My opening sequence comparison to Se7en opening sequence

During last weeks media lesson Mr Barton made us work on Final Cut Pro to create and opening sequence based on the thriller movie Se7en. Using all the knowledge i have gained from using Final Cut Pro i have put together a short opening sequence for a film named 'surveillance' this video can be sen below.

Comparing my opening to the opening of se7en (see the top video for my opening sequence and the bottom one for Se7en) i can see several differences and consistencies these can be seen below.

Consistencies

- The fact that both mine and se7en's openings are both dark, eerie, gritty and mysterious settings (mine showing various photo's and videos of mysterious people committing acts against the law and posing for police photo's while se7en's shows a person looking through medical books and medical documentation in a mysterious room)

- the fact that both mine and se7en's use similar effects causing overshadowing (effects that cause the viewer to see a distorted, eerie and mysterious picture.

- The fact that both use titles that don't tell an audience much about the story (Surveillance and Se7en leave the audience with many questions like what is under surveillance?, what does se7en represent? etc.)

Differences

- The fact that Se7ens opening has a lot more of a 'flow' to it as all the clips and photo's seem to fit together where at some points mine looks out of place and shoddy.

- The fact that Se7ens has had a more proffesional approach (you can see that more camera angles, money, props and coordination has gone into the making of the Se7en opening.)

- The fact that Se7ens opening uses a wider array of effects that are of more standard then the ones i used that where probably standards effects.)  

9 frame Poker game sequence for Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels

In yesterday's class Mr Barton made us watch a clip from the movie Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels in the scene a poker game was being played in a boxing ring. After the clip had been watched we where then tasked to find 9 key shots and use these as a sequence below is a storyboard i created in order to show these shots, what is happening in each one and what shots where used in the sequence.  

New rules and feedback on previous video clip creations

today during class Mr Barton made us look over our latest pieces of stalker footage that we have created to see what we noticed about the work we created. From the piece of work we where shown i could clearly see that the camera angles that where conducted where done quite well, for example all shots where done with very little camera movement and when certain shots where conducted they where conducted correctly and clearly, for example mid shots conducted from the piece of work didn't cut off the top of the head or torso.


New camera techniques


After we had conducted feedback on previous shots we created we began to learn about some new types of camera shots these shots where the 180 Degree Rule, Match On Action Shot and the Shot Reverse Shot. Below are descriptions of what i learnt as well as videos from youtube that taught me some of the aspects. These new shots include.


The 180 Degree Rule


The 180 Degree Rule basically states that when two characters are in the same scene and are talking or doing something, they should always follow an invisible line and should always keep the same left to right relationship so that the scene flows and is continuos (see the photo on the right to get a more). This rule however can be broken to cause disorientation and confusion in an audience (examples of this can be seen in films such as Inception or The Matrix) this can however lead to the production looking shoddy and ineffective.




This video is a beginners learning video into the basics of the 180 degree rule shot click on it to learn more about how the shot operates and what the parameters of conducting the shot are.

This video is an amateur production showing how the shot can be a very shoddy looking and ineffective way to show a scene if the line is broken.

The Match On Action Shot 


The Match On Action Shot is a shot that keeps the flow of the film going it does this by making sure that if an action is conducted during a scene (say a man opening a wardrobe) and then the scene cuts the following scene shows him getting something out of the wardrobe or shutting it on an eye view camera shot although the shot has changed the actions are the same, keeping     the flow and continuity of the piece going.


This video below shows a Match On Action shot used correctly it shows how it can be used as an effective shot to show different views of a persons movements and actions.

The Shot Reverse Shot

A Shot Reverse Shot is a shot used to show two people are taking to each other from the example shown on the left you can se that the camera is held behind a person head while another person talks to him showing that these people are talking to each-other this shot can variate between the two people during dialogue to show the person talking while we get the view that the person is being spoken to.


This video shows the Shot Reverse Shot being used correctly to give the view that these two characters are talking to each-other over a table.

A simple Thriller Synopsis

What i have created 
Mr Barton has given me the task of coming up with a simple thriller story after thinking about what aspects my thriller should have i came up with a synopsis for a thriller i have named 'Under The Cover Of Silence' below is that synopsis.

My Thriller Plot synopsis for my thriller Under The Cover of Silence

Peter Garrett is a man on the edge. A failed marriage, a shitty job thanks to a bastard who stole his work, no family and no future. Meanwhile across on the other side of a city Andrew harrow lives the life of a millionaire... sex, sun and shelter from a city strewn with corruption and violence, and from an idea stolen from another man. By chance the two men meet and Andrew Harrows life is changed forever as his life is brought into mysterious and cryptic revenge that Peter creates for him can a man with wealth and power outrun and outsmart a man who has nothing to lose?

Beginning

At the beginning of the film we will see both aspects of the men’s lives one living in depression and squalor while the other lives the high life we also see a back-story (sort of a flashback of how each of the men came to be in this position that they are in today) it then sees both men walking the streets on a empty city street and then have them having a ‘meeting of chance’.

Middle

In the Middle of the film after this chance meeting we see Peter following Andrew (who no longer recognizes the dilapidated Peter) home, and he gets to see the profit and prospect his stolen idea has brought Andrew. We then see Peter stalking Andrews daily regime and becoming more and more paranoid on ruining his perfect life. We also see Andrew starting to strain under the actions of what Peter is doing to him (interfering with his life and causing him emotional stress and physical trauma).

End

Towards the end we see Andrew trying to escape the actions of his past by trying to make amends to Peter. We also see that peter is building up to the climax of his revenge. As a man with nothing he’ll take the life of the man who stole everything he should have had and make his sweet and just revenge complete. As the final moments of the film climax we see a twist of sorts Andrew breaks under the pressure and snaps at Peter who both fight under the gun Andrew shoots peter however peter reveals in his dying moments this was his plan all along and as Andrew stares in confusion he finds Peter has alerted the Authorities who know see Andrew a man with everything standing over a shot man with a gun in his hand. Andrews perfect life lies in ruins.   

In depth Description of the opening sequence of 'Catch Me If You Can'

Mr Barton has given me the task of observing the Imagery, Style, Visual effects, Font, Animation and the Editing for the film 'Catch Me If You Can' below is my report for this.

Catch me if you can title sequence in depth description

Image used in the title sequence

The imagery used in the opening to ‘Catch Me If You Can’ uses a variety of colours which are used in the sequence to show people of importance and important objects that describe what the film is about. For example the animated cartoon man continually changes colour in his form as well as objects he is in (such as the taxi cab being yellow and a following car being blue and white, while all other cars are gray) this shows the importance of 2 animated men (Leonardo Dicaprio and Tom Hanks) which in turn tells the audience that these men are playing a game of ‘cat and mouse’ through various locations and causes curiosity in the viewer through the change of colouration making the audience curious to watch on in the film.

Style used in the title sequence

The style used in the title sequence of ‘Catch Me If You Can’ is cartoon style, it differs however from other cartoon styles as it is a silent cartoon that has only a mysterious music playing through that builds up as the man first shown in the sequence is almost caught by the other man who is chasing him leading to suspense in the opening scene the drawing style of the cartoon characters are a ‘sketchy and gritty’ style that is also mysterious as it can give the viewer the opinion that these men are like this because they may be sketchy or shady people.

Visual effects used in the title sequence

The visual effects used in the opening sequence of ‘Catch Me If You Can’ are quite simple in design (for example each cartoon mans movements appear to be simple animations apart from the two key characters who are given unique movements there are also constantly changing environments throughout the sequence which show that the film is set in a variety of unknown and mysterious location for example we see that the two men are in an airport, but why are they in an airport? and where is this airport? We are also given a lot of visual styles in the way opening credits are presented, every time one is presented it drops a line, turns into another object etc which is an effective way to include opening credits while not taking concentration away from the opening sequence cartoon.

Font used in the title sequence

The font used in the opening sequence of ‘Catch Me If You Can’ is a a very calm looking font as to say that the film is a calmed environment, however from the rest of the opening sequence we can see that it is not as it seems as the film appears to be a desperate and frantic chase of a man by another man we get the image from the font however that the location is also constantly changing for the two men as with every font change a new location for the cartoon is introduced possibly meaning the colours and the font hold a connection to the part of the storyline.

Animation used in the title sequence

The animation used in the title sequence is varied for the less important cartoon characters it is simple walking and swimming motions (showing that these are basically ‘filler’ characters that are made to represent normal everyday people) whereas two characters that stand out as important characters are given a lot more in depth animations (for example they move their heads from their arms, read newspapers, open doors, change clothes etc) The animations clearly show that the main characters are of importance as they are given these animations and are constantly changing from one environment to the next.

Editing used in the title sequence

The editing that is used in the title sequence of ‘Catch Me If You Can’ is a lot of separately done cartoon scenes cut, shortened and then meshed into one longer opening film this is done because it is a lot easier to make several smaller clips and put them together into a larger one as you can cut out content that you do not want (or to increase the ‘flow’ of the opening sequence) or to see where each ‘piece’ should be placed for the best effect. The other forms of editing used in this sequence can be seen on certain parts of text for example the fading of part of the title when the title ‘Catch Me If You Can’ comes on and part of the word fades like a cloud. Another type of editing used in the sequence is the constant colour changes that occur throughout the opening sequence that are placed to give a mysterious outlook to the cartoon sequence.   

Insight into the camera positions of the opening of Unbreakable

Researching and watching the openings to thriller films i have started to look in depth into how camera angles are used in the openings to films to describe and set the scene. One of these films is 'Unbreakable' by M. Night Shyamalan below is the report i created for my research into the opening sequence of this film. Below is the opening sequence to Unbreakable and the report i created on the camera angles used.

Media Homework

What does an audience expect when watching a thriller film?

When an audience watches a thriller film they expect to be both captivated into the movie and thrilled by the aura of suspense and mystery that the film wraps around itself. An audience also watches a thriller film for the storyline involved in the film it is for the storyline purpose i found the film i have chosen to watch the opening credits of the film ‘unbreakable’.

How are camera affects used in the opening scenes of Unbreakable?

The camera shots in the opening scenes begin with a series of extreme long shots and long shots to ‘set the scene’ which from the use of the shots can be shown as the backroom of a department store. As the doctor talks to 2 people the camera moves over to a close up shot of the woman and her baby showing both the emotion on the woman’s face at the child and the child wrapped in the blanket itself which is used to show that the mother and the baby are the important characters in this opening as soon as this is shown the shots variate from a close up to a two shot featuring the woman and the doctor and then focus back on the mother showing her giving her son to the doctor once the baby is given to the doctor the shot changes back to the mother asking the doctor to give the baby back and then changes back to a long shot to a mirror to reveal an extra 4 people in the ‘audience’ which shows that the doctor is asking these people questions after the questions are answered t camera changes to a close up shot of the doctor to get the view of the ‘emotion’ in his face it then switches to a long shot again to get in the women the doctor is asking another question to to get the reactions of both the woman and the policeman waiting behind the door and then switches to the doctor from mirror view showing everyone s emotion including him that there is a problem with the baby the mother then leans up creating a close up to show the image and visage of fear and curiosity about her babies condition this shot then moves from her to the doctor again to show the change of emotion that he has it is an emotion of desperation that the doctor has now as he continues to look from the baby to the mother. And the shot changes back to a close up of the mother who is also showing a change of emotion in the form that she is now crying.

What other affects are used in the opening scenes of Unbreakable to captivate the audience?

In the opening scenes of Unbreakable before the scene a page of text appears telling the audience information on comic books from the prices that they can vary from, the amount of illustrations inside an issue, the amount of comic books sold daily in America and many other pieces of information. As soon as the film begins you are set in a department store scene with the sound of a baby crying and a man (who is revealed as a doctor) being brought in. This sets the scene of mystery already as the baby is in need of medical assistance and no one knows why. Although later on the baby is revealed to have broken arms and legs the state of mystery is still present what has happened to the baby later on in life?, Will the baby be okay? And what has caused his arms and legs to break? This opening scene captivates the audience in mystery using the sound of the baby, the facial and speech expressions of the doctor and mother as well as that of the staff when told of the babies condition give the audience questions they are already seeking answers to thus captivating them to watch the film further.

Thriller Movies Mindmap

This a mind-map i created during media and in some of my free lessons i have looked into a majority of key points including openings, lighting, camera work etc. This was done to show how much i knew about thriller films at the start of the course, as i get through the course i will continue to add more and more to this mind map to show how my understanding of the thriller genre has developed. 

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