I came across this film while scrolling through social media. The small snippet of the film’s opening was something that really drew me in. During the opening scene, Suzie Salmon, reveals her everyday life and how she saved her brother. Not only does this dramatic scene drag you in but the plot twist voiceover of Suzie stating her name and defining herself as the girl who died at 14 really leaves you as an audience member wanting to watch more in order to discover what happened to her. Overall the narrative was by far my favourite element of the film. This was purely due to the fact that they decided to use a non linearapproach to the story by presenting the killer to the audience at the beginning and then showing how the other characters begin to unravel the murder and find out who did it. As well as this, I loved the ending as they didn’t actually catch the man who killed Suzie but instead showed him dying in an accident that was linked symbolically to Suzie’s afterlife. I felt this really added a creative element to the narrative and the way the story was portrayed. 

Editing and scene transitions was also something that really stood out throughout this film in my opinion. For example, during the moment where Suzie is taken into the underground hideout, the film from this point uses hidden scene cuts to help create the feeling of sinking into the floor and adding more of a sinister effect to the scene. Another editing style I liked about this film was the style used to show her death. The film showed Suzie escaping from the bunker and running home however on approach to her family and house etc it becomes clearer that no one can see or hear her and instead she appears to be a spirit. I loved how these moments in the film were shot. The use of colour grading techniques to create a subtle difference between the warmth of living and coldness of where Suzie is stuck. As the film continues Suzie is shown moving back and forth between her previous life and heaven. This limbo is cleverly shown through the beautiful graphics of Suzie’s thoughts and this small world she seems to be stuck in as she tries to get justice for her family. 

Overall, I felt this film had a really gripping narrative and had an unexpected ending than typical murder films. I loved the way Peter Jackson and the rest of the film’s producers really helped portray the books in a dramatic and intriguing way. The overall editing of this film I felt was good and the transitions between shots as well as the camera movements, such as the birds eye pan, giving the emphasise of death and floating/ looking down, really worked to pull the story together and reflect how the narration of Suzie was feeling during certain moments within the film. One thing I would change about this film would possible be the murder, the sense of mystery behind the act is interesting however I felt it should have been revealed later in the film, possibly during a flash back. 

Following the release of this film in cinemas I decided to go and see what it was about. Action/ superhero films aren’t really a genre I like to watch however I wanted to go and see how good the film was in terms of cinematography, editing and narrative.  

The film opens with Carol (Captain Marvel) sitting in what looks like a space ship. Within the first few moments of the film you are shown an insight into Carol’s mind. This immediately indicates that the films equilibrium is unstable. As the film continues more about Carol is revealed and after embarking on what she believed was a mission to save a planet she discovers her true identity and history with the planet after bumping into her old friends and slowly jogging her memory. Personally, I felt that this was a good narrative concept and an interesting way of showing how she reaches her true potential as a hero. However, I felt that the film seemed to drag this idea out for too long. As a viewer I found it clear that she was starting to remember her past and that she was slowly learning who she really was within the first three or four flash backs. To improve the repetitive element of this plot I would possible consider being more to the point with this concept as it isn’t something that is hard to understand as an audience member. Moving past the moments in the narrative where she discovers who she is the film shows Carol finally changing sides to help the alien race she was fighting in the beginning and being able to release her full potential in terms of her powers. I loved this idea and the presentation of this point, however I once again felt this fighting went on for too long.  

One element of the film that really stood out to me is the cinematography. Throughout the film the setting for each scene were really detailed and appealing to the eye. For example, when Carol is looking for a file with the Nick Fury, the room they are searching is symmetrical with tall shelves filled with paper files. I found this scene really interesting as the set was so simple but appeared so detailed and important to the scene especially when the aliens begin searching for them and the camera tracked between the rows to create fear and a suspenseful element for the audience. Looking at the cinematography during the end fight scene as it really illustrates the detail and thought behind the film’s visuals. For example, during the moment Captain Marvel is in space using her powers, the colour of her stands out from everything around her and is clearly more bright and vibrant then before. This helps to reflect how she is feeling while using her powers to their full potential. The detail and elements of space really created a clear visual for the audience and I feel this is really important to allow the film to feel more real for the viewers.  

My favourite element of this film would have to be the editing. Throughout the film every shot is clearly thought through and timed to create the required impact wanted. I personally loved the use of tracking shots and hand held during the scenes within space because this gave the feeling of floating, which helped to emphasise the fact as an audience we are in space with her. During this moment I felt that this choice of style really helped give more of an emotional attachment to the audience as you feel as though your there and floating freely just like how she feels at that moment being free from the lie she has grown up to know. Another part of the editing style that I liked was during fight scenes with songs, the cuts of the visuals would work well with the music as well as making the fight scene feel as though they flow more quickly.  

The overall style of editing, narrative and film as a whole was something I didn’t expect. Usually superhero films are something I am not interested in because of the fight scenes being of no interest to me as a viewer however this style of editing and detail to scenes really brought out elements of comedy and pace throughout the different scenes to keep me engaged more than I would be with any previous superhero action film. 

Recently I watched a short film called Love birds. The film showed a documentary insight into pigeon racing and peoples dying love for the sport. One thing that really worked within this short film was the music. I thought this not only helped evoke an emotional connection but also helped reflect how the contributors felt towards the sport. The film started with no music and slowly brought it in towards the end. I think this was a good decision as at the beginning of the film the audience may think that the hobby is just boring and not important. The use of music in the end really helps to emphasise how much the people being interviewed love pigeon racing and how it has shaped and changed their lives. Another thing I liked about this film’s style was the fact the film wasn’t just piece to camera and instead used voice overs of the interviews while showing portrait shots of the person speaking. This added a more poetic style to the film and helped to create more of a direct address to the audience. 

Throughout the film the continuity within the narrative really allowed a flow throughout the story and message being told, one way the film did this was through different generations of racers. For example, at the beginning of the film an old man was talking and as the film progressed the ages of the people being interviewed until we as an audience has seen the  young and old. I think this really helped to show the audience that the sport is for anyone and everyone can be involved.  

Overall, I feel this short film really helped to show pigeon racing in a different light. The style and cinematography throughout the film was my favourite element and I particularly like the poetic style it gave through its portrait style shots and use of music. 

For one of our craft skills assessments we were asked to create and film a chase sequence that contained a motive, action chase and an ending. After our crew met up to discuss and share ideas for a narrative, we decided to take inspiration from the old Charlie Chaplin slapstick style films to create a comedic style chase. For our narrative we shot a dinner date where the guest slowly took the hosts furniture throughout the night. This ended with a chase sequence using a black and white grain filter and a smaller screen ratio to recreate a slapstick comedy feeling to the scene. To add more comedy to our ending, we showed the thief being caught and pulling out a ridiculous amount of items such as a TV, flowers etc. 

During the Production of this film I felt that that we did a great job working as a crew and producing good footage. For the dinner setting I used fairy lights to create a single light source under and around the table allowing the rooms atmosphere to come warm and give off a romantic feel. For cinematography I felt this scene was the best as it was very aesthetic to look at the tone and colour as well as the props and attention to detail which really helped emphasise the points of the scene. Another thing I loved about our film was the style of editing. Some of our chase sequence shots were edited into a stop motion style. This really helped to reflect the older style camera editing as well as speed up comedic moment in the chase to avoid it feel slow paced. Throughout our scene, I really felt like the small comedic skit elements of the chase sequence helped to bring character and reflect the Charlie Chaplin style. 

 When looking at parts of the film that we struggled with, the main difficulty was the chase itself. As a crew, we struggled with creating variation between shots as well as giving the scene a fast pace. I feel that if we were to shoot this again, it would benefit to use more shorter length shots rather than longer shots as this made the chase seem slower to the viewer. Another thing I would consider improving would be the ending. When trying to create the comedic style ending we wanted, the reaction shots we captured didn’t seem to reflect or create the impact we wanted on the audience. To improve this next time, I would consider using a close-up shot of the actor’s face, making the scene cuts faster, and possibly having actors with better acting backgrounds playing the roles. 

Recently this short film has been very popular over social media. Because of this I decided to watch it. The narrative is good in reflecting her true age and accentuating the final twist. For example, when Mishka sits outside with the boy and walks home with him, when she grips her teddy bear and the use of star stickers in her room. All of these helped to reflect how she is at the age where she should start to think about love and childish dreams instead of the situation she is in. I felt this really helped to increase the emotional impact of the film. The plot of teenage pregnancy is something often done in short films and can sometimes be predictable however I felt that this films twist ending, and overall delivery of the plot really made the film unique. The film opens with a bird’s eye pan of Mishka on her bed, I felt this really helped to grip me as a viewer. Throughout, the film’s cinematography is amazing. I could sense that every shot used was thought through and had a meaning.

Throughout the film, the use of creativity through cinematography and set design was something I really admired. All the shots were well framed and had meaning behind them. The editing of the film was also admirable. Transitions between shot really worked and flowed. I particularly liked how a transitions fade was used to help provoke the pacing of time and reflection done by the little girl. Another example of the stylistic editing was the slow motion shot in the corridor. This really helped the emphasis on how the girl was feeling and show her disconnect form her friends and life. The framing was also used in a way to help show the girl’s isolation from the others. An example of this is during breakfast, when she sits alone through a doorway, as well as the opening scene where her friends are together in one shot while she is on her own in the frame.

Reflecting on the sound and music choices within the film, it was clear this was an element that was also thought through. Every time Mishka was seen alone and reflecting, an unsettling music would begin to play. This allowed the audience to feel what she was feeling during that time. Once she takes the pills to ‘solve’ the issue the music echoes and fades away, I felt this really reflected a sense of being out of her head and showed the pills as a sense of relief. Throughout the film, dialog remains very minimal. I felt this was a wise choice as it left the film up to interpretation until the end and emphasised the music throughout different scenes. The music returns after the baby’s death is revealed. This could show the subtle idea of the bigger issue not being over.

Towards the end Mishka climbs into bed next to her father, this seems normal after the situation she has just been through until the text appears that twist the entire meaning of the scene. I love the idea behind this film ending and how powerful a line of text can be in changing the way the audience views what could be a ‘normal’ scene.

This short film takes a very poetic approach to film with the use of music being the focus of the films pace and progression. Throughout the film an acoustic guitar plays a flamenco song. Not only does this fit nicely with the theme of the film but it also helps to give the film energy and allow the audience to maintain interest. As well as music, the film’s use of an animated hour counter in the corner of the screen. This helps the audience to understand how long the man has been making the guitar as well as helping with the pace of the film. This was cleverly added in post. Along with the clock, detailed pencil lines and animated drawing and measurements are cleverly placed around the images of the man making the guitar. This helps the audience to see visually what the maker is thinking through images on the screen. 

When looking into the cinematography of this film, it is clear that the film makers took time in capturing many different closeups and detailed shots, for example when the man blows the dust from the guitar. These closeups are what makes this piece of film really appealing to the eye. The attention to detail keeps the audience drawn in as it is not something that you would normally see if you watched the man in person. Each step of the guitar making process is thought out and shown through beautiful and artistically framed images. Throughout the film, the editing kept jumping between him making the guitar and a man playing the guitar, this creates the link between the two and allowed the audience to assume that the guitar being played was the finished product. 

Overall, I loved this short film. I felt that the detail of the shots really drew me in. The music accompaniment and how it built in sound and pace really helped to keep the films narrative moving and create a story without the need of dialog and instead through a more poetic style. 

link: https://vimeo.com/deepgreensea/almaflamenca

 

 

 

Escape rooms are something that I enjoy. I love puzzles and after watching the trailers for this escape room film I was intrigued into how they were going to recreate the fun and thrill of being able to figure out an escape room and combine it with a horror/thriller genre. Of course, it was predictable that they were going to follow the style of films such as ‘would you rather?’ where there is a higher power watching the drama unravel for their own amusement. Disregarding the predictability of the films style choice and plot ending the overall narrative of the film was interesting and intriguing. One thing I did not like about the film’s narrative was the use of a nonlinear timeline, opening with the final contestant trying to escape the final room felt more like a spoiler for the end instead of the obvious intent of creating a gripping opening for the audience. 

Within this film the cinematography was a main necessity and focus for the film to become immersive and realistic for the audience. The detail within every room and the thought behind linking each rooms’ props and furniture to a certain person accurately is a great idea leaving many detailed rooms to the cinematographer to make then come alive. This attention to detail combined with the editing style really helped to tie the film together and overall create something that kept you thinking and looking all the way through. The editing style was great, although it wasn’t the main focus for the film it did help to keep the audience engaged with the story through the use of steady shots and wide angles giving the audience a feeling of being inside the same room as well as allowing them to take in the props and other possible ways of escaping the room before the actors figure it out. 

Overall, I feel like this film created a great feeling of suspense and thrill for the audience as well as allowing me to admire the attention to detail in each room. The ending of the film isn’t something I particularly liked, as it continued far too long leading me to feel as though the story was about to continue into a new chapter before ending abruptly. This could be to help line up for a sequel but if not, it was not a great conclusion to the narrative. However, for a low budget thriller I felt this film really lived up to its reviews and advertising and I would really consider going to watch this again even just for the detail of the rooms. 

With the recent release of glass, I had to go see what the film was about. Focusing on the narrative and overall concept of the film it is clear a lot of thought has been put into the layout and story behind this film. The film opens with Kevin Wendel Crumb talking to his new victims for the beast. The idea of the hoard still being in charge and the criminal not being stopped really draws you into the narrative through the first scene. As the film goes on all three ‘super’ heroes/villains (Elijah, Kevin and David) end up in an insane asylum. The film continuously builds tension between David and the hoard as they are in the asylum which eventually leads to a fight between the beast and David. During the film you as a viewer learn that Casey is the only one who can bring Kevin into the light. This is used to stop the fight however the way the plot twist to cause an unseen ending to the narrative where the main character dies is gripping. I felt that the death scene of Kevin Wendel crumb was approached really well, allowing emotion to be powerful to the audience. James McAvoy’s brilliant acting combined with the dialog and script really helped to expose the idea and feeling of more than one person dying in the last few moments of life. On top of this tragic and emotional turn in the narrative the follow up of David Dunn’s death really tips the climax of this film. I personally loved the unpredictable plot twist ending where all three characters die in one scene leaving the viewer confused and waiting for an explanation.  

When it comes to the editing of this film, I felt it was average. There were no bad elements to the editing and most scenes flowed smoothly leaving you constantly immersed in the film. However, the editing techniques could have been more unique to possibly add more interesting perspectives to the film’s presentation. On top of editing, the cinematography was great during the fight scene outside the mental health clinic. Detail to the damage on the side of the cars and the overall lighting throughout the scene was clever. The whole fight took place in a rundown carpark on a rainy day with no extravagant buildings of scenery. I felt this was done purposely to reflect and emphasise the idea of the men not fitting in with the normal reality and establish that their fight looked stupid and out of place to the others in the film. 

Overall, I felt that from the film’s cinematography to its narrative was a great ending to the trilogy. One thing I would change would be the ending. I felt that this was dragged out too long. Instead of keeping the narrative going to show how the hero’s families got justice I felt it would have been a more original ending if the final scene was of the meeting for the people who eliminate heroes.

 To follow on with my recent look into unbreakable, I thought I would watch the second film ‘split’. Split is about a man called ‘Kevin Wendel Crumb’ who suffers with multiple personality disorder. Throughout the narrative you begin to meet the different types of personalities within Kevin’s head. Personally, I felt the narrative layout was great. The film opens with a teenage girl’s birthday party where three of the girls get into a car with their dad. Soon after the girls get in the dad is approached by Denis (one of Kevin’s personalities) and knocked out before Denis gets into the car and drives away with the girls. At this point in the film as a viewer you are left confused and anxious wondering who the man is and why he has taken the girls. The use of plot to create the thought of the man being a murderer/rapist really helps to shock and confuse the audience when the first personality change is seen.  

One of the best things about this film is the acting by James McAvoy. Throughout the film he is constantly showing the range and dynamics of all the different personalities in a clear and noticeable way. From his change in voice to the way he carries his body as the character is amazing. The choice of personalities is clearly well thought through to allow humour at moments within the film. Hedwig, in my opinion, is one character who really draws out the comedic elements within the film. The idea of a fully-grown man having the perspective and thought process of a nine-year-old forever not only creates an interesting and intriguing moment but also adds humour as the juxtaposition between the acting and the actor create a sensation the audience have not experienced or witnessed before. On top of the acting emphasising the films impact, the lighting throughout created a strange atmosphere. A normal thriller would be done with a lower toned lighting creating depth and shadow however, this film was done with lighting that was clinical and very similar throughout with little change. Until the end during the beast’s arrival. I felt this was a further indication towards the acting and helped to add more focus on Kevin as well as evoking the concept of him being a normal person in some ways. 

Overall, I felt this film has a great narrative concept and was really helped by the amazing acting skills of James McAvoy. One thing I would improve with this film would possibly be the sound design. I felt the music chosen could have been more impacting at certain moments, for example, while the beast is chasing Casey, I would personally like to see more of an intense soundtrack to follow the rest of the films exaggerated elements.

What would it be like if someone in the real word had super powers? Unbreakable explores this concept in an interesting and original way. This film was suggested to me by a friend after I had watched the sequel but not seen this. The narrative of this film really drew me in by allowing me to relate with the characters through a relatable lifestyle and the concept of the ‘super hero’ being a working-class man. Within the opening scene you are shown a woman giving birth to her child, soon after the delivery you are informed that the baby is born with both legs and arms broken. This concept was intriguing to find out why which really drew me in as a viewer. One thing I noticed about this opening film was it was almost all shot through reflections in a mirror. At first, I just felt this was an interesting and unique way of framing the scene, however as the film continue this reflection style was only used during the few scenes that involved this baby and his childhood flashback. As the film progresses to a man called, David Dunn, who is in a huge train crash where he is the only survivor and manages to walk away with no injuries. Shortly after this he is approached by the boy from the beginning who tells the story of how he breaks like glass. At this point in the film I realised how clever the framing and shot choices for each scene throughout were. The reflections helped to evoke the concept of Elijah being the reverse of David. Towards the end of the narrative you as a viewer are given a huge plot twist that helped to link the film more into the concept of a super hero narrative with the Propp’s characters theory of hero and villain becoming David and Elijah. 

On top of the unique narrative, looking more into the technical aspects of the cinematography and mice en scène. It is clear this film was made with intent and meaning behind every chosen shot. From the reflects used the connote the idea of Elijah being David’s reverse to the slow motions freehand as Elijah plummets down the flight of stairs leaving you tense and on edge before hearing the sound effects of smashing glass as a metaphor for his bones breaking. Another feature I liked about this film was the idea of lighting and set being bland and neutral. This really helped to resemble and emphasise the idea of David living and being a normal man before meeting Elijah. This bland and neutral setting style soon changes once David seemed to believe he did have powers. This acceptance by David was portrayed to the audience through a subtle change in the colours surrounding David to become brighter as well as the framing becoming more focused on his surrounding rather than David himself suggesting he is becoming more of an extrovert rather than blending in and being normal like everyone else around him. 

Overall, I felt this film had a creative concept and really made the combination of superhero in real life seem realistic instead of fantasy through its use of liable accidents such as a train crash and the idea of crime such as a house burglary and kidnapping being something the hero would help with in the real world. I loved the concept behind the framing and reflection ideas. One thing I would personally improve on about this film would be the dialog, at times the speech from the actor came across as bland when it could have added so much more to the film.