Research and Planning

Waterloo Road

 I am looking at the opening scene of every episode for waterloo road this is the introduction which is used whenever this programme is shown on TV. The opening scene starts off with a high angle shot which is a bird’s eye view of a student then going into a long shot  of other students sitting at a desk which allows the audience see this programme is based in a school and is also about school students and the setting  is based in a school. There is also a medium shot used on the head teacher which allows the viewer to her facial expressions and body language.  After this there is then a straight cut after a fast cut which allows the viewer to feel engaged in what’s going on and the intensity of the opening scene. Also, it allows the viewer to see the other actors as they only have a certain amount of time when they are filming a title sequence which means there will be lots of fasts cuts as they want to fit all the main characters in. The deputy head teacher is then introduced in the title sequence we see his facial expressions with a close-up which emphasises he is angry in that particular part which can suggest something about his character as he is introduced in the title sequence as this kind of character in the programme. In addition, there is shot reverse shot used on the same actor at the beginning with a close up which gets the viewer to feel more engaged with what’s happening in that particular moment. After there is a dissolve cut showing two additional characters from the programme they have been introduced through a medium shot. With this shot it allows the viewer to see the characters costumes and facial expression from the characters facial expressions this could foreshadow what kind of characters they are in the programme.

The sound in this title sequence is non-digetic as it isn’t in the actual recording of the programme but recorded over it to suit the actions. The music is parallel to the video as there is many fast cuts used in this sequence and it goes really quickly and the sound is fast upbeat sound.

In addition, there is also a good use of props used in the background of the title sequence, i.e. the food on the table alongside with the book show it’s a canteen where the students are eating whilst studying. Also, the mugs in the teachers hand suggest they are in a staff room which tell us where the setting is. 

This programme is aimed at young school kids around 15-19 as it is about school students in a school and they can relate to them. This comes on at a reasonable time in the evening at 8pm as they know school students wont be able to watch this during the day as they will be at school/ college, therefore it comes on at this time to suit their target markets needs. 

Research and Planning

Friends

In the opening of this scene you are only able to see one of the characters conversing to another, also you can hear another characters voice which we as the audience cannot physically see. It starts off with a long shot on the first character looking down at something not making direct eye contact with the camera. Also, the fact that we cannot see the second character creates an enigma code within the audience as we want to know who it is. Then there is a long shot used when the second character walks into the scene which allows us to see her body language which engages with the audience alongside with her facial expressions. In addition, the second character comes out in a rush which creates attention still following the enigma code because she is talking very fast to the first character which the audience get a sense that something is happening or about to happen. There is a medium shot to a long shot of the characters alongside a shot reverse shot as we can see both of the characters body language and facial expressions.

The lighting that is used in this scene is key-lighting which is fairly bright this is as it allows the audience to see the characters facial expressions, alongside with their movements. Also, if it was low-key lighting in wouldn’t work as that is used for more intense shows or films such as horrors or thrillers.

Furthermore, the editing used is very fast what I mean by this is there is fast cuts to create the intensity in the scene, which goes well with the characters body language and voice as she is speak at a fast pace. There is mainly dialogue used within this scene, however there is non-digetic sound used which is when the audience is laughing in the background. This is parallel as it is only used when the audience is meant to find something funny.

This programme would appeal to young adults alongside with teenagers as the characters in the programme are in their early/late 20’s over the years they film. This is a comedy which was originally on E4 but has now moved to comedy central. The genre of this is comedy/romance as it has a bit of both in it. 

Learners Response for Film Language Test

WWW: Fairly confident writing, focused on the question 1

EBI: Weaker on final two questions, especially ‘editing’

LR: Re-write the editing question, including more media terminology

Editing

In the opening scene there is tension used between the cuts of the scene when the second character enters. This when there is a low angle shot used for the second characters entrance coming into the scene. The fact that he is standing above the first character connotes power, authority and importance. The edit cuts from the second character after he has urinated on the ground and put the fire out onto the first characters facial expressions which can suggest to the audience his fear of this man. Also, when it cuts to the second character he puts his head down which suggests he knows this man and what’s about to happen which creates an enigma code as the audience don’t know who this man is and what he wants. It then cuts back to the second character that starts walking down the stairs toward the first character. We can also tell by his blacked out costume that he may be the villain which is why he’s scared. In addition, the use of the 180 degree line when they are exchanging dialogue created tension between the two as we can see the face of the man who is sitting down facial expressions as one another are talking, as the audience haven’t been able to identify the supposed villain at the time creates even more of an effect. In addition, the quick jump shots made the opening scene more exciting for the audience as they were eager to find out what’s going to happen also a good technique as it build up tension for the viewer. Furthermore, the when the villain takes his gun out the focus is taken off the two characters and the violence in this part and we just hear the sound gun shots. This creates and enigma code as the audience don’t see the murder which could foreshadow that later on in the film the investigation is going to be about putting the pieces together of what happened and why the murder happened.  

In our preliminary exercise we worked as a group of four. I worked with Pavan, Anjali, AJ and myself. We decided on creating a scene in an episode of a soap/drama which would be one of the small stories within the episode. The clip lasted for approximately 41 seconds, this wasn’t meant to be too long as we were practising on how to shoot 3 specific shot which were;

·         Match on action

·       180 degree rule

·       Cutting the shots

In our preminary clips its starts off with Anjali which starts off with a medium long shot of the shows she is walking towards the door and also shows the audience what she is wearing and her facial expressions. There are two protagonists in this clip who are meant shown as a couple in the clip. We then filmed an extreme close up which was the door handle being pushed down as she is opening it this was purely done because we wanted to emphasise her going into the room. Anjali is then shown walking in through the door on the other side which is match on action. When she is walking in her facial expressions are seen as happy walking into her home to meet her boyfriend. The next shot is a long shot which shows her point of view as she is walking towards the boy; we did this because it is effective to the audience when they see the camera through the person’s eyes. There is another medium long shot from an angle which shows both of them from the side hugging each other which tells the audience they may be together. There is binary opposition which is that we see the boy is wearing a black jacket and the girl is wearing grey which is the closest to white, this connotes ‘‘good and evil’ which can link to the characters personalities and the storyline of her being unfaithful and the boy being unfaithful.

There is key lighting throughout the scene which connotes to the audience everyone is having a good day which also links back to Anjali’s facial expressions when she is walking through the door. Furthermore, there is also a back lighting which makes the image seem more softened and real. As the shots have been focused mainly on the character rather than the room itself it shows the intimacy between the two characters and makes it more intense for the audience as they are cautious to know what’s going to happen.

From the part where the actors hug it blurred into a close up of the phone ringing. This creates enigma code for the audience as there wondering who it is because the mystery caller appears on the phone with a heart. The phone is a vital prop that we used as it is the main part of the narrative. There is then a medium shot of the boy asking the girl how her day was which was shot using the 180 degree rule, filmed over the girls shoulder, then over the boys shoulder showing her response. There is then another close up; when we filmed the conversation we used the 180 degree rule throughout using which was filmed over the shoulder of the person they are talking to with a bit of the persons shoulder in the camera.

After this there is a straight cut onto the next shot which is a medium shot, still using the 180 degree rule which shows the audience that the boy is getting angry by leaning across the table and snatching the phone of Anjali to see who the mystery caller is and too see why she is looking so suspicious. This provokes him more as she tries to grab it back off him. We then filmed a long shot of the boy standing up in fury which shows disequilibrium in the narrative. The next shot is a medium/close up of the girl who shows her facial expression telling us she has nothing to say as she looks down and has a guilty look on her face. Then at the ending it end of her phone with a picture of her and a boy which creates and enigma code in the audience as they are eager to find out who he is.

WWW: The camera angles used were effective and we followed the 180 degree rule as well as the match on action and shot reverse shot.

EBI: If we included more clips to make it longer and if we added some music to create more of a feel to the scene.  

Preliminary task- teacher’s evaluation

Teacher’s evaluation

WWW:

·                     Good Performance.

·                     Steady Camerawork.

·                     Simple Storytelling.

·                     Match on action Effective.

·                     180 degree rule followed.

·                     Effective plot device - Phone.

·                     Post production - editing.

EBI:

·                     Sound dialogue not clear.

·                     Continuity error - phone on desk.

·                     Attention to detail.

Results:

1.                   Creativity:                           4/5

2.                  Use of Technology:           3/5

3.                  Production Process:         4/5

4.                  Codes of Convention:       4/5

5.                   Fit for Purpose:                  4/5

6.                  Attention to Detail:             3/5

Overall Grade Achieved:         3+

Shot No.	Shot	Length
1	Anjali walks to the door in a happy mood. Medium long shot, panning.	3 seconds
2	Close up of the handle.	2 seconds
3	Long shot of when she walks in.	4 seconds
4	Shot reverse shot of when Anjali looks at Ajay and he looks at her. Whilst greeting each other.	6 seconds
5	Medium shot of Anjali and Ajay hugging.	3 seconds
6	They both then sit down, using the 180 degree rule showing them sitting down.	5 seconds
7	Shot reverse shot over Anjali’s shoulder of Ajay speaking.	4 seconds
8	Then extreme close up of Anjali’s phone vibrating on the table.	2 seconds
9	Medium shot of Ajay asking Who had messaged her using the 180 degree rule.	3 seconds
10	Then shot reverse shot of Anjali replying nobody with a smile, over Ajay’s shoulder.	3 seconds
11	Then a shot over Anjali’s shoulder of Ajay snatching her phone and seeing a picture.	4 seconds
12	Then a close up of Ajay standing up asking Anjali who that person was.	4 seconds
13	Then a close up of Anjali silent.	3 seconds
14	Finally an extreme close up of the phone.	2 seconds