Fortnight Movie Watch #1

Inception Opening Review and Analysis 

Inceptions title sequence was not at the start of the film, however the opening sequence is still analyzable regardless because it contains key information which helps to build up the films story plot. The introduction music is  non diegetic music and is used while the production company logo's are displayed. Instantly the scene is set as we see crashing waves and a beach. Diegetic sound comes the waves crashing against on the rocks on the beach. We are instantly introduced to the main character of the film and lead actor of the film (Leonardo DiCaprio). We are also presented with two children that are playing on the beach. At this moment in time we are unclear of the relation and connection between the man laying on the beach and the children playing on the beach. This causes viewers to wonder what is going on and engages the the audience as they wish to know what this scene means.A Gun is pressed on the back of the mans back and shortly after the person with the gun is revealed to the audience. This adds more confusion to the scene because we have just gone from seeing kids playing on a beach to a man being threatened with a gun. The two scenes are juxtaposed by us seeing the man being pressed with gun whilst we still hear the sound of the kids playing. We are then presented with an establishing shot where can now see in more detail where the scene is set. We already knew that the location was at beach however the establishing scene verifies this and allows the audience to see where the characters are currently located.  

Review

The film was really good kept me engaged and entertained even though the film was very long. It had a very smart story line that worked well.

 Film Rating

 

 

Film Techniques

1. Over-the-shoulder shots

Over-the-shoulder shots are just what the name says: a shot with an actor’s shoulder in the foreground, out of focus. A good over-the-shoulder shots are some of the most time-consuming to shoot correctly, because you need to make sure that there is neither too much nor too little shoulder in the frame. However, in my opinion no serious filmmaker can afford not to learn this technique because it is narratively essential in many cases. Some directors openly say that they never shoot over-the-shoulder shots precisely because it takes ages to get the look they want and frequently can’t do it at all, but in my opinion they are missing out.

From a narrative point of view, over-the-shoulder shots draw the viewer in by creating a sense of intimacy, depending on how much of the screen area the shoulder in the foreground occupies. As I wrote above, the key to making the shot work is to get exactly the right amount of shoulder in the shot. The way to do this is to work with the actor over whose shoulder you are shooting to make sure that he/she is leaning into the shot by exactly the right amount. It takes practice, and is one of those uncelebrated but essential film techniques that even the most experienced directors don’t always have. I always take my time to frame the perfect over-the-shoulder shot in my work and it is worth the effort, and the actors appreciate the final results. Read my detailed guide on how to frame over-the-shoulder shots.

2. Tilt shots

Tilting up or down is one of the simplest camera techniques there are. Due to its simplicity it tends to be overused and/or poorly executed. The truth is that well-executed tilting, combined with some interesting action and with perfect coordination between the camera operator and the action, can be incredibly elegant in their simplicity. If you want to see further examples of tilt shots and the circumstances that make them appropriate, check out pretty much any film by Steven Spielberg, especially “Schindler’s list.”

Recommended best practices for the execution of good tilt shots:

- Set up the shot in such a way that you can tilt straight up or down, without mixing it with panning. If you can set up the shot in this way, you can lock off the panning axis of your fluid head so that it can only tilt and not pan. This will make the tilt shot very pure and elegant. Obviously there are certain circumstances in which tilting combined with panning — a diagonal movement — is the best option. What I’m saying here is that you should not mix tilting with panning just because you failed to set up the shot properly. If you are tilting up or down to move from one subject to another along the vertical axis, set up the shot in such a way that you can execute it with the panning axis completely locked off.

- Tilt shots (and panning shots) should be executed smoothly and confidently, without overshooting the final frame and then backtracking clumsily to re-establish framing, unless of course you actually want that look. It is perfectly possible to do a whip-tilt — a very fast tilt from one framing to another — with an instant lock-off and very precise framing, but you will need a highly competent and experienced camera operator. For ambitious film work, experienced camera operators are worth every penny and essential to realizing the director’s vision.

3. Panning shots

Panning the shot is the horizontal equivalent of tilt shots. Like tilt shots, panning shots are conceptually simple and therefore usually overused and/or poorly executed. Exactly the same best-practice considerations made for the tilt shots apply to panning shots: try and design them in such a way that you can lock off the tilt axis in order to keep the panning pure, and hire a competent camera operator, especially if your shots require precise timing and framing accuracy. Once again I will refer you to any of Steven Spielberg’s films as an excellent source of well-executed panning shots, that are so well-motivated and well-executed as to be almost unnoticeable (because they draw you into the story as opposed to distracting you from it).

Mise En Scene/Action FIlms (Part 2)

Mise en scene/Action films

Music In Opening Sequence

Because we are not allowed to use copy righted music I will be creating my own music for my opening title sequence. Here is an example of music I have created myself.



Musical Inspirations for the opening title sequence:

Media Selfie

Presentation On the Avengers