Evaluation of Continuity Sequence

BTEC Media Induction Continuity Exercise

For our continuity sequence task we decided to create a short video about gambling. When filming, we used an HD Camcorder 'Panasonic HDC-SD600'. In order to edit our video, we used Adobe Premiere Pro CS6.

The video is only 1 minute long. Unfortunately, the cameras which we were using were not charged properly. Therefore, we were not able to fully implement the idea of our video. Moreover, we were slightly pressed for time. Nonetheless, we tried to do our best. 

We have used the following techniques:

Mise-en-scene

  The mise-en-scene shows how  the characters and  objects are placed. It also looks at the colour, lighting, facial expressions and everything that add to the creation of the scene.  All these elements of mise-en-scene create a particular atmosphere appropriate for the plot.  The wide shot links all the characters together. The characters are in the foreground of a shot to show that they are more important to the scene than background events. Positioning of the characters around the table gives them equal importance, no one is dominant. The high angle shot is used to help set the scene. The lighting is focused on the table- it stresses the event. The characters look very serious. Bottles of Jack Daniel's whiskey and money are stereotypical objects that are associated with gambling. Dark colour creates a very dark and mysterious atmosphere. In order to improve the impression, I would change our clothes for this video to indicate characters' personality or social status. 

   

Close-up 

This is a close-up shot that gives a really good facial expression of a character in a film. It lets us see current emotions of the character. The character looks serious and concerned. It shows his concentration, and this allows the audience to understand that he is dedicated to what he is doing.

Match on action

A match on action is a technique used in film editing. It is a cut that connects two different views of the same action at the same moment in the movement. By carefully matching the movement across the two shots, filmmakers make it seem that the motion continues uninterrupted. For a real match on action, the action should begin in the first shot and end in the second shot. This video editing technique was used to cut from one shot to another view that matches the first shot's action. It gives the impression of continuity.

Mid shots

Medium shots are used in the opening sequence to help set the scene, and introduce the characters to the audience. Medium shots also allow the audience to capture a bit of the action. And this action makes them want to continue watching.

A Point of View Shot

An over the shoulder shot  is used in our video to capture more of the scene. This can also be considered as a point of view shot because it allows the audience to see what the character (Bruce) can see, and from this the audience can form a bond with him, experiencing the emotions that he is starting to feel. Of course, we used the 180  Degree Rule. The 180 Degree Rule is one of the most basic continuity rules. It states that two characters in a scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each other. If you don’t follow the 180 Degree Rule, or break it intentionally, it disrupts the scene and disorients the audience. When you break the 180 line, a person who was originally facing left in a scene is all of the sudden facing right. Therefore, we always tried to mind the camera positions in our video to keep the characters on the same sides in every shot. 

As you know, an important part of editing is the creation of a soundtrack. We created the soundtrack using GarageBand software application. The slow paced soundtrack matches the mood of the scene. It works to create a mysterious tone. A sharp sound within the soundtrack is included to keep the audience intrigued and helps to create suspense and tension. 

The location (a small room)  was chosen to make the scene look authentic. Although we were limited to where we could shoot, we tried to use the space effectively. 

To sum up, I think our video is just the first step in filming and editing. There is far too much to learn and improve. If we had to improve the Continuity Sequence Task, we would have much more shots to work with during the editing process. If we had access to lighting we could have used it to create more effects. We would also use more techniques if our cameras were charged properly.