Preliminary Practice Filming and Editing

Preliminary Practice Filming and Editing

Unfortunately, my group (Me, Dom & Lucy) had technical difficulties when uploading our video footage and so we've had to edit Connie and Kiara's footage instead; nonetheless they still created all three of the shots my group tried to achieve. The basic storyline involved Kiara's character misplacing her keys and discovering that Connie had taken them; Kiara then chases her as Connie tries to steal her car. It all ties up with a somewhat comic ending when Kiara punches Connie leaving her knocked out on the floor.

My group edited the footage to create a smooth finished product; adding in sound effects to highlight the slightly slapstick element of the film. This included a light-hearted, jazzy number as Kiara is introduced; and then later on, sounds that were meant to appear diagetic such as the punch noise (in order to enhance the finished film). The camera work, done by Connie and Kiara, but much like our original footage, involved match-on-action shots (when Kiara cannot find the keys in her pocket), various panning shots, and shot/reverse/shots (like the first confrontation) which applied the 180 degree rule.

Preliminary Film Analysis

Preliminary Film Analysis

Continuity Editing

Continuity Editing

180 Degree Rule:

A rule created by Levi Wigglesworth which means that two characters should always have the same left and right relationship to each other. (If the camera crosses the invisible 'axis' connecting the two subjects it is called 'crossing the line'. The shot remains within a 180 degree radius and if the camera crosses the line it creates confusion for the film viewers, because it makes it look like the two characters have switched places in the scene. 

Shot reverse shot:

A shot reverse shot is a film technique where one character is shown looking at another character, and then the other character is shown looking back at the first character. It is often used in conversation between two characters, and much like the 180 degree rule it is used to retain continuity by not distorting the audience's sense of location of the subjects within the shot.

Match-on-action shot:

This refers to a film editing technique where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action. It creates a sense of continuity in the film and is used to highlight certain actions. The 'visual bridge' where the action carries through draws the viewers attention away from slight cutting or continuity issues.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Title Sequence Timeline

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Title Sequence Timeline

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) — Art of the Title

By analysing the Captain America Title Sequence I now have a better understanding on the conventions of a title sequence.

                                                                        One thing that became clear is the importance of someone within the production dictates their appearance in the titles: For example, the director comes first and then this is followed by the screenplay and then the producer etc. The last member of the production team to be show is the casting director, who is then followed by the actors. 

They too follow the same pattern with prominence in the film dictating their order - the main actors come first, followed by less key characters. The minor characters are also often listed in groups, which from my research appears to be common. Finally the title of the film appears. (Having said this, it is also common for all this to be in reverse: i.e. title first, then actors, then production team. It is either this way or the order that Captain America has followed that title sequences seem to appear.)

The title sequence also highlighted the significance of music, graphics and typography. It has shown that the genre and theme of the movie determines how these features pan out. Captain America was initially a MARVEL comic and the transition graphics and typography are done in a style that is somewhat comic-like. The music too follows the pattern of the genre: Captain America is an American hero and the diagetic music that accompanies the sequence feels very patriotic. The three factors: music, graphics and typography are all used to continue the theme of the movie.