PLANNING: Storyboards

These are the storyboards that we drew to explain what we planned to do for our preliminary task. It has the shot duration and the action of what each person was to do and say. They show the person walking into a room, sitting down and having a conversation with another person.

CONSTRUCTION: Preliminary

Preliminary Task



This is my preliminary it shows all kinds of different camera shots, including Match on Action , Shot Reverse Shot and the 180' rule.

RESEARCH: 180° Rule

What is it?The 180° rule is continuity technique used to film two characters (or objects) in the same scene. There is an imaginary semicircle joining the two people, the camera must film in between the two axis, if it goes past it, it is called, crossing the line. If the line is crossed and is filmed in two or more shots the image becomes ‘flipped’ meaning that the person that was on the right is now on the left. This can cause the viewer to become confused. There is an exception to this rule, this is where the camera can cross the line, but this must be shot in one take so that the people are not on the opposite side of the screen.

How is it used?
This technique is done by filming in any point in the imaginary semicircle, in one take or more, the camera can take as many shots as it wants providing it’s in the semicircle, because if it goes outside the semicircle, the shot will have changed, meaning the people would have in effect changed sides. If this is shot with two people at a table, this can cause confusion to the viewer, as they will not know what is going on. But if this is filmed in a busy area with more people, filming the two people and breaking the rule will cause the viewer to become confused as to who is who, this may be done on purpose, so that they don’t know which person is which.

Why is it used?
It may be used by the director to cause confusion to the viewer. So that the viewer is not confused, when filming you should stay within the 180° imaginary semicircle, because if the image flips it will cause the viewer to take themselves out of the scene to try to work out why they have flipped sides. If the shot is flipped, in editing you can mirror the image so that the viewer doesn’t get too confused, but if the viewer can tell something is wrong the illusion is not real anymore.

Above is a small video clip to show the 180° rule.

RESEARCH: Shot Reverse Shot

What is it?
Shot reverse shot is where, normally two or more people are talking to each other. This is a continuity editing method, like match on action. By doing this it gives the effect or verisimilitude that the whole conversation has been taken in one continuous shot. This is often used in scenes where a conversation between people is taking place.

How is it used?
This is done by filming two people talking, but instead of cutting after one person has said a line then switching. You film one person saying all their lines, but with pauses between each line. Then you switch the camera around so its filming the other person, you then film the other person saying all their lines. Once you have done this, you can edit the clips. To do this you have to cut the clip of the first person’s line then add the clip of the response from the other person to the end of the first clip, continue doing this until the scene is complete and looks like it is one shot filmed by two cameras. To give the effect of a conversation between the two people, film one of the people over the shoulder of the other, this makes the viewer feel as if they are in the other person’s place.

Why is it used?

This is used to give the effect to the viewer that it is a conversation between two or more people. This gives the impression to the viewer that it is not filmed by two cameras, as when its edited you cant see the camera over the other persons shoulder. This is used so that if two or more people are talking, you can see both faces rather than just being able to see one persons face during the whole conversation.

Above is a short video to show how Shot Reverse Shot works.

RESEARCH: Match on Action

What is it?

Match on Action is where two or more shots are edited together to make it seem that the shot is one continuous action. This is a form of continuity editing method, by doing this it makes the scene appear to be real to the viewer. The end of one clip is edited together with the beginning of another to create verisimilitude.

How is it used?

This is a method used to create the effect that it is one continuous action using two or more clips. This is done by filming someone doing something from different angles, then by editing it to make it look like it was filmed in one shot. For example you could film someone walking up to a door, then in the next clip, film them coming through the door but on the other side, this makes the viewer think that it was one action without stopping. By doing this it makes the viewer think it was only shot once, but it was actually filmed a few times. To make it seem real the variables must be the same, for example the speed the person was walking at, which door they opened.

Why it is used?

This is used a lot when filming as the cameras may not be able to get the whole view, also they may want to give an effect from seeing the front of the person/ people then seeing the back. This is here to make an illusion that it is all filmed in one long shot without stopping.