling
of claustraphobia or a feeling of isolated security, which will then be borken
by the  'jump' scare of him waking up from the dream

This shot allows for the oposite shot to the opening, allowing the audience
to see the same shot from the inside

This allows for similar feeling of isolation and security, but allows for more light because
the ambient light of the sum lightens the mood, as it is normally hidden from the inside.

Experimental opening shot

This experimental footage shows a possible opening shot, tracking up and into the younger brothers bedroom. This is inspired by the opening shot in 'Daddy' as it follows doen a hall and into the dads room. This shot would be used to introduce the main character while he is sleeping, although I alos want to cross-cut it between this and a dream sequence in the woods as I think that will create a tension that can be falsly broken, but I will have to see what the dream scene will look like.

However one problem with this expreimental footage is that the lighting is lacking in the middle as it becomes to dark to see anything in shot. I do like this aspect though as it gives a moment of utter blackness but in this footage that moment is too long. The lighting from inside the room gives a good amount of light in some of the shots, showing single blades of light rather than completely illuminating the entire shot. One major aspect of this footage that I do like is the moment of soft focus when it comes out of the darkness as it gives a dream like feel. This shot would have the sound motif of the piano playing over the top lightly, to introduce the film.
It will then cut to a shot looking straight down at the younger brother waking up from his nightmare/dream.

Target Audience

The target audience for our film is between 15 to 25. This is because it is a relatively mature audience who can understand the mental instability of the main character. Also our film isn't graphic in showing the effects of the characters problems. This means that the audience has to be balanced and stable.

It also allows for our audience to fit into the age Certificate of 15. Also looking at the age limit of 15 allows for a much larger audience than if we chose 18. So we can show our film to. A wider audience as well as producing the images on the film to fit this audience.

Whip Pan Transition Trial

This a set of 'whip pan cut' transitions that have a strange effect of making a cut between two locations look like a continuous shot. However in the final cut together is does have the slight downfall of this technique is that it makes the character look multiple than just a sequence of shots.

I want to use this technique to cut between the dream sequence at the beginning of the film as it is slightly disorientating to the audience and knocks them off their concentration making it easier to manipulate their emotions later.

Don't Leave Me Analysis

This film, 'Don't Leave Me' (A short film written by John Ward and directed by Nicolai Amter), follows a similar narrative to 'Brother'. However it does have many differences through who the characters are and what they do. The major aspect of this film I want to use is the emotional effect it has on the audience.
The film happens in three sections, I am going to refer to these as the stabbing, the confrontation and the buildup becuase the film isn't shown in cronological order.

Mise-En-Scene
The Stabbing
The films opening shot consists of a close-up of blood on a wooden panel floor. The droplets of blood instantly raise the tension of the film before any of the characters or narrative are revealed. This raise in tension in the opening shot is paramount to the effect the rest of the short film has. I want to use this instant raise in tension during the first shot to set the audience and rest of the film up to have the emotional affect I want to achieve. The blood is also a very dark colour, almost black in the light of the room, this also raises the tension as blood is a very horrid thing to see and causes a natural reaction in people. The stark brightness of the wooden floor also makes the blood look a lot darker than it is, helping the discomforting feeling it gives the audience. This shot then goes to a very quick sequence of shots showing the woman dropping the blood covered scissors, causing a reaction in the audience as we see the scissors as a weapon and the blood indicates that someone has been stabbed. The woman's face who drops the scissors enhances the reaction that happens in the audience, although at this point in the narrative the audience doesn't completely know the events that lead up to the stabbing. I want to have this kind of discomfort although I do not want to compile my film out of  chronological order.
The colour tones used in the first section of the film, the stabbing section, are desaturated and lack vibrance. This tone makes the scene feel very cold and distant which causes a very unnatural feel to the film. the colour desaturation then causes the audience to feel sympathy for the woman but makes them feel cold to what is happening.
From the way that the first woman holds the woman who was stabbed the audience understands that they are very close. This is shown becuase the woman places her hand on her face and holds her face up, the audience also knows it's a loving relationship because of the crying in the scene. The effect this creates in the audience has a similar discomfort and sorrow that I want to end my film, when the younger brother and his girlfriend are crying on the floor. I will not however use quiet crying like this film, although it has a similar effect by creating sympathy in the audience, I want to use loud screams which are more animalistic which will create a stronger feeling of discomfort than quiet reserved, but emotional crying.
The Confrontation
The second section opens with a two person close-up, which shows both characters talking to one another. This is the second part in the narrative if it was compiled in cronological order. The colour tone in this section is similar to the first because it is very desaturated and cold but the natural ambient light coming from the windows lifts the colour in the room and makes it more appealing, although it is still cold. This colour difference from the first section, it being slightly warmer, is a parralelle with the narrative as it is less emotional and more normal, although one of the women is a ghost.
The room is set up and dressed in a very typical way, the globe and board in the left on the desk. This presents the women as very normal and the narrative causes the audience to notice that their life before the event of the girls death, as we assume she is a ghost.
There are many shots used in the scene that consist of one of the girls being in the foreground and to the right or left while the other is shown in the background. This shows that they are close because they are talking directly to each other but it means that the camera work is functunal during the dialogue sequences.
The scene then turns very intense as the confrontation begins, this confrontation sequence then shows that one of the girls is very controling and dominant as she pushes the other against a wall and holds her around the waist when the confrontation starts. This causes the audience to turn a distaste toward her and the confrontation itself is very discomforting to see as it shows the anger and agression.
The build-up
The major aspect in the third section of 'Don't Leave Me' is the use of much warmer and more vivid colours like the red of the seat and pillows, and the light brown of the curtians. This is because this section of the film is the begining of the conflict which leads to the stabbing. Because it is at the begining of the film it has the most saturation and colour because it has the least conflict and has a much less intense atmostphere.
Another controling aspect of the sequence is the emphasis on ring, and because it is on the wedding finger we assume that the couple in the film are married. This allows the filmmaker to make the audience think back to the restof the film and allows them to figure out what happens through the narrative. I like this effect and style although I think that it wouldn't work for the narrative I want to use as it is based on a set of fixed events, the stabbing, the conflict and the realisation. This doesn't allow me to use this technique as I am using a much more flowing narrative.

Cinematography
The Stabbing
The films opening shot consists of a close-up of blood on a wooden panel floor, this allows the audience to assume events before they see the actual events occur. This is the major aspect of the film becuase it is about the audience making assumptions before the actual events take place.
Throughout the first section of the film many close-ups are used, the blood, hand and faces of the women. This is because they show the emotion in what is happening to the women. The close-ups and mid-shots also only show little of the entire scene, this is because the filmmaker wants the audience to assume the narrative before understanding it, making them think about what is happening. I want to use this technique of only showing very little of the narrative at a time by hiding what happened to the older brother until later on in the film, this will then make the audience assume and create what has happened, which could give a stronger emotional effect on them when the cause of death is revealed.
We see a slight high angle shot looking down at the dead woman, this allows us to see her desaturated face and cloths, but also makes her seem weak and vulnerable while the other woman holds her and cries. I will use a high angle shot to show the younger brother at the end of my film as it will make him look small and vulnerable possibly enhancing the audiences sympathy for him.
The close-up of the womans mouth when she says 'but at least this way we can be together forever'. This has a very strong impact on the audience as it is very sinister considering that at this point the full narrative isn't revealed. And becuase it isn't revealed this line causes the audience to queistion what is happening.
The Confrontation
In the second part we see many mid shots showing both the women while they are talking, this is because this is the section where the confrontation happens.
We very rairly see a shot which shows the full body of either women. This is because this section is made to show the characters confrontation with one another and is based around the two characters and not them individually. This is shown mostly in mid-shots. The only other shots that are used are a close-up and a mid to long shot ofthe woman walking around the room. The close-up is used to show the womans face, which emphasis the confusion and slight anger. The other shot that stands out is the high angle shot when the woman is pushed over, this show her weakness for a moment and also allowsus to seethe build up of the anger.
The Build-up
In section 3 the build up starts with a close-up of the womans face as she stares down at the other woman. This puts her in power over the other woman because she is the first in shot and is alone. Overall she also has more screen time giving her more control over the narrative.
A few shots later we see another close-up of the weaker womans face as she is carressed gently. This shows that one woman has more power and it also show that one of the characters is loving and the other is scared. This shows a power and fear between the characters, which seperates the characters for the audience. This is an aspect I may use because I want to create a seperation between the younger brother and his girlfriend by showing one character distracted or angry.

Sound
The Stabbbing:
The isolated diegetic sound of the scissors is the first first and opening sound in the film, this adds an an importance to that object to the audience, the dropping sound then reinforces this focus on the scissors. I want to use Isolated sounds like this to cause an emotional/tense reaction in my audience e.g. the younger brothers breathing (something that is focused on in 'Daddy'.
The other isolated sound in this first scene is that of the womans voice as she holds her dyeing lover. I want to use isolated dialogue with no other sound during my film as it makes the characters seem more real and human, attaching the audience and the characters.
The non-diegetic spound in this scene is the oboe and piano in minor keys, because they are going down in key connotes emotion rather than tension to the audience, this is an effect I want to use in my film as it creates the emotional impact I wish to achieve. They also use a single violin string to create an eerie and chilling atmosphere, which make sthe audience uncomfortable by enhancing what is happening on screen.
The Confrontation:
During this scene there is a strong use of dialogue from both characters as this is the scene where emotions and the narrative creates tension. This is done because one charater is distressed for seeing her 'dead(?)' girlfriend in her house, and the other is angry because she feels she is being forgotten/replaced, we know this because she picks out items in the room which didn't belong to either of them and she asks where her things are. We also know from the dialogue in this scene that one of the women is more dominant than the other as she begins to get angry and threatening very quickly while the other instantly becomes submisive. This is a good aspect of the film, however not something I can look into as there is very little conflict in my film as it more focused on inner and personal conflict.
The non-diegetic sound in this scene is silent for the first set of dialogue as the dialogue itself is used to alter the emotions of the audience. When there is violence however the sound comes back and creates a very tense scene becuase the tone of the key goes up and the base stays high which increases the effect on the audience. When the final pieces of dialogue are shouted 'burn in hell you b*t**' the sound increases and we hear the sound effect of a sharp intake of breath as the woman runs to attack with the scissors.
The Build-up
During the first section of this scene the dialogue is spoken without non-diegetic music, although this lack of non-diegetic sound means that the dialogue spoken must create emotion in the audience. When she starts to talk we hear a slight reverb which instantly makes the audience feel that she isn't real or that she is ghost, and at this point in the narrative the audience has realised that she isn't real. This feeling in the audience is completely secured when they say 'where's my ring'. 'I put it in your coffin', these lines and the reverb on the voice make the audience rethink the rest of the film and realise why things happen. I want to use this technique of reverb on the voice as it gives a good effect, however it wouild not fit into my narrative as I do not want to the audience to realise that the older brother is dead, I wonly want to imply this and reinforce it at the end.
During this scene there are non-diegetic high pitch synthetic sounds, which are similar to metal being played when we see the ghostly character on screen. This sound reinforces her antagoinistc personality. The music then cuts out as the dialogue continues as that has a  higher impact on the audience and makes the characters feel more real.

Edit
The narrative structure for 'Don't Leave Me' subverts traditional narrative as it is composited backwards. This structure makes the film itself much more interesting for the audience and changes the effects that are caused in the audience. During the film however there are no dissolves or any other unnatural transitions. However to cut between the different time sections a fade to black is used, this shows the audience that one scene is ending, we also see the fade into the next scene. There is a good effect to have on the audience as it changes the films narrative and it makes the scene change. However during my film I will use simple cuts, although they will be quick and natural, except for the transition between the dream section and the young brother in bed.

Roles

My roles
Cinematographer
Desings the shots and lighting for the film, so I will work heavily on the storyboard and the set up of the shots we use.
Cameraman
Set up the shots physically when shooting. This means I will have to carefully frame the shots.
Music
Learn the effect that different music has on different people. I will have to create many different music files to see what fits the visuals and give the desired effect.

Wylls roles
Editor
Director
Casting Director