Jamie Pugsley

Level 2 Media
TV and Film Unit

Script

Hello! I am here to guide you through some of the techniques and processes to consider
when making a film.

First Technique and process I will talk about is Camera Angles and Shots.

Camera Angles and Shots are where specific location where the camera is positioned to
take a shot. There are many ways these are just a few.

An establishing Shot is where this is the first shot of any scene. This is designed to help the
audience establish where the scene is taking place. This can also be known as an Extreme
Long Shot. Here is an example of where this shot is used in The Day After Tomorrow. So,
what do we know from looking at this picture that it set in New York you can tell this as you
can see the Statue of Liberty and the tall high buildings which indicted this. You can also see
this mist covering the entire picture this could suggest from this shot that a natural disaster
might have occurred because of this. It is hard to suggest what genre it could be.

Over the Shoulder Shot is where taken the camera angle is taken from over the shoulder of
someone perspective which ables the camera person to directly film what they are filming for
examples this shot is particularly used in conversations, can be used in interviews and this
scene from Harry Potter face off with Voldemort in the Deathly Hallows and also the
Interrogation Scene with In the Dark Knight where Joker is talking to Batman.

High Angle Shot is where it creates illusion that they are less powerful and weak for example
this part of the scene where Harry Potter is on the floor you don’t know what he is looking at
you assume that it could be something more powerful than him like a dark arts or a creature
but the image leaves it a mystery. This leaves the audience wandering and engaged in what
going to happen. This angle can also mean an object is bigger than them like in a city to
show distance between the characters or objects.

Close Up is where you focus on mainly one specific aspect such as a facial expressions or
someone showing action or gesture an example of this in the film ‘The Revenant’ this is
showing pain and suffering can engage and hook the audience on these shots this shows
how the character is feeling.

Low Angle is anywhere below eye level pointing upwards at the characters. As the audience
we are the low angle from the characters perspective looking up. This is done to show power
that the character we are as the audience does not have power. This makes the audience
feel intimidated.

Now you got some of the basics Camera Angles and Shots I will now talk about Mise En
Scene.
Second technique I will talk about is Mise En Scene

Mise En Scene is a French term. It means arrangement within the scene it the visual
information that communities essential meaning to the audience what the audience is seeing
this can be broken down into five aspects that make up the term Mise En Scene these are:

Settings and Props -

Firstly, I am going to took about Settings and Props this is a key part of any film and it not
just a load of backgrounds. Many directors spend at lot of time finding and creating their
settings to get them to the way they likely from scratch or existing places. Settings can tell a
lot about location, time period, state of the world and genre.

Costumes, Hair and Make Up –

Costumes, Hair and Make Up this helps audience give key information about the characters
personality, status and job. Certain costumes can represent individual characters.

Performance – Facial Expressions and Body Language

Facial Expressions can mean a lot to how a character is feeling. Body Language how the
character is feeling towards another character or may reflect the state of their relationship.

Composition –

How things are framed and placed with the scene. This can be useful because it can draw
are attention to important character or can be positioning of the relationship of the
characters.

Lighting and Colour -

Lastly, let’s talk about Lighting and Colour!

Lighting is used to achieve a variety of effects within the scene it could show firstly to
highlight important characters or objects. Secondly to make characters mysterious by
shading different sections of the face and body. Thirdly can imply to reflect a character’s
mental state and hidden emotions for example strobe effect could suggest confused, dark
could suggest disturbed and bright could suggest happy.

There are two key types of lighting High Key and Low-Key Lighting.

Let’s focus on High Key Lighting this is where more filler lights are used this lighting is
natural and more realistic to the viewers eyes for example it is used in ROM-COMS. Now
let’s focus on Low Key Lighting it is only used the key and back lights. Three reasons you
can used Low Key Lighting. Number 1 it produces sharp contrasts of light and dark areas,
number 2 it can show deep distinct shadows and usually silhouettes are formed for example
Low Key Lighting can use in Horror films.

Colours carries certain connotations which may add meaning to the scene, give the scene
dramatic effect, mood or feel for example Red could suggest danger it could also suggest
passion and romance colours can have many different meanings that could suggest
meanings.
Now you got an understanding of what Mise En Scene we are now going to talk about what
the technique of Match on Action is.

Match on Action

You probably thinking what Match on Action is!

Match on Action is where the editor cuts from one shot to another and when it plays it back it
looks smooth and it doesn’t see the cut that the editor has done because it would flow into
the next scene. Example of this is where I done the silent film within the team.

180 Degree Rule

So, imagine invisible straight-line that goes through the eye level of the subjects is formally
called ‘director’s line’ this allows to connect two or three characters this is establishes screen
direction which doesn’t really change. It is crucial to stick to only one side of the 180 Degree
Rule. You will find the main character is always on the right this is because we usually look
from right to left.

In only certain circumstance can the 180-degree rule can be broken usually to show chaos
and disorientation this can make the audience not comfortable and relaxed in what they’re
watching and keep them with suspense for example The Joker and Batman. It can
sometimes be used to show a changed of power balance with the characters for example
from 200 Dollars – Paper Moon (1973).

In teams we had to come up with are very own Interrogation Scene and to not try to break
the 180 Degree Rule. I hope you have understood what the 180 Degree Rule technique is
now, we are now going to move onto are last technique and process which is Montage.

Cross Cutting

Cross cutting is to establish action taken at the same time or same place they used an
editing technique called cross cutting. This is where the camera will cut away from one
action to another action. The purpose of cross cutting is developing two or more plots or
threads of action simultaneously and culminating in a single place which helps builds
suspension, builds momentum, helps the audience to make connections between different
ideas/sequences.

Montage

The key information you should take away from Montage is to condense space, time and
information which can be edited in a series of short shots, which this creates a technique, of
film editing called Montage.