Research Task - Lev Kuleshov and Sergei Eisenstein

The video above shows a scene with a montage in it by Sergei Eisenstein - showing juxtaposing images by editing - it is a sequence of various images, that are meant to 'arouse both emotion and idealogical consciousness among the film's viewers'. Eisenstein, in his introductory essay, describes five methods of montage 'Word and Image' - these are the 5 elements of montage theory. His montage theories are all based around the idea that montage originates around the 'collision' between different camera shots, in an illustration of the idea based around thesis and antithesis.
(Thesis - an intellectual proposition,
Antithesis - the opposite - a reaction to the proposition)

The 5 levels of montage:

1st: Metric Montage
- the length or duration of each piece of film (e.g uneven length clips that could be edited together to make the montage faster and look more 'hectic')
2nd: Rhythmic Structure
- the film maker can add the complexity that they should not have in the Metric aspect of the montage. (The content of the shots become just as important as the metrical arrangement.)
3rd: Tonal Montage
- 'the film maker can insert a sense of melody in order to produce a sense of emotion' - you can do this in various ways, like for example lighting, and using it in particular ways within the shot. You can bring across many different things, such as joy, and just by using different lighting strategies.
4th: Over-tonal Montage
- This is related to Tonal Montage, but in addition to lighting, over tonal montage also talks about the texture of the objects in the shot. - 'Not so much about how you light a surface, but what happens to the object that has been lit, especially over time'. It is the effect that the light has over certain objects.
5th- Intellectual Montage 
- This montage has to do with the use of symbols, causing 'logical cognition', which enables us to reason intellectually. Done purposefully in the montage, rather than chaotically.

Other Harry Potter Character Analysis

Rubeus Hagrid is an enthusiastic and cheerful character who is always thoughtful towards others and relatively fatherly towards Harry. He is constantly giving advice to the students and he is always positive during the hardest of times. Many of the students go to him for help since he is a caring and helpful person and always making them feel welcome. His appearance can seem scruffy and dirty but deep down he is soft and gentle person.

Happy

Enthusiastic

Cheerful

Positive

Caring

Thoughtful

Fatherly

Scruffy

Welcoming

Smiley

Advisable

Fun

Helpful

Severus Snape is quite a major character with a dark and sinister appearance. He is shifty and deceptive, with an unsettling look. 

Is a mysterious character that keeps the audience guessing whether he is good or bad. His first appearance makes him look particularly evil with his dark looks. These being his robes, hair and physical looks (pallid and sallow).

Is a dark and complicated character to understand. The way he acts suggests that he is shifty and evil person but nearer the end of the movies he turns out to be good. He seems bitter and cold towards the students he teaches as if not wanting to show his true colours.

 Long black hair

Dark

Shifty

Tall deceptive

Unsettling stare

Sarcastic

Droning voice

Difficult

Snape = snake serpent like

Cold

Black hearted

Mean

Stubborn

Complicated

Pallid 

Sallow skin

Bitter

Insecure

Short temper

Calm 

Prof. Albus Dumbledore Sentence

Albus Dumbledore is one of the main characters in the Harry Potter series. He is a closed off, secretive  character but he enjoys teaching Harry about the magical world that he enters from book one, and seems to think particularly fondly of him. Although he isn't the loudest character in the films/books, he is a very brave, intelligent one who seems to always put others before himself. He is a very magical character, clothes and personality wise. The robes that he wears especially suggest that he is a smart man, and his wizard hat emphasises that he really is a magical character. The beard also implies a certain level of wiseness about him, and the colour contrast between his dark grey clothes and his lighter grey beard suggest that he is quite a neutral man, and always dresses the same - this could also reflect back on his fairly consistant personality.

Intelligent
Quirky
Kind
Wise
Clever
Friendly
Interesting
Old
Mysterious
Caring
Brave
Helpful
Posh

(Albus Dumbledore - 1-2)

(Albus Dumbledore - Films 3-8)

Draco Malfoy 

Draco is Latin for dragon, ultimately the ancient Greek drakōn, meaning serpent. The first part, mal, should be easily recognised as meaning evil or bad. It shows up in English in such words as malevolent, malicious or malign, and comes from the Latin adjective “malus” meaning evil or bad.

Draco Malfoy

Blond hair is usually associated with innocence, and sometimes the stereotypical incompetency...

but in Malfoy’s case it makes him look slimy, and because it looks greasy it makes him look evil.

His slicked back hair signifies to the audience that he is a bad character, because even though the stereotypical villain hair colour is dark, because his hair is slicked back it reflects on his 'greasy' character, as well as it contrasts with his actual character, which is dark whereas his hair is light.

He looks like this because it emphasises his evil character, even if he's not entirely bad in the last film. 

Villain

Sly

Strange

Different

Noble

Aryan race (pure blood)

Cold

Creepy

Devious

Cunning

Shrewd

Astute

Machiavellian

Deceitful

Draco Malfoy - 1st year in Hogwarts

Team Chase Sequence & Complete Evaluation

Evaluation:

The Brief:
In this task we were asked to get into groups and create a chase sequence using at least 3 different portals, for example running through the door and then coming out in a different location.

Planning:
When we planned the chase sequence we were given a planning sheet where we could write up all our ideas. We discussed what portals to use and then where we would put them, etc. Then we planned where to set the scene and what the scene's storyline would be. I don't think our group had any problems with teamwork, or any major problems, apart from who would be who in the scene, which we overcame quickly and easily.

Filming:
I think that the filming went very well - we didn't have any problems apart from time, and a difficult angle shot that we eventually got right too. We filmed the whole thing quite quickly too, even if we had to go back and do one scene again, but I think that went well to. We didn't waste any time and got straight into it, which in result made it more relaxing to edit afterwards because we had more time to spare. Towards the end we changed our original storyboard plan a bit to make it make more sense with what we had already filmed, and we also switched a few portals around. We worked well as a team.

Editing:
I got half of one lesson on this to being editing the scene and make it run more soothly; my partner did most of the 'hands on editing' because I've never used the editing software before. It was very helpful watching someone else use it though because I became familiar with the tools, etc. However because I was ill I missed the rest of it being edited, but the end result was really good so I think it went very well.

Analysis (extra work):
There is a following shot right at the beginning of the scene, to gain some perspective on where the chase begins and what the surrounding area looks like. Then there is a medium close up which also gives some perspective on the scene and the area around it, effectively giving the audience a good view on everything thats going on. Then there is a cut and a 'portal', where the victim falls next to the chaser. There's a reaction shot next, which leads on to some various medium close ups, etc. Then there's a cut as the chase goes around the corner at 0.32, which eventually leads on to a point of view shot; this is really effective because it gives the audience a sense of actually being in and experiencing the chase as well as watching it take place. Then there's a few cuts and another portal takes place. There is then a very short following shot as the chasee runs away which then leads on to another point of view shot. Then there's another portal at 1.04, and then later a close up. Another portal leads on to at 1.15 when the final one takes place as both run through the door. And finally there's a perspective shot, to a quick side view following shot, to a point of view shot.

Conclusion:
If I had to do this assignment again I honestly don't think I would change much at all; maybe I'd add a firmer story line so the chase made a bit more sense, but other than that I think it went very well, (especially the filming), and I don't think much needed changing at all. I really enjoyed the assignment because it made me better with using the camera and taught me how to use the editing software too.

Shot List Video

Shot list:

1) 0.00 - 0.04 - NOT EDITED OUT
2) 0.04 - 0.10 - pan
3) 0.10 - 0.17 - tilt
4) 0.17 - 0.20 - low angle
5) 0.20 - 0.22 - high angle
6) 0.22 - 0.27 - following shot
7) 0.27 - 0.29 - NOT EDITED OUT
8) 0.29 - 0.37 - zoom
9) 0.37 - 0.40 - zolly (attempt)
10) 0.40 - 0.43 - extreme close up (ECU)
11) 0.43 - 0.46 - medium close up (MCU)
12) 0.46 - 0.49 - over the shoulder shot
13) 0.49 - 0.51 - reaction shot
14) 0.51 - 0.55 - long shot 

Harry Potter Mise En Scene

Setting

(An example of a
medieval torch)

This scene takes places within the Hogwarts main hall, all the way through out the video - however most of the action takes place from within the front of the main hall, where all the students can see who's sorted in to which house; it immediately turns all the attention on to the main character and his friends. The hall is very large and almost 'magical' - although Hogwarts is made to look like a slightly desolate castle on the outside, inside the hall the atmosphere is the complete opposite, and not like that at all; the candles create a sense of magic and a good atmosphere, and the friendly glow of the orange and golden light creates a warm friendly room - this reflects on the students as well, making them appear nice (even if some are not). Altogether because of the warm glow and the floating candles it makes the whole hall appear very welcoming to the new coming students. The setting indicates, especially with small things like the floating candle, that the genre is family/fantasy, and it implies that the students have just entered a magical world, and that because of this they're 'special' in a way that the audience can clearly see. Because the hall looks so old and almost medieval (for example. the torches - like the one in the photo to the left - were designed especially so that they looked old enough in the castle to pass as being possibly 100's of years old.) This indicates that the castle is very aged, and it makes it appear unique compared to other school's, which is again is good because Hogwarts is a magical mysterious place. The uniform especially suggests that all the children have the same status, and are all the same level of importance, because their uniform is the same. It also singles out non wizards because the robes suggest a level of authority, even if its worn by 11 year olds.

Costume:
Continuing on from my last point, the costumes used in this scene all look old and hold a level of supremacy compared to normal 'muggle' clothes. Each individual character is wearing various things that adds effectiveness to the magical atmosphere.

Prof. Dumbledore - In this scene the head teacher of Hogwarts is positioned directly in the middle, at the front of the hall and he is sat in a bold looking golden chair. These details on their own imply that Album Dumbledore is a very important character and it immediately draws the audiences attention to him... (to be continued)

Prof. McGonogall -

Rubeus Hagrid -

Harry Potter -

Ron Weasley -

Hermione Granger -

Severus Snape -

Pirates of the Caribbean Analysis

0.5 - 1

• Establishing/wide shot: right at the beginning the camera is zoomed out so you can get a whole perspective on the ship and the characters in it. It also allows the audience to see where the ship is (the sea), the surrounding area and the condition of it/the weather etc. The shot is good because it gives us, even if its just subconsciously, a good look at what’s happened at the start of the scene. It also makes the characters look very small and compares them to the size of the ship, which makes them appear vulnerable. This is good because it adds suspense - will they be able to hold off another large ship?
• Close-up/reaction shot/low angle/reverse shot: there is a series of all of these directly after the establishing shot, and one almost immediately after. These are good because again its perspective and close ups on the characters. There are lot’s of these as the scene continues.
• 1-2 
  Point of view shot, close ups, zooms, wide shot, perspective shot, reaction shot, birds eye view shot - 
  All of these are brilliant in making the audience feel like they’re actually there with the characters. The point of view shot when Jack looks out of the boat into the sea is good because it also shows perpsective as to how far down he is in the ship. The birds eye view shot is helpful because it also shows some perspective as to how far away the ships are to each other and how dire the situation is becoming for the pirates.
  2-3
  Reaction shots, major close up, close up, sweeping shot, point of view, long shot, perspective shot - these are used in such ways that the scene appears more dramatic than they really are - for example the constant change in camera angles and who it’s focusing on is really good as well as the fact that it’s bobbing up and down like the boat would - the reaction shots are good because it shows the characters expressions really clearly and the major close up on the eye is effective too - it then goes straight to a point of view shot to outside. 
  3-4
  close up, major long shot, sweeps, birds eye view shot, reaction shot, major close up, long shot, perspective shot, long shot - although these are the only shots that I can see they use the editing really well and make it smoothly run together which I think makes the scene run better - the reaction shots again after the ship is first fired at is good because it shows the characters facial expressions so the audience can get a hold on the situation - the sweeping birds eye view shot is also good because it goes right around the ship and shows the damage that its gone through. The major long shots/long shots/perspective shots when the 2 ship are firing at each other are great too.
  
  

All throughout the scene there is mostly a backing track, which adds to the excitement - I noticed that the more tense the scene got the faster the track got. There are also lots of sound effects such as the guns being fired, which makes it digetic/non - digetic sound. The characters also wear outfits that really match with the time that the film is set in, so for example old clothes, but they also wear 'pirate' aspects to their outfits too, such as the hats. They also have the stereo typical pirate tattoos/earrings etc.

Chase Sequence Analysis

The filmakers use various techniques to maintain the atmosphere and feeling of suspense. The editing, music and camera shots all provide different aspects to the momentum, and how the chase scene maintains the audience's interest. They keep the music up tempo, the actors never stop moving and they tend to keep to a higher level, rather than the chase taking place completely on the ground level.

At the beginning there is a number of close-up and and reaction shots, so you can quite clearly see the actors expression before the vehicle drives in to the fence, and after when the man shoots at him. There's both diegetic and non-diegetic sound, the non being the incidental music which is used well for adding suspense to the scene. The diegetic sound is the sound effects, such as when the vehicle crashes into the fence, the gun shots at the beginning etc.

There is a whip pan when the guy jumps on to the structure, and also what could be called a low angle shot when the camera is underneath him as he jumps and then begins to climb. There are a lot of birds eye shots when the 2 of them are jumping on different objects and when they're standing on the crane, to maybe show the audience just how 'high up' the characters really are, to add to the excitement of the scene. There is also another low angle shot at 1:06 - 1:09 when the man jumps off the structure; it shows how far he has to jump and how close he is to falling off, which again obviously adds to the suspense of the clip.

There are a lot of long shots as well, when the 2 are chasing each other, to get an idea of where they are, especially when standing on a higher level during the scene. A following shot is used towards the end (4:34 - 4:37) when the camera follows the mans legs as he runs around the corner. Reaction and closeups are used in the stand off from 2:14, and an arc shot is used at 2:00, for the camera to circle around the 2 of them on the crane.

When the actors are above ground on the crane, helicopter/crane shots are used, as well as a racking shot. The birds eye view shot when looking down on them is effective, and could be called an establishing and an extreme long shot to because in some bits you can see their bodies, but the distance beneath them as; it shows just how high up they are, and how thin the structure they're standing on is.

However, at 4:32 - 4:35 especially, although no specific editing styles are used, the way the camera films it from the angle ensures that it looks effective, especially when the car drives past and the scene changes to the other man running again. When the car drives past and the scene goes on to the other man again, this could be seen a whip pan. Although they are both in the same place, the shot still adds tension. The sound of cars racing past (diegetic sound) are also probably emphasised so you can hear when they rush past, giving the audience a taster of what the characters can hear as they run.

Continuity Edit Example