Preliminary Task

For our preliminary task, we had to film a short sequence that had the requirements of 180 degree rule, shot-reverse-shot and match on action. The scenario shown in the short video shows two friends having a conversation.

In order to film, we used two tripod's and two camera's to film. This was useful to us as the shots filmed were consistent, each frame was consistent to the last. This is was useful as it reassured that we had used 'match on action' when the two girls bumped into each other and that 180 degree rule and shot-reverse-shot were met when they began to sit down and talk.

We filmed our preliminary task in the school canteen, although we did not want it to look as if we had filmed in a school canteen. to achieve this, we filmed in a small corner of the canteen and attempted not to film a large majority on the canteen and focus on the person whom was in the shot at the time. Although the shot does look as if it were set in a school canteen.

If i could improve anything, it would be the sound quality. in the sequence there is a lot of background noise present which is very over powering and in some incidents it overpowering the sound of the speech. You can also tell that background noise is present as when the shot cuts from one person to another you can here the stop-start pausing effect which is off-putting. Also as well as background noise, as we were not alone, the sound has picked up other people who were in the canteen who where talking while we were talking. This made it hard to understand as with us talking, the white noise and others around us talking it made it very hard to understand and what to focus on.

180 Degree Rule/Shot Reverse Shot/Match On Action

180 Degree Rule

The 180 degree rule is a guideline that should be followed when filming between 2 people or objects. On the 'Line of Vision' shown on the image above, it is preferred if both camera's are both within 180 degree's of each other (creating the 180 degree rule). If the camera's are more than 180 degree's apart, it may cause confusion as if would appear if two people were in a conversation, they would both appear to be standing/sitting on the same side. 

Examples can be seen here *

Shot Reverse Shot

Shot Reverse Shot shows one character is appeared to be looking at another character. Since the two different characters are both facing opposite directions the audience assume that the two characters are facing each other. 

Examples can be seen here *

Match-On-Action

Match-on-action shows something happening in a scene, but when the shot is cut, the same scene is occurring in the next shot. This delivers continuity and clearly shows what is happening. 

Examples can be seen here *

*Clips that are linked to this blog post are not my own, but the work of other media students.