Blue Velvet opening scene

Analyse this opening sequence. Watch closely...

Who is David Lynch?

Discuss the following;

• 
  
• Editing
• 
  
• Sound
• 
  
• Mise-en-scene
• 
  
• Use of the camera

Mind map an opening sequence of your own and start to prepare storyboards.  

Every shot counts.

Textual analysis (TV Drama)

Starter activity

Discuss the following trailer for a TV Drama starting its sixth series on Sunday.

Apply the key concept of representation.

You are going to analyse this sequence from a TV Drama. Apply the learning from previous classes and use subject specific terminology to de-construct the sequence. Your response will form your initial assessment.

Here are some guidelines from the exam board, OCR, on what you need to cover;

Use of the camera

• Shots: establishing shot, master shot, close-up, mid-shot, long shot, wide shot, two-shot, aerial shot, point of view shot, over the shoulder shot, and variations of these. • Angle: high angle, low angle, canted angle. • Movement: pan, tilt, track, dolly, crane, steadicam, hand-held, zoom, reverse zoom. • Composition: framing, rule of thirds, depth of field – deep and shallow focus, focus pulls.

Editing

Includes transition of image and sound – continuity and non-continuity systems. • Cutting: shot/reverse shot, eyeline match, graphic match, action match, jump cut, crosscutting, parallel editing, cutaway; insert. • Other transitions, dissolve, fade-in, fade-out, wipe, superimposition, long take, short take, slow motion, ellipsis and expansion of time, post-production, visual effects.

Sound

Diegetic and non-diegetic sound; synchronous/asynchronous sound; sound effects; sound motif, sound bridge, dialogue, voiceover, mode of address/direct address, sound mixing, sound perspective. • Soundtrack: score, incidental music, themes and stings, ambient sound.

Mise-en-scene

Production design: location, studio, set design, costume and make-up, properties. • Lighting; colour design. 

Consider the concept of representation in relation to this extract from the British TV drama 'Spooks'

Here is a link to another extract used by OCR for an exam in the past.  Candidates were asked to discuss the issue of representation of physical ability.

Mission Impossible opening sequence

Spectre

Analyse the trailer using your knowledge of terminology.

Focus on;

camera angles
use of the camera
shot types
diegetic sound
non-diegetic sound
editing
special effects
narrative
mise-en-scene

Representation issues in Taylor Swift's video for 'Wildest Dreams'

Watch the video to see if you can identify any issues with representation in this music video.

Now click on this link to read this article to gain an understanding of the controversy surrrounding this music video

Guardian article

Write a blog entry as research for your production

Front pages August 2015 (Migrant/ Refugee Crisis)

Pick one of these front pages and offer an analysis.

The Boy Who Only Said Yes

The Boy Who Says Yes - Katy, Ellie

Yes Boy - Katie, David

From Page to Screen

Here is a link to a resource which has a script and a digital storyboard.  It is presented as a case study offering advice about how to pitch your ideas. You will be doing something similar in your web-log as you present your research and planning.

Imagine you are the commissioner.

Read the script

Offer suggestions and make comments.

You will be given the script for the opening sequence of American Beauty.  Follow the script and observe the codes and conventions of screenwriting. 

Observe the conventions of 'sluglines'

EXT.ROBIN HOOD TRAIL.EARLY MORNING

EXT/INT - indicates exterior or interior

ROBIN HOOD TRAIL - indicates where the action is set

EARLY MORNING - indicates period of the day.


You will now be given a scenario drawn from your experiences of childhood.  The ideas generated in previous workshops have informed these scenarios.

The film idea comes from a student whose mother came in to ask if all the other children could be careful what they asked her son to do as he had just eaten stones and chipped all his teeth.

We mixed this concept with some other stories from childhood.

SCENARIO 1

Working Title

THE BOY WHO ALWAYS SAYS YES

SCENARIO

These ideas are taken from your workshops generating ideas for a short film about Childhood.

The  ‘Boy’ in the title is being bullied and he gives up his possessions.  When the teacher asks what is going on the bully accuses the ‘Boy’.  The teacher is exasperated as the Boy agrees with the bully.

You must script, storyboard, film and edit the first scene from this film.

Observe the conventions of the medium.

Include this key quote;

‘So, let me get this straight, what you are saying is that you willingly gave your mobile phone, house keys and seven pounds fifty to this young man…’

SCENARIO 2

 

Working Title

THE BOY WHO ALWAYS SAYS YES

SCENARIO

These ideas are taken from your workshops generating ideas for a short film about Childhood.

The  ‘Boy’ in the title is being explained in a voice-over at the start of the film.

You must script, storyboard, film and edit the first scene from this film. Script a voice-over and provide narration over a range of shot types focusing on the boy.

Observe the conventions of the medium.

Include this key quote;

‘The super-ego acts as a break on our desires.  It stops the ego from causing chaos by acting on our desires. Imagine a child who had no super-ego and had the liberating freedom to say yes to everything’

SCENARIO 3

Working Title

THE BOY WHO ALWAYS SAYS YES

SCENARIO

These ideas are taken from your workshops generating ideas for a short film about Childhood.

The ‘Boy’ in the title is in a classroom and his teacher is becoming increasingly exasperated.

You must script, storyboard, film and edit a scene from this film.

Observe the conventions of the medium.

Include this key quote;

The teacher is standing in a bin saying,

‘Do I Look like Rubbish !’

If you feel creative and have your own idea then develop your own scenario.

The brief is as follows;

1) Write a script

2) Storyboard the scene

3) Film using a range of shot types and angles 

4) Edit your footage into the opening scene of a short film.