Collatirol Flickclip shots

A Clip of our group re-in acting the opening of Collatirol

This Clip Shows us re- in acting the opening of Collatirol, however as you can see it is located differently to our final remake of the opening of Collatirol, as we had to move location; because we did not have permission to film in this location in which was needed.

Remake of Collatoral

This is our final clip of the remake of the opening of  Collatirol

Storyboard : Collateral

Health & Safetey

In this session we learnt how the basics on how to use the camera we were given in an appropriate and safe manner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdb64w0vVSw

• We were taught various things, from putting the San Disk memory stick in the right slot, to learning how to work the focus system on the camera. 
• We were also given basic tips such as not taking the camera out in the rain, leaving the equipment outside when filming and how careful we had to be as it's very expensive.
• We were also shown how to film in the right mode to then link it with final cut pro, changing the filming mode can result in filming in the wrong format therefore wasting time and losing work. 

Health & Safety

Health and Safety Brief

• For filming we are using a JVC camcorder
• Don't use in the rain 
• Always take out the SD card 
• Bring an umbrella if you want to film outside
• Make sure the tripod is straight e.g all the legs are equal
• Always take the battery out after usage 

This is a video tutorial to show how to use a JVC camcorder

When using such expensive equipment it is essential to follow these rules, otherwise damage can be done to the camera. The camera is a very delicate device and should be handled with care.
When using the tripod you have to make sure all the legs are on the floor. When putting the camera on the tripod you have to place it horizontally and make sure its locked before you start to record.

BE CAREFUL !!!!!!

Health & Safetey

Health & Safetey

Health & Safety Of Using a Camera:

In the health and safety tutorial we got shown how to use a professional cameras. We were introduced to the camera and all it features including, the memory card and the battery and where they are placed and how they are inserted.  We also learnt the different buttons and functions of the camera. We learnt how to use the zoom in and out button, how to turn the camera from auto to manual and vice versa, how to record and how to play back recorded footage. We then moved on to learn how to construct a tripod which is used to make sure the camera is secured. To make sure the camera is secure, we had to put to put the camera onto the tripod until it locked without causing any damage.  We got shown a few shots about framing and how the spacing of the frame and how it shouldn't be too above the subject or too far to the right or left, and how two shots and over the shoulder shots should look like.

Reminders and warnings told:

• Never leave the camera out in the rain
• Take care of the camera and use it safely
•  If you change the settings on the camera it wouldn't work on final cut pro and our work would be useless. 
• Never leave the camera in an unsafe place
• Always return the camera in college at the time set - If the camera is taken out on weekends, then we have to bring it back at 9:00Am ON THE DOT!
• The camera had a built in microphone but we could get an external one
• The battery goes in the back and slides left to go in and right to get out
• Everyone is responsible for the camera

BE CAREFUL!!!

Extension

1) What does Thomas Sutcliffe mean when he says "Films need to seduce their audience into long term commitment, while there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for instant arousal is almost irresistible?"
What he means is that the opening of the film is perhaps the most crucial part. It needs to be able to attract the audience immediately and try to keep the audiences attention on point.

2) According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of 'instant arousal?'
The risks of instant arousal is that if the opening is extremely good, the rest of the film would have to be equally, if not better than the opening. Which is difficult to pull off, therefore a more simple opening would be better but it'd have to be equally exciting/arousing.

3) What does critic Stanley Kauffmann describe as the classic opening? Establishing shot? Why does this work?
The classic opening would be a close up of the building, travels up and around the building, then towards a window, into the window, showing the office and the main character, etc. This works because it shows the audience where it's set and who the main character is. This is all done by a simple opening.

4) Why is Kyle Cooper's title sequence to the film 'Seven' (Se7en) so effective?
It's effective because it draws the audience in to the opening as it shows who the main character is, and what he's like.

5) What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his opening to the film 'A Touch of Evil?' What did Universial Studios do to it? Why?
It was an unpredictable opening, which caused confusion amongst the audience. Universial Studios then put in music along with credits, which caused the effects of the opening to be lost. This was because they didn't understand the opening, just like the audience.

6) What is meant by "a favourite trick of Film Noir?" What is the trick?
What this means is that, the opening of the film is portrayed as the ending, the audience won't pick up on this at the beginning. However, it'll all be made clear at the end.

7) How does the opening to the film 'The Shining' create suspense?
The camera follows the car from different angles/sides with it's concentration remaining on the car solely. This creates suspense because it shows something is wrong and that wherever they're going, it's the wrong way.

Extension- 'Watching' Documentary About Film Openings

Film Openings:

1) What does Thomas Sutcliffe mean when he says

“Films need to seduce their audience into long term commitment. While there are many types of seduction, the temptation to go for instant arousal is almost irresistible”

Thomas Sutcliffe means that if the film doesn’t immediately draw the viewer in, then film it can seem very pointless. For example if a film lacks a good opening, then the audience is likely to 'switch off' and wont really engage to the rest of the film, therefore making it pointless.

2) According to Director Jean Jacques Beineix, what are the risks of ‘

instant arousal’?

The risk is that if the start of the film opening is strong them it will be difficult to top it and build the tension and draw the audience to the rest of the film. On the other hand, if you start on a subtle opening the film can build up creating more action/tension.

4) What does critic Stanley Kauffmann describe as the classic opening? Establishing shot? Why does this work? 

It would show a close up of building, then travels up the building, then to a window, then into the window , then past reception desk, then to the private office; and finally to the main character. This works because the process explains where it is taking place (the scene) and what the occupation of the main character was. Overall it told the organisation of the world and that everything is in place.

5) Why is Kyle Cooper’s title sequence to the film Seven so effective? 

It allocates the viewer to the right dissonant pitch, which become like the first scene of the film, which Introduces us to the obsessive nature of the character; hinting what’s going to happen

6) What did Orson Welles want to achieve with his opening to the film ATouch of Evil? What did Universal Studios do to it? Why?

It throws the audience into the story without giving them time to prepare themselves for what will take place ahead. 

Universal Studios puts the title music underneath it and the credits so the effects were lost. This was because they didn't understand what they had done, as they didn't understand the film opening making them not understand the story itself.

7) What is meant by “a favourite trick of Film Noir ”? What is the trick?

The beginning is like a ending and highlighting that it is really a beginning at all. 

The trick is to make it feel like a destination as much as a departure point making the audience look ahead to what is to come and if you can’t see it first time round, therefore it will almost certainly be clear when the film is viewed second time round.

8) How does the opening to the film The Shining create suspense?

The beginning is picturesque, however, from second view the screen is full of omens. The camera peruses the car like a predator, high up and from behind. Its attention never moves away from what is conventionally spectacular, remaining fixed on the ting object. Everything seems to tells us that these people are travelling in the wrong direction. 

Film Opening : Notorious

Notorious (2009) is a biopic telling the story of rapper Christiopher 'Notorious BIG' Wallace and how he came to an untimely death.
Notorious doesnt open with a 'classical' beginning , it opens showing the end of the film it also starts off with loud Hip Hop music . This unusual use of an opening scene instantly engages the viewr as they would want to know what lead up to those events.

This is a film trailer of Notorious

Adulthood opening

In the Adulthood opening, it is a good example of how it sets the genre of the film as well as showing the usual production companies that were involved. From the first scene we can tell who the main characters are, as well as pretty much grabbing the idea of what type of film this will be. 

A really good opening is from the film Next Day Air (2010). It starts with film noir; one of the main characters

Then the Title of the film shows, and goes to the start of the film, and tells the audience "2 days ago".

Fredd Vs Jason
Film Opening

Convetions Of Freddy Vs Jason Film Opening:

In this film opening the first thing we see as a viewer is the production company in this case is New Line and Paramount. It also gives us as a audience a sense of the narritive, a sense of what is going to take place through out the film, leaving us with suspence. It also allows us to identify who the main characters are and there role in the film. The first footage indicates that this is a horrow film, through the lighting and props. It also introduces the location and a sesne of the pace of the film. The camera moves from one event to another very quickly. The music used is slow and drags in order to set the mood, which in this case would give us as a audience scary feeling.

Conventions of film openings

The conventions of film openings are:

• Credits- Title sequence
• Introduction to the main characters 
• Introduction to the key setting/locations
• Production + distribution Co. idents
• Introduction to the narrative- get a sense of the storyline
• Getting a sense of the pace that the film will be at. 
• What mood or tone will be set
• Sets up the genre
• Film title usually comes in early on in the sequence
• Music used to set the mood

• This picture represents the classic opening of Psycho, this shows one of the many conventions of film openings. For example the beginning was just lines of credits and edits. 
• There is also a shot of the cityscape and it's surroundings.  
• The scene then moves from the cityscape to the building, to the window, to the main characters inside. Which is used a lot within film openings. 

Conventions Of Film Openings

At the introduction of a film opening as a viewer we tend to see:

• Title sequence and credits
• The introduction to the main characters
• The introduction of the setting and the location
• The production and distribution idents (identities)
• The introduction to the start of the narrative, through this we get a senses of the storyline.
• The introduction gives us a sense of the pace of the film and what the mood and tone will be like later. 
• It sets up the genre
• Music is used to set the mood

In a classic opening, for example in Psycho (1960); we tend to see:

• A city scape
• The camera zooms into a building
• The camera zooms into a window
• The camera zooms into a room
• The camera zooms into the characters

Conventions of Film Openings

There are basic conventions of film openings. At the start of a film, has the title sequence and the opening credits. This includes the introduction of the production and distribution company idents, introducing the main characters, introducing the setting / location and introducing the start of the narrative to gain a sense of what the movie will be about. Also in the opening sequence of a film, it enables the audience to be informed about the genre and the pace of the film; mood and the tone.

A classic film opening is the opening sequence Psycho; there is two minutes of graphics, displaying the title of the film, the director and some of the people involved in making the film. After the two minutes there is a Landscape of Arizona, which the film tells us, in addition to the time and date. The camera then focuses on one significant building, and continues to zoom into the building until it is going through a window, introducing some characters. By then, the audience can tell that the female character is the protagonist.

Conventions of Film Openings

The conventions of film openings involve things such as credits as it shows the title sequence of the film.
Film openings are important as they introduce the main character , key settings and locations. Another thing that is used to create the film opening sequence is the production and distribution ident for example 20th Century Fox.

Film openings also produce the the start of the narrative and gets a sense of the story line, it develops the film and gets a sense of the pace of the film and what the mood and tone will be later, music is also used  to set the mood for example 'The Taking of Pelham 123' uses Hip Hop music in the opening sequence.

There are different types of film openings such as classica. A classical opening was Alfred Hitchcocks 'Psycho'. Classical Openings tend to have :

• City scape
• A specific building
• A window
• Into the room
• Into the characters- introducing them 

A city scape from 'Psycho'  showing a classical opening