Editing

Once we had filmed all the scenes for the Prelim task our group then had to edit our scenes. Firslty we had to get up the editing software, this was called 'Adobe Premier Pro' and we uploaded all the clips on to it. Once this was done we then had to sort through the good and bad clips and put them in the correct order and cut certain parts so it all looked smooth and chronological. After they were all in the right order we then had to add all the transitions and the right effects to make the video look proffesional and smooth. We played around wiht lots of different effects and transitions to try and get the best overall possible, fortunatley I think we got the best result possible given the little time we had to film it and edit it. Afterwards we had to find some non copyrighted music and sound effects to add to the video that would be put in at certain parts. Overall I beleive that I have generally gotten the grasp of editing so when it comes to the real thing I think I should be able to cope with it all very well. 

Filming

After we had planned out how we wanted everything, we then had to move onto filming. However at the time the room we initially wanted to film in was being used. So instead of waste time and do nothing we went off as a group and found another free room so we could practice exactly what was going to happen in the scene so when it came round to actually filming it we all knew what we were going to do and say. After running through the scene several times the filming room became free so we went into it and set up ready for filming. It took us about 30 minutes to get all of the shots. Luckily for us they were all successful and none of the shots needed re filming. Overall the experience was very enjoyable and sometimes quite funny, I felt I learnt a lot about the filming side of media and all some of the hurdles you may cross when filming.

Planning

To start with on the prelim task, we were split into different groups with people we wouldn't usually work with if we got the choice, this was to see if it bought the best out of us all individually. Regardless of this I thought my group all worked co-operatively and we were all open about ideas and opinions so all together our group worked very well. Our first task as a group was to plan our actual scene, so me and the rest of the group brainstormed ideas and jotted them down onto a storyboard layout. There were six boxes for rough sketches of what was going to happen in the scene and beneath those boxes were spaces to write what was actually going on in the scene, so for instance camera angles, dialogue, sound etc. As a group we decided that we wanted several different camera angles in the scene so the audience got a full feel for where the characters were. We also decided that we wanted low eerie music playing in the background so it created suspense and tension and we wanted the lighting to be very dim, but we wanted to make sure that the characters in the scene were still well lit. However none of these decisions were actually final.

The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises Analysis

Mise En Scene: There are multiple soldiers on plane with he hostages, we can tell this from there camouflaged uniform. This tells us that they are of high importance and it creates tension as we do not know who the hostages are but we can infer that they may be dangerous as they have soldiers with bullet proof vests on that need to control everything. Towards the end of the scene, another plane comes into shot, this time it is Banes plane that is controlled by Banes men. His men are also in army gear, with gun and bullet proof vests, this shows that Bane is the more powerful out of the two sides as he has the bigger plane and also the men in army gear with weaponry, ready to take out the other men and their plane, This creates tension and suspense as it makes Bane seem like the more powerful character, especially since he was only just un masked.

Sound: When there in the plane at the beginning the background music is very deep and fast. This creates tension as we would usually relates these kinds of sounds to something bad so it makes it seem as if we are waiting for something to happen. The dialogue in this scene is very threatening so it creates tension because if the hostages we dangerous then the man would not have made the threats towards the hostages, which keeps us watching to see if any of the hostages talks back or get un masked.

Editing: Just before Bane is unmasked there is a sudden cut to where you are face to face with the masked Bane so you don't know who it is yet. This creates tension because we are coming face to face with the person under the mask and because we don't know who it is or what he wants yet, it adds that extra little bit of suspense. There are also quite a few fast paced cuts between people when Banes men drop down from their plane. This creates tension as it quickly building up tension for a big finale where the army men find out what Banes plan is and then makes us realise that they are trouble and are most likely going to die. Leaves us on the edge of our seat.

Camera: There are a lot of over the shoulder shots in this scene. This creates tension especially when the leader of the aircraft is taking the mask off Bane as up until now we do not know who is behind the mask at all and it could be any one. Its clearly going to be someone important though as Bane is singled out and is the only one of the hostages to talk and also the only one to be unamasked.

Inception

Inception analysis

Sound: There are distinct violin sounds at the beginning of the scene which makes it seem scary and tense since there is a lot of violence going on and Di Caprio is being shot at and chased which obviously makes us fear for him and the orchestral sounds only adds to this fear. There are diegetic sounds of the waves crashing into the rocks and gives us a sense of the unknown which creates a lot of tension and makes us worry for the character that has just washed up on the shore as we do not know exactly who he is and we don't know weather he is in danger or not, but for some reason the diegetic tones make us fear the worst for him.

Mise En Scene: The protagonist wakes up and instantly we know he has been washed up on a beach due to the crashing of the waves, and the sand castles that children could have made. At first we still feel at ease as he his only on a beach, there's nothing un pleasant about that, but then we realise the children were just in his mind which makes us start to question where he actually is or who he really is him self and makes us question weather it real life or not.

Camera: There is a close up, over the shoulder shot of a bald man who is talking to his henchman/ servants, (we don't know exactly who they are) it is clear that he is in charge and is the leader as they went to him with the man who was washed up on the shores belongings and personal possessions. This makes it tense as we still don't know who the characters really are and weather the bald man or the character who was washed up,  we don't know who is good or bad so it creates that suspense and mystery.

Editing: When the character gets washed up on the shore there is an eye line match, we see the man looking up at something and then it cuts to what appears to be children playing with sand castles. Because we are shown them straight away after the man is looking at them, this could imply that the children are maybe his children and that they have a very close relationship. It could also imply that maybe the children are in danger, or even he is in danger because of the quick cut and eye line match. The children's faces are distorted and we are lead to believe that the children were just a figure of his imagination and that there not really there. When the scene cuts to the Chinese inspired room, it shows us the bald man spinning the spinning top and then uses an insert to show us the spinning top up close and makes us focus on it more. This implies that it may be quite important to the plotline and the story.

Lost Highway

Lost Highway analysis

Mise En Scene: Right at the beginning of the scene the first character we see is smoking a cigarette. This may suggest he is quite a stressful person and smokes to relieve stress or that he is rather rebellious. This does create a bit more drama and mystery within the scene as the audience maybe wondering why he is smoking. He also looks like he is waiting for someone right at the beginning so it arises the mysterious question of "who is he waiting for" and it only builds more and more tension. Because he is smoking it does kind of give you the feel that the character is a bit dangerous and mysterious which builds suspense and makes you feel as if something big is about to happen.

Sound: There is very little dialogue in the scene as there is only one line spoken throughout the whole scene and that's when the voice comes through the speaker. This creates a lot tension and suspence and the audicen will want to keep watching because they will want to find out who is speaking through the speaker and what the actual words mean. There is also use of non - diegetic tones, they were loud and eerie and create a lot of tension for the scene and they get louder and louder into a crescendo as the scene went out.

Editing: There are lots of straight cut shots used in this scene. This is to represent the fast pace of the scene which signifies it is a thriller as it is building up into something big. The fast transactions allow tension to build. There is also a log take used as he is walking around the flat, this lets tension build as it is following the action in a long take.

Camera: The first shot in the scene is of a close up of the protagonist smoking a cigarette. This is typical of a thriller as it helps build a lot of tension and sunspence because it makes you think what is around him and whats there that we cant see. The close up allows us to see his anxious and worried expressions on the characters face which also implies that there is something going on that we don't know about yet. Alternatively to this shot we later see mid shots and long shots of the character walking around his apartment. This is affective as we get to see him anxiously walking around, backing up the point that there is something going on that we aren't aware of.

Clip Used - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=cWJOJFob0bE&noredirect=1

Black Swan

Opening Credits

The opening titles read:
Fox searchlight pictures presents
In association with
Cross Creek Pictures
A protozoa and phoenix pictures production
BLACK SWAN

Mysterious and spooky credits are used in this film during the opening scene. White, bold text is used over a blacked out background. This is used so the attention is drawn upon the writing and credits on screen. But also fits nicely as the film is called "Black Swan" so its that white on black theme (like a swan) that they are going for. This creates a very mysterious and sinister narrative.

Sound

In the beginning clip when the main character is dancing, non diegetic sounds are used. There is a high pitched peaceful string arrangement being used at this moment in the scene, which isn't typical for a thriller and makes the audience wonder why the non-diegetic music isn't sinister, which would be typical of a thriller. However, not so far into the scene a man enters, but the same music continues. Composed over the top is a deep eerie rumble which all of a sudden changes the feel of the narrative to a tense one. We then assume this man to be the antagonist which would be typical for a male antagonist in a thriller with a female protagonist. 

Mise en Scene 

Regarding the costume, the main character mainly wears white whilst she is dancing. White typically has connotations of being peaceful and elegant, strongly suggesting to the audience that she is the protagonist and isn't presented as evil. However, the man that appears later on during the dance is dressed in all black which is typically an antagonists costume suggesting to us that he maybe the villain of the film. Also, he moves is also very violent and dominant of the female character which matches his costume.
At the very beginning of the film, low key lighting is used to portray the ballet dancer. She is pictured centre of the camera with one beam of light following her, we don't know who she is dancing for or why she is dancing, all the while maintaining that air of uncertainty and eeriness.

Camera
A close up shot of the ballerinas feet is used whilst she is dancing at the beginning of the film. This shows the quick movement of her feet, showcasing her talent for ballet. This could also foreshadow that the film may be quite fast paced and the events could happen rather quickly. Also the fact that the camera is completely focused on her, and that she is centre of the camera the whole time, suggests to us that she could be the focal point of the film and that the narrative will revolve around her.
An extreme close up is also used part way through the film to show the audience a strangely placed scratch on the ballet dancers left shoulder blade. This extreme close up shot is very effective because it shows the details of the scratch, but the audience are made to wonder how this got there and who did it, adding to the mysterious narrative this film has created.

Editing

Shot reverse shot is used when the ballet dancer and who we assume to be her Mum are exchanging dialogue in their house in the morning, after she has had the twisted dream. This is very effective as it builds tension because the audience don't know what her mother is like or what the relationship between the two characters is like.
Straight cut shots are also used to create the tension between the scene. Straight cuts are used when the ballet dancer is on the train, and she spots another girl. This makes the audience confused as we don't know who the girl is or where they are both going. This adds to the narrative enigma of the film.